using ME - how much time should I factor in to get to our resort?

[mandypta]

We're flying in on a Sunday and our flight arrives at 3:05pm. We're heading to POFQ. On average, what time do you think we might be arriving at our resort?

We're wanting to head to downtown disney (to see the Lego store!) that evening, and we're considering eating at Planet Hollywood, but I'm guessing that making reservations is a bad idea, since any number of things could delay us. If PH doesn't work out, then we'll just grab counter service there.

 

[coltsfanatic]

I'm not sure about POFQ, but it normally takes about 20 minutes, give or take 5, to get from MCO to All Star Movies.

POFQ should take about the same because the (very) general layout is: MCO (north central) AS Movies (extreme west end) and POFQ (extreme east end)


Hope I could help!

 

[siskaren]

The drive from MCO to your resort may only take 20 minutes (assuming that your resort is the first stop), but from the time you land until you get to your resort, you should figure on about 70 minutes. And to be honest, I don't see how it could take only 20 minutes to get from MCO to WDW when it's a 20 mile trip.

 

[mandypta]

I'm not sure about POFQ, but it normally takes about 20 minutes, give or take 5, to get from MCO to All Star Movies.

What about a wait to actually get on the bus? It'll be March 25....so spring break season, I guess. The kids (ages 6 and 3) will eat lunch just before boarding the plane and it's only a 2 hour flight. I'm also trying to figure out whether to plan on a snack while we wait for a bus, or if we can wait until we get to the resort.

 

[mandypta]

The drive from MCO to your resort may only take 20 minutes (assuming that your resort is the first stop), but from the time you land until you get to your resort, you should figure on about 70 minutes.

You must've posted while I was typing. That's more the answer I was wondering about. I was reading the Unofficial guide and it suggested a 3 hour trip! I was thinking that sounded a little extreme.

 

[coltsfanatic]

I think it really depends on the flight day's situation. Last time, once we literally stepped foot off the plane, we had an usher show us to the escalator going to the ME level and then walked right on our bus. 20 minutes later we were at our resort, ten minutes later we were checked in and within twenty minutes we were on the bus to MK.

 

[ncc1701]

Plan on 90 mins. There is wait to get the ME bus and based on our trip last month they seem to drive well under the speed limit.
We stay at POFQ and the bus each time goes to SSR 1st then OKW if they have guest on the bus.Plus the last 2 times the driver took the long way to SSR going past DTD when he could have taken a shorter route (which the ME driver took 2 yrs ago).
Just my opinion but CS at WPE Marketplace or EOS is better than PH. Go for RFC or TRex OOP if you want something different.

 

[Alesia]

Just my opinion but CS at WPE Marketplace or EOS is better than PH.

I agree. I would choose Wolfgang Puck Express or Earl of sandwich over Planet Hollywood every single day of the week. Those two restaurants are better than most full service restaurants at WDW.

 

[seashoreCM]

One persons with a lot, a lot of Magical Express experiences said it takes around 70 to 90 minutes from stepping out of the airplane door to stepping off the DME bus at your resort, excluding time in the airport rest room and assuming not going to the baggage carousels, but including time stopping at other resorts along the way. So perhaps I could say the average time is 80 minutes.

But some of the time it could take somewhat longer.

 

[buckeev]

Different resort...I know...but from the time we got off our plane...'til the time we checked in @ CBR was 2-1/2 hours. It was fairly late, so some delay can be expected for that, but then we waited at least 45 minutes to board ME Bus. Departure was delayed another 20 minutes or so while the driver waited for the rain to "lighten up".
4 resort stops later, (we were the last stop), we arrived at CBR. Got to our room after 1:00 AM.
From what I've been told, this was on the longer side, time wise, for most folks.
Still debating using them on Christmas trip. (taxi is about $50-ish), but we gotta get some sleep on arrival night.

 

[yooperfan]

I have actually found the wait time for the bus to leave the airport is less if it's busier. When it's slow, we have had to wait for more guests going to the same resort to board before they would leave. We sat around for about 25 min. when we boarded the bus at 11pm once.

 

[goofy4tink]

We're flying in on a Sunday and our flight arrives at 3:05pm. We're heading to POFQ. On average, what time do you think we might be arriving at our resort?

We're wanting to head to downtown disney (to see the Lego store!) that evening, and we're considering eating at Planet Hollywood, but I'm guessing that making reservations is a bad idea, since any number of things could delay us. If PH doesn't work out, then we'll just grab counter service there.

Figure on 90 mins...it most likely won't be that long though. And if you really want to be on the safe side, figure 2 hrs. That way, you can get to POFQ, get checked in, go to your room (if ready), freshen up and then head to DTD. I would imagine you should be able to get on your way to DTD by 5-5:15 latest.

 

[gparr]

I will throw my $.02 in here.

I make it to DW about 4 times a year...some with just the wife and I....some with out two daughters...and every other year for the past 27 years with my choral department at school where I am the choral director.

Here are my thoughts...when I travel with my singers...I can get from stepping off the plane to the resort to a park in about 90 minutes. They usually have a bus waiting for us and we load up immediately.

When traveling with the family, if we arrive at a busy time we can get to our resort in about 60 minutes.

When my wife and I travel aline (which we will be next month!!!) we can only travel at night. We usually arrive in the 10:00-10:30 p.m. time frame. Because of this it will usually take us up to 2 hours to get to our resort.

Just depends...

 

[wdwgrannyb]

On Nov. 26th we were 2 and 1/2 hours on that bus because our driver didn't know his way around. He was so lost. One man on our bus even showed him a map. Finally one of the women on our bus called ME and demanded they contact him and get us off the bus. Some even tried to tell him which way to turn, he ignored them. He had us out of the park--drove right thru it to a really bad part of town--and even in the MK. One lady got the bus number from him. On our return trip 8 days later it was memtioned that our 1st trip was a disaster, the bus driver told us he had heard talk all around the garage about that . We were staying at the AKL and he pasted it twice.
It cost some their dinner ressies and we had wanted to see the Castle lighting, needless to say we missed it, but we did see it another evening.

 

[aubriee]

One persons with a lot, a lot of Magical Express experiences said it takes around 70 to 90 minutes from stepping out of the airplane door to stepping off the DME bus at your resort, excluding time in the airport rest room and assuming not going to the baggage carousels, but including time stopping at other resorts along the way. So perhaps I could say the average time is 80 minutes.

But some of the time it could take somewhat longer.

I go to WDW 4-5 times a year and have used the ME since the first few days it started. Yeah, I was one of the original guinea pigs that first week. I'd say that 70 to 90 minutes from stepping off the plane to stepping off the DME bus at your resort is accurate. Using DME I have stayed at two of the All Stars, Pop, all four moderates, WL, AKL, BW, and YC, so basically all over WDW. It usually takes just over an hour from stepping off the plane to entering the resort.

 

[DVCismyhappyplace]

I usually figure 2 hours from landing time to being checked into our hotel. This includes a bathroom break after the flight at the airport, walking down to ME, waiting for a bus, getting everyone loaded, a couple of stops before your resort and then getting into the resort and getting your check-in packet (assuming you've checked in online).

Sometimes it's shorter, sometimes it's longer, but it's a safe bet that we will be "in the parks" 2 hours after we land!

 

[wdwgrannyb]

ME is Mears, paid by Disney as an added feature from Disney. We used to pay for the Mears bus for years to go to Disney.