ME return to MCO still 3 hours earlier than flight?

[jengelbrecht]

Given the additional security measures to get through at the airports, does ME still pick you up 3 hours before your scheduled flight time? Or is it now earlier than that?

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Given the additional security measures to get through at the airports, does ME still pick you up 3 hours before your scheduled flight time? Or is it now earlier than that?

Three days ago, I just called DME Guest Services at 1-866-599-0951 to update my flight information. I asked about the pickup time. Here's what I was told:

The DME pickup for domestic flights is three hours before scheduled flight time.

The DME pickup for international flights is four hours before scheduled flight time.

For one day only, when the new restrictions on liquids and gels went into effect, the DME pickup for domestic flights was four hours before scheduled flight time to allow security to go through bags to dispose of liquids and gels. Now that the new rules are known by most passengers, three hours is once again sufficient.

 

[jiminy14]

"Disney's Magical Express will now leave Walt Disney World for Orlando International Airport four hours prior to your scheduled departure, rather than three hours prior, in order to allow passengers more time to go through airport security."


Just received my Passporter newsletter today and this information was mentioned in the sidebar. I would check with DME to verify whether this is still in effect.

 

[goofy4tink]

I have also seen info that while DME was picking up 4 hrs. before departure flights, it has gone back to the regular 3 hrs. They did it for a few days after the London incident.

 

[DisneyBrat]

I was reading about checking luggage with WDW guest relations and getting the boarding pass. If we take time to do this "WHY" do I have to leave 3 hrs before my fight?

 

[keishashadow]

I was reading about checking luggage with WDW guest relations and getting the boarding pass. If we take time to do this "WHY" do I have to leave 3 hrs before my fight?

You must have hit it "lucky" in the past as to the length of the security line...@ times, I've seen it stretch back all the way through the concourse (glad we were coming through the other way).

Even though we rent a vehicle @ MCO, drop off is a breeze, never adds more than 15 to overall time.

We haven't used ME - yet, I laugh & say we'd be leaving later than we usually do.

 

[clkelley]

I was reading about checking luggage with WDW guest relations and getting the boarding pass. If we take time to do this "WHY" do I have to leave 3 hrs before my fight?

Even without checking bags, you will need most of that 3 hours. You may stop at other Disney resorts before heading to the airport. At standard speeds it takes 30 minutes to get to the airport once you leave Disney property. If it is at rush hour, that 30 minutes could turn into an hour. Plus the security line can be up to 1 hour long. Would you rather hang around the airport for a bit, or miss your flight!!!

 

[goofy4tink]

I was reading about checking luggage with WDW guest relations and getting the boarding pass. If we take time to do this "WHY" do I have to leave 3 hrs before my fight?

It takes about 30 minutes get from WDW to MCO, so that leaves you with about 2-2 1/2 hrs to kill. My experience has shown that the DME bus doesn't really pick you up 3 hrs beforehand..it's usually closer to 2 1/2- 2 3/4 hrs beforehand. Even if you are able to check your bags through and get your boarding pass at your resort (and remember, only certain airlines allow this), you may very well find that you need that 120 minutes to get through security lines at MCO and then get to your gate on time. While I have yet to wait in security for more than 10 mins (in over 10 trips), I realize there is always a good chance that I could be stuck in that line for a good, long time. I would much rather go through security, and then grab a bite to eat and relax before my flight. I would hate to have to be rushed and worrying.
That close to 3 hr. lead time is really for your own good.

 

[speedyf]

Also...could you imagine the nightmare for Disney if they picked you up 2 hours before your flight and because of other stops, traffic, and security....you would miss your flight?

People would want Disney to reimburse them any expense for missing the flight and it would be a PR nightmare.

People would be suing Disney for lost wages (among other things) if they missed the last flight out and had to catch a flight the next day....thus, maybe missing some time at work....etc.....

Speed

 

[Tiggerific711]

I just got an email from the travel agent we're working with through the Disney Travel company. She said that ME is still picking up 3 hours before flight time.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

Wait times for security at MCO rarely average over 10 minutes. Real-time information is available 24/7



Just an FYI

 

[goofy4tink]

The other thing to keep in mind....even the towncar services pick you up about 2 1/2 hrs before your flight time....not a huge difference.
So.....does everyone look forward to being in that security line for 30 minutes? No, of course not. I have yet to be in it more than 10 mins total. But, I can say, almost every time I have arrived at MCO, and walked past the outgoing security lines, they are horrendous....way back into the main concourse of the terminal. I usually arrive at MCO around noonish, so would imagine those lines are for the mid-afternoon outgoing flights. When I leave MCO it's either first thing in the morning, or late afternoon/early evening. Haven't hit those long lines at those times...yet!

 

[zurgswife]

We flew back on Aug 21. DME picked us up 3hrs prior and we were just fine. No huge problems going through security. Except that one TSA agent kept yelling at everyone that liquids were not allowed to brought aboard so get them out now.....Seems they were having a problem with people trying to get liquids aboard.

 

[happymommy]

That sounds like a pain to me - we just flew Aug. 24th out of MCO, and the security line (if you can call it that) was like 2 people ahead of us! We had time to kill so ate McDonald's and Sbarro (yuck, but what are you going to do?). We got there about 1.5 hours prior to flight, and had an hour to kill. Of course that was during the week, and it is better safe than sorry. I've seen security lines on a weekend in springtime with at least 70 people ahead of us, and waited about 25 minutes or more. ME just doesn't appeal to me.

 

[tatooed goofy]

We just returned from WDW on 8/24/06 and used ME. Our flight was at 7:00pm. Our scheduled ME pickup was for 4:10. The bus arrived promptly at 4:05 and we were on the road by 4:10. However, we did stop at two other resorts after ours. By the time all the pickups were made, we drove to MCO, and unloaded our luggage it was 5:15. It only took about half an hour to check in with our airlines and get through security. All in all we were at our gate about an hour before our flight.