Will I be able to use DME??

[MamaKate]

For our November trip, our flight arrives at 12:16am on 17th. Our WDW package starts on the 17th, but I have one additional night booked at the same resort for the night of the 16th, so we can go straight to our room and go to sleep.

Since my 1st night is a room only reservation, will I still be able to use Magical Express or is it only for packages??

Since my package starts on the 17th and they will technically be picking me up from the airport on the 17th, I'm hoping this won't be a problem.

Thanks for the help in planning!
,
Katie

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Since my 1st night is a room only reservation, will I still be able to use Magical Express or is it only for packages??

No problem. DME is for all guests staying at Disney-operated WDW resorts, not just guests with packages.

Just make sure that they make your DME reservations correctly. You should have a one-way inbound DME reservation associated with your one-night stay, and a one-way outbound DME reservation associated with your package.

 

[MamaKate]

Thank you very much!!

That's one more thing to check off my list.

Since my flight arrives so late (or early depending on how you look at it), will I have to wait a long time for a bus. Or do they run smaller vans at odd hours??

Thanks again!

 

[seashoreCM]

Try to get your DME reservation confirmed in writing. Since you arrive so late at night (it's still treated as the 16'th but that is a non-problem and not the issue here) you want to be sure they are waiting for you as opposed to shutting down for the night.

With the successive resort bookings, don't worry about the homebound reservation until after you get there. Adjusting or modifying that is a no-brainer so long as it is accomplished by the day prior to final check out.

You may find that your circadian rhythim works better if you stay at a hotel near the airport for that first night and take DME the next morning. Scheduling that is also not a problem.

Buses won't depart the airport as often at that hour but the wait should not be horrendously long.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[MamaKate]

Try to get your DME reservation confirmed in writing. Since you arrive so late at night (it's still treated as the 16'th but that is a non-problem and not the issue here) you want to be sure they are waiting for you as opposed to shutting down for the night.

With the successive resort bookings, don't worry about the homebound reservation until after you get there. Adjusting or modifying that is a no-brainer so long as it is accomplished by the day prior to final check out.

You may find that your circadian rhythim works better if you stay at a hotel near the airport for that first night and take DME the next morning. Scheduling that is also not a problem.

Buses won't depart the airport as often at that hour but the wait should not be horrendously long.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

Thanks! I was thinking of staying the night at the airport, but I really wanted them to pick-up my lugguage and delivery it to my room. I don't think they will take my lugguage if I haven't checked in yet?? Anyone know??

Also, we won't be too exhausted since we're on California time, so it'll only be 9:16pm to us when we land. And we're not planning on doing any parks on the 17th.

Thanks again!
,
Katie

 

[CleveRocks]

Thanks! I was thinking of staying the night at the airport, but I really wanted them to pick-up my lugguage and delivery it to my room. I don't think they will take my lugguage if I haven't checked in yet?? Anyone know??

Sorry, no idea what you mean here, because in your OP you mention you reserved a room at your WDW resort for the "night" you fly in.

But if you are staying at an airport hotel the "night" you arrive, then no, you can't have your checked luggage automatically transported by DME to your WDW resort. What you CAN do is, WAY in advance, tell DME that your flight will be arriving early that next morning. Do some research and pick a flight arriving at MCO at the desired time, and give them THAT arriving flight information. You'll get the free bus ride, but you'll have to take your luggage to the DME bus. Since you won't actually be landing in an airplane that morning, there's no way for them to pull your bags behind the scenes to be transported via truck to your resort.

 

[MamaKate]

Sorry, no idea what you mean here, because in your OP you mention you reserved a room at your WDW resort for the "night" you fly in.

I do have the first night booked at WDW. But seashoreCM mentioned it might help our sleeping cycle if we just stayed near the airport and went right to sleep. I was just mentioning I had thought of staying near the airport, but I'd rather not have to deal with my lugguage and have DME pick it up for me.

 

[goofy4tink]

If you already have a room in WDW booked for your arrival night, then I would just use DME and stay in WDW for that first night. You're talking about a difference in sleep of about 2 hrs. If you arrive at MCO at 12:15ish, you should be at your resort by 1:30ish.
If you stay off-site, at the airport, you'll have to wake up, pack your bags, head to the DME checkin area, with your bags in hand, then make the trek to your resort. You'll be wasting precious park time....at least that's my opinion. I would much rather get to my resort very late, sleep a bit later in the am, and then head out to a park. Besides, being on west coast time, you aren't going to be ready for bed that early....so, stay up a bit later, and then wake up at a 'normal' time to start your stay. It takes more than one night to change that sleep pattern coming from the west coast, so why bother trying to balance it out? Just jump right into that ole east coast time.