Magical Express VS. Taxi + grocery stop? & Dining plan opinions

[Mouseaholic!!!]

A bit of clarification....it takes about 10 mins to get to baggage claim, then up to 15+ mins for baggage to come out. Another 5-10 mins to get to the car and load up. Then on to the grocery store...about 15 mins, plus the time in the store, another 20 mins. Then, on to WDW, about 15+ mins depending on where you stopped for groceries. So, a total of 80 mins. The only time I have gotten from my plane to my resort in 45, or so, mins was when I had carryon baggage only and used a towncar. 10 mins from the plane, 5 mins for the car, and then 30 mins to the resort.
If you use DME, it's 10 mins to DME counter, 5 mins in line, then 10 mins in bus line, maybe 10 mins on the bus and then off to WDW...if you are the first stop, you've used about an hour, give or take. If you are the second stop, add about 7 mins, the third stop and you're up to about 75-80 mins. Just wanted to clarify the difference in timing.

Math was never my strongest subject in school....but it has NEVER taken me that long to arrive at WDW with my rental car.

 

[goofy4tink]

Math was never my strongest subject in school....but it has NEVER taken me that long to arrive at WDW with my rental car.

How long has it taken you, with a rental car? Just curious. I know that the one time my ds met me at MCO and then dropped me at BWV it took about 50 mins from the plane to BWV....10 mins to baggage claim, 10 min for my bags to come down (had to take two bags since dh's stupid cat was considered my carryon bag!!), then to the car, 5 mins, to BWV, about 30=55 mins. As I said before, the one time I had only carryon bags and used a towncar, I made it from the plane to POP in 45 mins.

 

[MomtoGKC]

Hah - I thought she meant Mode of Operation by Moo. That would have made sense to me - having to stop at other resorts, wait a long time for your bags, leave extra early on your way home. My mom was signed up for ME but decided against it when she read all of that stuff and now she's taking a towncar.

Anyway, as for the DDP, I don't think it would ever make sense for my family. We don't like to do a sit down meal every day - just a few each trip. We like to plan ahead but also like to be able to play it by ear if we feel like it so we don't like to feel locked into ADRs. Maybe if I did an adults only trip I would try it - it would give me a chance to try lots of restaurants I wouldn't try with the kids.

 

[CleveRocks]

I have timed it each time and it has never taken us longer than 45 minutes to get to our hotel and that is with the grocery stop.

I'll assume that you start timing when you get to the car. When most of us here give DME time, it's time from AIRPLANE EXIT to resort, not time from getting on the bus to the resort.

I just don't think it's humanly possible to walk from the gate to baggage claim, wait for bags, claim bags, wait for driver to bring the car around, load the car, drive to a store, shop at the store, get to the resort ... ALL in 45 minutes. I mean, a direct ride from MCO to most WDW resorts is about 30 minutes. To do the walk from gate to baggage claim, do baggage claim, get to the car, and do the grocery stop ALL in a TOTAL of 15 minutes seems superhuman.

I'm not arguing, I'm just trying to clarify, so we can all compare apples to apples.

 

[kaytieeldr]

My husband and I rent cars because we prefer the convenience. If we didn't have the car rental coupons, we would take a Town Car because we do NOT prefer the MOO of the DME bus.

If "MOO" is an acronym for something, fine (and if it is, please share ). Otherwise, I agree with goofy4tink - it's offensive. Surely you must have to share some type of crowded Disney transportation or other with other Guests?

 

[djs]

Kinda reminds me of a The Simpsons episode where Homer learns a company will pay people for used cooking fat. Homer buys a few thousand dollars of bacon, cooks it up, sells the bacon grease for a few dollars and then celebrates that he earned a few dollars, mindless of the fact that he spent thousands to earn pennies.

Yes, but he did get all that delicious bacon

 

[CleveRocks]

Yes, but he did get all that delicious bacon

Mmmmmmmmm ... bacon .........

 

[missesdisney]

We happen to be car people, in fact we usually drive from NJ for long trips but if not we rent a car for various reasons. One question for all of the ME lovers - when do you get your luggage? Two trips I ran into ME people - the first was someone checking in at 2am after a flight was late and the man was told he would get his luggage after 8 or 9 am the next day. The second was at SSR where a woman was spending an insane amount of money on baby items at 9pm after being told her luggage would be hours. Having never used it (and probably never will but friends ask and I don't know), how long does it take to get luggage?

BTW - I personally never check anything I can't live without for 24 hours!

 

[CleveRocks]

We happen to be car people, in fact we usually drive from NJ for long trips but if not we rent a car for various reasons. One question for all of the ME lovers - when do you get your luggage? Two trips I ran into ME people - the first was someone checking in at 2am after a flight was late and the man was told he would get his luggage after 8 or 9 am the next day. The second was at SSR where a woman was spending an insane amount of money on baby items at 9pm after being told her luggage would be hours. Having never used it (and probably never will but friends ask and I don't know), how long does it take to get luggage?

BTW - I personally never check anything I can't live without for 24 hours!

You're supposed to receive it within about 3 hours of checking-in at your resort. You don't have to wait for it .. it gets into your room whether you're there or not.

In the DME booklet, Disney specifically spells this out, and suggests you pack a "day bag" with whatever your immediate needs will be. For anyone who flies ANYWHERE, this should just be standard operating procedure, to protect against the airline delaying your bags (which YOU already know! ).

I've read many complaints about the luggage delivery, but almost all of them were due to a total lack of understanding the process ... meaning they didn't read the 100-word explanation in the DME booklet. My personal favorite was a guy who was kicking and screaming that his bags didn't beat him to his room, that he had to sit there for 90 minutes waiting for them. I had to break it to him that he had been upset and righteously indignant for no reason, and that actually, his luggage was brought to him about 1.5 hours earlier than promised, that he was complaining about excellent service!!!

The first time we went with kids was Day 4 of DME operations, and we were traveling with our 2 year old (still in diapers) and 5 year old. All I did was read the DME booklet mailed to me, and we made the appropriate arrangements in our carry-on bags. There was no info on message boards, because no one had returned from trips using DME yet. And yet somehow we were totally prepared! And like I kinda said earlier, I'd never fly anywhere without packing my carry-ons for my needs for the first 24 hours, just in case the airline delays my luggage ... especially when flying with small children. So I have little sympathy for the woman shopping for baby stuff at night ... I hate to sound heartless, but parents owe it to their kids to be better prepared than that.

ANyway, I know I said much more than you asked for ... sorry! I admire the fact that you asked the question!

 

[Stinasmom]

Wow! I had no idea these questions would invoke such a great response!

But, I have to thank you all for the valuable information regarding the grocery delivery services vs. the town car costs. And also that there is a whole forum about the Disney Dining Plan! My friend will be very impressed with my fact finding abilities!!
With all that I can offer her in advice about her first trip to WDW, what do you think my "just between friends" fee should be...? a bottle of good Bubbly? Mmmmm!
Thanks again for being my secret source!!

 

[Mouseaholic!!!]

I'll assume that you start timing when you get to the car. When most of us here give DME time, it's time from AIRPLANE EXIT to resort, not time from getting on the bus to the resort.

I just don't think it's humanly possible to walk from the gate to baggage claim, wait for bags, claim bags, wait for driver to bring the car around, load the car, drive to a store, shop at the store, get to the resort ... ALL in 45 minutes. I mean, a direct ride from MCO to most WDW resorts is about 30 minutes. To do the walk from gate to baggage claim, do baggage claim, get to the car, and do the grocery stop ALL in a TOTAL of 15 minutes seems superhuman.

I'm not arguing, I'm just trying to clarify, so we can all compare apples to apples.

Once I DID make it in 40 minutes to the Magic Kingdom with a stop at the grocery and BWI.

I had an afternoon flight from Baltimore after work, landed, ran to National Emerald Isle, grabbed my car, drove ABOVE the speed limit, stopped at Publix, picked up my, then fiance, at the front of BWI and actually made it to the Magic Kingdom in 40 minutes from baggage claim.

I HAD to see Wishes - no other choice. At the time, I would celebrate Wishes for a friend of mine to was ill with cancer. For some reason....she always got good news when I saw Wishes for her.

Anyway - it IS possible to do it all in a quick trip....don't recommend if you suffer from high blood pressure, however!!!

 

[TIGGER1981]

i sent you a PM!

 

[missesdisney]

You're supposed to receive it within about 3 hours of checking-in at your resort. You don't have to wait for it .. it gets into your room whether you're there or not.

In the DME booklet, Disney specifically spells this out, and suggests you pack a "day bag" with whatever your immediate needs will be. For anyone who flies ANYWHERE, this should just be standard operating procedure, to protect against the airline delaying your bags (which YOU already know! ).

I've read many complaints about the luggage delivery, but almost all of them were due to a total lack of understanding the process ... meaning they didn't read the 100-word explanation in the DME booklet. My personal favorite was a guy who was kicking and screaming that his bags didn't beat him to his room, that he had to sit there for 90 minutes waiting for them. I had to break it to him that he had been upset and righteously indignant for no reason, and that actually, his luggage was brought to him about 1.5 hours earlier than promised, that he was complaining about excellent service!!!

The first time we went with kids was Day 4 of DME operations, and we were traveling with our 2 year old (still in diapers) and 5 year old. All I did was read the DME booklet mailed to me, and we made the appropriate arrangements in our carry-on bags. There was no info on message boards, because no one had returned from trips using DME yet. And yet somehow we were totally prepared! And like I kinda said earlier, I'd never fly anywhere without packing my carry-ons for my needs for the first 24 hours, just in case the airline delays my luggage ... especially when flying with small children. So I have little sympathy for the woman shopping for baby stuff at night ... I hate to sound heartless, but parents owe it to their kids to be better prepared than that.

ANyway, I know I said much more than you asked for ... sorry! I admire the fact that you asked the question!

That's great info! I have a lot of friends who ask about ME and I just didn't know. However, I traveled for work for 9 years and I never ever check anything I can't lose or would be too hard to replace (makeup etc.) and always have anything I need for the first 24 hours. One friend just went in Oct with 11 month old and I said to be sure she had in her carryon enough to get the baby through the night in case of luggage issues and this drew shock and panic from her. I guess the non-flying world trusts the airlines?

 

[trek93820]

Talking about the DME service.
We are arriving late in the evening. Our helpful AAA agent told us not to put on the tags/stickers that they give us. And to claim our bags ourselves.
That way we won't have to wait for our bags to get dropped off later at night. But we always pack a backpack with a few things just incase.

 

[mfin]

Its all about planning and you have to plan for any vacation. As a single mom who splurged on DVC I use DME every year to keep costs down -since the day the service was offered. Never have had issues on my arrival, short lines, non-crowded bus, quick drop off to the resorts, bags always arrive within a reasonable time. But I don't check what ever clothes are needed for arrival day. I always order from Garden Grocer and pack snacks, coffee, lotion to send a package down ahead to the resort about 10 days before arrival.
I'm on vacation, I don't want to drive nor hit the grocery store on my first day with a little planning, I actually get to relax the moment I step off the plane.