ME- Anyone know the order of stops on each route?

[BCKatie02]

Hi all,

Can anyone tell me in what order ME drops people off at their hotels for each route?

Thanks!

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Can anyone tell me in what order ME drops people off at their hotels for each route?

Based on what I've been reading on this board, the order seems to be "dynamic" -- in other words, it appears that the resorts served by a particular ME motorcoach and the order of the stops are determined by demand at the time.

On the other hand, checked luggage is assigned to a specific zone, based on the resort. The luggage goes onto a luggage truck that serves that zone, not on an ME motorcoach. There is no reason for ME motorcoach routes to match the luggage zones.

 

[localdriver]

Hi all,

Can anyone tell me in what order ME drops people off at their hotels for each route?

Thanks!

As Horace said, there is no real route because the loading generally defines no real zone. (another Disney error, defining zones, but that is another matter.

Anyway, most drivers will drop off, closest to farthest, from the airport. (most efficient)

But then I must tell you "DISNEY SAYS" Grand Floridian Guests are always FIRST stop no matter what, unless there are Poly Guests on board, and we have to PASS the Poly to get to the FLO.(which we do)

Get the feeling you are on the Titanic! (Classes)

Let's just say I don't always follow stupid instructions.

If I have guests on board for CBR, I'm not going to the FLO first.

 

[bytheblood]

As Horace said, there is no real route because the loading generally defines no real zone. (another Disney error, defining zones, but that is another matter.

Anyway, most drivers will drop off, closest to farthest, from the airport. (most efficient)

But then I must tell you "DISNEY SAYS" Grand Floridian Guests are always FIRST stop no matter what, unless there are Poly Guests on board, and we have to PASS the Poly to get to the FLO.(which we do)

Get the feeling you are on the Titanic! (Classes)

Let's just say I don't always follow stupid instructions.

If I have guests on board for CBR, I'm not going to the FLO first.

Why do you stay in a position where you are so bitter and disgruntled??

 

[cindyfan]

I was wondering the same thing.......we are not arriving until 9:15pm and I am hoping to be in our room by 11.
So I don't want to have to be dropping off people at 8 different places before we get to CSR.

ps.....I didn't think localdriver sounded "bitter and disgruntled" at all!!
Maybe a bit of sarcasm....which I find to be a way of lightening up the situation
It is stupid to pass by a resort just to get to GF first. I appreciate that he would do this.

 

[seashoreCM]

Suppose the bus, if it stops at Polynesian before going to Grand Floridian, does not stop at Polynesian on the way back. (Just to give an example.) This is more efficient but it gets tricky if there are lots of people waiting to get on.

Having guests lists to accompany the assigning of guests to buses would help.

To prove whether and when zones are adhered to for the passenger carrying part of the operation, maybe we should conduct a poll to find out if anyone has been on a bus that went to far flung locations such as both Animal Kingdom Lodge and Contemporary, or both Saratoga Springs and All Stars. (The poll is only to satisfy people's curiosity)

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/magicx.htm

 

[magicmommy]

DH and I used Magical Express last week. We arrived at MCO Thursday morning at 11:30. We were on a bus by 12:10. We were going to CSR. The bus stopped at Yacht and Beach club first, then on to CSR. We were at the hotel and in our room by 1:00. The third and final stop was to be at AKL. When we left on Monday we were the final stop for the airport so I'm not sure where it had stopped first but the bus was not jam packed. Overall we had a good experience with ME. The one word of advice I would give is just to pack a backpack or take a carryon assuming your luggage will not be there when you check in. We left our room at 1:15 and did not arrive back until 11pm so I'm not sure how long it took to arrive. I will use ME again for our August trip.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Why do you stay in a position where you are so bitter and disgruntled??

Allow me to defend localdriver. From localdriver's many informative posts on this forum, it's clear to me that localdriver enjoys working as a driver, helping guests, and wants Magical Express to be a great experience for guests. I genuinely appreciate localdriver's posts on this forum, such as the insight into ME motorcoach routing in this thread. Thank you!

That said, localdriver has made it clear that he disagrees with a few of Disney's actions. In this thread, localdriver is questioning the wisdom of a policy that would inconvenience the majority of the guests on an ME coach just so that Grand Floridian guests don't have to stop at another resort along the way.

I've questioned some of localdriver's points about tips -- but, even there, I agree that the guests and the drivers will be better off once Disney and Mears Transportation address this issue.

There might be some ME drivers who are "bitter and disgruntled" -- but I wouldn't classify localdriver this way.

 

[Lewisc]

Disney never really defined the zones to the general public. All the zone information came from posters like yourself. Makes sense that Disney would consider zones and then decide a more dynamic system makes sense.

Your GF comment is interesting. Indicative of why the GF isn't rated as high as Disney would like. A true 5* hotel would transport the guests via towncar or perhaps a van just for the GF if enough guests arrive within a 10-15 minute window. Sticking the guests on a bus, but making the GF the first stop, really isn't a 5* experience.

You're starting to come accross very bitter. Time to lighten up a little.

As Horace said, there is no real route because the loading generally defines no real zone. (another Disney error, defining zones, but that is another matter.

Anyway, most drivers will drop off, closest to farthest, from the airport. (most efficient)

But then I must tell you "DISNEY SAYS" Grand Floridian Guests are always FIRST stop no matter what, unless there are Poly Guests on board, and we have to PASS the Poly to get to the FLO.(which we do)

Get the feeling you are on the Titanic! (Classes)

Let's just say I don't always follow stupid instructions.

If I have guests on board for CBR, I'm not going to the FLO first.

 

[Lewisc]

Based on other posts the buses just drop off and then loop around and pick up. Mixing incoming and outgoing luggage under the bus could lead to confusion.

We know the originally posted zones aren't being adhered to. A poll might be interesting but we'd really also have to know the time of day. Late at night I might prefer a SSR-Contemporary bus over having to wait at MCO for 45 minutes for the next flight to arrive. Disney is getting so many ME guests that it doesn't seem to be a problem grouping resorts together.

Suppose the bus, if it stops at Polynesian before going to Grand Floridian, does not stop at Polynesian on the way back. (Just to give an example.) This is more efficient but it gets tricky if there are lots of people waiting to get on.

Having guests lists to accompany the assigning of guests to buses would help.

To prove whether and when zones are adhered to for the passenger carrying part of the operation, maybe we should conduct a poll to find out if anyone has been on a bus that went to far flung locations such as both Animal Kingdom Lodge and Contemporary, or both Saratoga Springs and All Stars. (The poll is only to satisfy people's curiosity)

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/magicx.htm

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

We know the originally posted zones aren't being adhered to. A poll might be interesting but we'd really also have to know the time of day. Late at night I might prefer a SSR-Contemporary bus over having to wait at MCO for 45 minutes for the next flight to arrive. Disney is getting so many ME guests that it doesn't seem to be a problem grouping resorts together.

As far as I can tell, the four zones that have been posted at sites such as this are for luggage routing, not for passenger routes (despite what it says about dispatching an additional bus).

I haven't used ME yet, but I understand that there are 7 or 8 loading stations. When guests check in, they are directed to one of them. To me, that suggests that there was never a plan for 4 fixed passenger routes.

Once Disney has fixed the software glitch that caused flight information to be lost from ME guests' reservation records, it should be possible to do predictive scheduling, with realtime corrections as updated flight arrival information becomes available.

A dynamic system makes all sorts of sense. Fixed routes make no sense for passengers, but they make sense for luggage.

 

[localdriver]

Allow me to defend localdriver. From localdriver's many informative posts on this forum, it's clear to me that localdriver enjoys working as a driver, helping guests, and wants Magical Express to be a great experience for guests. I genuinely appreciate localdriver's posts on this forum, such as the insight into ME motorcoach routing in this thread. Thank you!

That said, localdriver has made it clear that he disagrees with a few of Disney's actions. In this thread, localdriver is questioning the wisdom of a policy that would inconvenience the majority of the guests on an ME coach just so that Grand Floridian guests don't have to stop at another resort along the way.

I've questioned some of localdriver's points about tips -- but, even there, I agree that the guests and the drivers will be better off once Disney and Mears Transportation address this issue.

There might be some ME drivers who are "bitter and disgruntled" -- but I wouldn't classify localdriver this way.

TY. Simple answer, Why go to Grand Flo first when you have guests going to Resorts so much closer. Why would I want to add 15 min to the run just to do it backwards? That doesn't make sense.

Bytheblood, you take a look at the map of Disney, if you had CBR or, say PO Riverside on the bus, would you go to Grand Flo first?

I think it's common sense. But with Disney saying such, aren't they classing people?? What's that all about?

If the route is all MK resorts, then I can do it by a certain route almost into MK car parking, (the toll attendants look at me funny) but I do it anyway, across CarCare and up to the Grand Flo by way of the W side by the Golf Courses, so I dont pass WL or signs to CONT. Did it today, pointed out the wild turkeys running around. EW thought they were cool.

But if the zones are mixed, as they often are, I'm not making a CBR or a POR guest wait an extra 10 to 15 mins while I go to Grand Flo first, when they are on the way. If Disney wants me to do that, then they can supply a PR BS expert on the bus to explain why. I'm not even going to try, because I don't lie.

It's the rooms they paid more for, not the transportation.

Does that sound disgruntled, or like the most efficient service?

Just curious.

BTW, I may have my beefs with Disney,...and Mears for that matter. But if you were on my bus, you would never know.

When you ride with me you are MY PERSONAL guest. That's how it is.

 

[disneyobessed]

ok so we are taking ME in aug. we are staying at the WL . will we be on the bus with people from all other disney resorts or just the magic kingdom resorts?

 

[KilleriMac17]

Why do you stay in a position where you are so bitter and disgruntled??

Once you start down the path to the dark side.. forever, will it dominate your destiny....

 

[localdriver]

ok so we are taking ME in aug. we are staying at the WL . will we be on the bus with people from all other disney resorts or just the magic kingdom resorts?

The mostly likely would be with MK resorts, or possibly on the tale of DTD resorts, like FQ, RS.

I did a 5 stopper today, 47 guests All MK resorts including Ft WL, all onsite in 1 hr 10 min from rolling at apt, everyone seemed pleased.

 

[localdriver]

Suppose the bus, if it stops at Polynesian before going to Grand Floridian, does not stop at Polynesian on the way back. (Just to give an example.) This is more efficient but it gets tricky if there are lots of people waiting to get on.

Not a Factor. Busses dropping off, do not pick up until they are finished and are assigned a pickup route back to the airport. Picking up and dropping off at the same time doesn't work in what we do. People would be on there for ever.

 

[cabowser]

Local driver, I have a child with severe autism, a baby and another child with me. We are staying at Ft. Wilderness at the cabins, about how long do you think we will be on the bus? Charlie never does well in long car rides at all.

Jan

 

[cindyfan]

I want to thank localdriver for all the information and honesty he has provided on this thread!!!!!!
I hope I have you as my driver when I arrive June 12th!!

 

[Suzanne74]

thanks localdriver!!

From studing posts, it does seem that all the MK resorts stick together. I have also seen a bunch of posts stating CSR and all the All Stars were on one ME bus, with CSR going first. I have also seen another posted stating there was Swan, Dolphin, Yacht, then Beach then Boardwalk all on one bus, running in that order. I have also seen a bus post that had POP, SSR, OKW, POR, and POFQ in that order. I guess it is the luck of the draw. From the majority of the posts that I have seen though, it does seem to be in a "class" order.

Personally I won't mind going to a few resorts as long as they aren't that far away from each other.

localdriver, how long does it take you to get to the first resort from MCO - I heard someone say it took 45min from the time the bus left until arriving at CSR (first stop) - that seems really LONG from what I remember?

 

[Letsbgoofy]

localdriver,

First let me say that you didn't come off as bitter to me, just honest. You are right, you pay more to stay at the GF because of the resort, nobody promises you better transportation.

Now the question.. our flight doesn't get in until 10:23 pm (and that's if it's on time). What can we expect with ME? Will there still be staff there to show us where to go? Are there going to be many stops and a long wait on the bus because they group all the late arrivals together? I'm thinking about getting our luggage ourselves, I don't want it delivered at 1:00 in the morning! TIA for any information you have.