DME Late Night Flight

[WC*123]

Hello all! Our flight into MCO doesn't arrive until 11PM. I read that we would need to collect our bags at baggage claim then report to the DME counter. Our final destination is POR.

My concern is that it will be late and my kids will be very tired. That is my fault...we chose the flight because the rates were better (x5).

Does anyone have experience with DME at that late hour? Would the bus sit there until it is full? It seems like it is luck of the draw on the number of people heading to resorts at the same time and the route the bus takes. I'm hoping to avoid any hassle or major delay in getting to the hotel. I would consider a car service if it would save us 30-60 minutes. We are hoping to make a 9AM RD the next day.

Thanks!

 

[maxiesmom]

I wish I could say I had a good experience with arriving late and using DME, but I don't. We have had a late night arrival one time, and it was not a fun experience.

Our flight arrived at 11pm, and we were standing at our resort check in at 1am. Once on the bus we sat there. And sat there. And sat there. I was feeling pretty bad for the people who were on the bus before us, I didn't want to know how long they had been waiting. Once the bus was on its way we found out our resort was the 4th stop.

Honestly, if you can afford it without too much trouble, I think you should spring for a town car. I'm pretty positive if we ever decide to fly in late again that we will. I have no desire to repeat the above experience.

Sorry to be a bummer!

 

[sam_gordon]

While I think you will save time with a car service, I personally wouldn't schedule a RD for the next morning. You're looking at getting to your hotel at midnight at the earliest. By the time you check in and get to your room, I'm guessing you're not getting to sleep until after 1am. To be at a park for RD @ 9am, you'd need to be at the bus stop by 8am, and (for my family at least) that means getting up at 6:30a-7a (6hrs sleep at best). No WAY my family would do that. YMMV.

 

[Jestocost]

I wish I could say I had a good experience with arriving late and using DME, but I don't. We have had a late night arrival one time, and it was not a fun experience.

Our flight arrived at 11pm, and we were standing at our resort check in at 1am. Once on the bus we sat there. And sat there. And sat there. I was feeling pretty bad for the people who were on the bus before us, I didn't want to know how long they had been waiting. Once the bus was on its way we found out our resort was the 4th stop.

Honestly, if you can afford it without too much trouble, I think you should spring for a town car. I'm pretty positive if we ever decide to fly in late again that we will. I have no desire to repeat the above experience.

Sorry to be a bummer!

It's going to be hit or miss. In our last experience arriving late we were the only ones on the bus and it left within 10 minutes of when we boarded. So we had private motor coach service direct to the Poly.

 

[Sandi]

I agree with the PP who suggested not trying to do RD the day after you arrive. If you don't land until 11:00, it will be after midnight before you check into your resort. Getting everyone settled in and asleep will be at least another hour. I know that when my DD was little, an early morning plan would not have worked.

Back to your original question though: You might luck out and be the last ones on the bus and it will then immediately take off for POR. On the other hand, you could be waiting. They aren't going to send a bus with just your family on it, but they also won't make you wait until it is completely full.

If you can afford it, a town car service is a nice treat. The driver will help you with your bags and, if you have kids sleeping in your arms, that is a big bonus.

 

[WC*123]

Thanks for the feedback. I may spring for the car service, rather than leave it to chance. Hard to do when we have a "free" option.

Regarding the RD (AK), it will be a sluggish morning, but we are a family of early birds. I'd be happy to get 6-7 hours of sleep! I think as long as we take away the electronics on the plane, my kids will all get some sleep on the way. We should be back at the pool/room by 2PM that day to rest and have no plans to return to a park.

Anyone else with late night DME experience?

 

[sam_gordon]

I think you'll have to pay for the car service. While a DME bus might pull away when you get on, I wouldn't chance it. I think if you take DME, you're looking at maybe 5 hours sleep.

 

[papertraveller]

I would definitely recommend getting a car service, especially with small children. We arrived at around 1 a.m. after a flight delay, went to ME where there was already a group of very tired travellers sitting waiting. As soon as DH went to the washroom, they called us all on the bus. (Murphy's Law, right?)

We were excited until we heard that our hotel, AKL, would be the sixth stop. After a nighttime tour of many Disney hotel properties (who knew All Starr was so huge!), we finally arrived. While DH waited for the bags at the bus, I raced in to get to the head of the line to check in. We finally crawled under the covers at around 2:30 a.m.

 

[cyndiella]

We had a late arrival 11ish pm a couple of years ago and had an excellent trip on the ME to POP Century (first drop resort). We left MCO within 10 minutes of boarding the bus and it wasn't very full. I don't think I've ever been on a FULL ME bus in my 8 trips.. It's about a 1/2 hour ride.. quiet, comfortable, reasonably dark.. maybe the kids will get a short nap on the bus. You too!!

 

[Coloradomom]

Our last trip (two weeks ago) made us decide to never take ME after a late flight. Usually we fly in and arrive about 11 PM and have stayed at the airport Hyatt or the Fairfield at the airport. Then get up early take ME and checkn in at our resort (SSR). This trip I got a good price at ASM for our first night so we decided to just take ME there (after picking up our luggage of course), Just us, two adults.

Our bus left right when we got on, also on the bus was a family for CBR, one person for Yacht Club and one family for Boardwalk, and 4 families for All Star Music. Guess what-we went to CBR first, hten Yacht, then Boardwalk and finally ASMU. Even though there were the most people for ASMU!! We knew we would not be the only stop but there was just no logic in having the most people wait the longest. It made the 30 minute bus ride take almost an hour.

So for us we'll go back to what we had been doing. We also found we were not as relaxed the next morning.

 

[WC*123]

Our bus left right when we got on, also on the bus was a family for CBR, one person for Yacht Club and one family for Boardwalk, and 4 families for All Star Music. Guess what-we went to CBR first, hten Yacht, then Boardwalk and finally ASMU. Even though there were the most people for ASMU!!

Makes me wonder if the hotel level is factored into the route.

 

[dzorn]

Makes me wonder if the hotel level is factored into the route.

I doubt it the route would be the shortest. CBR would be the closest to MCO the Epcot rosorts closest to CBR then All Stars last.

Denise in MI

 

[Hopefully]

Makes me wonder if the hotel level is factored into the route.

No, it is geographical routing, as stated by the PP

 

[jdb in AZ]

It's going to be hit or miss. In our last experience arriving late we were the only ones on the bus and it left within 10 minutes of when we boarded. So we had private motor coach service direct to the Poly.

In January we took DME to the Grand Floridian about 9 p.m. and there were only two other people on the bus. We didn't have to wait for anyone, or stop at any other hotels. I wonder if the deluxe hotels have better DME service.

 

[OKW Lover]

In January we took DME to the Grand Floridian about 9 p.m. and there were only two other people on the bus. We didn't have to wait for anyone, or stop at any other hotels. I wonder if the deluxe hotels have better DME service.

No. While there aren't any specific DME routes, busses do tend to go to hotels that are near each other. For example, if staying at BW, don't be surprised if the bus also stops at CBR.

 

[WC*123]

We've never done DME. Is there much of a wait before you are on your way to the resorts?

Since we arrive late, we would need to grab our luggage before heading to the bus. At that hour, DME doesn't transfer your bags. I assume if people are preassigned to a bus, the process of collecting your own baggage may delay the bus departure. We may need to wait for someone whose bag was the last off the plane and can't find their way out of the airport. I don't want to be waiting on the bus while they search the airport for other passengers.

All of this still has me leaning towards a car service or cab.

 

[OKW Lover]

We've never done DME. Is there much of a wait before you are on your way to the resorts?

Since we arrive late, we would need to grab our luggage before heading to the bus. At that hour, DME doesn't transfer your bags. I assume if people are preassigned to a bus, the process of collecting your own baggage may delay the bus departure. We may need to wait for someone whose bag was the last off the plane and can't find their way out of the airport. I don't want to be waiting on the bus while they search the airport for other passengers.

All of this still has me leaning towards a car service or cab.

People are not preassigned to a bus. Basically, busses serve a group of resorts (which varies according to demand) and when they are full, or a given but unspecified amount of time passes, the bus leaves.