ME from MCO to WDW - Earliest time in the morning?

[Leto1281]

Hi All!

I've seen similar posts about departing from MCO to WDW on the ME when you have a Disney resort reservation but did not fly in. However, I'm specifically trying to find out if anyone has used ME and left MCO earlier than 8am? It sounds like the ME desk opens at 5am, but I'm wondering when the buses really start to roll out for WDW.

We're arriving into MCO around 11:30pm so we're going to stay at the Hyatt in MCO that night. I'd like to get up the next morning, get to SSR to check in and drop our bags off with bell services and then get to HS by 8am for the EMH. I know we'd probably have to leave MCO by 6:30am for a best case scenario on time but we're motivated!

So, I'm wondering if anyone has boarded an ME bus right when they open and if so how long did you sit there before you actually left for WDW? I'm also wondering if anyone has tried to board ME earlier than when their "flight" should have arrived. To make the ME reservation I gave them the earliest flight I could find coming in at 8am, so I'm hoping they don't give me too much trouble when I show up early.

I appreciate any information you may have!

 

[OKW Lover]

Magical Express is 24/7.

 

[SaraJayne]

Hi All!

I've seen similar posts about departing from MCO to WDW on the ME when you have a Disney resort reservation but did not fly in. However, I'm specifically trying to find out if anyone has used ME and left MCO earlier than 8am? It sounds like the ME desk opens at 5am, but I'm wondering when the buses really start to roll out for WDW.

We're arriving into MCO around 11:30pm so we're going to stay at the Hyatt in MCO that night. I'd like to get up the next morning, get to SSR to check in and drop our bags off with bell services and then get to HS by 8am for the EMH. I know we'd probably have to leave MCO by 6:30am for a best case scenario on time but we're motivated!

So, I'm wondering if anyone has boarded an ME bus right when they open and if so how long did you sit there before you actually left for WDW? I'm also wondering if anyone has tried to board ME earlier than when their "flight" should have arrived. To make the ME reservation I gave them the earliest flight I could find coming in at 8am, so I'm hoping they don't give me too much trouble when I show up early.

I appreciate any information you may have!

DME runs 24/7, so you can get on the bus when you get to MCO if you add another night to your Disney reservation. You will just have to retrieve your luggage from baggage claim.

 

[seashoreCM]

The DME welcoming area might not be manned early in the morning before the first flight arrives at the airport. I've been told that a placard with a phone number is put on the counter for guests arriving then.

Going to Disney, you can be early or late by a few hours relative to the time in your DME reservation. You will just get in line for the next available bus.

 

[Leto1281]

Thanks for the responses! I'm using Hotels.com points to stay at the Hyatt our first night. I just couldn't stomach paying SSR prices when we wouldn't get to our room till probably close to 1am or worse. Plus, we'll hit the hay a little bit earlier staying right in the airport. That said I did see that ME is technically 24/7 and I've also heard that you can try to explain to Disney that you need a certain pick up time regardless of not having flown in that day. However, since I'm relying on the DVC owner (through David's Vacation Club Rentals) I didn't want to complicate things. The earliest flight I could find into MCO arrives at 8am.

 

[Lewisc]

Thanks for the responses! I'm using Hotels.com points to stay at the Hyatt our first night. I just couldn't stomach paying SSR prices when we wouldn't get to our room till probably close to 1am or worse. Plus, we'll hit the hay a little bit earlier staying right in the airport. That said I did see that ME is technically 24/7 and I've also heard that you can try to explain to Disney that you need a certain pick up time regardless of not having flown in that day. However, since I'm relying on the DVC owner (through David's Vacation Club Rentals) I didn't want to complicate things. The earliest flight I could find into MCO arrives at 8am.

Go to MCO website. Go to arriving flights You may need to sort by arrival time. Let Hyatt bell service take your bags. They will get them to dme luggage delivery

 

[OKW Lover]

That said I did see that ME is technically 24/7 and I've also heard that you can try to explain to Disney that you need a certain pick up time regardless of not having flown in that day.

Go to MCO website. Go to arriving flights You may need to sort by arrival time.

There is no reason to find dummy flight info, they have this request all the time. Just tell them what time you'll be ready to go.

 

[goofy4tink]

DME buses run all day, all night, every day of the year. Yes, you may find the buses may not run as often at 3am as they do at 11am, but you will get to your resort.
You are confusing RAC (remoter airline checkin) and DME. Yes, they are sort of tied together, but they are not the same entity. And yes, the RAC desk opens at 5am each day, at the resorts. Has nothing to do with arrival at MCO.

As long as you have your DME reservation set up, you can show up at the DME checkin area, at MCO, at any time during your reservation dates. Now, having said that.....it's going to be hard to get to your resort, SSR, checked in, and onto a bus for EMHs at DHS. In order to do that, you will have to be at SSR no later than 6:45ish...get checked in, drop your bags off (DME won't be getting your bags for you, you have to go to baggage claim the night before and get them yourself and then take them to SSR with you) with Bell Services, and then get on the DHS bus. That will all take about 45 mins!!! Then the ride to DHS...about 15 or so mins, at least.

I'm not sure I would try to make the EMHs that day, but that's your choice. If you decide that's what you want to do, then I would get to the DME area at MCO by 6am. You could take 60-90 mins from MCO to SSR....just no way of knowing.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

We're arriving into MCO around 11:30pm so we're going to stay at the Hyatt in MCO that night. I'd like to get up the next morning, get to SSR to check in and drop our bags off with bell services and then get to HS by 8am for the EMH. I know we'd probably have to leave MCO by 6:30am for a best case scenario on time but we're motivated!

Here's a recent thread that deals with the same idea: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=3037874

One thing to keep in mind is that you'll get very little sleep (maybe 4 hours from 1 a.m. to 5 a.m.?) with your plan, once you allow time for getting your bags at baggage claim, checking in at the Hyatt, getting ready for bed, sequential showering for everyone in your family the next morning with a single shower, having some sort of breakfast, and going to DME. Then in spite of sleep deprivation and rushing in the morning, your 90-minute "best case scenario" of MCO to DHS is likely to fail.

 

[Leto1281]

Thanks everyone for the info and thanks for the link Horace! I'm feeling better about showing up early to the ME desk. It will be just me and my 9 year old so I think we have a fighting chance of making it to EMH at HS. I generally get 5 hours of sleep a night tops and the kiddo and I can get ready in 30 minutes flat. We're not shower every day types and I'll probably have the DS sleep in his clothes the night before to save on time. We generally take a 6am flight out of Chicago so I'm used to leaving my house at 2am, flying to MCO, busing to WDW, checking in, heading straight to a park, and hitting the hay at midnight to start all over again the next day. Worse comes to worse we get to HS with everyone else.

 

[tpettie]

Ok I'm confused now... I have done DME for 4 trips now. This time we are thinking of trying a late/overnight flight to MCO that would get us into the airport for about 6:15AM so I have worked out that yes the DME will be operational and can get us to our resort. But will they get our luggage that early I know for the night time if you arrive after 10pm you have to get your own is there a start time in the AM when they start collection of luggage again??

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

This time we are thinking of trying a late/overnight flight to MCO that would get us into the airport for about 6:15AM so I have worked out that yes the DME will be operational and can get us to our resort. But will they get our luggage that early I know for the night time if you arrive after 10pm you have to get your own is there a start time in the AM when they start collection of luggage again??

With a 6:15 a.m. arrival, you'll be fine.

According to http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/planning-guides/in-depth-advice/airport-service/

Luggage delivery service provided by Disney's Magical Express is available for flights arriving between 5:00 am and 10:00 pm daily. For airport arrivals after 10:00 pm, Guests may collect their luggage at Baggage Claim and transport it with them on the motorcoach.​

Just keep in mind that it's very unlikely the front desk at your resort will have a room for you when you arrive there around 7:30 a.m. Your checked bags will be brought to your room after it's ready (no tip required because DME checked bags are pre-tipped for you by Disney).

You can leave your carry-ons with bell services. When you return to your resort after your room is ready, you can retrieve your carry-ons from bell services or have someone bring them to your room. (A tip would be appropriate in either case.)

 

[tpettie]

With a 6:15 a.m. arrival, you'll be fine.

Thanks thats a great help the other question is how much time should I estimate for departing the cruise/DCL bus to transport to MCO.

Trying to work out what time to book return flights home without too much sitting at the airport.

 

[kaytieeldr]

What does the cruise line/website recommend? Usually they'll advise that if you're using their transfers, not to book the return flight before X:XX.

 

[tpettie]

What does the cruise line/website recommend? Usually they'll advise that if you're using their transfers, not to book the return flight before X:XX.

I can't seem to find it maybe the cruise line forum will know...

Upon more searching I found it

Disney recommends on departure day that you not book a flight before 12:30 PM. There are times when the ship is delayed at the Port and you run the risk of missing your flight. Rushing to get to the airport is not the way to end your Disney cruise vacation.