ME and parks

[Nekochan]

My flight doesn't get in until like 3:30 pm the day I am arriving... if I go with Magical Express can I go straight to a Park and check in at the hotel at night?

[PopPhan]

Nope. Sorry! DME ONLY goes to resorts.

[Nekochan]

Do you know if I can just get off at the first stop and take the bus to a park and check in at the hotel later?

[faline]

Do you know if I can just get off at the first stop and take the bus to a park and check in at the hotel later?

Will you have any luggage with you? If so, you'd need to go to your resort with your luggage.

[Nekochan]

I'll be on Jetblue or Delta out of JFK - I believe I can check my bags through to the hotel

[faline]

I'll be on Jetblue or Delta out of JFK - I believe I can check my bags through to the hotel

This is true but if you have carry-on bags with you, those will be stowed in the storage compartment of the bus and you will need to retrieve those at your resort.

[ibelieveindisneymagic]

I suppose, if you already have park tickets, and have carry-on that you can take with you to the parks, you could get right off the bus at your resort (or maybe a resort before yours) and go straight to the parks. You can't get a ME bus direct to a park, or to a resort that isn't yours.

I'm assuming that you have tickets, don't have the dining plan and don't plan on charging to your room, since all of those require check-in.

If it was me, I would check-in first. It won't take too long, and you don't have to even go to the room, you can drop off any bags at Bell Services and head right into the parks.

If you're super worried about time, you could arrange a towncar or cab from the airport, but I'm not sure how much time that would save.

[PopPhan]

Just thought of this.....If you are using DME and do not check into your resort until after you have visited the parks all day (or whatever is left of the day, depending upon your arrival time), what are they supposed to do with your bags? You haven't checked in, so you have no room assignment.

Your bags would sit in storage until (how long?) after you have officially checked in; Your room "assignment" may be given away, as you had not checked in during your normal check in window (i.e. When you were expected to check in). If you had any room requests, you could probably kiss them goodbye.

[WDWFanatic]

I was thinking of doing this also...getting off at the first resort and heading right to the parks, and checking in later. I would be okay with not charging back to my room for that day, but hadn't thought about requests not be honored. I realized they may not be honored anyways, but if I check in online ahead of time will that help?

[MOJoe]

If you have a Magic Band you must check in first, otherwise you will not be able to enter a park.