Yes, you lot are close to building us another terminal in Buffalo... we're pretty much the second Toronto airport.Yes, flying from Canada is a lot more expensive! A lot of people drive across the border to get cheaper flights.
There are some negatives:
- Disney requires you to depart to return to the airport 1-2 hours earlier than you would need to if you were using your own transportation.
The question is not what you'd rather do; it's what DME forces you do to. If you have your own transporation (e.g. car rental, cab, etc.) you get to decide when you leave for the airport. If you use DME, Disney decide for you. As many have complained, DME forces you to leave hours before you'd have to if you were using other means of transportation. Therefore, in this respect, DME is inferior to other transporation methods.I don't agree. At most you gain 30 minutes if you use a rental car or towncar service instead of DME. Orlando is one of those airports where they security lines can be massive. I'd much rather have a little extra time in the airport to eat and shop than be stuck in the security line, praying my plane wasn't going to leave without me.
The question is not what you'd rather do; it's what DME forces you do to. If you have your own transporation (e.g. car rental, cab, etc.) you get to decide when you leave for the airport. If you use DME, Disney decide for you. As many have complained, DME forces you to leave hours before you'd have to if you were using other means of transportation. Therefore, in this respect, DME is inferior to other transporation methods.
DME is an excellent option but it's not perfect.
I don't think it's really fair to say DME picks you up "hours" before you'd have to leave if you were driving a rental car or had a towncar. The standard time for DME is that they pick you up at your hotel three hours before your flight leaves for domestic flights. Even if there were zero traffic and no other resort stops (a necessary evil sometimes given the nature of DME), the worst case is that you'd arrive at the airport 2.5 hours before your flight leaves. Some people still have to wait in line to check bags, wait in line at security, etc. I've always had good luck with security at MCO, but I've heard the lines can get really bad and Disney has to be prepared for that.The question is not what you'd rather do; it's what DME forces you do to. If you have your own transporation (e.g. car rental, cab, etc.) you get to decide when you leave for the airport. If you use DME, Disney decide for you. As many have complained, DME forces you to leave hours before you'd have to if you were using other means of transportation. Therefore, in this respect, DME is inferior to other transporation methods.
DME is an excellent option but it's not perfect.
People who visit WDW typically spend most of their time at the theme parks. Many people like to spend a partial day at the theme parks on their last day.I don't think it's really fair to say DME picks you up "hours" before you'd have to leave if you were driving a rental car or had a towncar. The standard time for DME is that they pick you up at your hotel three hours before your flight leaves for domestic flights. Even if there were zero traffic and no other resort stops (a necessary evil sometimes given the nature of DME), the worst case is that you'd arrive at the airport 2.5 hours before your flight leaves. Some people still have to wait in line to check bags, wait in line at security, etc. I've always had good luck with security at MCO, but I've heard the lines can get really bad and Disney has to be prepared for that.
OK, I will give you credit for the bit about taking your rental car right from a theme park to the airport. That will at least make up the time it takes to return the rental car. But... DME is included in your room rate and if you're flying one of the participating airlines, the resort airline checkin is a huge help.People who visit WDW typically spend most of their time at the theme parks. Many people like to spend a partial day at the theme parks on their last day.
When I have a car rental, I can leave directly from my resort or a theme park at what ever time I choose. If I use DME, I have to get to the main lobby of my resort (a long distance for many Value or Moderate Resorts) and wait for the bus. I cannot pick it up from a theme park. This adds up to a lot of "lost" theme park time.
Separately, using a car, I've left in as little as 1.5 hours before my departure time from (for example) DHS and had no problem making my flight. There is a risk but I've done this several times without incident.
OK, I will give you credit for the bit about taking your rental car right from a theme park to the airport. That will at least make up the time it takes to return the rental car. But... DME is included in your room rate and if you're flying one of the participating airlines, the resort airline checkin is a huge help.
FYI, Resort Airline Check-In is available to all Disney resort guests (as long as they're on a participating airline, of course), not just those using the DME bus to get back to the airport. They don't care how you're getting back to the airport.
-Rob
DME is one of the absolutely best things ever -- those of us who drive cars every single day in the "real world" LOVE not having to drive anywhere in the "World"...if you need to leave property, by all means rent a car. If you are going to WDW to do WDW and stay in WDW then it is absolutely unnecessary to have a car.
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