ME, late arrival, off site hotel

[Bev J]

OK, I know alot of stuff in the subject line...

We are staying at WL Sept 30-6. The 30 is a Saturday.
I have checked airline times and the flights are better if we leave on friday late afternoon getting us into Orlando either at 11 or midnight. I can't see spending $230 for a night at WL we won't even get to till the middle of the night, plus the extra traveling after a long day of work and school.
We were thinking we will just stay at a airport hotel (Free using points) using their free shuttle to get back and forth. Next morning take shuttle back to airport and connect with ME at that time.

Is this dooable? Can we get to the car rental area, where ME is without having to go through security?
or are we going to have a problem getting into this area? We will have our luggage with us from the night before so would take it with us on the bus.

Our other option is to take a taxi from the airport hotel to WL- will we still be able to use ME for our return trip to the airport? How much is a taxi from the airport to WL.? (just in case)

I know lots of questions and I really appreciate any answers...

Bev

 

[CleveRocks]

I have no idea about the feasablility of getting to the DME area from an off-site hotel. I can tell you for sure, however, that it's fine to use DME one-way. So if you can't use DME upon arrival, you can still use it when you leave WDW.

 

[seashoreCM]

Make your ME reservation for the time the next morning you will be back at the airport after your night at the near-airport hotel.

Have in mind a flight, any flight, any airline, arriving at that time to give to the ME reservation agent.

No problem getting into the welcoming area. That is not in the secured areas of the airport.

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

 

[Bev J]

SeashoreCM-
I had thought about this, as it would be easy to figure out a flight landing at MCO using Orbitz/Travelocity. Does it matter if it is comming from my home town? Or just any one comming in at say 9am? We will already have our luggage so they won't be picking it up.
Where should I ask the shuttle driver from the hotel to drop us off at? When we last used ME it was on the same level as car rental is this still the same? Or do we go into the main entrance of the airport and go down to the lower level?

Thanks to you both!

Bev

 

[seashoreCM]

I would say you can specify any flight, any origin city.

I think that hotel shuttles drop you off only on the departure level which is level 3. Since I don;'t know precisely where the ME welcoming area is (on level 1) and which which airline's berth on level 3 is lines up closest, all I can say is get off anywhere, preferably in the middle, of the A side.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

There's no reason to look for fake flight information.

I called Magical Express at 866-599-0951 because we'll stay at WDW after spending a few days with family, with a rental car. I'll return our rental car at MCO on the day that we check in at WDW. (The good rate that I have requires me to pick up and drop off the car at the airport.)

The woman at Magical Express explained that I'm entitled to use Magical Express regardless of how I arrive at the airport. She said it doesn't matter if I arrive by air, by cab, by hotel or rental car shuttle, or if a friend drops me off at the airport. It just has to be on the day that I check in at the resort. She said she would simply make a Magical Express reservation without flight information.