Has Anyone Ever Missed the Magical Express Bus Back to the Airport?

[dudspizza]

We missed our ME bus in March. We knew our flight was delayed, so we weren't in a hurry to get to the airport. There was room on the next ME bus for us, but we were prepared to take a taxi if there wasn't.

I think this is an excellent question. It's always good to have a Plan B. Yes, Plan A is make it back to the resort in plenty of time, but sometimes Plan A doesn't happen.

You have the right thinking.... some here on the DIS have demanded they get put on another bus.... your thinking is that if you miss the bus you'll take a cab..... I like it.

 

[Lewisc]

Guests using Disney transportation will have to leave a park more then an hour before their DME pickup. Guests dining in another resort, who have to change to a different bus at a transfer location, have to allow at least 90 minutes--probably 2 hours.

Makes sense to plan on using a taxi to get back to your resort. Probably makes more sense to rent a car, use a car service or taxi for transportation directly to MCO.

 

[maxiesmom]

Makes sense to plan on using a taxi to get back to your resort. Probably makes more sense to rent a car, use a car service or taxi for transportation directly to MCO.

I am giving that great thought for my next trip. From my seat on the ME bus I have seen many people left behind at a bus stop, because there was not room for them on the bus. One time one of the guests was trying to make the driver re-check all of our passes, as she knew it was her bus, and that someone who didn't belong must have been taking her seat. It was not pleasant, to say the least.

I'm a bit paranoid now about not having a seat on the ME bus. Especially as the resort we are booked at for the next trip is Coronado Springs, and that resort had people left behind during my last stay at WDW.

 

[aubriee]

I am giving that great thought for my next trip. From my seat on the ME bus I have seen many people left behind at a bus stop, because there was not room for them on the bus. One time one of the guests was trying to make the driver re-check all of our passes, as she knew it was her bus, and that someone who didn't belong must have been taking her seat. It was not pleasant, to say the least.

I'm a bit paranoid now about not having a seat on the ME bus. Especially as the resort we are booked at for the next trip is Coronado Springs, and that resort had people left behind during my last stay at WDW.

I wonder if we were on the same bus. I saw the same thing (also at CSR) a little over a year ago. A woman was going ballistic demanding the driver check everyone's voucher to see if they belonged on that bus. She just kept insisting that was their bus and was demanding that some of us be thrown off.

This past May 8th I also saw a family at POFQ demanding to be let on our bus. They had missed theirs (blamed the DTD boats for being late). The bus driver and a guy with a clip board just kept telling him, that our bus had two more stops to make (OKW and SS) and there was no extra seats. He kept insisting that since their flight was leaving before ours that some of us should be forced to wait for the next bus, then he demanded that another bus be called to pick up the OKW and SS folks, so they could get on our bus. I'm not sure what happened. A manager type came out and escorted the family back inside with the dad threatening Disney if they missed their flight. This is the second time I've seen this. A few years ago at POP there was a family who finally admitted that they thought the three hour pick up time was ridiculous and that they had intentionally missed their assigned bus thinking they would just get on the next bus. However, they got tied up at DTD, bus service back to the resort was then slow, and they arrived later than even they intended, and they were now going to miss their flight. They were demanding to be put on our bus. When told the bus was full, they demanded some of us be put off since our flights were later than theirs, and when told no the dad said fine they'd just stand then and proceeded to get on the bus with their backpacks and shopping bags, then absolutely refused to get off when told standing was not allowed. A manager finally had to come out and talk them off the bus. They went back inside with the dad blaming and threatening Disney if they missed their flights.

 

[Will20]

We missed our bus once, lol I "blame" staying in the Magic Kingdom till 3am ( YAY for EMH!) and we over-slept! However, we were put on the next bus and luckily our flight was actually delayed that afternoon, so we had plenty of time at the airport, but I enforce the word "luckily" lol. However I would never demand that a bus or cap be called for me if it was my fault for over-sleeping/not planning enough time.

 

[seashoreCM]

They went back inside with the dad blaming and threatening Disney if they missed their flights.

Hmmm. Does Disney keep a blacklist of problem-guests?

This party might be accommodated now but this would be their last Disney vacation.

 

[cinder-ellah]

Yikes ! Guilty !

We missed it last week by 10 minutes. We were having fun at Hollywood Studios, Star Tours and all, and getting out of the park took longer than we planned on.

Totally our fault.

We arrived back at CBR at 2:10pm (supposed to be there/leave at 2pm). Our bus was still there and the bus driver was at the Bell Service area talking and finishing paper work (?)
I asked him if it was to late for us to board. Wow ! He was mean and nasty to us and said "go get a cab". He refused to let us on.
I just had to chuckle (the rudeness was beyond belief). After all the Disney magic and wonderful Cast Members that we had experienced and then to have someone act like that.

I went inside and asked at guest services what they would suggest we do.
They called the DME and found that there was room for us on the next bus in 1/2 an hour and assigned us to be on it. Which I know was fortunate for us. They also said that the DME is run by Mears and that they don't all have the pleasant attitude of Disney employees. Sooooo true.
Maybe the bus driver was having a bad day.

All in all we would've taken a taxi if we had needed to.

The next bus driver was very pleasant. Yay ! ! !

So, in the future we'll plan on being there earlier. Or .....budget for a cab.