DME and/or Southwest lost our bags...but, we may have been in error, not them!!

[tjmw2727]

I hope you get your bags back soon OP - but I think you should update the title of the thread as neither DME or SWA lost your bags, unfortunately you did.

You didn't use RAC and you know that and DME doesn't handle luggage on the outbound it is a bus service to and from WDW. I hope you edit some of your prior posts that you are "0 for 1 on DME" etc for those reading along as in my experience DME and RAC are excellent at what they do. It seems you left your bags with bell services at All Stars or perhaps didn't retrieve them from the DME bus.

In addition to the letter/voucher mentioned above, in my experience the bus driver also announces that all bags not checked via RAC should be removed from the bus upon arrival at the airport - at least at that point I would think OP would look for her bags to be offloaded from the bus.

xx fingers you get all the bags back in one piece and in a timely manner and the costumes can be salvaged (my kids are figure skaters so I understand the value in that) !

 

[bumbershoot]

I didn't understand exactly how ME worked.

My daughter was sick (she still has strep throat) and I was given a late check out, so RAC was closed when we stored our bags. I went to retrieve our carry-ons before the stated time. I gave the woman at bell services the ME letter and the bag receipt. The woman was distracted by a problem on the phone with another guest. They brought out our bags, we grabbed the carry-ons and I believed the rest of our bags would be checked into SWA. The bellman stood there looking confused, and asked if the rest were going on the bus. The woman said yes. I thought he was waiting for a tip, so I gave him $5. In hindsight, I should have realized that we didn't show ID or get claim tickets, but I was hot, tired and dealing with a sick teen.

Ugh.

I'm sorry. Sounds like the kids were performing, so you already had a long trip, then someone was sick, etc etc. It's no wonder such a mistake was made.

-You acknowledged that RAC was closed...why did you assume that your bags would be checked in if the service was closed?

She's updating us now with what she knows NOW. I don't think what she's describing now means she knew it then. She says she's never used DME before.

Is that wording not on the voucher any longer? It might not be, but I feel like they wouldn't have removed this important bit of information.

Are they even giving vouchers anymore?

Sounds like she wasn't really reading the paper. Then again, the people she was showing it to weren't explaining things to her, when obviously (since in retrospect she feels they were confused) they felt she needed some explanation.

I can understand why the bell services people were confused by people handing them random sheets of paper and just wandering off.

Sure. And they needed to call out "ma'am, ma'am" and HELP her. Right? Customer service? Making sure she wasn't just leaving bags there. (leaving bags and taking a bus and the Bell people KNEW that she was leaving? hi, security risk.)

I am actually shocked the bags were not just left under the bus and lost forever in the bowels of Disney.

If they had gotten under the bus maybe it would have gone better for them, right? Since the OP had carryons, and most carryon sized bags go under the bus anyway, when the driver pulled them out (if they had been put there by Bell) she would have had them. Alas, even though the woman told the Bell guy the bags were going, he just stood there and took a tip without bringing the other bags, from my understanding of her update.



DS doesn't compete and he doesn't have fancy costumes, but he does have dance shoes, and I'm in mental pain thinking of his dance shoes being misplaced like that! I hope you get them soon. (for everyone's sake, in terms of stinky dance shoes)

 

[goofy4tink]

Oh man! Truly a perfect storm!!
I 'think', and please understand where I'm coming from, being at a value resort may have been contributing factor. They always seem so harried. I like to think that Bell Services at BWV or BCV would have seen what was happening, and stepped in. That's what 'should' have happened.
I know of many guests who left their bags in their rooms, thinking that the bags were going to be picked up and sent to MCO!

I'll have to check my paperwork for DME and see exactly what it says regarding return to MCO. Most of us know the drill, but obviously there is still some confusion. Perhaps there should be information right there, in that letter, saying that if you haven't checked your bags in at the RAC desk, personally, you must take your bags, with you, on the bus back to MCO.
Always room for improvement.

 

[KrazeeK120]

Are they even giving vouchers anymore?

Sounds like she wasn't really reading the paper. Then again, the people she was showing it to weren't explaining things to her, when obviously (since in retrospect she feels they were confused) they felt she needed some explanation.

I used incorrect terminology...I meant the letter they hang on your door the day before departure to give you your DME information. Not an actual voucher. Sorry for the confusion.

 

[AngiTN]

Update: The Perfect Storm

We've been DVC for 21 years. This was our first time at an All Star and first time using ME. We always stay at Boardwalk or Beach Club. We used Happy Limo on the way in to use the grocery stop, to have our bags right away and to get to the resort directly. I didn't understand exactly how ME worked.

My daughter was sick (she still has strep throat) and I was given a late check out, so RAC was closed when we stored our bags. I went to retrieve our carry-ons before the stated time. I gave the woman at bell services the ME letter and the bag receipt. The woman was distracted by a problem on the phone with another guest. They brought out our bags, we grabbed the carry-ons and I believed the rest of our bags would be checked into SWA. The bellman stood there looking confused, and asked if the rest were going on the bus. The woman said yes. I thought he was waiting for a tip, so I gave him $5. In hindsight, I should have realized that we didn't show ID or get claim tickets, but I was hot, tired and dealing with a sick teen. I gave the woman my ME letter so I don't understand why she didn't explain that we needed to take our own luggage. I'm really disappointed that Disney let me make such a huge mistake.

I called ME and was transferred to ASMovies bell services. My bags were there. The woman yelled at me about the mistake I made and told me they could only send my bags back by ground, 5-10 business days. The bags contain numerous dance costumes and shoes from a performance in 100 degree heat so I really needed them ASAP so they wouldn't be ruined. They already smelled terrible when we packed them. Also, two of them belong to a teen that travelled with us, and I feel awful that she doesn't have any of her bathing suits or clothes now. I called ME back and was told I would receive another call from a different manager at ASMo. This didn't happen. I called back and after a long hold was told a ME manager would call first thing Monday. Also didn't happen.

On Monday I called again and I was assured the bags would be sent Fedex overnight, at our expense. In total, I've spent around 4 hours total on the phone with several different departments.

Tuesday I called shipping again. I was told that there were some bags there in the morning that weren't there now. They couldn't tell me if they were definitely ours or if they'd been shipped. My credit card hasn't been charged, which is not a good sign.

It's Wednesday at 1:30 pm, two days after I was told the bags would be sent overnight. I guess it's time to call someone again. I'm not even sure who to call. Sigh.

Thoughts? (Please be gentile, I feel dumb already.)

Oh man, that is a mess but unfortunately, not anyone's fault buy yours. Not that it makes it better by any means but Disney didn't let you make a mistake, you made that all by yourself. And ME has nothing at all to do with it. You didn't use Resort Airline Check in, you simply left your bags at Disney. I'm not really sure how you thought they'd get back. I knew the first time I flew how to use ME and RAC how it worked. Honestly not sure how you didn't. It's in all the paperwork they send you.
I can see how Bell Services had no clue what you were planning and why they didn't explain anything to you. The woman told the other CM that they bags were going on the bus because that is the only other option there was at that time, you couldn't use RAC since they were closed, they don't put them on the bus, you do so that's what they thought was going on.

Now, the mess with figuring out how to get the bags to you, that could go smoother for sure but it's probably not something they deal with often

And I guess the title of the thread is completely wrong now. Neither DME or Southwest did a thing wrong

 

[AngiTN]

If they had gotten under the bus maybe it would have gone better for them, right? Since the OP had carryons, and most carryon sized bags go under the bus anyway, when the driver pulled them out (if they had been put there by Bell) she would have had them. Alas, even though the woman told the Bell guy the bags were going, he just stood there and took a tip without bringing the other bags, from my understanding of her update.

We only use RAC but does Bell Services put the bags under the bus? Don't they just bring them out, if they've been stored, give them to the guest and the guest then gives them to the driver who puts them under the bus? That's what I've witnessed when taking ME back to the airport. I wonder if the bell services guy was confused because he was expecting OP to take the bags and when she left them didn't know what was going on

 

[AngiTN]

Oh man! Truly a perfect storm!!
I 'think', and please understand where I'm coming from, being at a value resort may have been contributing factor. They always seem so harried. I like to think that Bell Services at BWV or BCV would have seen what was happening, and stepped in. That's what 'should' have happened.
I know of many guests who left their bags in their rooms, thinking that the bags were going to be picked up and sent to MCO!

I'll have to check my paperwork for DME and see exactly what it says regarding return to MCO. Most of us know the drill, but obviously there is still some confusion. Perhaps there should be information right there, in that letter, saying that if you haven't checked your bags in at the RAC desk, personally, you must take your bags, with you, on the bus back to MCO.
Always room for improvement.

I am fairly sure it does say just that somewhere on the paperwork, where it gives the RAC hours

 

[goofy4tink]

Okay...I checked. This is what it says on the reverse side of the letter you get with your luggage tags...

Under 'Departure from the Walt Disney World Resort'...
If you choose not to check your luggage with Resort Airline Checkin, please have your luggage loaded on the motorcoach that will transport you to the airport. Bell service luggage assistance is available upon request.'

But...it also goes on to say, under 'Resot Airline Check-in Service'...
This complimentary service allows you to check your luggage and receive your airline boarding pass at your WDW resort hotel so there is no nee to check in at the airport for your departing flight. If you are flying on one of the participating airlines below, you are automatically enrolled in this service through DME.
lists airlines
If your flight is eligible, your boarding pass will be delivered to your room on the morning of your departure. Otherwise, you may pick up your boarding pass at the RAC desk, no less than three hours prior to your flight.
And so on, with other info.

So, quite possibly, guests may think that if they got that boarding pass on their door, there is no need to go to RAC...and if it isn't there, they may pick up bp at RAC desk. I have to wonder how many people think that Disney is going to transport their bags, from either their room or from Bell Services/Luggage Assistance, so they don't have to do it themselves. The info isn't really good at conveying what to do with bags. It should say something to the effect of...
If your airline is listed below, you may check-in at the RAC desk, where you will receive your boarding passes and your bags will be checked in for you. If your airline isn't listed there, or you don't wish to have your bags checked through RAC, you will bring them to the DME bus with you.

 

[AngiTN]

Okay...I checked. This is what it says on the reverse side of the letter you get with your luggage tags...

Under 'Departure from the Walt Disney World Resort'...
If you choose not to check your luggage with Resort Airline Checkin, please have your luggage loaded on the motorcoach that will transport you to the airport. Bell service luggage assistance is available upon request.'

But...it also goes on to say, under 'Resot Airline Check-in Service'...
This complimentary service allows you to check your luggage and receive your airline boarding pass at your WDW resort hotel so there is no nee to check in at the airport for your departing flight. If you are flying on one of the participating airlines below, you are automatically enrolled in this service through DME.
lists airlines
If your flight is eligible, your boarding pass will be delivered to your room on the morning of your departure. Otherwise, you may pick up your boarding pass at the RAC desk, no less than three hours prior to your flight.
And so on, with other info.

So, quite possibly, guests may think that if they got that boarding pass on their door, there is no need to go to RAC...and if it isn't there, they may pick up bp at RAC desk. I have to wonder how many people think that Disney is going to transport their bags, from either their room or from Bell Services/Luggage Assistance, so they don't have to do it themselves. The info isn't really good at conveying what to do with bags. It should say something to the effect of...
If your airline is listed below, you may check-in at the RAC desk, where you will receive your boarding passes and your bags will be checked in for you. If your airline isn't listed there, or you don't wish to have your bags checked through RAC, you will bring them to the DME bus with you.

What about the letter you get the day before you leave, with your ME time? I have mine from last week but it's at home. I thought it was even more specific, since it also lists the RAC times.

I still think under Departure, where it says, if you choose not to use RAC you have your luggage loaded makes it pretty clear what happens. I can't imagine reading that and thinking it happens automatically.

 

[Gracie09]

What about the letter you get the day before you leave, with your ME time? I have mine from last week but it's at home. I thought it was even more specific, since it also lists the RAC times.

I still think under Departure, where it says, if you choose not to use RAC you have your luggage loaded makes it pretty clear what happens. I can't imagine reading that and thinking it happens automatically.

or at least not asking for clarification.

 

[goofy4tink]

Oh, I get it! I do have to wonder how many people turn that sheet of paper over, and if they do, how closely they pay attention to it!!! Everyone is excited about going to WDW and they figure they'll figure it out when they have to. Then, checkout day comes along and you forget that you didn't thoroughly read the instructions and you make 'assumptions'!!!!

 

[AngiTN]

Oh, I get it! I do have to wonder how many people turn that sheet of paper over, and if they do, how closely they pay attention to it!!! Everyone is excited about going to WDW and they figure they'll figure it out when they have to. Then, checkout day comes along and you forget that you didn't thoroughly read the instructions and you make 'assumptions'!!!!

But you aren't left with just that first letter. You do get another form regarding ME, RAC and such, while there. Day before check out. I always think it's a sad day when that first envelope is hanging on our door, we know it's our next to the last day. Now, many may be too busy to stop to read it but that's not really Disney's fault either. All they can do is provide the information

 

[charmed59]

Disney has the Magic Express that will get you from the airport, to your hotel, without you touching your luggage. Your luggage will magically show up in your room. But this whole "we'll take care of your luggage, don't worry about it, enjoy your vacation" only works on the way to Disneyworld.

On the way back, they will get you to the airport, but you need to take your luggage to the bus, pull it off the bus at the airport, and check it in. You can use a totally unrelated Disney offering, RAC, where you can check in for your flight at the resort. But this has nothing to do with Magic Express, or even Disney, other than the folks actually standing on Disney property checking in your luggage.

I can see how people would get confused. All cruises and tours that I've taken make sure they take care of luggage in both directions. I hope the OP gets their stuff back.

 

[DebbieB]

Disney has the Magic Express that will get you from the airport, to your hotel, without you touching your luggage. Your luggage will magically show up in your room. But this whole "we'll take care of your luggage, don't worry about it, enjoy your vacation" only works on the way to Disneyworld.

On the way back, they will get you to the airport, but you need to take your luggage to the bus, pull it off the bus at the airport, and check it in. You can use a totally unrelated Disney offering, RAC, where you can check in for your flight at the resort. But this has nothing to do with Magic Express, or even Disney, other than the folks actually standing on Disney property checking in your luggage.

I can see how people would get confused. All cruises and tours that I've taken make sure they take care of luggage in both directions. I hope the OP gets their stuff back.

They take your luggage and send it to the airline for the return without you having to be present to show ID?

 

[disneyeveryyear]

They take your luggage and send it to the airline for the return without you having to be present to show ID?

No, you have to go to the RAC counter, show id and flight information. They then act like curbside check-in and tag your luggage. It is transported by truck to MCO where it usually makes it onto your flight (or it sounds like an earlier flight).

 

[DebbieB]

No, you have to go to the RAC counter, show id and flight information. They then act like curbside check-in and tag your luggage. It is transported by truck to MCO where it usually makes it onto your flight (or it sounds like an earlier flight).

I was referring to the previous quote:

"I can see how people would get confused. All cruises and tours that I've taken make sure they take care of luggage in both directions. I hope the OP gets their stuff back."

My question was how do they "take care of luggage in both directions"?

 

[stitchlovestink]

DME has nothing to do with luggage especially on the return trip. You can check your bags via RAC at the resort but that has nothing to do with DME its more like curbside check in but from the resort rather than the airport. In fact you don't even have to ride the DME bus to use RAC.

Not sure what happened here - did you use RAC?
Were you able to claim your bags at your home airport - if not did you file a claim with SWA before leaving?

You are correct about DME having nothing to do with luggage on the way back to the airport but DME most certainly does have everything to do with moving your luggage from MCO to your resort if you put the yellow luggage tags on it. It doesn't travel alongside you. But it is handled as a part of DME.

happened once back in 2010.
we think RAC messed something up and then southwest was nasty to us when we didn't have a baggage claim ticket. (i have never ever received a baggage claim ticket from southwest so not sure whats up with that)
they figured out that it came home on a different flight and we picked it up the next day.

I fly SW regularly and have always received baggage claim tickets for each and every checked bag.

I was thinking about this possibility as well when I wrote my reply above. I wasn't sure with security the way it is these days if an airline would transport someone's bags on a different flight. If they do, then I think this is a likely what happened. The OP's bags arrived at MCO early in the day and were sent on ahead and were sitting in the airline's office at baggage claim at their home airport.

Yes, they often send bags on flights that the person is not on. Last Friday night, SW baggage claim area had well over 50 suitcases that were waiting to be claimed by passengers! Those were bags that were on flights and had arrived ahead of their owners! Crazy!!

I am stunned by the reports of bags flying without the owners on board. That was one of the big lessons learned from Lockerbie (Pan Am 103) in 1988 and Air India 182 in 1985. Both planes were brought down mid flight by bombs in bags that were checked in but without the person checking it in on board. That was never supposed to happen again. How is this possibly happening in the US?

Sometimes they have to redistribute due to weight. Medical equipment always gets priority and if someone checks a power chair or electric scooter, those often weigh several hundred pounds which could be the equivalent of a dozen suitcases.

We've had a bag or two arrive on earlier flights when flying SWA. We wait, don't see it on the carousel, ask an Agent, and they bring it out of the office. It's only been when we've flown from MCO using RAC. As far as the people who put car keys in their checked bags, that's just dumb. Every RAC agent asks me if I have everything I need, like ID, car keys, and medicines. Maybe I look dumb, so they ask.

I agree!!! Why on earth would anyone be stupid enough to put car keys (or house keys) in a checked bag???

Disney has the Magic Express that will get you from the airport, to your hotel, without you touching your luggage. Your luggage will magically show up in your room. But this whole "we'll take care of your luggage, don't worry about it, enjoy your vacation" only works on the way to Disneyworld.

On the way back, they will get you to the airport, but you need to take your luggage to the bus, pull it off the bus at the airport, and check it in. You can use a totally unrelated Disney offering, RAC, where you can check in for your flight at the resort. But this has nothing to do with Magic Express, or even Disney, other than the folks actually standing on Disney property checking in your luggage.

I can see how people would get confused. All cruises and tours that I've taken make sure they take care of luggage in both directions. I hope the OP gets their stuff back.

Well there are a lot of us who have to claim our luggage in the CBP terminal and hand carry it through customs after a Disney cruise. There are even less participating airlines with DCL than with WDW. So I have cruised where they did not handle my luggage,completely. Yes they got it off of the ship and into the customs terminal. But I had to get it through customs and onto the bus to head to my next destination (whether it was WDW or MCO).

 

[Julylady]

Interesting story and OP, I do hope you get your luggage back! Paying for Fed EX overnight delivery for luggage will cost you a bundle, I'm thinking. I also think you should edit the title of this thread as the problems you encountered were of your own making and not the fault of DME, Disney or Southwest Airlines. Your story is a clear example of how you should read everything thoroughly, ask lots of questions and don't make any assumptions. I am trying to teach those skills to a 14 year old right now! But, the way you originally worded this thread is unfair to both DME and Southwest as they had nothing to do with your issues.

 

[LisaS]

OP I hope you get your bags back very soon. I can understand the confusion given it was your first time using DME and your daughter was ill. It sounds like Bell Services was confused about why you left your large bags sitting there and didn't realize that you were not familiar with how the luggage handling works on the return trip to the airport. If only someone had said, "Hey you can't leave your bags here. You need to take these bags with you on the bus." It sounds like Bell Services was as distracted and confused as you were and so everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. Lesson learned.

I agree with others that you should change the title of this thread and add an update to your initial posts that it was not the fault of DME or Southwest so that you don't cause others to be concerned about using DME or flying Southwest and to help others avoid the same situation you are in now.

To change the thread title, click on the "Edit" button on your first post and then I think you need to click on the "More Options" button to be able to change the title.

 

[stitchlovestink]

OP I hope you get your bags back very soon. I can understand the confusion given it was your first time using DME and your daughter was ill. It sounds like Bell Services was confused about why you left your large bags sitting there and didn't realize that you were not familiar with how the luggage handling works on the return trip to the airport. If only someone had said, "Hey you can't leave your bags here. You need to take these bags with you on the bus." It sounds like Bell Services was as distracted and confused as you were and so everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. Lesson learned.

I agree with others that you should change the title of this thread and add an update to your initial posts that it was not the fault of DME or Southwest so that you don't cause others to be concerned about using DME or flying Southwest and to help others avoid the same situation you are in now.

To change the thread title, click on the "Edit" button on your first post and then I think you need to click on the "More Options" button to be able to change the title.

I disagree with passing the buck on bell services and saying "they were as confused" as the OP. At values, it is actually called Luggage Assistance, not Bell services, and actually there isn't any rule (unlike the airport) that says that she couldn't leave her luggage unattended. That is Totally 100% ON HER!! CMs working Luggage Assistance are not mind readers and they shouldn't and don't have to question what a guest is thinking or doing with their bags. If a guest isn't sure what they should be doing, it is their responsibility to ask questions or for help.
For all those CMs know, maybe her significant other was on his way to grab those bags. If she wanted help, she needed to ask for it at Luggage Assistance. Things are done differently between Bell Services and Luggage Assistance and it is the guest's responsibility to ask for the help they need, not just assume it will be given to them.
This was 100% self inflicted and that is why Disney isn't footing the bill to send her her luggage. A tough and expensive lesson to learn.