Is this doable?

[coluk003]

I know im going to be tired as I dont really sleep on planes, i hope to drug up enough to knock me out for those 4.5 hours .

So we leave LAX at 955Pm on a Monday and arrive MCO at 5:49AM. 1. if we rent a car, which i think we are leaning towards, can we still have MDX pick the bags and have them delivered to the hotel? So lets go with we are renting the car. The shuttle picks up up say 6:15, this allows my sisters bathroom break which im sure she will need, and to get off the plane, on plan as soon as we use the monorail over to the main building to call for pick up(using FOX rental car?) 2. Get to the car say by 7am at the latest? We will be taking I4, avoiding the tolls as my sister heard some horror stories and is now worried about being charged even though we paid the toll and the Car rental charging us.(33Min drive no traffic)

Now im told even with the new system and everything we still need to check into our hotel, to get the parking pass for the resorts? I thought i just flashed my badge last time, but now that i tink about it ANYONE could do that and get free parking. So off to the hotel it is huh?Check in drop off what we have to, maybe its ready PROBABLY not. this would put us at 830ish maybe 9am correct?

We would then drive over to the contemporary hotel and eat at CM at 930, then off to AK that day.

Sorry im so long winded but i feel if i miss a detail i wont ever remember Looking forward to what everyone thinks

 

[Belle61513]

I know this isn't your question, but why are you planning on renting a car? It seems like an added expense/time suck that you just don't need...especially since you're staying on Disney property. Even if you're going to Universal for a day, it's prob still cheaper to do Mears.

Also, I would be really surprised if you could get DME to get your luggage if you're not actually taking their bus service.

 

[Alesia]

There's a sticky at the top of the transportation about using DME to transfer your luggage without riding the bus. The short story: Disney specifically does not allow it. Some people do it anyway. You may not have a problem, but if your luggage goes missing, Disney won't help you.

 

[coluk003]

Well we need it for Friday. My aunt, who my sisters are at her wake right now, passed away and wed all like to go see our uncle when its not so hectic and everyone being there. WE planned to visit them anyway. So rental for a car for two days was pretty pricey. Plus ill be honest ans as a exCM ill say this the bus's are horrible lol. I found it more convenient and easier for dinner reservations to have a car. Even 30 mins waiting on the bus compared to a 15 min self drive is worth it for me. I think the only time i wouldnt is if Disney implements a thats a countdown clock, or a video board at the stops with GPS in them. I had some people we met at the hotel, standing and waiting. we wait 5 mins with them and 2 of us drove, I was at MK before them, in the park, down main street and waiting for them at BOG by the time they go into MK. If anything is going to me late its going to be me. This happened on more then one occasion at different hotels. For me waiting at the eend of the night for the value resort buses with everyone else is too long. By that time the wind blowing irritates me lol, let alone people arguing or not respecting my space

 

[bumbershoot]

There is a whole sticky thread on the Transportation forum dedicated to using Disney's Magical Express (DME not MDX) and rental cars. I have a different takeaway from it than Alesia does.

Are you sure you'll be OK using something to knock you out and then driving?

What horror stories? Don't get the car rental pass, DO bring a roll of quarters and a handful of ones, and just take the pay-the-toll exits and pay the tolls. SO easy. I've never had a problem except when DH accidentally got on a toll road (still not sure which one or how) at night with zero change, and they had envelopes right there, and he took one and we mailed a check for the toll within the week and National never even heard about it.

Paper parking passes are phasing out, and MBs are what get you free parking. We don't know what sort of checkin situation you have, if you have the "straight to the room" kind or the "still have to go to the desk" kind. What does your online checkin info say for your reservation?

I love having a rental car, but I'd go with one of the main ones right there at the airport, not one you have to shuttle for.

 

[coluk003]

There is a whole sticky thread on the Transportation forum dedicated to using Disney's Magical Express (DME not MDX) and rental cars. I have a different takeaway from it than Alesia does.

Are you sure you'll be OK using something to knock you out and then driving?

What horror stories? Don't get the car rental pass, DO bring a roll of quarters and a handful of ones, and just take the pay-the-toll exits and pay the tolls. SO easy. I've never had a problem except when DH accidentally got on a toll road (still not sure which one or how) at night with zero change, and they had envelopes right there, and he took one and we mailed a check for the toll within the week and National never even heard about it.

Paper parking passes are phasing out, and MBs are what get you free parking. We don't know what sort of checkin situation you have, if you have the "straight to the room" kind or the "still have to go to the desk" kind. What does your online checkin info say for your reservation?

I love having a rental car, but I'd go with one of the main ones right there at the airport, not one you have to shuttle for.

Thanks to both of you for the responses. AS far as the horror stories, i dont really remember, but she said she read here, about people paying the toll, and not getting reciepts and the car company charging them a fee for not paying the toll(honestly im VERY confused)

for the check in it doesnt say either way, but it did say this "Your reservation has Streamlined Check-in" Unless im just not looking in the right place


As far as who to rent the car from or where, i would too, but saving a 100 bucks with a company we've used before is hard to pass up

 

[bumbershoot]

The key then is to get the receipts. And make sure Fox has any sort of sunpass reader turned OFF or out of the car, if they have them at all.

If you've used Fox before and you trust them, go for it.

 

[sharonabe]

Since you're planning on AK that day, why not just eat at Tusker House? If you happen to get delayed, you could get charged at no show fee at CM. You could make the Tusker House for later (lunch) and pick up something quick to tide you over. It seems like a lot of running around to me.

 

[coluk003]

tusker house right now is not an option, no openings.Id like to go there but its not just m choice either, its an all adult trip and ive already did all the food booking at places i liked that were very popular, then i looked at them all and thought" hmmm im going to all the same places three years in a row" I did throw in a 1900 for my sister, on one day. plus im a sucker for piglet, who doesnt come out as far as i know in DL, ive so its very rare.

@bumbershoot Do you live down there? THis is what i asked(kinda) in another thread and which is why we are worried. The road from the airport to MCO is a toll till you get on I4. im assuming right as you get off that ride getting on I4 is where you pay the toll(tats really not the point i could careless where it is) We've been told that some of the toll booths are not manned and there are times NONE are manned and you cant get a receipt. Is this true on our route to and from the MCO airport? We will be also going to Tampa to see our Uncle but Google maps says thats not a toll road(true?)

 

[Terra Nova guy]

For what it's worth, I've done four trips with a rental car in the last five years. I've always paid tolls with coins and never bothered with receipts. I did not have any issues. I also used three different rental companies.

 

[GillianP1301]

Assuming no flight delays, I would actually estimate you'll be at your resort by 7:30. The only unknown for me in your plan is the Fox rental offsite, we always rent from one of the agencies in the terminal and have a car within 10 - 15 minutes of arriving. I'm assuming 15 - 20 minutes to wait on and be shuttled to the Fox lot. You will need to get your bags though, they shouldn't go on DME and personally I wouldn't trust it to even try it. I've never taken more than 5 or 10 minutes to grab my bags before getting my car. My usual flight in arrives at 1:15pm and we're always checking in at our resort before 2:30.

As for the tolls, if you don't want to use the rental car transponders, just make sure it's turned off and bring some change with you and you'll be fine. I've done it both ways, using the rental transponder and using cash and I've never had a problem with either scenario.