ME Return Home Question

[Hopefully]

I asked a related question a few weeks ago.
We are tentatively planning a trip in 10/11 of 5 nights at BCV (our home DVC resort) for F & & W festival. Then we would like to go on to Vero Beach for 5 nights. We will take ME from MCO to WDW on our arrival in Orlando. I asked about renting a car at the Dolphin for our 5 nights at Vero, returning it to MCO and what would be the one way charges for returning it to the airport if we rented it at the Dolphin. The suggestion was to take ME back to MCO at the end of our BCV stay to pick up a rental car which we would then return to back MCO after our Vero stay. This seems to be significantly cheaper.
My question now is how do we arrange the return ME transportation from BCV to MCO via ME the day we check out of BCV.
The last time we used ME to MCO from WDW they printed our boarding passes and left them in the packet they left on our door.
If we identify a flight from MCO which allows us to board ME in the timeframe which works for us, but we do not have reservations on that flight, what happens if they try to print our boarding passes (we are not on that flight).
If they can't print a boarding pass will they cancel the ME transportation to MCO?
What is the best way to handle this situation?
Thanks

 

[maxiesmom]

I honestly don't think you can. Magical Express bases your pick up time on your departing flight time. You won't have a departing flight. Part of the purpose of Magical Express is to keep you from renting a car, so I can't see them helping you out with this.

 

[Agri]

My boarding passes have never been tied to my ME reservations. I've even given them the flight numbers before I bought my tickets and still got my ME reservations. I've only gotten boarding passes when I did the airport check-in at the hotel, which is separate from ME.

 

[dudspizza]

I have personally done it. I gave them an Airtran flight that I wasn't booked on but departed 3 hours after I wanted to leave for the airport. I took ME to MCO, picked up the rental car and drove back to POR. The family was ready to go and we loaded up the rental and drove off site for our last two nights....

It worked slick. You are entitled to 1 trip to WDW and 1 trip to MCO during your stay......

Duds

 

[Jestocost]

The boarding passes and luggage check in have nothing to do with DME. It is a completely separate service (Resort Airline Check in) and not using RAC will have no bearing on your ability to ride DME . You can give them a flight that departs three hours before you want to get on the bus to leave the resort. If RAC tries to check you in the day before (and that is hit or miss) then they won't find anything and will move on. You still will be able to board the DME motor coach and have your luggage brought on the bus with you as if you were going to check in at the airport.

 

[maxiesmom]

Oh, you have to be sneaky and fib a bit to do it.

Even knowing there would be no way they could find out I really wasn't on the flight I gave them, I would still be paranoid that they would somehow find out, and come rip me off of the bus! It would be my luck too!

 

[tjmw2727]

You don't have to be sneaky - any guest with a valid WDW resort reservation can use DME regardless of how you arrive at MCO or where your going after.

I have used DME 4/5 times a year since it started and have never had my BP's deliverd by DME. I have read that sometimes they will do this when you fly SWA - if this is the case then pick a different airline.

You can also just call DME directly and explain your situation, most of the CM's can override the system and make your reservation without a flight number. We have done this a few times when DH went to pick up a rental and had no issues. If they seem to have issues then hang up - find a flight and call back !

The regular reservation CM's and some of the DME CM's don't know how to override so that's why its often suggested to make up a flight - its just easier !!

 

[goofy4tink]

Oh, you have to be sneaky and fib a bit to do it.

Even knowing there would be no way they could find out I really wasn't on the flight I gave them, I would still be paranoid that they would somehow find out, and come rip me off of the bus! It would be my luck too!

It's not a question of being sneaky. Many, many people take DME back to the airport to get a rental car, meet relatives, whatever. It has nothing to do with RAC. You just need to let DME know when you need to be back at the airport, then they will give you a time for pickup that meets those needs.
Or..you can give them flight info for a flight that would have you arriving at th airport at the time you need to return the car. I've done it myself, several times.
Every single guest, staying at a WDW resort, is entitled to a ride, on the DME bus, to and from the airport. It matters not what you are going to do once you get to the airport.

 

[Hopefully]

Oh, you have to be sneaky and fib a bit to do it.

Even knowing there would be no way they could find out I really wasn't on the flight I gave them, I would still be paranoid that they would somehow find out, and come rip me off of the bus! It would be my luck too!

I don't want to be sneaky at all!!!! On the contrary I want to do the right thing.
Many people here have stated that taking ME back to the airport, the day we check out of BCV is fine - whether we are flying from MCO or not. If the right thing to do is call DME directly, I can do that.

I only want to use the benefits I am entittled too, and I am looking for the best rate on a rental car. I am still on the fence about whether I even want to go this way. Picking up at the Dolphin would be so much easier, but it is much more expensive if we drop it back at MCO
Thanks for the help

 

[kaytieeldr]

Okay, here's what I did (my timing was a little different than yours, but...)

I arrived at MCO on a Wednesday afternoon. I checked in at the Welcome Center, going all the way to the counter because of my special circumstances.

I explained to the Cast Member that I needed to schedule my return trip for the following afternoon about 5 PM because I was picking up a rental car. He asked if I knew I could rent a car onsite, and I responded that I did but it would cost me about three times as much.

I could be wrong, but I believe I did get the return packet on my door the following morning; alternatively, I might have simply been given my return voucher right there at the Welcome Center.

 

[tjmw2727]

I don't want to be sneaky at all!!!! On the contrary I want to do the right thing.
Many people here have stated that taking ME back to the airport, the day we check out of BCV is fine - whether we are flying from MCO or not. If the right thing to do is call DME directly, I can do that.

I only want to use the benefits I am entittled too, and I am looking for the best rate on a rental car. I am still on the fence about whether I even want to go this way. Picking up at the Dolphin would be so much easier, but it is much more expensive if we drop it back at MCO
Thanks for the help

Again it isn't sneaky - I don't understand the reference either.

Since 99% of folks using DME have arrived via air it makes sense to set up the system based on flights. However, it is not requried that you fly to use DME!. You can scour the literature all you want and you won't find that requirement, so don't worry. Every guest with a WDW Resort reservation can use DME one way or round trip anytime during your stay.

Making up a flight is just a way to simplify booking for the CM's, especially non DME CM's. I have used DME without a flight and without having to make up a flight number by calling DME directly and getting a DME CM who knew how to override the flight info screen on her computer.

Disney really doesn't care how you got to the airport or what your doing after they drop you off!