Dme....luggage only.....don't want to ride the bus!!!!!

[Bullseye]

However, Disney also states that Magical Express baggage transfers are only for Magical Express passengers. Here's what Disney's current policy is regarding DME luggage delivery without riding on the DME motorcoach on Disney's official "Complimentary Airport Transportation Service - Disney's Magical Express Transportation" page:

Please note that you cannot reserve the luggage service exclusively. You must be present on the motorcoach to have your luggage transported to a Walt Disney World hotel.
​

Yeah I would probably be too nervous to just try having the luggage delivered without anyone riding the bus. But how do they know who rode the bus and who didn't? Every year I drive to the resort and the girls all ride the bus and it seems like no big deal. I forget the process since I haven't done it in so long...do they take a ticket or voucher from each person getting on the bus. How would they know I didn't actually get on the bus?

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

But how do they know who rode the bus and who didn't?

Each passenger's transportation voucher is scanned with a handheld barcode scanner when he or she boards a DME motorcoach. (Transportation vouchers are part of the DME packet that's mailed ahead of time, and vouchers are also available at the DME welcome center for guest who for forgot their vouchers or never received them.)

Bags are also scanned into the system at various stages of the DME luggage transfer process.

Disney's computer system knows who rode on the motorcoach and how many bags they had. Disney also knows when they've scanned bags but there have been no corresponding motorcoach passengers.

 

[seashoreCM]

I think it works like this:

Nothing unusual happens unless someone files a baggage claim at the resort front desk.

Then they cross reference the records to match up yellow tags scanned in at MCO with the booklet the guest submits at claim time. Also any information collected from the guest at the Magical Express welcoming area back at MCO, e.g. bag size and shape, is retrieved, etc. This may be enough to track down the missing bag with.

The question of riding the bus would not be raised unless the guest applied for compensation and also the bag was never scanned.

 

[merfsko]

whoops, wrong thread. <delete>

 

[Morganw42]

Anybody done the bags only DME gambit lately? We arrive on 5/13 and are thinking of trying it

 

[cw21726]

I did in March. No issues.

 

[goofy4tink]

Anybody done the bags only DME gambit lately? We arrive on 5/13 and are thinking of trying it

The same advice goes today, as it did a year ago. Try it if you want, as long as you are aware of the what 'could happen'. Few people have had any issues, but if you're the person that does have an issue? Well, all those others that had no issue will no longer matter to you.

 

[seashoreCM]

According to the Terms and Conditions in the Magical Express booklet that's mailed several weeks before travel, Disney provides exactly the same liability for loss or damage as the airlines. In fact, the paragraph even starts off, "Consistent with airline baggage policies, Disney's liability for loss or damage..." In other words, if luggage is lost or damaged, the Magical Express passenger files a claim with Disney, not with the airline. How Disney works things out with the airline (including who ultimately pays the claim) might make a difference to the shareholders of Disney, but not to the Magical Express passenger.

(snip)

The open question is whether Disney will still accept responsibility for baggage issues for those who pile into a rental car instead of riding to WDW on a DME motorcoach.

Those who do not ride to WDW on a Magical Express motorcoach are not Magical Express passengers!

For those who are not Magical Express passengers, Disney will probably accept responsibility for issues with baggage that does enter the Magical Express system (at MCO) but does not make it out (into the guest's resort room) in the same condition.

 

[marinejjh]

can I pick my bags up in baggage claim and ride the bus, our flight land at 7 and we don't really want to wait until 10 to get our bags?

 

[kaytieeldr]

Yes. Please remember to tip anyone (bus driver, bell services, etc.) who handles your luggage.

 

[siskaren]

Yes. Please remember to tip anyone (bus driver, bell services, etc.) who handles your luggage.

And also remember not to use the yellow tags.

 

[maxiesmom]

can I pick my bags up in baggage claim and ride the bus, our flight land at 7 and we don't really want to wait until 10 to get our bags?

Just as an FYI when your flight lands has nothing to do with when you get your bags. DME aims to get you your bags within 3 hours of checking in at the resort. So if we guestimate you would be checking in at 8:30 they have until 11:30 to deliver your bags in a prompt manner.

 

[hkkatie]

Yes. Please remember to tip anyone (bus driver, bell services, etc.) who handles your luggage.

What is a reasonable tip in this case? $1? $5? Does it depend on the number of bags in your party? $1 per bag? I honestly have no frame of reference for this.

 

[goofy4tink]

What is a reasonable tip in this case? $1? $5? Does it depend on the number of bags in your party? $1 per bag? I honestly have no frame of reference for this.

I do a base $1 per bag. But, if the driver did a great job and made the ride much better than expected, I up it.
I have actually tipped a driver when I had no bags!! He made the ride to the resort so incredibly enjoyable and pleasant that I tipped him $5!!! He was amazed!!
On the other hand, I have had my tip money all ready to go, in my pocket, since I had a bag to be unloaded...largish carryon. Well, when that driver stood up and announced that gratuities are always welcome?? That money stayed right there in my pocket. Those words were the only words to come out of his mouth from the time we got on the bus to the first resort stop!!

 

[hkkatie]

I do a base $1 per bag. But, if the driver did a great job and made the ride much better than expected, I up it.
I have actually tipped a driver when I had no bags!! He made the ride to the resort so incredibly enjoyable and pleasant that I tipped him $5!!! He was amazed!!
On the other hand, I have had my tip money all ready to go, in my pocket, since I had a bag to be unloaded...largish carryon. Well, when that driver stood up and announced that gratuities are always welcome?? That money stayed right there in my pocket. Those words were the only words to come out of his mouth from the time we got on the bus to the first resort stop!!

Thanks!

 

[sperkins921]

According to the Terms and Conditions in the Magical Express booklet that's mailed several weeks before travel, Disney provides exactly the same liability for loss or damage as the airlines. In fact, the paragraph even starts off, "Consistent with airline baggage policies, Disney's liability for loss or damage..." In other words, if luggage is lost or damaged, the Magical Express passenger files a claim with Disney, not with the airline. How Disney works things out with the airline (including who ultimately pays the claim) might make a difference to the shareholders of Disney, but not to the Magical Express passenger.

However, Disney also states that Magical Express baggage transfers are only for Magical Express passengers. Here's what Disney's current policy is regarding DME luggage delivery without riding on the DME motorcoach on Disney's official "Complimentary Airport Transportation Service - Disney's Magical Express Transportation" page:

Please note that you cannot reserve the luggage service exclusively. You must be present on the motorcoach to have your luggage transported to a Walt Disney World hotel.
​

Despite this, some arriving guests have apparently been successful using Magical Express baggage transfers without using the passenger transportation.

The open question is whether Disney will still accept responsibility for baggage issues for those who pile into a rental car instead of riding to WDW on a DME motorcoach.

I would like to speak on the damaged bag aspect of this. Yes, I did use DME, and yes, I did actually RIDE DME. This occurred last December, the 15th to be exact. I flew in to MCO as usual, and was using my DVC at BLT. Flight was earlier in the day- landed and on park property by 11. Bags however, were not delivered until we had left for dinner between 6 and 8pm. We were in and out of the room before that, and came back to drop off our leftovers before heading over to the MK. Two of our four bags were decimated. And when I say decimated, I mean decimated: handles ripped off, wheels ripped off, bags ripped open etc. These were Delsey bags, so not necessarily cheap bags FWIW.

The problem? ME said the problem was the airline. The airline (SWA) said we had to have filed our claim within 4 hours to be valid (meaning by about 4pm give or take) and we didn't even HAVE our bags to know they were damaged by then. When I explained I had used ME, they clammed up and said it was on me to talk to ME. ME bounced me back to SWA. The department that would escalate it was closed on a weekend (Dec 15 was a Saturday), and come Monday, did not want to touch the matter because they felt that I had waited all weekend and basically should have reported it by 4pm on Saturday. It was not until Tuesday (different rep) that I FINALLY got someone at SWA to help me file a claim for bag damage. I will say that it was NOT an easy process and involved flying home with my bags wrapped in plastic bags after 2 trips to MCO while on vacation and a return trip to BWI after getting home, but we eventually did get new bags out of the process, and will also say that Disney completely utterly flat out refused to help at any step of the way.

YMMV

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

The problem? ME said the problem was the airline. The airline (SWA) said we had to have filed our claim within 4 hours to be valid (meaning by about 4pm give or take) and we didn't even HAVE our bags to know they were damaged by then. When I explained I had used ME, they clammed up and said it was on me to talk to ME.

You should have escalated with Disney, not with Southwest. I'm glad it eventually worked out anyway.

Disney's Magical Express (Disney employees and Disney contractors on behalf of Disney) took responsibility for your bags when they were passed from Southwest to DME.

It's the same as when an airline connection involves two different airlines with interline baggage transfers between them. The passenger checks the bags with airline A. The bags are returned to the passenger by airline B. If there's an issue with delay, loss, or damage, the passenger deals with airline B.

In this case, DME is effectively in the same role as airline B.

There was no reasonable way for you to file a claim with Southwest within four hours of arrival. In addition, you have no way of knowing when the damage occurred or whether it was done when Southwest or DME had your bags. If DME wanted you go after Southwest, they had that option. But DME should have accepted responsibility and you should only have had to deal with DME.

Whom did you contact at Disney? Was it bell services or the front desk at your resort (possibly dealing with someone who doesn't understand how things are supposed to work and thus "completely utterly flat out refused to help at any step of the way")?

Or did you contact Disney's Magical Express and attempt to escalate up the chain?

For others reading this thread, I would suggest contacting Disney's Magical Express Guest Services at 866-599-0951 and asking for a supervisor.

 

[sperkins921]

I spoke with multiple people at ME, between Saturday when I discovered the damage and Monday. Like said, I got the runaround the whole time. ME would say it was not their responsibility, and SWA would say the same. I was told this by multiple agents on both sides.

 

[goofy4tink]

And this is my biggest issue with DME. They take the responsibility for getting your bags to the resort from MCO. If a bag is missing, or damaged, how are you to know soon enough to file a claim with the airline? If your bag arrives at MCO in an obviously damaged condition, then it should behoove DME workers to file a claim on your behalf. Otherwise, you're out of luck. The airlines have a policy in place. They don't much care about you having used DME. If you have a bag that is damaged, then you should have reported it upon getting that bag at MCO....that is the airline policy. Same thing if a bag is missing. DME is supposed to know this and start the tracking process.
It would seem that DME is dropping the ball in regards to luggage. And if this happens often enough, or people start reporting it? We are going to see more and more guests not tagging their bags and going to baggage claim themselves, and having the bags put under the bus. And that, my friends, will slow down the arrival process for everyone!!!

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

I spoke with multiple people at ME, between Saturday when I discovered the damage and Monday. Like said, I got the runaround the whole time. ME would say it was not their responsibility, and SWA would say the same. I was told this by multiple agents on both sides.

Assuming you were actually talking to DME supervisors, you were given very poor service by Disney -- and service at odds with Disney's own published "liability for loss or damage," which is supposed to be "consistent with airline baggage policies."

As the last business entity to handle your bags, it was DME's responsibility (not Southwest's responsibility) to deal with the damage claim. And DME should have done so in a way that was superior to how airlines deal with baggage issues, given Disney's supposedly high standards for Guest satisfaction.

It would seem that DME is dropping the ball in regards to luggage.

As reported by sperkins921, Disney clearly dropped the ball. After all, sperkins921 used DME as published, using both the transportation and luggage components of the service. The very late delivery of the bags to the room (far exceeding the published goal of "within 3 hours of resort check-in") could have been due to the airline not putting the bags on the same flight as the passenger. But DME's failure to take responsibility for the unreasonable damage (and then possibly working things out with Southwest behind the scenes) is a black mark against Disney.

Returning to the scope of this forum topic, this instance demonstrates a possible risk of using DME luggage transfers without using the transportation component. If that had been the case, Disney could have legitimately claimed no responsibility for the damage because the Guest was not a DME passenger.