Disneys's Magical Express

[clkelley]

When we arrive late at night is when we pack the emergency carryon.

We each have to have a carryon anyway. DH has a CPAP machine and I have a laptop. We have bags that hold those items, plus sleepwear, medications, 3oz size toiletries, and clothes for the next morning. That way we can go to bed quickly and have our resort deliver our stuff the next morning after we've left for the day.

When we arrive early in the morning, we tend to only carryon the CPAP, electronics, and the medication. We are wearing what we'll need for many hours in the parks, and if we get back to the room and no luggage, we'll just purchase some emergency toiletries, a sleep shirt, and toss our clothes in the washer. If for some unforseen reason our luggage becomes totally loss, a taxi and a trip to Wal-Mart solves the problem.

Now granted, we are two adults with no little ones to deal with. We have traveled to WDW many, many times, and know the system by heart.

If we were traveling somewhere less familiar, we we would be more prudent with our carryon items.

 

[goofy4tink]

I have to say April 1st was our first time using ME. Our plane landed at 10:30 and we didn't get to our hotel until 2:30 or so. We had no luggage to pick up. There was no line at the ME counter. We got on the line for our resort and were first on line. And no one else came to our line. We asked repeatedly why we were waiting and no one could answer. An hour after we got there (still no one else on line) another family came for our resort. We proceeded to wait more than another hour after that, discussing splitting a limo with the other family, when finally around 1:30or so there was a bus for our resort. They let us on and then proceeded to have us wait while they then loaded some people from another resort. It was 2:30 (or even a bit later) when we finally got on the check-in line at CBR.

We are going to give ME one more chance. Any problems on this trip and we will take a taxi, I will not wait another 3 + hrs.

Man, that's frustrating to say the least. CBR has been put together with YC/BC and BW in the past. Wonder what happened when you were there....that's not right, way too long a time.

 

[codysmom1990]

I don't know, but it wasn't a good first day that we planned on having by getting on the first flight out of Chicago. We didn't get our room until 4 p.m. Because that is when the DVC Villas are ready, our bags were waiting in the room when we got our room though. We just sat in lobby waiting because we didn't know they would take our luggage from airport, we always got our bags then got on bus. So we had no bathing suits for pool, no tickets for parks, no medicine. I now know bring anything you might need in a seperate carry on bag because you don't know when you will get your bags. Beach Club was very nice about it, they offered to buy us new bathing suits in their gift shop or park passes for the day, she even offered to pay a cab to take us to Walmart if they didn't have our size in gift shop, but we declined because it wasn't their fault and we were so tired for being up very very early that morning for the plane, we just kinda slept in the lobby waiting for our room. It didn't really matter because we were in beautiful but very hot Florida, and at the most magical place in the world!!!

 

[bookmama]

I to hope the OP let disney and DME know about that day, so they can investigate..

me too, disney's really good about correcting problems like this.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I now know bring anything you might need in a seperate carry on bag because you don't know when you will get your bags.

This is true ANY time you fly with luggage. It's NOT restricted to Magical Express users.

There was the time my non-Disney related luggage took eighteen hours to arrive at my destination... even though I'd been there since 11 the night before. There's the time it took my brother 12 hours for a seven hour flight... with his luggage following 36 hours later. That, too, was not a Disney-related trip - so in neither case can DME be considered in any way responsible.

It's simply a fact of air travel.

Now, I KNOW that's not what ultimately happened to the OP - instead, her luggage made it too the room BEFORE she did.

But any time you travel by air, you should pack/plan as if you would not to see your checked luggage for 24 hours after arrival.

 

[Sleuth]

We used DME Feb 07 for the first (and last) time. Two adults three children under the age of 7. Our flight was delayed and didn't get into MCO until well after 1 a.m. (not Disney's fault of course!)

But what really ticked me off is after we got checked through DME (there was no one waiting in line, we were it!) we had to sit and wait on the bus for at least 45 mins to an hour- this is with tired children- we were the only people on the bus.

I asked the bus driver how long we had to wait as there were not any other people on the bus (he was out smoking with the other drivers). He said we are waiting for two other families to arrive. It was so frustrating. There were at least 5-6 other DME buses lined up out there. Why couldn't they ride on a different bus? I know there were other drivers that were out smoking and talking.

Finally one of the couples arrived and the bus driver sat there shooting the breeze with them for I don't know how long until the last couple arrived. It may have helped if they could have turned on the movie on the bus while we waited and waited so the kids had something to watch in between being cranky, waking up because they weren't in a bed, etc. But no, the bus driver informed us it didn't come on until "the ride started."

By the time those families arrived (it ended up being two different sets of couples) we left and made stops at their resorts first then finally got to ours. It was after 3:30 am and was a nightmare. I will NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, EVER take DME again. I'll pay a few hundred bucks on a car rental and ensure I don't have to wait on someone to finish smoking and gabbing with fellow bus drivers before I get to my resort.

So, yes, I believe the OP as my experience wasn't so magical either.

 

[TDC Nala]

I understand the video on the bus is set to play only at a set point in the trip. The drivers don't have control over when the video plays. That's what they said, anyway.

 

[esdras]

I understand the video on the bus is set to play only at a set point in the trip. The drivers don't have control over when the video plays. That's what they said, anyway.

Not exactly. On the way there, yes. They have a set video to play. When we left to go to MCO from our resort, we were the first family on the bus, and my son and I were in the front seat. The driver asked which movie my son wanted to watch.

So, if they can put on any movie for the ride TO the airport, I'm sure the driver could have put on a show at least until it was time to leave.

 

[pooch]

I agree that if the DME driver doesen't assist me than I don't tip.

I would suggest that in the future you come up with a way that you can manage your kids and your luggage.

Since I travel as the solo adult with my two kids I am making what I hope will be a helpful suggestion, please don't take as a flame.

I travel at least 6 times a year alone with my kids and have since they were toddlers. You just can't count on help - and as you described its an awful feeling to be stuck in a situation you can't manage.

I bring only what I can manage by using rolling cases one large and one or two smaller cases that the kids can roll. I check all but 24 hours of necessities and some items for the flight and then I let DME deliver everything. If you want some suggestions prior to your next flight I would be happy to try and help.

Also if you fly a participating airline then you can have everything checked through at your resort and board the DME bus with just your carryons

TJ

exactly what he's supposed to do, load and unload the luggage from under the bus. For this, one should tip the bus driver, he's handling your bags for you. What the poster apparently wanted was more help the the bus driver gave (ie, get her bags past the curbside drop off). I have to agree that, if you have so much stuff that you are unable to manage it without assistance, you need to rethink what you bring. Although there are people everywhere who might be willing to help, I would certainly not pin my hopes of getting my kids and my luggage through an airport on finding one!!

I don't see that the bus driver, or anyone else did anything wrong here.

 

[dburg30]

We used DME Feb 07 for the first (and last) time. Two adults three children under the age of 7. Our flight was delayed and didn't get into MCO until well after 1 a.m. (not Disney's fault of course!)

Well, the drivers were doing what they were told, so if they were eating, dancing, smoking, sleeping, he/she was told to wait for the other people. So you can keep bringing up 'they were just smoking talking to the other drivers' all you want, but they couldnt leave til they were told to.

And I've never rented a car at that hour, are the car rental counters open at MCO that late or are they there 24/7? I just really dont know. I would guess at an airport like that they are 24/7.

I really cant 'blame' disney for that trip, it sounds like flights were delayed and even though there were only 3 familes / and by the time the other families showed up (I consider couples a family also, maybe you dont) DME was still there for you no matter what time you got in. I can fully see, and would've expected to have to wait for the 2 other families that were scheduled to show up soon. And after 1 am, you said that the kids were in and out of sleep, do you really think a movie playing would've helped at 1-2am? And I'm pretty sure you didnt have to sit on the bus, you could've been outside if you wanted.

I'm sure it was a crappy way to start your trip, but at 1 am with usually flights ending around 10pm from what I've heard on these boards, I'd say it's pretty cool that Disney still made sure you got to your resort, albeit not as quickly as normal or you would've liked..

Personally I think sometimes Disney is to blame for issues, and other times they get unfairly blamed for doing the best with a not so perfect situation..

 

[shelly3girls]

Here's the standard disclaimer of what if your airline misplaces your luggage and you dont have your PJ's or some other carry on for the first part of your trip?

Of course that is true but I am willing to take the chance. The probability of the airline losing our luggage is low enough that I am willing to chance sleeping in clothes instead of pjs. The difference is that DME tells me straight out that I will not receive my luggage at any reasonable hour given that my flight does not land until 8pm. With 3 kids I like getting them settled as soon as we get there. I understand others feel different, it is just our preference.

 

[pooch]

I don't know, but it wasn't a good first day that we planned on having by getting on the first flight out of Chicago. We didn't get our room until 4 p.m. Because that is when the DVC Villas are ready, our bags were waiting in the room when we got our room though. We just sat in lobby waiting because we didn't know they would take our luggage from airport, we always got our bags then got on bus. So we had no bathing suits for pool, no tickets for parks, no medicine. I now know bring anything you might need in a seperate carry on bag because you don't know when you will get your bags. Beach Club was very nice about it, they offered to buy us new bathing suits in their gift shop or park passes for the day, she even offered to pay a cab to take us to Walmart if they didn't have our size in gift shop, but we declined because it wasn't their fault and we were so tired for being up very very early that morning for the plane, we just kinda slept in the lobby waiting for our room. It didn't really matter because we were in beautiful but very hot Florida, and at the most magical place in the world!!!

if the airline lost your luggage? Even before DME, lost luggage was a possibility when flying. Taking 24 hrs worth of stuff in your carry-on is, really, only common sense. My son has epilepsy and I would never DREAM of putting his meds in the checked luggage and, were your park tickets in the checked luggage too? I understand you were used to picking up your own bags at the airport but, again, what if the airline lost them?

 

[dburg30]

Of course that is true but I am willing to take the chance. The probability of the airline losing our luggage is low enough that I am willing to chance sleeping in clothes instead of pjs. The difference is that DME tells me straight out that I will not receive my luggage at any reasonable hour given that my flight does not land until 8pm. With 3 kids I like getting them settled as soon as we get there. I understand others feel different, it is just our preference.

That's just what I dont get. Why not pack one carry on with that stuff, bypass baggage claim, and let DME deliver the rest in the AM???

 

[pooch]

I asked the bus driver how long we had to wait as there were not any other people on the bus (he was out smoking with the other drivers). He said we are waiting for two other families to arrive. It was so frustrating. There were at least 5-6 other DME buses lined up out there. Why couldn't they ride on a different bus? I know there were other drivers that were out smoking and talking.

Finally one of the couples arrived and the bus driver sat there shooting the breeze with them for I don't know how long until the last couple arrived. It may have helped if they could have turned on the movie on the bus while we waited and waited so the kids had something to watch in between being cranky, waking up because they weren't in a bed, etc. But no, the bus driver informed us it didn't come on until "the ride started."

By the time those families arrived (it ended up being two different sets of couples) we left and made stops at their resorts first then finally got to ours. It was after 3:30 am and was a nightmare. I will NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, EVER take DME again. I'll pay a few hundred bucks on a car rental and ensure I don't have to wait on someone to finish smoking and gabbing with fellow bus drivers before I get to my resort.

So, yes, I believe the OP as my experience wasn't so magical either.

So it wasn't ok for your bus to wait but it was for the people on the other 5-6 busses? And you weren't waiting for the bus drivers to finish their smokes but for 2 other sets of vacationers to arrive. You admit you arrived late. At that time, the busses were waiting for people who had contracted with DME to take them at THEIR arrival time. I sympathize with tired, cranky kids but, as with so many issues here, NOT DME's fault!

 

[Sleuth]

So it wasn't ok for your bus to wait but it was for the people on the other 5-6 busses? And you weren't waiting for the bus drivers to finish their smokes but for 2 other sets of vacationers to arrive. You admit you arrived late. At that time, the busses were waiting for people who had contracted with DME to take them at THEIR arrival time. I sympathize with tired, cranky kids but, as with so many issues here, NOT DME's fault!

My point in posting our experience was to lend credibility to the OP experience. It's strange how people come out of the woodwork to defend DME and can't imagine the OP waiting for hours. My story is very similar to the OP's wait time- and there were no other individuals even there for almost an hour after we got there.

Yes, I agree that it was not Disney's fault that our plane was delayed as I mentioned in my post. It wasn't their fault that we had three cranky kids. The problem I had is if there are other drivers hanging out and reliving the glory days for close to an hour outside the buses, why not just take a family to their destination? I just didn't understand that.

And the point I attempting to make with the movie - yes it would have helped give my kids something to focus on and maybe had calmed them down.

I love Disney and it was great to have a free trip to and from the airport but I will pay extra so that I don't have to go through that again. I think the OP agrees from their post as well.

 

[Sleuth]

And I've never rented a car at that hour, are the car rental counters open at MCO that late or are they there 24/7? I just really dont know. I would guess at an airport like that they are 24/7.

Yes most car rental companies are open on airport 24/7 - just as DME is.

I really cant 'blame' disney for that trip, it sounds like flights were delayed and even though there were only 3 familes / and by the time the other families showed up (I consider couples a family also, maybe you dont)

I do count couples as families but my point in mentioning it was they were two sets of couples arriving separately, hob nobbing with the drivers, etc. Taking their time as they weren't traveling with three children. There just wasn't a whole lot of consideration for the screaming kids in the bus and no attempt to try and get us anywhere in a reasonable fashion.

And after 1 am, you said that the kids were in and out of sleep, do you really think a movie playing would've helped at 1-2am? And I'm pretty sure you didnt have to sit on the bus, you could've been outside if you wanted.

I guess I could have went outside and danced the jig for awhile with the drivers while my kids and DH were in the bus waiting for a ride to POR. That would have went over real well.

All kidding aside, it just wasn't a "magical" experience for us. Yes there were many factors that were beyond Disney's control but I think since it was a Disney service, things could have been a little smoother or even more timely then arriving at DME @ 1am and not getting to POR until 3:30 am. That is 2 1/2 hours and there were only 3 families on the bus! Hello.

 

[TDC Nala]

I can imagine waiting for hours. But waiting for six hours and then assuming that's just the way things work with DME, so warning others to never use it?

Believe me, six hours is incredibly unusual.

 

[pooch]

most of us here did not just "come out of the woodwork" but have actual, multiple in most cases, LOTS in some, experiences with DME. I do not discount the OPs bad experience. But it is the exception rather than the rule. Many of the issues posted on this thread were not of DME's making and it is important for those looking at these threads in order to make a decision on whether or not to use the service, to differentiate between the 2.

 

[goofy4tink]

I don't know, but it wasn't a good first day that we planned on having by getting on the first flight out of Chicago. We didn't get our room until 4 p.m. Because that is when the DVC Villas are ready, our bags were waiting in the room when we got our room though. We just sat in lobby waiting because we didn't know they would take our luggage from airport, we always got our bags then got on bus. So we had no bathing suits for pool, no tickets for parks, no medicine. I now know bring anything you might need in a seperate carry on bag because you don't know when you will get your bags. Beach Club was very nice about it, they offered to buy us new bathing suits in their gift shop or park passes for the day, she even offered to pay a cab to take us to Walmart if they didn't have our size in gift shop, but we declined because it wasn't their fault and we were so tired for being up very very early that morning for the plane, we just kinda slept in the lobby waiting for our room. It didn't really matter because we were in beautiful but very hot Florida, and at the most magical place in the world!!!

Not trying to be picky here, but....obviously you got your info packet because you tagged your bags with the yellow tags which allowed DME to take them. It does state in that info packet that your bags may not be accessible to you for up to three hours after you checkin at your resort. And, with DVC, that could very possibly be an addtl hour because of their 4:00 checkin time. The info packet does suggest packing a carryon bag with anything you may need to start your trip. Not sure what else Disney could have done to make it any clearer.
As for the poster who arrived late, at 1am, someone already suggested that because you arrived late, you were put on the bus scheduled to leave an hour or so later. It has been well documented that thoe arriving after midnight will not get to the resort as quickly as those who arrive during busier times...they are not running as many buses. I can't imagine that Disney would feel it was fuel efficient to drive your group to the resort, only to have to drive another family an hour or so later to their resort. I know it made for a long day, and it must have been frustrating. That's part of the 'fun' of airtravel....all sorts of stuff happens. I'm sure you felt there was nothing magical or express about your ride.
Movies? Well, I've heard of a driver or two who may have 'other' movies to play, but that is not the norm. And, from what I've seen, and been told, the DME movie, starts when the bus hits a paricular place on the road.

Again...I can completely understand how frustrating it can be to have a flight delay, tired kids and then long waits to get to your resort. But, DME is not setup to be a 'personalized' service..it has to meet the needs of the many, so sometimes the few, with special situations, are not going to be pleased with their experience.

 

[kaytieeldr]

My point in posting our experience was to lend credibility to the OP experience. It's strange how people come out of the woodwork to defend DME and can't imagine the OP waiting for hours.

I'm not sure I get the "out of the woodwork" observation, since it appears pretty much every non-negative-DME-response comes from regular, informed/aware DISers, including DISers with actual Magical Express experience. NOBODY, from what I've read, doesn't believe the OP. Several have expressed the hope that the OP made Disney aware of the problem in a timely manner - not by complaining to anyone at the airport, since nobody there seemed to care, but starting with Guest Services at their resort.

The problem I had is if there are other drivers hanging out and reliving the glory days for close to an hour outside the buses, why not just take a family to their destination? I just didn't understand that.

But the drivers can't dispatch themselves. And pooch's point was, if there were 5-6 other buses there, staffed, it's likely those buses had waiting passengers as well.

There just wasn't a whole lot of consideration for the screaming kids in the bus and no attempt to try and get us anywhere in a reasonable fashion.

Respectfully, I'd rather hobnob with the bus drivers on the ground than board a bus with screaming children, until the last possible minute. Obviously, Magical Express does not work for YOU. It has worked for well over five million Guests so far, but everybody's different. DME isn't a personalized service. A taxi or town car (or rental car) can depart the instant the customer is settled. Not so with a multi-passenger bus.

***

It does state in that info packet that your bags may not be accessible to you for up to three hours after you checkin at your resort.

Really not getting off-topic at all: What most people don't realize is that check-in time at any hotel/resort/motel/etc. really IS the time, or later, that they post. Guests arriving at the front desk prior to that time are (technically) not checking in, but preregistering. Especially at Disney, this gives the Guest access to all features of any package or individual amenity afforded to Guests, while not guaranteeing that a room will be ready until at least the posted time - if not later.