How many have taken DME without flying into MCO?

[goofy4tink]

Title pretty much says it all. I've been discussing this with a travel agent who says that Disney and DME have both told her that her client must fly into MCO in order to use DME. That the client couldn't, say, arrive in Sanford, get a cab to MCO and then take the DME bus to their resort.
Any thoughts?

 

[auger]

How would they know if a person flew into MCO or not?
I have not had to give any flight info for DME, but I am registered for my party to be picked up. Got my packet in the mail already

Now, I would question why anyone would want to do this, but I don't see why you couldn't.

 

[wilkeliza]

Title pretty much says it all. I've been discussing this with a travel agent who says that Disney and DME have both told her that her client must fly into MCO in order to use DME. That the client couldn't, say, arrive in Sanford, get a cab to MCO and then take the DME bus to their resort.
Any thoughts?

You do have to register and official Disney rules say it is for guests flying into MCO. I believe if you stay one night at the airport Hilton you might also be able to use DME.

They will know because you have to book DME in advance. You aren't suppose to be able to just show up and get on. They can turn you away if you are registered but I don't know if they actually do.

To the PP I'm shocked you got your booklet with no flight information because they don't typically send the arrival tickets with out the flight information and for departures back to the airport the tickets will say no information please contact xxx also when you get your pick up time from resort it will say please call to provide flight information to receive a pick up time.

 

[auger]

Odd, because I have not received anything asking about flight info.
I did not have it at the time of booking, so could not give it to them.

Now, for me it will be irrelevant, because we have decided to rent a car.

 

[bumbershoot]

It just so happens that the time we took DME, and the future time, we were coming in on a flight. BUT when I arranged for it I could have made up any flight info I wanted to. Both times I did it online, and there's absolutely no checking to see if that's my actual flight.

Everyone staying at a WDW resort is allowed to go from and to the airport on DME during their stay; they don't double-check what flight info you give.

 

[Tara]

It doesn't surprise me that Disney and DME would say that given how they advertise DME. But the reality is there is no way to know if a customer has flown into MCO or not. There is NWIH they are getting airline manifests, so the only way they know what flight you're on is if you tell them.

 

[lvcourtneyy]

I've never done it but I've heard of people doing it. You can either give them a flight number of a time close to when you'll be arriving or just give then an arrival time I think.

Doesn't seem like its cheating a system to me. One of the perks of staying on site is transportation from MCO to resort and back. That's what you're getting. No harm, no foul in my eyes.

 

[brockash]

You do have to register and official Disney rules say it is for guests flying into MCO. I believe if you stay one night at the airport Hilton you might also be able to use DME.

They will know because you have to book DME in advance. You aren't suppose to be able to just show up and get on. They can turn you away if you are registered but I don't know if they actually do.

To the PP I'm shocked you got your booklet with no flight information because they don't typically send the arrival tickets with out the flight information and for departures back to the airport the tickets will say no information please contact xxx also when you get your pick up time from resort it will say please call to provide flight information to receive a pick up time.

We've gotten the booklet a few years without our actual flight info. on it. I think it was years that we booked ME before we had our flights. It shows the day, but not the actual flight time or number.

To the OP....I cannot imagine how Disney or the ME would know whether or not you actually flew into MCO and I'm not sure why it would even matter. I think your agent is full of crap, to put it nicely. I'm not even sure why Disney or ME would even care. If it were me, I'd just call Disney or ME myself (get rid of the agent) and tell them you want to request the ME. They'll let you do it without actual flight numbers/times, although you could always just look one up that works around the time and same day that you'll need the transportation.

 

[goofy4tink]

you all are just reinforcing what I already thought. Yes, Disney/DME literature says that DME is available for those flying into MCO. I truly think they should have said 'arriving' at MCO. There is no way for Disney or DME to know how you got to MCO! You can give false flight info. I have arrived by car before. Not an issue. I know of people that have flown into MCO, rented a car and driven to WDW, only to drive back to MCO, return the car and then take DME back to their resort!

I have had DME packet info with completely wrong flight info...arriving and departing!!! I have had packets with no flight info listed. I have a packet right now that has me arriving at MCO on Wednesday, Sept 4, with wrong flight info. I'm actually flying into W Palm Beach on Sunday, the 1st and spending the first part of my vacation at Vero Beach and then driving over to BWV on the 4th!!! We are using DME to get back to MCO though...dh leaves on Sunday morning and I leave on Tuesday afternoon!

I just thought it was kind of funny that a person who is a travel agent swears that you have to fly into MCO in order to use DME....and of course Disney and DME have both told her this. I have to wonder if they got confused by her saying her client is flying into Sanford! Not sure why anyone would fly into Sanford, pay for a cab to MCO and then take the DME bus though...I would just go directly to WDW! Different strokes I guess.

 

[goofy4tink]

We've gotten the booklet a few years without our actual flight info. on it. I think it was years that we booked ME before we had our flights. It shows the day, but not the actual flight time or number.

To the OP....I cannot imagine how Disney or the ME would know whether or not you actually flew into MCO and I'm not sure why it would even matter. I think your agent is full of crap, to put it nicely. I'm not even sure why Disney or ME would even care. If it were me, I'd just call Disney or ME myself (get rid of the agent) and tell them you want to request the ME. They'll let you do it without actual flight numbers/times, although you could always just look one up that works around the time and same day that you'll need the transportation.

Oh believe me...this isn't 'my' agent. Just someone on another forum, on FB. She refuses to believe me and says she doesn't want to go against Disney policy where her client is involved...doesn't want anything to go wrong. This is why I don't use travel agents!!! Most have no idea what the deal is most of the time...especially when it's Disney!!!

 

[bumbershoot]

I use disneysmagicalexpress.com (which goes here: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/airport-transportation-reservation/), which is a site given on online TA sites (orbitz, hotels.com, travelocity, etc). Yes you need to put flight info there, but they simply do not check.

When you call there are some CMs I've heard of who think you have to have flight info, but most that I've heard of us ask what time you'll be coming in (and when you want to be at the airport, for the trip back). They know you don't have to have a flight.

 

[Lewisc]

I've booked my resort before air. Disney didn't have an issue when I said my flights are pending

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

I have. I told them I was returning a car and what time I would be at the airport. Did have to call twice as the first CM couldn't seem to figure out how to get past "airline" LOL!

 

[ironz]

I'm gonna say this, because I would imagine this is why it is worded that way:

Out of the 2 main features of DME upon arrival, the first is the ride from MCO to the WDW resort.
The other is the luggage transfer. And that is going to be the sticky point for someone who doesn't take DME in the "conventional" way of fly into MCO, use the yellow tags, get a ride to the resort, then get your luggage.

If TAs start telling people they can fly to Sanford, transfer to MCO by cab or other means, there is bound to be confusion about whether or not they should use the yellow tags and have their luggage delivered. (WE frequent visitors and experienced visitors know better....but you see how much misinformation and jumping to conclusions happens on here, much less what we don't hear about.)
There's enough confusion as it is...so I'm sure they are trying to keep it simple to say, "can't use DME"....rather than..."well, you can... but.....you have to get your bags, and you have to get to MCO, and you may or may not need to make up a flight arrival time, and ...how would you get to your return flight?"
Sounds like way more trouble than it's worth.

 

[seashoreCM]

Just quietly book your reservation with Magical Express and be done with it (that step in your trip planning).

... the first CM couldn't seem to figure out how to get past "airline" (ed. note) when trying to book DME for me.

(copied from another post) The reservation will go a tad smoother if you have in mind a flight, any flight, any airline, arriving at MCO roughly at the time you want to go to Disney. The DME reservationist may or may not ask for that.

 

[Ladygoldenhair]

I think it's worth Disney engaging in alt airport ME locations. Less buses and more drops are a potential downfall. The fact is people are going to fly the competitive Airline flights that use Sanford. We do, it is a pain renting a car/minivan. If we had ME we could bypass a car or get something economical for runs if we wanted to and let the men pick up and return the car, grandma, mom and mouseketeers could ride ME.

 

[seashoreCM]

I think it's worth Disney engaging in alt airport ME locations. Less buses and more drops are a potential downfall. The fact is people are going to fly the competitive Airline flights that use Sanford. We do, it is a pain renting a car/minivan. If we had ME we could bypass a car or get something economical for runs if we wanted to and let the men pick up and return the car, grandma, mom and mouseketeers could ride ME.

Regrettably I need to beg to differ. Magical Express was a project that touches many bases and simplifies a lot of things and increases efficiency in many ways. Baggage processing throughout MCO has been streamlined with the advent of DME.

This question begs asking: Why has not some private company come up with a "Disney Shuttle" between Sanford and WDW or between Tampa and WDW after the advent of DME? Okay, let's ask approximately the same question, "Why ... not ... between MCO and WDW?" The answer to the latter question is, "Yes, a private company did for many years; it's name is Mears." In a sense, DME really did not take business away from Mears since Mears owns and operates the DME buses.

There are a few who criticized Disney for not making a big enough contribution to the community (Orlando and Kissimmee and environs) when the World was built and all the road improvements and schooling and airport improvements outside the World were left for the taxpayers to provide in the aftermath. (Or criticized the city governments for not extracting more concessions and impact fees from Disney.) Meanwhile DME has actually cut down on the overall traffic between MCO and WDW.

 

[goofy4tink]

I'm gonna say this, because I would imagine this is why it is worded that way:

Out of the 2 main features of DME upon arrival, the first is the ride from MCO to the WDW resort.
The other is the luggage transfer. And that is going to be the sticky point for someone who doesn't take DME in the "conventional" way of fly into MCO, use the yellow tags, get a ride to the resort, then get your luggage.

If TAs start telling people they can fly to Sanford, transfer to MCO by cab or other means, there is bound to be confusion about whether or not they should use the yellow tags and have their luggage delivered. (WE frequent visitors and experienced visitors know better....but you see how much misinformation and jumping to conclusions happens on here, much less what we don't hear about.)
There's enough confusion as it is...so I'm sure they are trying to keep it simple to say, "can't use DME"....rather than..."well, you can... but.....you have to get your bags, and you have to get to MCO, and you may or may not need to make up a flight arrival time, and ...how would you get to your return flight?"
Sounds like way more trouble than it's worth.

Absolutely agree!! It is a huge pita if you ask me! If I were a TA and I had a client that wanted to take a cab to MCO, from Sanford, in order to ride DME, I would really try to change their mind. Huge effort. But it is doable. As long as you explain to the client that they have to keep their bags with them (no magically appearing of bags in the room) and it's going to be pricey getting to MCO from Sanford and then back again. You can't use RAC either.
Just a stupid idea.

I think it's worth Disney engaging in alt airport ME locations. Less buses and more drops are a potential downfall. The fact is people are going to fly the competitive Airline flights that use Sanford. We do, it is a pain renting a car/minivan. If we had ME we could bypass a car or get something economical for runs if we wanted to and let the men pick up and return the car, grandma, mom and mouseketeers could ride ME.

Won't happen. There just aren't enough people flying into Sanford to warrant DME heading there. I have flown into Sanford before..it's a terrific airport. We've had a car service pick us up and we've also rented cars. Depends on the current situation.
I will say though...I have often thought about moving to Florida and getting a large van and running a shuttle from Sanford to WDW resorts.

 

[Lewisc]

I think it's worth Disney engaging in alt airport ME locations. Less buses and more drops are a potential downfall. The fact is people are going to fly the competitive Airline flights that use Sanford. We do, it is a pain renting a car/minivan. If we had ME we could bypass a car or get something economical for runs if we wanted to and let the men pick up and return the car, grandma, mom and mouseketeers could ride ME.

There are only about a dozen flights into Sanford. Not enough to offer DME. I guess Disney could offer hourly shuttle bus service from SFB to MCO but I don't think there are enough flights to even justify that service. How many hours would passengers be willing to wait for the bus?

http://www.orlandosanfordairport.com/fids.asp

I guess Disney could even do luggage. BUT only a dozen flights. How many passengers are staying in a WDW resort? How many are going to be renting a car? SFB is more then twice the distance from WDW. Now assume any service would have a fee. Chances are 3 or 4 passengers would pay less with a private car service.

Maybe Allegiant should arrange bus service to MCO for their passengers.

 

[seashoreCM]

Maybe Allegiant should arrange bus service to MCO for their passengers.

OT: Hmmm. A connecting "flight" using a bus. It's possible. About 10 years ago I had a United itinerary (from Boston to San Jose) and the second leg, from San Francisco to San Jose was on a bus! The driver dutifully collected my flight coupon. (I was using paper ticketing). I had to collect luggage at SFO since the bus loaded at the normal bus area outside security, so I am not sure whether a SFB to MCO or TPA to MCO "flight" on a bus could transfer luggage directly to Magical Express.