Orlando Airport transportation solicitors.. your story?

[ducklite]

Anyone can solicit for rides once the passenger has "hit the curb". That would include hotels, taxi's, gypsy cabs, anyone.

DME was not supposed to be soliciting inside the airport, however they have been steering business not eligible for DME to their jv partner, Mears. This is where the unfair trade comes in.

They had access to the pax on level three, while other drivers and operators were limited to level one--and even at that point were not supposed to be soliciting. It was a definite unfair advantage, and probably in violation of F.T.C. regs.

Anne

 

[TDC Nala]

however they have been steering business not eligible for DME to their jv partner, Mears.

Ah hah!

Thanks, Anne.

 

[Lewisc]

I don't understand your question. The quote from the airport official in the article you linked to said the total number of guests is considerably greater than what was expected. Other articles linked to said it was double and gave the 50 cent figure.

A passengers in my DME bus paid to take the bus to AKL. Her son didn't get out of work until later and it was easier to be picked up at AKL rather than at MCO. She said it was cheaper to pay to take the Disney bus than it was to take a cab. I didn't think to ask her who told her she could just pay to take DME.

I agree the transportation officials asked the airport to enforce the rules that Disney agreed to and wasn't adhering to.

My point is DME is good for us but isn't good for the airport or for other transpiration companies. It's really not fair competition when Disney is the only company that has access to incoming luggage, is the only company that can have employees on level three, evidently is paying a lower fee to the airport and is providing the service below cost.

They did. Disney evidently agreed guests would have to have advance reservations to be transported. Disney isn't requiring advance reservations, is soliciting business at the airport and is going so far as to transport guests who aren't even staying at a Disney resort. Evidently the number of guests is at least double what Disney told the airport when the deal was negotiated.

QUOTE]

Where is this reported? It wasn't the airport that reopened all this. It was the transportation companies.

 

[NotUrsula]

I was there 2 weeks ago and stopped to wait near the greeters on the 3rd floor while DS went to the restroom. I overheard several conversations where clueless passengers walked up and asked ME greeters how to get to WDW, and the greeters told them that there was a direct bus service, then proceeded to give them directions to the ME queue downstairs.

Ironically, when we got downstairs and were about to head into the garage, DH decided to take a restroom break, so I also overheard the other end of the ME transaction, when the folks at the head of the bus queue were explaining that the short line was for passengers who already had their ME tickets, and that if they still needed to get tickets, they needed to go to the other line (which was at the Mears counter.) That line was HUGE. There had to have been 400 people in it at 11 am on a Friday.

Mears is absolutely allowing people with no advance reservations on the ME busses, but they are paying for the ride. The underbus luggage compartments were full to the brim on every bus in the loading area. Taking the ME bus is MUCH quicker than taking the regular Mears service, and Mears is apparently selling that to as many WDW-bound passengers as they possibly can. I have to say I can't blame the livery operators for being livid about the ME/Mears greeters getting first crack at the walk-up business that way.

 

[goofy4tink]

Is Mears still running 'their own' buses? Or are they just accepting payment, then putting those 'paying' customers on the DME buses? That would be annoying to me. And if the 'white gloves' are sending people to the Mears desk or to the DME desk (who in turn send them to Mears) then I have an issue with that. That just doesn't feel right. Those that have already made their reservations with DME should be the ones on those buses...not 'walk-ups'. Does it hurt me or impact me in some way? I really don't know, it's just the idea that gets me going. If this is what they are doing, then the towncar reps should be able to be up on the third level also. Might be time for just plain old signage rather than the human touch. Actually, I would prefer the signs...I haven't been able to find a 'person' to ask yet! At least not without going way out of the way.

 

[ducklite]

Is Mears still running 'their own' buses? Or are they just accepting payment, then putting those 'paying' customers on the DME buses?

I can't answer the first question, but the second part is a resounding yes.

That would be annoying to me. And if the 'white gloves' are sending people to the Mears desk or to the DME desk (who in turn send them to Mears) then I have an issue with that. That just doesn't feel right. Those that have already made their reservations with DME should be the ones on those buses...not 'walk-ups'.

This is exactly what the situation is.

Does it hurt me or impact me in some way? I really don't know, it's just the idea that gets me going. If this is what they are doing, then the towncar reps should be able to be up on the third level also.

This is why they have threatened legal action.

Anne

 

[Lewisc]

Is Mears still running 'their own' buses? Or are they just accepting payment, then putting those 'paying' customers on the DME buses?

They are running Mears buses to non-WDW hotels. They are not accepting reservations to WDW owned resorts but will sell a ticket and transport guests on ME buses

Does it hurt me or impact me in some way? I really don't know, it's just the idea that gets me going. If this is what they are doing, then the towncar reps should be able to be up on the third level also. Might be time for just plain old signage rather than the human touch. Actually, I would prefer the signs...I haven't been able to find a 'person' to ask yet! At least not without going way out of the way.

More passengers probably helps dispatch the buses faster. It's probably better for us but it sure isn't fair to taxis and limos. I'm not sure how it affects the limos but it has to hurt taxis.

 

[seashoreCM]

however they have been steering business not eligible for DME to their jv partner, Mears. This is where the unfair trade comes in.

And many arriving passengers already had the cattle car and multiple stop grand tour of the greater Orlando countryside experience on Mears and went instead to the town cars and taxis. Others would take Mears at the suggestion of the white gloved person upstairs and say "never again".

--- On the other hand ---

They are running Mears buses to non-WDW hotels. They are not accepting reservations to WDW owned resorts but will sell a ticket and transport guests on ME buses.

(copied from another post)
Too bad Mears didn't think of it earlier, many years earlier. Run exclusive Disney resort shuttles, that is separate from the International Drive and Hotel Plaza Blvd. shuttles. Fewer stops, happier Disney guests, fewer guests switching to towncars, perhaps ME would then never have been invented.

 

[Lewisc]

(copied from another post)
Too bad Mears didn't think of it earlier, many years earlier. Run exclusive Disney resort shuttles, that is separate from the International Drive and Hotel Plaza Blvd. shuttles. Fewer stops, happier Disney guests, fewer guests switching to towncars, perhaps ME would then never have been invented.

Mears didn't normally mix I Drive hotels with Disney hotels. The buses from the Boardwalk area would sometimes stop at the Marriott or Gaylord Palms but that's on the way to the airport. The behind the scenes luggage pick up and delivery to your room couldn't be done without Disney. Let's not kid ourselves, FREE is what makes DME popular. FREE means more passengers which leads to more frequent buses and fewer stops. FREE can't be done without Disney paying for it. Mears had to pickup from 4 locations, 2 on each side of the airport. DME takes care of luggage which means they only leave from one location which makes for a more efficient program.

Three or more guests and a towncar or rental car isn't that much more than Mears.

 

[goofy4tink]

Mears didn't normally mix I Drive hotels with Disney hotels. The buses from the Boardwalk area would sometimes stop at the Marriott or Gaylord Palms but that's on the way to the airport. The behind the scenes luggage pick up and delivery to your room couldn't be done without Disney. Let's not kid ourselves, FREE is what makes DME popular. FREE means more passengers which leads to more frequent buses and fewer stops. FREE can't be done without Disney paying for it. Mears had to pickup from 4 locations, 2 on each side of the airport. DME takes care of luggage which means they only leave from one location which makes for a more efficient program.

Three or more guests and a towncar or rental car isn't that much more than Mears.

Absolutely!!! It just doesn't always make sense for one or two people to pay over $100 for a towncar when they can use Mears for $60. So, while DME is free, I'll be using it. And if it's just myself or myself and dd traveling, we'll probably pay for DME...it will most likely be cheaper than a towncar and I don't have to hassle with my bags. But, if dh is with us, we are now looking at close to $100 for DME. We'll take a towncar especially since dh is there and can deal with the heavier bags!!

 

[ducklite]

Even when it was just DS and myself I used a towncar. The convenience far outweighed the additional cost, even on a low budget trip. I would cut corners elsewhere before I used the cattle car service.

Anne

 

[Chicago526]

But is it soliciting when a person walks up to a CM and ASKS "how do I get to WDW?"

To me soliciting is the CM going up to people and saying "hey, if you are going to WDW then..."

Still, while this would mean that CM's are not violating the LETTER of the law, they are violating it's SPIRIT, which is to prevent unfair advantage.

Eitherway, I'm sticking with my towncar service. If the $100 round-trip fare is too expensive, then I can't afford a WDW to begin with. When I land at Orlando, the last thing I want to do is wait in lines and wait for busses, I want to go to WDW right NOW! And on the way home, after a week of riding buses everywhere, a towncar is a great way to end a trip (plus I get extra time at the resort before having to leave!).

 

[Fire14]

I don't know how it was exactly said but a white glove came up to me and said something about magical express and going to Disney. I was a bit po'd as

# 1 I hadn't said word one to him, he came to me
# 2 When I said I wouldn't use a bus service again he got kinda snotty.
I continued on in my travels after that.

 

[Pedler]

I think we are missing the point of ME. I don't think the overall goal is to compete with the other forms of transportation just to capture the market for transportation with the goal later on of charging for the service and making money off of it directly. I think the primary goal of ME is the same as the new ticket pricing and revised dinning plan. That goal is to capture more overall revenue per customer. The new ticket pricing encourages people to go to parks more days than they otherwise might have. That equates to more money spent in the parks and maybe more nights spent at hotels. The dinning plan encourages people to stay on site. My understanding is that the plan this year include less but is more affordable than some previous plans.

I think the goal with the Magic Express is to make it more cumbersome to go off site and spend money. If by tossing in transportation on a bus for a family of 4 that has a monetary value of say $100 or so they get them to spend more money on site or stay longer then it becomes a net win for Disney. I am sure that the scrooge McDucks of Disney are running the numbers on revenue per day per DME guest as opposed to no DME guests. (I am also confident that they are looking at what "extras" like the way over priced alcholic drinks dinning plan participants are buying as opposed to non dinning plan participants. Heck and extra drink or two at Disney's outragouse prices would negate any savings on the dinning plan.)

The fact that they are having a serious impact on other forms of transporation is just collateral damage in thier bigger goal of keeping guests captive on site and getting just about every dollar they spend. As I have said before in our case they took what may have been $1000 spent with Disney directly and turned it into almost $3,000 spent with Disney. That was money that would have gone to the Nick Hotel, a rental car, other restaurants and maybe another destination like Sea World. FYI we were more than glad to give Disney all of our money and none to anyone else.

Just my .02.

 

[yayagoofy]

Anyone can solicit for rides once the passenger has "hit the curb". That would include hotels, taxi's, gypsy cabs, anyone.

DME was not supposed to be soliciting inside the airport, however they have been steering business not eligible for DME to their jv partner, Mears. This is where the unfair trade comes in.

They had access to the pax on level three, while other drivers and operators were limited to level one--and even at that point were not supposed to be soliciting. It was a definite unfair advantage, and probably in violation of F.T.C. regs.

Anne

That is incorrect, drivers can't solicit rides, it's against airport rules. Either you go to one of the concessionaire booths, or taxi starters. Or, the trip must be pre-arranged, your driver has to have your name on a sign along with your flight information. The "Meet and Greet" place to meet your driver is on level 2 (baggage claim).

 

[yayagoofy]

Maybe the OP is trying to start awareness?

BINGO!!!

 

[TDC Nala]

If the $100 round-trip fare is too expensive, then I can't afford a WDW to begin with.

I'm certainly not agreeing with that. The $100 is the flight cost for my next trip. And I'm one person, and $100 in transportation costs is NOT a bargain.

Besides, I can buy 10 martinis with that $100 (not all at the same time).

 

[paladin]

drivers can't solicit rides, it's against airport rules.

Yes, it is against the rules, but that doesn't mean drivers "can't" solicit rides, it means they aren't supposed to. If you read through this thread, you will see several cases of folks being soliticited. Most airports have the same anti-solicitation rules, but drivers still solicit (they just try not to get caught). I have been solicited in airports and I have a friend who was a cab driver and has lots of interesting stories on the topic.

 

[Chicago526]

I'm certainly not agreeing with that. The $100 is the flight cost for my next trip. And I'm one person, and $100 in transportation costs is NOT a bargain.

Besides, I can buy 10 martinis with that $100 (not all at the same time).

And that's why I posted "I" and not "you". I feel that if I cannot afford the $100 towncar service, then I probably can't afford the trip in the first place. Not that $100 isn't a lot of money to me, it is! It's just that I like to travel to WDW a certain way, and I make sure to (and we're blessed to be ABLE to) save up enough to do so. I know for others, the only way to get to WDW at all is to go as inexpensively as possible, and that could mean free ME. But also keep in mind that the free ME isn't going to last forever, so for those on a strict budget, they'll be right back where they started from, looking for the cheapest way to get to WDW. If they charge $30 round-trip for ME, a family of 4 would still be better off with a towncar service. They'd cost about the same but A) could do a grocery stop and B) don't have to deal with lines, waits, and multiple stops of ME.

 

[ducklite]

But is it soliciting when a person walks up to a CM and ASKS "how do I get to WDW?"

The correct answer should be a referral to the airport run ground transportation desk which will in theory fairly represent all options, rather than a deliberate direction of business to the joint venture partner.

Anne