How does DME work?

[JusticeDisney]

Sorry for my ignorance, but I have stayed at the Dolphin my last sevral trips so I want to make sure I have the DME process figured correctly for my upcoming trip to the Beach Club. Do you have to reserve the DME ahead of time, or do you just go get on board after landing at the airport?

Thanks in advance!

 

[bee]

Technically you CAN just go to DME checkin at the airport (had to do it when I was stranded at the airport) but you SHOULD reserve in advance. You can reserve when reserving your hotel or you can add it later by calling and telling the CM your flight numbers. It is a very easy process.

 

[Polydweller]

Absolutely you should reserve in advance. If you are using DME to return to the airport they need to know in order to schedule you on a return bus. If they didn't know your return time and you were the only one at your resort returning at that time of day they might not show up at all thinking there was no one to pick up. An unlikely event but you will have ensured your transportation.

Reserving inbound lets them know how many people are arriving at any given time and going to which resorts. That lets them schedule the appropriate number of buses. DME is a hotel transfer service not a scheduled bus service (that's it license with MCO) so they will send buses where the demand is, not a specific route or schedule. So if you reserve you are ensuring that things will go more smoothly at the airport. As pp said, it's a simple system to sign up and removes any potential problems and anxiety. Well worth it.

 

[Matt_Black]

Technically you CAN just go to DME checkin at the airport (had to do it when I was stranded at the airport) but you SHOULD reserve in advance. You can reserve when reserving your hotel or you can add it later by calling and telling the CM your flight numbers. It is a very easy process.

Also, you can do it online as well with the "edit cart" feature, or whatever the technical name for it is. Good to know for those of use who like to purchase the flight tickets last. After all, any money put towards WDW is, with few exceptions, refundable should something come out. Airline tickets, however, are bit trickier to get your money back with.

 

[Monty]

Not sure if it's changed, but the original contract with MCO required that passengers pre-booked their transfers. So you couldn't just show up and get on a bus. I think it was to placate the taxi companies that they would still get the last-minute travellers.

 

[MickeyMomV]

Not sure if it's changed, but the original contract with MCO required that passengers pre-booked their transfers. So you couldn't just show up and get on a bus. I think it was to placate the taxi companies that they would still get the last-minute travellers.

Not sure if it ties into this but they are now scanning your band twice. Once at arrival to the MDE main "desks" and again before you board the bus. They verify the resort and number of passengers.

 

[Rob562]

Not sure if it ties into this but they are now scanning your band twice. Once at arrival to the MDE main "desks" and again before you board the bus. They verify the resort and number of passengers.

No, the double-scan is just to track Guests and make sure they're getting on the correct bus. (Especially helpful for them when they're loading multiple buses at the same time)

-Rob