Do I need to fly in to use ME?

[nezy]

I will be renting a car in Palm Bch, and visiting mom for a few days. I was wondering if I could drive to MCO and drop off the rental and then use ME to get to resorts?

 

[paults]

nezy

not sure but I think you need to fly in.

If your renting from Alamo or National, just go to your resort drop off luggage and then drop car off either at the Dolphin or the car care center at Disney and take Disney trans back to resort.

No need to waste time at MCO for DME if you have a car.

 

[CleveRocks]

DME is only for people who fly into MCO and are registered guests at a DIsney owned-and-operated resort. So driving to MCO doesn't qualify you for DME. Sorry. But paults (above) seems to have the right suggestion for you.

 

[salmoneous]

You know, I can't think of anyplace Disney *says* you have to have a flight in MCO to use the service. They just say you are getting free transportation for you and your luggage from MCO to Disney. They kinda assume you would be flying to MCO.

Disney asks what flight you are on. I wonder what that would say if you told them you didn't have one. And if you were one of those rule breaker types, it's not like Disney checks the manifest to make sure you really are on the flight you tell them.

 

[CleveRocks]

You know, I can't think of anyplace Disney *says* you have to have a flight in MCO to use the service. They just say you are getting free transportation for you and your luggage from MCO to Disney. They kinda assume you would be flying to MCO.

No. It says it plain as day on the official WDW website that one of the conditions is that you fly into MCO on a commercial flight. Any other use of DME would be fraudulent.

 

[runner26.2]

Call Magic Express ((866) 599-0951) explain to them that for a variety of reasons you have to return a car to MCO before beginning your vacation at a WDW resort and inquire whether you can take DME to the resort. I can't imagine for a minute they wouldn't want to assist you but who knows. It can't hurt to ask.

 

[kaytieeldr]

But seriously, why? I mean, Disney is between Palm Beach and MCO, so the OP would have to drive an extra 30 - 45 minutes and pay additional tolls, return the car, then check in for DME, board the bus and ride back to Disney. All car rental agencies have rental counters in the Disney area, if not actually onsite. It just makes sense to return the car in the Disney area and not add all that extra transportation time unnecessarily.

 

[salmoneous]

No. It says it plain as day on the official WDW website that one of the conditions is that you fly into MCO on a commercial flight. Any other use of DME would be fraudulent.

Don't mean to be argumentative here, but could you point me to that. I'm just kinda curious because I looked around and didn't see it. Thanks

 

[nezy]

I guess I could do an off site car drop off and then take ME from OKW resort to MCO when I leave. I won't really need to keep the car while in WDW so I will try that. I am sure we could do ME only one way. I have used it one way before-to the resorts, so whay not one way FROM the resorts!
Thanks.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

According to what I was told, you do not have to fly into Orlando International to take advantage of DME. You can drop off a rental car, and then just show up at the counter. However, you still must have a reservation.

 

[goofy4tink]

nezy....is there a reason you have to go to MCO to return your car? It really is shorter to drive to WDW rather than MCO. You can go right to your resort, then take the car back to the Car Care Center and take a shuttle back to your resort. It would be so much easier to do that. And then you can just do the return to MCO on DME. I would be sure they have a reservation for you though.