Who do I send a complaint to?

[CleveRocks]

When DME first started there were a lot of delays as they tested the system. After the outsource contract was signed it seemed that we would wait longer to fill the bus and we would make more stops.

To what "outsource contract" are you referring??? From Day One, DME has always been Disney at the helm, with subcontractors including Mears, BAGS Inc. and ARINC, with the cooperation of OIA and TSA.

 

[pamjb]

Ummmm, ME only runs from Orlando International (MCO), not from Miami at all.

i still find it hard to imagine a 3 hour Me bus ride.....perhaps the next question would be which airport did the op land at orlando or miami?

 

[RangerPooh]

kapoof- Doubt me if you wish, but unless you were on either bus you have no reason to suggest that I am not being truthful. As for the suggestion to pick an earlier arrival time,it's not the easiest thing to do as I live in Washingtn state, you do the math with a 3 hour time change. Being as we live near a small airport we do not have too many options for flights and all have connections. In our case, we had a 3 hour flight, followed by 2.5 hour layover, followed by 5.5 hour flight. Add a 3 hour time change...our flight left Washington in the Morning and arrived just after 11:30 pm.

We usually arrive late in the evening and have used ME the last few trips and have NEVER had an experience like this. On this trip we were stayng at FW and the stops that were made on our arival night included (in this order) WL, CR, Poly, POFQ, POR, and then FW. I can understand waiting for the bus to be a certain percentage full but the amount of time that it took was unreal. We just sat and sat and sat... Other people on the bus were complaining too. On the return trip the bus picked us up a bit late, stopped at FW (we were first), WL, POFQ, POR, OKW, and SS.

As for having to pick up our own bags the issue was that there was no sign indicating that we would have to do so. The lady at the counter said that it was a TSA decission but you didn't find out that you had to claim your own bags until you reached check in and were informed to do so. We were prepared to receive our luggage in the morning as had been the case on previous trips.

The bottom line is that while ME is a free service to resort guests it is not always the best option. In the past we have used towncars and have been very satisifed with their services. On future trips we may or may not use ME, and while this was negative experience who's to say that they next wouldn't be much better.

Thanks to those who responsed with information as to whom I should contact about my experience.

 

[kaytieeldr]

3 hours to get to and from the airport??? we stopped at 2 other resorts and it was NOT a 3 hour event. you also got in at midnight with small children? i would suggest next trip to plan your flight at a better time, get in earlier and then it won't be so stressfull, for you and your family. and yes the ME will pick you 3 hours before your flight home, because of security, and to allow plenty of time. with all do respect the 3 hours to and from the airport bus ride both times is very hard to imagine.

See my tag? Even I believe the OP's experiences were exactly as she described.

Ideally, RangerPooh's experiences were exceptions to normally smoothly-running operations, but the only way to know this - or to get things fixed - is to let Disney know there are problems.

 

[boomhauer]

I totally can sympathize with the OP. I would be ticked off as well if I came to find out there was no luggage pick up yet no sign informing me of such.

It's funny - When I first heard about ME I was so psyched - FINALLY, a cheap way around using Mears. Taken it a couple times and have decided to either go with a town car or rent a car from now on. Buses are nice but the delays are annoying.

 

[Starr W.]

I totally can sympathize with the OP. I would be ticked off as well if I came to find out there was no luggage pick up yet no sign informing me of such.

It's funny - When I first heard about ME I was so psyched - FINALLY, a cheap way around using Mears. Taken it a couple times and have decided to either go with a town car or rent a car from now on. Buses are nice but the delays are annoying.

We took DME at Thanksgiving(got in Sunday late morning). Check in people were great, then you get in the lines. The people there just were like a bunch of chickens with their heads cut off. Got in the SSR line, one guy in front of us(looked like he had been standing awhile) well all of a sudden they wisk him off to a bus but not us. We ended up on another bus shortly, but it just looked very unorganized to me.

 

[clkelley]

As for having to pick up our own bags the issue was that there was no sign indicating that we would have to do so. The lady at the counter said that it was a TSA decission but you didn't find out that you had to claim your own bags until you reached check in and were informed to do so. We were prepared to receive our luggage in the morning as had been the case on previous trips.

This really bothers me. Was there ANYTHING in your paperwork that indicated that you might have to get your bags??

This is now two reports of late night arrivals where once they got there they were told to go back to retrieve bags, yet when we have called DME, they say no you don't have to. We have also had folks close to the airport state that it is NOT an airport or TSA rule.

I really wish we could get definitive clarification on this new twist!!

 

[ducklite]

Several people who know what they are talking about have posted that DME will no longer pull luggage for any arrivals after 11:00 pm. My guess is that it was a cost cutting measure as there just aren't that many lfights that come in that late, and they didn't want to run trucks.

I have no problem with that decision, what I have a problem with is that they are not notifying guests in advance of this so they can plan ahead or make alternate arrangements if required.

Anne

 

[clkelley]

Several people who know what they are talking about have posted that DME will no longer pull luggage for any arrivals after 11:00 pm. My guess is that it was a cost cutting measure as there just aren't that many lfights that come in that late, and they didn't want to run trucks.

I have no problem with that decision, what I have a problem with is that they are not notifying guests in advance of this so they can plan ahead or make alternate arrangements if required.

Anne

FYI, Once again I called DME and spoke with "Joe" and they stated that it was not required that you pick up your luggage after 11pm, just recommended so that you wouldn't have to wait till the middle of the night or the next morning to receive it. I told him that friends told me that the folks at the DME Welcome Center were REQUIRING folks to go get their luggage and he basically told me that stories get distorted. (I absolutely don't doubt the OP, but I really wish we could get some type of confirmation from a Disney source). I also sent an email request for clarification.

 

[disneynutz]

From the Disney website:

Q: What are the hours of operation for the Disney Welcome Center at the airport?

A: The hours are 6 a.m. to 11 p.m., but those hours will be extended to meet the flights of all guests who have booked Disney's Magical Express service, even if a flight is scheduled to arrive after 11 p.m. The Welcome Center will also closely follow arrival information for flights that may be delayed.

 

[RangerPooh]

Regarding us having to pick up our own luggage....Yes, we had confirmed with DME too that we would not have to pick it up. So there we are, walking to the DME center and are told by the gal behind the desk that the new policy had only started THAT DAY. That is was a new TSA thing. Now, if in fact it is not a new policy and we were being jerked around for whatever reason, that would be good to know too. It was not just us, it was everyone else arriving at the time.

Anywho, I am quite amazed that some people on here doubt my credibility. Why the heck would I make this up ? It was a simple question to some of the folks on the boards asking who I should contact to share my experience.

 

[safetymom]

MCO is undergoing some security changes. I don't know if this applies to DME but it could.

 

[RangerPooh]

Looks like I am not the only one to run into the baggage problem.... this thread has a pretty detailed discussion...Seems DME is blaming the airport, the airport blaming DME. In the end, the result is that after 11:00pm, you get your own bags because DME wont.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1393407

 

[taximomfor4]

Looks like I am not the only one to run into the baggage problem.... this thread has a pretty detailed discussion...Seems DME is blaming the airport, the airport blaming DME. In the end, the result is that after 11:00pm, you get your own bags because DME wont.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1393407

I posted after my experience with the DME luggage dilemma on 3/13...hoping we'd get the real scoop soon enough to prevent others from having this problem. I am very sorry to see it happened to someone else too!

BTW, we stopped at only 3 resorts on arrival but our bus went to, I believe, 5 stops as well. (We were at BC...there were already people picked up before us -- quite a few, actually)...then we went to 3 more stops, meaning at LEAST 5 stops.

I hope we eventually find out the real info. and if this is a new policy, let's hope they make the info KNOWN TO THEIR PASSENGERS!

Beth

 

[Lewisc]

I have no reason to doubt any part of the OP.

I wonder if there is some magic time, late at night, when DME waits for the reamining flights to land before they dispatch the bus. There are almost no flights scheduled to land after midnight. I wonder if the reason for the wait wasn't for a full bus but rather waiting for some specific flights to arrive.

 

[ducklite]

I have no reason to doubt any part of the OP.

I wonder if there is some magic time, late at night, when DME waits for the reamining flights to land before they dispatch the bus. There are almost no flights scheduled to land after midnight. I wonder if the reason for the wait wasn't for a full bus but rather waiting for some specific flights to arrive.

That thought had crossed my mind as well, Lewis.

I know that at Pleasure Island there is one last bus at the end of the night that takes every scraggler back to their resort--the last time I was on it we were going to be stopping at seven resorts from one end of WDW to the other! Sounds like a similar situation.

Anne

 

[clkelley]

Another thing that just occurred to me about the late night luggage thing. (This is pure SPECULATION on my part).

It appears there was some new TSA directive about the time this started. Perhaps this did limit the way the Disney luggage personnel had access to the back late at night. Perhaps Disney is looking for a way around this situation and has not yet come to a resolution, but feel they will solve the problem in the near term, so are just dealing with the few passengers it affects the best way they can in the short term. Perhaps that is why the folks on the phone are not being given any new directives for after 11pm guests. This is not Disney property we are talking about. This is the airport. The airport does not allow Disney to have any signs or Cast Members on the third level.

If Disney CMs can't get in the back due to the TSA regulation, it may be difficult for them to retrieve the luggage in the front because EXISTING airport and TSA regulations do not allow them to park out front for any length of time to load luggage out front, (plus there may be insufficient portable scanning equipment, etc.)

I'm hoping this is just a temporary snag, and that Disney and the airport find some viable solution. Because even though there are a lot less travelers after 11pm, they should receive the same service as those coming in at 10am.

 

[Disneyolic]

This is very upsetting for me. While I am not from the West Coast, my family and I are scheduled to arrive at 10:58 pm. I had researched DME prior to making these reservations. Yes, I knew the kids may be cranky but I also was reassured in the fact that we would not need to get our luggage and we would be driven to our resort within a reasonable amount of time. Now I am worrying about getting our luggage with 3 young children late at night and how long it will actually take until we are able to check into our resort. I will be watching these boards closely to see if any one else encounters these delays and problems.

Thank you for posting and I am very very sorry about all your unfortunate events.

 

[2forMe]

Ummmm, ME only runs from Orlando International (MCO), not from Miami at all.

I am sure the OP meant Miami as a joke.. re how long it took to get to the resort

 

[kapoof]

yes it was a joke, but all kidding aside the bottom line is the op had a bad experince while on vacation which in never fun..let hope next time her trip is more magical.