Odd ME question

[KathyK]

I'm driving down with the kids next weekend (7/10), and DH will be flying to meet us after work on 7/16. We are doing a split stay, and he is not listed on the 7/12 - 7/17 reservation, but he is on the 7/17 - 7/24 reservation (we did not include him on the first ressie because we're paying for DDP). His flight will be arriving shortly before midnight on 7/16.

When we initially booked this way, the DVC MS CM said that it should be no problem having DH use ME to get to the resort when he arrives, and that his flight coming in at 11:57 p.m. on the day before he is listed on the ressie would not be a problem either - call back when we have the flight booked.

(I don't know if it matters, but his luggage will be travelling with us - all he'll have with him is his laptop and medications.)

OK, so I called DVC MS to schedule his ME, and the CM tells me that if his flight were getting in 3 minutes later, he could help me, but because the flight arrives on 7/16, he can't arrange for DH to take ME unless we add his name to the 1st ressie (5 days * DxDDP -I don't think so). He gave me the number for ME to contact them directly and see if they can help.

I called ME, and they said that what I can do is ask at Guest Services when we get there if we can add DH to the ressie mid-week to that he can take ME. At that point, we'd call them and they can get him on the list. She says that people do it all of the time, and it won't affect the dining plan.

A friend suggested that I call back with a different flight number (that arrives after midnight) so we can arrange for ME before we go.

So, it looks like we have 4 options:
1. Lie about his flight and ask DVC MS to arrange for ME now.
2. Try to add DH to the ressie after we arrive and arrange for ME during the time that we're there w/o him.
3. Drop DxDDP and get a TIW card so we can add DH to the ressie.
4. Just tell DH to take a cab from the airport.

 

[tjmw2727]

You can add your DH to your first reservation as "room only" if you do it after you check in and get your dining credits etc. So maybe the day after you check in just head to the front desk and add him to the reservation - at that point - he won't have to have the same package.

Then just call DME and make the reservation for your DH for the inbound trip.

Yes, I have done this before as my dh wasn't always able to join us for the entire trip. Most recently I did this with my sister when she joined us a few days into our AKL trip. I just added her the next day and her key card had room access only no dining or park passes.

So I guess that would be #2

FWIW a cab is upward of $55 plus tip.

 

[KathyK]

Yes, I have done this before as my dh wasn't always able to join us for the entire trip. Most recently I did this with my sister when she joined us a few days into our AKL trip. I just added her the next day and her key card had room access only no dining or park passes.

So I guess that would be #2

FWIW a cab is upward of $55 plus tip.

Thanks for the info. I didn't think it sounded do-able when the ME CM explained it, but I'm glad to know that you have done this before successfully. DH's luggage is coming with me when I drive down, so luggage tags are not an issue.

 

[helenk]

I would just provide another flight number indicating that he will be arriving after midnight.
If his flight lands at 11:57 by the time he gets off the plane and gets down to the ME counter etc, it will be after midnight anyway so for a few minutes I'd give different flight info.

 

[seashoreCM]

1. I don't think there are any flights scheduled to arrive at MCO after midnight.

2. Going to WDW via DME before pre-dawn, one must be on a room reservation for the previous night since Disney (and Florida) does not allow sleeping in cars or RVs, or camping, other than at an approved campsite or RV park.

You could get away with waiting a few days to add him to the room and to DME. I think you need at two days before his arrival, that is, do it by the 14'th for his arrival on the 16'th.

 

[KathyK]

1. I don't think there are any flights scheduled to arrive at MCO after midnight.

2. Going to WDW via DME before pre-dawn, one must be on a room reservation for the previous night since Disney (and Florida) does not allow sleeping in cars or RVs, or camping, other than at an approved campsite or RV park.

You could get away with waiting a few days to add him to the room and to DME. I think you need at two days before his arrival, that is, do it by the 14'th for his arrival on the 16'th.

There are several flights ariving after midnight that night. The CM specifically said that if the flight arrived on the 17th, he would be allowed to take ME transportation. That said, I'm not about to lie about his flight number (seems like bad karma), so we'll most likely go with option #2.

 

[kaytieeldr]

How about Option 5, which doesn't involve any lying, misrepresentation, searching for incorrect flights, changing any reservations, expecting Walt Disney World to violate its contract with Orlando International Airport, spending an outrageous amount of money plus tip on transportation (not saying all of these have been suggested)...

5. OP's DH approaches the Mears counter on arrival, books one-way transportation to resort for $19, is assigned to either a Mears Shuttle or possibly a DME bus to their resort.

 

[seashoreCM]

I stand corrected. If you flight is scheduled to arrive after midnight or if your flight is severely delayed, you do not forfeit Magical Express.

Some DME reservationists find one whole number (a flight number) easier to deal with than two numbers separated by a colon (a time). It is perfectly acceptable to pick a flight, any flight, any airline landing at the time you want to take DME to Disney on your check in day or 3 hours after the time you want to take DME to the airport on your check out day, should you not be flying in or out at that time.

I think that if you will check in for the night of the 17'th then the earliest DME bus you can take is 5 AM on the 17'th. However a glitch in the Disney Vacation Club computer or the DME computer might allow other possibilities.

 

[goofy4tink]

As already mentioned....
Head to the front desk a few days before you dh is slated to arrive and have him put on the reservation. Then, he can ride DME.
If, for some weird reason, that isn't possible, he can just head directly to the Mears counter, just before the DME counter at MCO, and take their shuttle to the resort.....$19 one way.

 

[CleveRocks]

You can add your DH to your first reservation as "room only" if you do it after you check in and get your dining credits etc. So maybe the day after you check in just head to the front desk and add him to the reservation - at that point - he won't have to have the same package.

Then just call DME and make the reservation for your DH for the inbound trip.

As already mentioned....
Head to the front desk a few days before you dh is slated to arrive and have him put on the reservation. Then, he can ride DME.

Follow the above advice!

It is totally honest and totally within the rules.

Once you check in at your resort, the package is said to be "exploded," in Disney-speak. After that time, it is TOTALLY legitimate, TOTALLY within Disney's rules to add your husband onto the reservation for the day of his arrival. He will NOT be a part of your package, he will not have the Dining Plan or the tickets, and so on.

Isn't it nice when you can be honest AND do it the easiest way possible at the same time???

 

[KathyK]

Thanks for all of the advice. I was able to add DH to the reservation on Tuesday with no problems. (Though someone on the DVC board said that it was totally illegal and I'd never get away with it.) Then I called ME directly, and they said that they added him on their end.

Unfortunately, when he arrived, they could not find a record of this at the ME desk, and he called me at 1:00 a.m. to ask for the reservation number. ME didn't give me a reservation number, but the person at MCO was able to call the Boardwalk and confirm that he was on the reservation.

 

[LoveKermit]

Glad he was able to get help at MCO. I've heard that getting ME after midnight is tough and that it's dispatched out to Mears. I felt like there would have been no one there to help.

Glad it all worked out.

 

[seashoreCM]

Unfortunately, when he arrived, they could not find a record of this at the ME desk, and he called me at 1:00 a.m. to ask for the reservation number. .

Hope you did not forget to make DH a DME reservation which has to be made or telephoned in separately after he is put on the room reservation.

One significance of a flight number in a DME reservation is so they know who is expected to arrive after midnight.

When ordering or booking or purchasing anything over the phone, get and write down the name and city of the person you talked to if you were unable to get a confirmation number at that time.

 

[msjprincess]

Hope you did not forget to make DH a DME reservation which has to be made or telephoned in separately after he is put on the room reservation.

One significance of a flight number in a DME reservation is so they know who is expected to arrive after midnight.

When ordering or booking or purchasing anything over the phone, get and write down the name and city of the person you talked to if you were unable to get a confirmation number at that time.

She said

Then I called ME directly, and they said that they added him on their end.