Is Magical Express really that magical?

[goofy4tink]

You tip the bus driver if he/she handled your luggage. Or if he/she gave particularly good service. You don't have to if you don't have anything with you that the driver had to store. If you do tip because of stored luggage, then it's about $1 a bag. I usually just hand the driver $5 in any case, unless it's been a not so great trip. I did have one driver who was almost surly...no greeting, no chitchat, nothing...just drove the bus. Yet, on a different trip, we had a driver who was a hoot....lots of informative chitchat about the area, things to do, jokes. He got a tip, even though I had no bags under the bus!!

 

[JodyTG]

Okay, so it won't be a problem if we collect our own luggage before getting on the bus? If so, this will be great news to my husband because he doesn't want to find out hours and hours later if anything was lost.

 

[Kimmielee]

Close... as someone else mentioned, when you check in, the computer sends a message to your resort to let them know you are arriving. This way, if it's before 3:00, they can check to see if they have any clean and available rooms for you before you arrive. In regards to luggage, it also verifies that you did indeed tag your luggage, and if you didn't, they take care of it there.

It's also used to confirm your round trip information, and to answer any questions that you might have about DME.

It's a very important process, that thankfully is very quick

Thanks so much for the clarification! I felt it was definately worth saving $90 for the town car. However, that's because it was free. If they start charging, I most likely wouldn't use it since my driver gets the luggage from baggage claim, etc... so technically, I'm still not "touching" it. I am a single mom traveling with a young child and I don't want to worry about the luggage! I tip well for help!!!

 

[ktink]

We've only used ME once and we loved it. Our room was actually ready before noon so we went to the room and our luggage was in before we headed to the parks.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Okay, so it won't be a problem if we collect our own luggage before getting on the bus? If so, this will be great news to my husband because he doesn't want to find out hours and hours later if anything was lost.

Yes, you can collect your own bags at baggage claim. (Just don't use the the yellow ME luggage routing tags, and your bags will go to baggage claim instead of to the DME sorting area.)

There are several disadvantages of collecting your own bags:

• You'll have to go baggage claim, wait for the bags from your flight to be unloaded from the aircraft, and wait for all of your bags to appear on the conveyor.
• If the airline has delayed your luggage, you'll have to deal with the airline at the airport, which typically involves long lines, rather than being able to handle it through Disney.
• You'll have to carry your bags through the airport to the DME Welcome Center and the DME coach.
• If you get assistance from a porter at the airport, it's customary to tip.
• You will most likely be on a later motorcoach to your resort than if you had gone straight from your arrival gate to the DME Welcome Center — which means you'll get to WDW later.
• It's customary to tip the driver who stores and retrieves your bags under the motorcoach.
• You'll have to carry your bags to the resort check-in and to your room.
• If you get luggage assistance and/or luggage storage (until your room is ready) at your resort, it's customary to tip the bellman. (If you use DME as designed, Disney pays the inbound bellman gratuity.)
• If you get inbound luggage assistance, you may need to wait until the bellman has time, and you'll have to be in the room when the bellman arrives with your luggage. (If you use DME as designed, you don't have to be in the room because Disney pays the inbound bellman gratuity.)

I realize that some people just can't get into the vacation mood until they've unpacked their bags. For such people, it makes sense to throw away the yellow tags and to handle their own luggage.

There are also some cases when it makes sense to get luggage as quickly as possible, such as if one needs golf clubs a few hours after arrival or if one has checked a tent for use at Fort Wilderness.

For the rest of us, it's great to use DME as designed. Just pack a small carry-on with anything that you need right away (along with the usual valuables, medications, cameras, and film). Get to the resort as quickly as possible. Start having fun as quickly as possible — which could mean going to a park, to the pool, or to a restaurant — knowing that your bags will be waiting in the room when you return to the room in the evening.