Big CBR fan. Stayed there twice, 15 years apart, loved it both times. In between those times, my wife and I have traveled extensively throughout the country, Canada and the Caribbean. CBR is an excellent value for the money, in terms of the amenities and the overall feel of the property.
My DME experience on May 8, 2005 (your results may vary): 53 minutes from getting into the DME Welcome Center line to being dropped off at CBR. That's really good time, by the way. SInce it's about a 30 minute drive from airport to resort, that left 23 minutes for waiting for the bus and so on. You would most likely spend more than 23 minutes waiting at baggage claim, waiting in the rental car line, getting to your rental car, etc.
Once we got to CBR itself, we must have waited in line to check in at CBR for at least 20 minutes. Then there's getting to your room from the Custom House (which is a separate building off to one side of the resort). If you took DME and only have carry-on luggage, you'll get to your room yourself if Bell Services are busy; you can walk there or wait for the internal shuttle bus. If Bell Services aren't busy, they'll likely give you a van ride to your room. If you didn't take DME and have your luggage with you, Bell Services will give you a van ride to your room.
Someone asked about taking DME versus renting a car. In my opinion, unless you plan on using the car during your stay, it's a complete waste of time and money to rent the car ONLY as airport transfers.
When you use DME, you get to skip the wait at baggage claim, and you won't have to mess with your checked luggage at all.
There's also a little-known perk of DME. Little-known but absolutely true. When you check in at the DME Welcome Center at the airport, the computer there sends a message to the resort's computer, and you get put into a virtual queue (think FastPass) for a clean room in the category you reserved. So let's say you reserved and paid for a preferred location room at CBR. Let's say that when you checked in at the DME desk at the airport there was exactly one room available in that category. It now has your name on it -- it's yours. Let's say one minute later another party actually arrives at CBR, and they have the same exact reservation type as you. Well, there had been only one clean room in that category and it just got set aside for you. When you get to CBR about 45 minutes later, you wait in line and get your room, and that other party may still be waiting for theirs if no new ones have yet come online. Nice perk.
