disney baggage pick up service

[vacationclub]

And you're assuming the tag is still on the bag. As mentioned by previous posters, what if the tag is gone? (PITA)?

You've pointed out the one combination of weak spots that, when aligned, could lead in a bad result for someone not informing DME of their arrival. Worst case scenario here, your bag hits the carousel, and is stolen. (But, this could happen to DME users who DO ride the bus. You bag is missed by the yellow tag people, it spins on carousel, it gets stolen. So, losing a yellow tag is potentially bad for all users of DME, not just those who skip the bus ride.). Best case, it goes around in circles like so many other bags you see at airports and the luggage office comes out to pull it and set it to the side.

The airline might try to contact you, but how? Is the cell number of every flier on file? An email address? Would you be checking the email?

That's up to the person booking. But I believe they would make a contact attempt based on whatever method they have. If its email, and you're not of the Blackberry persuasion where you don't "check" email, it checks you, there might be a delay in getting the message. But whatever method you give the airline is the same method that they would use to report cancelled flights, etc, so it's reasonable to assume that the method would be one that the person would have some decent contact with.

Regardless, let's say you call the airline and they say "yes, the bag is here, it came on a later plane". There's no yellow tag on it (it got ripped off somewhere) so it couldn't go to DME. Since you didn't file a claim, do you have to go back to the airport (PITA)?

In this case, yes, you most likely go back to the airport. But you have a car, so you do this. PITA? Yes, recovered luggage, and crisis averted....yes.

So, IF the follow events occur simultaneously; You yellow tag, you don't get on the bus, the yellow tag comes off...then, your luggage never arrives, you call DME, then call the airline, they have it with no yellow tag, you drive back to get it. We've successfully narrowed down the situations that can occur when not informing DME that you took another method of transport to Disney.

 

[vacationclub]

Actually, again??

It's not "again". You quoted an older post then added a comment for dramatic effect.

DME and RAC are not the same thing. DME takes your tagged bags and moves them to your resort.

Yes, we've established this several times now. DME takes your bags from MCO to Disney, and RAC takes your bags from Disney to MCO. Other than the fact that they do basically the same thing in opposite directions, they are completely different......

If you read the info booklet, or other 'marketing' stuff, you will find that Disney considers the luggage delivery a 'perk' of using DME for your ride to WDW.

Great. What a nice perk. How ironic is it that it's pretty much the same perk you get on the way back with that other service called RAC?

RAC is an actual airport arm. These bags are now entrusted to them...that whole 'never let your bags out of your sight' thingie. These RAC employees are the same as the employees at the airport. They are much more than luggage movers.

Great. Again, what doe this have to do with anything? DME also has people entrusted with your bags who are the same as employees at an airport. They pull the bags with their "transfer" tags. They are both "more than just luggage movers" (the guys you give a tip too).

And this is why you don't have to ride the DME bus...

Exactly, we've already established this...but again???? Sorry, couldn't resist.

...too bad Disney lumped RAC in with DME. It has caused nothing but confusion for guests.

What confusion has it caused?

This is not a 'not so well known rule'...it is right there, for everyone to see.

Right where?

Perhaps not...but they provide a security approved 'secure environment' for your checked bags back to the airport. DME does not provide this 'environment' for the trip to WDW.

DME doesn't need the "secure environment" because the bag has left the airport and is not destined for a plane. Also, don't RAC bags eventually go through TSA after arriving at MCO? They''re not consider to be "secure" until they get TSA screened, right? So, what's the big deal about secure environment? And how does this effect the average consumer comparing the two services for moving luggage to and from MCO?

You can keep right on saying that RAC and DME are the same thing...have at it. .

And you can keep saying that I keep saying it....even though I clearly say more than just those words. I say...as you just admitted above..that they essentially perform similar functions in opposite directions, regardless of their name, their tax ID, their security clearance, their favorite color and choice of beer. In the end, from the poor ol' confused consumers point of view, they are basically doing the same thing...which is eliminate your need to deal with luggage at MCO. YES????? Can you at least concede to that? Or will that be fought to the bitter end as well?

You are more than free to believe what you choose to believe. I merely report on what I'm told by Disney and by those who are employed by both DME and RAC. But, I guess those folks aren't to be believed either.

Why do you say that? Whoever claimed that they are not to be believed?

Please add the previous two questions to the long list of questions asked of you that you refuse to respond to. I noticed you didn't have any explanation at all to my previous questions about your ridiculous accusations, including where you claim that I'm saying I'm right and everyone else is wrong.

 

[Lewisc]

Man, those are the folks that annoy me..but many have legitimate reasons for doing it this way. They aren't really violating anything. Disney doesn't say you have to tag your bags.
..........


Actually, again?? DME and RAC are not the same thing. DME takes your tagged bags and moves them to your resort. If you read the info booklet, or other 'marketing' stuff, you will find that Disney considers the luggage delivery a 'perk' of using DME for your ride to WDW.

A poster in this thread was kind of enough to post Disney's instructions. Disney tells guests to skip baggage claim and go directly to the DME area. Only guests arriving late are told to claim their bags and have their bags stowed under the bus.

In at least some materials Disney includes RAC as one of the services offered as "Disney's Magical Express"

Exactly, we've already establishe
DME doesn't need the "secure environment" because the bag has left the airport and is not destined for a plane. Also, don't RAC bags eventually go through TSA after arriving at MCO? They''re not consider to be "secure" until they get TSA screened, right? So, what's the big deal about secure environment? And how does this effect the average consumer comparing the two services for moving luggage to and from MCO?

The bags are "secure" once you check them in at the RAC desk. The bags are put in cages which are locked. The bags are transported in locked cages. The bags are not accessible once they are checked. Specific security measures are taken. The big deal is a third party can't add something to your luggage once it's checked. Not to nitpick but I think the TSA screening is done in leased/converted cargo hanger and not in the actual airport.

Luggage handling both directions is a nice feature for guests. I agree the general public sees the services as similar.

Incoming is almost like you give your cousin your claim checks. He grabs your bags and sticks it in the back of his van and takes it to your resort.

Outgoing is more like the skycaps at the airport curb sets up an office in your resort. You're not giving your bags to your cousin. You're giving them to an employee who's passed TSA screening. Your bag isn't left outside in open carts. Your bag is kept in a cage. It's not accessible. There are rules regarding the drivers.

You might consider delivery to/from the resort as similar. The process of accepting, securing and transporting luggage is completely different. Most of us know the difference. We show photo ID when we check our bags. Our bags are screened. We don't show any ID when we get our bags.

 

[seashoreCM]

... So, IF the follow events occur simultaneously; You yellow tag, you don't get on the bus, the yellow tag comes off...then, your luggage never arrives, you call DME, then call the airline, they have it with no yellow tag, you drive back to get it. We've successfully narrowed down the situations that can occur when not informing DME that you took another method of transport to Disney.

This particular case will have a happy ending. After a small amount of back and forth with you on the phone, the airline will hand the delayed bag over to Magical Express saving you the need to go back to the airport.

What does not end up with a happy ending is complete disappearance of the bag. You file a claim with DME. DME says they never received the bag (no scan-in) and their responsibility to you ends since you did not check in at the welcoming counter. You file a claim with the airline. The airline says you did not file a claim within 4 hours of arrival in Orlando and, although they will keep an eye open for the bag, they will not compensate you.

 

[vacationclub]

The reason for the rule is irrelevant. Your reason makes no sense. .

Sure it does. If the rule is that you can't make a claim after leaving the airport because that means you didn't make an attempt to retrieve you bag before it could get stolen from a carousel, then the yellow tag factored in would means that it never reached the carousel anyway, it couldn't get stolen from a carousel because it never made it to one...so the rule may have an exception for yellow tags. Of course this assumes the yellow tag didn't fall off, which would basically make your bag one that nobody is looking for anymore....you're not there, and the yellow bag pickers are ignoring it. This is the example we've been narrowing down in our various recent posts. And, we still don't have an answer, although it seems we're leaning towards one, about whether you can decide at the airport that you're not taking DME, and tell DME when you get there that you've decided to take alternative transportation but have bags checked. That method, as described by some posters, seems to be the way out of the risk zone.

The bags are "secure" once you check them in at the RAC desk. The bags are put in cages which are locked. The bags are transported in locked cages. The bags are not accessible once they are checked. Specific security measures are taken. The big deal is a third party can't add something to your luggage once it's checked. Not to nitpick but I think the TSA screening is done in leased/converted cargo hanger and not in the actual airport.

So, are you saying that once they leave RAC at Disney they never go to TSA for inspection? Because only after they clear TSA are the bags secure....just like people. Or, are you just saying they are "secure" in that nobody can steal your stuff? And if this is the case, and DME inbound is NOT secure, are you saying we can't trust DME because those workers and their trucks and methods aren't "secure".

 

[goofy4tink]

You know what??? This thread has ceased being informative. It's done...thank you all very much. If there are any further questions, please head over/up to the sticky that deals with this subject.