ME for someone NOT listed on hotel reservation?

[kimkim]

My mom is thinking about joining us for the first 2-3 days of our trip (just staying in our room). I have a 6 night package with park hoppers and the DDP for me and my 2 kids.

Since Mom may only stay 2-3 nights, I can't put her on the reservation since she'd be forced to take the DDP and park hoppers for the length of our stay.

I don't feel like it would be 'wrong' to let her just stay in the room too since we are allowed up to 5 and we'd only be 2 adults and 2 kids with her. If I was booking a 'room only' it would be no problem to list her.

But I'm wondering if she'd be able to ride the ME from the airport to the hotel with us. She won't be listed on the reservation. As far her bag, I can put it in our name (since we'll only have 1 per person anyway).

I know this is a unique situation but wondered if anyone knew if ME only gave vouchers to ride for those on the reservation? Or, would they let her on since she'd be staying at the resort with us? If not, I guess I'll just need to schedule a shuttle for us (but what a shame to pay for that when ME is free!).

Thanks!
Kim

 

[crashbb]

She cannot use DME if she is not on the reservation - it's not a unique situation, by the way, it comes up in some form or another quite frequently.

She can get a ticket on a Mears shuttle (and may even end up on your DME bus).

 

[Jestocost]

You must be listed on the reservation to use DME.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

DME is not free. It's a benefit where the cost is already figured into the price you're paying for your room and/or package.

 

[Brian Noble]

If I was booking a 'room only' it would be no problem to list her.

Don't forget that most Disney resorts have a surcharge for having a third adult in a room.

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

Don't forget that most Disney resorts have a surcharge for having a third adult in a room.

Yes, but she said that Mom is the 2nd adult, so there would not be a charge for her.

Did you try calling Disney and tell them the situation? Maybe they will come up with a little

 

[kimkim]

Yes, but she said that Mom is the 2nd adult, so there would not be a charge for her.

Did you try calling Disney and tell them the situation? Maybe they will come up with a little

Thanks! I will try to do that.

You are correct in that I'm not trying to add a 3rd adult in the room. Right now I'm the only adult with two kids (both under 10). So Mom would be the 2nd adult.

For the other poster who said it's factored into the room price, I completely understand that. I am paying for a room that fits up to 5 people (2 adults and 3 kids). So therefore, I feel like it shouldn't be a problem for 2 adults and 2 kids to ride the ME.

But I totally understand that Disney has their policy and there could be MANY abuses to the ME system if they allowed people not on the reservation to ride.

 

[crashbb]

Thanks! I will try to do that.

You are correct in that I'm not trying to add a 3rd adult in the room. Right now I'm the only adult with two kids (both under 10). So Mom would be the 2nd adult.

For the other poster who said it's factored into the room price, I completely understand that. I am paying for a room that fits up to 5 people (2 adults and 3 kids). So therefore, I feel like it shouldn't be a problem for 2 adults and 2 kids to ride the ME.

But I totally understand that Disney has their policy and there could be MANY abuses to the ME system if they allowed people not on the reservation to ride.

You can try calling, but I wouldn't hold out much hope (based on the experience of others).

BTW - don't forget that you mother will also not be able to use EMH.

 

[tjmw2727]

FWIW, if you add her to the reservation after you arrive and check in she won't be required to have the same package. This way you and the kids get your KKTW with dining and park passes and then when your done you can add your mom to the reservation as room only.

Yes, I have done this, most recently in April when my sister joined me and my dd's midway through the stay. My sisters KTTW card had charging and room acess but no park tickets or dining option. She used DME to arrive a day after we did and leave a few days early, no issues.

Although in your case this would mean that your Mom could only use DME on the return to the airport becuase she won't be on the reservation in advance but at least she will get a KTTW and be able to use EMH. My sisters KTTW card had charging and room acess but no park tickets or dining option.

Your other option is to add your mom to the reservation but downsize your park tickets to the amount of days she will be joining you. Say 2 day park tickets for everyone, then upgrade yours and your dd's park tickets individually to the number of days you will actually need. This way everyone will be on the reservation.

 

[goofy4tink]

I wouldn't hold out much hope for some '' by when calling Disney. They set up DME the way they do for a reason.
What you can do is to have mom check in with Mears, right beside DME. She will have to pay about $19, but she should be able to get to your resort. She may even be put on the same bus you are on....especially if they put her on a DME bus (which does happen) and you wait for her to find out what bus she is taking before heading to the buses yourself.
You can probably add her to the reservation once you get to your resort, and then she can book her return trip to MCO via DME at that time.

 

[Brian Noble]

Yes, but she said that Mom is the 2nd adult, so there would not be a charge for her.

Ah, I missed that. I thought it was two *plus* mom.

 

[Halbleib1]

EMHs probably will not be a problem as they only asked us for one room key for our group of 6. So long as someone in your group had their room key with them they let everyone in your party in. I know this is not how it should be done but this is how they did it on our last trip. We saw big groups of people where only one person had a room key get in with no problems.

We also were standing in line when a group came up and tried to get in and were told that they needed at least one person to have a room key for them to get in. Apparantly none of them were staying onsite because they all walked away.

Because of how they did this on our last trip I do not like this new system. Half the time they did not even check to make sure that any of us had a card. They just waved everyone on in.

 

[goofy4tink]

EMHs probably will not be a problem as they only asked us for one room key for our group of 6. So long as someone in your group had their room key with them they let everyone in your party in. I know this is not how it should be done but this is how they did it on our last trip. We saw big groups of people where only one person had a room key get in with no problems.

We also were standing in line when a group came up and tried to get in and were told that they needed at least one person to have a room key for them to get in. Apparantly none of them were staying onsite because they all walked away.

Because of how they did this on our last trip I do not like this new system. Half the time they did not even check to make sure that any of us had a card. They just waved everyone on in.

Ever since they stopped using wristbands, we have been asked to show each and every one of our room keys. The only time we weren't asked to show them was about an hour before the end of the EMHs at night.
I certainly wouldn't plan on the entire group not being asked to show room keys for EMHs.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Ever since they stopped using wristbands, we have been asked to show each and every one of our room keys. The only time we weren't asked to show them was about an hour before the end of the EMHs at night.
I certainly wouldn't plan on the entire group not being asked to show room keys for EMHs.

Agreed, I've always been asked to show ALL room keys for all members of my party.

 

[vicki_c]

EMHs probably will not be a problem as they only asked us for one room key for our group of 6. So long as someone in your group had their room key with them they let everyone in your party in. I know this is not how it should be done but this is how they did it on our last trip. We saw big groups of people where only one person had a room key get in with no problems.

We also were standing in line when a group came up and tried to get in and were told that they needed at least one person to have a room key for them to get in. Apparantly none of them were staying onsite because they all walked away.

Because of how they did this on our last trip I do not like this new system. Half the time they did not even check to make sure that any of us had a card. They just waved everyone on in.

You sound like you're talking about getting into the park - you have to show your room keys now (for every person) to get on any rides/attractions, not just for park entry. That is the way they do it now since no wristbands are issued, so taking your advice on not worrying about EMH would not be advised.

 

[maxiesmom]

Agreed, I've always been asked to show ALL room keys for all members of my party.

Same here.

 

[a1tinkfans]

Agreed, I've always been asked to show ALL room keys for all members of my party.

 

[crashbb]

Agreed, I've always been asked to show ALL room keys for all members of my party.

That's good to hear. I'm glad that WDW is trying to stop the loophole for people scamming the system.

 

[Kira G.]

FWIW, if you add her to the reservation after you arrive and check in she won't be required to have the same package. This way you and the kids get your KKTW with dining and park passes and then when your done you can add your mom to the reservation as room only.

We've done this too. It's very simple - just see guest services in your resort and she will be added to the room (at no extra charge since you are not exceeding the capacity of your room).

However, she cannot board ME for free with the rest of you. She would need to be on the room reservation in advance and signed up with ME for that to happen. Magical Express cannot be done as a walk-in, even if you have a room reservation. As others have mentioned, she can pay Mears for the transfer - a fairly nominal amount - and then she can just board the bus with you and present her Mears voucher. This is what my brother did when he joined us at the last minute a few years ago.

That would be my suggestion.

 

[Halbleib1]

Just posting our experience. My husband son, MIL, FIL, husband's grandma and I all walked up together and they only asked for one card. Everyone had their cards but were never asked. Saw other groups walk up as well and only one person showed their card as well. Once my inlaws went back to their room it was only my son, husband and I and sometimes we did not even have to show them our card at all. We were just waved on in. This happened most often at the Playhouse Disney dance party. The CMs were just standing there at times while at other times they were too busy talking to each other to pay attention to guests walking in and out. We were in and out throughout the night as my son enjoyed this the most. But it did happen at other attractions as well. Mostly they did ask for one card though. This happened the most at MK and not just at closing time.

The two trips before they always checked all of our cards so I thought this was odd too but it happened.

We only had used the wristbands once back in 2007 and they checked them every single time as well.

We just thought that as time went on with having been using the cards instead of the wristbands that they got tired of waiting for people to get their cards out and just started asking for one. Either that or that night they were very lax on the rules. Who knows what happened I just know what we experienced. We had our cards with us either way.