Question about departure day using DME

[Halloweenqueen]

I've done every search possible, but can't find an answer, so forgive me if this has been asked a thousand times before.

My parents are coming for part of our trip in October. We are going to have a last breakfast together at Ohana's on their departure day. I made the ADR last week.

Now my parents look at their ticket and see they are leaving earlier than they told me initially.

They will becoming for only two days, so are sharing a carry-on. Can they hop on the WME from the Poly, or will they have to return to our resort, Pop Century?

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[helenk]

I've done every search possible, but can't find an answer, so forgive me if this has been asked a thousand times before.

My parents are coming for part of our trip in October. We are going to have a last breakfast together at Ohana's on their departure day. I made the ADR last week.

Now my parents look at their ticket and see they are leaving earlier than they told me initially.

They will becoming for only two days, so are sharing a carry-on. Can they hop on the WME from the Poly, or will they have to return to our resort, Pop Century?

Thanks in advance for your help!

You must depart from the resort in which you are staying as a guest, Your DME reservation home is tied to your resort. So they must return to the POP. You will get a letter the day before your departure that will give you your pick up time. They also suggest that you be at the pick up stop at least 15 minutes proior to your pick up time.

 

[tjmw2727]

Since DME is tied to the resort reservation they will depart from the resort they are staying in and can't depart from the Poly. The DME bus will depart about 3 hours prior to the flight departure time so they should be at the bus stop ready to go about 15 minutes prior. They will get a confirmation the day before they leave with the exact time.

If they would prefer to leave from the Poly they can take a cab or town car - @ $60 plus tip.

TJ

 

[Halloweenqueen]

Thanks guys. I called Disney and the CM told me they didn't even need a reservation, just hop on any available bus. He told me that his buddy comes back and forth from the airport all the time.

I did get the direct DME number from him. I'll call on Monday.

 

[Jillpie]

Thanks guys. I called Disney and the CM told me they didn't even need a reservation, just hop on any available bus. He told me that his buddy comes back and forth from the airport all the time.

I did get the direct DME number from him. I'll call on Monday.

This is totally false information. The first thing the bus driver asks for is your confirmation and if you don't have it, you cannot board that bus. The only thing I can think of is maybe if that bus is half empty and the bus driver is flexible about it, but all the buses I've ever taken back to the airport have been completely full, and all the people aboard have had paper reservations/and or the DME booklet to back it up.

 

[Halloweenqueen]

Just a case of another misinformed CM, I guess. I am in charge of our family's grand gathering. My nephew is staying with us at the begining of the week. He leaves two days before our departure. My sister will be down in FL for a cruise and is flying into Orlando to take his place the last two days.

I asked the same CM to put my sister on the reservation somewhere so she could get DME transportation. He said she didn't need anything, just to show up at the counter and say you are staying at Disney. He said he friend (who doesn't even stay at Disney) uses it a lot to get rides back and forth between the airport and WDW.

I talked to him a good 40 minutes about DME. He assured me that my parents would have no problem getting on at the Poly, or that my sister would be delayed at the airport.

I called DME and the phone just rang. I thought maybe I was calling after business hours.

Going to start over on Monday. I would feel a lot better having my sister confirmed on our reservation somewhere. My parent's issue is secondary, I'll just give them taxi fare to the airport, Then they can spend more time in the restaurant and not feel rushed.

Thanks so much for everyone's thoughts.

 

[seashoreCM]

Hints:

1. For DME going home, wait until after you get there to make changes, corrections, special requests, etc. Get it finalized by morning of the day before checkout.

2. Shoot for getting back to your resort an hour before your assigned bus time back to the airport. Chances are your aim will be off and things will be tighter!

3. If your last activity in town will be a meal, better to do that at the airport. You can always request and get a DME bus more than 3 hours before your flight.

4. If you do succeed in making a special request to take DME from a resort other than yours, and get the written confirmation, then you're good to go from there.

>>> ... his buddy comes back and forth ...

5. Disney-bound only, you can get on any DME bus to your resort. You can stand by for an airport-bound bus although this can mess up a car rental pickup to continue a vacation as well as mess up an airplane flight home. Advance reservations are mandatory both ways.

>>> ... He said she didn't need anything, just to show up at the counter and say you are staying at Disney ...

6. (from the parrot with a patch over his eye) He is totally unabashedly unequivocably indisputably 100% absolutely positively WRONG!

Hint on where to find the aforementioned parrot: http://www.cockam.com/disscav.htm

 

[tjmw2727]

Unfortunately some of the CM's are confused about DME. I would suggest that you call DME for DME information and the CM's for resort and park informaiton.

The fact is that every guest staying at a WDW Resort is entitled to a free ride on DME each way. However, the guest must make a reservation and the trip must be while you are a registered guest, (not the day before or after).

The reason for the reservation requirement has to do with the contract with the airport and fairness to the other transportation providers.

The same is true for the return trip but you can make your arrangements at the resort. As of now DME will only transport you to and from the resort you are registered at.

The OP will have to return to the resort they are staying at to take their scheduled bus. Unlike the inbound buses the buses headed to the airport from the resorts are prescheduled based on the number of reservations. They don't run continually so if you miss your bus you may be out of luck as the next bus may be full or not scheduled for several hours.

TJ

 

[CarolA]

Thanks guys. I called Disney and the CM told me they didn't even need a reservation, just hop on any available bus. He told me that his buddy comes back and forth from the airport all the time.

I did get the direct DME number from him. I'll call on Monday.

The CM LIED! Sorry, but my boyfriend was almost NOT allowed on the bus because he didn't have the voucher. (Luckily we had the reservation number and the driver was able to confirm our reservation!)


They wouldn't let me on an earlier bus recently either and I had a reservation...


Your parents could easily be paying for costly cab ride based on this useless advice!

 

[Halloweenqueen]

Thanks everyone. I knew his story sounded fishy. It's a difficult place to try to push or correct a CM. I was told for a week that Fantasmic Dinner Packages were sold out in October, just to seee a thread that they had been "opened". I easily made a reservation for the package that day.

Already talked to my folks this morning. They are more than happy with the taxi ride after the breakfast. That way we can relax with the character breakfast (an oxymoron) and skip all the bus hopping. The alternative was eating at the POP food court and hanging out for the bus.

I will find a CM who is willing to put my sister on the reservation. That CM just refused to do it...maybe he was new.

Thanks again!

 

[tjmw2727]

If I understand your post correctly your sister only needs DME on the way from the resort to the airport. If so the easiest thing to do is add her after her arriveal. Once she checks at the resort just stop by the front desk or by calling DME from the direct line in the room.

She should get her DME info the day prior to departure - under the door in the room. If not be sure and call to reconfirm her reservation.

TJ