DME resort drop off order?

[PetePanMan]

I understand that DME will have buses that go to a specific group of resorts (eg MK resorts, versus Epcot resorts etc.) - Is this correct? Is there any post or listing that indicates groupings - I am interested in Saratoga Springs.

I also assume that drops are done in a certain order - is there any listing that says the order? For example, is WL and start or end of MK loop?

Thx for any info

 

[DebbieB]

I understand that DME will have buses that go to a specific group of resorts (eg MK resorts, versus Epcot resorts etc.) - Is this correct? Is there any post or listing that indicates groupings - I am interested in Saratoga Springs. I also assume that drops are done in a certain order - is there any listing that says the order? For example, is WL and start or end of MK loop? Thx for any info

There isn't a standard order, it can fluctuate by demand. For example, the last 3 times I have used DME for BW it went:

CBR> BW>YC > BC
CBR>YC>BC>BW
POFQ>BW>YC>BC

 

[figment_jii]

As DebbieB said, there is no set DME routes. In general, yes, I think resorts are somewhat lumped together based on proximity, but that is not always the case. So, unfortunately, you can't really guess which resorts you'll visit and in what order when you take DME. The general rule of thumb is that it takes about 3 hours from when you get to DME to when you're walking into a park.

 

[grubens]

I'm curious to hear from anyone who was down during Christmas week what the order was for busses going to Grand Floridian. We are going down President's week, so I expet (know) it will be busy and perhaps use smae routes as Christmas. Thanks!

 

[goofy4tink]

There is no way to know, for sure, what resorts will be on your route. You could even have the same three resorts on your route two trips in a row....but the order could be changed! I think that in all my trips on DME, I've had the exact same route, maybe twice!
We could tell you that SSR was on the route with OKW and POR/FQ. But that wouldn't be anything you can count on. I've had a bus to SSR have those resorts. But I've also had trips where it was SSR, OKW, and a completely different third resort each time. Just no way to say.

 

[Missytara]

As PP's stated, there is no set order or grouping - it is based solely on demand for that particular time of day and you have no control over it. There is no comparison to any other week - it is all about demand.

I have gone down 8 times since 2000, the week after Thanksgiving, with the last 6 trips to POR. Never once have I had the same grouping or order ever. In addition, they are more focused on getting people back to the airport that weekend, so the buses don't even fill up to go back to the resorts. They are just running them back as fast as they can.

Best not to worry about it - you will get there eventually.

 

[Lewisc]

I'm curious to hear from anyone who was down during Christmas week what the order was for busses going to Grand Floridian. We are going down President's week, so I expet (know) it will be busy and perhaps use smae routes as Christmas. Thanks!

A driver said GF is supposed to be the first stop, but the bus will drop off POLY guests first. It's been reported that some drivers don't follow that policy.

Drivers will generally stop at the closest resort to MCO. POP-CSR-AKL used to be a popular route.

There really isn't a way to predict in advance. The number of guests waiting to board for the various resorts will determine how the resorts are grouped.

 

[bumbershoot]

Not at Christmas, but we were going to POR and we were dropped off second or third. First was a Value and the last that was slated was GF. No guarantee of being first at all.

 

[deidre74]

Stayed at CR 3 times and the order went the same way all 3 times: Poly-GF-Wilderness Lodge-CR. Don't remember the orders for the moderates that we stayed at

 

[ncc1701]

Five trips to and from POFQ the only constant was we hit SSR and /or OKW going in either direction. We have been the 2nd or 3rd stop going each way. Sometimes POR was another stop or Fort Wilderness. There was another time when it was just POFQ, OKW and SSR.
Just figure it is going to take at least 90 minutes and be happy when it is less.BTW sometimes SSR was 1st from MCO other times it was OKW.

 

[cranbiz]

A driver said GF is supposed to be the first stop, but the bus will drop off POLY guests first. It's been reported that some drivers don't follow that policy.

It makes no sense to go to the GF before the Poly. Unless ME is coming in from backstage (and I don't see Disney allowing that), there is no way to get to the GF without passing the Poly.

In the 3.5 years I drove for Disney Transport, I can remember exactly one time we went backstage with guests and that was because World Drive was blocked between the toll booth and EPCOT Center Dr. We took Bear Island Rd out to Western Way past the lovely wastewater treatment plant and VM South.

 

[goofy4tink]

It makes no sense to go to the GF before the Poly. Unless ME is coming in from backstage (and I don't see Disney allowing that), there is no way to get to the GF without passing the Poly.

In the 3.5 years I drove for Disney Transport, I can remember exactly one time we went backstage with guests and that was because World Drive was blocked between the toll booth and EPCOT Center Dr. We took Bear Island Rd out to Western Way past the lovely wastewater treatment plant and VM South.

Hey stranger!!! Hope all is well with you. You just verified what I always thought was the case. Isn't it something about the buses not being able to make the turn to go back to the Polynesian, so they have to go to the Poly first and then GF?

 

[cranbiz]

I'm doing well. I sneak in here from time to time.

Our 40' busses could make the turn. We did that during the Childrens Miracle Network Golf tournament when we were providing shuttles from the parking lot to SOG. A Mears bus could probably make the turn but why?

If you are already on Seven Seas Dr, pull into the Poly, drop off and then exit to continue onto the GF. Passing the Poly to go to the GF and then return to the Poly makes no sense from a timing perspective, a safety perspective or a logistics perspective. It's safer to make right turns into a resort than to make a left turn and cross traffic. It will take that much longer getting a guest to any other resort or to return to MCO for another load of guests if you backtrack to the Poly. There is a reason why WDW busses go to the CR then to the Poly then to the GF.