BAGS remote airline check-in service - Anyone use this service before?

[mieuxmew]

We are staying offsite while at Disney. There is a service at the Lake Buena Vista Outlet mall called BAGS that will check-in your bags for you on participating airlines for MCO, give you a boarding pass, and transport your bags to your airport flight. Apparently it is the same company that provides Disney's Resort Airline Check-in. Cost is $10 per person. Bags can be checked in from 3-24 hours preflight and for a few dollars more, they will shuttle you to the airport (at limited times). I also read that they will even arrange for a taxi to pick you up at your hotel and bring you to BAGS. For $50 they will deliver up to 8 bags from the airport directly to your resort (like Magical Express). I am looking at this because it may eliminate renting a much larger, more costly vehicle (we would need the larger vehicle for stuff, not four people!)

Anyone have any experience using this service??

 

[sam_gordon]

I have used BAGS on-site, but not offsite.

My thought is I wouldn't do this. A taxi or towncar service seems like it would be more efficient. How are you going to get your bags FROM MCO to your offsite location?

 

[mieuxmew]

For $49 BAGS will deliver up to 8 suitcases from the airport to your (non-Disney) resort. When you make the reservation, they will mail you an ID tag. Might be helpful to a large group staying offsite.

There are four of us going (2 adults and 2 kids). We are staying 8 nights. My timeshare reservation is for only 7 nights, so I need to make arrangements/reservation for the 1st night. Usually I rent a minivan for the four of us and our luggage, but sometimes minivan rentals can be quite expensive! I am considering either staying at our timeshare for an extra night at rack rate ($245 including tax) or at the new Disney Art of Animation for the 1st night ($121 - have a reservation Little Mermaid room). I can use Disney reward dollars to pay for it. We can use Magic Express from the airport (husband will rent a car while kids and I take bus). 2 days of free Disney parking ($28 value) would be included and my kids will get some Disney Magic of the new Disney resort! We may even be able to take advantage of some extra magic hours if available during our 1 night stay. My husband can take the suitcases to the timeshare the next day and check in while the kids and I hang out at Disney. No costly minivan rental required.

Upon departure, I was thinking perhaps I could check the suitcases with BAGS the morning of our departure and we can enjoy our day before heading to airport. Car will be much less crowded and we would not need minivan. Once we get to airport, we would not have hassle of schlepping and checking suitcases thru the airport.

Just a thought....anyone think this can work or should I just stay at same resort and rent a minivan?? Guessing cost difference between room and car rental would be $200-300. Thank you!

 

[sam_gordon]

We are a family of 5 (2 adults and 3 kids). We fit all our clothes for a 7 night stay in three bags. They fit in the trunk of my full size car. I only mention this because I don't feel you would NEED a mini-van. A full size may be enough.

Any way, I'm not being any help to you since I have no experience with the off-site bags. Maybe someone else can give you some guidance.