Did ME every lose your luggage?

[I'mNoPrince]

I could be wrong (hey, it wouldn't even be the first time today I've been wrong!), but I believe I read that the only contracting out is with valet parkers at GF, who as far as Disney HR is concerned are slotted as Bell Services CMs even though they technically don't handle luggage.

There was another thread that they are using Bags to handle all the resorts not just the valets. But like everything else you never know until it's done.

 

[kj2mom]

Only used ME once but was completely happy with the entire process. The biggest luxury of it all to me was not having to lug my bags around the airport while keeping track of my two preschoolers. I learned how to manage ok to get the bags checked in at our home airport but was glad to know my attention could completely focus on my children once the bags were checked as opposed to worrying about/concentrating on whether I was going to run over someone's feet with the bag I was pushing or with the bag I was pulling. The walk for us to the ME check in counter at the airport was extremely long and while I have no idea how close it was to where our baggage claim would have been, envisioning the walk makes me extremely happy that I saved the "10 minutes" and did not go to baggage claim upon arrival in Orlando. Being able to check in at the resort for the return home was even better! I found the 3 hour time frame perfect. We arrived at the airport, got through security without any issues, got a bite to eat and before we could even make our last trip to the restroom they announced the first boarding call.

I used to pack all my toiletries in my carry on which obviously I couldn't with the new restrictions but I was following the new guidelines closely and the contact solution restriction was indeed lifted long before the quart size bag rule. Soon after the liquid restriction came into play I read on the TSA site that 4oz bottles of contact solution were permitted.

Anyway, when we went I didn't even pack the quart bag of toiletries. I just didn't want to have to worry about digging it out for security (good thing too because little did I know how traumatizing it was going to be for my son to have to take his shoes off, I think he thought they were going to keep them forever). We did however pack complete changes of clothes for each of us in our bags just in case but like some others have mentioned I do that no matter where I am flying. You just never know when you might get stuck somewhere without your bag or if you might arrive at your final destination with no bag. I have once had to have my bags delivered to my destination the day after our arrival and once had my bags delivered to my home the day after we arrived back home. You just never know!

Our bags were in our room just 30 minutes after our rooms were ready (our rooms were ready just after 5pm the day of our check in). That was about 4 hours after we landed in Orlando.

Very happy with their service and thankful for what they provide so I could concentrate on other things!

 

[TiggerAllie]

However, when we landed at home, our 3rd bag was not at the airport, and the airline had no record of ANY of our bags being scanned/received by the airline (even though 2 of them made it through ok). Our bag "magically" appeared the next day at our home airport.

That, frankly, sounds like the AIRLINE misdirecting your luggage.

It could be, except the airline said that when the luggage was delivered to the airport, the bags should have been scanned by the airline to note that the airline received them from the transport servce. I don't totally get how that works, but it did confuse me a bit. I still might take the "risk" and use RAC for luggage as well, because it is soooo nice not to drag the bags around the airport. But, we found a better car rental price at the airport than at the Dolphin, so no DME for us this trip.

 

[TDC Nala]

I would always pack a carryon with some essentials. The airlines lose luggage also.

 

[aubriee]

I used DME May '05 right after it started. Since then I used it Sept '05, Dec '05, Jan '06, May '06, Sept '06, and will be using it again in two weeks. We love it and have never had a problem.

 

[goofy4tink]

Yeah, I tried that argument once - but it was pointed out to me that since luggage/bell services IS part of DME in the luggage delivery process, it's a DME thing - at least by perception. DME users aren't going to differentiate between "My luggage is still in Philadelphia" and "The DME truck is lost" and "Luggage Assistance is overwhelmed today". Some people are such sticklers, ya know?


Well, perception is reality!!!

 

[CleveRocks]

Yeah, I tried that argument once - but it was pointed out to me that since luggage/bell services IS part of DME in the luggage delivery process, it's a DME thing - at least by perception. DME users aren't going to differentiate between "My luggage is still in Philadelphia" and "The DME truck is lost" and "Luggage Assistance is overwhelmed today". Some people are such sticklers, ya know?

Well, perception is reality!!!

Yeh, I think I'm the stickler from several months ago whom Ronda is wagging her finger at.

Y'all know that all I need is a pleated skirt and some pom-poms and I'd be the biggest DME cheerleader in the Disney world , but I gotta be fair.

Without DME, you go to baggage claim, you wait there, you get your luggage, you have your luggage. With DME, you rely on a system to get your luggage to you. If there is a problem with any link in that chain, you really don't care which is the weakest link, all you care about is that you don't have your luggage in a reasonable time. You are dissatisfied with the fact that you used DME.

For example, if DME always does a stellar, efficient, error-free, couldn't-be-better job of getting your luggage from your airplane to your resort, but then your resort does a poor, inefficient, error-prone, could-hardly-be-worse job of getting your luggage to you, then frankly, who cares how good the system was that got your luggage to those bozos in the first place?

Now of course I'm not saying that the above situation is accurate, I'm not even remotely implying it, I'm just giving an instructive illustration of why I think the resort's Bell Services functioning DOES matter in the overall DME experience.

I hope no one takes this post the wrong way, I hope it doesn't scare anyone off. It's only an illustration of a philosophical/academic point, and it's NOT a snapshot of what actually happens. I think DME is great.

 

[byoung]

Not here.

 

[DonnaL]

We have not yet used DME but plan to in January. However, as of right now, we do plan to carry our bags with us on the DME bus after we pick them up at baggage claim ourselves. I am aware that we will then be responsible for any tipping, etc. The only thing that will change my mind on this is if I can assured by someone (does anyone know the answer for sure) that once our bags are taken from our flight they go directly to a luggage transport vehicle (BAGS??) and do not sit at MCO in a baggage claim area unattended for any length of time at all. I read on the boards that if bags do not have a DME tag attached they simply go on the conveyor and go round and round until someone from the airport retrieves them and puts them somewhere and then an employee from DME/BAGS checks unclaimed bags against the DME list. This does appear to make sense because how would anyone know unclaimed bags w/o DME tags belong to a DME passenger. I've also read that when making reservations for DME they tell you not to worry if you don't get your tags you can still use DME and still have your luggage transported without carrying it yourself. That DOES indicate to me that this is exactly what happens to untagged bags. So, while we do plan to use the service I still have reservations about it and will feel much more comfortable transporting my own bags. We've always rented a car in the past and are doing so this time also, but, picking up at CCC later on arrival day. The only reason we are using DME at all is because our 17 yr old is traveling to WDW by himself (he'll have turned 18 by then) next summer and will be using DME so I want him to have a "trial run" so to speak.

 

[kj2mom]

It is my understanding that luggage taged with the yellow ME tags do not go to baggage claim at all. The reason people say it is ok if you haven't used yellow tags but would like them to transport your luggage is because at check in at ME you provide them with your baggage claim tickets you get when you check in at your home airport.

Do you not plan on using your tags? I guess I don't understand why the concentration on the lack of tags, I think the majority of ME users tag their bags accordingly.

 

[DisneyGerry]

Used it a few times now

all later arrivals into MCO

Luggage followed a few hours later

One time they delivered it 2a

Last time we were all asleep and guess didnt hear knocking at door and thought lock was on--when we awoke luggage in room?

 

[CleveRocks]

Do you not plan on using your tags? I guess I don't understand why the concentration on the lack of tags

I have the same question. Why worry about what might happen to non-DME-tagged bags if you plan on putting your DME tags on your luggage? I don't worry about how devastating a brain injury can be if I ride my bike without wearing a helmet, because I always wear my helmet, know what I mean?

 

[Lewisc]

I have the same question. Why worry about what might happen to non-DME-tagged bags if you plan on putting your DME tags on your luggage? I don't worry about how devastating a brain injury can be if I ride my bike without wearing a helmet, because I always wear my helmet, know what I mean?

I'm not sure of the original point but DME tags are just as secure as the tags the airlines put on our bags. The chances of the DME tag coming off the bag, short of the handle being ripped from the bag, is near zero. The yellow, bar coded, tag is very distinctive. It's very unlikely the CM pulling the bags will miss the tag.

 

[clkelley]

Do you not plan on using your tags? I guess I don't understand why the concentration on the lack of tags, I think the majority of ME users tag their bags accordingly.

I dunno about that. Last May as we were boarding our ME bus to All-Stars, there were not one, but TWO sets of passengers frantically trying to put their yellow tags on their bags that were going under the bus!!

Also, we've had great success with DME!!

The only glitches is on our May trip, two of our bags took longer than the rest of them, (we came in on different flights).

Last December, two bags were delivered to my campsite that were not mine, but a quick call to the front desk, and they were picked up some time that evening.