Late arriving Magical Express Luggage Question

[tstidm1]

I know that arrivals after a certain flight aren't able to take baggage through Magical Express. My flight arrives at 8:30 PM though. When does the cutoff happen on that front? Do Bags on late in the day flights have issues where it takes until 2 AM or 3 AM for them to get to the room? I'm thinking about carrying my and my mom's bags on the flight and not using the luggage service of ME.

 

[tjmw2727]

DME luggage delivery stops at 10pm - my most recent email from DME says to expect your bags to be delivered up to 3 hours after resort arrival. My average DME time from landing to resort is about 90 minutes so that puts your resort arrival at about 10pm - bags 3 hours after that! We have used the DME luggage delivery lots of times but have never been in the room when the bags arrive so I can't estimate that.

If you carry on you won't be able to use the luggage delivery feature of DME anyway. If you decide to check your bags and still not use the luggage delivery feature then just don't attach the luggage tags, pick the bags from the baggage claim as you normally would and bring them to the bus with you. The driver will stow them under the bus and retrieve them at the resort.

My personal cut off is 8pm - if I have a flight arriving after 8 I pick up my checked bags and carry them with me on the bus and I always have 24 hours of necessities in my carryon just in case.

 

[minnie mum]

I agree with the PP. The earliest that you could expect your bags, if you use the ME luggage delivery, would be 1:00am. Given that you probably don't want someone banging on your door at that hour, you have a few choices:

1. Only bring carry on luggage with you. I don't know your DM, or how long you're going for, but I couldn't go t WDW with only the contents of a carry on bag.

2. Check your luggage, but don't use the yellow ME tags. Pick up the luggage at the MCO baggage carousels and schlep them yourself to the ME bus.

3. Use the ME luggage service, but pack what you need for the first 24 hours in your carry on bags ( always a prudent thing to do wherever you are travelling to). When you arrive at the resort, ask them to hold your bags until you call for them in the morning.

 

[bumbershoot]

If you carry on you won't be able to use the luggage delivery feature of DME anyway. If you decide to check your bags and still not use the luggage delivery feature then just don't attach the luggage tags, pick the bags from the baggage claim as you normally would and bring them to the bus with you. The driver will stow them under the bus and retrieve them at the resort.

Yep.


OP, it depends on your plan for that night. If you'll be up or out (say at a lounge) until late, let them deliver it. If you'll be asleep, either pack in carryons or just get your bags at the carousel.

If it's a hardship to move your bigger packed bags by yourself, rest assured that MCO has porters available to get your bags off the carousel and then lead you on to the Magical Express area. Our porters have gone past the line and waited for us to get to him, then they pass the bags off to the driver. It's lovely. For a simple tip, it's great service.

 

[goofy4tink]

You might get the bags prior to 1am....but, there's just no way to safely count on it. If you land, on-time, at 8:30, you won't be at your resort until close to 10pm. That means, that depending on the resort you're at, you could get bags as early as 11 or as late as 1 or 2:00!! The value resorts don't have terrific luggage service after 10pm. The moderates do a better job, but it can take a bit of time. The deluxe resorts do the best since they have Bell Services up and running 24/7.
Your options are...
1. Don't tag your checked bags and get them yourselves at baggage claim. Then take them to the DME bus with you. The driver will expect to be tipped for luggage handling. But, you'll have your bags with you upon arrival at the resort.
2. Tag the bags and have DME take care of them. But....tell the front desk you want the bags held until the next morning. Then, stop at Bell Services/Luggage Assistance and tell them the same thing. When you get to your room, put the 'privacy please' hanger out on the door. When you wake up the message light will be blinking...your luggage is ready to be delivered.
3. Tag the bags and stay up until the bags are delivered to the room.

But always, always pack anything you will need for the first 6 or so hrs of your stay, in your carry on bags. Checked bags get misdirected all the time. If that happens to your bag, at least you'll have what you need to get through the night.

When I get to WDW in late Jan, our flight arrives at 8pm. I still haven't decided whether or not I'm tagging the bags. We won't get to BWV until close to 9:30, and probably won't have the bags delivered until midnight. Not sure I want to stay up that late after traveling.