ME Question?

[joe8]

I'm landing late at MCO. I'm planning on staying at a hotel near the airport. Is it possible to go back to the airport the next morning to take ME to my resort ? Thanks for any help.

[marlyn]

I would phone them to ask, but I am thinking that you probably can't since when I made my reservation I had to give them my date and flight number so they would know what time I would be in...and also by having my flight number they also know if flight is delayed.

Anyhow, I would be interested to find out what they say about that.

[Beast_fanatic]

I recall some other people having done something similar although I don't recall exactly what they did when setting up the reservation. I'm pretty sure they set it up so ME wasn't expecting them to arrive until the day they actually wanted to use the bus service.

[Maleficent's Dad]

Yes, yes, yes you can do this!!!

DW and I have flown into MCO late; we didn't want to burn points for the night so we stayed at the Hyatt in the airport.

When we called to book our ME, we simply explained the situation; they were fine with it AND we were able to take the bus very early the next morning! :mickey:

One thing to note: When we did this, we only had carry on bags and NO checked bags. I'm not sure they'd take your bags to the resort a night beforehand. :confused:

[CleveRocks]

Yes, you CAN do it, but they won't handle your luggage for you, so just throw away those DME luggage tags when you get them! On the night you arrive at MCO, go to baggae claim, claim your luggage, and take it with you to your hotel room. The next morning, take your luggage with you when you go to the airport's DME Welcome Center. You'll then bring it to the bus with you, and the driver will load it under the bus; you'll get it back when you arrive at your resort. Don't forget to tip your driver for that service.

You can tell DME what you want to do, you don't have to lie to them. The criteria for using DME are as follows:
named on the reservation at a WDW owned-and-operated resort
taking the bus from MCO to your resort on your day of check-in
taking the bus from your resort to MCO on your day of check-out
[A one-way trip in either direction is fine ... you don't have to use it both ways.]

There is NO REQUIREMENT that you fly into MCO on the day you check in to your resort.

My advice to you is to deal with DME directly (866-599-0951) rather than the Disney Reservations Center. The DME people know or should know all the ins and outs, while the DRC people don't necessarily know all there is to know about DME.

Also, don't bother calling DME until you are no more than 60 days away from your departure. Prior to that, the DME people won't see your reservation info in their computer database, so they won't be able to do anything for you other than answer general DME questions.

So wait until you're two months out, and then call DME and everything will be just fine!:thumbsup:

[MinnieMommie]

I called ME and spoke with someone last night about this exact same thing. For our upcoming trip our plane is landing close to midnight so we decided to stay at an airport hotel then go to Disney in the morning. Not only was I told it is OK I was told that this is a fairly common occurance. I was told that I would not have to make a reservation but only had to show up with my luggage in the morning and go to the desk and let them know I am here and where I want to go. I queried her a few times but she assured me that there would be no problem. In case you want to call yourself the number is: 1-866-599-0951 :mickey:

[CleveRocks]

I was told that I would not have to make a reservation but only had to show up with my luggage in the morning and go to the desk and let them know I am here and where I want to go. I queried her a few times but she assured me that there would be no problem. In case you want to call yourself the number is: 1-866-599-0951 :mickey:
I would strongly advise you to call DME again and ask the question again. This is because what the CM advised you is specifically in breach of the contract Disney has with the airport. It's very specifically stated that walk-ups aren't permitted. This was a HUGE controversy when DME started. The other ground transportation services were up in arms and ready to take legal action, and after that Disney began enforcing their own policy that they hadn't been enforcing, that advance reservations are required.

So there's a Disney policy stating it's necessary, as well as Disney's legally binding contract with GOAA stating it's necessary.

So like I said, call back. I'd hate to see you get refused because you got bad information. Besides, making the reservation is free and will take you only a minute. Protect yourself! Or, if you get the same CM on the phone, ask for his/her cellphone number and say that if you get refused a DME ride you'll call him/her to bring the car around and personally drive you to your resort!

GOOD LUCK!:thumbsup:

[MinnieMommie]

I would strongly advise you to call DME again and ask the question again. This is because what the CM advised you is specifically in breach of the contract Disney has with the airport. It's very specifically stated that walk-ups aren't permitted. This was a HUGE controversy when DME started. The other ground transportation services were up in arms and ready to take legal action, and after that Disney began enforcing their own policy that they hadn't been enforcing, that advance reservations are required.


So there's a Disney policy stating it's necessary, as well as Disney's legally binding contract with GOAA stating it's necessary.

So like I said, call back. I'd hate to see you get refused because you got bad information. Besides, making the reservation is free and will take you only a minute. Protect yourself! Or, if you get the same CM on the phone, ask for his/her cellphone number and say that if you get refused a DME ride you'll call him/her to bring the car around and personally drive you to your resort!

GOOD LUCK!:thumbsup:

Yikes! I kept asking her about the reservation and read to her what I had in print about reservations and was told that because we would have our own luggage we did not need the reservation. Thanks for the head's up. I will call today (am off from work) and let you know what happens. Thanks again :mickey:

[CleveRocks]

Yikes! I kept asking her about the reservation and read to her what I had in print about reservations and was told that because we would have our own luggage we did not need the reservation. Thanks for the head's up. I will call today (am off from work) and let you know what happens. Thanks again :mickey:

I'm glad you're calling again. Yes, PLEASE post again when you get more info.:thumbsup:

That CM is just way off about the "no luggage" thing. I think she was just making it up as she went along, or making some very poor assumptions.

[mamacatnv]

2 years in a row we have flown into MCO and then rented a car to visit the inlaws for a week. We then returned to MCO where we caught ME to our resort.

Call ME, let them know the scenario. What they did with us was to give us a "window" of arrival time. Therefore we had a reservation so that we had the ME boarding passes just not an assigned flight. We tossed the luggage tags when they arrived and kept the boarding passes. Piece of cake!

They will not handle your luggage from baggage claim, you will need to bring it with you where it will then be loaded onto the bus.

[Piglet822]

. I'd hate to see you get refused because you got bad information.

You do need a reservation. You won't be refused transportation on DME without one but you will be charged the standard Mears rate ($19 one way per person) to ride the bus.

[MinnieMommie]

Thank you all for your suggestions and information. This is follow up as promised:

I was told that ME would never under any circumstances charge for transportaion nor has a charge ever transpired since ME's inception. I was told that I need to let them know what day I want to be picked up (if I am being dropped off at the airport rather than flying in) but do not have to be specific about the time I will arrive. The advance notification is so that they can confirm the Disney resort reservation for that day. I think that's about it for now.:mickey:

[Piglet822]

I'm glad they were able to help you out :)