Not so 'magical' magic express

[debster812]

*GASP* Are you actually praising DME?

*checks outside for flying pigs*

Look Out! Flying Pig!!!

 

[goofy4tink]

Diane,

Sometimes I just want to give you an Oscar for your great dramatic performances. You wait in a huge throng of people at every busy airport in the world for your luggage and that is the nature of the beast. Fortunately we have luggage delivery here in Orlando if you don't want to wait, but what happens if you get to your resort and you are missing a piece of two? Do you grab a cab and go back to the airport to report it missing.

Do you lug a piece of luggage around that has wheels on it and you pull it with you. I am sure your driver or the rest of your family will help you get it downstairs, by the way an escalator or elevator and just out the door at Orlando. The driver could park his car one minute away, a thirty yard walk, or you could follow him to his vehicle and you can load up the vehicle get in and you will be on your way. Many drivers park over in the CVPA and come upstairs to meet you. The more experienced park about 7- 10 minutes away and than let you wait on the commercial floor while they run and get their car. Of course you can request immediate departure from the airport or ask the driver have his vehicle over on the commercial side so you wouldn't have to wait.

Most drivers, once they have found you, do not stop for a smoke when they are going to pick up their car. I have actually seen some running to get their car. The deal is that it is no longer than the waits you would experience with the DME. I have observed waits at OIA and have found out the only time they really differ is during times when we have weather. But, remember if the plane cannot unload your baggage the passenger cannot deplane, in many cases.

When you get to most resorts. including Disney, there is a bellman and a driver that will take care of your luggage. When was the last time you picked your luggage out of the trunk of the car service. At Disney you just give them your name and walk in and register. Your luggage doesn't go with you, unless you want to carry it with you. Most of the other hotels are the same, with a few exceptions. If you know of exceptions let us know and maybe there will be less patronage of that hotel.

By the way, you should probably rank towncar third and taxi fourth in cost. Most car services charge a lot less than taxi and can provide a lot more services or benefits than DME, Taxi or shuttle.

Edd....I do resent the 'drama' comment. I have tried to relate my own personal experiences here. I have NOT overdramatized at all. But, whether or not you want to believe it, there are sometimes less than stellar experiences with towncars. I never said that our driver left us in order to grab a smoke. But, when we came down that escalator, there was no driver holding up our name. I'ld done it before, I knew what to expect. But after walking up and down the line of about 9-10 drivers, with signs, no driver for us. After waiting for another 5 minutes or so, dh went off in search. That's when he found our driver...outside, smoking. Return to the airport? Same driver...once again, dh had to go looking for him at BWV. Where was he? Down by the bus stop, parked, reading a magazine!!! Please....the other towncars were up under the portico, we were early, but didn't start looking for him until the 'pickup' time had come and gone. MY experience.

My experience has been this....using a towncar service, with only carryon bag..it took about 45 minutes to get from the plane to my resort.
With checked baggage it has taken between 55-80 minutes. Sometimes my luggage has come down quickly, others times not so quick!!! And yes, my driver has helped with the bags. And since I don't pay a lot for my luggage, sometimes the wheels don't work right, so the bags twist all over the place, but that is not the drivers fault, but mine. And no, I have never had to take my bags out of a trunk. But have to tell you....I have about had it with the 'hands outstretched' at WDW. The driver gets a tip, the guy that takes the luggage from him expects a tip, the guy that brings my bags to my room expects a tip...so now I have spent an addtl. $15 for baggage delivery. Again, not my driver's fault. If I use DME....it has taken me 70 minutes twice now and 85 minutes once. I choose to save my money and use up a bit more time. So be it! Those have been MY experiences...not yours, not Joe Smoe's...mine. Do not cast aspersions upon them.

Yes, I do realize that there are throngs of people at airports. I do understand how it works out there in the 'big city'!!! But if I choose, based on my 'dramatic' experiences, to use DME, that is my right. It is my right to choose not to stand in that throng of people, all trying to grab at bags at the same time, worrying about some little kid falling onto the conveyor belt (even though his parents don't seem to notice), then pulling my bags behind me to the waiting area. I prefer to use a different service.

It's getting old Edd....stop critizing my experiences as 'dramatic'. I haven't noticed you standing there, beside or behind me, so I guess you can't say I'm being dramatic. I have defended your right to post your thoughts here, even though I may have had different experiences. Don't you think it's about time you show me the same courtesy?

 

[Lewisc]

I don't think I'd accuse you of being dramatic BUT it sounds like your experience isn't typical of the service normally provided by car services. Your driver was the only one not waiting for you for both legs of your trip. Other drivers were waiting for their customers. I sure hope you docked his tip. You shouldn't have to look for your driver.

I used to rent cars, I now use DME. Great service but some guests still prefer the personalized service of a towncar. Timewise car services and DME seem to take about the same amount of time. The time waiting for the DME bus would otherwise be spent waiting for luggage.

Edd....I do resent the 'drama' comment. I have tried to relate my own personal experiences here. I have NOT overdramatized at all. But, whether or not you want to believe it, there are sometimes less than stellar experiences with towncars. I never said that our driver left us in order to grab a smoke. But, when we came down that escalator, there was no driver holding up our name. I'ld done it before, I knew what to expect. But after walking up and down the line of about 9-10 drivers, with signs, no driver for us. After waiting for another 5 minutes or so, dh went off in search. That's when he found our driver...outside, smoking. Return to the airport? Same driver...once again, dh had to go looking for him at BWV. Where was he? Down by the bus stop, parked, reading a magazine!!! Please....the other towncars were up under the portico, we were early, but didn't start looking for him until the 'pickup' time had come and gone. MY experience.

My experience has been this....using a towncar service, with only carryon bag..it took about 45 minutes to get from the plane to my resort.
With checked baggage it has taken between 55-80 minutes. Sometimes my luggage has come down quickly, others times not so quick!!! And yes, my driver has helped with the bags. And since I don't pay a lot for my luggage, sometimes the wheels don't work right, so the bags twist all over the place, but that is not the drivers fault, but mine. And no, I have never had to take my bags out of a trunk. But have to tell you....I have about had it with the 'hands outstretched' at WDW. The driver gets a tip, the guy that takes the luggage from him expects a tip, the guy that brings my bags to my room expects a tip...so now I have spent an addtl. $15 for baggage delivery. Again, not my driver's fault. If I use DME....it has taken me 70 minutes twice now and 85 minutes once. I choose to save my money and use up a bit more time. So be it! Those have been MY experiences...not yours, not Joe Smoe's...mine. Do not cast aspersions upon them.

Yes, I do realize that there are throngs of people at airports. I do understand how it works out there in the 'big city'!!! But if I choose, based on my 'dramatic' experiences, to use DME, that is my right. It is my right to choose not to stand in that throng of people, all trying to grab at bags at the same time, worrying about some little kid falling onto the conveyor belt (even though his parents don't seem to notice), then pulling my bags behind me to the waiting area. I prefer to use a different service.

It's getting old Edd....stop critizing my experiences as 'dramatic'. I haven't noticed you standing there, beside or behind me, so I guess you can't say I'm being dramatic. I have defended your right to post your thoughts here, even though I may have had different experiences. Don't you think it's about time you show me the same courtesy?

 

[Edd]

I am sorry, Diane. You have on many occasions defended my right to speak out and I appreciate that. Your position on the boards makes your posts stand out and sometimes I get overzealous in defending the industry I want to be able to serve the passenger, when they want an alternative to the DME.

I will watch my posts more closely.

 

[goofy4tink]

Lewis....I don't think I ever said my experience was typical. That one experience is no more typical than someone waiting 6 hrs for their bags to be delivered to their room after arriving at the resort at noon. Or more typical than someone taking 3 hrs to get from the plane to their resort on DME. These things all happen, thank heaven not too often, but they do happen. I was merely relating my own personal experiences, not giving someone a typical experience. You say 'my driver was the only one not waiting for me, other drivers were there waiting for their customers'..true, but why would I care about those other drivers? I wasn't paying them to be there, waiting for me, I was paying my driver, who chose that particular time to leave the area. Sorry guys, you may not like to hear that a towncar driver messed up, but it happened. Just as sometimes DME messes up.
Not dramatic, not typical, just factual.

 

[goofy4tink]

I am sorry, Diane. You have on many occasions defended my right to speak out and I appreciate that. Your position on the boards makes your posts stand out and sometimes I get overzealous in defending the industry I want to be able to serve the passenger, when they want an alternative to the DME.

I will watch my posts more closely.

Thanks Edd....I appreciate that. I am sure that your passengers are happy with your service and the way you provide it.

 

[WillCAD]

But have to tell you....I have about had it with the 'hands outstretched' at WDW. The driver gets a tip, the guy that takes the luggage from him expects a tip, the guy that brings my bags to my room expects a tip...so now I have spent an addtl. $15 for baggage delivery.

Fortunately, I am in a position to easily avoid this gimme-gimme syndrome - I travel alone, and I intentionally pack in such a manner that I can handle my own luggage at all stages of my trip.

I take my checked bag directly to the airline check-in counter, so I don't have to tip a skycap.

I pick my own luggage up from the belt and carry it to my rental car, so again I don't have to tip a skycap.

I rent a car, so I don't have to tip any kind of driver.

I stay at Value-level resorts (either on-site or off-site) and take my own bag to my room, so I don't have to tip bellmen.

And when I go home, it all works in reverse.

Tipping is a common expense when travelling, but it can really add up over the course of even a simple trip, and my budget simply can't handle many extra expenses, so I put a little thought into it ahead of time by packing light enough to handle my own luggage, and I save myself a lot of money.

 

[CleveRocks]

but what happens if you get to your resort and you are missing a piece of two? Do you grab a cab and go back to the airport to report it missing.

No.

DME takes care of this for the guest. This may require some additional information via telephone call (such as a description of the contents), but it is absolutely part of DME's basic nature to attempt track down luggage that didn't yet make it to MCO. So in other words, DME passengers don't need to return to MCO and deal with their airline's baggage office people; DME acts as their agent in that regard.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

When arriving at the resort, the driver tells the guard that we are staying CL, and someone is waiting to take us right to our room. This isn't going to happen on DME.

Actually, it does. When I worked Curbside Concierge, we tracked flights, and DME let us know when a guest checked into the Welcome Center. When the appropriate DME bus pulls into the resort, Security gave us a call, and we were out waiting for the guest. Due to guest demographics that we had, we were able to pinpoint who the guest was 95% of the time.

Guests LOVED the fact that we knew who they were out of the blue.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

This must be a new feature, being able to check in and get a room assigned en-route. If town car guests can do this, ME guests should soon be able to, the biggest drawback being a limited number of ipods to pass around to everybody in the bus to punch in their room choices in the short time it takes to travel to the resort. Wow! This would add a whole new dimension of magic to ME.

Concierge guests get special treatment at check-in. Most resorts have a Concierge or other CM greet you, and escort you to a private check-in area.

As for DME guests I explained how the Concierge part works in a post above this.

But it's not new that DME alerts the resort that a guest has checked in. One of the things the resort back office does is continually monitor all DME arrivals. When a DME guest checks in at the Welcome Center, the resort then goes and tries to find a clean room that meets the guests requests. So therefore, DME guests do have a much better chance than a non-DME guest of getting a clean room.

 

[ducklite]

This must be a new feature, being able to check in and get a room assigned en-route. If town car guests can do this, ME guests should soon be able to,

Like I said, CL. Club Level. Yes, the room is pre-assigned and yes the driver lets the guard know you are a CL guest and they meet you out front and escort you to your room.

Anne