Horrible experience with Magical Express

[wdhinn89]

I think that's ridiculous. Regardless of what their rules are, if departure time was 4:05 they shouldn't have been able to leave just because they pull up at 3:55 and the person isn't there. They should still have to wait until 4:05, and if the person arrives and the bus driver doesn't feel they can load everything on in time to depart by 4:05, that's different. Also, they should not say the bus will PICK UP at 4:05, they should say the bus will DEPART at 4:05! BIG difference!!!!

I would have to agree.

 

[VacationDad]

I think that's ridiculous. Regardless of what their rules are, if departure time was 4:05 they shouldn't have been able to leave just because they pull up at 3:55 and the person isn't there. They should still have to wait until 4:05, and if the person arrives and the bus driver doesn't feel they can load everything on in time to depart by 4:05, that's different. Also, they should not say the bus will PICK UP at 4:05, they should say the bus will DEPART at 4:05! BIG difference!!!!

Do you think the OP and the bus driver had their watches synchronized perfectly?

 

[canwegosoon]

I agree DME should change their wording to Departs at 4:05...but I also know that I have seen it in my ME booklet, and on other paper work to arrive 10-15 minutes early. I totally agree with Disneyagain...DME is not a private service...

I am sorry it was a bump in your vacation, but at least you got to airport, and it sounds like you got out on the early flight...worth the $$ in my book. If you had not gotten to the airport and out on an early filght, it might have cost you alot!!!

 

[ckret01]

Aside from missing the bus at your hotel because you were late, they then offered you the option of getting on a bus at another near by resort, which you declined, but then you got in a waiting cab for the airport....did it occur to you that you could have hopped in the same cab and instead of spending $55+ to get back to the airport you could have just spent $10 to go to the other resort and catch the bus??

Why would I chance missing the bus at the all star movies and waste more time trying to find the bus

 

[ckret01]

Do you think the OP and the bus driver had their watches synchronized perfectly?

Well at least the taxi driver and my cell phone time were the same as well as my cell and the regular buses that take you to the parks.

I think that's ridiculous. Regardless of what their rules are, if departure time was 4:05 they shouldn't have been able to leave just because they pull up at 3:55 and the person isn't there. They should still have to wait until 4:05, and if the person arrives and the bus driver doesn't feel they can load everything on in time to depart by 4:05, that's different. Also, they should not say the bus will PICK UP at 4:05, they should say the bus will DEPART at 4:05! BIG difference!!!!

That is my point exactly. Thank you

 

[ckret01]

I am sorry it was a bump in your vacation, but at least you got to airport, and it sounds like you got out on the early flight...worth the $$ in my book. If you had not gotten to the airport and out on an early filght, it might have cost you alot!!!

Absolutely! I am so glad I got on the early flight cuz come to find out my original flight into NY that was later on in the day was cancelled. We were very lucky and glad to get home safe and sound

 

[kaytieeldr]

Although it's not detailed in the original post, it sounds like the OP was given the option of catching a scheduled bus at All Star Movies at around 4:30/4:35, instead of waiting for the 5:05 bus which would have gotten them to the airport too late to stand by for an earlier flight?

Okay, IF that's correct - since the three All Stars are adjacent to one another, and since the features of each resort's main buildings are pretty much identical, it seems likely that the DME bus would be picking up at All Star Movies in just about the exact same place as the one at All Star Sports.

 

[seashoreCM]

they then offered you the option of getting on a bus at another near by resort, which you declined, ...did it occur to you that you could have hopped in the same cab and instead of spending $55+ to get back to the airport you could have just spent $10 to go to the other resort and catch the bus??

Very fishy. I don't call chasing that bus an "option". What if the bus is leaving the other resort as the cab pulls in, or the bus driver denies boarding?

 

[ckret01]

Although it's not detailed in the original post, it sounds like the OP was given the option of catching a scheduled bus at All Star Movies at around 4:30/4:35, instead of waiting for the 5:05 bus which would have gotten them to the airport too late to stand by for an earlier flight?

Okay, IF that's correct - since the three All Stars are adjacent to one another, and since the features of each resort's main buildings are pretty much identical, it seems likely that the DME bus would be picking up at All Star Movies in just about the exact same place as the one at All Star Sports.

The bus that left Sports was currently at Movies when we called. I do not know the time of pick up that was scheduled for Movies. We called ME to find out what had happened and they told us the bus was at Movies. I was not going to risk running, walking, taking a cab over to that resort to find that the bus had already left, was pulling away or whatever. Besides at that point we did not even know the taxi was sitting out front. It wasn;t until after we got off the phone with ME that we saw the taxi.

 

[cbrfan]

Very fishy. I don't call that an "option". What if the bus is leaving the other resort as the cab pulls in, or the bus driver denies boarding?

And what if the OP had been at the bus stop 15 minutes before scheduled pickup as directed by DME?

 

[goofy4tink]

And what if the OP had been at the bus stop 15 minutes before scheduled pickup as directed by DME?

I'm 'assuming' here that if the OP had taken DME up on the offer, she/he would have been given a conf number to show the driver. DME knows how many people are scheduled to be on a particular bus, so if they told the OP there would be room on a particular bus, then, there would be room. Especially if they (OP) arrived the 15 mins before the scheduled time.
I guess the wording can be misleading. But, when they (DME) give out a time for pick-up, they mean the time of departure. Kind of like when you are given a time by the airlines..that time is the takeoff time. I know, I know...a bit of a stretch! If 7 families are given the pickup time of 4:05, that's the time the bus leaves, not the time they will be expected to board the bus. Each family is going to be actually boarding the bus at a different time...some at 3:55, some at 3:59, some at 4:00. But, that bus is scheduled to pull out at 4:05. If you are just arriving at the bus stop at 4:05, and that driver stops and waits for you, the bus will now be late in picking up other guests at the next stop. It's a huge snowball effect.

Again, I'm sorry the OP had such a bad experience with DME. It would seem that as time goes on, we are hearing more and more of these less than magical experiences. I guess it's to be expected.

 

[maxiesmom]

You may not like the clause that you need to be at the ME pick up point 15 minutes early, but if you want to use that service, you need to follow their rules. You may think it silly, you may think it stinks. But if you want to use Disney's ME service, you also have to follow their rules.

I really am sorry that you had such a stressful trip to the airport. I would have been a wreck! But that is why I always read and re-read my travel documents multiple times, and follow their instructions to a T. I am paranoid that I will miss my flight out.

 

[cassie]

Just my toots on DME. I always stay at CBR and when I get a pickup time for DME I call the resort for a pick up to customs house going on my DME time. They, (CBR), give me a time that they will pick me up which is usually 15 mins before DME comes. But my ride arrives 20 mins before the DME comes. When traveling I'm always early...you just never know.

Sorry to the op that missed the bus. At least you made your flight.

 

[dburg30]

Sorry you had that issue, the only problem I had at ALL with the DME was the way the busses ride, either the drivers or something on the bus, as the DME busses made me feel worse then Mission Space:Orange did.

Everything else was truly magical. I was at WDW within an hour of landing, dunno when my bags showed up, but they were there when we went back and took a break. Our pick up on Sunday was about 10 minutes late from our scheduled time at CSR, but they were at one of the all stars before that, and pretty much had a full bus when they got to us, still had no problems at MCO, we were there still right at 2 hours before our flight, and I was thru security in 10 minutes max.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Sorry you had that issue, the only problem I had at ALL with the DME was the way the busses ride, either the drivers or something on the bus, as the DME busses made me feel worse then Mission Space:Orange did.

That would be the ZF AS-Tronic transmission. It's a 10/12 speed manual transmission that is clutched and shifted by a computer that acts as if it's just learning to drive a stick.

Drivers hate them, but operators love 'em. They're cheap to buy, cheap to maintain, and more fuel efficient. But they're slow and jerky. They would be great on long haul highway moves, but for shuttle operations they're crap.

All DME and the new DCL's have them. The black & yellow Mears, the old DCL, and the "wrapped" coaches have traditional automatics that are much smoother.

 

[dburg30]

That would explain it .. Thanks for taking the time. I just thought the drivers couldnt ever get within a 1/2 mile of another car that they'd slam on the brakes but it was was the trannie using it's 'brain' it seems

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

......well...... I'm not blaming EVERYTHING on the transmission... but I'd like to. lol

There are some drivers out there that just can't drive smoothly.

 

[dburg30]

......well...... I'm not blaming EVERYTHING on the transmission... but I'd like to. lol

There are some drivers out there that just can't drive smoothly.

I get ya, but what you described is exactly what it felt like though. So we'll let it be 'mostly' the transmissions fault

 

[localdriver]

That would be the ZF AS-Tronic transmission. It's a 10/12 speed manual transmission that is clutched and shifted by a computer that acts as if it's just learning to drive a stick.

Drivers hate them, but operators love 'em. They're cheap to buy, cheap to maintain, and more fuel efficient. But they're slow and jerky. They would be great on long haul highway moves, but for shuttle operations they're crap.

All DME and the new DCL's have them. The black & yellow Mears, the old DCL, and the "wrapped" coaches have traditional automatics that are much smoother.

I feel the new DCL's are much better. The tranny in the DME's has a mind of it's own and is very difficult to drive smoothly. If drivers would turn the MASTER retarder switch OFF it would help. But back to topic::

Drivers most certainly, should not leave early. At the same time, I must say, that everything I've seen from Disney advises, and says, GET THERE 15 min prior to the scheduled departure time. That MEANS 15, not 5 or less. So I advise EVERYONE to READ there INFO and build in time for differences in time settings especially when it involves something as important as a catching a certain flight or whatever.

JMHO

 

[pickles]

I love DME, but I had a similar exp to the poster on one trip, but it was our fault as well..we missed the 15 minute ahead of time print. We were actually right at poolside waiting for DME(at OKW this is just a few steps from the busstop) we went out at the scheduled time for our bus only to find out, it left without us. We were lucky tho the people at baggage were very helpful and were able to get another bus to come pick us up pretty quickly. Our mistake, but they fixed it. We are now at least 15 minutes ahead as it is a terrible feeling to wonder how you will get to the airport when you missed your bus.

we have always been lucky with dme...a few bumbles here and there, but nothing that upset us or stressed us out or that would prevent us from using again...hope I can keep saying that!!