DME bus question

[RememberWhen]

Hi all!
So, we have a trip coming up with a group of 8 (most of the time). We arrive sept 2 and are staying at the boardwalk. We have a dinner reservation at 6 at the yachtsman's steakhouse to celebrate my sister's birthday. Most of us arrive early in the day, but one of us doesn't (she's coming from Seattle) she gets into MCO at 5. We are hoping that she will be able to get to the dinner in time for dessert.

What do you guys think? Possible? Can she take the DME bus to the yacht club instead of boardwalk? Will they let her do that? The resorts are in the same "zone" but should she ask at the airport? Any suggestions? And if she doesn't make it, will we be penalized for the empty seat?

Thanks!

 

[disney4life2008]

If she arrives at 5 - it can take up to 90 minutes to get to the resort. 5 is a prime travel time (rush hour) so it may take longer. Though, she may make it by dinner. As for getting off at a different resort - I do not think that is a problem. And as far as I know there is no penalty for empty seat

 

[Rob562]

I doubt DME would allow her to take a bus to a resort other than her own. There's also no guarantee that the bus would definitely go to Yacht. If there's no one going there at that time, the bus won't go there.

That being said...
-If the bus *happens* to stop at Yacht before Boardwalk and she has nothing stored under the bus, then there's nothing stopping her from getting off at Yacht with the others.

-Even if she doesn't take DME to Yacht, the Boardwalk is *right* across the lake from Yacht Club. She could either walk around the lake or hop on the boat headed to the Studios which stops at Yacht and Beach before continuing toward the Studios.


-Rob

 

[RememberWhen]

Thanks Rob. That's kind of what I was thinking. It couldn't hurt to ask at the airport, but if they say no she knows how to get there.
I've not eaten at the steakhouse, but I would guess that we will take awhile to get through dinner with a group that big. Do you think she would make it for dessert? She's not trying to get there for dinner as it'll be mid-afternoon west coast time.
If she decided not to come see us at dinner can she get into the hotel room? This is assuming my mother sends her magic band to her and that she remembers to bring it. Does it need to be activated? If so, I assume she can do that herself at the desk in the lobby.

Thanks again Rob! You seem to have the answers to everything.

 

[Rob562]

Thanks Rob. That's kind of what I was thinking. It couldn't hurt to ask at the airport, but if they say no she knows how to get there.
I've not eaten at the steakhouse, but I would guess that we will take awhile to get through dinner with a group that big. Do you think she would make it for dessert? She's not trying to get there for dinner as it'll be mid-afternoon west coast time.
If she decided not to come see us at dinner can she get into the hotel room? This is assuming my mother sends her magic band to her and that she remembers to bring it. Does it need to be activated? If so, I assume she can do that herself at the desk in the lobby.

Thanks again Rob! You seem to have the answers to everything.

More than likely she'll be able to make it for dessert. In my experience, it's avergaed me 70-80 minutes from the moment I step off the plane to the moment I'm stepping off the DME bus at the hotel. (And that includes the requisite post-flight bathroom break)

Just make sure that your reservation includes her in the total number of guests, since you'll need a table that can accommodate all of you. You should also make sure to be open with the host at the podium and your server that you'll have someone joining you late for just dessert.

Once you check in at the hotel, her Band will work for the room door. All you'd have to do is let her know the room number and she can go right there after getting off the DME bus. No stop at the desk necessary (unless she needs directions to get to the room).

-Rob

 

[Disneydreamer23]

Unless the bus you are traveling on is ALSO going to that location I don't think this will work. I have flown and taken DME and gotten into my resort in less than an hour, it all depends how many people are also arriving , busses etc, Can you push the ressie back a little bit? Maybe 830? SO you all can watch wishes too!?

 

[Polydweller]

Thanks Rob. That's kind of what I was thinking. It couldn't hurt to ask at the airport, but if they say no she knows how to get there.

The DME licensing at MCO does not allow them to take people anywhere but their actual resort. DME is licensed as a hotel transfer service not a bus service and not a taxi service. They can only transfer you to your hotel.

So, she'll have to board the bus that is going to her resort. If it happens to go to the Yacht Club she may be allowed to debark there but it would be a violation of the DME license so the driver might not allow it.

 

[RememberWhen]

Thanks all! I'll tell my sister to just walk from boardwalk. No biggie.

She's counted in the reservation and we'll tell the hostess she's on a later flight and will just be coming for dessert. If she's running later than expected she can just head to the room.

-RW

 

[cw1982]

Thanks all! I'll tell my sister to just walk from boardwalk. No biggie.

She's counted in the reservation and we'll tell the hostess she's on a later flight and will just be coming for dessert. If she's running later than expected she can just head to the room.

-RW

Just a side note... it may not mean anything, but I'd hate for it to cause you a problem if this is relevant... some of the restaurants won't seat you until your entire party is there. You may want to find out if this is true of your restaurant before you go, and if so, whether or not they'll be willing to bend that rule if one is only coming for desert.

Like I said, that may not matter where you're going, but I saw it happen a few times at some of the restaurants in the parks. I would make a phone call and find out for sure if I was you.

 

[RememberWhen]

Thanks for the thought, but I think we'll risk it. They don't have to change the table size for a group of 8 vs. 7, so if they say they can't seat us we'll just say she isn't going to make it and she can meet us back at the room. Her flight is much later than everybody else's. And she's going to be just as happy with a slice of pizza and some ice cream. If she was going to be 30 min late and ordering dinner I think that would be really annoying for the server, but dessert and an extra glass of water shouldn't cause them too many problems.

Generally I've found the CMs to be pretty accommodating. And if she can't make it for whatever reason it'll all be fine.

This forum is the best though. You guys always have the best thoughts.

 

[cw1982]

Thanks for the thought, but I think we'll risk it. They don't have to change the table size for a group of 8 vs. 7, so if they say they can't seat us we'll just say she isn't going to make it and she can meet us back at the room. Her flight is much later than everybody else's. And she's going to be just as happy with a slice of pizza and some ice cream. If she was going to be 30 min late and ordering dinner I think that would be really annoying for the server, but dessert and an extra glass of water shouldn't cause them too many problems.

Generally I've found the CMs to be pretty accommodating. And if she can't make it for whatever reason it'll all be fine.

This forum is the best though. You guys always have the best thoughts.

No problem. I just did want you to have any surprises when you go to check in. You're right, most Disney CM's are very accommodating, but they still have policies to follow that apparently vary from restaurant to restaurant.

Have fun

 

[Rob562]

I believe the "no seating until entire party is there" is more for people who will be there the entire meal. They don't want people lounging at a table for 30-45 minutes waiting for someone to show up so they can all order their entrees. It throws off the timing of the meal and the turnover of that table.

But if someone is joining you late specifically to order just dessert at the same time everyone else is having dessert, then there shouldn't be a problem.

-Rob

 

[cw1982]

I believe the "no seating until entire party is there" is more for people who will be there the entire meal. They don't want people lounging at a table for 30-45 minutes waiting for someone to show up so they can all order their entrees. It throws off the timing of the meal and the turnover of that table.

But if someone is joining you late specifically to order just dessert at the same time everyone else is having dessert, then there shouldn't be a problem.

-Rob

I agree, but you never know. Like I said before, I figured it was better that the OP had a backup plan just in case than to be blindsided.

 

[Bairstow]

I'm not saying she should do it, but if I remember correctly, they only check your band/ID at the airport before you get into queue to board the buses.
Not afterwards.
Couldn't you just jump out of your line and get into line at the resort you want to go to?
If I recall, the bus driver's manifest is created as people get on, not automatically at check-in.

 

[mweier]

definitely no penalty if you end up with people missing from the reservation - happened to us in February when someone was ill. However, as mentioned above they wouldn't seat part of our group of 9 when 5 were there and waiting for another 4 to show up.

 

[Rob562]

I'm not saying she should do it, but if I remember correctly, they only check your band/ID at the airport before you get into queue to board the buses.
Not afterwards.
Couldn't you just jump out of your line and get into line at the resort you want to go to?
If I recall, the bus driver's manifest is created as people get on, not automatically at check-in.

Unless they've changed the procedure since they implemented scanning the Bands, they scan you as you board the bus. It allows them to make sure there aren't any lost Guests, especially when they're loading more than one bus at the same time.

-Rob

 

[RememberWhen]

Thanks guys. I think we've determined that the proper thing is to ride the bus to the boardwalk and walk around the lake. If the bus happened to stop at yacht club first, she might hop off there.

She's going to call or text us when she's on the bus and we'll make a determination based on what time it is. Either we will tell her to just go to the room, or we will ask the restaurant if she can join us for dessert. I had forgotten the preference for seating the entire party together, but having worked at restaurants I assume Rob is correct and that just coming for dessert shouldn't be a problem. They just want to make sure she isn't holding up the whole table.

 

[Weather_Lady]

If worse comes to worst (e.g., your party member from Seattle lands late at Orlando, or finds a super-long line ahead of her or is told that she won't be able to get on the first bus, etc.), she could always take a cab directly to the Yacht Club. I Googled for cost estimates and it looks like a taxi could cost anywhere from $25-$45.