Missing flight home due to ME?

[Tinkerbells mom]

I used the ME (magical express) twice when visiting WDW in the past 15 months. I have mixed reviews. I am going to Disney at the end of August and been hearing about all the long security lines at MCO. So I'm curious if anybody here has missed their flight home when they have used the ME to get to the airport?

 

[CarnotaurDad]

One nice thing about DME is that they get you to the airport anywhere from 2 - 2.5 hours before your flight. That is plenty of time to get through the long security lines.

I fly for work a lot (4 - 5 times a month) and Orlando has some of the worst security lines anywhere in the U.S. They are very busy and very disorganized, IMHO.

 

[seashoreCM]

I have seen one or two reports on these boards about ME buses not arriving on time and close calls getting to the plane.

The moral of the story is, don't keep waiting (getting strung along) but get a taxi if you need to (at least ask CM's at the resort for fare money on the spot) and get out of there within 45 minutes of your bus time.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

A reminder, you must be punctual for your ME bus going home. They say 15 minutes before the bus time. Note that some resorts require up to 45 minutes notice for the bellhop to fetch your luggage if you stored any at the resort, I suggest aiming to be back at the resort an hour before bus time if you went to a park on your last day.

 

[TDC Nala]

If the ME bus arrives on time it should not be a problem.

I've been in MCO at times when a two hour preflight arrival time might have been cutting it close. I've had to wait about 45 minutes in a security check line. If I'd had to stop and check luggage at the counter first, and that took about the same amount of time, it might have been different.

They are quite serious about being early for your ME pickup. I missed a bus at OKW once because my watch was a little slow. The next one came in 20 minutes and it was a slow day at the airport, but apparently that does not always happen.

 

[CleveRocks]

On these boards we usually see the opposite complaint, that posters don't like DME BECAUSE it picks up about 3 hours prior to flight time, as opposed to a town car at about 2.5 hours pre-flight, or people trying to cut it even closer with a taxi.

I used DME only once, the first week it was around, and we were totally satisfied. We're using it again in November -- in fact, I just signed up for it today because I just booked my airfare today!

 

[cdrn1]

At POFQ yesterday, we were to board the 440 bus and when we got to the pickup area, the previous two buses' passengers were still waiting. The manager called 4-5 cabs for those who were in danger of missing their flights. We left at 445 and got to the airport with plenty of time to spare (at least two hours). It took us no time to get through security.

 

[Melrosgirl]

The only annoying thing to me about ME was the fact that they picked us up from the hotel 3 hours before our flight. (Normally I would get to the airport 90 mins before the flight.)

With such a big time difference, it would take a mean miracle to miss your flight.

 

[bicker]

Prudence is the better part of valor.

 

[kaytieeldr]

The only annoying thing to me about ME was the fact that they picked us up from the hotel 3 hours before our flight. (Normally I would get to the airport 90 mins before the flight.)

With such a big time difference, it would take a mean miracle to miss your flight.

Well, Disney and DME don't want to be responsible if users DO miss their flight.

Buses pick up between about 2-3/4 and 3 hours before your departure. A single bus MAY pick up at as many as four (or as few as one) resorts. It takes a few minutes to stow luggage and board passengers at each stop. The ride to the airport averages about thirty minutes. Buses drop off at four spots - each end of each side of the airport; it takes a few minutes for passengers to get off and, if necessary, get their luggage. If the passenger is not flying on a participating airline, they need to get from level one to Departures and check in both themselves and their luggage. Then the security lines can take as little as two minutes to as much as sixty minutes to traverse. Then it's another five to ten minutes to your gate, and boarding generally begins 20 - 30 minutes before take-off. No, you don't HAVE to board that early, but if the passenger isn't in the gate area with a certain amount of time to spare, the airline may give away the seat to a standby.
So, for Guest departing Pop Century on a 6 PM flight on a non-participating airline:
Pick up at 3:15
Depart resort at 3:25
Arrive at airport at 3:50
Reach check in line at 4:00
Reach security line at 4:15
Exit security line at 5:00
Reach gate at 5:15 - a mere forty-five minutes before departure, and only twenty minutes before boarding starts

vs

Arrive at airport at 4:30
Check in with Sky Cap at 4:40 (assumes third-party drop AT departure level)
Reach security line at 4:45
Exit security line at 5:30
Reach gate at 5:45, ten minutes after boarding began and very close to the "giving your seat away" cutoff