Disney's Magical Express -- Luggage Tag Info

[MrsNuke]

I hope this hasn't been answered already...I scanned all 103 pages, but I didn't read every word.

I'm going to the Wine and Dine after party, the first Christmas party, and then a tech conference from November 7-11. I booked a room at Pop for the party, since it's a marathon hotel with transportation at 4am! Since Swan sold out of conference rooms, I booked SSR through a DVC owner on points for the conference half. My boss is paying for the airfare, and she FINALLY booked the flights...but now my owner isn't responding to my email requesting him to add DME for the return home. I'm thinking that either he's just a busy guy...or that I don't even need him to do that, which is just embarrassing to think about.

I have tags and a DME reservation for the trip in on the 7th to Pop. Can I just call the DME number and add my own return trip, even though where I will be leaving from is a points rental reservation? I really thought the owner had to do that, but now I'm not so sure... Do I even need to do that on the phone, or can I get the return trip taken care of at Pop or SSR since I have the first leg reserved already?

TIA for any insight...I thought I was ready to do Disney alone, but clearly I was wrong!

 

[goofy4tink]

I hope this hasn't been answered already...I scanned all 103 pages, but I didn't read every word.

I'm going to the Wine and Dine after party, the first Christmas party, and then a tech conference from November 7-11. I booked a room at Pop for the party, since it's a marathon hotel with transportation at 4am! Since Swan sold out of conference rooms, I booked SSR through a DVC owner on points for the conference half. My boss is paying for the airfare, and she FINALLY booked the flights...but now my owner isn't responding to my email requesting him to add DME for the return home. I'm thinking that either he's just a busy guy...or that I don't even need him to do that, which is just embarrassing to think about.

I have tags and a DME reservation for the trip in on the 7th to Pop. Can I just call the DME number and add my own return trip, even though where I will be leaving from is a points rental reservation? I really thought the owner had to do that, but now I'm not so sure... Do I even need to do that on the phone, or can I get the return trip taken care of at Pop or SSR since I have the first leg reserved already?

TIA for any insight...I thought I was ready to do Disney alone, but clearly I was wrong!

You can actually add it once you get to WDW. You just need to do it at least 24 hrs prior to your departure date. So, when you check in at SSR, just add your ride back to MCO via DME then. No problem.
Have a ball......I've been to WDW for the half and 5k for the past few years...it was terrific!!!!

 

[TheDisneyPixi]

Hi! I have never stayed on property at Disney so I'm suuuper excited that my boyfriend and I will be staying at POP for our trip in April. I have some questions about the magical express and Disney transportation though. How long does it usually take to get from the airport to your resort? I've heard it can take over 2 hours! I was also wondering if we should use the DME luggage service because our plane will be landing at about 6pm and I'm worried our bags won't show up until like 11pm. How long do you usually wait for your bags? Has anyone ever had DME lose their bags? I'm just super nervous about checking my bags and not seeing them again until they're dropped off since it's something I haven't ever done before. Thanks for any help! You're all awesome!

 

[siskaren]

Hi! I have never stayed on property at Disney so I'm suuuper excited that my boyfriend and I will be staying at POP for our trip in April. I have some questions about the magical express and Disney transportation though.

1. How long does it usually take to get from the airport to your resort? I've heard it can take over 2 hours!

2. I was also wondering if we should use the DME luggage service because our plane will be landing at about 6pm and I'm worried our bags won't show up until like 11pm.

3. How long do you usually wait for your bags?

4. Has anyone ever had DME lose their bags?

5. I'm just super nervous about checking my bags and not seeing them again until they're dropped off since it's something I haven't ever done before. Thanks for any help!

You're all awesome!

1. It typically takes 70-90 minutes from the time your plane lands until you get to your resort. This includes the time it take to deplane, get to the DME area, wait time to get on the bus, and wait time for the bus to leave, as well as the fact that the bus will typically stop at 3-4 resorts, so you may stop at other resorts before yours.

2. Well, your luggage is supposed to be delivered 3-4 hours after you check in, so 11pm is about when you should expect it. If 11pm is later than you want to wait for it, then don't put the yellow tags on it.

3. Most people don't wait in the rooms for their luggage - they just head out to a park and the luggage is there when they get back.

4. From what I've read, misplaced luggage is more likely going to be the airline's fault than DME's, but neither one is very common.

5. Whenever you check luggage, you don't see it again until you get to the airport; using DME really isn't any different. I've honestly never understood why some people are nervous about letting DME handle getting their luggage from MCO to their resort when they're trusting their airline to get their luggage from their home airport to MCO.

 

[TheDisneyPixi]

1. It typically takes 70-90 minutes from the time your plane lands until you get to your resort. This includes the time it take to deplane, get to the DME area, wait time to get on the bus, and wait time for the bus to leave, as well as the fact that the bus will typically stop at 3-4 resorts, so you may stop at other resorts before yours.

2. Well, your luggage is supposed to be delivered 3-4 hours after you check in, so 11pm is about when you should expect it. If 11pm is later than you want to wait for it, then don't put the yellow tags on it.

3. Most people don't wait in the rooms for their luggage - they just head out to a park and the luggage is there when they get back.

4. From what I've read, misplaced luggage is more likely going to be the airline's fault than DME's, but neither one is very common.

5. Whenever you check luggage, you don't see it again until you get to the airport; using DME really isn't any different. I've honestly never understood why some people are nervous about letting DME handle getting their luggage from MCO to their resort when they're trusting their airline to get their luggage from their home airport to MCO.

Thank you thank you! That was all awesome info. And good point about trusting an airline with your luggage not being different than trusting DME with it. I guess we'll have to think about whether or not we want to deal with our own luggage because we'll probably sleep early that night. Thanks again!

 

[MrsNuke]

You can actually add it once you get to WDW. You just need to do it at least 24 hrs prior to your departure date. So, when you check in at SSR, just add your ride back to MCO via DME then. No problem.
Have a ball......I've been to WDW for the half and 5k for the past few years...it was terrific!!!!

Thank you SO much! This is so helpful and really puts me at ease. I check in to SSR on Monday morning, so I'll get my seat on the ME then.

I'm so excited about the party! I am merely a spectator, mind you...my buddy is the one who is the runner in the group. Reading all these run reports makes me want to start training, however! Ah, if only my old knees would cooperate...

 

[jcarwash]

...I guess we'll have to think about whether or not we want to deal with our own luggage because we'll probably sleep early that night...

A 6pm arrival isn't terribly late, but I would agree it's late enough to decide if you'll want your bags sooner rather than later. In my opinion, the DME delivery works best for me when I arrive in the earlier part of the day and I'm off to a park first thing. If you go to your resort only, it can be nice to have the bags with you.

 

[boufa]

4. From what I've read, misplaced luggage is more likely going to be the airline's fault than DME's, but neither one is very common.

5. Whenever you check luggage, you don't see it again until you get to the airport; using DME really isn't any different. I've honestly never understood why some people are nervous about letting DME handle getting their luggage from MCO to their resort when they're trusting their airline to get their luggage from their home airport to MCO.

Also remember that if the airline loses their bags it could be anywhere in the world, if DME loses your bag it could be anywhere in WDW. So the larger risk and the biggest inconvenience is the airline. I am in the same place as you about whether to trust my bags to DME or not. And I am going to do it. If you read these forums (and others) long enough you hear about a lot of fear that their luggage is going to be misplaced, but not really a lot of stories about it happening. Sure it happens, but, it seems like I see the same couple people repeat there horror stories over and over again, and not many others. Considering how much complaining exists on Disney forums I would expect to see more tales of luggage doom. (I recently read one thread with 6 pages of people complaining about the elimination of pump "cheese" from Cosmic Rays!)

 

[mskay]

I know this answer is here somewhere but can't find it and need to confirm. It's okay that Magical Express doesn't have flight info as long as the yellow tags are used?

 

[jcarwash]

I know this answer is here somewhere but can't find it and need to confirm. It's okay that Magical Express doesn't have flight info as long as the yellow tags are used?

Magical Express will need your return flight information so they can schedule your pickup at your resort when you go home. They don't need incoming flight information for you or your luggage.

 

[Jerusalem Gal]

Any international travelers here?

We don't get our tags (or anything) in the mail. I can't remember what we did on our last trip.
Would the airline for our connecting flight to Orlando have the tags for us at the airport? (Which airlines are "participating airlines"?)

 

[siskaren]

Any international travelers here?

We don't get our tags (or anything) in the mail. I can't remember what we did on our last trip.
Would the airline for our connecting flight to Orlando have the tags for us at the airport? (Which airlines are "participating airlines"?)

The airlines have nothing to do with the luggage tags, which are just to let MCO employees know not to put those bags on the luggage carousel and to let DME employees know which resort to take them to. "Participating airlines" refers to which airlines use RAC (Resort Airline Check-in), which allows you to check in for your flight at your resort - it has nothing to do with coming to Orlando.

 

[Jerusalem Gal]

The airlines have nothing to do with the luggage tags, which are just to let MCO employees know not to put those bags on the luggage carousel and to let DME employees know which resort to take them to. "Participating airlines" refers to which airlines use RAC (Resort Airline Check-in), which allows you to check in for your flight at your resort - it has nothing to do with coming to Orlando.

Ok, thanks for clarifying.
I have no clue how we got our luggage tags last time but I know someone at the airport gave them to us

 

[siskaren]

Ok, thanks for clarifying.
I have no clue how we got our luggage tags last time but I know someone at the airport gave them to us

The only luggage tags you would've gotten at the airport are the white ones that they put on to indicate to airport luggage handlers which airplane to load the luggage on; there's no way you could've gotten the yellow DME tags at the airport. This post from earlier in this thread shows what the DME tags look like:

http://www.disboards.com/threads/di...uggage-tag-info.1144360/page-32#post-28634705

 

[Jerusalem Gal]

The only luggage tags you would've gotten at the airport are the white ones that they put on to indicate to airport luggage handlers which airplane to load the luggage on; there's no way you could've gotten the yellow DME tags at the airport. This post from earlier in this thread shows what the DME tags look like:

http://www.disboards.com/threads/di...uggage-tag-info.1144360/page-32#post-28634705

That's VERY strange. We flew international so we didn't get anything in the mail. Switched to a connecting flight in Boston, took the DME and somehow got our luggage delivered to us at our resort without us seeing it since we checked it... Magic!

 

[siskaren]

That's VERY strange. We flew international so we didn't get anything in the mail. Switched to a connecting flight in Boston, took the DME and somehow got our luggage delivered to us at our resort without us seeing it since we checked it... Magic!

The only way you could've gotten your luggage delivered to your resort room without the DME tags is by going to the DME desk and giving them your luggage claim check.

 

[Jerusalem Gal]

The only way you could've gotten your luggage delivered to your resort room without the DME tags is by going to the DME desk and giving them your luggage claim check.

Ummm I don't remember doing that but I guess that's an option. I think I'll call and see if I can get a CM to give me an answer on that.
They must have quite a few international travelers...

 

[siskaren]

Ummm I don't remember doing that but I guess that's an option. I think I'll call and see if I can get a CM to give me an answer on that.
They must have quite a few international travelers...

Then make sure you call DME at 866-599-0951. Just calling Disney won't get you someone who knows how DME works.

 

[Jerusalem Gal]

Then make sure you call DME at 866-599-0951. Just calling Disney won't get you someone who knows how DME works.

Perfect! Thanks!!

 

[boufa]

I trust my travel agent... but.... when can I call and verify that DME and my flight are added to my trip. I know that Disney doesn't get the main reservation until just before you travel, but when does DME have the info? Out flight has changed twice, thanks to Delta's seemingly constant schedule changes, and I want to verify that the final flight info made it to DME.