Disney's Magical Express -- Luggage Tag Info

[disney fan 2013]

I'm not sure exactly what to do about this.... This is for a friend of mine, who goes to my college, and she is here from Japan. She is traveling with two other foreign exchange students. Being the Disney lover that I am, I offered to help them out with their Disney vacation. So this is not the vacation in my sig that I'm talking about, but a different one.

I booked the trip a couple of weeks ago for them. They are arriving in Orlando on January 13th. The problem is, they are leaving for their actual vacation tomorrow. They are stopping in various locations around the country, and will be going straight to Disney from Las Vegas. Since I am going on January 8th and got my ME stuff several weeks ago, we thought they would be okay, but their package has still not come in. Any ideas on what they should do as far as ME goes? I did receive their confirmation information in the mail, but will they be able to check-in at MCO without the ME packet? I explained to them they would have to pick up their own bags, etc. and they are fine with that, but I just want to make sure they'll be able to get on the bus.

TIA for any help! I'm stressing so much about this; just want them to have a magical trip!!!

 

[safetymom]

Your Disney’s Magical Express reservation has been made; however, you may not receive your Disney’s Magical
Express booklet with luggage tags prior to departure for Orlando. Please be assured that you will still be able to
utilize the service and receive the same seamless experience.
Once you arrive at Orlando International Airport, you have two options:
1) You can pick up your luggage at baggage claim and proceed directly to the Disney
Welcome Center. You will be responsible for taking your luggage with you on the
motor coach.
2) Or you may proceed directly to the Disney Welcome Center. You do not need to claim
your luggage. Disney will gather all of your information and collect your luggage for
you and then deliver it to your resort room.
IMPORTANT: Please pack any valuables, medications or anything needed immediately upon arrival into Orlando in
a carry-on bag.
Arrival at Orlando International Airport. Upon arrival, please take the tram from your gate to the main Terminal
and proceed to the Disney Welcome Center which is located on the B Side on Level 1 and bypass baggage claim.
If you arrive on the A Side, please proceed to the B Side before taking the elevator or escalator down to Level 1.
You may follow the airport signs to Ground Transportation.
At the Disney Welcome Center, please present your airline baggage claim checks to the Disney representative
to confirm the number of bags* checked as well as your return flight information. You will then board a
complimentary motor coach that will take you to your resort. Your motor coach may make up to 3 stops before
arriving at your resort.
Luggage delivery to the resort. Your luggage will be claimed at the airport and delivered to your room. Your
luggage may take up to 3 hours after you check-in to be delivered. You do not need to be in your room to receive
your luggage. Please note if you take your luggage on the motor coach it will not automatically be delivered to
your room.
Returning home. You will receive a Transportation Notice the day prior to check-out advising you of your motor
coach pick-up time and other general information. Your motor coach pick-up time is based on your
flight departure and will be approximately 3 hours prior to that time to allow for multiple stops by
the motor coaches.
Resort Airline Check-In Service. Upon departure, you may take advantage of Disney’s
complimentary Resort Airline Check-In Service for participating airlines. You can check
your luggage and receive your airline boarding pass at your Disney resort so there is
no need to check-in at the airport.

 

[goofy4tink]

I'm not sure exactly what to do about this.... This is for a friend of mine, who goes to my college, and she is here from Japan. She is traveling with two other foreign exchange students. Being the Disney lover that I am, I offered to help them out with their Disney vacation. So this is not the vacation in my sig that I'm talking about, but a different one.

I booked the trip a couple of weeks ago for them. They are arriving in Orlando on January 13th. The problem is, they are leaving for their actual vacation tomorrow. They are stopping in various locations around the country, and will be going straight to Disney from Las Vegas. Since I am going on January 8th and got my ME stuff several weeks ago, we thought they would be okay, but their package has still not come in. Any ideas on what they should do as far as ME goes? I did receive their confirmation information in the mail, but will they be able to check-in at MCO without the ME packet? I explained to them they would have to pick up their own bags, etc. and they are fine with that, but I just want to make sure they'll be able to get on the bus.

TIA for any help! I'm stressing so much about this; just want them to have a magical trip!!!

I would call DME just to be on the safe side to be sure they are in the DME system. There could have been a hold up because of their being in Japan or the packet may have just gone astray. As long as they are showing in the DME system they should have no trouble when they get to the DME checkin counter.

 

[aldisneygrl]

Ok, I just called to confirm my flight info with ME. They had my arrival info, but said that my departure flight number was no good. What??? Ok, should I be panicking (I'm sure I shouldn't but I am)? I've checked the airline website, my home airport, and MCO, and they all show this flight number. What happens if it still shows invalid when it is time for me to leave? Do I just have to take my bags with me and check in at the airport? My airline has resort check in, so that would be much more preferred since it is just me and dd (9), and we will probably have two suitcases.

Should I call the airline or just sit tight?

 

[Kanga1]

Checking in at Pop for 1 night and then checking in very early the next morning at the Poly. Is it possible to get DME tags for the Poly and just have them delivered there and stored in the baggage area overnight? That way we wouldn't even have to fool with them at all until the next day.

Has anyone done this? Can it be done?

 

[CleveRocks]

Checking in at Pop for 1 night and then checking in very early the next morning at the Poly. Is it possible to get DME tags for the Poly and just have them delivered there and stored in the baggage area overnight? That way we wouldn't even have to fool with them at all until the next day.

Has anyone done this? Can it be done?

Can't be done. DME is a function of resort reservations. The bags can only be delivered to the resort where you have a reservation on that day.

However, there is good news. Here's what you CAN do:

When you get to Pop, tell the front desk AND Luggage Assistance that you want your DME bags held at Luggage Assistance and NOT delivered to your room, and explain why. DME will deliver your bags to Pop, Pop will hold them for you, then in the morning Pop will transfer them to Poly for you (as long as you make those arrangements).

So you will not need to touch or see your bags to get them from your home airport to Poly. But it will not be a direct route for the bags themselves.

 

[angiejg]

So do the DME tags have the names off both your first resort, then your second, or do you get two sets of tags, one for arriving, one for departing?

Angie

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

There are no luggage tags for departing.

(Only airline tags printed when you check your bags through RAC or at the airport)

 

[angiejg]

Ok, Duh! I lost it for a minute there!

Thanks!
Angie

 

[Jedi5]

What travel agency are you working with? Just curious. I realize that 'stuff' comes up on occasion, and your TA may have some situations going on.

Hello everyone.
I want to follow up with my previous post. Turns out the TA was on vacation and had little to no internet access. We have since been in very good and constant communication.

Aside those days when the TA was on vacation, everything is back on track.
I am very happy with service I am being provided and the quick response's Anne is providing to my questions.

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions and help.

 

[goofy4tink]

Hello everyone.
I want to follow up with my previous post. Turns out the TA was on vacation and had little to no internet access. We have since been in very good and constant communication.

Aside those days when the TA was on vacation, everything is back on track.
I am very happy with service I am being provided and the quick response's Anne is providing to my questions.

Thanks to everyone for their suggestions and help.

Thanks so much for the update. That's good to know.

 

[Susiesnowflake]

Another question... I am the lead on our reservation. I got my DME brochure and luggage tags, but my friend's name is not listed as a guest and no luggage tags were enclosed for her. My TA has confirmed that her name is on the reservation and that DME has all required info. She indicates it is not unusual for them to come separately. If my friend's tags don't arrive in time and she ends up having DME retrieve her luggage at MCO and deliver it to the resort, does this add on extra time for actual delivery? Don't they usually promise luggage will be in your room w/in 3 hrs. I can't remember, because I only used DME for the first time in Nov. Just wondering if it could take 4-5 plus hours, if the bags aren't tagged.

 

[dtr_angel]

nevermind!

 

[mnr422]

Okay... here is my problem, question, panic mode kicking in.... I booked my Disney vacation package with Expedia on Jan. 3rd. I followed the directions on-line. I got my vouchers, filled out the ME info with everything except the hotel reservation part (because it wasn't posted yet). Now it is one week before departure date...Martin L.King Holiday is Monday (No mail service) and I still haven't recieved the magical little yellow tags. Now I just read through the 3 thousand post on this board about just bringing my "Claims" Ticket to The Disney welcome Center and they will sort it out. My concern is that on the e-mail form I filled out that one passenger (DH) has a wheelchair. Now.... how do i get a hold of a human being to make sure the ME bus can handle a wheelchair??? I called Expedia, they third person called ME said they did not have my reservation (????) but just go to the Welcome Desk and everything will work out. (I guess thats more Disney magic ) I would feel more comforable hearing that from a "Real Human" at ME, but I can't find the number and Expedia would not give it to me! Since we have the whole wheel chair thing going on and a 7 year old, the less things I got to worry about the better.

We are still trying to figure out the whole Airplane security stuff with him, the wheel chair and about 10lbs of metal and screws in his leg... but that is for another discussion......

Any advice

 

[CleveRocks]

Any advice

Call DME directly at 866-599-0951.

 

[mnr422]

Thanks, I just called. They said I am in the system. I guess I am just panicing for no reason. I will put my luggage on the plane in Baltimore on Thursday and hope to see it in my hotel room some time after I arrive. (Hopefully before its time to come home) Should I put some kind of big identification on it saying "Magical Express" and my hotel name on it?

The thing is, I am trying not to pack too much carry on. My DD is packing her carryon but i will be busy pushing my DH in his wheelchair. I don't need the extra hassel of carry on stuff. I just don't want to live in my same clothes the entire trip. I've done that before on a trip to Italy. My Luggage showed up the day we were leaving....

 

[CleveRocks]

Thanks, I just called. They said I am in the system. I guess I am just panicing for no reason. I will put my luggage on the plane in Baltimore on Thursday and hope to see it in my hotel room some time after I arrive. (Hopefully before its time to come home) Should I put some kind of big identification on it saying "Magical Express" and my hotel name on it?

The thing is, I am trying not to pack too much carry on. My DD is packing her carryon but i will be busy pushing my DH in his wheelchair. I don't need the extra hassel of carry on stuff. I just don't want to live in my same clothes the entire trip. I've done that before on a trip to Italy. My Luggage showed up the day we were leaving....

We first used DME the 4th day it was around. Our tags didn't come until the day before we left. A few days before that, I called DME to ask what to do. They explained the baggage claim ticket procedure to me. They also said we could, if we wanted, attach some yarn or ribbon to each bag and then tell the CMs at the DME counter about it. My wife went out and bought this obnoxiously ugly orange ribbon with purple polka dots. We packed a swatch of it inside our travel documents, to give to the DME CMs at the desk. We didn't actually need it, but we'd already put it on all the bags, anyway.

So, you are one of the veterans who know the real value of a well-stocked carry-on. Does your husband have a bag on the back of his chair? If not, consider something like that as your carry-on. If he already has that and it's stuffed, then let me suggest a backpack as a carry-on. You can wear it, leaving your hands free to push your husband's chair.

 

[adreamisawish]

Going today!!!!! Planned a last minute trip and am arriving late tonight via SW. I am going to retrieve my own bags at SW baggage claim and then head to ME (I have a reservation). We got lost last year looking for ME after baggage claim. Exactly what side and what level is the check in desk on? Thanks!

 

[WDWFRV]

Just to clarify something

If we carry our own luggage we still have to register with ME before, am I correct. And coming back, I am confused as what we have to do. Bring our luggage where ME picks us up and just hop on the bus to go to the airport. Am I right?

 

[goofy4tink]

Just to clarify something

If we carry our own luggage we still have to register with ME before, am I correct. And coming back, I am confused as what we have to do. Bring our luggage where ME picks us up and just hop on the bus to go to the airport. Am I right?

Yes, you have to reserve DME in advance whether or not you use the luggage delivery part of the service.
As far as your return to MCO....if yo uare flying on a 'participating airline' you will be able to check your bags right at the resort and get your boarding passes issued. But....the counter is only open from 5:00 am to about 1 pm. You have to be checked in, with the airline, no less than 3 hrs before your flight, so if you have a really early flight out (before 8:00) you won't be able to use this service. Or one later in the evening.
If you don't use this service (RAC) you would use DME as instructed to. The day before you are to check out of your resort, you will have a note from DME left in your room (under your door) telling you what time you are expected to show up for transport back to the airport the next day. It is usually about 3-3 1/2 hrs before your flight departure. So...take your bags (all of them) with you to the bus. The bags will go underneath the bus, you will hop on and off you go.
Here's the thing...if they give you a time of, say, 1:00 pm, be there no later than 12:45 pm. That time of 1:00 is when the bus leaves...so you will need to be there early. If you have to go to bell services and get bags out of storage, plan on leaving extra time to get to the bus...it can take up to 20 mins to get those bags out of storage. Not all the time but it can happen!