Disney's Magical Express . . . the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

[CleveRocks]

That would be a 'no'. We picked up our own luggage. We had heard stories of luggage taking forever, over 4 hours to show up at the resorts, so we decided to pick up our own luggage. We left each other at the entrance to the ME line. He went his way for the rental, and we stood in line for the ME. It was long and not very magical.

I'm really NOT trying to beat a dead horse, but there is one part of your account that is just puzzling me to no end, and I HATE unsolved mysteries:

If you all claimed the luggage together and it went to the rental car with your husband, why did you and your kids bother taking the DME bus? Why split up? Why didn't you all just drive to your resort and avoid DME? The only guess I have is that you hoped the kids would enjoy the bus ride (which I know it turns out they didn't). I hope you respond, this is just one of those dumb little things that nags at me until I know the answer. THANKS!!!

 

[CleveRocks]

I can say from experience that is not always the case. I got my own luggage from baggage claim and still ended up on the DME bus with several families from our flight who went straight to the DME check in.

Maybe, maybe not. There's no way for you to know that for sure.

In my case, between the aircraft and the DME Welcome Center we stopped at one set of bathrooms for my 5 and 2 year olds, another set of bathrooms when my wife suddenly had severe contact lens problems, and then stopped again at a shop or two because my mother-in-law thought she wasn't going to get enough shopping and browsing opportunities during a week in Disney World. Oh, yeh, and we had to stop once so my mother-in-law could sit and rest during that marathon-like walk from the plane to the main terminal (I guess the moving sidewalks and the bathroom breaks weren't sufficient). Anyway, I can't recall how long of a delay we had between the plane and the DME line, but if YOU were on my flight and you, with your luggage, noticed me in the DME line right next to you, you'd figure you didn't lose any time by first stopping at baggage claim. It's a possibility....

 

[Lewisc]

My guess, really nothing more than speculation, is they rented an economy or compact car that didn't have room for the family and the luggage.

Why didn't you all just drive to your resort and avoid DME? The only guess I have is that you hoped the kids would enjoy the bus ride (which I know it turns out they didn't). I hope you respond, this is just one of those dumb little things that nags at me until I know the answer. THANKS!!!

 

[Pedler]

I am confused, not unusual, I feel for you having to wait that long to eat, getting sick and having a 55 minute checkin. Still it appears that it took you 50 minutes from the time you got off the plane until you got to your resort. How would Mears have been any different from DME? What would have made a bus trip with Mears a better experience than the one with DME?

Back in February I utilized the DME by flying Jetblue. Arrived at Orlando International Airport about 1:05 pm. Only had my handbag and a carry-on suitcase. Waited on line for 20 minutes. Took 30 minutes to get to POFQ then to POR (where I was staying). Check-in took 55 minutes. When I arrived I was standing in-line in front of the DVC booth. Finally got my room card, went to the room to just drop off the suitcase, and call my parents. I was starving by then since I left my house at 7 AM. Really nothing at POR food court at that time so then I went to Downtown Disney and was finally eating with a huge headache at 5:20 PM. Sadly got food poison at Wolfgang Puck Express (had the Cold Thai Noodle Salad). I should of stuck with my first choice, which was a sandwich at the Earl of Sandwich. And yes the food poison ruined the rest of my trip since I found out I was bleeding in my stomach (I work in a hospital so I called the doctor I work for who diagnosed my symptoms). And no I did not report anything to Disney.

This DME trip was a test run for my parents who will be going to Disney in May. Would I do it again? I really have no choice. I never rented a car. I find it a bit wasteful since I never use it at Disney and would probably get lost (I get lost back home). I truly miss just paying Mears for a round trip shuttle to take us back and forth. I would rather pay the $50 to do the way we traveled with Mears then to use DME. When I was last in Florida in October my mother and I tried to do a round trip with Mears, but was told they could only allow me to pay for going there and that they could not pick us up with a pre-arranged ticket since we would be on Disney property and Disney only uses Mears for the DME. When I asked about calling a taxi I was told it would cost $75 to take us back to the airport. Instead I called a friend in Ocoee to drive us to the airport (back in October).

 

[tjmw2727]

Maybe, maybe not. There's no way for you to know that for sure.

In my case, between the aircraft and the DME Welcome Center we stopped at one set of bathrooms for my 5 and 2 year olds, another set of bathrooms when my wife suddenly had severe contact lens problems, and then stopped again at a shop or two because my mother-in-law thought she wasn't going to get enough shopping and browsing opportunities during a week in Disney World. Oh, yeh, and we had to stop once so my mother-in-law could sit and rest during that marathon-like walk from the plane to the main terminal (I guess the moving sidewalks and the bathroom breaks weren't sufficient). Anyway, I can't recall how long of a delay we had between the plane and the DME line, but if YOU were on my flight and you, with your luggage, noticed me in the DME line right next to you, you'd figure you didn't lose any time by first stopping at baggage claim. It's a possibility....

Actually I do know for sure since we talked during the wait on line for the bus, and on the bus One of the families actually rushed so they could check in with DME quickly and then let their dd use the ladies room.

Anyway, my point was that picking up your luggage may cause you to miss a DME but not always.

TJ