ME to Different Resort?

[stitch teacher]

Hi Disboard friends!

We're about 70 days out from our November trip, and I got an email from our airline that our flight schedule had been changed, and that our flight that arrives to Orlando has been pushed back by 30 minutes (this flight is a nonstop flight from our small airport, and only departs once a day). Ordinarily this wouldn't be a problem, but we have dinner reservations at 'Ohana, and we're now a little concerned that until we get processed at the Magical Express counter, wait for a bus to take us to POFQ, check in, and then catch the bus to take us to MK to pick up the monorail to take us to the Poly, we might miss our dinner reservation.

So our question is this: can we check in to the Magical Express (we're planning on checking our luggage at our home airport), and then ask to board the ME bus to the Poly instead of POFQ?

Has anyone done this before? Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Afraid not. They will be mailing you a boarding pass that has a barcode specifically for the resort where you have a reservation and it must be scanned in order for you to board the bus to the resort where you will be staying.

I suggest you change your dinning reservation.

 

[mousefan1972]

You can only take a ME bus from the airport to your own resort. Your voucher will be scanned prior to boarding to make sure you are getting on the right bus. There is no way around this, using ME. You could take a cab from the airport to the Poly, or use a town car service. Or rent a car. If you are going to be cutting it close, you can always take ME to POFQ, then cab it directly to the Poly. That is what I would do.

 

[shoes99]

Hi Disboard friends!

We're about 70 days out from our November trip, and I got an email from our airline that our flight schedule had been changed, and that our flight that arrives to Orlando has been pushed back by 30 minutes (this flight is a nonstop flight from our small airport, and only departs once a day). Ordinarily this wouldn't be a problem, but we have dinner reservations at 'Ohana, and we're now a little concerned that until we get processed at the Magical Express counter, wait for a bus to take us to POFQ, check in, and then catch the bus to take us to MK to pick up the monorail to take us to the Poly, we might miss our dinner reservation.

So our question is this: can we check in to the Magical Express (we're planning on checking our luggage at our home airport), and then ask to board the ME bus to the Poly instead of POFQ?

Has anyone done this before? Thanks in advance for your help!

No the DME will only take you to the resort on your reservaton. Your reservation packet will have a barcode specific to POFQ.

 

[goofy4tink]

You've already gotten good advice...all of it true and right on target.
My issue would be that 30 mins change in arrival time. It shouldn't be an issue at all. The vast majority of people don't schedule any ADRs for at least 4-5 hrs after targeted arrival time..just in case there is an arrival issue. Perhaps you scheduled your dinner a bit too early? Is it possible to change it?

 

[CleveRocks]

If you are NOT using the Disney Dining Plan, then you can save yourself some time by NOT checking-in at POFQ when you get there. Just have Bell Services hold your luggage, and that way you don't have to take the time at the front desk to check-in.

If you need to save even more time, catch a taxi from POFQ to the Polynesian, probably in the $10-$12 range.

 

[maxiesmom]

What is your expected arrival time, and what is your ADR time? If 30 minutes is enough of a change to throw your meal in doubt, I'm worried you haven't alloted yourself enough time to make your ADR to begin with.

 

[grimley1968]

All of the above advice is good advice.

I will add that, IMVHO, 'Ohana just isn't that great a place to eat. I would cancel that ADR. The food is, umm, blase at best, and we've found the minimum amount of service they provide there to be somewhat indifferent. It is technically table service, but just barely, as the food is brought out to you in something of a cattle call manner. I just would not be in a rush to make an ADR for this place, while trying to make sure you get properly checked in at POFQ.

If you wish to visit the Poly and eat there, you could go another time and eat breakfast at Kona Cafe when not so rushed. Kona is awesome for breakfast and doesn't require reservations to be seated within 10-15 minutes.

 

[goofy4tink]

All of the above advice is good advice.

I will add that, IMVHO, 'Ohana just isn't that great a place to eat. I would cancel that ADR. The food is, umm, blase at best, and we've found the minimum amount of service they provide there to be somewhat indifferent. It is technically table service, but just barely, as the food is brought out to you in something of a cattle call manner. I just would not be in a rush to make an ADR for this place, while trying to make sure you get properly checked in at POFQ.

If you wish to visit the Poly and eat there, you could go another time and eat breakfast at Kona Cafe when not so rushed. Kona is awesome for breakfast and doesn't require reservations to be seated within 10-15 minutes.

And this is why the DIS boards are so wonderful. Kona is not one of my favorite stops. I like it well enough for breakfast but for other meals?? Not so much. 'Ohana isn't that much better but I would rather eat there than at Kona for dinner. Just goes to show there is something for everyone in WDW.

 

[grimley1968]

And this is why the DIS boards are so wonderful. Kona is not one of my favorite stops. I like it well enough for breakfast but for other meals?? Not so much. 'Ohana isn't that much better but I would rather eat there than at Kona for dinner. Just goes to show there is something for everyone in WDW.

I wouldn't go to Kona for dinner at all, which is why my suggestion was for OP to choose a different day to go to the Poly and go to Kona for breakfast. This avoids the whole ME conundrum altogether, allows OP to visit the Poly, and still allows for a meal there.

 

[hsembrick]

Actually I had this same thing happen to me last Sept and they let me take ME to GF instead of my original hotel. We had dinner ressies at 1900 and our flight was delayed. I printed my ressie conformation and showed it to they when i arrived at ME and they let me take the bus to GF. I hope it works for you!!

 

[stitch teacher]

Thank you, friends, for all of your helpful advice. I think we'll take the ME to POFQ, and then catch a cab to the Poly if we're cutting it close.

Thanks again!

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

Actually I had this same thing happen to me last Sept and they let me take ME to GF instead of my original hotel. We had dinner ressies at 1900 and our flight was delayed. I printed my ressie conformation and showed it to they when i arrived at ME and they let me take the bus to GF. I hope it works for you!!

What was your original hotel? Usually this is only allowed when the original hotel and the hotel you are wanting to get to are on the same route to begin with. POFQ and Poly are probably never on the same route during meal hours.

 

[hsembrick]

What was your original hotel? Usually this is only allowed when the original hotel and the hotel you are wanting to get to are on the same route to begin with. POFQ and Poly are probably never on the same route during meal hours.

My original hotel was ASMo and they let me hope on a bus to GF. I don't know if it was just the CM that I had at ME or what but it worked for me. The bus to GF had very little people on it so maybe that was why they allowed me to ride.