Orlando International Airport -> Disney Resorts

[biggroofy]

A party of five (4 adults + 1 infant) arriving late at Orlando International Airport. DW wants to take the fastest possible way to POFQ.

Option 1: Town Car (or Taxi - can they carry 5 passengers?) - around $200 round trip (may take DME back to Airport, so $110 one-way)

Option 2: Rent a car - around $300 per week (including Tax and Child Seat). How far is WDW away from airport? Anyone can give me the route/direction?

Option 3: Disney Magical Express - we did not receive transportation voucher (also no yellow tags). Tour operator will not mail them to us, instead, they gave us 1 purple sheet with instructions - how to contact Disney Welcome Center upon arrival.

Any comments/suggestions?

 

[budbeerlady]

We stayed at POFQ in Dec and used Magical Express. We will be doing it again this year. We landed at 2 and were in checked in and off to M.K by 3pm. It took longer to check in at POFQ than it did to get there. I think free is always the best bet if it is quick.

 

[Bob P]

Not sure about your pricing...a town car should only run you about $110-$120 round trip including the tip.

 

[goofy4tink]

A party of five (4 adults + 1 infant) arriving late at Orlando International Airport. DW wants to take the fastest possible way to POFQ.

Option 1: Town Car (or Taxi - can they carry 5 passengers?) - around $200 round trip (may take DME back to Airport, so $110 one-way)

Option 2: Rent a car - around $300 per week (including Tax and Child Seat). How far is WDW away from airport? Anyone can give me the route/direction?

Option 3: Disney Magical Express - we did not receive transportation voucher (also no yellow tags). Tour operator will not mail them to us, instead, they gave us 1 purple sheet with instructions - how to contact Disney Welcome Center upon arrival.

Any comments/suggestions?

Why won't the tour operator give you the DME packet? Having those yellow tags is a big part of the service. They should be giving it to you..unless of course they never booked it for you. In that case, you aren't going to be able to use it. It has to be booked before you get to the airport! I would call the tour people and ask why they can't give you something that you are entitled to.
Otherwise, you either have to rent a car...it's about 30 minutes to WDW. Or take a towncar service. I'm not sure you will all fit in a towncar, so you would have to have a limo. Now....we had a limo for 6 of us that cost about $250, but we came into Sanford rather than MCO. We had been given a van because our party was too big but they showed up in a gorgeous stretch limo, for the same price.

I really think your best bet is to find out why you can't be given your DME packet. Okay....need to amend here...I just read your previous post about DME.

So.....it would seem that your tour people are afraid they won't get your info packet in time to get it to you. That's different. It does seem that they did indeed make a reservation for you. If you do not get your packet (and you really do have plenty of time left before you need to worry), you can just go to baggage claim, grab your own bags. Then head down to the DME area. One person has to get in the line, leave everyone else with the bags. It is no problem checking in without any packet...I've done it myself since I booked 6 days before my trip. They will check your whole party in, and give you a packet with return vouchers in it. Then you will be directed to the bus line area, where all of you will que up with your bags. You will be directed to a particular bus, the driver will stow your bags under the bus, you board. Hopefully you will then drive away and not have to wait too long. When you get to your resort, the bus driver will take all the bags for that resort out, you will then, hopefully, tip the driver and take your bags to get checked in at the resort. As my dd says...easy peasy!
But keep in mind, you still have time to get that packet. If, when you do get the packet, you decide you don't want to use the luggage delivery part, do not put those yellow tags on your bags! If you do, you won't ever see them in baggage claim because they will have been pulled off and put on an entirely different truck!

 

[safetymom]

If you are already signed up for DME you can stop at their desk, give them your baggage claim numbers and they will pick up your luggage from the carousel and transport them to your resort.

 

[biggroofy]

So.....it would seem that your tour people are afraid they won't get your info packet in time to get it to you. That's different. It does seem that they did indeed make a reservation for you.

First, thank you everyone

goofy4tink, regarding my other Post, my wife picked up the package (hotel+flight) from travel agency today. The travel agent called Nolitours, and their staff claimed that they will NOT be sending out DME voucher + yellow tags, that's why they have enclosed the purple sheet of instructions, asking me to look for Disney Welcome Center at airport.

I am just confused, since I have learned from this forum, as well as Disney web site, that Magical Express must be booked at least 10 days in advance. But it seems that there is no way I can book it by myself, as my booking number is only referenced to Nolitours, and not with Disney Resort

My wife had been struggling between renting or not renting a car within WDW (since we have quite a few meals at other resorts, and she wanted to visit outlets), we decided NOT to rent a car last week.

However, she return to her struggling again today, fearing if DME is not booked by Nolitour, and cannot get on the bus

Back to our alternatives: DME vs towncar vs car rental. Our flight arrives around 10pm, and she wanted to get to resort at earliest possible time (with luggages), since our DD2 usually slept around 8:30pm, so she wanted to settle down ASAP

Any suggestions (on DME reservation, or my alternatives)?
Thanks again!

 

[nliedel]

Disney's Magical Express is conveniant and free. It is not, however, fast.

 

[maine_jennifer]

I agree about the towncar price. $200 is steep, unless it's a company you've used before and are returning too. Personally, I use Sunray Transportation (they have SUV's that can accomdate your party of 5). It's $90 round trip + gratuity. They also have car seats if you're not bringing your own.

Cheers!

 

[WaltD4Me]

If fast is your # 1 priority, I'd scratch off DME and/or a Mears shuttle. -- In fact cross off the Mears shuttle no matter what.....

If you decide against a rental, the fastest way is going to be a town car service. They meet you at the bottom of the escalator in baggage claim, get your luggage, get in the car and GO. No checking in, no waiting for other guests, no stopping at other resorts. The town car service I use is $85 round trip and even with a grocery stop, we are at our resort in less than an hour (I am a fast shopper though!) -- If you go straight from MCO to your resort, you are probably looking at about 35-45 minutes....maybe less since at that time traffic will be light. The service I use will also rent you a very nice deluxe stroller for $20 for the length of your stay, which was a really nice bonus and alot cheaper than a seperate rental service, plus the stroller was much nicer and more comfy than the ones you can rent in the parks.

 

[biggroofy]

Option 1: Town Car (or Taxi - can they carry 5 passengers?) - around $200 round trip (may take DME back to Airport, so $110 one-way)

Sorry guys, I have quoted the wrong price from Happy Limo
I quoted the STRETCH LIMO price (8 persons) as above, but realized I can get a Van rate for $70 one-way, $120 round-trip.

Yes, I understand that ME might be the best option (Free, convenient, reliable). That was our decision before (take ME, and use Disney transportation during our one-week vacation). Now after my wife learned that she is not going to get ME vouchers and yellow tags (and unable to make reservations by ourselves), she becomes a bit nervous - since we are going with parents-in-law, and our little DD2.

Furthermore, as mentioned before, we would prefer to claim our baggages and take them to the bus (and tip the driver when he unload them for us at POFQ), since I do not want bell service knocking at my door at 2AM, and some of the baby necessities will be in baggages so we cannot wait until next morning.

Status so far....50% possibility - town car, 40% - DME (need verification), 10% car rental (our first visit, not familar with roads)

 

[oghsjbabbitt]

Sorry guys, I have quoted the wrong price from Happy Limo
I quoted the STRETCH LIMO price (8 persons) as above, but realized I can get a Van rate for $70 one-way, $120 round-trip.

Yes, I understand that ME might be the best option (Free, convenient, reliable). That was our decision before (take ME, and use Disney transportation during our one-week vacation). Now after my wife learned that she is not going to get ME vouchers and yellow tags (and unable to make reservations by ourselves), she becomes a bit nervous - since we are going with parents-in-law, and our little DD2.

Furthermore, as mentioned before, we would prefer to claim our baggages and take them to the bus (and tip the driver when he unload them for us at POFQ), since I do not want bell service knocking at my door at 2AM, and some of the baby necessities will be in baggages so we cannot wait until next morning.

Status so far....50% possibility - town car, 40% - DME (need verification), 10% car rental (our first visit, not familar with roads)

If I am correct....I think DME wont deliver your luggage in the middle of the night. They will wait til morning. I would figure that you are signed up for DME because your tour operator gave you the paper directing you to them....I yhink they were too cheap to send you the info packet. I could be wrong though. Good luck!

 

[DisnyMama]

Hi There. Your Tour Company does not have access to the DME packet with the luggage tags. The only thing that they do and are responsible for doing is at the time of booking your trip, contacting DME and giving them all your information including flight dates/times and numbers. DME will send the packet with your yellow luggage tags directly to you. They like to ship DHL and they also like to send them at the last minute. In December we received ours 2 days before we left. We also contacted DME ourselves to find out where they were. They were very nice. Just call the regular Disney Travel Phone number 407-w-disney and ask for DME and they will transfer you over to them and/or give you their direct number.

P.S. We loved the service!

 

[biggroofy]

DME will send the packet with your yellow luggage tags directly to you. They like to ship DHL and they also like to send them at the last minute.

Hi DisnyMama,

Thanks

However, since the travel agency did not have my address, I doubted if DME will ship the package to me directly. In this case, I will call my TA a few days before my travel, just to check if DME would have mailed the packet to them by any chance.

 

[Gary M]

The toll free # for DME is 1-866-599-0951.