A question about flying from Ottawa and using Magical Express?

[Magpie]

Normally we fly from Syracuse to Orlando, but this year we'll taking a direct flight from Ottawa to Orlando, on Westjet.

In the past, when we've flown from Syracuse, we've been able to just check our bags when we arrive at the airport, and we don't see them again until they show up in our hotel room in Orlando.

Normally I understand that you can't do that with international flights (you have to collect your bags and take them to the ME counter yourself), but I thought Ottawa might be an exception as there is a US Customs right on site, and you go through customs before you ever get on your flight. So I called Disney's help line to ask.

Now, the agent told me exactly what I was hoping to hear - that in fact, we can check our bags in Ottawa and they'll show up in our hotel room in Orlando. But she didn't sound a hundred percent sure.

So, can anyone here confirm what the agent told me? Can we indeed use the baggage check through service from Ottawa?

I do love not having to haul bags around the airport.

 

[HeatherLassell]

International Guests flying into Orlando International Airport from another country must follow the U.S. Customs and Border Protection process and claim luggage after disembarking the plane. After completing the process, proceed to the Disney's Magical Express Welcome Center in the Main Terminal Building, B side, Level 1. Disney's Magical Express service will recollect your luggage and deliver it directly to your Walt Disney World hotel room within 4 hours after you check in at the resort. Luggage delivery service provided by Disney's Magical Express is available for flights arriving between 5:00 am and 10:00 pm daily. For airport arrivals after 10:00 pm, Guests may collect their luggage at Baggage Claim and transport it with them on the motorcoach.

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/planning-guides/in-depth-advice/airport-service/ (the source)

Unfortunately it doesn't sound like she is correct. I don't think anyone but yourself can claim your luggage at customs... We'll be flying from Winnipeg but making a connection in Minneapolis. So I'm thinking we can grab our luggage there, put the ME tags on and then our luggage would just show up in the room. BUT I'm travelling with my dad who absolutely HATES the idea....so we will just go get our luggage regardless and take it with us to the ME. I'm gonna let him colllect all the luggage and me and my kids are going to go shop!

 

[Magpie]

International Guests flying into Orlando International Airport from another country must follow the U.S. Customs and Border Protection process and claim luggage after disembarking the plane. After completing the process, proceed to the Disney's Magical Express Welcome Center in the Main Terminal Building, B side, Level 1. Disney's Magical Express service will recollect your luggage and deliver it directly to your Walt Disney World hotel room within 4 hours after you check in at the resort. Luggage delivery service provided by Disney's Magical Express is available for flights arriving between 5:00 am and 10:00 pm daily. For airport arrivals after 10:00 pm, Guests may collect their luggage at Baggage Claim and transport it with them on the motorcoach.

http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/planning-guides/in-depth-advice/airport-service/ (the source)

Unfortunately it doesn't sound like she is correct. I don't think anyone but yourself can claim your luggage at customs... We'll be flying from Winnipeg but making a connection in Minneapolis. So I'm thinking we can grab our luggage there, put the ME tags on and then our luggage would just show up in the room. BUT I'm travelling with my dad who absolutely HATES the idea....so we will just go get our luggage regardless and take it with us to the ME. I'm gonna let him colllect all the luggage and me and my kids are going to go shop!

That's what I read, too. But the difference is, unlike almost everywhere else, Ottawa has US Customs and Border Protection in the actual Ottawa airport itself. That's why I called to ask.

Ottawa airport is somewhat unique in this respect. We'll have cleared customs before we ever take off. So I guess I'm hoping to hear from someone who has flown out of Ottawa and used Magical Express, whether they had the option of checking them, or not.

Love your idea of dumping your luggage off on your dad!

 

[HeatherLassell]

That's what I read, too. But the difference is, unlike almost everywhere else, Ottawa has US Customs and Border Protection in the actual Ottawa airport itself. That's why I called to ask.

Ottawa airport is somewhat unique in this respect. We'll have cleared customs before we ever take off. So I guess I'm hoping to hear from someone who has flown out of Ottawa and used Magical Express, whether they had the option of checking them, or not.

Love your idea of dumping your luggage off on your dad!

lol Well I figure he can collect it since he is the one being stubborn and saying we can't use ME. I think we'll all have to clear customs but then he can push a cart with all the bags on it. I already saw a cute Disney store to stop in. lol

Well that's really neat. That's definitely unique. I guess Ottawa is one airport I haven't been in. Well then I would think you can. If you're clearing customs in Ottawa then your bags will end up on the regular luggage carosel you're good to go. The only problem with ME is if your luggage ends up in Customs.

 

[Magpie]

lol Well I figure he can collect it since he is the one being stubborn and saying we can't use ME. I think we'll all have to clear customs but then he can push a cart with all the bags on it. I already saw a cute Disney store to stop in. lol

Well that's really neat. That's definitely unique. I guess Ottawa is one airport I haven't been in. Well then I would think you can. If you're clearing customs in Ottawa then your bags will end up on the regular luggage carosel you're good to go. The only problem with ME is if your luggage ends up in Customs.

Not all that unique, apparently! I've just been doing some more reading - Winnipeg apparently has US border preclearance, too. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_border_preclearance#Canada

So wouldn't you also be clearing US customs in Winnipeg, rather than in Minneapolis?

Mind you, this doesn't bode well for my hopes of getting my bags checked through.

 

[KittyKat1978]

What I have been told in the past is once we have past customs at the airport (YVR in Vancouver for me) you are techincally on US soil. You do not have to go through customs when you land in Orlando or if you have a stop over in another US state. Therefore, I don't see why you can't use the yellow luggage tags and forget about your luggage.

I have never used the yellow tags because I have always arrived late at night and have just grabbed my luggage at the carousel and had it loaded onto the ME.

 

[Practically_Perfect]

Magpie - I can say with absolute certainty that you can check your bags with the yellow DME tags in Ottawa and they'll show up at your hotel room in Disney! I have done so myself in April 2011 (and I had quite the milk run - Ottawa to Detroit to Minneapolis to Orlando...). And it's for exactly the reason you think - you pre-clear US Customs at the Ottawa airport. You are essentially in the "U.S." once the Customs agent says "Have a nice trip" and sends you to your gate. Most Canadian airports have US pre-clearance - including Ottawa, Winnipeg, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, etc....

The difference will be on your return trip after your vacation. Since your final airport will not be a US one, you won't be able to use Disney's "curb-side check-in". You'll have to load your bags onto the DME bus when it picks you up, then bring them to the airline check-in at MCO.

Good luck! Hope you have a good trip

 

[Magpie]

Magpie - I can say with absolute certainty that you can check your bags with the yellow DME tags in Ottawa and they'll show up at your hotel room in Disney! I have done so myself in April 2011 (and I had quite the milk run - Ottawa to Detroit to Minneapolis to Orlando...). And it's for exactly the reason you think - you pre-clear US Customs at the Ottawa airport. You are essentially in the "U.S." once the Customs agent says "Have a nice trip" and sends you to your gate. Most Canadian airports have US pre-clearance - including Ottawa, Winnipeg, Montreal, Toronto, Vancouver, etc....

The difference will be on your return trip after your vacation. Since your final airport will not be a US one, you won't be able to use Disney's "curb-side check-in". You'll have to load your bags onto the DME bus when it picks you up, then bring them to the airline check-in at MCO.

Good luck! Hope you have a good trip

Oh my gosh, thank you! Yay!

I can't wait. This will be our first time travelling without the kids, without any sort of "work reason", just my husband and me having fun. My mum thinks I'm insane, when we could go anywhere else in the world. But my husband said the thing he loves about Disney is that it's a real vacation - everything's taken care of for you. All you have to do is get yourself to the airport, and they look after everything else. And Magical Express is a big part of that for us.

 

[minnie mum]

Just wanted to confirm what Practically Perfect said. We've used DME for years with no problem at all (flying out of Toronto or Vancouver) because we pre-clear US Customs at the (Canadian) airport.

And it's true about not being able to do the reverse when coming home. I know I've read of a couple of Cdn. DISers who thought they could use the curbside luggage pickup and then found out that their luggage hadn't made the return trip!!! You have to put your luggage on the bus yourself, then check it in at the MCO counter.

Have a wonderful trip.

 

[badiggio]

I'm from ottawa too, and after your luggage is on that conveyer belt,you won't see them again until you're in your room;usually a couple of hours after you check in.If there's something you think you would need right away,pack it in your carry on.

 

[Tinkershelly]

Same from Halifax, but I will stress that you can't use the full check in service on the way home. Because we fly through Newark we always get paperwork on our door knob that says we can use it but when your final destination is Canada you can't.

As stated before, bring your baggage with you on the ME bus and check yourself and your bags in at the airline ticket counter.