Magical Express Departure

[tjmw2727]

What people often misinterpret is the meaning of the your bus time. It means that is when the bus leaves, not when you need to be there to board. You need to be at the stop at least 15 minutes in advance as goofy4tink says. The OPs description of arriving at the resort at 2:30 and then shopping implies that they were aiming getting there for 3:00. But as the documentation says that is the departure time so that meant missing the assigned bus. At that point, if you have missed your bus, you either hope you are able to get on the next bus or arrange your transportation.

And no the front desk CMs can't help you. All scheduling is on Mears computers and they have no access to that and it is always your responsibility to get on the assigned bus. The lesson to be learned like air flights, be there far before the departure time.

I totally agree with you - know your bus time, be early and if you want to leave later make your own plans

I have to add though that I have seen CM's at the resorts who coordinate with DME, we have had late buses and they were able to use and I pad and eventually radio to see where our bus was. I have seen them at a few resorts including BWI over Labor Day. Although your right it wouldn't be the front desk but they should be able to point you to the right person!

 

[MakiraMarlena]

I'm thinking more and more that it sounds like the OP wasn't boarding their assigned bus and they could have missed it. If they walked out there right at 3 it could have left a bit before 3, which does happen.

 

[Huff]

I expect you actually missed your bus. You got to the hotel 30 minutes before departure and then shopped? At 30 minutes all you really had time to do was go to the boarding area.\

Not shop, just grabbed snacks and out. Less than 10 minutes. We were outside on the curb before a bus pulled in at about 2:40, the one we were told we could not board. The DME assistant had our name on the list but said its already filled. Possible another problem occurred prior that caused a backlog. If we missed our bus then it left more than 20 minutes prior to our scheduled 3pm time.

 

[goofy4tink]

Not shop, just grabbed snacks and out. Less than 10 minutes. We were outside on the curb before a bus pulled in at about 2:40, the one we were told we could not board. The DME assistant had our name on the list but said its already filled. Possible another problem occurred prior that caused a backlog. If we missed our bus then it left more than 20 minutes prior to our scheduled 3pm time.

That 2:40 arriving bus was either a bus arriving from MCO, or the bus that was the bus prior to your 3:00 bus, but running late. They shouldn't have allowed you on that bus...unless it had spots available. I've done that before, but only if I waited until everyone boarded and then asked the driver.
Then a bus arrived at 3:00 and you weren't allowed on it? I would have then asked for a solution. Not having to wait for the next bus!!! You were told you were supposed to report to the stop for the 3:00 bus, no reason it should have been too full, unless the driver had allowed people to board at prior resorts, that weren't scheduled to ride that bus. In that case, DME should have been responsible for getting you to MCO at 3:00 via some other method, at their cost.
Sure, riding the bus at 3:20 wasn't going to make you late for your flight (well, not unless you were the first stop, then didn't get on the road to MCO until close to 3:40, then there was an issue on the road which had you arriving at 4:45! Then having to wait in a long security line, so you don't get to your gate until 5:30!!!). But, it's just not a nice way to end a WDW stay!

 

[MakiraMarlena]

That. It's completely illogical for the bus driver to tell you that you can't get on your assigned bus to the airport is because it is full. The only way that would happen is if they allowed people to board at prior resorts who were not assigned to that bus. And if the bus had been full, they would not even go to your resort in the first place. They'd call the dispatcher and have them reroute another bus, then proceed straight to the airport. There's no reason for them to take the time to go to the resort with a full bus, just to tell the passengers assigned to that bus that it was full. That experience is definitely not the norm.

 

[seashoreCM]

Are you sure that a Magical Express bus dropping off the remaining Disney bound guests at its last stop cannot be a bus that takes guests back to the airport?

 

[KrazeeK120]

Not shop, just grabbed snacks and out. Less than 10 minutes. We were outside on the curb before a bus pulled in at about 2:40, the one we were told we could not board. The DME assistant had our name on the list but said its already filled. Possible another problem occurred prior that caused a backlog. If we missed our bus then it left more than 20 minutes prior to our scheduled 3pm time.

I don't understand why a full bus would even stop at another resort, to be honest. Why wouldn't it just head straight to the airport and alert dispatch to get a bus to any remaining resorts?

 

[Huff]

I don't understand why a full bus would even stop at another resort, to be honest. Why wouldn't it just head straight to the airport and alert dispatch to get a bus to any remaining resorts?

Because quite a few people did get on. But several of us could not. It's possible they had troubles that day, maybe another bus broke down causing a backlog until another bus could be added. My issue was that Guest Services told me they don't deal with DME, I had to talk to them directly myself and DME attendant couldn't tell any of us what was going on and to just wait for another bus.

 

[maxiesmom]

Because quite a few people did get on. But several of us could not. It's possible they had troubles that day, maybe another bus broke down causing a backlog until another bus could be added. My issue was that Guest Services told me they don't deal with DME, I had to talk to them directly myself and DME attendant couldn't tell any of us what was going on and to just wait for another bus.

To be fair, the resorts don't run DME. They couldn't tell you when another bus would be along, or if you would fit on it.

And yes, buses do leave early.

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

That is unfortunate and wrong - unlike the inbound you are actually assigned a specific DME bus at a specific time for the return trip and the driver should be scanning vouchers and checking times to be sure the correct passengers are boarding. I have seen folks arrive early for their bus and try to board early and be denied as well as folks try and board the inbound bus (each DME bus runs only one way - to or from the airport) so its easy to get confused.

I agree with PP's that Pop should have offered you an alternate ride as the WDW resorts do have a liaison who keeps track of the DME buses. We have inquired at a few different resorts as to if our bus was running on time.

The DME Transportation Notice doorknob-hanger specifies your exact pick-up time, goes on to say, "The motorcoaches make multiple stops and must depart the resort promptly so please arrive at least fifteen minutes prior to your pick-up time," and gives you an 866 number to call if anything needs to be changed. You can't show up for an earlier bus because you have an assigned bus, and showing up at the DME bus stop with less than fifteen minutes to spare is equivalent to missing the bus. Once you don't show up fifteen minutes early as requested, Mears can load guests who may have missed their earlier assigned buses, which is exactly what OP was trying to do. It isn't the resort's or Mears' problem if guests don't read their Transportation Notices.

 

[seashoreCM]

It isn't the resort's or Mears's problem if guests don't read their Transportation Notices.

Bu...b...but one poster arrived at the Magical Express platform 20 min. before departure time (2:40 for a 3:00 bus?), early enough to find out that ...

The DME assistant had (our) name on the list but said its already filled.

 

[tjmw2727]

The DME Transportation Notice doorknob-hanger specifies your exact pick-up time, goes on to say, "The motorcoaches make multiple stops and must depart the resort promptly so please arrive at least fifteen minutes prior to your pick-up time," and gives you an 866 number to call if anything needs to be changed. You can't show up for an earlier bus because you have an assigned bus, and showing up at the DME bus stop with less than fifteen minutes to spare is equivalent to missing the bus. Once you don't show up fifteen minutes early as requested, Mears can load guests who may have missed their earlier assigned buses, which is exactly what OP was trying to do. It isn't the resort's or Mears' problem if guests don't read their Transportation Notices.

We have no reason to believe the OP missed their assigned bus in fact it was said that their name was on the list of scheduled riders - I do think the guest should have been offered an alternative ride at no cost in this case.

In addition you can show up for an earlier bus and if there is room you will be transported. I have done it a few times and on one occasion were we told there wasn't room so we waited for our bus. FWIW I always wait for everyone else at the bus stop to load and present my voucher telling the driver up front that we are scheduled for the next bus but would like to go now if there is room. The driver can easily check the list of scheduled riders at any upcoming stops and let us know if there is room.

 

[Ensusieasm]

We have no reason to believe the OP missed their assigned bus in fact it was said that their name was on the list of scheduled riders - I do think the guest should have been offered an alternative ride at no cost in this case.

In addition you can show up for an earlier bus and if there is room you will be transported. I have done it a few times and on one occasion were we told there wasn't room so we waited for our bus. FWIW I always wait for everyone else at the bus stop to load and present my voucher telling the driver up front that we are scheduled for the next bus but would like to go now if there is room. The driver can easily check the list of scheduled riders at any upcoming stops and let us know if there is room.

Several years ago my ME bus left just 5 minutes early. I said to the CM, "Now isn't that just Magical!", because I missed it. She called a cab and gave me $60.00 cash to pay the driver, which was enough for a generous tip. The driver said he'd have me at the airport before the bus would get there.

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

Several years ago my ME bus left just 5 minutes early. I said to the CM, "Now isn't that just Magical!", because I missed it. She called a cab and gave me $60.00 cash to pay the driver, which was enough for a generous tip. The driver said he'd have me at the airport before the bus would get there.

You missed your bus because you weren't there 15 minutes early as required, which would have been 10 minutes before your bus left.

 

[mikedoyleblogger]

We have no reason to believe the OP missed their assigned bus in fact it was said that their name was on the list of scheduled riders - I do think the guest should have been offered an alternative ride at no cost in this case.

In addition you can show up for an earlier bus and if there is room you will be transported. I have done it a few times and on one occasion were we told there wasn't room so we waited for our bus. FWIW I always wait for everyone else at the bus stop to load and present my voucher telling the driver up front that we are scheduled for the next bus but would like to go now if there is room. The driver can easily check the list of scheduled riders at any upcoming stops and let us know if there is room.

Oops your right--I was actually referring to Huff's experience. Apologies to OP! In terms of Huff, my point is that if they arrived back at their resort 15 minutes prior to their required time to present themselves at the DME bus stop and then headed to a grab-and-go or shop for snacks, that's reason to believe they may not have made it to the MDE stop within those same 15 minutes, which would have rendered them late.

You will only be transported on an earlier bus if all riders who were present at the required time 15 minutes in advance have been boarded, and if there's space left after that. Huff may have had their seat(s) given away to people wanting to ride an earlier bus, or who had missed their scheduled bus, once Huff missed the 15-minute check-in deadline.

Perhaps DME should make a note on the Transportation Notice that if you don't arrive 15 minutes in advance as requested, you may not be transported.

 

[tjmw2727]

Oops your right--I was actually referring to Huff's experience. Apologies to OP! In terms of Huff, my point is that if they arrived back at their resort 15 minutes prior to their required time to present themselves at the DME bus stop and then headed to a grab-and-go or shop for snacks, that's reason to believe they may not have made it to the MDE stop within those same 15 minutes, which would have rendered them late.

You will only be transported on an earlier bus if all riders who were present at the required time 15 minutes in advance have been boarded, and if there's space left after that. Huff may have had their seat(s) given away to people wanting to ride an earlier bus, or who had missed their scheduled bus, once Huff missed the 15-minute check-in deadline.

Perhaps DME should make a note on the Transportation Notice that if you don't arrive 15 minutes in advance as requested, you may not be transported.

Actually Huff responded that they arrived to the resort 30 mins early, stopped for a quick snack purchase on the way to the bus stop and were more than 15 minutes early. Huff also posted that his/her names were on the list of riders but there wasn't room for them. Sorry I miss typed when I said the OP!

Yes to your second paragraph; as was my experience - but in your first post you indicated that you couldn't ride an earlier bus and that isn't necessarily true.
Folks should never expect to ride an earlier but but in some cases it can be done if the earlier but isn't full.