Magical Express to Dolphin

[even1]

Hi Everyone,

Does anyone know if you can take ME to the Disney Swan/Dolphin Hotels?

I'm thinking of adding a few days at the Dolphin at the beginning or end of our POP vacation but don't want to lose the benefit of ME.

Thanks.

 

[paults]

from what we are told the S/D are not included. Now that being said when we used it when it first started we were picked up at BWV and stopped at S/D ( to pick up no one) before going to the airport.

your best bet is to call DME for an answer

 

[seashoreCM]

Currently Swan and Dolphin (and Bonnet Creek and Shades of Green and Hotel Plaza Blvd places) are not included in Magical Express. But Disney Cruise Line guests and occasional Mears Shuttle guests are mixed with ME guests and may be picked up or dropped off at Swan, Dolphin, etc.

 

[CleveRocks]

Does anyone know if you can take ME to the Disney Swan/Dolphin Hotels?

I know the definite answer to this one, and it's not one you'll like, even1.

No, DME service is not offered for guests at the Swan or the Dolphin. The two criteria for DME are flying into/out of MCO on a commerical airline (ANY commercial airline) and being a registered guest at a Disney OWNED AND OPERATED resort. Swolphin are not Disney owned and operated, and nor are Shades of Green or the hotels on Hotel Plaza Blvd. near Downtown Disney. So the easy but unfortunate answer is no, you can't get DME service from there.

Now, how does this answer NOT contradict the previous poster's experience of being on a DME bus that stopped at Swolphin on the way to the airport. DME is related to the transportation offered by Disney Cruise Lines for people doing a land/sea package. Such guests often stay at the Swan. If they are staying at the Swan AFTER their DCL cruise, they are entitled to transportation back to the airport, and the great Disney umbrella provides this transportation via DME buses. In fact, at very busy times of year some DME runs are made using DCL buses.

I may not have worded this too well, but the BASIC info is correct.

 

[goofy 28]

Hi Everyone,

Does anyone know if you can take ME to the Disney Swan/Dolphin Hotels?

I'm thinking of adding a few days at the Dolphin at the beginning or end of our POP vacation but don't want to lose the benefit of ME.

Thanks.

NO, NO, AND STILL NO.
ME, might be nice for some but i don't want to wait 4 to 5 hours to get my luggage.

 

[goofy4tink]

NO, NO, AND STILL NO.
ME, might be nice for some but i don't want to wait 4 to 5 hours to get my luggage.

First of all, most people get their luggage within several hours of getting 'into' their room.
Now, as far as using DME to S/D...there have been people that have booked the Mears shuttle from MCO to S/D. They pay for it. But, then a lot of times, they get put on that YC/BC, BW, CBR run. I've ridden it twice now, and it has always stopped at S/D first. People have gotten off saying how nice it must be to use if for free.
So, you might want to check into paying for the Mears service if there aren't too many in your group.

 

[CleveRocks]

NO, NO, AND STILL NO.
ME, might be nice for some but i don't want to wait 4 to 5 hours to get my luggage.

Just in terms of an example, DME is a PERFECT fit for me because of the way I do air travel. No matter where I fly, I always pack for the first 24 hours in my carry-on just in case the airline delays my luggage. As a result, I really don't care when my DME checked luggage arrives, as long as it arrives within the first 24 hours. I used DME in its first few days last May. My luggage arrived probably 3 hours after I did, but I can't be sure exactly when it got into my room because we weren't sitting around nervously waiting for it ... we were in the pool enjoying the beginning of our vacation!

It's also important to realize that one can still use the free DME transportation WITHOUT the luggage handling service. Those people should NOT put the yellow DME tags on their checked bags, and then should go to baggage claim BEFORE checking in at the DME Welcome Center with their checked luggage in-hand. The bus driver will load those bags into the bus cargo bay, and then will unload them when the owners reach their resort. In such cases, a tip for the driver would be appropriate.

 

[even1]

I have never used ME because I always rent a car at MCO, but since I'm trying to keep cost down this trip, I may use ME instead. The thing I don't like is leaving Disney 3-4 hrs. before flight!

We try to squeeze every last minute out of our stays and we feel like we're missing out! Having a car makes it really quick and easy to get to other resorts and Dowtown Disney too.

If a really great rate shows up, I'll rent again. I am really curious about ME though!

Thanks for the info.

 

[snowwite]

Just back from Dolphin. We did rental car this time but last summer we used Swan's own towncare. I think it was something like 100.00 round trip which ended up being less than Mears. By the way ME is just Mears with a new logo and luggage retrieval.If you want to stay there I would get use a town car from Swan and Dolphin or Ibex.

 

[even1]

Snowwite - Did you do a trip report? We love the Dolphin and would love to hear about the recent changes. I can't believe Tubbi's is gone.
We loved it.

Hope you had a great vacation.

 

[CleveRocks]

By the way ME is just Mears with a new logo and luggage retrieval.

This is not an accurate statement. Mears does the driving, but Disney is ultimately in charge. Disney has a lot to protect in terms of brand and value, si it's Disney running the show.

Also, the old independent Mears system was dispatched and run very differently than DME. Delays were much more common, average waiting times (like waiting for a bus to fill up, which DME does NOT do) were longer, and satisfaction was much much lower.

Mears is certainly involved with DME -- they do the driving. Even aside from the luggage component, which by the way is a WONDERFUL little perk, DME is not just Mears with a different name and logo.

The other nice perk of DME is that once you check in at the DME Welcome Center (on your arrival), your room is held for you if one is ready. This means if I check in at the DME desk at MCO at 10:00 a.m., and you landed at 9:00 a.m. and arrive by town car or rental car at the RESORT at 10:01 a.m. and there is only one room (of the type we reserved) available, I get the room. I saunter in to the lobby at 10:45 a.m. and get the room, and you're still waiting (if no OTHER rooms became available since then) even though you showed up at the resort before I did.

 

[snowwite]

This is not an accurate statement. Mears does the driving, but Disney is ultimately in charge. Disney has a lot to protect in terms of brand and value, si it's Disney running the show.

Also, the old independent Mears system was dispatched and run very differently than DME. Delays were much more common, average waiting times (like waiting for a bus to fill up, which DME does NOT do) were longer, and satisfaction was much much lower.

Mears is certainly involved with DME -- they do the driving. Even aside from the luggage component, which by the way is a WONDERFUL little perk, DME is not just Mears with a different name and logo.

The other nice perk of DME is that once you check in at the DME Welcome Center (on your arrival), your room is held for you if one is ready. This means if I check in at the DME desk at MCO at 10:00 a.m., and you landed at 9:00 a.m. and arrive by town car or rental car at the RESORT at 10:01 a.m. and there is only one room (of the type we reserved) available, I get the room. I saunter in to the lobby at 10:45 a.m. and get the room, and you're still waiting (if no OTHER rooms became available since then) even though you showed up at the resort before I did.

Maybe it has changed but when DD and I stayed at CSR last Nov it was a Mears bus and driver w/disney logo. We had all carryon so we didnt experience the luggage pick up (and after reading about lost bags/delays etc did not want the risk).We stopped at several other resorts on the way which took well over an hour and a half. DD and I called Ibex and got a ride back to airport for 50.00 and it was much nicer. We also got to stay later since there would be no other stops and we were still able to check in and print boarding passes at guest services. When DH and I went back in July we took towncar and it was a much nicer experience.This is just my opnion.If you love ME and Mears go for it but I will not be recommending it to people because in my opinion nothing has changed except the name and I am certainly just as entitled to my opinion as you are to yours even if you do not agre with it. What I stated does remain an accurate assessment of my opinion.

 

[snowwite]

Snowwite - Did you do a trip report? We love the Dolphin and would love to hear about the recent changes. I can't believe Tubbi's is gone.
We loved it.

Hope you had a great vacation.

I did submit one but it is in 3 parts. we only stayed at Dolphin 3 days during Easter week then had to move off site. we usually stay at Swan w/nurse discount.This was my first time at Dolphin so I have nothing to compare it to as far as the upgrades. I will say that the beds are awesome. We even bought one for home after Swan trip a couple years ago. They are supposed to last 10 years and never need to be turned. We liked Fresh for brunch. Other than the ice cream place and the one that looks like a birdcage at Swan we didnt eat at the resort much.It is so close to Epcot and Boardwalk we mostly dined there during our breif stay.

 

[CarolA]

I have never used ME because I always rent a car at MCO, but since I'm trying to keep cost down this trip, I may use ME instead. The thing I don't like is leaving Disney 3-4 hrs. before flight!

We try to squeeze every last minute out of our stays and we feel like we're missing out! Having a car makes it really quick and easy to get to other resorts and Dowtown Disney too.

If a really great rate shows up, I'll rent again. I am really curious about ME though!

Thanks for the info.

Considering the current NIGHTMARE at MCO, you should not attempt to "squeeze" extra time at Disney. I arrive at Atlanta 1 hour before my flight, I arrive at Nashville around 45 minutes. Lately Orlando requires at least two hours. They seem to have decided that we are really eagar to spend 45 minutes to an hour in a line to have our ID checked and for them to look at a our carry on. Disney's 3 hour time is actually not bad considering the mess at MCO.

 

[kaytieeldr]

First of all, most people get their luggage within several hours of getting 'into' their room.

And if your room isn't ready when you check in, and you go off to a park or DtD or the pool, there's an excellent chance that your luggage actually will be in your room by the time you get to it for the first time.

Just in terms of an example, DME is a PERFECT fit for me because of the way I do air travel. No matter where I fly, I always pack for the first 24 hours in my carry-on just in case the airline delays my luggage.

Yeah, ditto what CleveRocks says!

It's also important to realize that one can still use the free DME transportation WITHOUT the luggage handling service. Those people should NOT put the yellow DME tags on their checked bags, and then should go to baggage claim BEFORE checking in at the DME Welcome Center with their checked luggage in-hand. The bus driver will load those bags into the bus cargo bay, and then will unload them when the owners reach their resort. In such cases, a tip for the driver would be appropriate.

As would the tip for Bell Services (Luggage Services at the Value Resorts) when your bags are delivered to your room, since Disney does NOT cover this tip.

I have never used ME because I always rent a car at MCO, but since I'm trying to keep cost down this trip, I may use ME instead. The thing I don't like is leaving Disney 3-4 hrs. before flight!

Well, really it's more like 2.75 to three hours before your flight leaves, and it make a lot of sense: The bus may pick up at more than one resort before heading to the airport; DME allows time in case of traffic issues; many Guests using DME for the return flight still need to check in for their flights; and waits of 45 minutes (and longer) are not unusual at MCO. Let's say you're at Pop Century, and your non-participating airline flight departs at 6 PM. Your bus time is 3:45, five minutes to load all the luggage and passengers, 25 minutes to the airport, fifteen minutes to get to the checkin level and check your luggage (even if you got your boarding pass from Lobby Concierge), 45 minutes to get through security (and this assumes nobody in your party is pulled aside for a random search), ten minutes waiting for the tram then walking to your gate. Now it's 5:25 - not much of an actual wait at all - given that the plane probably starts boarding 30 minutes before departure - AND you don't want to miss your flight.

(and after reading about lost bags/delays etc did not want the risk). {and} We stopped at several other resorts on the way which took well over an hour and a half

Please, what lost bags and delays? I'm NOT disputing what you say, but I keep reading statements like this - but don't see any actual reports of the lost or delayed luggage! Could you - or anybody - please post some of the links with these reports? The only issue of which I'm aware is a friend with two rooms whose luggage ALL got sent to - naturally - the room the other part of her party was in. As for the stops, each DME bus will stop at up to four resorts, total. So while Pop Guests may be dropped off a mere 20 - 25 minutes after the bus leaves the airport, if tha bus also goes to, say, CBR, CSR and AKL, what with the driver having to get off the bus at each resort and pull varying numbers of suitcases from under the bus (both carry-ons that were too big to bring aboard and self-claimed checked bags), yeah, I guess it can take an hour and a half to get to the fourth resort.

 

[CleveRocks]

Maybe it has changed but when DD and I stayed at CSR last Nov it was a Mears bus and driver w/disney logo. We had all carryon so we didnt experience the luggage pick up (and after reading about lost bags/delays etc did not want the risk).We stopped at several other resorts on the way which took well over an hour and a half. DD and I called Ibex and got a ride back to airport for 50.00 and it was much nicer. We also got to stay later since there would be no other stops and we were still able to check in and print boarding passes at guest services. When DH and I went back in July we took towncar and it was a much nicer experience.This is just my opnion.If you love ME and Mears go for it but I will not be recommending it to people because in my opinion nothing has changed except the name and I am certainly just as entitled to my opinion as you are to yours even if you do not agre with it. What I stated does remain an accurate assessment of my opinion.

Why so angry??? I'm not telling you DME is great. I'm not telling you you should like it or love it or anything like that. I'm not telling you that your low opinion of it is "wrong." I can't tell you how you should feel about it.

What I commented on was that you stated a "fact," that DME is just Mears with a different name. I was disputing that "fact," and the truth is that how an independent Mears transportedg WDW guests prior to May of 2005 IS very different than how Mears acts now as a DME subcontractor. DME IS run differently than Mears -- FACT. I never said you should love DME, or that DME is the best thing since sliced bread -- THOSE are opinions. Different strokes for different folks. Of course we're all entitled to our opinions. OF COURSE! I wasn't disagreeing with your opinion. I was disagreeing with your statement that DME is exactly the same as Mears was.

Peace.

 

[goofy 28]

Sounds like a joint operation between Disney and Mears. And whoever own's the busses will have there name on them. So even though it's a Mears bus, it will go by Disneys rules,standards and regulations, I'd think?
It's probably cheaper to sub it out than run it themselves.