Pros and Cons of NOT using DME?

gspin2k1

Member
Original Poster
I'm arriving (domestic flight) to Florida May 19 4:30 pm, and I depart May 24th 1:15 pm. Just curious what are the pros and cons of not using the Disney Magical Express? other than the obvious spending $60-80 using towncar/taxi. From what I understand some of the towncars/shuttle services will stop at a grocery store (which is nice, and can help me avoid using garden grocer), my only issue would be showing up to the resort and trying to carry in 1-2 cases of water in addition to groceries and suit cases(I assume the bellhops assist with this). is there any other pros and cons of not using the DME? for instance would I get a lot more time on the resort by doing so? Thanks a bunch.

~G
 

Monty

Brilliant...and Canadian
In the Parks
No
It's very much an individual preference...

I don't get groceries [I figure I am on vacation, somebody else can feed me].

The big pros for me are simplicity and speed. No waiting at the carousel for luggage and quick trip to the resort. I don't need anything from my checked luggage until I'm back from the parks later.

The only con for me is they treat flights to Canada the same as overseas flights and book the return bus an extra hour early, rather than like a US domestic flight which it is more realistically like.
 

Nansafan

Active Member
We especially love the luggage aspect of DME. We get off the plane, make a rest room stop, and then head directly to the DME check-in desk. We have made it from plane to resort check-in to a park in about 2 - 2 1/2 hours. We always pack 1 day's worth of essentials in our carry-ons (i.e. change of clothes including underwear and socks, a bathing suit and something to sleep in, plus any necessary medicines). This way if the luggage gets lost by the airline, we have at least something else to wear. Oh yeah, and it's free. That's a nice plus.
 
I know this will sound awful, but we love having the option of a grocery stop so that we don't have to pay $7 per drink for the entire trip. It's nice to have the option of making your own drinks in your own room, and then taking them to the pool. Or having a nightcap at the end of a long day to just mellow out and relax.

As far as using DME (which I know isn't really the question, but you can just play the opposite game)
Pros: It's free. It gets you where you need to go. No need to worry about luggage.

Cons: You have to be at the airport/set up your pickup time about 3 hours ahead of your flight, whereas with a towncar you can put it a bit later or to your preference. You have to deal with other families and the potential of them being late to the bus, which is why the 3 hour time frame. You don't get to stop for drinks/snacks at the grocery store. You have to wait for your luggage to appear in your room, if you wanted to immediately freshen up and go when you get to the room you really are giving up that option, unless you want to rely on what's in your carryon. Watching advertisements for the Disney Parks feels a little more forced on the bus, personally I didn't feel like it was getting me more excited to get to my location, it only made me excited for the film to be over.

I'm not gonna lie, I'm a bit biased, but I've used rental cars and Happy Limo and I really prefer those options to DME. The personal time preference is probably the biggest factor that makes the decision for me, along with having my luggage with me. At elast if it's lost I can find out at the airport, and not hours after I get to the resort.
 

disney4life2008

Well-Known Member
I will have an answer for this in May. I have been to Disney 20 times and this will be the 1st year where I will NOT be renting a car. I am taking DME. My factor for no car is that the prices are horrible for memorial day weekend. I am actually looking forward to taking DME. It will be nice to not have a car, the worry and the extra expense. I arrive at noon and expect to be in the parks after the afternoon parade. as far as groceries, like someone else said, I am on vacation, someone else can cook for me. though, i am young and not tied down to kids. i enjoy having my refillable mug and going to the food court.

the cons to not having a car:

Having to take multiple modes of transportation if you have ressies at other resorts. For AKL, I am going to have to take the bus to AK then the bus to AKL. For Ohana, the same thing plus the monorail. But, I have Disney transportation so I will deal with it.
 

melissw

New Member
Just used DME for the 1st time last week and will use again.

PROS: no extra cost; very little planning - just let Disney know your flight info and they will tell you when to be there; they will get your checked luggage (although we only used carry-ons for our trip so can't comment further)

CONS: depending on what resort you are going to, may be the 1st stop after leaving the airport or could be the last - DME bus stops at up to 3-4 resorts; same thing with leaving resort - could have to make a stop at other resort(s) (neither of these stops bothered us since we were the 1st resort stop on way there and had 1 other resort stop on way back to airport); specific CON for the OP - can't have bus stop at a store for you - although I guess you could try to convince the driver and other guests to have an extra little field trip :animwink:!
 

disneygirl1024

Well-Known Member
I agree with MontyMon. Not having to deal with picking up your luggage and letting someone else do it for you is great. Getting on that bus begins our vacation for us-getting to relax on a bus ride to the resort. I don't mind watching the video. It puts us in the Disney mood. Furthermore, being on vacation, definitely someone is doing the cooking for me and my fam. I don't worry so much about our luggage getting to our room because we always carry the necessities in our carry on sooooo........I will always recommend the DME. You never have to worry about how I am getting to the World.
 

Computer Magic

Well-Known Member
It's very much an individual preference...

I don't get groceries [I figure I am on vacation, somebody else can feed me].

The big pros for me are simplicity and speed. No waiting at the carousel for luggage and quick trip to the resort. I don't need anything from my checked luggage until I'm back from the parks later.

The only con for me is they treat flights to Canada the same as overseas flights and book the return bus an extra hour early, rather than like a US domestic flight which it is more realistically like.
Interesting how you say speed as a pro for DME. I think Quicksilver could get me to my resort faster. Yes, I have to wait for my luggage, but I don't have to wait for others to board the bus. Then the stops at other resorts vs straight to my resort.

Remember the trip home you can be luggage free for town cars as well. Just drop it off at the resort airline check-in
 

I_heart_Tigger

Well-Known Member
I have done both DME and town car but will use DME on my next trip.

When I used DME, I was in a situation where the airline DID lose my luggage. I filled out a lost luggage report at the airport and a Disney rep also got a copy of the report.

After I checked into my room we went to the parks for a couple hours then back to the room to find that my luggage was in the room! Disney had been in touch with the aiport, picked up the luggage when it was located and delivered it directly to my room. A town car service wouldn't do that so DME definately won me over there.

The other reason I like DME (I'm surprised no one else mentioned it) is that when those little screens light up with the welcoming video of the parks and Mickey...it's like my vacation starts right there, I get so excited. :sohappy:
 

Mickey'n'Minnie

New Member
We were actually thinking of NOT using the DME only for the luggage...

Last year we let disney deal with our luggage and our flight landed at 1 in the afternoon and we didn't get our luggage until 10 that night!

The other years we have been, we had gotten our luggage quickly but last year really opened my eyes.

I actually had to go down to the storage room myself with my fiance at POP and tell them to look for our luggage because there were about 7 guys there just standing around talking and laughing. We were actually really upset that we had to try and track down our own luggage while it was just sitting the POP storage room for who knows how long.

I know it isn't something that happens all the time but now i'm super nervous about leaving my luggage. What should I do?! :shrug:
 

Phonedave

Well-Known Member
I know this will sound awful, but we love having the option of a grocery stop so that we don't have to pay $7 per drink for the entire trip. It's nice to have the option of making your own drinks in your own room, and then taking them to the pool. Or having a nightcap at the end of a long day to just mellow out and relax.


Its not awfull at all, but thats why they invented flasks and/or nalgene bottles :)

-dave
 

wdwCC

New Member
I'm arriving (domestic flight) to Florida May 19 4:30 pm, and I depart May 24th 1:15 pm. Just curious what are the pros and cons of not using the Disney Magical Express? other than the obvious spending $60-80 using towncar/taxi. From what I understand some of the towncars/shuttle services will stop at a grocery store (which is nice, and can help me avoid using garden grocer), my only issue would be showing up to the resort and trying to carry in 1-2 cases of water in addition to groceries and suit cases(I assume the bellhops assist with this). is there any other pros and cons of not using the DME? for instance would I get a lot more time on the resort by doing so? Thanks a bunch.

~G

Arriving at 4:30??? That might be pushing getting your luggage that night.
 

gspin2k1

Member
Original Poster
Well good news. Turns out my buddy is gonna come pick us up from the airport that day. So now I don't have to use DME or a shuttle service from airport to resort. Sadly he will be out of town when we are checking out, so now I have to decide if I want to use a shuttle from resort to airport, or take the DME. Our flight depature (domestic) is 1:15 pm. I think DME requires us to be ready 3 hours in advance. not sure what the shuttle would require. It'd be nice to have as much time as possible in disney world before we have to say our good byes.

~G
 

ClemsonTigger

Naturally Grumpy
Free and luggage transfer are big plusses, but I personally like to save about three hours (one extra going, two coming back to airport) wasted on DME. I either use Quicksilver or rent a car.
 

wdwCC

New Member
I'm not sure if you had a bad experience in the past or not, but 4:30PM is plenty early enough to get your luggage same-day.

-Rob

Last October we flew in at 6:30pm, luggage didn't arrive at room until 1am. That was before they put in the after 10pm limit. Isn't it 4-5 hours after you check in that your luggage arrives in room, and not when you arrive at MCO? My thinking was if they arrive at 4:30, go through the DME process and get to resort, it could take an hour to get checked in making it 5:30. Anything longer than 4 1/2 hours might hit 10pm.
 

I_heart_Tigger

Well-Known Member
Last October we flew in at 6:30pm, luggage didn't arrive at room until 1am. That was before they put in the after 10pm limit. Isn't it 4-5 hours after you check in that your luggage arrives in room, and not when you arrive at MCO? My thinking was if they arrive at 4:30, go through the DME process and get to resort, it could take an hour to get checked in making it 5:30. Anything longer than 4 1/2 hours might hit 10pm.


That's strange...I've used DME 4 times and I have never waited longer than 3 hours for luggage and the 3 hour wait was after the airline lost the luggage and Disney got it and brought it to my resort, after he dropped everyone else off at their resorts.

My general experience is arrival time around 2pm and luggage in the room by 5pm
 

Rob562

Well-Known Member
Well good news. Turns out my buddy is gonna come pick us up from the airport that day. So now I don't have to use DME or a shuttle service from airport to resort. Sadly he will be out of town when we are checking out, so now I have to decide if I want to use a shuttle from resort to airport, or take the DME. Our flight depature (domestic) is 1:15 pm. I think DME requires us to be ready 3 hours in advance. not sure what the shuttle would require. It'd be nice to have as much time as possible in disney world before we have to say our good byes.

~G

One other note to remember if you end up not using DME to return to the airport: you can still use Resort Airline Check-In to check in for your departing flight and check your luggage. (Of course, this assumes you're flying domestically on a participating airline)

RAC is a separate entity from DME, so transportation isn't required to check your bags and get your boarding passes at your hotel.

-Rob
 

Miceberg

Well-Known Member
Last trip something went haywire with DME computers and they weren't able to take our luggage. We had to store it inside the hotel and then go back to fetch it, get it on the bus and drag it around the airport. When it works it's nice, but when it doesn't - what a pain! We are going the shuttle route this time around.
 

CleveRocks

Active Member
Last trip something went haywire with DME computers and they weren't able to take our luggage. We had to store it inside the hotel and then go back to fetch it, get it on the bus and drag it around the airport. When it works it's nice, but when it doesn't - what a pain! We are going the shuttle route this time around.
What you are describing is a problem you had with Resort Airline Check-in, a service that is unrelated to DME.

No matter how one gets back to the airport, one can use RAC to check luggage and check-in for the flight. One service is unrelated to the other.

Plenty of people pay for a car service to get back to the airport but still use RAC.

And there are plenty of people who are ineligible to use RAC because their airline is not a "particiating" airline.

When you say "shuttle," I'm not sure what you mean. There are no "shuttles" that I'm aware of at WDW resorts. You can get a taxi, you can arrange a car service, you can take the DME bus. Years ago, there was a Mears shuttle available, but that is no longer in existence at WDW resorts since the start of DME 4 years ago.
 

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