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

[Disneychick75]

Your first sentence is what this thread is all about. They do still take the bags to your room, but if anything goes wrong you are the one liable. Your second sentence is what I am unsure about. You are probably right, though.

Thanks for the information! This is a change from our last trip. My reasoning behind the second sentence is say someone checks in earlier and they're assigned room 123. They go to the room and the toilet is backed up so they have to be moved to another room. You and the other guest both requested building A and room 124 is the only one left. Since they're checking in ahead of you, they might be reassigned 124. That's how my old neighbor described it to me. He used to be a resort manager. I was wrong before though and Disney might not follow the same procedures.

 

[goofy4tink]

Let's say I have a reservation at WL for our arrival day and I book ME. However, instead of riding the bus I rent a car. What happens if I go to DTD first and don't check in to the hotel until later that night? Is that going to be a problem? What if I did online check in but had not yet physically checked in? Will my luggage still go to my room?

On-line check is only there to speed up the actual check in process. You don't have a room, that is yours, until you actually check in, in person. So...if you have DME handle your bags, the bags will not get to your room until you have physically checked in, at the resort. With that in mind, I would go to the resort, get checked in and then head to DTD. AT least you'll return to the room, later that day/night, and your bags will be in the room, waiting for you. Otherwise, you will have to call down to get them delivered when you do finally get checked in and to the room, and then have to tip the Bell Services person when they deliver the bags. The tip is included if they automatically bring the bags to the room, but not if you have to call them to get them delivered.

 

[oliviaik]

Thanks for the information! This is a change from our last trip. My reasoning behind the second sentence is say someone checks in earlier and they're assigned room 123. They go to the room and the toilet is backed up so they have to be moved to another room. You and the other guest both requested building A and room 124 is the only one left. Since they're checking in ahead of you, they might be reassigned 124. That's how my old neighbor described it to me. He used to be a resort manager. I was wrong before though and Disney might not follow the same procedures.

On-line check is only there to speed up the actual check in process. You don't have a room, that is yours, until you actually check in, in person. So...if you have DME handle your bags, the bags will not get to your room until you have physically checked in, at the resort. With that in mind, I would go to the resort, get checked in and then head to DTD. AT least you'll return to the room, later that day/night, and your bags will be in the room, waiting for you. Otherwise, you will have to call down to get them delivered when you do finally get checked in and to the room, and then have to tip the Bell Services person when they deliver the bags. The tip is included if they automatically bring the bags to the room, but not if you have to call them to get them delivered.

OK, that makes sense. I really don't want to drive past DTD to the resort just to check in and then drive back, as I want to maximize our time that evening, so we will probably just wait for our bags. I guess the time won't be all that much different, but then I won't have to risk our bags not making it. The other way would have just saved us the time picking up the bags. Thanks!

 

[twinsdad2007]

I know my question would be against Disney's policy but I would like to know if it would work. We want to surprise our daughters when we get to MK but we know if we go on the bus that they'll know right away. We are staying at AKL so hopefully they wouldn't figure it out, we have only stayed at AOA and POP in the past.

I was hoping that when we arrive at MCO, that I could run down to DME and check in for all 4 of us and my wife and kids could wait for me upstairs. I would check in with all 4 magic bands and then head back upstairs to meet them to get a taxi. If we did this, would Disney know that we didn't ride the bus since we checked in? OR do they also check us in as we actually load onto the bus?

I really hope that this would work. Please let me know otherwise.

 

[seashoreCM]

You are checked in to Magical Express (not your resort) as you board the bus.

This is to catch extraneous people who might get into the roped off bus queue areas between the time you check in at the welcoming area and the time you board, or to keep count of people directed to the queue by a roving welcoming area CM, skipping the stop at the counter.

 

[goofy4tink]

I know my question would be against Disney's policy but I would like to know if it would work. We want to surprise our daughters when we get to MK but we know if we go on the bus that they'll know right away. We are staying at AKL so hopefully they wouldn't figure it out, we have only stayed at AOA and POP in the past.

I was hoping that when we arrive at MCO, that I could run down to DME and check in for all 4 of us and my wife and kids could wait for me upstairs. I would check in with all 4 magic bands and then head back upstairs to meet them to get a taxi. If we did this, would Disney know that we didn't ride the bus since we checked in? OR do they also check us in as we actually load onto the bus?

I really hope that this would work. Please let me know otherwise.

Disney truly doesn't care if you're on the bus or not. So, don't even bother running around like a chicken with your head cut off. Just tag the bags and then take a cab or towncar (I prefer booking a car service vs a cab) and head to wherever you want to go.
Just be sure that you realize the issues you could have....but, they happen so very seldom, that it's not a big deal.

 

[heather360]

I wanted to report my experience with using dme to transport my luggage but not riding the bus. I tagged my bags before checking in at my home airport. I arrived at mco at 1:30pm and picked up my rental car. Drove straight to Bay Lake Tower & checked in around 2:30. My room was ready so I left my carryon in the room and left for MK in time to see the 3:00 parade. I came back to the room around 4:30 and my bags were waiting in the room.

This is the second time I've used dme to deliver my luggage. I know I take some risk but it is so convenient.

 

[twinsdad2007]

Does anyone know what the process might be if a bag(s) were lost? Would Disney still help locate it?

 

[siskaren]

Does anyone know what the process might be if a bag(s) were lost? Would Disney still help locate it?

That's the risk of using DME for luggage transfer without riding it. If you check in for DME (and therefore get on the bus) DME will know how many pieces of luggage you'll have (because they'll ask you) and if there's any missing, they'll report it to the airline. But if you don't ride the bus, they won't know how many pieces of luggage you should have, so they won't know if any is missing, and by the time you find out that you didn't get all of your luggage, I believe you would be past the window when you would need to report it to the airline.

 

[goofy4tink]

Does anyone know what the process might be if a bag(s) were lost? Would Disney still help locate it?

There have been a few (just a few) reports of bags going missing but not noticed when guests didn't check in and ride the bus. If you don't let them know how many bags you have, they won't know how many to look for. So, if you have, say, 5, bags, but only 4 show up, they can start the search, if they know about it. If you haven't given them the number of bags, they won't realize that you had 5, not 4, bags. By the time you realize there is a bag missing, it's going to be hard to track it...DME will say it isn't their responsibility because you didn't use DME as it was intended, and the airport will say that you missed the window for reporting the bag missing...so they aren't liable either!
Doesn't happen often, but it does happen.

I will go on the record as saying if I am not riding the bus, but renting a car or going to WDW via a towncar, I want my bags with me. The only reason I would send the bags with DME would be if I was getting that 'free' ride on the bus! Otherwise, I want my bags with me. I want to get settled in...if I'm paying to get to my resort, I am not willing to wait for my bags. Free ride? Sure, I'll wait a few hours.

 

[MaryKatesMom]

There have been a few (just a few) reports of bags going missing but not noticed when guests didn't check in and ride the bus. If you don't let them know how many bags you have, they won't know how many to look for. So, if you have, say, 5, bags, but only 4 show up, they can start the search, if they know about it. If you haven't given them the number of bags, they won't realize that you had 5, not 4, bags. By the time you realize there is a bag missing, it's going to be hard to track it...DME will say it isn't their responsibility because you didn't use DME as it was intended, and the airport will say that you missed the window for reporting the bag missing...so they aren't liable either!
Doesn't happen often, but it does happen.

I will go on the record as saying if I am not riding the bus, but renting a car or going to WDW via a towncar, I want my bags with me. The only reason I would send the bags with DME would be if I was getting that 'free' ride on the bus! Otherwise, I want my bags with me. I want to get settled in...if I'm paying to get to my resort, I am not willing to wait for my bags. Free ride? Sure, I'll wait a few hours.

I'm with you. I want my bags with me. I just couldn't relax with that hanging over my head. But that is just me.

 

[RysMomma]

Thanks everyone. This thread has helped my husband and I out a lot. Thanks for all of the information!

 

[BellaBaby]

We have a last minute trip planned (see signature) and I signed up for DME for the first time ever. Well, DH really still wants to rent a car. So after reading some of this thread, am I right that there really is nothing to cancel? As long as we don't use the luggage tags, or board the bus there's nothing to cancel correct?

TIA!

 

[goofy4tink]

We have a last minute trip planned (see signature) and I signed up for DME for the first time ever. Well, DH really still wants to rent a car. So after reading some of this thread, am I right that there really is nothing to cancel? As long as we don't use the luggage tags, or board the bus there's nothing to cancel correct?

TIA!

Nope, no need to cancel anything.

 

[mom2agirlandboy]

We need to clear custom when we land in MCO hence we will be picking up our luggages. Is there a possibility to check-in and give them our luggages and not ride the bus?

I am not familiar on how it works when you have your luggage in hand.

Clarification will be much appreciated and any tips will be great too.

 

[goofy4tink]

We need to clear custom when we land in MCO hence we will be picking up our luggages. Is there a possibility to check-in and give them our luggages and not ride the bus?

I am not familiar on how it works when you have your luggage in hand.

Clarification will be much appreciated and any tips will be great too.

Disney says that DME is not a luggage transfer service, and that in order to get your bags delivered, you are supposed to ride the DME bus. If you go back and read a lot of this thread, you will see that some people send bags with DME, but those have already been tagged...they don't go to claim,, get the bags, and then send them with DME. The only people that give DME baggage info so they can get their bags transported are those people that had to check their bags, for whatever reason, and then didn't want to go to baggage claim and get them.
If you have to get your bags anyway, I would just take the bags to WDW. How are you getting to WDW from MCO? If not taking DME, I would assume either a car service or a rental car. In either case, it's going to be quicker to keep the bags with you.

 

[mom2agirlandboy]

Disney says that DME is not a luggage transfer service, and that in order to get your bags delivered, you are supposed to ride the DME bus. If you go back and read a lot of this thread, you will see that some people send bags with DME, but those have already been tagged...they don't go to claim,, get the bags, and then send them with DME. The only people that give DME baggage info so they can get their bags transported are those people that had to check their bags, for whatever reason, and then didn't want to go to baggage claim and get them. If you have to get your bags anyway, I would just take the bags to WDW. How are you getting to WDW from MCO? If not taking DME, I would assume either a car service or a rental car. In either case, it's going to be quicker to keep the bags with you.

Getting a rental but only planning to get a compact & not sure if 4 luggages will fit.

 

[goofy4tink]

Getting a rental but only planning to get a compact & not sure if 4 luggages will fit.

I understand that....and I don't mean to sound 'negative', I really don't, but it really isn't Disney's issue that you are renting a car that may be too small for all your luggage. DME is supposed to carry guests, to and from the airport, with luggage handling as a perk of using the serviced.
So, you have a few choices here...
1. rent a larger car
2. take fewer bags
3 register for DME, tag your checked bags and let Disney deliver them for you and hope nothing goes wrong (possible airline misdirection and no one realizing it for a very long time!!!)

As long as you realize all the possible scenarios.

 

[Alesia]

I understand that....and I don't mean to sound 'negative', I really don't, but it really isn't Disney's issue that you are renting a car that may be too small for all your luggage. DME is supposed to carry guests, to and from the airport, with luggage handling as a perk of using the serviced.
So, you have a few choices here...
1. rent a larger car
2. take fewer bags
3 register for DME, tag your checked bags and let Disney deliver them for you and hope nothing goes wrong (possible airline misdirection and no one realizing it for a very long time!!!)

As long as you realize all the possible scenarios.

Or option 4, which is to split up and send at least one person on DME, and the rest in the rental. That's what I would do. We've had luggage misdirected too many times to risk sending them without someone riding the bus.

 

[goofy4tink]

Or option 4, which is to split up and send at least one person on DME, and the rest in the rental. That's what I would do. We've had luggage misdirected too many times to risk sending them without someone riding the bus.

Duh!!!! I was going to put that option in but got distracted!!! Sorry....that's a good option as well. Probably the one I would take if at all possible.