Does Magical Express ever lose bags?

[Debella]

We've only used ME once and it was fine. We are leaving in a few days and just got our ME tags. By this point, we thought we weren't going to get them and would just pick up our bags ourselves...which the more my husband thought about it, the more he liked that idea instead of relying on someone else to get our bags. So, before we decided...has ME ever lost bags or not picked up bags they were supposed to pick up?

 

[seashoreCM]

There have been isolated instances when bags ended up at the wrong resort or in the wrong room (the latter sometimes found out only after someone else assigned to that room reported it).

If bags are delayed by the airline and still have their yellow tags attached, they are immediately handled by Magical Express.

When you ride Magical Express, it behaves like a conneting flight and any baggage claims are handled at your final destination, here, your resort.

 

[sam_gordon]

We've only used ME once and it was fine. We are leaving in a few days and just got our ME tags. By this point, we thought we weren't going to get them and would just pick up our bags ourselves...which the more my husband thought about it, the more he liked that idea instead of relying on someone else to get our bags. So, before we decided...has ME ever lost bags or not picked up bags they were supposed to pick up?

While there have probably been isolated incidents, you stand a greater risk by entrusting your bags to the airlines. If you're that worried about ME losing your bags, you shouldn't check any IMO. The airline is MUCH more likely to misplace your luggage (even if it's a direct flight).

 

[Alesia]

While there have probably been isolated incidents, you stand a greater risk by entrusting your bags to the airlines. If you're that worried about ME losing your bags, you shouldn't check any IMO. The airline is MUCH more likely to misplace your luggage (even if it's a direct flight).

I agree. I trust DME way more than I trust the airline. And as someone who has had the pleasure of starting a vacation waiting (and waiting... and waiting...)for bags to show up on the carrousel and then spending time filling out paperwork because the airline misdirected them, I will gladly let DME take control of that aspect. I would actually pay for it, so the fact that it's free is even better.

 

[goofy4tink]

If, and that's pretty big 'if', DME loses a bag, it will either still be at the airport, or is at another WDW resort..both scenarios that are easily fixed.
I have heard of them sending the bags to the wrong resort before..but once the guest in the room noticed the wrong bags in their room, and notified Luggage Assistence/Bell Services, the bags were sent along to the correct people.
And those instances are more likely to happen at a value resort..it's just the way they handle luggage there.

You stand a much greater chance of the airline misdirecting your bag. This is why I try not to book a flight that makes a stop along the way. And I always pack my carryon bag so I can go without my checked bag for a day...just in case.

I've used DME more times than I can remember...at least 10 times...and have never had an issue. Well, except for that one issue at POP when they took over 5 hrs to get our bags to us!!! But, I don't think that was a DME issue..more of a POP issue.

 

[lylone]

I have never heard about DME losing bags, but I have heard of bags getting damaged. And who do you blame? In a friend of mine's case neither the airline or DME would take responsibility for their damages suitcase. The person I know had to go through their trip insurance to get a new bag and also some clothing items replaced.
It was a regular national brand named suitcase and arrived duck taped up in the room while the folks were at the parks. They came back to the room and saw it and went to the front desk and got no where. Called the airline and got no where.

We always do carryons to Disney and check a bag at the airport when we go home. Then we know who damaged our bag and who is to blame!

 

[Briangwen7]

I also Trust them more then the airlines! LOl ​

 

[bianca]

Ours have been left behind. We reported it to Bell Services immediately. They acted very nonchalant and didn't take any action until several hours later when we addressed the issue for the second time. Unfortunately, by that point in time, half of the stuff in our bags was missing upon return. Apparently, after they circle the carousel so many times, they are sequestered off to a side room of "unclaimed luggage" whereupon they are easy prey for unscrupulous workers.

 

[seashoreCM]

I have never heard about DME losing bags, but I have heard of bags getting damaged. And who do you blame? In a friend of mine's case neither the airline or DME would take responsibility for their damages suitcase. The person I know had to go through their trip insurance to get a new bag and also some clothing items replaced.
It was a regular national brand named suitcase and arrived duck taped up in the room while the folks were at the parks. They came back to the room and saw it and went to the front desk and got no where. Called the airline and got no where.

We always do carryons to Disney and check a bag at the airport when we go home. Then we know who damaged our bag and who is to blame!

I suppose that you may trust Magical Express more than you trust the airlines, but if you don't use the yellow tags and you claim your bags yourself, would damaged bag issues be resolved better at the airport right when you arrive? (Question not to be answered in the next 45 seconds.) If so, then that is a vote for claiming your bags yourself.

I will have to admit that, statistically in the long run, if you always claimed your bags yourself, you will run up more expenses in just tips to the DME bus driver and to bellhops compared with the once in a blue moon cost of replacing a damaged bag. And most airlines have many exceptions to how they take care of damaged bags.

 

[Alesia]

Ours have been left behind. We reported it to Bell Services immediately. They acted very nonchalant and didn't take any action until several hours later when we addressed the issue for the second time. Unfortunately, by that point in time, half of the stuff in our bags was missing upon return. Apparently, after they circle the carousel so many times, they are sequestered off to a side room of "unclaimed luggage" whereupon they are easy prey for unscrupulous workers.

DME tagged bags do not go to the carousel at all, so I'm not sure how that happened.

 

[taylor3297]

DME tagged bags do not go to the carousel at all, so I'm not sure how that happened.

It does happen. My sisters bag that had a yellow tag was not picked up by DME. My bag and my friend's bag without yellow tag (tags weren't sent, had to check in at the ME desk) got to our room within 2 hours.

Sister came in on a different flight, dropped her carry on in the room, then met us at MK. This was around noon and my bag and friends bag was already there.. We got back to the room at 8 PM and sisters bag was not there. Went to bells services and they started hunting down the bag. By midnight bag was located sitting off to the side at the airport. Told bell services to hold bag until morning since we were so tired. Bell services delivered the bag at 1 AM anyway.

Now the manager at POFQ did open up the gift shop and let me sister pick out a night gown for free.