Magical Not Express.

[maxiesmom]

I'm on my way home after a not so great ME return experience. I'm positive that if I decide to use ME again I will be asking for an earlier pick up time than what I am assigned. Let me explain.....

First off my flight home was at 6:15 pm. My ME pick up was 3:30 pm. So a little less than the usual 3 hours given. That would usually be ok, except we were the first stop. Out of four. So by the time all four stops were made almost 55 minutes had passed. Ugh.

So I was already a bit antsy. And then the driver's radio went off just as we were about to get on the highway. He had to go back to OKW and get a wheelchair a guest had left behind! With the added detour we got to the airport 90 minutes before our flight. And had to clear that huge security line. I was truly afraid we were going to miss our flight.

Thankfully we made it with a few minutes to spare, but I didn't appreciate all of the stress. Disney really needs to limit the number of pick ups or allow more time. I don't know what I would have done if we missed our flight. It really makes me think twice about using DME.

 

[Brian Noble]

This is a good reminder to folks who are thinking about telling ME that they have a later than actual departure time to get "more Disney time." You just never know when you'll need every bit of those three hours.

 

[zoo2tycoon]

This is a good reminder to folks who are thinking about telling ME that they have a later than actual departure time to get "more Disney time." You just never know when you'll need every bit of those three hours.

Yes...sad thing is people still won't learn and then will whine and complain that it is ME fault when they are late. Glad OP made it....doing the right thing too! Shows that unexpected things come up and can make you late. Goes for returning rental cars too...thinking you can squeak out extra time.
OP glad you made it back.....

 

[Gracie09]

Glad you made it! Last time we had a late pick up and with two youngsters I knew we wouldn't make it. I pushed it back to almost four hours before so we had plenty of time

 

[seashoreCM]

It is my belief that the magic really happens if you were on the correct bus but, or were denied boarding it and, missed your plane.

I have seen enough reports here on The DIS alone about guests having to run for their plane. So I think that it is a good idea to proactively reserve an earlier bus than the one 3 hours in advance normally assigned.

Make that change well in advance and check your confirmation paper to be sure that the change "took". That change is always granted on request.

 

[sam_gordon]

Yes...sad thing is people still won't learn and then will whine and complain that it is ME fault when they are late. Glad OP made it....doing the right thing too! Shows that unexpected things come up and can make you late. Goes for returning rental cars too...thinking you can squeak out extra time.
OP glad you made it back.....

IMO, if OP had missed their flight, it would have been ME's fault. The pickup time 2:45 before the flight is fine, assuming they were the last pickup. However, they were the first stop of 4. According to the OP, it took nearly an hour before they finished all the pickups.

The trip back to get the wheelchair, again IMO, is the "gotcha" that could be anything from an accident or high traffic that could slow things down.

I don't think there's anything in the ME paperwork that says whether you're the first or last pickup. Knowing that information could change whether I request an earlier bus. If I knew I was the first pickup 2:45 before the flight, yes, I'd make the request. If I was the first pickup 3:15 before the flight, no, as well as if I knew I was the last pickup 2:45 before the flight.

ME has to figure (at minimum) 30 minutes to leave WDW to get to MCO. I guess ~ 15 minutes per stop. So 4 stops (1 hour) + 30 minutes drive time (assuming everything goes right), means the OP arrives at MCO 1:15 before the flight. Not a lot of time on a good day.

 

[zoo2tycoon]

IMO, if OP had missed their flight, it would have been ME's fault. The pickup time 2:45 before the flight is fine, assuming they were the last pickup. However, they were the first stop of 4. According to the OP, it took nearly an hour before they finished all the pickups.

The trip back to get the wheelchair, again IMO, is the "gotcha" that could be anything from an accident or high traffic that could slow things down.

I don't think there's anything in the ME paperwork that says whether you're the first or last pickup. Knowing that information could change whether I request an earlier bus. If I knew I was the first pickup 2:45 before the flight, yes, I'd make the request. If I was the first pickup 3:15 before the flight, no, as well as if I knew I was the last pickup 2:45 before the flight.

ME has to figure (at minimum) 30 minutes to leave WDW to get to MCO. I guess ~ 15 minutes per stop. So 4 stops (1 hour) + 30 minutes drive time (assuming everything goes right), means the OP arrives at MCO 1:15 before the flight. Not a lot of time on a good day.

I might have worded badly. I think OP did everything right!
Meant it is sad that people try and push for extra park time and then get into issues when they want to leave 2 hours rather than 3 hours like ME does.
I agree with you it would have been ME fault rather than OP if she missed flight. She did everything correct.
Sorry I worded bad...typed really quick this morning!
Sorry OP if I worded wrong and offended you in any way.

 

[Brian Noble]

Exactly; this wasn't a criticism of the OP. It was meant for the folks who tell Disney that their 4PM flight really leaves at 5PM so that they have "extra time in the parks."

 

[maxiesmom]

I might have worded badly. I think OP did everything right!
Meant it is sad that people try and push for extra park time and then get into issues when they want to leave 2 hours rather than 3 hours like ME does.
I agree with you it would have been ME fault rather than OP if she missed flight. She did everything correct.
Sorry I worded bad...typed really quick this morning!
Sorry OP if I worded wrong and offended you in any way.

No, I wasn't offended at all! No worries!!!

 

[goofy4tink]

Maxiesmom....what resort were you at, and what resorts did you make stops at? Just curious. A p/u time of anywhere between 2 hrs 45 mins and 3 hrs 15 mins is normal. And the first resort would have an early p/u time......2 hrs 45mins. But that bus shouldn't be taking more than 30 mins at resorts! And that wheelchair issue? They should have sent a CM, in a WDW car, to the airport with the wheelchair. No way should that bus have turned around! Not after spending an hour on site!
I haven't had any bad experiences getting to MCO using DME. But I can see how it can happen. No way do I want to arrive at MCO later than 90 mins prior to flight departure.

 

[Disneylover99]

We had a similar experience yesterday heading to MCO from POR.

Our pickup time was scheduled for 2:30pm. The bus arrived at 2:45pm.
We stopped at POFQ, then OKW, then SS resort. By the time we got to the airport it was after 4pm.

We got detained at security (one of our bags was searched) and we were so frazzled, we ended up taking the wrong monorail to our gate.

We finally arrived at our gate, just as boarding was announced. It was very stressful! But we made it!

 

[ncc1701]

We also had a similar experience with a pickup that was a little under 3 hours and had little time after getting thru TSA. Since that trip we've gotten a pickup over 3 hours before the flight . Have had time to eat lunch at Ruby Tuesdays rather then 10 mins. wolfing down a sandwich at a fastfood stand. Since we go for an early afternoon flight "extra"park time has never been a consideration.

 

[KPeterso]

Similar experience in September for me. We were picked up at Wilderness Lodge about 3 hours prior to the flight. We stopped at port Orleans French quarter, old key west, and then Saratoga springs. I did not feel the route made any sense at all. Took close to an hour before we left property. Thankfully we had gotten the jet blue even more speed which helped to get through the long security line pretty quickly otherwise it would have been closer than I would have liked.

Kristin

 

[CoffeeCup]

We used ME this past Sunday and were picked up at 11:05 at AKL for a 2:00 flight. We then stopped at Art of Animation for a large group and then Pop Century for a huge group that had been waiting for a long time. The bus driver said it was an extra stop and that he was helping out another bus. We were on one of the Mears black buses, and I guess some people didn't realize it was being used for ME since they were very slow to board. The bus couldn't move until everyone found a seat, but there weren't enough seats. A lady in front of us had to put her 11-year-old son on her lap. I know his age because she talked about he turned 11 at WDW a few days earlier. When we got to MCO, we had huge, insane lines for security, and we finally got to our gate less than 15 minutes before they started boarding. That's cutting it too close for our comfort.

 

[MaleficentRN]

So I was already a bit antsy. And then the driver's radio went off just as we were about to get on the highway. He had to go back to OKW and get a wheelchair a guest had left behind! With the added detour we got to the airport 90 minutes before our flight. And had to clear that huge security line. I was truly afraid we were going to miss our flight.

They had to inconvenience a bus load of people for this? They couldn't have had someone from guest services take it to the airport in a car?

 

[CNYDisneyFan]

Sorry to hear that. Glad you made your fight.

 

[maxiesmom]

Maxiesmom....what resort were you at, and what resorts did you make stops at? Just curious. A p/u time of anywhere between 2 hrs 45 mins and 3 hrs 15 mins is normal. And the first resort would have an early p/u time......2 hrs 45mins. But that bus shouldn't be taking more than 30 mins at resorts! And that wheelchair issue? They should have sent a CM, in a WDW car, to the airport with the wheelchair. No way should that bus have turned around! Not after spending an hour on site!
I haven't had any bad experiences getting to MCO using DME. But I can see how it can happen. No way do I want to arrive at MCO later than 90 mins prior to flight departure.

From POR we went to POFQ. then Old Key West and Saratoga Springs. Not sure which of those 2 came before the other. And for some reason the bus driver had to go have a quick chat with the CMs who were stationed outside at every resort. Not sure if it was official business, or just chatting.

Another little note: We were outside of the resort in time to see the bus prior to ours arrive. And got to witness a woman having a temper-tantrum, and she purposely missed her scheduled bus, and wanted to get on that one! Her scheduled bus had come 30 minutes earlier, but she was mad that no one had told her she had to catch THAT bus. Lucky for her the driver had room for her on his bus, but I still have to wonder if, being 30 minutes behind from the get-go, her family made their plane. I'm guessing it was close.

 

[goofy4tink]

From POR we went to POFQ. then Old Key West and Saratoga Springs. Not sure which of those 2 came before the other. And for some reason the bus driver had to go have a quick chat with the CMs who were stationed outside at every resort. Not sure if it was official business, or just chatting.

Another little note: We were outside of the resort in time to see the bus prior to ours arrive. And got to witness a woman having a temper-tantrum, and she purposely missed her scheduled bus, and wanted to get on that one! Her scheduled bus had come 30 minutes earlier, but she was mad that no one had told her she had to catch THAT bus. Lucky for her the driver had room for her on his bus, but I still have to wonder if, being 30 minutes behind from the get-go, her family made their plane. I'm guessing it was close.

Well, that explains the very full bus I got on at SSR a week ago! But, it did arrive right on schedule, and we were at the airport within 40 mins. One of the things that drives me nuts? The time it takes to get from Side A to Side B when returning to MCO. It adds a fair amount of time to the overall trip.