Early Arrival with Magical Express & Magic Bands

[citygirl27712]

While I have been to the World 14 times, I have never arrived early in the morning. Every time we have flown and used Magical Express, we were arriving around check in and then heading out to dinner. Then by the time we come back our bags were in the room. So there wasn't much lag time in our luggage sitting somewhere. We are landing at 8:15am on this next trip. I was wondering should I let Magical Express get our luggage or should I just get it when we land and take it to the resort ourselves? I doubt our room will be ready and then we would just leave it at bell services as we head to the parks.

Also are they not shipping your magic bands anymore? I am going in January and on MDE it gives you the date to customize by so the bands will be at your resort on check in? Last year when i flew in you needed your magic band to scan to get on Magical Express.

 

[momma2ethan]

I would just let MDE handle your bags. Less for you to worry about. Just check any carry on bags with bell services and hop in line for the park bus.
As long as you are a domestic traveler your magic bands will be mailed to your house, same as last year.

 

[Dug720]

While I have been to the World 14 times, I have never arrived early in the morning. Every time we have flown and used Magical Express, we were arriving around check in and then heading out to dinner. Then by the time we come back our bags were in the room. So there wasn't much lag time in our luggage sitting somewhere. We are landing at 8:15am on this next trip. I was wondering should I let Magical Express get our luggage or should I just get it when we land and take it to the resort ourselves? I doubt our room will be ready and then we would just leave it at bell services as we head to the parks.

Also are they not shipping your magic bands anymore? I am going in January and on MDE it gives you the date to customize by so the bands will be at your resort on check in? Last year when i flew in you needed your magic band to scan to get on Magical Express.

When I customised mine, the date changed to the usual 30 days out.

 

[Moliphino]

I just got my Magic Bands in the mail yesterday.

I would let DME handle the bags, less you have to deal with. I only get my bags myself if we're getting in late and just planning to go to the room anyway.

 

[Maxie86]

They still mail them to your house, plus you can also use your old ones.

 

[nkereina]

If you are planning to be out most of the day after you arrive, there's no point in retrieving the bags yourself, unless you'll need something out of the bag that you can't put in your carry on. I also would let DME handle them. We always arrive in the morning and have had no issue with the bags being in our room whenever we get back to the resort.

As far as your room being ready early, you never know. It just depends on occupancy the night before, how early people leave, how quickly the room is turned over, etc. We've had our room ready as early as 8:30am before.

Also are they not shipping your magic bands anymore? I am going in January and on MDE it gives you the date to customize by so the bands will be at your resort on check in? Last year when i flew in you needed your magic band to scan to get on Magical Express.

PPs are all correct. Only thing I'll add is that they won't mail them if you're using an international address.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

If you want to go to the parks when you arrive then why would you bother to collect your bags?
Just let Disney take care of them and they will be in your room when you get back from the parks.
This way you don't have to... wait for your luggage at the carousel, wait for your luggage to be taken off DME, wait to check your bags with bell services, and wait to pick your bags back up.

Magic bands are still sent out about 30 days prior.
You'll want to make sure they are customize and that your address is correct and that you have not declined them.

Also a magic band is not needed for magical express. They can just look you up.

Also you can use your old magic bands as they are all interchangeable.

 

[bumbershoot]

Also a magic band is not needed for magical express. They can just look you up.

Yep. You never *needed* them for DME. I'm not sure I've yet had them scan my band there (i can rarely find my band at that point). They just look up my name.

 

[china mom]

Take extra luggage locks with you and lock your carry on before leaving it at Luggage Assistance. We dropped off our carry on with all our electronics and valuables and went to the parks. When we got back to the room, we found that they had left us someone else's carry on and delivered ours to a stranger. It was a very long 45 minutes worrying about DH's work laptop until it got sorted out.

 

[Shellyred8]

We always pick up our own bags and bring them to the resort and leave them with bell services if our room isn't ready. It's only DH and myself and we each only have one suitcase, so it's not a hassle for us to pick them up. If we had little kids, I might be more inclined to let Disney get my bags.

 

[kniquy]

Also are they not shipping your magic bands anymore? I am going in January and on MDE it gives you the date to customize by so the bands will be at your resort on check in? Last year when i flew in you needed your magic band to scan to get on Magical Express.

They still ship them out and you should get a few weeks ahead of your trip. As for your bags. unless you need something i would just let them handle the bags. They typically get to the resort 3-4 hours after your flight, so should be there by the time you get your room ready text. I'd just check in, drop off your carry on stuff and be on your way without having to juggle all the luggage.

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

Yeah, the customize date for magic bands is messed up. There are actually two deadline dates for customization; one to get them mailed to your USA address, the other to have them at your resort for check in. Different pages on MDE have the two dates, and it is confusing as it is not immediately clear why the date seems to change.