Disney's Magical Express -- Luggage Tag Info

[smile4stamps]

I'm really sorry if this has been asked before but 50 pages of posts is a lot to read through...

My flight is scheduled to touch-down at 9:40pm. I know ME will transport bags up until 10pm. Should I tag my bags with the yellow ME tags or should I not tag them and just get them from baggage claim myself? I REALLY wanted to avoid baggage claim,

TIA

[goofy4tink]

Well, if it were me, I wouldn't tag the bags and I would just go get them at baggage claim. I completely understand how you feel though..not having to worry about luggage is one of the great things about DME. So, it has to be upsetting to those who booked with DME, with the understanding that their luggage would be moved for them, to find out that the rules have changed.
You could tag the bags and take your chances....after all, you are arriving before 10pm. But, that's a bit too close for me. In fact, I wouldn't tag my bags if I were coming in at any time after 9:00pm.
If you do tag them, and your flight is held up, even just a bit, you stand the chance of not getting your bags. You would have to head to baggage claim anyway, to see if they made it out to baggage claim and then take them with you...or wait until the next day for them.

[ahecht]

Originally Posted by goofy4tink

Well, if it were me, I wouldn't tag the bags and I would just go get them at baggage claim. I completely understand how you feel though..not having to worry about luggage is one of the great things about DME. So, it has to be upsetting to those who booked with DME, with the understanding that their luggage would be moved for them, to find out that the rules have changed.
You could tag the bags and take your chances....after all, you are arriving before 10pm. But, that's a bit too close for me. In fact, I wouldn't tag my bags if I were coming in at any time after 9:00pm.
If you do tag them, and your flight is held up, even just a bit, you stand the chance of not getting your bags. You would have to head to baggage claim anyway, to see if they made it out to baggage claim and then take them with you...or wait until the next day for them.

That advice doesn't make much sense to me. If it's after 10pm, Magic Express will no longer collect your luggage and it will show up at the baggage claim. The "Yellow Tag Grabbers" are presumably going home at 10, and I highly doubt Disney would pull your luggage and then just hold it hostage. I would tag your luggage, and if you arrive late simply go to the baggage claim.

Frankly, if I had a 10pm flight or 10:15 flight I would still tag my luggage just in case I arrived early. Worst case, if they do pull it and then change their mind about delivery, it would go out at 5am the next day.

[Salinger]

I guess the question becomes, if it is truly if your flight arrives at 10pm or later, or if your luggage makes it to the carousel at 10pm or later.

Even if the flight arrived on time at 9:40pm or just a few minutes late, say at 9:45pm, I'm sure we've all experienced the boredom of standing at the baggage claim for ages waiting for those bags to finally come out the chute. If the Disney handlers go home right at 10pm, even with an on-time flight, it's cutting it pretty close for the bags to get unloaded and out to the carousels in 15 minutes or so. It's a really tough call, I'm not sure what I'd do but I think I'd err on the side of caution and collect them myself, just in case.

[goofy4tink]

Originally Posted by ahecht

That advice doesn't make much sense to me. If it's after 10pm, Magic Express will no longer collect your luggage and it will show up at the baggage claim. The "Yellow Tag Grabbers" are presumably going home at 10, and I highly doubt Disney would pull your luggage and then just hold it hostage. I would tag your luggage, and if you arrive late simply go to the baggage claim.

Frankly, if I had a 10pm flight or 10:15 flight I would still tag my luggage just in case I arrived early. Worst case, if they do pull it and then change their mind about delivery, it would go out at 5am the next day.

I was all set to post why I do what I suggested...then read the next posters post. I have to agree. The vast majority of guests don't like having to wait until the next day to get their bags....there has been a huge number of posts regarding that. So...if you arrive at 9:45pm, yes, you can tag your bags and DME workers will 'most likely' grab them for delivery to the resort. But, you won't get them for hours...perhaps not until past midnight, depending on the resort. Even when DME was delivering bags after 10 I was recommending just not tagging them and getting them yourself.

Originally Posted by Salinger

I guess the question becomes, if it is truly if your flight arrives at 10pm or later, or if your luggage makes it to the carousel at 10pm or later.

Even if the flight arrived on time at 9:40pm or just a few minutes late, say at 9:45pm, I'm sure we've all experienced the boredom of standing at the baggage claim for ages waiting for those bags to finally come out the chute. If the Disney handlers go home right at 10pm, even with an on-time flight, it's cutting it pretty close for the bags to get unloaded and out to the carousels in 15 minutes or so. It's a really tough call, I'm not sure what I'd do but I think I'd err on the side of caution and collect them myself, just in case.

This is my thought exactly. I'm not sure I would trust the workers to complete the task if I arrived at 9:45...I don't want my bags sitting at the airport until the next morning...I want them with me. So, again, if I were arriving later in the evening, I wouldn't tag the bags, I would head to baggage claim and get them myself. But, then again, I might even be booking a towncar at that time....I don't like the fact that it usually takes longer to get to your resort at night....DME waits longer for the buses to leave, and they quite possibly stop at more resorts than during the busier daytime hours.
If I'm going to get my own luggage, I might as well just hop into a towncar and go directly to my resort...rather than sit around for half an hour waiting for a bus to board more guests.

[Salinger]

Originally Posted by goofy4tink

DME is sending out only one yellow luggage tag per guest now....seems they figured that with the checked luggage fees, most people would be checking one bag now. But, if you find you need more, just call DME and they should send what you need.
IF you don't have time to do this, and it looks like this may be the case, you can head right to the DME counter and give them you luggage claim receipts as well as a description of your bags. I would put something on your bags, a bright ribbon or such, that will stan out from the crowd. That should make it easier for the DME CMs to spot your bags at baggage claim. They will then grab the bags and get them to the resort for you.

Is DME still only sending one tag? We got 1 "strip" per guest, but on the back it says to "separate at the perforation to make two single luggage tags". Most Canadian airlines allow 2 free bags, perhaps it's to do with that??

I only bring this up, because it is actually a discussion I just had with my travelling partners. I said that the instructions on the back of the tag make it pretty clear, that although it's one strip, it's actually 2 tags. They felt it was only one and were going to call and order more.

I just wanted to be 100% certain so that I don't give them wrong information.

[SeptBabyMom]

I also apologize for asking a question that may already be asked... I have ready about 15 pages and it's not overly clear to me yet.

How often does the bus leave the airport for the resorts?

[CleveRocks]

Originally Posted by SeptBabyMom

I also apologize for asking a question that may already be asked... I have ready about 15 pages and it's not overly clear to me yet.

How often does the bus leave the airport for the resorts?

Maybe every half-hour or so. There is A bus leaving probably every 3-to-5 minutes, but your particular bus is probably every 30 minutes or so, give or take a few minutes.

[dfluvsmick]

Hi. I have gotten my stuff from my travel agent with all my papers for the hotel and food plan and tickets, but did not get the info for the ME. She said I wouldn't get them until about 1 week before we go. Is this true?? That makes me nervous. I leave in 30 days. Should I be nervous?

[Salinger]

1 week seems to be cutting a bit close and won't allow you much time should something not be right.

Just for comparison, we got our DME documents/tags about a month prior to our arrival date, and that was with 1) them first being sent to our TA who forwarded them on and 2) us being in Canada.

It may all be fine, but I'd check on it if I were you, just 'cause I like to ensure everything is going to run smoothly and not have any last minute panics. You can call DME directly at 1-866-599-0951 and see what they have to say.

[dfluvsmick]

thank you so much. I am calling them right now!

[harpo1856]

This is our family's first trip to WDW... the two things that worry me the most is the weather and Magical Express...my wife says I'm too pessimistic...

Adam

[goofy4tink]

Originally Posted by harpo1856

This is our family's first trip to WDW... the two things that worry me the most is the weather and Magical Express...my wife says I'm too pessimistic...

Adam

Nothing to worry about. You can't do anything about the weather and DME works very well for the vast majority of guests. I would say that only about 5% of the guests have a less than good experience with DME.

[MomLC]

Originally Posted by harpo1856

This is our family's first trip to WDW... the two things that worry me the most is the weather and Magical Express...my wife says I'm too pessimistic...

Adam

My family and I just used the ME for the first time on April 9 and it worked out BETTER than I expected. Once we left the aircraft we followed the signs to the ME counter, checked in, proceeded to the line we were assigned to, waited about 20-30 minutes for our bus and then we were on our way. Luggage came about 3 hours later and it was all there. I also worried at first but it was great not having to retrieve and lug our luggage around with us. Have a great vacation.

[SpoonfulofSugar]

ME Tag question-- We've used ME many times but not since the change of hours and 10pm cutoff. Our flight lands at 9:30pm and this is the first time our tags say: DVC HOLD - BOARDWALK VILL
I'm confused about the HOLD part-- does anyone know why this is there, it has never been on our tags before?