Late Night Arrival - DME

[frisbeego]

We arrive in MCO at 1 am. We will not have checked luggage (because I know DME won't pick it up at that hour).

Once I get to DME, how long should I expect to wait for a bus to leave? Is it similar to how it is during the day, where they wait for a certain number of passengers before they leave?

Thanks!

 

[a742246]

You may want to call MDE on this, I know I waited over a half hour (inside the bus) and there were people in the bus before me.

 

[bumbershoot]

There is no way to know what they will do. I've had decent luck leaving out of MCO late at night. Others haven't.

If you want a checked bag, just check a bag and bring it to DME. Don't not check a bag because you can't get it delivered.

 

[goofy4tink]

No way to say. Some people have had very short wait times...others have been longer. I would say to plan on 90 mins, gate to resort. That's the longest it seems to take during the day, so it may be a bit longer than that, but it shouldn't top 2 hrs!

 

[maxiesmom]

I've found them to be a mixed bag late at night. One trip was horrible--it was 3 hours from landing to standing at resort check in. One trip was great--we only waited for a bus maybe 5 minutes and then were the first to be dropped off. No way of knowing what you will get.

 

[DizDaD7]

We've unfortunately arrived 2 separate times, after the 10PM timeframe.
One was at 11:30p.m. & the other was around 1:30 am. Both times we retrieved our bags & went over to DME.

The 1:30 one we waited about 15 minutes & went on the bus with 1 other family. The other time we waited maybe 5 minutes or so & three families this time.

 

[AngiTN]

The hour doesn't change their goals. They have a goal of no guest waiting more than 30 min once checked in on ME. Do they meet that goal 100% of the time? No. But that is the goal be it 1 AM or 1 PM.

 

[Debbie Jean]

Follow up question.

I know if I check my luggage through to the resort it goes the next morning. Any idea when? I ask because I am staying at AKV that night because of the late arrival and transferring to BCV the next day.

I'm guessing I should probably just not check a bag, but I find the resort delivery service really convenient.

 

[dancin Disney style]

Follow up question.

I know if I check my luggage through to the resort it goes the next morning. Any idea when? I ask because I am staying at AKV that night because of the late arrival and transferring to BCV the next day.

I'm guessing I should probably just not check a bag, but I find the resort delivery service really convenient.

If you are checking a bag I would not expect it to be picked up for you after 10pm. Go and get it yourself before you go to the DME area.

In fact after my last experience earlier this month I will never again tag a bag for DME pick up unless I'm arriving before 3pm. My flight got to the gate at 7:20pm and my bags did not arrive at my room until 2am. I was in my room before 9pm and by 10:40 I called luggage services to see if they knew where my bags where. I was told that they where scanned at 9:30 as being on the truck and that I should have them within the hour. Ok, not too bad as I expected to have to wait until midnight at the latest. At 12:30 I called again and was told that at 11:45 they were scanned as being on the truck. What??? The CM that I was speaking with was great and apologized for the incorrect info from the previous CM and said my bags could be held until the morning so that I could go to sleep. Unfortunately, there was something in my bag that needed to be in the fridge and I didn't think it could wait any longer. I told the CM this and he said he would do his best to get them to me the moment they arrived on property. So along comes 1:55am and I finally hear the tap tap at the door. On all previous trips we had our bags within 3 hours max of landing. I know that the info states it's 3-4 hours from the time you check in. This trip we checked in around 8:40 so I think 5+ hours is ridiculous.

 

[seashoreCM]

I would expect that the first Magical Express luggage truck of the morning leaves the airport around 8 AM, namely after collecting the bags of the first few flights to arrive.

If you have something perishable in a checked bag then you should not use DME delivery as a first choice any hour of the day. You are already taking a chance that the bag might be misdirected or delayed by your airline.

Note that if you fail to go to the carousels when arriving at MCO after 10 PM, then you have technically abandoned your bags. Unclaimed bags will get to your resort the next day (perhaps after kibitzing by phone following your observed non-delivery) but if the airline actually lost the bag then your claim would be against the airline and not against DME.

 

[maxiesmom]

I don't think about late is that bad when the parks and resorts are so busy. To me it's not worth the half an hour in the airport, the lugging the bags to the bus, and then tipping the driver for handling them.

By the way it is never smart to have anything in your checked bags you need right away. What if the airline misplaced your bag? Easy enough to blame DME but for all any of us know the airline was at fault.

 

[Debbie Jean]

If you are checking a bag I would not expect it to be picked up for you after 10pm. Go and get it yourself before you go to the DME area.

In fact after my last experience earlier this month I will never again tag a bag for DME pick up unless I'm arriving before 3pm. My flight got to the gate at 7:20pm and my bags did not arrive at my room until 2am. I was in my room before 9pm and by 10:40 I called luggage services to see if they knew where my bags where. I was told that they where scanned at 9:30 as being on the truck and that I should have them within the hour. Ok, not too bad as I expected to have to wait until midnight at the latest. At 12:30 I called again and was told that at 11:45 they were scanned as being on the truck. What??? The CM that I was speaking with was great and apologized for the incorrect info from the previous CM and said my bags could be held until the morning so that I could go to sleep. Unfortunately, there was something in my bag that needed to be in the fridge and I didn't think it could wait any longer. I told the CM this and he said he would do his best to get them to me the moment they arrived on property. So along comes 1:55am and I finally hear the tap tap at the door. On all previous trips we had our bags within 3 hours max of landing. I know that the info states it's 3-4 hours from the time you check in. This trip we checked in around 8:40 so I think 5+ hours is ridiculous.

What a bummer

I actually like being able to check my bags straight through to the resort... now I admit I always assume it will take at least 6 hours so there is never anything in it that I need to get access to immediately... that goes in carry on. But my motto is "expect the worst and you can only have nice surprises" LOL

Getting in late, bags go out in the morning... I expect that. But I don't usually change resorts on my first day... hence my question was when do they start delivery in the morning of the bags they have held overnight. Managing luggage through the airport traveling solo at my age with my physical challenges late at night is not something I particularly want to have to do if I can avoid it. It may be that this trip I will not really have a choice.

 

[Debbie Jean]

I would expect that the first Magical Express luggage truck of the morning leaves the airport around 8 AM, namely after collecting the bags of the first few flights to arrive.

If you have something perishable in a checked bag then you should not use DME delivery as a first choice any hour of the day. You are already taking a chance that the bag might be misdirected or delayed by your airline.

Note that if you fail to go to the carousels when arriving at MCO after 10 PM, then you have technically abandoned your bags. Unclaimed bags will get to your resort the next day (perhaps after kibitzing by phone following your observed non-delivery) but if the airline actually lost the bag then your claim would be against the airline and not against DME.

Leaving the airport at 8 AM would be fine for me since checkout wouldn't be till 11. I should get them in time to transfer over to BC. i'll have to think about whether I want to chance it though. Worrying they won't make it may be more of a hassle than just wrestling with the darn things myself at the airport.

 

[AngiTN]

Leaving the airport at 8 AM would be fine for me since checkout wouldn't be till 11. I should get them in time to transfer over to BC. i'll have to think about whether I want to chance it though. Worrying they won't make it may be more of a hassle than just wrestling with the darn things myself at the airport.

In your case I would get the bags. I might be willing to wait till morning but with your transfer it adds a layer of complication that I wouldn't feel comfortable with. And trust me, no one hates getting bags at the airport more than me. I avoid it at all costs.

 

[Debbie Jean]

In your case I would get the bags. I might be willing to wait till morning but with your transfer it adds a layer of complication that I wouldn't feel comfortable with. And trust me, no one hates getting bags at the airport more than me. I avoid it at all costs.

Ugh! I think you're right I'm especially annoyed since I booked Southwest and was enjoying the idea of 2 checked bags for free... but not if I have to lug them through the airport to the bus at midnight! Guess I'll be packing light again this trip!

Thanks for all the advice

 

[siskaren]

In fact after my last experience earlier this month I will never again tag a bag for DME pick up unless I'm arriving before 3pm. My flight got to the gate at 7:20pm and my bags did not arrive at my room until 2am. I was in my room before 9pm and by 10:40 I called luggage services to see if they knew where my bags were. I was told that they where scanned at 9:30 as being on the truck and that I should have them within the hour. Ok, not too bad as I expected to have to wait until midnight at the latest. At 12:30 I called again and was told that at 11:45 they were scanned as being on the truck. What??? The CM that I was speaking with was great and apologized for the incorrect info from the previous CM and said my bags could be held until the morning so that I could go to sleep. Unfortunately, there was something in my bag that needed to be in the fridge and I didn't think it could wait any longer. I told the CM this and he said he would do his best to get them to me the moment they arrived on property. So along comes 1:55am and I finally hear the tap tap at the door. On all previous trips we had our bags within 3 hours max of landing. I know that the info states it's 3-4 hours from the time you check in. This trip we checked in around 8:40 so I think 5+ hours is ridiculous.

Why did you call at 10:40 when you knew that you're supposed to get your luggage within 3-4 hours of checking in? At that point you were only at two hours. Also, why did you put something that needed to be refrigerated in your checked luggage when you knew you would have to wait several hours for it?

 

[dancin Disney style]

Why did you call at 10:40 when you knew that you're supposed to get your luggage within 3-4 hours of checking in? At that point you were only at two hours. Also, why did you put something that needed to be refrigerated in your checked luggage when you knew you would have to wait several hours for it?

I called because I have never been in my room more than about an hour before my bags have showed up. It was getting late and we wanted to have some idea as to when we could go to sleep. As to the refrigerated item I knew it was perfectly fine until about midnight. As it turned out at 2am it was exactly as I packed it earlier in th day and the freezer pack was still frozen solid. I was completely willing to toss it out if it did not survive the trip. No big deal really. When I removed it from my bag I realized that it probably would have been fine until 8am.

 

[maxiesmom]

I called because I have never been in my room more than about an hour before my bags have showed up. It was getting late and we wanted to have some idea as to when we could go to sleep.

Next time, pack anything you want/need in your carry-on. That way you can tell the resort to hold your bags. Then you can call when you want them delivered to your room. No need to wait up if you do that.

 

[dancin Disney style]

Next time, pack anything you want/need in your carry-on. That way you can tell the resort to hold your bags. Then you can call when you want them delivered to your room. No need to wait up if you do that.

We did have what we needed in our carry ons. Can't carry on the liquid that needed refrigeration.

After 20ish times using the luggage service I'm completely up on the in's and out's. Perhaps this was just a really bad night for them. Perhaps it's cut backs. IDK. I have read many posts stating very similar unhappiness with the whole thing.

 

[maxiesmom]

We did have what we needed in our carry ons. Can't carry on the liquid that needed refrigeration.

After 20ish times using the luggage service I'm completely up on the in's and out's. Perhaps this was just a really bad night for them. Perhaps it's cut backs. IDK. I have read many posts stating very similar unhappiness with the whole thing.

Honestly you were lucky that checking liquids worked out for you. A better idea would be to order them and have them sent to the resort.

I read similar posts too. And many of them don't get how DME works, how the timing works. They were a little late for you. And maybe an hour late is unacceptable, but it is never wise to need anything you check. The airlines are more liable to misdirect your bags than DME is to lose them.