Express Luggage service with rental car?

[Cookie Princess]

This might seem like an odd question but can you still use the express luggage service to have your luggage deliver directly from the airport to your room even if you aren't riding the expess bus? My travel agent thought so, but didn't sound 100% confident. I HATE waiting for our luggage!

 

[goofy4tink]

Not to the best of my knowledge. While your luggage will get pulled out of the rest and put aside for DME, it won't go to WDW resorts until you have checked in with DME desk and boarded the bus. At least that's what I've been told. In fact, our DME paperwork has been scanned by the driver and I was told that this is what alerts the baggage people that you are there and on your way. Disney has always maintained that DME is NOT a luggage delivery service. It was put in place to move people to their resorts and making it easier for said people to get their luggage there. I have used it twice now and it has taken me no more than 1 hr. 15 minutes from touchdown to resort check-in. So, if you are planning on using a rental car, it looks like you will have to 'wait' for your luggage rather than send it without you to the resort.

 

[goofie4goofy]

Why would you want to do that??

I have read that some people have waited hours for their luggage to arrive from ME. Wouldn't it be easier to have your luggage with you?

 

[NCombs]

No, you can't do that.

 

[bstnsprts]

Make sure that one person in your party does not have any luggage checked in their name. That person would then get the rental car while the rest of your party boards the bus and you meet at your resort. This will let you obtain a rental car and have your bags delivered to your resort.

 

[tjtjtj2]

Can someone explain why this won't work? I am getting a rental car, but was planning on using DME for luggage only. If it's free and I've paid for my trip, why wouldn't Disney let me do this? I have the yellow tags. What are they going to do if I don't get on a bus, keep my luggage? It doesn't make sense that the yellow tags wouldn't work on their own without a body on the bus. Has anyone ever done or tried this? I plan to be upfront about it and visit the DME desk at MCO to let them know. If anyone has any inside info as to why this won't work, I'd appreciate it. Thanks!! -- Tim

 

[kaytieeldr]

Disney's Magical Express is free transportation for Disney GUESTS; the luggage transport is just a bonus. Remember, not all Guests flying in bring checked luggage (yes, I realize most of us do).

If you do not check in at the DME counter, your luggage will not be pulled and placed on the truck transporting the other Guests' luggage to the Disney resorts; if you check in at the DME counter but do not check in at the DME bus, again, your luggage will not be transported to your Disney resort.

Why? Because that's the way Disney designed DME. Anybody who doesn't want to deal with luggage can ship it down in advance, using UPS, FedEx or a company that specializes in luggage shipment.

 

[Lewisc]

Your voucher is scanned at the desk and again as you board the bus. If your voucher isn't scanned Disney assumes your luggage made it to MCO but you didn't and Disney will hold your luggage at the airport. This could happen if you were flying standby or were bumped.

A cynical answer is Disney is paying big $$$ for DME. Many guests won't have a grocery stop or a rental car and will be spending more money gettting food and drinks at Disney and not offsite.

The easiest thing is to split your party, one person gets the car and the rest rides the DME bus to the resort. You could go to the DME desk and ask the CM if they'll send the luggage to your resort. The written FAQ says not but you could ask.

Can someone explain why this won't work? I am getting a rental car, but was planning on using DME for luggage only. If it's free and I've paid for my trip, why wouldn't Disney let me do this? I have the yellow tags. What are they going to do if I don't get on a bus, keep my luggage? It doesn't make sense that the yellow tags wouldn't work on their own without a body on the bus. Has anyone ever done or tried this? I plan to be upfront about it and visit the DME desk at MCO to let them know. If anyone has any inside info as to why this won't work, I'd appreciate it. Thanks!! -- Tim

 

[tjtjtj2]

Thanks for the replies. Lewisc -- that's what I was planning to do. Has anyone reading this ever tried it? It would be great to know what the actual response from Disney at the airport was on this. Since nothing they've given me says that luggage only is a problem, I would think they'd just say OK and send the bags on their way rather than causing more work for everyone by doing something else.

 

[GinaGrumpyDwarf]

my TA said that she had a client who did that and their luggage was held at MCO. Like previous people said...the luggage thing is a BONUS.
What we might do is DH will get the car and DD and I take the ME to the resort. I want to experience it, and DD cant wait to ride the bus. We'll see what happens when we get there. When we went in July, we waited almost an HOUR to just get our luggage ourselves, so what's the difference???

I hope this helped!

 

[tjtjtj2]

We happen to be arriving late (10pm with 2 young kids), which is why I'd like to get to our car and to the resort as quickly as possible. I'd prefer not to wait for the bags and lug them to the rental area at that time of night. The delivery time isn't a big deal since we wouldn't need our bags until the next day. I think it's just the timing of our arrival that happens to make "luggage only" service a big plus. I can understand how it wouldn't make much difference in other situations. If we were getting in earlier, I'd just wait for the bags and take them with us to the car.

 

[safetymom]

You are out of luck when you get to MCO. You either have to take the bus and they will transport the luggage or use a rental car and you deal with the luggage.

On the return to MCO if you are using a participating airline you can check in for your flight and Disney will transport the luggage to the airport for you.

 

[Rodrigo]

You can also get your rental car in your resort. Several resorts have rental car counter inside WDW.

 

[tjtjtj2]

I understand that's appears to be the 'official' policy, but I'm wondering if anyone has any firsthand info. I plan to check in at the DME desk and tell them. I'm wondering what they've said to others that have done the same thing.

 

[safetymom]

Good luck. Why should Disney transport your luggage if you aren't using their service?

 

[tjtjtj2]

Because I've paid the same as the people who ARE using it.

 

[safetymom]

Strange that your first posts are for ways to cheat the system. You are not participating in Disney's Magical Express so you aren't entitled to have the luggage transfer. It's just that simple.

The time it is going to take for you to argue with them over this you could have picked up your luggage and gone on to the resort with your rental car.

 

[tjtjtj2]

My goal is not to cheat any system. Am I asking for a service for free, for which others are paying? This is NOT like the age-old 'Can I reuse my refillable cups?' question. It's much more like the 'Can I use my FastPasses after their expiration time?' question. If you consider using late FastPasses cheating the system, then I respect your position. If you would use a 'late' FastPass, then how is what I'm proposing any different? In fact, if Disney said (as illogical as it may be) 'We'll let you use DME for luggage only for an extra 20 bucks', I'd probably take them up on it. My question is in no way about 'cheating'. It's only about getting to my hotel in the quickest manner because of a late arrival.

 

[GinaGrumpyDwarf]

I am going to have to ask the same question...why should Disney transport your bags and not YOU?? If that would be the case, then they would have busses full of BAGS and a whole lot less people!
I'm not saying that I wouldnt use the service if they would take my bags only. Like i said in a previous post, my TA said that she had a client who did that and her bags were LEFT at MCO....That is a chance i just wont take.
You can call the number on the vouchers and ask them...I just did and the CM just about Laughed at me...lol.

 

[tjtjtj2]

Thanks Gina. It sounds like the person you're referring to must have used the tags without reporting in to the DME desk. In that case, I can understand what happened. (And even then, what happened next? Did the person have to return to the airport?) I don't plan to deceive anyone, just wondering what the response has been at the DME desk for others who have tried.