Dme....luggage only.....don't want to ride the bus!!!!!

[keishashadow]

It's been a long time since I've used these programs, typically rent a car, am very fuzzy on how it works.

Have a short stay coming up before a cruise, thinking it might be prudent to just use ME. Before I decide, a couple of questions please:

If flying into Puerto Rico on SWA from WDW can we utilize ME?

If so, any thoughts on whether the standard 3 hour before flight departure would hold? Need to decide upon a flight and don't want to wake up any earlier than necessary.

Re RAC, since we're not going directly home from WDW, would we either take our bags to the ME bus with us (or if a later flight) check our bags & retrieve before we board the ME bus?

TIA

 

[kaytieeldr]

"Home" airport means your destination, doesn't have to be where you actually live. Puerto Rico s a U.S. territory, so no Customs. DME will give your resort departure time based on your actual flight time. You should be able to use RAC et al exactly like any other &omestic traveler.

 

[goofy4tink]

It's been a long time since I've used these programs, typically rent a car, am very fuzzy on how it works.

Have a short stay coming up before a cruise, thinking it might be prudent to just use ME. Before I decide, a couple of questions please:

If flying into Puerto Rico on SWA from WDW can we utilize ME?

If so, any thoughts on whether the standard 3 hour before flight departure would hold? Need to decide upon a flight and don't want to wake up any earlier than necessary.

Re RAC, since we're not going directly home from WDW, would we either take our bags to the ME bus with us (or if a later flight) check our bags & retrieve before we board the ME bus?

TIA

I'm confused. Where are you going first...WDW or your cruise? And then, where are you heading home from?

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

It's been a long time since I've used these programs, typically rent a car, am very fuzzy on how it works.

Have a short stay coming up before a cruise, thinking it might be prudent to just use ME. Before I decide, a couple of questions please:

If flying into Puerto Rico on SWA from WDW can we utilize ME?

If so, any thoughts on whether the standard 3 hour before flight departure would hold? Need to decide upon a flight and don't want to wake up any earlier than necessary.

Re RAC, since we're not going directly home from WDW, would we either take our bags to the ME bus with us (or if a later flight) check our bags & retrieve before we board the ME bus?

TIA

Let's see if I have this right. Is the following itinerary correct?

1. Fly from Pittsburgh to Orlando (MCO).
2. Take DME from MCO to your WDW resort.
3. Stay at your WDW resort for at least one night.
4. Take DME from your WDW resort to MCO.
5. Fly from MCO to Puerto Rico.
6. Take a cruise.
7. Fly from Puerto Rico to Pittsburgh.

If so, here are some answers and comments.

• Yes, you can use DME from and to MCO if you're staying at a Disney-owned-and-operated resort at WDW.
• Puerto Rico is not an international destination. It's within the United States, so your pick-up time will be 3 hours before your scheduled flight departure, give or take up to 15 minutes.
• RAC is just like curbside check-in. It doesn't matter where you live. What matters is where your flight is going.
• Read up on RAC to know about hours of operation, cut-off times, and rules.
• Does your ship sail on the same day that you're thinking of flying in? If so, there's a risk (a small but serious risk) of missing your sailing due to a flight delay or cancellation.
• Scheduling your flight for the day before your cruise provides a safety margin.
• It's also nice to have a relaxed, stress-free day on the day that you're boarding the ship, without having to deal with all the issues of airports and flying.

I'm not sure why this question is in the thread about using DME for luggage only, without wanting to use DME transportation. Am I misreading the question?

 

[keishashadow]

Horace nailed my itinerary. A friend had suggested we use the DME for our luggage from WDW to airport & onto PR so we could check it, then head to parks if renting a car without lugging it with us. I had never considered using it such and was surprised to find this thread, figured it was a good place to pose my questions since I did do a search but didn't find anything.

I realize PR is a territory of US but wasn't sure if ME would add on some extra transport time. Prices dropped today so I booked a mid morning flight to PR and will plan on the standard 3 hour plus pending notification if we do decide to go that route vs renting a car.

yes, we are flying into PR a day early. I had thought booking one of the earlier NS flights to PR would allow for possibly grabbing a seat on a later flight or one the next day jik there is a delay

re RAC: since we're cruising and need the checked luggage in less than 24 hours, I just would feel better about stowing our luggage on the ME bus we are riding and lugging it to check-in counter ourselves...taking one step of the equation for possible miscues.

We've had several issues where our luggage hasn't made it home the same day we have in the past. Typically, not a big deal (other than one non-ME trip where it took a month to locate our luggage) since the airlines deliver the errant bags within a day or two. just hoping to take one step out of the equation.

 

[MamaBear58]

Because this thread is so old, I just want to confirm my understanding of something I read a while back. Would we be circumventing Disney policy if DH road the bus with our 2 kids and all our luggage and I got a rental car at the airport and drove to the resort? In other words, I personally would be using the bus as a luggage service but DH and kids would accompany my luggage. Thanks

 

[Alesia]

Because this thread is so old, I just want to confirm my understanding of something I read a while back. Would we be circumventing Disney policy if DH road the bus with our 2 kids and all our luggage and I got a rental car at the airport and drove to the resort? In other words, I personally would be using the bus as a luggage service but DH and kids would accompany my luggage. Thanks

That's totally fine.

 

[goofy4tink]

Because this thread is so old, I just want to confirm my understanding of something I read a while back. Would we be circumventing Disney policy if DH road the bus with our 2 kids and all our luggage and I got a rental car at the airport and drove to the resort? In other words, I personally would be using the bus as a luggage service but DH and kids would accompany my luggage. Thanks

As long as one person rides on that bus, everything will be fine. You are not circumventing the system at all.

 

[MamaBear58]

thanks all! I have found this thread very helpful!

 

[winthropf]

Your checked luggage is not transported on the bus. It is shipped separately by truck to the resorts. If you are counting on it arriving when you do by bus, it will not.

 

[goofy4tink]

Your checked luggage is not transported on the bus. It is shipped separately by truck to the resorts. If you are counting on it arriving when you do by bus, it will not.

Excellent point. I assumed the poster was tagging the bags and having DME take care of them vs the dad and kids going to baggage claim and getting them. Just so MamaBear58 realizes.....if you tag your checked bags, they will go on a truck, to the resort. You won't get those bags for up to 3-4 hrs after resort checkin...not airport arrival! The bags will not be on the same bus your dh and kids are on. If that's what you want to happen, then don't tag the bags, and then you will have to go to baggage claim to get them and bring them to the bus. They will be stowed beneath the bus.
Just want to be clear here.

 

[MamaBear58]

Excellent point. I assumed the poster was tagging the bags and having DME take care of them vs the dad and kids going to baggage claim and getting them. Just so MamaBear58 realizes.....if you tag your checked bags, they will go on a truck, to the resort. You won't get those bags for up to 3-4 hrs after resort checkin...not airport arrival! The bags will not be on the same bus your dh and kids are on. If that's what you want to happen, then don't tag the bags, and then you will have to go to baggage claim to get them and bring them to the bus. They will be stowed beneath the bus.
Just want to be clear here.

I do understand that, but thank you for confirming. By "with the luggage" I just meant that luggage and DH and kids are handled by Disney and rental car is handled by me.

Now, on the return trip, does someone in the group also have to use DME? Or could we use RAC (assuming participating airline) and do whatever we want for the rest of the day without returning to the resort to get on ME? In other words, we just all go in the rental car to the airport?

Thanks again.

 

[sam_gordon]

I do understand that, but thank you for confirming. By "with the luggage" I just meant that luggage and DH and kids are handled by Disney and rental car is handled by me.

Now, on the return trip, does someone in the group also have to use DME? Or could we use RAC (assuming participating airline) and do whatever we want for the rest of the day without returning to the resort to get on ME? In other words, we just all go in the rental car to the airport?

Thanks again.

Anyone (well, Disney resort guests) can utilize RAC. Riding the DME bus is not a requirement.

 

[Lyncha]

Our flight lands at noon on Easter Sunday but we are staying off site that night and will not check in until Monday. Can bags be checked and be expected to arrive at resort up to a day in advance? The alternative would be not checking bags and carry to off site hotel and place them on DME the following day.

 

[Alesia]

Our flight lands at noon on Easter Sunday but we are staying off site that night and will not check in until Monday. Can bags be checked and be expected to arrive at resort up to a day in advance?

No.

The alternative would be not checking bags and carry to off site hotel and place them on DME the following day.

This is what you'll need to do.

 

[goofy4tink]

Our flight lands at noon on Easter Sunday but we are staying off site that night and will not check in until Monday. Can bags be checked and be expected to arrive at resort up to a day in advance? The alternative would be not checking bags and carry to off site hotel and place them on DME the following day.

DME is tied directly to your WDW resort reservation. So, with that in mind, if you don't have a reservation at a resort on the day you want to use DME for luggage transfer, you're out of luck. You will have to bring the bags with you, to your off site hotel, and then bring them to DME the next day.

 

[Lyncha]

Thanks for the feedback guys. I am investigating a room only reservation now for Easter. Problem is that I missed the Spring promotion and will have to pay full rack rate.

 

[oliviaik]

Let's say I have a reservation at WL for our arrival day and I book ME. However, instead of riding the bus I rent a car. What happens if I go to DTD first and don't check in to the hotel until later that night? Is that going to be a problem? What if I did online check in but had not yet physically checked in? Will my luggage still go to my room?

 

[Disneychick75]

Let's say I have a reservation at WL for our arrival day and I book ME. However, instead of riding the bus I rent a car. What happens if I go to DTD first and don't check in to the hotel until later that night? Is that going to be a problem? What if I did online check in but had not yet physically checked in? Will my luggage still go to my room?

I thought ME would not take luggage if the person is not riding the bus. Luggage won't go to your room if you haven't physically checked in to the resort.

 

[oliviaik]

I thought ME would not take luggage if the person is not riding the bus. Luggage won't go to your room if you haven't physically checked in to the resort.

Your first sentence is what this thread is all about. They do still take the bags to your room, but if anything goes wrong you are the one liable. Your second sentence is what I am unsure about. You are probably right, though.