How many stops for ME & other questions

[kayjaybe]

First experience with ME coming up in just 5 days and I have a few questions.

1 - It seems that the buses are organized by hotel. How many stops does the ME usually make when dropping off guests? We are staying at the Poly, if that matters.

2 - How long do you usually have to wait for a bus to leave or become available?

3 - We arrive at MCO at 10 AM on Sunday. Any idea of when we might make it to our resort?

4 - I see a lot of posts about not making a non-refundable ADR on the day of arrival, but we do have dinner at CRT at 4:15. I would assume that with 6 hours between landing & the reservation, it shouldn't be a concern, right? (Our flight is a charter flight and the plane arrives at the airport the prior evening, so our TA has assured us that they never leave late, barring any weather issues prohibiting take-off.)

Thanks for any advice you can give!

 

[Jestocost]

Generally, DME will get you to your resort within 90 minutes of your flight arrival. So, if your flight is on time at 10 a.m. you should be at the Poly between 11:00 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.

In most cases, we have found the wait for the DME bus at the airport isn't too long. We typically have waited maybe 10-15 minutes in line and another 10-15 minutes after boarding. Sometimes a little less, sometimes a little more.

There's no set resort grouping or number of resorts for any given bus. The Poly frequently is grouped with one or more of the other resorts in that area--WL, GF and CR--with usually no more than four resorts on any one run. There's also no set drop-off order EXCEPT that if the bus is going to the GF and the Poly it will go to the Poly first to avoid making a turn that the buses have trouble with.

 

[goofy4tink]

Yes, the buses are grouped by resort. No way of knowing beforehand which number stop any particular resort will be. The routes/resorts change on a daily basis.
I have usually been at my resort within 70 mins...gate to resort. So, you will most likely be at your resort by 11:30. The people that have issues with ADRs are those who book them too closely to their arrival times. If you are supposed to land at, say, 2:00, and then book an ADR at LeCellier at 5, well you may very well not make it. If you are late landing, and then have a longer than normal wait at the airport for the bus to come and then find a long line to check in at, say, the Polynesian, then yes, you are going to miss your ADR. Most of us don't make an ADR for our arrival day unless it's at least 5 hrs after arrival. Much safer that way.


So, answers to your questions...
1. DME makes up to 4 stops, usually only 3. Takes about 3-5 mins at each stop.
2. Actually on the bus??? 0-20 mins. Depends on where you are in the process. Buses arrive every 15-20 mins.
3. By 11:30
4. You'll be fine with the timing of your ADR.