Late arrival and Magical express

[duckfan78]

This saturday coming up, me, my sis and her two sons will be traveling to WDW. Our flight is late and won't arrive in orlando till about 10 or so.

I figure by the time we get in, get to the hotel it will be well after 11. We were planning on just hanging out, relaxing and then getting up early the following morning.

HOwever, I am not sure If i should use the luggage tags and let them bring them to the room, or just bring them ourselves since it is going to be late by the time they bring them.

what would you all do?

 

[twotoohappy]

This might be better answered in the transportation forum, but I'll give you my 2 cents.

If you're going to be coming in late then I'd pack your overnight stuff in a carryon because it can take hours before your luggage comes. We've done ME twice arriving somewhere between 9pm and 11pm and both times the luggage didn't get to us until after 2am.

Also, ME stinks at night! I absolutely HATE it! They run fewer buses and therefore take a lot more time getting you to your hotel. My last trip I arrived at MCO at 10:40 pm and checked right in to ME. There was a bus waiting with people who had been waiting for over 10 minutes. We continued to wait 40 MORE minutes for the bus to have about 25 people total on it. Then we went from OKW, to SSR, to PO FrenchQuarter to PO Riverside, to BW then to YC then to BC. I got on the bus at 11:05pm and got to my hotel at 12:35!

Next time I come in late I'll splurge and get either a town car or a taxi and use ME for the ride home!

No advice, just pixie dust for good luck!

 

[OKW Lover]

I'll second the idea of having stuff for the next day in your carry-on. Actually, that's a good practice no matter what time your flight is. That way you can just go to bed whenever you want to, and head out as early as you want to, without having to worry about when bell services will deliver your bags.

 

[momof2minnies]

2 weeks ago we were there and to make life easier the 4 of us all packed carry ons only and had them right with us from plane to hotel.Yes we are great packers!

 

[Bekawells]

Just check the baggage return on your way to the bus...

When my daugter & I Went, we were going to let the ME get our bags and take them to the hotel but we were walking by baggage claim and saw our bags, so we just grabbed them and took them with us!

 

[lyzziesmom]

When you check in to the resort, you can ask them to hold your luggage until the next morning. Just bring your stuff for that night in your carryon, and ask them to deliver your luggage at whatever time you plan on waking up. Works like a charm and you won't be woken up at 2am with your bags being delivered.

If you don't use the yellow tags and get your bags yourself, it's going to take just as long as if there is a long wait for ME or maybe even longer. You will have to criss cross the airport and wait at baggage claim and then lug your bags to ME, THEN wait for the ME bus and get your luggage loaded, then retrieve it at the hotel... it's a much much longer process. The "magic" of Magical Express is that you don't have to do all of that.

 

[duckfan78]

When you check in to the resort, you can ask them to hold your luggage until the next morning. Just bring your stuff for that night in your carryon, and ask them to deliver your luggage at whatever time you plan on waking up. Works like a charm and you won't be woken up at 2am with your bags being delivered.

If you don't use the yellow tags and get your bags yourself, it's going to take just as long as if there is a long wait for ME or maybe even longer. You will have to criss cross the airport and wait at baggage claim and then lug your bags to ME, THEN wait for the ME bus and get your luggage loaded, then retrieve it at the hotel... it's a much much longer process. The "magic" of Magical Express is that you don't have to do all of that.

ok, so if we were to have them hold the bags...since the first night we will be in a studio than switch to a 1 bedroom at SSR, can they hold the bags till we check in the next day at the other room?

 

[lyzziesmom]

duckfan, I'm not really sure since I've never done a split stay, but I don't see why they couldn't. You'd just have to remember to pack enough in your carryon for that first night and the next morning. I know Luggage Assistance will move your baggage for you when you switch resorts, so I don't see why they couldn't just hold it and then move it. I know ME won't deliver it to the new resort directly though, it has to go where you go.

 

[2disneybabies]

We did the exact same thing...arriving late! We did not have the waiting problems that some others seem to have had, but I definately recommend asking them to hold the bags til the next morning! our bags arrived at our suite at 3am~ thankfully BIL was with us and is a night owl!! I would have been very aggrivated being woke up then!!!
Have a grea trip!!!

 

[septbaby]

Keep in mind pools are open 'til midnight, so pack swimsuits, especially for the boys. Probably make sleeping a lot easier too!