Has ME ever LOST anyone's luggage?

[almacdonald]

I've read several posts about delayed luggage or people thinking that ME is an inconvinence because you don't have you luggage in your room right away. I can handle this.

Has anyone ever had the experience of not receiving their luggage at all? I'm hesitant to let someone else be responsible for my luggage but if you all say that I WILL get my luggage eventually it will help a bit. I can't imagine running around WDW in 1 pair of unmentionables for the entire trip!

Thanks!

 

[rayelias]

We've used ME 5 or 6 times. Never a problem. We usually arrive before noon, check in, hit a park, and when we get back our luggage is there waiting.

We always take a carry on with a change of clothes and toiletries just in case (airlines lose luggage, ME loses luggage, etc.), plus, if there is a dramatic difference in weather, we change when we hit the resort, anyway.

I wouldn't worry.

 

[tjmw2727]

Keep in mind that many of the posts about delayed luggage are from folks who for whatever reason were not aware that the luggage would arrive well after them. My ME documents from Oct and April said clearly to allow up to 4 hours after arrival for checked luggage delivery so I knew my options.

I haven't read a post yet from someone who has had luggage lost by ME and with the number of posters if it was happening we probably would have read about it by now.

Its always a good idea to pack essentials in a carry on just in case.

TJ

 

[bavaria]

The only post I recall is from May 2005, from katypop. I don't want to speak for her, but I believe that she just left today for WDW so she probably wont' see your post.

Her friend's luggage never arrived and I believe that she stayed a week at WDW. A manager did permit her to purchase clothes and had them reimbursed.

However I think at issue was where the luggage was actually lost - via the airline, or via ME.

Keep in mind that the percentage of truly LOST luggage (as opposed to delayed luggage) is very low on a yearly basis for all airlines. As her situation shows, however, adding ME into the mix can make it more difficult to determine where the luggage went lost.

I don't know if that was the only time we've seen a post re truly 'lost' luggage, but I remeber the situation because it was the start of ME, and since I know katypop 'in person' I was drawn to the post.

 

[zurgswife]

My friends had there luggage "lost" while using ME. It was the DH's luggage and he was allowed to purchase clothing to wear to dinner that night. Right before leaving for dinner and after purchasing the clothes the luggage showed up...It took way more then 4 hrs. But it did finally show.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

Just to give you an idea about how DME luggage transfers work --

1 - Luggage is pulled off plane. As it is pulled off the plane, the ones with the yellow tags are put onto a seperate truck. If a bag makes it to the carousel with a yellow tag, it gets pulled before going out, and placed on a seperate truck. There are also DME cast members at baggage claim to claim untagged bags, and the rare tagged bag that makes it out. The untagged bags get tagged, and put on that truck.

2 - The luggage trucks make continuous runs to the DME sorting facility, where they are scanned in (1).

The conveyer belt works very similar to a UPS sorting facility, and sorts the bags by destination. The bags then get put into a locked cage, and scanned again(2).

3 - The cages get put onto the luggage delivery trucks, and are scanned again(3).

4 - The trucks are tracked by GPS, and make multiple stops at the resort. Once the luggage gets dropped off at the resort, they are scanned again(4).

5 - The bags are then delivered to the room by the next available bellman. They are scanned as they get delivered(5).

So, as you can see, the bags are scanned 5 times between the airport and your room, so Disney always knows where the bags are.

 

[kaytieeldr]

From which I infer, Tyler, that any 'delayed' or 'misdirected' luggage (including that of zurgswife's friends) is most likely due to the airline's (mis)handling.

 

[Julia M]

Some of our luggage was "delayed" (not picked up apparently) by ME. We arrived about 6 pm, and didn't get the luggage until very late (like 9pm the next day)

We checked in 3 hours ahead for our flight in San Francisco.

Julia

 

[kaytieeldr]

Honestly, Julia, that doesn't sound like DME didn't pick up your luggage (see Tyler's description, above, and keep in mind that DME is constantly transporting luggage throughout the day from the airport to the various Disney resorts). It genuinely sounds like your airline "misdirected" your bag. Once the airline located it and got it to MCO, Magical Express transported it to your resort.

 

[Servants of Evan]

Let's keep one additional thing in mind -- the airline makes more money transporting cargo than they do hauling your luggage. I've known of a few instances over the years where people's luggage was intentionally delayed so the airline could get a high-priority (high dollar) shipment on board. The airlines have contracts with delivery companies to deliver your bag to you when they don't show up, and monay of those contracts are simply a $X per bag sort of thing. If they know they'll have to deliver $400 worth of luggage but can bill $4000 for this expidited shipment -- what do you think they are going to do?

 

[almacdonald]

Thanks everyone! It will be nice not to have to haul my luggage around everywhere!