Magical Express - One Bus per Resort?

[Nebraska_Disney]

Used DME on 3/7/16 and were staying at CBR. our plane landed at 12:45pm and I was on a bus to MK at 2pm. Our DME bus was almost full when we got on, so we waited just a few minutes to go and CBR was the first stop. Got our text that our room was ready, went to the room to change clothes and were on a bus MK by 2pm. Why pay for a towncar when you are already paying for DME?

 

[maxiesmom]

Used DME on 3/7/16 and were staying at CBR. our plane landed at 12:45pm and I was on a bus to MK at 2pm. Our DME bus was almost full when we got on, so we waited just a few minutes to go and CBR was the first stop. Got our text that our room was ready, went to the room to change clothes and were on a bus MK by 2pm. Why pay for a towncar when you are already paying for DME?

Because it doesn't always work out that way, and there is no way of knowing if it will ahead of time, of if you will have a long wait to get on a bus and then a long ride before getting to your resort. I've had it get me to my resort fairly quickly, and I've had it take 3 hours. Still, unless I'm in a hurry I will use DME on my way to my resort. But if I'm in a rush, I spring for a towncar.

 

[mkla2015]

I guess we've been lucky because we've never waited more than 30 mins at the airport and never stopped at more than one other resort before getting to where we were staying. We tend to fly in at night- after 8pm so maybe that makes a difference.

We did stop at 5 resorts after being the first pick up to return to the airport this past Monday.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

Last time, we waited in line at the airport for about 20 minutes before even being loaded onto a bus. Then, we waited another 20-30 before leaving the airport because they wanted the bus to be full. After stops at POR, POFQ, & one other resort (maybe Saratoga Springs?), we were finally driven to AS Sports. It's nice to hear that others have had better experiences, but we've ridden MDE several times and it's never been less than 2 hours for us. I guess we're just "lucky" like that, lol. In 2006, the driver forgot that I was on the bus and he skipped my resort completely. When I was the only one left, I walked to the front because I knew something wasn't right. That wasn't fun.

That was similar to our experience. We had to wait quite a while sitting on the bus at the airport, then had to stop at OKW and POFQ before arriving at our resort, POR. Dropping guests with MDE is not like dropping guests with the Disney buses. You have to wait a while for the luggage to be unloaded, for the paperwork to be done, etc. I think for us it was around 90-110 minutes total. We also had a rather impolite driver. He spoke with a heavy accent and it was difficult to understand him. When I asked him a question about luggage, he barked at me that he had already said that (I understood that comment). These are Mears employees and may not be trained in that Disney service (though I am sure some of them are awesome).

I think that DME is a nice service. It is very special of Disney to do this for guests. Very few places do this. I was disappointed that Universal offered no transportation service whatsoever from the airport. Sometimes we get spoiled.

I did find that, by the time we drove to the airport, parked our car, shuttled to the terminal, took the train to our gate, made our flight, walked to the DME area at MCO, and took DME to our resort, flying really took nearly as long as driving from Atlanta.

One tip: if you take DME, bring a heavy sweater or jacket for everyone. It was hot in Orlando, but our MDE bus was freezing cold. My poor daughter was clinging to me and her arms were covered with chill bumps for over an hour on the bus. And all of our sweatshirts were packed in the luggage. Not fun.

 

[ariane37]

Used DME on 3/7/16 and were staying at CBR. our plane landed at 12:45pm and I was on a bus to MK at 2pm. Our DME bus was almost full when we got on, so we waited just a few minutes to go and CBR was the first stop. Got our text that our room was ready, went to the room to change clothes and were on a bus MK by 2pm. Why pay for a towncar when you are already paying for DME?

DH and I were just discussing this today while talking about our Nov. trip. We've used DME and all our experiences were like the above- off the plane, right on a bus, bus is full so leaves right away, first or second resort stop is ours .
Until our last two trips lol. Last Nov. we got right on the bus but then sat on it for 40 minutes before leaving; in Januuary we waited 20 minutes, then got on the bus and sat another 30. That time we were going to AKL and the sign only had that resort on it, but after sitting on the bus for 20 minutes they put a bunch of folks on who were going to AoA so we stopped there first. We'll continue to use DME and just cross our fingers that our experience this Nov. is more like some of our less recent ones, but the point here is that experiences vary greatly!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Dropping guests with MDE is not like dropping guests with the Disney buses. You have to wait a while for the luggage to be unloaded, for the paperwork to be done, etc.

Between 5 AM and 10 PM, this is only the case when guests choose not to let DME transport their luggage. A surprising number of people will trust an airline to move thoroughfare thousands of miles, but nit Disney to move it the last 25 or so.

 

[Nancyg56]

Between 5 AM and 10 PM, this is only the case when guests choose not to let DME transport their luggage. A surprising number of people will trust an airline to move thoroughfare thousands of miles, but nit Disney to move it the last 25 or so.

On our first trip we stayed at AKL. Our luggage did not arrive,....did not arrive. AKL was awesome, and offered to let us but a costume for DGD at the CR, where we were going to have dinner with out DGD. We thanked them, but DD had packed a Tink in the BC she had sent ahead. Turns out that our nonstop flight had never put our bags on the plane. It was not DME.....it was Delta. We got the bags late that night. WE have never had an issue with DME delivering our bags, but since that trip I always wonder if the airline sent them on a different flight than the one we take.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

Between 5 AM and 10 PM, this is only the case when guests choose not to let DME transport their luggage. A surprising number of people will trust an airline to move thoroughfare thousands of miles, but nit Disney to move it the last 25 or so.

Doesn't MDE transport the bags on the bus on which you ride for everyone?

Our bus had a huge load of luggage underneath. That is what took so long to unload. That was also why we sat and waited so long on the bus at the airport. They were waiting for and loading luggage.

That was the question I asked the rude bus driver - Since our bags are on the bus, can we just take them up to our room (it was nearly 9 pm when we arrived). He said they had to go through Disney and we had to wait for them in our room (and they arrived after midnight).

 

[dansdad]

Doesn't MDE transport the bags on the bus on which you ride for everyone?

The only luggage that goes on the bus is whatever luggage guests bring to the bus. If you let ME handle your luggage, it gets picked up and delivered via truck.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

Guests bring carryons like wheeled cases which are too large to bring onboard the bus, plus strollers, which are placed underneath the bus. There are also guests who do not trust or choose not to use the luggage delivery service. They pick up all their own checked luggage and bring it with them to the DME pickup, where it is stored underneath the bus for the drive to the resort.

It actually does not take THAT long for the driver to unload the luggage but when you are waiting to grab yours and you see everybody else from the bus headed for the check-in line, it's not fun. Doing online check-in might help with that though.

 

[Grand Admiral]

Why pay for a towncar when you are already paying for DME?

Because as others have said, it can be hit or miss. You might get on quickly and go straight to your resort, or you might end up sitting on the bus for 2-3 hours.

Paying for a towncar means I am guaranteed to go promptly to my resort without stopping anywhere else. On the way back to the airport I will go promptly to the airport without stopping anywhere else.

I did find that, by the time we drove to the airport, parked our car, shuttled to the terminal, took the train to our gate, made our flight, walked to the DME area at MCO, and took DME to our resort, flying really took nearly as long as driving from Atlanta.

I'm in the Atlanta area too. Our last trip, flying and taking the towncar shaved a good 3-4 hours off the trip vs. driving. My son was just shy of turning 3 at the time, so saving time traveling with a toddler was very important.

Again, I'm not trying to talk anyone out of using DME if you prefer it. Only speaking for myself for sake of discussion. It's all good.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

The only luggage that goes on the bus is whatever luggage guests bring to the bus. If you let ME handle your luggage, it gets picked up and delivered via truck.

Interesting. Hard to believe so many people wanted to take their own bags. On the other hand, it was rather annoying to be awakened after midnight to have our bags delivered.

I know that MDE says to give up to four hours after arrival for bags to be delivered and after midnight was within that four hour time frame. Maybe most guests who arrive after 8 pm want their bags before midnight.