DME question again - very early flight?

[marivaid]

I'm such an idiot.
I'd put a block on a JFK/MCO roundtrip with AAdvantage points and I thought it was going to expire today, well it was YESTERDAY.

And now the non-stop flights are gone.

Our only option is a 7am flight with a transfer in Chicago.
How early would DME pick us up ? I know they pick up 3 hours before for "normal" times but do they need that much time during the night ?

I don't see DM waking up at 3am to take the bus.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Our only option is a 7am flight with a transfer in Chicago.
How early would DME pick us up ? I know they pick up 3 hours before for "normal" times but do they need that much time during the night ?

Your scheduled DME pickup time will be between 3:45 a.m. and 4:15 a.m. Just because your flight is early, DME still has to account for additional stops, the driving time to the airport, and the goal of arriving at the airport 90-120 minutes before your flight departure.

You should be at the DME location at least 15 minutes before your scheduled pickup.

You won't be able to use Resort Airline Check-in (RAC), even though American is a RAC-participating airline. The RAC desk doesn't open until 5:00 a.m., and RAC check-ins must be a minimum of 3 hours before flight time.

You could take a cab or towncar, but that will only buy another 30 minutes of sleep. You should still leave your resort 2 1/2 hours before your scheduled flight departure.

Allow me to make two other suggestions:

1. Call American tonight after 1 a.m. Eastern time (midnight Central time) or early in the morning to see if any seats heave opened up on later flights. It's possible (though unlikely) that other people have let their AAdvantage reservations expire at midnight Central time. In any case, ask the agent to check for connections through Dallas, Miami, or St. Louis, in addition to Chicago. You may spend a long time on airplanes, but if you can get a later departure out of Orlando, you'll probably be much happier.
2. If you must take the 7 a.m. flight, consider spending the final night at the Hyatt in Orlando Airport instead of at your Disney resort. Take DME to the airport the night before. Your sleep will still be abbreviated, but not as badly. In the morning, you just need to check in with American and go to your gate. (Be sure to look up American's minimum luggage check-in time and gate arrival time at Orlando Airport, even if you're staying at the Hyatt.

 

[Edd]

At 0400 in the morning you can leave the resort 2 hours ahead of the flight time and have no problem getting there on time. In your case you can be picked up at 0500 and still have plenty of time to catch your flight. The standard pick up time for car service and taxi passengers is 2 hours before a flight. No body has ever reported problems with the 2 hour pick up time.

Depending on the resort, you could also be picked up at your room and would not have to go to registration to stand and wait for anyone. I wouldn't even consider spending the night at the Hyatt. You have to wake up the same time as the Disney wakeup and you may pay more for one night at the Hyatt than maybe a car service or taxi ride, plus lugging luggage around an extra time.

 

[goofy4tink]

You have to realize that the airlines ask that you be at the terminals 2 hrs before a flight. Over zealous? Perhaps. But there have been plenty of stories of people running into an issue and being glad they had the extra time. Even when I use a towncar service I ask to be picked up 2 1/2 hrs before my flight. I just know that the one time I head out at the 2 hr mark is the time there will be a big accident on the highway, making a ton of people late and hit the security area at the same time. Yeah, I know Edd....the chances of an accident are slim but I have seen two of them now in all my trips. Thank heaven they were on the opposite side of the road from me, but the curiousity factor was pretty substantial.
Perhaps I'm a bit overcautious, but I would rather give up an hour of sleep and be assured of getting to MCO with extra time. I am so NOT a living on the edge kinda gal!!!

 

[Edd]

Di,

I am not familiar with any airlines asking you to be there 2 hours early. Like I mentioned in the previous post the standard pick up time for 95% of the car service or taxi companies is 2 hours. If the airlines had made requests for passengers to be there 2 hours ahead of time The transportation industry would have adjusted and picked up 2 1/2 hours ahead of time. A passenger can request a pick up time 2 1/2 hours before departure and the the car service or taxi will honor that. But at present time most passengers using other transportation than DME or shuttle get picked up 2 hours ahead of time arriving MCO about 1 1/2 hours ahead of the flight. I have never had a problem, or heard of any problem, with passengers using that time factor.

 

[Lewisc]

According to a recent article in the Orlando Sentinel, linked to in multiple threads, Disney's contract with MCO requires DME guests be scheduled to arrive at MCO 2 hours before their flight.

The (current) suggested arrival time at MCO (per SWs website) is 2 hours Th-Mon 1.5 hours the rest of the week.

I'd use a taxi or car service if my flight was that early and would probably go with the 2 hour pick up time.

I'd stay at an airport hotel if I was going to save $$$ with my last night hotel rate and the savings was meaningful to me.

A stay in the Hyatt would allow at least an extra 30 minutes of sleep.

 

[goofy4tink]

Quite a few airline sites give you advice about when to arrive at the airport, and it is usually 2 hrs before a domestic flight, earlier for international flights. At least, that's been the case with the airlines I have flown on the past few years..,..SW, JetBlue, Delta, Song.

 

[Edd]

Nothing was mentioned about the 3:45 to 4:15 time. By the wording, I get that to mean you must be up at the DME stop by 3:45 to catch your bus which might not get there until 4:15. If you miss your bus than you have to wait for the next one. So chalk that 1/2 hour up to sleep time if you use car service or taxi, hopefully no waiting. The services will pick you up at the time you requested, say 5:00 for a 7:00 airline departure. I would guess you can sleep until sometime around 4:00. DME or shuttle you would have to be up by 3:00.

 

[Lewisc]

DME picks up around 3 hours before your flight, guests should get to the bus stop 10 minutes or so before the bus time. Guests who have luggage stored with bell services have to get allow extra time to retrieve their luggage.

I agree that passenger can get an extra hour sleep if they use a car service but getting up at 4:00a instead of 3:00a doesn't sound great. I'd probably try to get a later flight or I'd stay at the Hyatt.

Nothing was mentioned about the 3:45 to 4:15 time. By the wording, I get that to mean you must be up at the DME stop by 3:45 to catch your bus which might not get there until 4:15. If you miss your bus than you have to wait for the next one. So chalk that 1/2 hour up to sleep time if you use car service or taxi, hopefully no waiting. The services will pick you up at the time you requested, say 5:00 for a 7:00 airline departure. I would guess you can sleep until sometime around 4:00. DME or shuttle you would have to be up by 3:00.

 

[marivaid]

Thanks everyone. Looks like we'll be waking up at 3am
DM said NO WAY to staying at the Hyatt, we're only staying 5 days and already doing a split stay. And we'd have to wake up at 4am anyway.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Thanks everyone. Looks like we'll be waking up at 3am
DM said NO WAY to staying at the Hyatt, we're only staying 5 days and already doing a split stay. And we'd have to wake up at 4am anyway.

Did you call the airline to see if any later connections are now available through any connecting airport, including connections that the agent might have to piece together from individual flight segments rather than picking from a list?