Questions about DME

[Disneymadhouse]

Hi, i am planning to book with Virgin to stay at POP. Do VH automatically book you onto DME if you don't want the car hire?
Do you have to have DME deal with your luggage? The reason for me asking is that i have read on these boards that it can take upto 3 hours for your luggage to arrive at the resort. Now, as everyone who travels from the UK knows you are totally pooped by the time you get to resort, having been up for 18 hours or so! I really don't want to wait that long for our luggage!
I also can't remember the baggage claim proceedure at MCO do you collect it twice - if so when would DME take over?

Thanks for the advice and help

Claire

 

[2Tiggies]

You don't have to have them deal with your luggage. In fact I have always collected my own. Next important thing to save time, if possible, is once you collect from the carousel after passport control, try and take it with you up to the monorail You have to drop it again only if you are unable to take it up the escalator with you. I couldn't manage on my own when DD was younger and had to drop it through. It took a good 20 - 30 minutes to show up at the next terminal. Last year I hauled it up on my own and it made a huge difference.

 

[pixiecarolyn]

I am not sure whether Virgin automatically book you on to the DME. Usually they have Mears bus transport to take you to the hotel and this can sometimes take a while.

You usually get DME if you book direct with Disney - however things may have changed, and yes you can collect your luggage and take it with you all the way. this is what we have done and it works very well, Just check with Virgin however if the use DME..

 

[starrysky]

The first time we flew into MCO we were able to take our luggage with us from the first belt. Second time we had to put it on the next belt (staff would not let you take your bags due to a secodn security check area) and wait for it there. It took WAY longer having to wait for it a second time.

If you do book DME and want to have them take your bags then make sure you pack a change of clothes in your hand luggage. That way if you want to change once you get to your room you dont have to wait for the bags.

I always pack a change in my hand luggage so once i get to the room I can shower and put on clean clothes. I hate how grubby you feel after long flights.

 

[torsie24]

You don't have to have them deal with your luggage. In fact I have always collected my own. Next important thing to save time, if possible, is once you collect from the carousel after passport control, try and take it with you up to the monorail You have to drop it again only if you are unable to take it up the escalator with you. I couldn't manage on my own when DD was younger and had to drop it through. It took a good 20 - 30 minutes to show up at the next terminal. Last year I hauled it up on my own and it made a huge difference.

Lee, I will have 2 big cases, so won't be able to get the cases up on my own...

But...

There's 6 of us, can I do a sort of case relay, leaving someone at the bottom with a couple?

Basically I'm asking if there are downward stairs too....

 

[2Tiggies]

Lee, I will have 2 big cases, so won't be able to get the cases up on my own...

But...

There's 6 of us, can I do a sort of case relay, leaving someone at the bottom with a couple?

Basically I'm asking if there are downward stairs too....

I have never noticed stairs but there would certainly be an elevator somewhere. The escalator is not very wide so I pulled one case behind me and moved the other out in front of me (I made DD go first so I could leave plenty space between us and told her to get off and step to the side IMMEDIATELY at the top ). I just positioned the first one on the escalator and let the other one pull behind me until it locked on a step below and followed. It wasn't that hard but I was worried about someone stopping in front of me when I had to get off because pulling cases is one thing, but I would not have been ablle to lift both if the situation required. If you can do a relay that would work fine. I am now trying to think if there is an escalator coming down that part though I can look when I get home tonight. Although I am sure someone would have been able to tell you by then.

 

[chocolateMinnie]

Virgin will not book you on DME they will book you on their bus which could deliver to lots of hotels (some non-~Disney) as well. One trip we were lucky and had a van between us and another family with Virgin Holidays.

DME is easy enough to book online and we have done it three times now. We always collect our luggage and then hand it back and collect it again. Yes there is a wait (sometimes up to half an hour) for the second collection but we always do a loo break while waiting for it and to be honest aren't bothered about a stretch of our legs either. You don't get paperwork in the UK for DME any more you just take your luggage to their greetings desk and they will give you the documents. We always take our luggage on the DME and back off again ourselves so that when we arrive - shattered - so does our luggage.

 

[Elise79]

Lee, I will have 2 big cases, so won't be able to get the cases up on my own...

But...

There's 6 of us, can I do a sort of case relay, leaving someone at the bottom with a couple?

Basically I'm asking if there are downward stairs too....

Yes you can! There are stairs next to the escalator. I have seen family's doing a relay before.

 

[Disneymadhouse]

Virgin will not book you on DME they will book you on their bus which could deliver to lots of hotels (some non-~Disney) as well. One trip we were lucky and had a van between us and another family with Virgin Holidays.

DME is easy enough to book online and we have done it three times now. We always collect our luggage and then hand it back and collect it again. Yes there is a wait (sometimes up to half an hour) for the second collection but we always do a loo break while waiting for it and to be honest aren't bothered about a stretch of our legs either. You don't get paperwork in the UK for DME any more you just take your luggage to their greetings desk and they will give you the documents. We always take our luggage on the DME and back off again ourselves so that when we arrive - shattered - so does our luggage.

Hi, so do i just need my 12 digit US reservation number from Virgin (the same one i would need to book ADr's?) to book the DME as I would rather go direct to Disney not all round Kissimmee first!!

Claire

 

[chocolateMinnie]

last year you didn't need your WDW reservation to book DME but can't be sure what they are asking for now.

 

[Rohais]

We've had no problems whatsoever with the Mears transport provded free of charge by VH. In 2005 and 2007 we went straight to our hotel, in a shuttle of our own, and in 2009 we shared a bus and headed to the Beach and the Yacht before heading over to AKL

We're using them to go to POFQ this year and I've got no reservations about it. They also have great drivers!

 

[gemmybear83]

We've had no problems whatsoever with the Mears transport provded free of charge by VH. In 2005 and 2007 we went straight to our hotel, in a shuttle of our own, and in 2009 we shared a bus and headed to the Beach and the Yacht before heading over to AKL

We're using them to go to POFQ this year and I've got no reservations about it. They also have great drivers!

The Disney buses are provided by Mears too so it doesnt matter who you go with!