DME and parttime resort guest?

[Melodious]

We have a friend who is joining us for the first part of the stay. She is flying into Orlando with us and flying out halfway through the trip. My mom and I had already booked a package with resort room and tickets before my friend joined. Is there really no way that our friend can ride the DME with us when we arrive?

We don't want to rebook and separate our room and our tickets because we used a now expired pin code and got a better rate than the pin code really indicated. The CM on the phone also advised not to try to cancel and rebook. I've heard that if my mom and I arrived a day ahead of the friend, we could simply tell the front desk that someone else was coming and she could be booked on DME. BUt if we arrive at the same time we can't do this?

The CM on the phone said to try Mears shuttle, but I've read reviews that it can take even longer than the DME.

 

[crashbb]

Is your friend on the reservation or not? You shouldn't have to re-book everything to add her to the reservation. She has to be on the reservation to use DME (and to have a key and to use EMH).

 

[Melodious]

Is your friend on the reservation or not? You shouldn't have to re-book everything to add her to the reservation. She has to be on the reservation to use DME (and to have a key and to use EMH).

She is currently not on the reservation because to be on the reservation she would have to have the same package that we have. And we don't want her to have to buy tickets that she won't use or pay $25 for resort days that she won't be there for. In the past, we have had friends or family join us partway through the trip and we simply took them to the front desk and had them added and got them a KTTW and paid the additional adult fee (or had it overlooked by the front desk CM). BUt we've never had a friend arrive with us and need to be on DME with us.

The CM on the phone advised us to have her get another shuttle to the resort and then simply add her at the front desk as we have done in the past. I just don't understand that she could ride DME if she arrived one day after us but not if she arrives at the same time as us.

 

[crashbb]

The CM on the phone advised us to have her get another shuttle to the resort and then simply add her at the front desk as we have done in the past. I just don't understand that she could ride DME if she arrived one day after us but not if she arrives at the same time as us.

Because, if she arrived after you, you'd have added her to the reservation. The way you are doing it now she will not be on the reservation when she arrives and, therefore, not eligible for the DME.

You have two choices - add her to the reservation or have her take a cab/Mears shuttle.

 

[Melodious]

While that is true that she is not on the reservation ahead of time, if we add her once we arrive, suddenly she doesn't have to have the same package as everyone else on the trip. That doesn't make a lot of sense that the rules that are in place for booking ahead of time suddenly fly out of the window once you get there and additional guests don't need to have the same package and still get to ride the DME. We'd love to add her ahead of time but the rules prevent that.

Has anyone ridden the Mears shuttle recently? Or ever? When I try to book it online, it says to contact Magical Express if you're staying at a Disney resort hotel.

 

[maxiesmom]

Are you going to mearstransportation.com?


You may not think the rules make much sense, but they are what they are. You either need to add your friend ahead of time and pay the extra $$$ or have her take a taxi or shuttle to the resort. There is no way for her to use DME if she is not listed on the resort reservation.

 

[purple figment]

There are many rules that don't seem to make much sense, but in this case it probably has to do with the fact that packages are booked by the WDTC division of Disney and the resorts are operated by a different division. The resorts don't book packages so once you arrive at the resort you can add your friend without the rest of the package requirements.

DME simply says if a person is on a Disney resort reservation they are entitled to use DME. In the past, by adding people after you arrive, they became resort guests and entitled to DME.

This time, however, because your friend is traveling with you and is not yet included on your reservation she will have to take a shuttle/taxi/town car/rental car to ASMu.

 

[seashoreCM]

To take the regular Mears shuttle from Orlando Int'l Airport to Disney's resorts, do not book in advance. You may simply walk up to the Mears counter and buy a shuttle ticket.

Just a heads up (so as not to be confused if it happens): Depending on Mears' passenger load at that moment and which Mears counter she went to, she may be sent to the Magical Express bus queues after buying her Mears ticket.

 

[hsmamato2]

it seems like it would be cheaper for your friend to just take the shuttle to the hotel and meet you there,no big deal! really,it's not!!! we've had trips where various members of the party take diff. transport,and meet up later,when needed due to schedules. Just go the mears website,and when you get to airport,your friend gets in a different busline than you,you meet again in about an hour at the front desk.

 

[CleveRocks]

While that is true that she is not on the reservation ahead of time, if we add her once we arrive, suddenly she doesn't have to have the same package as everyone else on the trip. That doesn't make a lot of sense that the rules that are in place for booking ahead of time suddenly fly out of the window once you get there and additional guests don't need to have the same package and still get to ride the DME. We'd love to add her ahead of time but the rules prevent that.

Has anyone ridden the Mears shuttle recently? Or ever? When I try to book it online, it says to contact Magical Express if you're staying at a Disney resort hotel.

Disney's rules do not neceesrily follow any common sense. Sometimes it works to your advantage, and sometimes not.

Eligibility for DME is a function of resort reservations ... you can't make a DME reservation if you aren't named on the resort reservation. DME from the airport to the resort also requires a DME reservation in advance ... they do not accept walk-ups, not even from people with bona fide Disney resort reservations (this prohibition against walk-ups is specifically enumerated in Disney's contract with the airport authority).

So if she isn't named on the resort reservation in advance, then you can't make a DME reservation for her in advance.

At Disney, once resort check-in occurs for a package reservation, the package is said to be, in Disney-speak, "exploded." Once the package is exploded, all of the former rules and restrictions are pretty much out the window. That's why it is only after a package is exploded that you can add someone to your room without the requirement that they pay for the same aspects of the package you're staying on, and so on.

So I agree with you, it seems pretty arbitrary that if she arrived the day after you check-in that she could qualify for DME, but if she arrives the same day she doesn't. But it has to follow Disney's policies and procedures, and you've fallen into a crevice in those policies and procedures.

Since the start of DME on May 5, 2005, Mears hasn't accepted reservations for Mears shuttle service to Disney resorts. But as mentioned earlier, you can still walk up to the Mears counter and pay for such a ride; as also noted above, that paid ride might be provided on a DME bus, as is allowed by the contract between Disney and Mears.

 

[goofy4tink]

While that is true that she is not on the reservation ahead of time, if we add her once we arrive, suddenly she doesn't have to have the same package as everyone else on the trip. That doesn't make a lot of sense that the rules that are in place for booking ahead of time suddenly fly out of the window once you get there and additional guests don't need to have the same package and still get to ride the DME. We'd love to add her ahead of time but the rules prevent that.

Has anyone ridden the Mears shuttle recently? Or ever? When I try to book it online, it says to contact Magical Express if you're staying at a Disney resort hotel.

Okay...the Mears shuttle can take longer than DME but it's not a big deal. That could work to your benefit. When you get to the resort, prior to your friend's arrival, you can then add her to the reservation. After all..if she isn't on the reservation, she can't access the parks during EMHs or use DME going back to MCO.
Rules are rules...Disney had them in place for a reason. And the rules are not going to make every single guest happy. So....you friend can go to baggage claim, get her bag(s), and then bring them to the Mears counter with her..unless you have an extra luggage tag. Or if you call DME and request addtl tags...that way you can give your friend one and she can tag her checked bag and let DME take care of it. It will have your name on it but that won't matter.
So...she can't reserve Mears prior to arrival if she is headed to a WDW owned resort. So, when you guys get down to Level 1, ground transportation, she can stop at the Mears counter (on the way to the DME area), pay the $20 for the one way ride. She may even end up on your actual bus..no way of knowing prior to arrival. But you can wait for her while she pays and gets her boarding thingie. Then, if she isn't on your bus, you can go to DME, ride to your resort and get checked in..and she'll be along shortly thereafter.

 

[Melodious]

Since the start of DME on May 5, 2005, Mears hasn't accepted reservations for Mears shuttle service to Disney resorts. But as mentioned earlier, you can still walk up to the Mears counter and pay for such a ride; as also noted above, that paid ride might be provided on a DME bus, as is allowed by the contract between Disney and Mears.

Thanks for explaining that. I knew that I wasn't crazy no matter what anybody on here said and that the website wouldn't let me book the Mears shuttle to a disney resort.

What is the price of a cab to the GF? We would like to go ahead and go to AKL once we check into our room, and I have heard that the Mears shuttle can take longer and don't want to be waiting for a long time. I figure that a cab probably won't cost as much as paying the extra $25 for all the days that she won't be there.

 

[Traveliz]

I have always wondered when I read these threads (which pop up fairly often) if you all went to the Mears desk first to buy your friend a ticket if you could request she be on the Disney bus with you. You are still paying for her ticket yet traveling together. I understand it probably will have to do with numbers but I don't think it can hurt to ask. I am one who avoids asking to do something that isn't ok but I think this is a genuine question.

Liz

 

[goofy4tink]

Thanks for explaining that. I knew that I wasn't crazy no matter what anybody on here said and that the website wouldn't let me book the Mears shuttle to a disney resort.

What is the price of a cab to the GF? We would like to go ahead and go to AKL once we check into our room, and I have heard that the Mears shuttle can take longer and don't want to be waiting for a long time. I figure that a cab probably won't cost as much as paying the extra $25 for all the days that she won't be there.

Not sure what the extra $25 for all those days is that you mention.Is that what the addtl cost per adult would be?? As I said before, she won't be able to access EMHs without the room key card. Would seem to be worth it to her to pay $25 per day to stay at a WDW resort.
A cab, from MCO, to WDW resorts will run you about $50, plus tip. Cabs around property tend to vary depending on distance...anywhere from $10-25.
I have used the Mears shuttle and yes, it did take longer than most of my DMR runs, but not by much. It took just about 90 mins vs 75 mins (average time with DME). Besides, you most likely get put on a DME bus vs a Mears bus. Not always, but usually.

 

[maxiesmom]

Thanks for explaining that. I knew that I wasn't crazy no matter what anybody on here said and that the website wouldn't let me book the Mears shuttle to a disney resort.

I'm hoping that is not a reference to what I said, because I didn't say you were crazy, nor did anyone else. I was confused as to why I could pull up the Mears site and just wanted to make sure you were going to the right place. But until someone else explained, I didn't know it wouldn't let you book a trip to a Disney resort. I didn't go that far into the site.

 

[Melodious]

I have always wondered when I read these threads (which pop up fairly often) if you all went to the Mears desk first to buy your friend a ticket if you could request she be on the Disney bus with you. You are still paying for her ticket yet traveling together. I understand it probably will have to do with numbers but I don't think it can hurt to ask. I am one who avoids asking to do something that isn't ok but I think this is a genuine question.

Liz

If she could simply pay extra and ride on the DME with us that would be a great solution. I will call the Mears and ask this. Thanks for your suggestion

Not sure what the extra $25 for all those days is that you mention.Is that what the addtl cost per adult would be?? As I said before, she won't be able to access EMHs without the room key card. Would seem to be worth it to her to pay $25 per day to stay at a WDW resort.
A cab, from MCO, to WDW resorts will run you about $50, plus tip. Cabs around property tend to vary depending on distance...anywhere from $10-25.
I have used the Mears shuttle and yes, it did take longer than most of my DMR runs, but not by much. It took just about 90 mins vs 75 mins (average time with DME). Besides, you most likely get put on a DME bus vs a Mears bus. Not always, but usually.

We were always going to add her onto the resort room reservation and get her a KTTW as she will be staying with us in a Disney resort. At no point, have we ever thought that we would put her in our resort room and not tell the front desk of the resort and pay for her as an additional adult.

Normally when we have part time guest, we would simply go to the front desk at the resort and add them to the room and pay only for the days that they will be staying there and get them a KTTW card which allows them access to our room, access to EMH, and access to the DME. You can add a person at the front desk, pay the extra fee (or usually it's been waived for us), and that person then does not have to have the same package as the rest of the party does. We have done this many times. That is what bothers me about this. If we were arriving one day before my friend, this wouldn't be an issue at all. She'd have access to everything that we do for the exact number of days that she wants while we have a longer stay.

If we add her to the package (room plus tickets, no dining plan) prior to arrival, then she will need the same number of tickets and the same number of nights. For a garden view room at the GF, each adult over 2 adults is a $25 additional charge. She is happy to pay that for the time that she is there, but I hate to pay it for days that she will not be there just to get her on the package before arrival so she can ride DME. Others have said to decrease the number of tickets on the package to one day ticket for three people and then we can simply add more days to the tickets once we get there.

That's a great idea but if we have to pay $25 per day that she will not be there...then it becomes less of a great idea. At that point, a cab ride will still be less money than paying the $25 for days that she won't be there so that might be the best option. Because we have plans for the day, I hate to be on a really long Mears shuttle ride.

So my final questions are, would we have to pay the $25 additional room charge ahead of time? And if we do, can we get a refund if she leaves early? And has anyone ridden the Mears shuttle? Has anyone been able to pay for the Mears shuttle and then ride the DME with their family?

I'm actually surprised that no one else has seemingly had this issue. On our last four trips including this one, we have had friends or family join us for only part of the trip.

 

[goofy4tink]

If she could simply pay extra and ride on the DME with us that would be a great solution. I will call the Mears and ask this. Thanks for your suggestion



We were always going to add her onto the resort room reservation and get her a KTTW as she will be staying with us in a Disney resort. At no point, have we ever thought that we would put her in our resort room and not tell the front desk of the resort and pay for her as an additional adult.

Normally when we have part time guest, we would simply go to the front desk at the resort and add them to the room and pay only for the days that they will be staying there and get them a KTTW card which allows them access to our room, access to EMH, and access to the DME. You can add a person at the front desk, pay the extra fee (or usually it's been waived for us), and that person then does not have to have the same package as the rest of the party does. We have done this many times. That is what bothers me about this. If we were arriving one day before my friend, this wouldn't be an issue at all. She'd have access to everything that we do for the exact number of days that she wants while we have a longer stay.

If we add her to the package (room plus tickets, no dining plan) prior to arrival, then she will need the same number of tickets and the same number of nights. For a garden view room at the GF, each adult over 2 adults is a $25 additional charge. She is happy to pay that for the time that she is there, but I hate to pay it for days that she will not be there just to get her on the package before arrival so she can ride DME. Others have said to decrease the number of tickets on the package to one day ticket for three people and then we can simply add more days to the tickets once we get there.

That's a great idea but if we have to pay $25 per day that she will not be there...then it becomes less of a great idea. At that point, a cab ride will still be less money than paying the $25 for days that she won't be there so that might be the best option. Because we have plans for the day, I hate to be on a really long Mears shuttle ride.

So my final questions are, would we have to pay the $25 additional room charge ahead of time? And if we do, can we get a refund if she leaves early? And has anyone ridden the Mears shuttle? Has anyone been able to pay for the Mears shuttle and then ride the DME with their family?

I'm actually surprised that no one else has seemingly had this issue. On our last four trips including this one, we have had friends or family join us for only part of the trip.

Ah, thanks for clearing that up for me!!
There are many people that have paid for Mears, when heading to a WDW owned resort, and then been put on a DME bus. BUT.....I don't think anyone here is going to go so far as to say it's a sure thing. That way, no one will be upset if they aren't put on a DME bus.

The issue is that your friend is joining you at the same time that you arrive....so, she can't be added when you get there, for her later arrival. The only way around it is to either pay for Mears, one way, or take a cab from MCO, and then add her when you get to your resort, for the number of days that she will be there.
If you have immediate plans, upon arrival, then it may be best to have her take a cab. That way you will be sure she will be there pretty close to the same time you are. Baggage could hold her up unless you tag it with your DME yellow tags..which would mean calling them to get extra.

 

[LadyBeBop]

If you have immediate plans, upon arrival, then it may be best to have her take a cab. That way you will be sure she will be there pretty close to the same time you are. Baggage could hold her up unless you tag it with your DME yellow tags..which would mean calling them to get extra.

This is a time-wasting option, but a possible money-saving option.

To save the cost of the trip to the resort, can the OP take DME to the resort, immediately put her friend on the reservation, then have her friend take DME a couple of hours later. I know that means she's stuck at the airport for a few hours. I wouldn't do it, but is that an option?

 

[TaraPA]

I've ridden Mears a few times. It's $19 one way & has always taken 60-90 min. from airport to resort, not much more than ME. I have never been put on a ME bus, always in a Mears van.

A cab from MCO to GF will run about $60 plus tip. We went from the TTC to MCO once & it was that amount, so I'm assuming GF should be very similar.

Good luck whatever you decide!

 

[mb187143]

when my sister joined us last year for the first 4 days of our trip, she called and added herself to the reservation and paid the package price for herself. There wasn't an easy way around it, and since she was arriving with us, we couldn't add her to the room after we arrived.

a friend of ours joined DF and I 2 weeks ago when we were in WDW, and he came in around midnight on our arrival day (we had gotten in at 11AM). We added him at the front desk, they waived the fee, and then we got a call at 11:45PM that he was at the DME counter and he wasn't on the reservation. When we added him earlier in the day, the front desk gave us his room key, so they did add him in some way, but it didn't work out quite right.