First time Flying have some DME questions

[Roveer]

Can you believe it, been to WDW 6 times and this will be the first time we fly!!!

Will be flying from Newark NJ to MCO for thanksgiving week 08. Booked my airfare seperate from WDW reservations.

1. What do I need to do in order to use DME? I read I have to have a reservation. How/where do I get one.

2. Luggage. We are sending most of our stuff down early with my in-laws so we can minimize the amount we bring on the plane. Especially since continental will charge for checked luggage. We might get away with carry-on! Question: Best to keep our stuff with us and take it on the bus? Or give it to Disney at Orlando Int'l and have it delivered to the room? I'm one for keeping my stuff in my hands if at all possible, but since we've never done it before, I'm asking.

3. Staying Sunday to Saturday and the Sat return flight is at 8:30am (yikes!) any suggestions about leaving Yacht Club for return to airport? Is DME running that early? What time should we leave 6am? Any other suggestions about this early departure?

My many thanks to all those who contribute.

Regards,

Roveer

 

[ChloroFiend]

1.) Call up Disney reservations, tell them you'd like to add on DME to your reservations, give them your flight numbers.

2.) Your two options are a.) attach the yellow luggage tags to your checked bags and let Disney handle them, or b.) claim your bags at bag claim at MCO, schlep them yourself into the bus and into your hotel room. Personally...I'm more than happy to let the Mouse handle things and I've had no issues thus far.

3.) You'll have a DME pickup at your resort at ~0530 that morning. It's too early to do resort check-in for bags, so you'll have to bring them along yourself on the bus (actually under, in the baggage compartments) and check them yourself when you get to the airport.

 

[Bob P]

Just to clarify on point number 3, Disney will tell you which bus you will need to be on; it's not your choice which bus to take. They run on a schedule by resort. And ChloroFiend is correct, the pickup will be somewhere in the vicinity of 5:30-5:45 AM.

 

[Roveer]

Excellent information. Clears the picture tremendously

Many thanks.

Roveer

 

[clkelley]

If you do carryon only, then YOU will be taking your bags to the bus and taking them to the resort. You can then leave your carryons with Bell Services, who will bring them to your room when you call for them.

If you want the DME system to take your bags directly to your room then you need to place the yellow tags on them at your HOME airport, then don't worry about them till you get to your room.

Since you are sending some stuff (by car, I presume) with your inlaws, then those items could serve as your emergency carryons in case the airline loses your luggage, then you could get away with a tiny bag of essentials as a carryon (medications, camera, laptop, etc.)

We're doing something similar in October. I'm driving down with the camper and all our stuff. DH is flying down. The only thing he will have with him on the plane is his CPAP machine.

 

[Roveer]

Wanted to follow-up on this thead as we had our trip back in November. The DME was absolutely wonderful and went without a hitch. When we arrived at MCO we made our way downstairs and "checked in" at the Disney counter. We then got in line (by number) for our resort and were on the bus in just a few minutes. For the next 30 or so minutes we just sat back and relaxed talking about all the great stuff we were going to do.

I have to say, for the first time flying to WDW It was so easy. The kids loved every bit of it. Especially whent he plane raced down the runway and jumped into the sky. You know, the part the adults aren't so crazy about!!!

We received our return reservation under our door on our last day and our pickup time was 5:30am!!! We did have an early flight home. We made our bus and make our way through the security and pretty boarded pretty much straight away. Set the kids up with the laptop and portable movie players we brought and the 2.5 hours went by in a flash.

The only drawback is cost. For us (family of 6) it costs $2,000 to fly. When we drive I can put gas expense into my company and it's 2 nights in a hotel (down and back), so it's $300.00 and our time. Compare that to flying and it's a few extra days at WDW and having our car so we can drive over to in-laws and stays a few days with them.

Both have their plusses but it's nice to leave in the AM and have lunch at WDW.

 

[goofy4tink]

Nice to hear it all went well for you. And yes, flying can be cost prohibitive. It just keeps getting more and moe expensive.