Making a Dummy Res for ME?

[snoopy5386]

I've seen posts about dummy reservations for DME posted here before so I hope this is ok to post about. Our DVC reservation begins on a Sunday but due to crappy flight times on Sunday we are flying in late on Saturday and staying in an airport hotel overnight. I want to make a dummy reservation for ME for the next morning but I'm having trouble finding a flight that lands early enough, the earliest flight from our home city doesn't land until 9:30 am.

So, do I just pick another city? Is there anywhere that I can find a list of flights that land at Orlando airport to find a flight that will work for us? If we show up earlier than our flight is supposed to land, will we get hassled by DME CMs?

How about if we don't make a DME ressie at all and just show up at the DME station and MCO, will we still be able to get on a bus? We don't need luggage tags, so getting them early isn't a big deal....

 

[kkmauch]

We just did the same thing in September. Basically, I did the DME reservation online. I gave them my flight information (flight number, airports, etc) but I changed the arrival time. So, I gave the info we were actually using, but I stated that we would arrive in the morning and not at night.

When we checked in, it did not matter one bit. Just took our little voucher tickets and got in line. No one hassled us or even seemed to know we were 12 hours early.

 

[goofy4tink]

In all reality, DME doesn't care what time you arrive, or how, at MCO. You just have to have made a reservation for DME before arrival. You can actually make the reservation without giving any flight info.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

My cousin road the Red Motor bus from Atlanta GA which drops off at the Orlando airport and then took DME to her Disney resort. So you dont have to arrive by plane to use DME.

 

[vacationclub]

Why do you need a "dummy reservation"? Just call Disney and tell them when you need a ride. You don't need to make up any fake flights. We've stayed at Vero for a few days, then drove to the MCO airport, returned the rental car, and walked to ME and go on the bus to Disney. If you are a guest at a Disney resort they will give me ME, just tell them your details and when you need a ride.

 

[snoopy5386]

Interesting! I didn't know that I could make a ressie without giving them airline info. So when I call and they ask me for my airline info I just tell them I am arriving at the airport another way?

 

[dudspizza]

Interesting! I didn't know that I could make a ressie without giving them airline info. So when I call and they ask me for my airline info I just tell them I am arriving at the airport another way?

Yep. If you want to make a fake airline arrival you can give them any flight landing at the time you want to take ME. It doesn't have to be from your home town, as many flights have connections and that would be the flight info you would give them anyway.

As PP stated, you simply need a reservation. The time doesn't matter as long as you have that ressie.

The big thing here is that advance reservations are required.

Duds

 

[tjmw2727]

Yes - as pp's stated you do need an advance reservation for DME but you don't have to be arriving via air. Since the vast majority of folks using DME the reservation system is set up that way, so sometimes it is easier for the CM's to make a reservaiton with a flight number.

I have done both - dummy flight and no flight!

 

[seashoreCM]

By "fake" or "dummy" flight number, we mean for an actual scheduled flight you will not be taking (perfectly okay), not a random 4 or fewer dight number (doesn't work).

I want to make a dummy reservation for ME for the next morning but I'm having trouble finding a flight that lands early enough, the earliest flight from our home city doesn't land until 9:30 am.

Doesn't matter, if you give them an 11:00 flight from a different city and you show up early (like 8:30) they'll put you on the next available bus. Or if you dilly dally at the airport to grab lunch, they'll put you on the next available bus when you are tardy.

 

[taaren]

Haven't been to WDW in 20 years so haven't used ME before ...
Thinking of doing something similar to OP since coming from so far our flight won't arrive til late and want to have our first day in the villa also be a full park day so will probably spend Friday night in an airport hotel, take ME Saturday morning.
Add on Question - what happens with your checked luggage? Does one need to collect your luggage, take it to the hotel airport, lug it back to the airport to put it on ME? Or if you have the tags on there for ME will they automatically pick it up, store it at our resort, and have it waiting for us when we arrive the next morning? It would be great if we could just live out of our carry-ons for that first night and not have to see the luggage again til check in. Is this possible?

 

[seashoreCM]

If your resort check in is the next day then you need to get your bags from the carousel and bring them to the hotel near the airport where you willl be staying.

Do not use the yellow Magical Express baggage tags.

 

[DVCBELLE]

For those of you staying at a hotel near the airport - I HIGHLY suggest the hotel in the airport. I can't remember exactly how the process worked but they will get your bags from the carousel for you and then deliver them to ME express for you.

We arrived at 10:30 at night and my kids were sound asleep in our room by 11:15. It was so much nicer than trying to get our luggage and a shuttle to Disney or even a nearby hotel.

 

[goofy4tink]

Haven't been to WDW in 20 years so haven't used ME before ...
Thinking of doing something similar to OP since coming from so far our flight won't arrive til late and want to have our first day in the villa also be a full park day so will probably spend Friday night in an airport hotel, take ME Saturday morning.
Add on Question - what happens with your checked luggage? Does one need to collect your luggage, take it to the hotel airport, lug it back to the airport to put it on ME? Or if you have the tags on there for ME will they automatically pick it up, store it at our resort, and have it waiting for us when we arrive the next morning? It would be great if we could just live out of our carry-ons for that first night and not have to see the luggage again til check in. Is this possible?

You can't use any componant of DME until your actual reservation day arrives...so no, you can't say goodby to your bags at your home airport and not see them until you get to your WDW resort the day after your arrival. You will have to leave the bags untagged, go to baggage claim and get them, then bring them back to the airport with you and put them beneath the DME bus you are riding on.

I realize that there is a hotel, within the airport, that will take care of your bags for you until the next day. But, for me, that's just one more entity having control over my bags and I don't want that....too much room for mistakes being made. You aren't going to know if the bags got misdirected or lost. I recommend getting the bags upon arrival and just taking them with you to the hotel for the night.

 

[kaytieeldr]

This is the one time I will say to goofy4tink: oh ye of little faith I would let Hyatt's Bell Services handle my luggage.

 

[Cee]

I have not made ME reservations in time before leaving for a trip and I just went up to the desk on arrival and showed them my Disney Resort confirmation and they got me right on. Maybe you could do the same thing? Enjoy!

 

[maman_et_fille]

I have not made ME reservations in time before leaving for a trip and I just went up to the desk on arrival and showed them my Disney Resort confirmation and they got me right on. Maybe you could do the same thing? Enjoy!

We have done this as well, due to a last minute flight cancellation. It does take some time, though, so if you can make the reservations in advance, that would be best. All they need is a resort confirmation number.