Sell us on ME

[LoveKermit]

We are staying at BWV in Jan. We get in REALLY late (11:20 if Chicago isn't delayed). Clearly, we retrieve our own luggage that late.

Is it really worth it? We have to return to the airport SO early on our return day as well.

I've read most people do not make more than 1 or 2 other stops when they take it. What about returning to MCO; how many stops generally? How does luggage work on the return?

Can we ME only one way and get a driver or rent a one-way car to go back to MCO? Or do you have to do round-trip?

We always rent a car. This trip we will also be going to DTD and DH HATES the busses. But I feel like ME might get us out of the airport faster than renting.

Thoughts? Comments? Thanks!

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

I would rent the car. You can get from one point to another quicker than on the bus. You can go offsite to eat and save lots of $$.

 

[maxiesmom]

I have used ME many times without a problem. But our one late night arrival at MCO Magical Express was neither express or magical. We landed at 11pm and didn't get to our resort's check in counter until 1am. And that was before Disney went with the pick up your own luggage after 10pm thing. Do your family a favor and either rent a car our use a car service.

 

[seashoreCM]

Taking Magical Express just one way is no problem. Piece of cake.

Just say so when you make your reservation. Going home reservations can also be made after you get there, at least two days before you need the ride.

All DME guests can bring their luggage to the bus when going home. Guests flying out on selected airlines during selected hours can check luggage at the resort (check hours are about 5 AM to 1 PM and luggage must be checked no less than 3 hours before your flight.)

You can also stay at an airport hotel on your arrival first evening and/or just before your departure morning. You would reserve DME for your actual Disney's resort check in and check out dates.

Disney hints: http://www.cockam.com/disney.htm

 

[Tozzie]

We are staying at BWV in Jan. We get in REALLY late (11:20 if Chicago isn't delayed). Clearly, we retrieve our own luggage that late.

Is it really worth it? We have to return to the airport SO early on our return day as well.

I've read most people do not make more than 1 or 2 other stops when they take it. What about returning to MCO; how many stops generally? How does luggage work on the return?

Can we ME only one way and get a driver or rent a one-way car to go back to MCO? Or do you have to do round-trip?

We always rent a car. This trip we will also be going to DTD and DH HATES the busses. But I feel like ME might get us out of the airport faster than renting.

Thoughts? Comments? Thanks!

I use Magical Express all the time, while some people might have isolated issues or problems, I have had nothing but good experiences and in fact am using it again in a few weeks. I have used it at all times of the day and night and my travel time has consistently been around 60 minutes, once it was 85 minutes .

You can use it only one way, however not taking it back to the airport will not give you all that much extra time at the resort.

 

[Edd]

DME late night is not always the answer to transportqation. There have been reports by taxi drivers that business, to WDW, picks up because many DME riders are faced with delays and waiting around longer than usual.

The late night busses are not available and so the number of busses that are available is low. Many times the busses are held to fill them up and than the number of resort drop-off expands. Sometimes one bus will have six different resorts (picked up from a DME bus driver who is not happy with the late evening shift), Along with luggage taken to the busses, there are delays that cannot be compensated for.

All the changes in the system, to late night operations, from the daytime operations is making DME a risky transportation option.

 

[seashoreCM]

Somewhere it was publicized that four resorts was the maximum number per bus, both to Disney and to the airport.

We'll need to find out, whether six different resorts is a normal late night DME schedule or whether this happens only when some regular Mears guests to other locations are commingled on the bus.

Back in the old days of public transportation, drivers liked to run ahead of schedule and there would be fewer passengers at the stops and less work collecting fares and making change. Then the next driver on the route, on schedule, has a lot more people to have to take care of including those upset because they got to the stop on time for the previous bus but had to wait for the next bus.

I could only imagine that today a DME driver might want to dilly dally to grab more passengers and therefore get more tips. Then the next driver on the route, on schedule, has a lot fewer people and a lot fewer tips.

But I wouldn't call DME at night risky, as long as it shows up and I don't miss my plane home.

 

[Lewisc]

What airline? SW passengers have to get their luggage, go back up to level three, schlep their stuff to the opposite corner of MCO then go down to level one.

Sounds like you're one of the last flights of the night. DME keeps track of flight status. It wouldn't be a reach to think they'd hold a bus if an arriving flight has the last group of DME passengers staying at a resort on your route.

I'd rent a car, assuming you get a rate you're comfortable with.

edited to add I believe the pp is mistaken. AFAIK a dispatcher, not the driver, decides which resorts get loaded on a bus and how long the bus waits before it leaves for WDW. I'll speculate guests who sit on a bus for 45 minutes before it leaves MCO are less likely to tip.

 

[Edd]

Late at night, it doesn't really matter who dispatches. The airport is left with the remaining busses that are dispatched to the airport by Mears. Disney has nothing to do with the bus dispatching. The number is probably based on the number of planes landing and a rough percentage of those remaining passengers who may use the DME. When the airport is only getting 5 busses for maybe 5 flights than that is the amount they are going to get for the evening. The tendency is to fill up the first remaining busses with the passengers as they get to the desk. Some busses may have as many as 6 stops. There are approximatley 15 resorts to consider at Disney. The do not assign 3 or 4 resorts to each bus and load them like they do in the daytime or you would have many more passengers waiting for a long time to get to the resort.

Passengers file down to the DME slower than during the day and not as many. Busses are than filled knowing what the remaining bus inventory for the night is. The first of the busses are filled with routes that are more spread out and the remaining few busses are held until a time the remaining passengers are assumed to be all down to the DME. Sometimes the last bus will be half full or full. The last busses out usually wait round for quite a while before they are cleared to leave the airport.

If there are planes that land real late like 0300 - 0400 than DME will not hold the last busses to meet the planes. Mears will dispatch busses, to the airport, that might have been scheduled for the first stop in Disney.

Lewis, A bus driver has no decision in this. The personnel working late at night in the DME center make the decision to hold or send the busses. So when was the last time you saw well-qualified supervisors working until 0300 in the morning.

 

[LoveKermit]

I believe we reserved a rental last night. We get good rates through Costco and are using our Budget preferred customer card which we are hoping gets us checked in and out of the airport faster than usual (except for carseat installation, but we've got a good system).

But many of you confirmed what I was afraid of--too late = too difficult.

Thanks!

 

[Lewisc]

Late at night, it doesn't really matter who dispatches. ......If there are planes that land real late like 0300 - 0400 than DME will not hold the last busses to meet the planes. Mears will dispatch busses, to the airport, that might have been scheduled for the first stop in Disney.

Lewis, A bus driver has no decision in this. The personnel working late at night in the DME center make the decision to hold or send the busses. So when was the last time you saw well-qualified supervisors working until 0300 in the morning.

A PP suggested a driver might want to hold a bus so he'd get more passengers which might result in more tips. You're confirming my point, the driver has no say.

AFAIK there aren't any planes scheduled to land at 0300-0400. Last time I checked the last flights are scheduled to land a little after midnight.

My point is a bus might be delayed for an arriving flight. I think we're saying the same thing. DME knows a flight has arrived at the gate. Not a reach to hold a DME bus until those passengers get their luggage and arrive at the DME location.

Passengers who arrive on a flight that lands after 10p have to schlep their luggage. May have to wait longer before a bus is dispatched and may get extra stops.

I don't think DME does this but it would make sense to just provide a taxi voucher if a (delayed) flight that arrives at 0300 only has one family with a DME reservation.

I like DME but wouldn't use it if my flight was scheduled to land after 10p. I'd probably stay at an airport hotel but might use a car service.

 

[clkelley]

I don't think DME does this but it would make sense to just provide a taxi voucher if a (delayed) flight that arrives at 0300 only has one family with a DME reservation.

Actually, I've read at least one report where DME does do this. A family's flight was seriously delayed, and they arrived like at 2am. They got to the DME desk and there was no one in sight. There was a sign on the desk to call a certain phone number. They were delivered to their resort by taxi.

This was before the 10pm cutoff on luggage, so have no clue what route their luggage took. (If they received it the next morning, or it wasn't tagged, and they claimed it themselves.)

 

[Edd]

Many times there are scheduled flights that are delayed until after 0200h. Continental and U.S. Air seem to be the main offenders. The DME will try to hold busses, but if not they could possibly voucher rides to the Mears taxi or shuttle. I am sure there is some type of arrangement to do that. In most cases if there is a serious amount of delayed flights Mears will start a DME bus at the airport rather than WDW. It depends on what is happening.

 

[Lewisc]

Ed--Flight delays are posted. Do enough taxi drivers hang out to accomodate passengers on delayed flights? At least some passengers who were planning on taking DME might change their mind after a 2+hour flight delay. At least some passengers may have "issues" if a rental agency doesn't have availability of cars.

 

[Edd]

There are taxis in the airport all night. I think some of the drivers, whose vehicles are not due in until 0700h may sleep there or just hang out to catch the red eye taxi passengers.