DME Luggage transfer only?

[tjkraz]

Is it possible to use DME just to get my luggage to the airport?

We'll be renting a car and would like to handle our own transportation ourselves. But leaving the luggage with DME at the hotel could certainly save some time at the airport--our airline has on-line checkin meaning we could go right to the gate if we don't have to worry about checking bags.

Our airline is Spirit if that makes a difference. I know there are "preferred" airlines, but am not certain how that figures into the equation.

Thanks.

[jnrrt]

TJKraz,

We were told no. We wanted to do the same thing, but they said it was not a luggage service. I was given to understand that it's the same reason that you can't send unattended luggage on an airplane - it's a security risk. So the only other option we had was to send one of us on DME with the luggage, and have everyone else go in the car. We just opted to handle our own lugagge.

[lllovell]

May I ask why you are opting not to use DME Tjkraz?

Hubby used it on this last trip. He had no luggage, walked right up and checked in and was at OKW within 45 minutes. No real time lag (and it takes X amount of time at the airport to get a car anyway - - -well, if not taking a service I suppose).

Laura

[tjkraz]

May I ask why you are opting not to use DME Tjkraz?

Hubby used it on this last trip. He had no luggage, walked right up and checked in and was at OKW within 45 minutes. No real time lag (and it takes X amount of time at the airport to get a car anyway - - -well, if not taking a service I suppose).

Laura

Actually it's a variety of reasons. The main one being that the focus of the trip is to do Star Wars Weekends and the event starts on our departure day. With a flight at 6:40pm and no car, we'd probably have to be at the SSR bus stop no later than 3pm so that we can get back to the resort in time for a 3:30-3:40 DME pickup. By renting, I figure I'm buying us about an extra 90 minutes in the park.

Other factors include:

1. The ease of parking a car at SSR.
2. The fact that I was able to get an SUV for 4 days for just a little over $100.
3. Being able to shop at Publix. Just for the few staples we'll keep in the room (soda, milk, beer, breakfast stuff, snacks), buying at the grocery will save us $20-30 off of the prices of buying at the SSR store. That makes the car rental that much more economical.
4. This will be our first stay in a studio which means more meals out. Relying on Disney transportation makes it pretty difficult to get to other resorts to dine. I know we could walk to DTD and hop on a bus, but with a 5yo in tow, every little 15 minute walk that we can cut out of the trip will be appreciated.

Getting from MCO to the parks was the least of my worries. That's the part that made DME attractive in the first place. But once I started adding up the little chunks of time we can save with a car and factored-in the net rental cost of only about $70 ($100 rental less the $30 we'll save on groceries), renting got a lot more attractive.

[lllovell]

I understand all those reasons.

Laura

[Pumpkinboy]

Well officially, luggage only is not allowed on DME. However, unofficially you can do it. When I checked in for DME last October for the ride to the resort, I noted that the other husband and I (we were two families in a 2BR) were going to pick up the rental car and do our grocery shopping on the way to the resort. We were told that not only was that not a problem, but that if we watned to bring the families with us in the rental car, that this would not be a problem either; I noted that we had been told explicitly that this was not allowed, but the CM (a supervisor) let us know that luggage only was in fact possible, but that they didn't want a flood of folks doing it.

I dunno about that tho. I think you still need to check in at the DME desk. But then again, once you are checked in, perhaps you can just go off to your rental car. In our case, we're gonna stay on the safe side and have most of the family just take the DME bus (which we enjoy anyway).

[lllovell]

I can see it now....

DME bus isolated for hours while police check out suspicious luggage left behind by man not on bus. Tjkraz, a strange sounding name in itself, is wanted for questioning for this incident. Police still haven't been able to locate him, but hear strange, light saber noises coming from his room and have decided it is too dangerous to enter at this time...

:fresh:

(ok - so it is me that plays Star Wars with my boys making the Light Saber noises...but I am projecting on Tjkraz since I bet he does the same thing. :D :upsidedow )

Laura

[lllovell]

saber??? sabre??? I think saber - either way....SWW fans will surely understand. :3dglasses

[mushu]

Would be nice if you could though.