ME pickup from resort still 3 hours before flight?

[Gregandmel]

Was just wondering if ME still picks up from y our resort approximately 3 hours before your flight leaves. WE have a 6pm flight out (late April) so I'm thinking they would pick us up around 3pm? Wasn't sure if it was taking longer to get through security recently and if they were still allowing 3 hours, or if they have changed it at all. Any insight would be great. Thanks!! :mickey:

[BigRedDad]

Yes, it is still 3 hours prior to departure. I would even be there a few minutes earlier because mine has gotten there as much as 3:15 earlier.

[CleveRocks]

Yeh, it's anywhere from 2 hours 45 minutes to 3 hours 15 minutes before your flight. The reason for the variance is because DME buses come to each resort twice an hour (for example, at :10 and :40 after the hour, at :25 and :55 after the hour, and so on), and therefore they can't pick up everyone exactly 3 hours before their flight.

Also, just to be precise, DME buses only show up for pick-ups if there's a reservation for a DME pick-up; they don't just show up all the time like Disney Transport park buses do. In other words, if your resort gets DME pick-ups at :15 and :45 after the hour, but no one has a reservation that entire afternoon, then not a single DME bus will arrive for pick-ups during that entire afternoon.

[megustamex]

You need the 3 hours to get through the airport. We always end up running to the gate when we leave less than 3 hours early (we always rent a car). The car dropoff takes about 5 minutes - the rest of the time is getting through check in, the long security lines, the train you have to take to get to the gates, and then running down to your gate.

[BigThunderFan]

We were picked up exactly 3 hours early. We made another stop to pick up more guests, then off to MCO. Once there we stopped at Side A first then Side B where we got off. We still had time to shop a little in the main area around the Hyatt, then go through security with no wait. Then we still had an hour once we were at our gate.

Now this didn't happen last time and security lines were longer, but that was our experience on 1/30 anyway.