Help! Decisions, Decisions: DME, Limo, or Rent a Vehicle?

[bdklein]

It's our first (and my first) family trip to Disney World. We (wife, 6 yr old girl and 3 yr old girl) are staying at the Poly for a week in May. We are flying SWA, so we don't get the DME benefit of resort check-in. We will also be bringing a double stroller, so space is an issue. I do want to have some food and drinks in the fridge, so if necessary we can ship them down ahead of time. We do want a hassle free vacation, but don't want to spend extra money if unecessary.

Therefore, if you were us, would you (1) use DME, but without the resort check-in benefit, (2) rent a vehicle for the week that is large enough for luggage and double stroller, (3) just get a limo service-including a grocery stop, or (4) another option?


Thanks in advance for assistance and advice.

 

[kaytieeldr]

First, I could be reading your post wrong - but I'm not sure you understand exactly what the resort check-in benefit is.
ALL Guests arriving at MCO are eligible to reserve and ride DME from the airport to Disney.
You check in at the DME counter and are directed to a bus (or waiting area, if there happens not to be a bus ready to go).
You board the bus, which then drives you to and drops you at your resort. You still need to check in at the hotel's front desk to get your room.
Meantime, you do not bother picking up your checked luggage if you placed the DME tags on it. Your bags will magically appear in your room a couple to a few hours after you check in.

Resort check-in is a perk for some passenger LEAVING Disney by plane. About seven airlines allow their passengers to check in for their return flights at a counter set up at the resort, and to check their luggage through from there to the Guest's home airport.
Guests flying out on non-participating airlines still get to use DME to get back to the airport - they (you) just can't check in for your flight, or check your luggage, until you get to the airport.

Now, for your questions:
Why else do you expect to need a car except to transport your family and possessions between the airport and Disney? Do you just also need it for one grocery stop? Or are you planning to drive to the parks, and possibly to offsite locations?
Do you really want to spend the extra money on a rental car - and don't forget, the actual price is probably about 30% higher than the quoted rate, once you get all the taxes and fees added. Plus gas.
For that matter, do you really want to spend that extra money on a car service, just to get the grocery stop? What groceries do you plan to buy? It's a little expensive in relation to a supermarket, but you can get milk, juice, etc in your resort's gift shop.
For less than either of the above options, you could probably use DME, then take a cab from either your resort or from Downtown Disney to a supermarket.

 

[IlovePiglet]

Depending on what type of snacks you bring, you can use a suitcase for them and then when the suitcase is empty, use it for souveniers on the way home.

 

[bdklein]

I hadn't thought about the fact that we will have a bunch of stuff to bring home. Utilizing a suitcase for food on the way down, and then souveniers on the way back is a great idea. Thanks.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I would look at all the options and price them out. You can always do the DME on the way back to the airport and not when arriving. Then you can take a town car so you'll have the grocery stop. Or you can do a grocery delivery service and have bottled water, etc delivered to your hotel.

This trip my DD and I are taking DME to and from the airport and will not have the grocery stop. Usually I rent a car or take a town car, so this will be a new experience. I thought about having the grocery delivery service, but it's not worth it for just the 2 of us. Also, it won't be hot when we are there so we won't be going through the water like we would in hot weather. I will bring a few waters with me and then buy others when we are in the parks.

I do always pack a suitcase of snacks, especially important when you are traveling with young children.

 

[canwegosoon]

Few other thoughts...instead of the double stroller I would bring 2 umbrella strollers(if you have one that reclines for the baby)...Lighter, smaller, easier to manage, incase one of you go back to the room the other can still use a stroller with other child. Also far cheaper to replace if something were to happen to it in transit.

If money were no object I would say get a towncar. It is easier to use, you have an extra set of hands to help you with the bags, so you can focus on the kids more. But the service can be a little pricey for some. And your bags are with you the entire time

My second choice would be the DME...again you would have help. But you would have to prepare a bag for the day for all of you to bring with you (so you would have items until your bags arrived) You could leave it with bell services or a locker in a park.

Renting a car is a nice luxury...but you do not need it.

There are also grocery services that can shop for you too

 

[CleveRocks]

It's our first (and my first) family trip to Disney World. We (wife, 6 yr old girl and 3 yr old girl) are staying at the Poly for a week in May. We are flying SWA, so we don't get the DME benefit of resort check-in. We will also be bringing a double stroller, so space is an issue. I do want to have some food and drinks in the fridge, so if necessary we can ship them down ahead of time. We do want a hassle free vacation, but don't want to spend extra money if unecessary.

Therefore, if you were us, would you (1) use DME, but without the resort check-in benefit, (2) rent a vehicle for the week that is large enough for luggage and double stroller, (3) just get a limo service-including a grocery stop, or (4) another option?

Well, since you asked....

Since you say you "don't want to spend money if unnecessary," it is totally unnecessary for you to spend a penny on transportation -- DME is for you. DME is your FREE option. It works great. And as a bonus, you won't have to fumble with your checked luggage during the arrival phase of your travel.

You can get a grocery delivery. Gooding's (www.goodings.com) is a private supermarket in the area. Their grocery prices are on the expensive side, but it's VERY convenient -- they deliver to Bell Services and not directly to you, which means you don't have to schedule a delivery time and then waste time and anxiety waiting around. And Gooding's separately labels and bags cold stuff (we got deli cheese, cream cheese, yogurt, milk, etc.), and Bell Services will keep your cold stuff cold until you are ready for your delivery (when the get the delivery from Gooding's, they call you, and if you're not in they leave a message and you call them for the delivery when you're good and ready for it). Another "time" benefit is you don't have to take the time to make a grcoery stop, as you would have to if you used a town car service. Gooding's charges a $10 flat rate delivery fee, and have a $50 minimum. As I said before, it's VERY convenient.

A lot of people on these boards swear by Wegoshop (www.wegoshop.com), a delivery service. They shop anywhere you want them to, and deliver it to you. From what I understand, you have to schedule and be present for their delivery.

Let's do the math. A towncar might cost you about $120. So if Gooding's charges $10 for delivery, they'd have to OVERCHARGE you (compared to another supermarket) more than $110 to have you NOT save money by using DME.

As for a rental car, why bother getting one and paying for one if you're not otherwise going to use it. You certainly won't need it to get to MK or Epcot (since you'll have the monorail).

Use DME and relax and enjoy. I used it on it's 4th day of operations and everything was smooth (we traveled with our 5.5 year old and 2 year old, and it was great not having to mess with luggage!). Our luggage "magically appeared" in our room 3.5 hours after we arrived, but we weren't waiting around for it. Instead, we were at the pool (we packed out carry-ons intelligently) having a great start to our vacation. At the same time, Bell Services left us a message that our groceries were ready, and we called them when we got back from the pool.

ENJOY!

-- Eric

 

[puffkin]

Especially since you are staying at the Poly, I think a rental would be a waste of money (unless you plan on doing things offsite).

I would do either the Town Car with a grocery stop or DME and have groceries shipped. The idea of packing an extra suitcase with snacks/drinks and then using it for souvenirs is also good.

I also agree with the two umbrella strollers instead of a big double stroller. They are cheap and much easier to manuever with at WDW. Plus, that way if your 6 year old wants to walk around you don't need to lug both strollers the parks all the time.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I would probably agree with the 2 umbrella stroller suggestion unless there will be times that the adults split up and one adult would be pusing 2 kids around, which would be impossible with 2 strollers.