DME - Arriving just before 10pm

[catrax]

I'm wondering what others have experienced when arriving around 10pm. Our flight has an arrival time of 9:50pm and I want to have a better idea of what might happen should the flight come in right around 10:00. Since DME doesn't take your luggage after 10, I know that there is a chance that we may need to pick up own own bags. What I want to know is how I will know whether or not to pick them up if we're talking about a few minutes difference. If the plane lands at 10:03, will I be waiting at luggage claim only to find out that the bags have already been picked up? If we arrive at 9:58, will we wake the next day to find that the bags were waiting for us at luggage claim? Or will the DME staff let us know when we arrive at check-in?

I would love to hear about your experience right around 10pm arrival.

Thanks!

 

[tjmw2727]

When we arrive that late I just don't use the yellow tags and pick up the bags myself - that is just me as I don't want to take the chance.
Even if you arrive on time remember that your bags won't get to your room until up to 3 hours after you check in - that for us is too late.

I would imagine that they do pick up bags after 10ish based on late arriving flights but who knows for how long and there is no way to verify that?

If you really want to take the chance make sure you follow the standing rule of having anything you need for the first night in your checked bags in case your checked bags don't make it to your room until the next day.

I do love the DME luggage delivery service, works great for us during the day but in the evening I just don't take the chance.

 

[goofy4tink]

At 10pm, all DME luggage people leave. So, if you arrive at 10:03, your checked bags will go to the baggage carousels. If you don't go there, to get your bags, they will go round and round, then, finally taken to unclaimed luggage. It will sit there until the next morning, when DME CMs go looking for all DME tagged bags in all the unclaimed luggage areas
I know that I seldom tag my bags if I'm arriving after 6:30ish. It can take up to 3 hrs, after resort checkin, to get your bags delivered to your room.

 

[mjmgsssp]

I strongly suggest you pick up your bags, even if you get in early (like around 9:30).

Last year, ME delivered my friend's bag (we got in around 9pm), but left mine at MCO! Because I didn't know it until we returned to the room after going to DS, I didn't get my luggage until close to noon the next day! I will NEVER run that risk again, if I arrive after 6pm.

 

[catrax]

Thanks, everyone. I guess I'm leaning toward just transporting the bags myself. There are 5 of us and we are staying for 13 days in November, so of course we've got to pack for multiple seasons (you just never know - one year we started at 30 degrees and ended at 90 degrees!). We'll have lots of bags to transport, so I was looking to simplify. Maybe, if I don't need anything in my checked bags for a couple of days, we could take the chance. It has been my experience, however, that when I hope for the best, I end up with the worst and then the family needs to deal with Mopey Mom. I appreciate the advice!

 

[wench]

I arrived after 9:00 one year. Despite assuring me that our bags would be picked up, when checking in for DME, they were not. We had to have many phone calls with DME before they finally found them & brought them to our room the next evening.

The worst part was that despite having lectured me to pack a carry on with everything I'd need for a day, my mother didn't do this. Her slip on shoes that were great for the plane were not at all made for walking the parks. She got blisters the first day & was miserable the rest of the trip.

So, I always pack a case with enough for the first couple days, especially when using DME. For the record we've never had another issue with them since, but just in case....

 

[cutigerlady]

I would definitely plan to pick up your bags! We arrived around 8:15 pm one time and our bags didn't show up until 2:30 AM! We were there for a Disney race and our shoes were in the bag and we were worried that the luggage was lost. It took three phone calls and a trip to the front desk to confirm that they did have our bags, but they didn't have a time by when we would get them. We always take our bags to the hotel now unless we come in much earlier in the day!

 

[potterfanatic]

I agree with pick up your bags. Like a PP we got in at 8 pm and by midnight our bags still hadn't arrived. I called the concierge and asked them to keep them overnight so we could go to sleep and stop waiting up for them. (It all worked out great in the end, but since you're on the fence about whether or not it will work for you anyway, I would vote to plan to pick it up yourself)

 

[Donna3271]

I cosign picking the bags up yourself. We got in at 9pm on one occasion. Our bags did not get to our door (at the Poly) until 2am. I was in such a sleep-stupor when I answered the door, I did not even tip the porter.

 

[nkereina]

Thanks, everyone. I guess I'm leaning toward just transporting the bags myself. There are 5 of us and we are staying for 13 days in November, so of course we've got to pack for multiple seasons (you just never know - one year we started at 30 degrees and ended at 90 degrees!). We'll have lots of bags to transport, so I was looking to simplify. Maybe, if I don't need anything in my checked bags for a couple of days, we could take the chance. It has been my experience, however, that when I hope for the best, I end up with the worst and then the family needs to deal with Mopey Mom. I appreciate the advice!

I also would pick up my own bags, but I understand your concern given the amount of people and length of time you're going. Plus, the luggage delivery is one of the nice perks of WDW. Worst case scenario, your luggage will not be retrieved by DME until the next morning which means you'd get your bags at some point the following day. If you pack smartly and put everything you all need for the first 24 hours in your carry on bag, then you should be ok.

 

[MouseyMin]

I vote for picking up your own bags. Then get a Skycap who can wheel all your bags down to Magical Express. That should solve the problem for the price of a tip!

 

[twodogs]

I would absolutely get your own bags. We've done this once (when I forgot to order the DME tags prior to our trip, oops!!). It worked out great, as there were almost no other bags since many others went to the DME. It was very easy. Yes a Skycap would work great to help you. Have a great trip!

 

[catrax]

It sounds like there is a unanimous vote to pick up the bags. I'm resolved!