Last day issues. Should I say something?

[PrincessASquared]

We just returned from our trip on 12/7. We had a party of seven which included my brother and his family as our guests. We stayed in a 2BR at SSR. The trip was fabulous!! The weather was great. Crowd levels were tolerable and the resort was very clean and comfortable. Our only issue arose on the morning we were scheduled to leave.

We booked with Magical Express and they were scheduled to pick us up at SSR at 8:00am. I called bell services the day before to have them pick up our luggage at 7:30am. This should allow us time to check our bags and get our boarding passes at the resort (flying NWA) before hopping on the bus.
Bell services did not show up at our room until 7:50am!! By the time we got to the front desk, the bus was loading. The guy from bell services was unapologetic and said "It looks like you will have to do things the old-fashioned way and check your luggage at the airport". If not, then we would have to wait until the 9:00am shuttle. Our flight was at 11:13am, and it is at least a 45 minute bus ride. He loaded our luggage on the bus and we were shuttled to the airport.

Once we arrived at the airport, our luggage was unloaded. Go figure, one of our bags was missing. The bus driver called back to SSR and they said that they found the bag and put it on the 9:00am Magical Express bus. Now we had to wait for that bag to show up before we could check all our other bags.

The bag finally showed up at 10:00am. We checked our luggage, got our boarding passes, went through security, and raced to our gate. They were just about to close the doors. We were the last people to board (at 11:15).
This was a bad ending to an otherwise OUTSTANDING vacation.

We have never experienced anything like this in all our years of going to Disney. I am hoping this was just an isolated incident. Should I report this to Disney or am I making too much of it?

Thanks.

 

[anonymousegirl]

Wow, I'm sorry this happened to you. Was this the first time using DME and/or bell services? I'm not meaning to be harsh here but unfortunately, I think that the main problem here was that you did not allow enough time to check in, especially when using bell services.

Often times people forget they are not they only people that the resort will be servicing. I know that you said you had arranged a pick up the night before, but that still doesn't take into account all the people also checking out. There are only so many bellpersons to handle quite a lot of luggage, so they didn't get around to you until 20 mins late. Of course this is not your fault, you did what you could to pre-arrange the nght before, but if I were you I would have given up on bell services and taken the luggage down myself.

Also, the resort check in desk can get quite backed up. You allowed only 30 minutes to get all your stuff downstairs, go through check-in and get your boarding passes. Way not enough time in my book, but then I am a nervous-nellie when getting to the airport so I am always super-early.

The lost bag is totally bell services fault, and I'm glad they managed to get it to you before you left the Orlando area.

You were lucky you were allowed to board your flight at all, since they should have closed the gate at 11:03am. Think how bad it could have been if NWA didn't allow you to board your flight!

 

[PrincessASquared]

This was the first time we stayed far enough from the front desk to warrant using bell services. Typically we have stayed close to the front desk and have walked our luggage to the front desk. You are right. In hindsight, I should have scheduled bell services to come earlier. Live and learn.

 

[anonymousegirl]

Oh, I forgot you were staying at SSR. Yeah, that can be quite a trek and luggage never seems to get lighter at the end of a trip.

 

[Starr W.]

DH usually does this very early, like before 7am for a morning flight. We call Bell Services the day before and set up a pick up time for the luggage.


We did just carry-ons for our Thanksgiving trip and found our boarding passes on the door with the copy of the bill. Great! DME asked if we had checked bags at MCO on arrival(guess that's how they figured it out).

 

[disneynutz]

You should give yourself more time but I would still report it.

dvcmembersatisfactionteam@disneyvacationclub.com

 

[Deb & Bill]

I'd just chalk it up to not so great planning on your part and revise the plan in the future.

 

[MelissathePooh]

We've only stayed at SSR once and had a HORRIBLE experience with their bell services. Took over 3 hours to get our bags to the room after calling multiple times. They were an hour late picking our bags up when we checked out - had arranged the night before as we were told by bell services to avoid the delays we had at check in. Basically we were told they only have so many people working - and I understand we aren't the only guests, but it was ridiculous. They should staff accordingly.

 

[ClarabelleCowFan]

I didn't appreciate Bell Services at SSR reminding me to leave a tip when I called to have my Owner's Locker picked up last Saturday.

I think we KNOW to tip and I don't think it was their place to TELL ME to leave one. We tipped very well when our OL was delivered to the room (and it was empty!) and when our Xmas tree was delivered (even though they told us they weren't supposed to deliver the trees).

 

[Deb & Bill]

I didn't appreciate Bell Services at SSR reminding me to leave a tip when I called to have my Owner's Locker picked up last Saturday.

I think we KNOW to tip and I don't think it was their place to TELL ME to leave one. We tipped very well when our OL was delivered to the room (and it was empty!) and when our Xmas tree was delivered (even though they told us they weren't supposed to deliver the trees).

I know valet parking is contracted out. How about Bell Services?

 

[ClarabelleCow]

I'd write in that they need to be staffed better, but you definatley did not allow enough time to check in. With that many people, at least an hour should have been allowed, and not from pickup of baggages, more be at the stand an hour prior. Usually, we would get the bags there right when they open, then go about our morning and just walk on the bus.

 

[alldiz]

Glad you had a great trip. ...and the missing bag was the real pain....but like PP's said....next time you'll surely leave more time for bell services.
Kerri

 

[YoMickey]

You can check you bags as early as 5am. Never done it before, but also when traveling, I always try to book a flight around 2pm give or take so I'm not rushing around in the morning.

I think if you report it they won't laugh at you over the phone but after you hang up. Focus on the great trip you had............

Have you ever watched "The Amazing Race" reality show. When stuff like this happens to us we make it a game. We usually win and don't get too stressed over it.

 

[delmar411]

I'm sorry you all were racing. That always is such a stresser on check out day.

Just a suggestion for next time. Bring all your checked luggage over to bell services the night before and then you just have to get one person over to get the bags and check in, which can be done at 5am, while everyone else is getting ready to go. Then the one person doing the check in can come back to the room and take a nap or rest up before needing to go back over to catch ME.

 

[spiceycat]

sorry this happens.

next time plan at least an hour before you need to be at the bus stop - so an hour and 15 minutes before the bus lets you on.

epecially with 7 people - that is alot of luggage.

if it helps you aren't the only one.

been at AKL - when the line to check in the airlines is about 20 deep. some of the people are upset.

if you have done this type of thing before and had no problems - well it was just luck.

 

[Hopefully]

I am sorry about your stress. I travel lots for work, and I hate airport stress. That said, I believe, like others, that you did not plan well. Perhaps you do not travel often. I am astounded that you would think that you could have Bell Services pick up your bags, transport everything to the Resort Airline Check in desk, and have you check in and receive your Boarding Passes in just 15 minutes.
Magical Express is very clear that you need to be at the bus pickup, ready to go, 15 minutes before your pickup time - 7:45 in your example.
Also don't they require a 3 hour lead time for checked bags? Or did I misunderstand that you were not trying to check your bags?
At any rate, live and learn. I would not complain - I think the major issue was that you did not plan well. I always leave plenty of time for delays.
I am glad you had a good trip

 

[WDWMaiselFamilyWDW]

A similar thing happened to us on our return from the WL last January. We checked all of our bags with Bell Services two hours before our DME bus was to depart for the airport. When we boarded the bus, I noticed they split our bags up and even said something to the bus driver. He said both buses were going right to the airport and it would be no problem. Well, of course, we arrive at the airport and the other bus unloads its luggage and our bag is nowhere to be found. The bus driver calls back to WL and it turns out it was left behind. The driver had to request that they put it on the next bus departing for the airport, but I paced on the pavement where the buses pull up at MCO for 45 minutes, worrying that we'd miss our flight. We barely made it -- the lines at security were epic! It was a sour end to our trip, but I never did anything more after calling DME from the pavement and voicing how upset I was. They were somewhat apologetic but overall I felt a little bit left out to dry. I intended to call from home and complain later, but I lost steam and got over it -- probably because otherwise it was a great trip. It does give me pause about next time though...

 

[Pennyguy23]

sorry this happens.

next time plan at least an hour before you need to be at the bus stop - so an hour and 15 minutes before the bus lets you on.

epecially with 7 people - that is alot of luggage.

if it helps you aren't the only one.

been at AKL - when the line to check in the airlines is about 20 deep. some of the people are upset.

if you have done this type of thing before and had no problems - well it was just luck.

We give ourselves about 2 hours if not more to get our bags checked. If I only had 30 minutes I wouldn't have wasted my time. If you have gotten through in 30 mins then you WERE VERY lucky. I have waited 1 hour with only a few people in front of me. BCV is a nightmare sometimes, Often "20 deep" of people.

 

[tink_2007]

We had the same sort of issue with Magical Express on 12/13 at the AKV. Our flight was at 11:50 and we arrived at bell services to drop off our bags at 8:30 since our bus was leaving at 9:10. We were told that there were too many morning flights that day so we would have to take our luggage to the airport on the bus and check in at the airport. They also said that we would have to check with the bus driver to make sure there was enough room on the bus for our luggage. I went to the from desk and complained and the manager gave us a voucher to take a cab to the airport. We have used Magical Express before and never had any issues but I would have to say it was totally frustrating trying to get this worked out. The manage said she was doing us a favor as we would have plenty of time if we rode the bus to the airport.

 

[YoMickey]

I'd take the cab any day. You lucked out. Did the cab have to stop at 3 resorts on the way?? Did you have some kid kicking the back of your seat for 40 minutes??

Think of the positives!