Magical Express - Which Hotels on Which Route?

[adrock1212]

Does anyone know what the typical routes for the ME buses from MCO? Staying at the Contemporary and would like to know what other hotels are on the route (assume Poly/GF/WL) and which hotels are dropped off first. Thanks in advance!

 

[sam_gordon]

I think it varies based on needs at the time. It might be WL & CR, or WL, CR, GF, or just CR.

 

[Nadjalu]

It varies, and it could be any other resorts on the schedule, not just deluxes.

There are usually 3 resorts on the bus. The ones I have been on have always had a value, mod and deluxe resort. And they don't drop off in any order, like deluxe first, mod then value. It always changes.

 

[aubriee]

It varies, and it could be any other resorts on the schedule, not just deluxes.

There are usually 3 resorts on the bus. The ones I have been on have always had a value, mod and deluxe resort. And they don't drop off in any order, like deluxe first, mod then value. It always changes.

True! When I've stayed at POFQ the drop off order has always been either OKW, POFQ, PORS or SS, POFQ, PORS. When I've stayed at CSR or AKL the order has always been Pop, CSR, then AKL.

 

[CleveRocks]

No pre-set groupings of resorts; it's based on how many people are going to what resorts at what times. Yes, there are common groupings, such as the monorail resorts, but if there happens to be no one going to Polynesian and Grand Floridian at the same time you are, it's not like you'll be on a bus all by yourself, but rather the Contemporary would be put on a bus with a couple of other resorts.

The maximum number of resorts per bus is 4. But if the bus has resorts from more than one geographic zone, then the maximum is 3 resorts per bus to make up for the extra travel time.

There is no pre-set order of drop-offs. The drop-off order is left up to each individual driver to decide. Again, there are common orders, such as closest to the airport first and farthest from the airport last, but it is up to the whim of each driver. On another board, one DME driver wrote about pulling out of the airport wondering which resort she would choose to drop off first.

 

[adrock1212]

.... On another board, one DME driver wrote about pulling out of the airport wondering which resort she would choose to drop off first.

Sounds to me like that was an opportunity for riders to "influence" her decision !

Thanks for all of your posts.

 

[Lewisc]

A couple of knowledgeable posters said Disney policy states the GF should always be the first stop, however POLY guests can be dropped off first.

Now if Disney wanted the GF to be a 5* resort, instead of just theming it to be a 5* resort, DME would consist of town cars or limos for GF guests.

 

[CleveRocks]

A couple of knowledgeable posters said Disney policy states the GF should always be the first stop, however POLY guests can be dropped off first.

When Poly and GF guests are on the same DME bus, Poly must be dropped off first due to logistics. The two resorts are along the same dead-end street, both on the right side of the street as the bus would be coming from the airport or anywhere else. Due to the design of the entrance to Poly, a large bus (such as a DME motorcoach or a Disney Transport bus) bus coming from GF can't make the left turn into Poly in one movement ... the bus would have to make a K-turn (stop, back up, cut the wheel and then complete the turn). As this would cause a traffic hazard, Disney prohibits this turn.

This is the same reason that when GF shares Disney Transport buses with Poly that Poly is always the first among the two to be picked up and the first to be dropped off.

[I don't want to take credit for bringing this information to The DIS ... I learned it from Tyler's posts in years past.]

 

[ancestry]

I've stayed at the GF twice during my last two trips (May 2010 and January 2011). In both of those cases the route was Poly, GF, WL (in that order) for DME. There were no stops at the Contemporary on that route.