DME report-not good

[Simba's Mom]

First, I'll say this was my third time using DME, and my first bad experience. Second, it all would have been different if I'd heeded the letter-when they say to be at the pick up point 15 minutes beforehand, DO IT! Last Thursday, I was scheduled for pick up at 12:10, walked out to the stop at 12:05, only to watch the DME bus leaving. Bell services admitted that DME had arrived early and left early. According to them, the DME drivers don't have a list of who's to be picked up, only an approximate number. And since I was only 1 person.....So I called DME and they said there'd be another bus at 12:40. When that bus didn't show up, bell services said that sometimes the drivers don't show up unless there's a scheduled pick up (and apparently I wasn't scheduled). It seems there's real friction between Bell services and DME, at least at the Beach Club. Bell services does NOT seem to have a high regard for DME. Finally, at 1:15, when no bus had arrived, DME (after I'd called them about 4 times to remind them I was waiting) told me to go ahead and take a taxi and they'd reimburse me. I'll post if the reimbursement happens. But remember, when they say 15 minutes in advance-DO IT!!!

 

[JudithM]

I agree! Get there early! In October our DME to the airport was scheduled for 4:50 p.m. We arrived about 4:25 p.m. as the 4:20 p.m. bus was getting ready to leave. The driver offered to take us, but we said we would wait. We should have gone! Our 4:50 p.m. bus never came so an alert bellman &/or front desk CM called on behalf of those of us waiting. About 5:15 p.m. a bus came for the 4:50 p.m. guests. We had another stop before heading to the airport. I felt bad for anyone who had luggage to check in. We only had carry on.

 

[IlovePiglet]

Buses should not be leaving the resorts early.

I can offer some suggestions that have also resulted in people missing the bus, or resulted in a bus running late:

If you are relying on Disney Transportation to get you back to your resort from a park in time to catch your DME bus, please give yourself at least 45 minutes to an hour for travel time.
Do not wait until the last minute to arrange for luggage pickup at your room. Many times the bellmen get backed up and cannot pick your luggage up right away.

And as Simba's Mom states, please be in the vicinity of the bus stop 15 minutes prior to scheduled pick up time. Everyone's watch is different by a minute or two but it's that minute or two that might cause you to miss the bus.

And one other tidbit that might help , Mears owns the DME buses and the DCL buses. You might be picked up in a DME bus, a DCL bus, or a black and yellow Mears buses. Drivers are supposed to announce they are a DME pickup. If you're not sure and it's close to your scheduled pickup time, ask the driver if that's what they're there for.

 

[manning]

First, I'll say this was my third time using DME, and my first bad experience. Second, it all would have been different if I'd heeded the letter-when they say to be at the pick up point 15 minutes beforehand, DO IT! Last Thursday, I was scheduled for pick up at 12:10, walked out to the stop at 12:05, only to watch the DME bus leaving. Bell services admitted that DME had arrived early and left early. According to them, the DME drivers don't have a list of who's to be picked up, only an approximate number. And since I was only 1 person.....So I called DME and they said there'd be another bus at 12:40. When that bus didn't show up, bell services said that sometimes the drivers don't show up unless there's a scheduled pick up (and apparently I wasn't scheduled). It seems there's real friction between Bell services and DME, at least at the Beach Club. Bell services does NOT seem to have a high regard for DME. Finally, at 1:15, when no bus had arrived, DME (after I'd called them about 4 times to remind them I was waiting) told me to go ahead and take a taxi and they'd reimburse me. I'll post if the reimbursement happens. But remember, when they say 15 minutes in advance-DO IT!!!

You made the mistake of arriving late, however the driver made the mistake of leaving early. I knew someone who was a bus driver for a city. He said being a few minutes late under normal conditions was acceptable, but if you left early you got hell from dispatch.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

One thing I might want to add...

When booking DME, the verbage given by the call centers is to be out at the bus stop 15 minutes early "in case your watch and the drivers watch do not agree."

So, it could very well be possible that the drivers watch said 12:10, and the OPs watch said 12:05.

 

[athenna]

I also agree, get there 15 min just in case. I am really time anal lol, so I was there 20 min ahead. I was scheduled for 4pm pick up and it was there at 3:55pm.