Get on the bus?

[allaboutmm]

O.K. all of you are making me nervous about taking the ME!! Do we get on the bus? Or hire a private driver? Any positive input? Help!

 

[rgf207]

O.K. all of you are making me nervous about taking the ME!! Do we get on the bus? Or hire a private driver? Any positive input? Help!

why are you nervous about ME? I have heard a lot of great things about it. We are using it for our trip next week and I have no worries.

 

[allaboutmm]

I have read some not so nice comments that people have written about ME. Mostly about waiting a long time to get to their hotels, on departure days they ask you to take the ME 3 hrs b/f your flight leaves , just a lot of wanking We are taking the ME no matter what, thats what DH says. I just want to hear some happy stories!

 

[kirbsam]

I do have some good news. I just saved a bundle on my car insurance with geiko.

 

[allaboutmm]

I do have some good news. I just saved a bundle on my car insurance with geiko.

 

[kaytieeldr]

If you read the thread about other transportation company owners demanding MCO eject Disney from the airport, you'll see approximately 5,000 people per day use that service. It started May 8. It's been in operation 131 days. Of the approximately 655,000 Guests who've used Magical Express so far, how many complaints have you heard? Even 6,550 would only be ONE PERCENT, and I haven't seen nearly that many - maybe six? Ten?

As for departing your hotel 3 hours before your flight, yes, approximately. Actually, between 2-3/4 and 3 hours. Why? Well, each bus will pick up at between one and four Resorts before heading to the airport. Figure 45 minutes to an hour if your Resort is first of four. Then you've got to get to the airport - 25 to 35 minutes, depending on which of the four stops your airline is closest to, and the driver has to get your luggage from under the bus even if it's just carry-ons. Then, if you're not flying a participating airline, you have to check in. Three hours may seem long, but Disney doesn't want you to miss your flight!

 

[goofy4tink]

I've used DME twice now, in June and again in August, and have only 'happy stories' to tell. My first trip I got my luggage tags a bit close to my departure date, but I got 'em. I arrived at MCO at 11:50, was on a bus at 12:15 and on my way to BCV by 12:25. We were the third stop...CBR, YC, then us. I was checked in by 1:10 and sitting by the pool at 1:30...got into our villa at 2:30 and our luggage arrived at 3. Return was just as good...checked my luggage at the DME desk at POR at about 8:30 am..no line. Got back to the bus area at about 11:10 for the 11:30 bus. Back to MCO at 12:00, for my 2:30 flight.

In August I got not tags but I did book my trip only 6 days beforehand..can't fault DME for no tags. Had only carry-on anyway. It took about 1 hr. 15 min. from touchdown in MCO to check-in at Pop. Since I was flying SW I couldn't send my luggage on ahead in the morning, so left it with Bell Services. Got back to BS 20 mins before our bus departure time to retrieve our bags, got on the bus and back to MCO, with about 2 1/2 hrs to kill before flight.

I'm using it again in late Nov and yet again in Oct '06 just before they stop the comlimentary runs. I don't think you have anything to worry about. We love DME!!!

 

[CleveRocks]

When I took DME from CBR back to MCO on May 14, we were picked up 2 3/4 hours before flight departure, and we needed every minute, in our circumstances.

We were picked up at 4:00 p.m. for our 6:45 p.m. flight. The bus was empty when it came to us, 3/4 full when it left, and we went straight to MCO, no stops.

We had a moderate wait at the ticket counter, followed by a very, very long wait to get through security. After that, we went to the food court nearest our gate. We needed to give our kids dinner at the airport because of the timing. Eating before the flight wouldn't tide them over until late enough, and feeding them after landing would be much too late. And after a week on vacation it's not like we could have easily packed food for them to eat at the airport or on the plane. So airport food it was. The line at the food court was almost as bad as the line at security. After we finished dinner, we went to our nearby gate, and our flight had already started pre-boarding.

Given our circumstances, if we arrived at the airport any later than we did, we would have had hungry and cranky pre-schoolers, or been late for our flight.

DME was great. No worries!

-- Eric

 

[kaytieeldr]

I'm using it again in late Nov and yet again in Oct '06 just before they stop the comlimentary runs. I don't think you have anything to worry about. We love DME!!!

You will be pleased to know that, according to allearsnet.com, complimentary DME service has been extended through the END of 2006. Now you've gotta squeeze in one more trip between October and December next year...

 

[clkelley]

Security at MCO in the 3:30 - 5:30 pm timeframe is INSANE!!! I will never take a flight that leaves MCO around that time ever again.

My trip last December, I was using Mears (disabled van), for a 5:30 pm flight. They were supposed to be there at 3pm, they didn't show up until 4pm. I got to the airport at 4:30 pm, curbside checked my luggage, and went straight to security. I did not get through security until 5:15pm. I would not have made it through security if I didn't have the ECV, as they pulled me from the regular line about half-way through to go through their larger scanner. They were paging me as I pulled into the gate area. So if you have an afternoon or early evening flight, you NEED every bit of that 3 hours for pickup!

Carol

 

[rantnnravin]

We had a fantastic experience with DME in Aug.
The short of it:
We were checked into POP within an hour of landing (4pm). Went to dinner at Epcot. Our bags were in our room when we returned from dinner.
Bus pickup was scheduled for 3 hrs before flight, but you must consider the time it takes for the driver to load everyone's luggage (we weren't the only passengers) under the bus before actually departing the resort. We didn't make any stops and went directly to MCO. Had to check our bags as we flew southwest, waiting about 40mins to get through security and were at the gate early enough to be in position for early boarding. (southwest doesn't assign seats, so the earlier you arrive, the better choice of seats you have)
i have nothing but great things to say about DME!

 

[goofy4tink]

You will be pleased to know that, according to allearsnet.com, complimentary DME service has been extended through the END of 2006. Now you've gotta squeeze in one more trip between October and December next year...

Oh dear God...just what my dh would need to hear...let's see, I was in WDW in 8/04, 11/04/ 6/05, 8/05, going again in 11/05 then in 10/06...Nope, don't think he's gonna go along with a trip in late '06!!!!

 

[TDC Nala]

It will depend on what you want.

If it is worth it to you to get to your resort without waiting, take a car service. With ME you will wait. You might wait 10 minutes and you might wait 30 just for a bus to get moving. You also may not be first off the bus; ME will visit other resorts. When I went to Saratoga Springs, it was the fourth stop.

Just to show the time frame, my flight touched down at 1:30 PM and I made it to Saratoga Springs at 3:30. The start time there is when the wheels hit the runway; remember there's time involved in taxiing to the gate, getting off the plane, traveling to the main terminal, finding the ME desk and checking in. The entire time was that long because I waited maybe 15 minutes before actually being put on a bus, and another 15-20 minutes before the bus actually left the terminal; then there were all the stops before mine.

Still, 2 hours from touchdown to check-in can seem like a long time. For you it might also end up being that long, or it might be much shorter if you don't have to wait for a bus to fill up or you don't have to stop at 3 other resorts before yours. They have a video to watch on the bus, which will help pass the time. If you have kids, bring something to keep them occupied, think of some games to play, or if they like to read make sure they have books, etc.

I still think the free service is fantastic. I will probably use it even after they start charging, because towncar costs are prohibitive for one person.

I understand the bit about leaving 3 hours before your flight. First, you have to handle your own luggage unless you happen to be flying an airline that allows checkin at the resort. The bus probably won't go straight to the airport; it may stop at other resorts to pick up passengers. Then, there is the uncertainty regarding wait times for checkin and security. Disney wants to make sure you make your flight, or they'll get lots of complaints.

I have just noticed that rgf207 has my old kungaloosh.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Just to show the time frame, my flight touched down at 1:30 PM and I made it to Saratoga Springs at 3:30. The start time there is when the wheels hit the runway; remember there's time involved in taxiing to the gate, getting off the plane, traveling to the main terminal, finding the ME desk and checking in. The entire time was that long because I waited maybe 15 minutes before actually being put on a bus, and another 15-20 minutes before the bus actually left the terminal; then there were all the stops before mine.

Still, 2 hours from touchdown to check-in can seem like a long time.

Okay, now in all fairness, you really CAN'T start counting the time from flight touchdown, or taxiing - since nobody can start ANY other mode of transportation at these points in the flight. Also, getting off the plane, travelling to the main terminal and finding the ME desk are equivalent to getting off the plane, travelling to the main terminal and finding your luggage carousel.

 

[TDC Nala]

I don't know what time I started waiting for the bus, but I do know what time the plane touched down.

If you were not using ME, when making the time calculation you would have to add time spent waiting for luggage, not just finding the carousel.

 

[willis]

Hi everyone,
Does anyone know if there is internet service (paid) or if guest relations can do online checkin for our departing Southwest fight? I would like to have our boarding passes with hopefully A boarding so we can use ME on the way back to the airport.