ME to resort other than your own?

[yensidfan99]

Is it possible to take ME to a different resort other than the one you are staying at? My DW and DD would be taking our scheduled ME to Kidani Village. I would like to grab the ME to Dolphin Resort in order to pick up our rental car.

 

[Lintasare]

Nope you can only go to your scheduled resort.

And I don't think ME goes to the Swan and Dolphin since they are not Disney resorts.

 

[seashoreCM]

Resorts currently not served by Magical Express notably include Shades of Green, Fairfield's Bonnet Creek, resorts on Hotel Plaza Blvd past Downtown Disney, Swan, and Dolphin.

Occasionally a Magical Express bus will go into these resorts to drop off or pick up Disney Cruise Line guests or Mears' Shuttle guests.

 

[Lewisc]

Ask if you can be dropped off at the Boardwalk. Everyone who's asked has been told no but if enough guests ask Disney might re-think their policy.

Why don't you price a rental car with a pickup at MCO instead of the Dolphin? Let your luggage, and the rest of your group, use DME.

 

[TDC Nala]

I would bet they are never going to change that rule even if enough people ask - it would result in way too much traffic to resorts that are near the theme parks, since the folks who dropped off their luggage now figure they can go right straight to a park.

 

[Missytara]

I agree that they need to be able to do a bit of pre-planning by knowing which resorts would have the most/least traffic that day.

It would get pretty frustrating because you know what will happen; the first time they do it - people will get on the bus to their home resort and then ASSUME the ME driver will drop them off at another resort - they will go up front and ask the driver why he didn't stop at so and so. There will be so many complaints about I didn't know that they weren't going to the other resorts, etc.

Some people will find anything to complain about....or any way to make their trip more difficult.

But how could you go straight to the parks, unless you have checked into your resort to get your KTTW card?

 

[yensidfan99]

Thanks everyone.

I did price out renting at MCO and it was $100 more. My DW seems to think I could just jump on the bus to BW or BC at the terminal instead of to AKLV but I don't think that is the case. I will see how busy the terminal is and maybe just ask the morning of arrival. I figure you get more flies with Honey than vinegar and it never hurts to ask. The worst thing they could say is no and then I will go with original plan. Grab a cab from AK to the Dolphin, Pick up car, and in the MK in time for our lunch ressies at 1pm.

Whatever happens it will all be good because we will be WDW!

 

[Missytara]

The transfer ticket in your package will have the resort listed on it, so ninety nine times out of a hundred, unless it is some dire emergency, you will be directed to the bus at your resort.

Since you cannot get your KTTW card without checking in at the resort, wouldn't you want to go there first? Then have one person go pick-up the rental car and drive it over to MK? The remainder of your party can go over to MK and enjoy some park time before lunch.

You won't be able to get into MK for your lunch reservation w/o your KTTW cards.

 

[yensidfan99]

We are DVC members and have our MYW 10 day park hoppers already. Either way we were all going to be at the resort first. It was just whether or not I picked up car and met them there or we all ride ME to the resort together, check in and then all ride in cab to pick up car together.

Depending on DD and DW and how they are both feeling after a red eye flight from Seattle, WA they may decide to head straight to the park.

 

[yensidfan99]

Why make it so hard I ask myself?

So, we will take ME to resort. Check in. Get all our paperwork. Give extra carryon stuff we don't need to the bell desk.

Take Disney Bus to Magic Kingdom. Enjoy the day there. Eat lunch. Whatevs. When we get text message that room is ready. Leave MK. Grab bus to the Dolphin. Get car. Drive back to hotel. Call bell services and have luggage brought up. Get changed. Head to Sanaa for dinner. Back to room. Get some sleep. Wake up. Go to AK!

 

[helenk]

Why make it so hard I ask myself?

So, we will take ME to resort. Check in. Get all our paperwork. Give extra carryon stuff we don't need to the bell desk.

Take Disney Bus to Magic Kingdom. Enjoy the day there. Eat lunch. Whatevs. When we get text message that room is ready. Leave MK. Grab bus to the Dolphin. Get car. Drive back to hotel. Call bell services and have luggage brought up. Get changed. Head to Sanaa for dinner. Back to room. Get some sleep. Wake up. Go to AK!

Sounds like a good plan

 

[tjmw2727]

Why make it so hard I ask myself?

So, we will take ME to resort. Check in. Get all our paperwork. Give extra carryon stuff we don't need to the bell desk.

Take Disney Bus to Magic Kingdom. Enjoy the day there. Eat lunch. Whatevs. When we get text message that room is ready. Leave MK. Grab bus to the Dolphin. Get car. Drive back to hotel. Call bell services and have luggage brought up. Get changed. Head to Sanaa for dinner. Back to room. Get some sleep. Wake up. Go to AK!

Ding Ding we have a winnah!!

Seriously that sounds like a great plan, enjoy.

TJ

 

[seashoreCM]

... to Magic Kingdom. Enjoy the day there. Eat lunch. Whatevs. When we get text message that room is ready. Leave MK. Grab bus to the Dolphin. Get car. ...!

Caution: If you are way late picking up a car, your reservation might be cancelled.

 

[Lewisc]

I would bet they are never going to change that rule even if enough people ask - it would result in way too much traffic to resorts that are near the theme parks, since the folks who dropped off their luggage now figure they can go right straight to a park.

Running DME buses directly to theme parks makes a lot of sense. Guests arriving on early flights might like an early start. Resorts might like the reduced pressure by guests who want a room prior to check in time.

I agree that they need to be able to do a bit of pre-planning by knowing which resorts would have the most/least traffic that day.

It would get pretty frustrating because you know what will happen; the first time they do it - people will get on the bus to their home resort and then ASSUME the ME driver will drop them off at another resort - they will go up front and ask the driver why he didn't stop at so and so. There will be so many complaints about I didn't know that they weren't going to the other resorts, etc.

Some people will find anything to complain about....or any way to make their trip more difficult.

But how could you go straight to the parks, unless you have checked into your resort to get your KTTW card?

Some guests have APs, some have no-expiry tickets from a previous trip and others saved a few dollars purchasing tickets from the AAA or an internet discount vendor.

Doesn't Disney offer online check in? Letting guests pickup their KTTW and packet at a location in MCO makes a lot of sense. Letting guests pick up their packet at a guest services location in a theme park also makes sense.

Enough guests ask and Disney may implement such a system. At least one of the DME promotional material mentioned resort check in at MCO.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Take Disney Bus to Magic Kingdom. Enjoy the day there. Eat lunch. Whatevs. When we get text message that room is ready. Leave MK. Grab bus to the Dolphin. Get car. Drive back to hotel.

Careful with this plan. The rental counter in the Dolphin closes at 4.

What about renting from the Car Care Center? It's open more hours (until 6? 7? 8?)They provide a free shuttle - just call from your hotel and they'll come pick you up.

 

[TDC Nala]

But how could you go straight to the parks, unless you have checked into your resort to get your KTTW card?

Not everyone has park tickets encoded on their KTTW card. Some have annual passes, some have old tickets, some have bought tickets from brokers.

 

[yensidfan99]

Thanks for all the replies everyone.

I changed the pickup time to 4 so shouldn't be an issue on them canceling the reservation.

I know we will be ready to leave MK by 3pm. That gives us an hour to get from park to Dolphin. Plenty of time I should think. After flying on a redeye with a 3 year old we will be approaching over stimulation mode quickly if we were stay at park on 1st day much longer than that.

DW is being a real trooper since the only reason we need this car is so that I can get back and forth to Epcot on race day on the 11th when I will be doing the Race for the Taste 10k!