Late arrivers- can they take ME to another hotel?

[lisareniff]

Half of our family is arriving 2 days later due to work and school. Since we will already be checked into our hotel room do you think they will allow them to take ME to another hotel? We have reservations at 'Ohana's and I'm not sure we can make it otherwise.

ETA: I have a feeling the answer is going to be no, but I'm just hoping it might work.

 

[goofy4tink]

Nope. You have to take the bus to the resort you are registered at. Each person is asked to show their travel voucher when getting on the bus at MCO. If that bus isn't going to the resort shown on your voucher, you don't get on that bus. Sorry.

 

[PSUGuy]

OTOH, it's hard to see how you could be stopped from just getting off at a resort other than the one you're booked for if that, by chance, happened to work out better for you.

Bill From PA

 

[goofy4tink]

OTOH, it's hard to see how you could be stopped from just getting off at a resort other than the one you're booked for if that, by chance, happened to work out better for you.

Bill From PA

That will only work if you are put on the same bus. For instance...I stay at BW but the past few times, the bus has also gone to POR. I guess I could have been registered at POR but stayed on the bus and gotten off at BW for whatever reason.
But, you have to be on that bus to begin with. If you want to get to 'Ohana, but your resort is the AllStars, it just isn't going to work.

 

[Lewisc]

Call and ask. Every poster who's asked has been told no but if enough guests ask Disney might change the policy.

 

[Missytara]

Call and ask. Every poster who's asked has been told no but if enough guests ask Disney might change the policy.

I just cannot imagine for the life of me how they could just let you announce which resort you would like to go to when you get there and then they load you on that bus.

Each day, how could they figure out how many buses they needed, how to group them together, how many are needed at certain times of days, how many drivers they would need, etc.

I just cannot see how they could continue to run it as efficiently as they can now.

And you still have to get your KTTW cards to get into any park......

 

[Lewisc]

Some people book a DME reservation as "backup" but rent a car or use a car service. Others never bother giving DME accurae flight information.

The vast majority of guests want to go to their resort first and check in. Some need to checkin to get their KTTW card. Others need to drop off carry on bags.

I suspect the number of guests who would ask for a different drop off resort would be too small to matter.

 

[lisareniff]

In our particular instance, we will already be checked in and will have our room keys and AP's when they arrive. So there is no need to go to the hotel other then if Disney needs them to get on that particular bus....which they might.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

We have reservations at 'Ohana's and I'm not sure we can make it otherwise.

How close are you cutting it?

What happens if their flight is delayed (which is fairly common)?

How about having dinner at the resort where you're staying the evening of their arrival, and saving Ohana for an evening when everyone's schedule can be more predictable?

 

[goofy4tink]

Usually I tend to agree with Lewisc. This is one of the few times I don't. DME is a particular type of service. We already have a ton of posts from those who wish to use DME in a manner that suits them, but not in the manner DME was set-up. I can only imagine what could happen when guests start dictating which bus 'they' want to take. Sure, I suppose you could be allowed to make a change in resort drop off when making your reservation. They could make it mandatory that you state where you want to go when booking. But then what happens to those people who change their minds before arriving, and want to get on a different bus once they get to MCO, or those who haven't made any reservation, but figure it will be okay since everyone can go on any old bus now.
I think it would be a slippery slope if started. DME isn't a personalized service. It is a service that tries to meet the needs of the majority of guests. If you want to get to an area that is not your resort, upon arrival, then perhaps a car service is going to meet your needs better.

I just can't imagine that a 'free' service is going to allow us to tailor it to our needs. But, I've been wrong before.

 

[lisareniff]

How close are you cutting it?

What happens if their flight is delayed (which is fairly common)?

How about having dinner at the resort where you're staying the evening of their arrival, and saving Ohana for an evening when everyone's schedule can be more predictable?

That would be a logical approach, wouldn't it? First of all making these arrangements 6 months in advance requires a crystal ball and the assumption nothing will change. There have been a few changes. We didn't have our flights booked yet(we were going to do early morning) and we were expecting to rent a car - that changed.

Also my husband's birthday is the following day. Since he really doesn't like going to WDW I was trying to appease him by letting him choose anywhere for his birthday, of course he choose Boma. I don't think we would want to do Boma twice in a row. I'm not even sure we could get a ressie. One just doesn't save 'ohana's for another night. Those reservations are gone in a couple days after the 6 month mark.

I will call and ask, just to get the offical answer and then will probably end up eating at the Mara.

Thanks for your help.

 

[kaytieeldr]

So there is no need to go to the hotel other then if Disney needs them to get on that particular bus....which they might.

Disney "needs" them to get on the correct bus for the resort where their room reservation exists. Plain and simple.

That would be a logical approach, wouldn't it? First of all making these arrangements 6 months in advance requires a crystal ball and the assumption nothing will change.

I'm probably reading the tone wrong (happens online) but there really isn't a need to get snippy about the responses. Responses on this forum aren't sugar-coated (LewisC's suggestion about "if enough people ask..." notwithstanding). They're fact. Transportation is too serious to joke around.

If taking the AK Magical Express bus, then the MK bus, then the monorail or boat to the Polynesian will be too time-consuming, there's always a taxi - either from AKV to Polynesian, or from the airport to the Polynesian. And of course, all this is dependent on the plane arriving on time.

 

[lisareniff]

I'm probably reading the tone wrong (happens online) but there really isn't a need to get snippy about the responses. Responses on this forum aren't sugar-coated (LewisC's suggestion about "if enough people ask..." notwithstanding). They're fact. Transportation is too serious to joke around.

I truly wasn't being snippy or upset at a poster in anyway and was surprised you read that into my posts. I was taking the responses as fact (why didn't you take mine that way?) I respect HH opinion very much. I was actually just trying to give a little more background as to why I was in this situation (that as an experienced DISer was surprised to find myself) and how it wouldn't be easy just to switch nights/restaurants. Perhaps my only negative emotion was frustration at Disney for starting the reservations at 180 days, maybe you took that as frustration toward HH.

If taking the AK Magical Express bus, then the MK bus, then the monorail or boat to the Polynesian will be too time-consuming, there's always a taxi - either from AKV to Polynesian, or from the airport to the Polynesian. And of course, all this is dependent on the plane arriving on time.

Thanks for the taxi from AKL thought. That had actually slipped my mind.


... now I will scurry back to the DVC boards, where I know the hot topics.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I truly wasn't being snippy or upset at a poster in anyway and was surprised you read that into my posts. I was taking the responses as fact (why didn't you take mine that way?)

Um, well, to be completely honest because if I'd written what you did, I'd have been being a bit snippy .

 

[Lewisc]

My guess is Disney wants guests going to their resort first. Let them check in and drop off their carryon bags.

The OP will have already checked in. Sounds like they won't have big carryon bags.

There are relatively few guests in that situation. I don't think it would be a big deal to accomodate those few guests. I guess Disney doesn't think it's worth deciding which guests should qualify for an exception.

Just get off the DME bus at the first stop, probably POP. Take a taxi to the POLY. Consider taking a Disney bus if you see a bus for the MK or EPCOT as you're walking over to get a taxi. Ohana will probably work with you if you're a few minutes late.

I think what's needed to a way for guests to take DME from a theme park directly to MCO.

 

[lisareniff]

Thanks Lewisc.