ME testing new DTD pickup...

[pharmlivin]

sounds awful to me but...
http://www.wdwinfo.com/news/General_Disney_News/Magical_Express_testing_Downtown_Disney_pickup.htm

 

[LSchrow]

sounds awful to me but...
http://www.wdwinfo.com/news/General_Disney_News/Magical_Express_testing_Downtown_Disney_pickup.htm

why do you feel it's awful? (not being snarky, i just don't see the disadvantages).
i think it's a great idea! as the article states:
For guests who find themselves out of days on their park tickets, check-out day is often spent waiting at the resort until their return flight. This new system would allow them to spend one last morning shopping and eating at Downtown Disney before returning home.

 

[pharmlivin]

I'm thinking, upon departure, I would rather not have to get to DTD then look for my luggage and claim it there then move it to the bus, imagining crowds of people from all resorts jockeying for their luggage and finding their bus to the airport. Also, on the arrival side to DTD, having to transport our selves and our bags to the resort from DTD...just sounds like more inconvenience. I would probably just go back to renting a car at airport. But, it might work out to be more efficient, who knows, that's why they are testing I suppose.

 

[erionm]

sounds awful to me but...
http://www.wdwinfo.com/news/General_Disney_News/Magical_Express_testing_Downtown_Disney_pickup.htm

Did you not see this sentence in the post?

This is not mandatory; guests will be able to choose which pickup location best fits their schedules.

 

[pharmlivin]

Seems the testing program is restricted to PO, for certain flight times and is flexible as to where you want to pick up ME. Just thinking ahead in case this is ultimately implemented and maybe they then decide to do away with the resort pick-up and drop-off or, as I suspect, begin to charge for resort pick-up and drop-off. (All speculation on my part). Time will tell.

 

[circhead]

I don't get it. If I fly I always book the latest flight home that I can so I can get every last minute at Disney.

I go downtown in the am to do a little last minute shopping and lunch at the Earl of Sandwich (love their sandwiches) than go back to my resort to get in a little more pool time before boarding the bus to the airport. I almost never spend my last day in the parks because I want to relax and just veg out.

 

[erionm]

Seems the testing program is restricted to PO, for certain flight times and is flexible as to where you want to pick up ME. Just thinking ahead in case this is ultimately implemented and maybe they then decide to do away with the resort pick-up and drop-off or, as I suspect, begin to charge for resort pick-up and drop-off. (All speculation on my part). Time will tell.

There's no way Disney is going to force all DME guests to head to DTD for pickup. If this goes live, it will remain an option. As for charging for DME, the cost is already built into room rates for cash guests and most likely dues for points guests.

 

[mom2rb]

I want pick up at a park. It would be nice to spend every last minute at Magic Kingdom.

 

[dianeschlicht]

I have never done ME mostly because I like the convenience of a rental car to go off site. To me the whole ME thing sounds like a lot of waiting around and taking longer to get to and from the airport.

 

[Hitched2BellesCastle]

Really like this idea. We do this most trips. Last day is shopping day for us.

Sent from my iPad using DISBoard

 

[LSchrow]

I have never done ME mostly because I like the convenience of a rental car to go off site. To me the whole ME thing sounds like a lot of waiting around and taking longer to get to and from the airport.

imho, everyone should really try DME at least once - we find it so much more convenient & relaxing than car rental at MCO. we dislike the chaos at luggage carousels, having to push/pull suitcases thru throngs of pp, long waits on car rental lines, and loading luggage in the exhaust filled garage, the still having to drive to resort, unload, and park. our arrival DME waits have never been more than a few minutes, the ride is pleasant, and we arrive feeling ready to
we used to rent at MCO, and found incoming and outgoing time from start to finish comparable, but DME much more enjoyable.
we still rent a car, mostly at the dolphin alamo/national - p/u & d/o is incredibly quick (excluding time spent chatting with the wonderful agents there ), and we can rent for only part of our trip.
some ppl really dislike DME, but i think you should try it at least once - we were really surprised that we like it as much as we do

 

[jennylyn_b]

I have never done ME mostly because I like the convenience of a rental car to go off site. To me the whole ME thing sounds like a lot of waiting around and taking longer to get to and from the airport.

It would seem like that but in all honesty we found that if you are using an airline that they can check bags to at the hotel ME is a huge time saver and stress reliever. We tag our bags at home check them in at our home airport and don't work about them again. We get off the plane, head to the ME area and 9 out of 10 times our bus is there. If we have to wait its like 5 mins! Get on board and they bring us there. We check in and head for the parks. Bell services handles our luggage when they get it and we just call when back at our room and they bring it. On check out we have bell come get it, they drive us and our bags to the airline check in desk and our bags get tagged and off they go no worries until we get back to our home airport. We have to be at our bus stop by a certain time they drive us and its very easy.
We miss those days. Now we have to visit my parents before each trip so no ME from Mco to WDW and its a huge hassle! Lol

 

[dizfan]

As long as we have the choice of boarding at the hotel or at DTD, I really like this idea.

Check out of room.
Check bags at the hotel for DME.
Head to DTD for lunch and shopping.
At DTD, board DME for airport.

 

[dianeschlicht]

imho, everyone should really try DME at least once - we find it so much more convenient & relaxing than car rental at MCO. we dislike the chaos at luggage carousels, having to push/pull suitcases thru throngs of pp, long waits on car rental lines, and loading luggage in the exhaust filled garage, the still having to drive to resort, unload, and park. our arrival DME waits have never been more than a few minutes, the ride is pleasant, and we arrive feeling ready to
we used to rent at MCO, and found incoming and outgoing time from start to finish comparable, but DME much more enjoyable.
we still rent a car, mostly at the dolphin alamo/national - p/u & d/o is incredibly quick (excluding time spent chatting with the wonderful agents there ), and we can rent for only part of our trip.
some ppl really dislike DME, but i think you should try it at least once - we were really surprised that we like it as much as we do

See, that part isn't an issue for us because we only travel to WDW with carry ons. Then we use Emerald Aisle, so we basically just drag our carry on cases across the street...choose our car, and off we go.

 

[gladdiola]

As long as we have the choice of boarding at the hotel or at DTD, I really like this idea.

Check out of room.
Check bags at the hotel for DME.
Head to DTD for lunch and shopping.
At DTD, board DME for airport.

ditto for me as well on this, we typically spend our last day at DTD and hopping on ME from there sounds like a great option

 

[LSchrow]

See, that part isn't an issue for us because we only travel to WDW with carry ons. Then we use Emerald Aisle, so we basically just drag our carry on cases across the street...choose our car, and off we go.

just having carry-ons would make getting in/out of MCO soooo much easier.
fortunately, we fly SWA to FL, so get the 2 bags pp free (we pack a duffle in each of our 2 suitcases going, & usually check at least one of the duffles on return).
and that's with a stuffed owner's locker

since we enjoy the DME ride so much, i doubt we would go back to renting at MCO even if SWA changed their bag policy (or we had to take a different airline) tho.

thank you, OP, for posting the link (btw, it would an option only be for departing WDW resort guests; incoming guests would still go to their resort).

 

[csharpwv]

I support absolutely no plan that will have people taking their luggage on Disney Resort buses, boats, monorails etc.

As someone who ALWAYS takes a laptop, and will never check my rolling laptop bag with bell services - I don't even put it under the bus when I board DME - it stays with me. To do this, board DME at DTD (soon to be Disney Springs) I would have to take my laptop bag on a resort bus.

I cannot imagine how crowded DTD buses will be with people AND the luggage that they don't trust to be checked.

There are just far too many points of error, dysfunction, and risk of lost baggage...items... etc etc etc

I think it is a horrible idea, just IMHO. They are going to have people buying stuff and then trying to STUFF it in their luggage... then they will get to the airport and have to pay additional $$$ to check yet another bag.... airplane overhead bins are already crowded enough... are they not?!

Yeah, I just don't think this is a good idea at all!

 

[erionm]

I support absolutely no plan that will have people taking their luggage on Disney Resort buses, boats, monorails etc.

With the exception of DCL Transfers and DME, luggage is not allowed on Disney Transportation.

 

[Sur]

As long as we have the choice of boarding at the hotel or at DTD, I really like this idea.

Check out of room.
Check bags at the hotel for DME.
Head to DTD for lunch and shopping.
At DTD, board DME for airport.

Sounds great!

 

[gladdiola]

I support absolutely no plan that will have people taking their luggage on Disney Resort buses, boats, monorails etc.

As someone who ALWAYS takes a laptop, and will never check my rolling laptop bag with bell services - I don't even put it under the bus when I board DME - it stays with me. To do this, board DME at DTD (soon to be Disney Springs) I would have to take my laptop bag on a resort busl!

I travel with a laptop and tablet in my backpack and don't see why there would be an issue with ME pick up from DTD. If you have luggage and using ME use resort airline desk at check-out to be free of luggage, hop on bus with carry-on to DTD, enjoy some good eats and entertainment, then catch ME for departing flight. Sounds like a nice way to spend a last day of vacation IMO.