Is it foolish NOT to use ME to the Disney hotels?

[goofy4tink]

Thanks Ronda....I was just going to mention that you didn't have to wait in line twice!!! Just checkin, they give you your room key card, you head off to 'do your thing' and call back later..they give you the number to call. When your room is ready, just head back to it and unpack...at your convenience!!!

 

[Tara]

The last thing I want to do is rent a car. Been there done that. LOONNNGGG lines and LONNNNNNGGGGGGGGGGGG wait there. And then how much time do you save by having to drop it off. I am taking ME....I am on vacation!

Whenever I read a comment like this, I'm always amazed! I've never waited in a long line to rent a car at MCO, and I think I've only waited in line at all once. I don't know what the deal is, but I'll just consider myself lucky.

That said, the more I go -- 10 times in the last 8 years -- the less fond I am of WDW bus transportation, so I would rather wait in line in the air-conditioned airport and have access to my own car for the trip. But that's just me. I can understand why people love ME, and if I didn't want a rental car, I'd definitely make use of the service myself.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Tara - you must be renting from the 'right' agencies Alamo is fairly well-known for long lines; you probably rent from ANY other agency at the airport

 

[CleveRocks]

I think Disney started this as part of their anniversary promotion and for customer service. I gaurentee it is not "free". All of those who stay at a resort on property are paying for this, just a hidden charge in the price of the room.

Ah, but it is free. Disney makes GOBS AND GOBS of money off of DME. DME pays for itself. They don't need to make a separate hidden charge for it. Disney is very clever. If every family who uses DME eats just one additional table-service meal than they would have had they used a car service or rental car, then Disney makes money on DME. Let me explain ....

People who use a car service have about $120 less to spend on Disney property because they used that money to pay for the car service. For people on a budget, they will feel more free to spend that money at WDW because they don't need to spend it on transportation.

People who use a car service often take advantage of thr grocery stop option. People using DME don;t have this option. Since most Disney guests are not savvy like most DIS users are, they don't know about grocery delivery services. Therefore, they either eat more meals at Disney food outlets, or they buy more groceries at the resort shops. Either way, Disney gets more of their guests' food money.

People who rent cars have less $$$ to spend at WDW (just like car service users). They can stop for groceries on their way to WDW, so Disney loses out on part of their food spending. But the big money-maker for Disney in luring car renters to DME is that car renters can easily leave WDW grounds and buy meals, souvenirs, and other entertainment off-property. If you have no rental car, and Disney has this neat intra-property transportation system, then you really can't spend any money that does not go to Disney.

On top of all that, the idea of DME probably sways some people to stay at a WDW resort rather than stay off-site ("wow, we don;t have to pay for a rental car or a Mears shuttle -- let's stay at a Disney resort instead!").

Disney makes a lot of money by offering DME. They don't need to charge us for it.

Also, not to drone on much longer, but when I made my resort ressies for my May 2005 trip in October of 2004, DME hadn't been announced yet. I got quotes for 3 different weeks, one of which was for before May 5, 2005, the launch date of DME. ALL 3 weeks cost exactly the same. Two of them would have included DME, and one didn't. ALSO, Disney didn't raise their rates until 2006, many months after DME started. From what I understand, they raise their rates every year, so it's not like you can point to a 2006 increase and say it was because of DME.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

I think Disney started this as part of their anniversary promotion and for customer service. I gaurentee it is not "free". All of those who stay at a resort on property are paying for this, just a hidden charge in the price of the room.

The beauty of DME is that nobody is forced to use DME, and that nobody pays a direct DME fee.

Following up on what Eric (CleveRocks) wrote, Disney gets financial benefits from DME in many different ways — from higher hotel occupancy and less discounting of room rates (because of the additional competitive advantage over off-site hotels) to increased spending on on-site shopping and dining (because fewer guests have cars).

Yet, from a guest perspective, DME is free. And it really is free compared to renting a car or using a livery service.

And some people just dont wait well. ( I have trouble waiting well) I trully believe that for most people the time difference is negelgable (sp) but feels a lot longer than it really is.. But for me, that $100 is going to be spent on a nice dinner out.

I don't wait well at baggage claim. It's one of my least favorite parts of travel. I really like bypassing baggage claim because of DME, even though
Orlando International Airport isn't as bad as some airports. (At Denver and LaGuardia, I've had waits of waits of 30-60 minutes after arriving at baggage claim.)

I've used DME twice. Once there was no check-in line; once there was a long check-in line. But, both times, we were already on a motorcoach headed to our resort when other people on our flight were probably still waiting for their luggage.

 

[bab31]

Whenever I read a comment like this, I'm always amazed! I've never waited in a long line to rent a car at MCO, and I think I've only waited in line at all once. I don't know what the deal is, but I'll just consider myself lucky.

That said, the more I go -- 10 times in the last 8 years -- the less fond I am of WDW bus transportation, so I would rather wait in line in the air-conditioned airport and have access to my own car for the trip. But that's just me. I can understand why people love ME, and if I didn't want a rental car, I'd definitely make use of the service myself.

Gosh, I would say you were really lucky or maybe we were just unlucky. But we were in line for a long time. If we were going to Disney at that time and if there was ME we would have been half way to the resorton ME for the amount of time it took us to rent a car. Maybe the lines at the rental cars isnt as long any more due to ME!

 

[bab31]

Ah, but it is free. Disney makes GOBS AND GOBS of money off of DME. DME pays for itself. They don't need to make a separate hidden charge for it. Disney is very clever. If every family who uses DME eats just one additional table-service meal than they would have had they used a car service or rental car, then Disney makes money on DME. Let me explain ....

People who use a car service have about $120 less to spend on Disney property because they used that money to pay for the car service. For people on a budget, they will feel more free to spend that money at WDW because they don't need to spend it on transportation.

People who use a car service often take advantage of thr grocery stop option. People using DME don;t have this option. Since most Disney guests are not savvy like most DIS users are, they don't know about grocery delivery services. Therefore, they either eat more meals at Disney food outlets, or they buy more groceries at the resort shops. Either way, Disney gets more of their guests' food money.

People who rent cars have less $$$ to spend at WDW (just like car service users). They can stop for groceries on their way to WDW, so Disney loses out on part of their food spending. But the big money-maker for Disney in luring car renters to DME is that car renters can easily leave WDW grounds and buy meals, souvenirs, and other entertainment off-property. If you have no rental car, and Disney has this neat intra-property transportation system, then you really can't spend any money that does not go to Disney.

On top of all that, the idea of DME probably sways some people to stay at a WDW resort rather than stay off-site ("wow, we don;t have to pay for a rental car or a Mears shuttle -- let's stay at a Disney resort instead!").

Disney makes a lot of money by offering DME. They don't need to charge us for it.

Also, not to drone on much longer, but when I made my resort ressies for my May 2005 trip in October of 2004, DME hadn't been announced yet. I got quotes for 3 different weeks, one of which was for before May 5, 2005, the launch date of DME. ALL 3 weeks cost exactly the same. Two of them would have included DME, and one didn't. ALSO, Disney didn't raise their rates until 2006, many months after DME started. From what I understand, they raise their rates every year, so it's not like you can point to a 2006 increase and say it was because of DME.

Cleve, you really do make sense, I trully figured they would get it one way or the other! Thanks Babs

 

[keishashadow]

Must be a recent change. Last year resorts definitely used a room ready approach, with the exception of special requests that required a specific room.

Resorts are sent a message when we checkin at the DME desk at MCO. The resort assigns an available room while we're on the way to the resort. AKL already upgraded me before I even got to the resort and CSR had no trouble changing my pre-assigned room to a building of my choice.

Wonder if the fact that we didn't use ME, put us to the end of the line.

In '05 @ AS Mo I had to wait in line once around Noon, to be told that no rooms were ready yet & again after 3:00 p.m. for nearly an hour. I would think that only one wait would be required ala DVC check-in????

Have the resorts gone the way of DVC where you do checkin, get resort card & call telephone number on card later to get your room number?

 

[DaisyD]

People who use a car service have about $120 less to spend on Disney property because they used that money to pay for the car service. For people on a budget, they will feel more free to spend that money at WDW because they don't need to spend it on transportation.

.

That is not true. By taking a towncar or limo has absolutely no effect on what money I have left to spend at WDW. Maybe some have to be that way but not all. I am sure that $120 might be better for food if indeed you had to chose one but I don't have to chose. I like personalized service, have no problem paying for it, and still eat every meal in property without having to give up anything.

 

[CleveRocks]

That is not true. By taking a towncar or limo has absolutely no effect on what money I have left to spend at WDW. Maybe some have to be that way but not all. I am sure that $120 might be better for food if indeed you had to chose one but I don't have to chose. I like personalized service, have no problem paying for it, and still eat every meal in property without having to give up anything.

And it's important that you as a consumer have that choice -- choosing the level of service we want and how much we pay for it is a great thing. I'm not telling you you should use DME -- I'm telling you you should do whatever makes your vacation great.

But you should consider yourself very fortunate that having $120 more in your pocket or bank account doesn't have much affect on you. Please keep in mind that most people do not have the apparent financial means that you do (judging not only by your comments, but also your signature -- two vacation trips in the span of a month or so). Keep in mind that Disney markets to ALL people, not just people in the top 1% or 2% of annual salaries or of financial assets. There are more rooms at the value and moderate resorts than in the deluxe resorts.

I'm sure you didn't mean your comment to be elitist, a "Let them eat cake" sort of thing, but I can understand how it could be interpreted that way.

 

[Tara]

Gosh, I would say you were really lucky or maybe we were just unlucky. But we were in line for a long time. If we were going to Disney at that time and if there was ME we would have been half way to the resorton ME for the amount of time it took us to rent a car. Maybe the lines at the rental cars isnt as long any more due to ME!

Maybe ME has had an effect on rental car lines (actually, it surely has), but I will say that I did wait a few minutes in line last month (maybe 5), which is more than I can say for the numerous other trips over the last 8 years.

 

[Olaf]

Renter here. I gave up on the onsite Disney buses ages ago. I'm an Emerald Aisle member at National and I never wait. I did consider taking ME over to WDW and renting a car from there, as the airport charges are ridiculous, but decided against it.

 

[goofy4tink]

Wonder if the fact that we didn't use ME, put us to the end of the line.

In '05 @ AS Mo I had to wait in line once around Noon, to be told that no rooms were ready yet & again after 3:00 p.m. for nearly an hour. I would think that only one wait would be required ala DVC check-in????

Have the resorts gone the way of DVC where you do checkin, get resort card & call telephone number on card later to get your room number?

To the best of my knowledge, yes. For the past several years, if I haven't been able to get into my room immediatly, I have been given a card with a phone number on it to call. They give me a time frame and then I call the number within that time frame. That has been my experience at any of the resorts that I haven't been able to immediatly get a room at...not just DVC.

 

[DaisyD]

And it's important that you as a consumer have that choice -- choosing the level of service we want and how much we pay for it is a great thing. I'm not telling you you should use DME -- I'm telling you you should do whatever makes your vacation great.

But you should consider yourself very fortunate that having $120 more in your pocket or bank account doesn't have much affect on you. Please keep in mind that most people do not have the apparent financial means that you do (judging not only by your comments, but also your signature -- two vacation trips in the span of a month or so). Keep in mind that Disney markets to ALL people, not just people in the top 1% or 2% of annual salaries or of financial assets. There are more rooms at the value and moderate resorts than in the deluxe resorts.

I'm sure you didn't mean your comment to be elitist, a "Let them eat cake" sort of thing, but I can understand how it could be interpreted that way.

Believe me I am not in the 1% or 2% of annual salaries! LOL! I just don't think $120 has any impact on a vacation that is already costing as much as it is! When we vacation we make sure to have enough so that we don't have to worry about $120. Now if the limo costs us thousands of $$$s then I would have to skip it! LOL!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Look at it this way: My upcoming trip is costing me $700 (not counting souvenirs and additional tips). Add $120 to that, and it's an almost 15% increase. Can I afford it? Sure. Will I spend that much extra money when Disney provides me with a great, free alternative? Do I LOOK crazy? (don't answer that, CleveRocks!)

 

[DaisyD]

Look at it this way: My upcoming trip is costing me $700 (not counting souvenirs and additional tips). Add $120 to that, and it's an almost 15% increase. Can I afford it? Sure. Will I spend that much extra money when Disney provides me with a great, free alternative? Do I LOOK crazy? (don't answer that, CleveRocks!)

Wow how are you going so cheap? Are you DVC or something? Mine can never be cheap because we love the Poly so much. I don't even want to tell you what I spend in souveniers. Gotta have those cheesy t-shirts!

 

[kaytieeldr]

LOL - nope!
= Traveling solo (i.e., one airfare - which kept dropping, so I've got air credit toward another trip, coincidentally to Las Vegas )
= Staying at Pop
= Using DME
= Free dining

 

[DaisyD]

LOL - nope!
= Traveling solo (i.e., one airfare - which kept dropping, so I've got air credit toward another trip, coincidentally to Las Vegas )
= Staying at Pop
= Using DME
= Free dining

Great deal! I take the kids so there are 3 APs I have to buy. Three plane tickets, and food for all! We all love the Poly so that is must to stay at. I don't want the DDP but love the DDE. We save a huge amount of $$$ over the course of the year. I still opt for a towncar though. Where are you staying at in Vegas? I've never been and can't wait to go. Almost as excited as my Disney trip. LOL!

 

[goofy4tink]

LOL - nope!
= Traveling solo (i.e., one airfare - which kept dropping, so I've got air credit toward another trip, coincidentally to Las Vegas )
= Staying at Pop
= Using DME
= Free dining

My hero... !! You gotta love travelin' solo!!! My trips in Dec tend to be pretty cheap also!!