Late arrival at MCO do you recommend alternate transportation?

[Tigger2252]

We have an evening flight into MCO for our upcoming trip. We won't be arriving until almost 10pm. We already plan to just pick up our luggage as it's so close to 10. I don't want to risk sending it with tags in case there is a flight delay or something. That being said, has anyone had any experience with taking DME after 10 pm? I'm seriously considering just using a limo/ride service so it's not midnight before we get to the hotel. On the other hand there may not be as many passengers due to the late arrival so we may not have too many stops. Anybody have any advice?

 

[sponica]

I'm cheap so I'll just take the "included with my overpriced stay" transportation. You're going to have the time deplaning/getting luggage/getting to transportation no matter what form of transportation you use and you'll have the same 30ish minutes from the airport to the hotel. So there's 50-60 minutes in sunk costs already.

 

[Betty Rohrer]

We have an evening flight into MCO for our upcoming trip. We won't be arriving until almost 10pm. We already plan to just pick up our luggage as it's so close to 10. I don't want to risk sending it with tags in case there is a flight delay or something. That being said, has anyone had any experience with taking DME after 10 pm? I'm seriously considering just using a limo/ride service so it's not midnight before we get to the hotel. On the other hand there may not be as many passengers due to the late arrival so we may not have too many stops. Anybody have any advice?

I agree with pp that late and with picking up bags even with the limo it will be close to or after no matter which you decide

 

[maxiesmom]

If the extra money isn't that big a deal, then go with a town car or Lyft. I've had some decent experiences with DME late at night. I had one horrible experience where it was 2 1/2 hours from touch down until standing at the front desk of the resort. Now, if the money isn't that big of a deal, I book transportation.

 

[Apopper74]

We are arriving at 11 pm. I have already decided and booked a private car service. I have used this same service when flying into MCO traveling to Universal. They will meet us in luggage holding a sign with our name, assist in getting our luggage and then sweep us to the vehicle which is waiting just outside of the luggage claim area. At this hour it will be the easiest way and fastest way to our resort.

 

[SaintsManiac]

I’ve had late arrival twice. One time it took over 90 minutes and the other time it took 45. You just don’t know until you know.

 

[tnolan]

We once had a very late arrival and ended up getting to Carribbean Beach at just about 1 am, and we still took Magical Express. As noted elsewhere, it was a little less crowded but still a good group for that hour! Time to get to the resort might have been a little less due to the fact that there's not as much traffic at that hour.

 

[seashoreCM]

I would not "recommend" another mode of transportation over Magical Express just because I got there late or just because I have a lot of luggage with me. But I would not disparage other guests' choices other than to explain or confirm pitfalls those guests already put in their trip reports..

On my last trip I stayed onsite and used DME. No problems. I would use it again despite less favorable trip reports I have read. Earlier trips when I stayed offsite I rented a car.

 

[Canooknic]

We usually have a late arrival and use DME without problem. Our last trip was a mess with a canceled flight, then an 'emergency' flight for us the following morning which got us in early afternoon, we were happy to have an afternoon to relax after the previous days mess. DME took FOREVER! I don't know if they were short staffed or there'd been a problem with buses but getting on the bus took ages, then we sat for the longest time.

I'll take a late night arrival any time!

 

[AngiTN]

Time of arrival have no bearing on how long ME takes.
Their goal is the same be it 10:00 AM or 10:00 PM
Their goal is to depart MCO for WDW after the first guest has been on the bus for 30 min, or when the bus is full, whichever comes first. On most of our ME trips we leave without a full bus, so someone was on 30 min. They don't always meet the goal and sometimes buses leave sooner or later. They also have to time it so they don't meet up with another ME bus at a resort, since there's only room for 1.
Then you have a 30 min drive to Disney, that is the same no matter what mode you use.
What varies is how many stops before your resort. This is something well outside of your control. This is why we often use Ride Share unless we truly are in no hurry at all. DH loves the ME so he'd rather take it than not. I am not a big fan. So we depend on plans to determine what we are doing. We arrive next trip at 8:00 PM and are taking an Uber because we have dinner plans and I want to go as fast as we can