Magical Express and family member not on package ressie?

[jjjbennett]

Flying in my family of 7 to Disney. Planning to use the ME to get to and from MCO to resort. Problem....My Mom will be flying in with us but only staying about 3 days until my brother picks her up and takes her to his home to visit. However she is not on the Disney vacation package reservation as she only needs a 3 day ticket instead of the 8 day tix the rest of the family will have. The Disney CSR told me to just add her at check in onto one of the rooms (there is space for another adult so no additional charge for that) and buy her ticket at check in.

Two CSRs I've spoken to have stated that Magical Express will allow her to ride to the resort with the rest of us. They did suggest I call Magical Express and have this noted before hand. Just wondering if anyone else has done this and if there were any issues and when I should call ME (right now 3 months ahead) or much closer like the week before. Don't want to be left shocked that this is not going to work as planned, certainly can't leave my 83year old mother at the airport to fend for herself.

Any insight would be helpful? Thanks

 

[Jestocost]

Flying in my family of 7 to Disney. Planning to use the ME to get to and from MCO to resort. Problem....My Mom will be flying in with us but only staying about 3 days until my brother picks her up and takes her to his home to visit. However she is not on the Disney vacation package reservation as she only needs a 3 day ticket instead of the 8 day tix the rest of the family will have. The Disney CSR told me to just add her at check in onto one of the rooms (there is space for another adult so no additional charge for that) and buy her ticket at check in.

Two CSRs I've spoken to have stated that Magical Express will allow her to ride to the resort with the rest of us. They did suggest I call Magical Express and have this noted before hand. Just wondering if anyone else has done this and if there were any issues and when I should call ME (right now 3 months ahead) or much closer like the week before. Don't want to be left shocked that this is not going to work as planned, certainly can't leave my 83year old mother at the airport to fend for herself.

Any insight would be helpful? Thanks

As I understand it you can't ride DME without an advance reservation and you can't make such a DME reservation for someone who is not listed on your room reservation. I would call DME directly and ask if this will be possible.

In a worst case scenario you could book her and everyone else with three-day tickets and then add the extra days on for those who need them at or after check in.

 

[sam_gordon]

As I understand it you can't ride DME without an advance reservation and you can't make such a DME reservation for someone who is not listed on your room reservation. I would call DME directly and ask if this will be possible.

In a worst case scenario you could book her and everyone else with three-day tickets and then add the extra days on for those who need them at or after check in.

This is my understanding also. Call DME soon and get a definitive answer. If someone tells you it's ok that she rides, see if you can get something in writing. If they won't give you something in writing, call back and play CSR roulette.

 

[brymolmom]

Call and add your mother to your reservation.

Change everyone's tickets to 3 day.

Upgrade all tickets but hers to 8 day tickets after you check in.

Then everyone will be on the ressie and will get ME.

 

[jjjbennett]

Call and add your mother to your reservation.

Change everyone's tickets to 3 day.

Upgrade all tickets but hers to 8 day tickets after you check in.

Then everyone will be on the ressie and will get ME.

I actually suggested this to the CSR but I needed to book at least a 4 day tix to get the SPRING discount on the tickets in my package and when all the discussion was said and done the CSR thought that booking without my mother and adding her later made more money sense and said that this happens "all the time" and DME would be fine with it. I'll have to call DME right away and see what they say. If they express concern I'll have to figure a another way to work it.

 

[sam_gordon]

I actually suggested this to the CSR but I needed to book at least a 4 day tix to get the SPRING discount on the tickets in my package and when all the discussion was said and done the CSR thought that booking without my mother and adding her later made more money sense and said that this happens "all the time" and DME would be fine with it. I'll have to call DME right away and see what they say. If they express concern I'll have to figure a another way to work it.

You still might want to find out what the price difference is by adding her on as a 4 day now. Just going to Disney's site and buying a 3 day vs. a 4 day pass is an extra $15.

So, if DME won't let her ride, add her to the reservation and get everyone 4 day passes. Then when you get there, upgrade everyone else to the 8 days and leave hers alone.

Just a thought.

 

[crashbb]

You still might want to find out what the price difference is by adding her on as a 4 day now. Just going to Disney's site and buying a 3 day vs. a 4 day pass is an extra $15.

So, if DME won't let her ride, add her to the reservation and get everyone 4 day passes. Then when you get there, upgrade everyone else to the 7 days and leave hers alone.

Just a thought.

That's what I was going to suggest (though I think you said that the rest of you want 8 days, not 7 days).

The $15 "wasted" (the fourth day) is less than a taxi or ticket on the Mears shuttle (can you take Mears to a WDW resort?) would cost.

 

[seashoreCM]

Yes you can take Mears' shuttle to Disney's resorts but you cannot reserve those trips in advance. There is a Mears counter near the Magical Express counter.

 

[bumbershoot]

I actually suggested this to the CSR but I needed to book at least a 4 day tix to get the SPRING discount on the tickets in my package and when all the discussion was said and done the CSR thought that booking without my mother and adding her later made more money sense and said that this happens "all the time" and DME would be fine with it. I'll have to call DME right away and see what they say. If they express concern I'll have to figure a another way to work it.

The only way I've read of it happening often is when the person not on the reservation is coming in *later*, so there's time for the guests to get to the resort and add that person.

You still might want to find out what the price difference is by adding her on as a 4 day now. Just going to Disney's site and buying a 3 day vs. a 4 day pass is an extra $15.

The $15 "wasted" (the fourth day) is less than a taxi or ticket on the Mears shuttle (can you take Mears to a WDW resort?) would cost.

Definitely.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

My understanding is that the deal Disney has with the airport means they cannot transport people who do not make an advance reservation.

They used to do this, but the limo and taxi drivers threw a hissy fit and....

 

[goofy4tink]

You have to be on the resort reservation in order to ride the bus. Period. So, that lets out the whole 'add her at checkin'. And as for just showing up and explaining and then her riding the bus? I doubt that as well.

I would just go to the Mears counter and pay the $19 to have her ride the Mears bus...in all reality? She will probably be put on your bus anyway. I would all go together to the Mears counter...then you can see how how they decide to transport her.

Here's the thing....Disney packages are not designed to be all things for all people. They aren't designed to be 'tweaked' to fit the guests needs. Disney doesn't much care..plenty of guests willing to do exactly what the plan dictates.
I would go the Mears route as the path of least resistance, and the path with the smallest chance for a screw-up!

 

[jjjbennett]

so I don't know anything about this Mears shuttle, it is basically the DME but you pay for it??
one problem is that she has Alzheimer and could not be trusted to ride alone, so that would mean another member of the party (me)would have to be with her.

I really wished Disney CSR's could be trusted to give you information you could trust. I talked to two and changed my reservation based on their input....now more time on the phone to sort this out again.

 

[Lewisc]

Two CSRs I've spoken to have stated that Magical Express will allow her to ride to the resort with the rest of us. They did suggest I call Magical Express and have this noted before hand. Just wondering if anyone else has done this and if there were any issues and when I should call ME (right now 3 months ahead) or much closer like the week before. Don't want to be left shocked that this is not going to work as planned, certainly can't leave my 83year old mother at the airport to fend for herself.

Any insight would be helpful? Thanks

You have the name of the CSRs. About a month before your trip call DME. Tell them you'll be adding Mom to your reservation at check in. Tell them XXX and XXX told me to call you and request extra luggage tags and an extra bus pass.

It's worth a shot. Chances are you'll be following the advice of PP and just paying Mears.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Mears Shuttle from the airport is usually a shared van service; but Walt Disney World guests without Magical Express reservations are frequently (not always) assigned to a DME bus after paying for transit. While DME must be reserved in advance, Mears to WDW can't be.

Truly, your most cost-effective solution is to change everyone's tickets to four days, then upgrade all the others to eight days. The $15 for the day's admission she won't use is less than the $38 (because you don't want her to travel alone) two of you would have to pay to use Mears; and you can't chance that she'll be assigned to your DME bus.

 

[jjjbennett]

Mears Shuttle from the airport is usually a shared van service; but Walt Disney World guests without Magical Express reservations are frequently (not always) assigned to a DME bus after paying for transit. While DME must be reserved in advance, Mears to WDW can't be.

Truly, your most cost-effective solution is to change everyone's tickets to four days, then upgrade all the others to eight days. The $15 for the day's admission she won't use is less than the $38 (because you don't want her to travel alone) two of you would have to pay to use Mears; and you can't chance that she'll be assigned to your DME bus.

Thanks everyone, I think I like the idea of giving her a 4 day and being certain she is on the reservation. Rather than having our party possibly splitting ways at the airport.

 

[jjjbennett]

UPDATE -

Just called DME and they looked up thereservation number, and added my Mother onto the transportation list for that ressie. she will be included in the DME materials that are sent to me 40 days prior to arrival. Easy peasy, she stated that my mother is now on the transportation list for that ressie and we can add her to the room list when I arrive at the resort.

Soooo....I apologize to the Disney CSR's who I did not trust, it appears that what they said was entirely true. (i will of course be waiting to see if she is indeed on our DME materials when they arrive but the DME CSR seemed entirely confident and unfazed by the changes)

 

[goofy4tink]

That's terrific!!! It would seem that Disney/DME in now allowing for 'tweaking'...it may be a sign of things to come down the road.

 

[sam_gordon]

Would it be a good idea in about a week for the OP to call DME back and say something like...

"I'm sorry, I just want to make sure I included everyone on the reservation. Can you tell me who you have listed?" Then if Mother's name is listed, you know for sure she's in the system.

Just a thought.

 

[Lewisc]

Would it be a good idea in about a week for the OP to call DME back and say something like...

"I'm sorry, I just want to make sure I included everyone on the reservation. Can you tell me who you have listed?" Then if Mother's name is listed, you know for sure she's in the system.

Just a thought.

All calling is going to do is give them a chance to change their mind. The backup plan is to have one person pay for Mears which isn't done in advance. I'd wait until the DME package comes in. Only then would I call. I wouldn't complicate things, start by saying we're missing a luggage tag and bus pass.

It sounds like Disney is starting to be a little more flexible with DME policy.