Pros and Cons of Disney magical Express

[LiLIrishChick63]

I'm not quite sure why you're so annoyed that others may disagree with you. [EDITED TO ADD: Looking back at your original post and my response where I quoted you, I realize that I never ever "disagreed" with you, I simply informed you that your "con" could have been avoided with a little knowledge on your part. FOR EXAMPLE, if you showed up at MK's entrance with a bag full of glass beverage containers and Security didn't let you take them into the park, does the fact that you wasted money and energy buying those beverages make WDW's "no glass" rule a "con"? I don't think so, because if you learned the system and knew that rule ahead of time, you wouldn't have had to be frustrated when you tried to take the glass into the park. You would have PREVENTED that frustration by buying beverages in plastic containers instead.]

I don't understand why learning how a system operates is a bad thing. I was trying to explain that the "con" that you cited didn't need to be a con if you knew what to expect. You and I used the same transportation system, and were served in basically the same way. Your displeasure with how the system worked would have been prevented by understanding how the system worked.

I'm still not quite getting your response "I didn't 'learn the system' because as I said before, I used Mears ...." I understand that's the way Mears operated, but DME doesn't operate the same way Mears ran. Believe me, I'm no genius, but even though I used DME when it was just 4 DAYS OLD I knew what to expect, I did learn that new system before I went to Florida.

Aside from my researching on websites such as The DIS, there was an instruction on the first inside page of my DME booklet: "We encourage you to pack a carry-on bag containing these items (they were listed one sentence earlier), along with your medications and other essential items that you may need upon your arrival to Orlando. You will not have immediate access to your luggage." The next sentence is indented and is in italics in the DME booklet: "You may want to pack a change of clothes or swimwear in your carry-on bag if you arrive before your resort's check-in time." It says it right there in black and white (okay, it's actually in burnt orange and an orangey-beige).

So why does it make me a bad guy because I read things and I learned what to expect to make my family's vacation as enjoyable as possible?

well i don't know. why does it make me a bad person because i didn't look up every single peice of information that there could possibly be on ME?

the difference with Mears and ME is that with Mears our bags were with us the whole time and we got them as soon as we were dropped off at the resort. we got to pack everything as soon as we got there and leave and go to the parks. not wait around for up to 4 hours for them, because, i'm not leaving if i don't have to. like you said, they've "lost" luggage before, so i would like to make sure that everything is with me. i don't understand why it would take 4 hours for my luggage to get back to me when it's on the same bus as i am anyway.

what's the big deal, anyway? they poster asked for pros and cons, and i gave my con. that and the fact that we booked about a year ahead of time, and only ONE person in our Magical Gatherings party recieved their luggage tags, AND it was for the wrong resort anyway, coupled with the hassle that they gave us at the counter for not having the tags, made me not like the experience much. they told us we had to get our own bags from baggage claim and bring them to the bus.....so i don't really understand what the service was really good for anyway.

 

[goofy4tink]

You know, the OP did ask for 'pros' and 'cons'. And as much as some of us hate to admit it, DME is not for everyone. There have even been people that have had less than magical experiences with DME. Does everyone read the info packet they get? Probably not. Should they? Sure. I mean, come on...I think DISers are pretty knowledgable people when it comes to anything Disney. However....we must have 3 stickie threads regarding just DME over on the Transportation board. There have to be about 20 other threads concerning DME. Still...with all this out there, people are still misinformed as to how it works. Even here, on this thread, there has been incorrect info given out. So lets not crawl all over people who may have a different opinion or experience.
So....pro's....1.free, 2. relatively fast, 3.comfy, 4. don't have to hastle with my luggage.

con's...1.luggage doesn't get to my room all that quickly, 2.have to leave for airport 3 hrs early vs 2 1/2 with a towncar, 3. no grocery stop 4. sometimes luggage tags might not make it in time (very seldom though if booked more than a month beforehand)

There are always going to be those who prefer a towncar service, while others have no problem at all riding a bus with other vacationers. There are pro's and con's to both systems.

 

[jimmytammy]

We have used ME once and my parents once also.

Pros...Its a money saver, no rental car or towncar fee. It seems very efficient.

Cons...It may shave an hour off your time at WDW. No biggie, but we try to squeeze those last remaining moments out as much as possible. Depending on where you are staying, you may be last dropoff at hotel and first pickup.

 

[seashoreCM]

There have even been people that have had less than magical experiences with DME..

IMHO the less than magical experiences have to do with glitches (e.g. buses not showing up in the case of ME). The same kinds of glitches affect other modes of travel (e.g. no car in the rental lot of the kind you booked and that would hold your family).

:I don't know what you are talking about. I did not know that it is proper to "count words" now when answering a direct question from another poster. Is that a new rule??.

OT: Not a rule but an option, only when dealing with people who are rude or self asserting. PM me if you wish for the example about the teenager with the first class ticket, that is too off topic to put here.

well i don't know. why does it make me a bad person because i didn't look up every single peice of information that there could possibly be on ME?
...only ONE person in our Magical Gatherings party recieved their luggage tags, AND it was for the wrong resort anyway, coupled with the hassle that they gave us at the counter for not having the tags, they told us we had to get our own bags from baggage claim and bring them to the bus...so i don't really understand what the service was really good for anyway.

More glitches. (Most of the day) Getting your bags from the MCO carousel yourself is optional without yellow tags and not possible with. (Late evening) Getting your bags from the carousel is recommended and sometimes required for everyone. Luggage you did not fetch yourself does not travel on the bus you are on. What's the service good for: People who don't want to spend much money.

(Any forum) If you don't find what you are looking for in 15 minutes, it is fair game to post your question.