Magical Express bus service & luggage?

[rebecca314]

I have read mixed reviews on the bus service from the airport. Since we are flying, we will absolutely use this transportation, but I thought I'd check in here for reports on checking your luggage to be brought to you at the resort.

I have no problem gathering my luggage, but with DD5 and DS4, I'm thinking it will probably be our best option. How long did it take for you to get your luggage? Would you recommend this for a family with young kids?

 

[bear_mom]

We had no trouble with it last year and plan on doing the same in 8 days. We packed sunscreen (remember the 3 oz rule though) and other various things we would need the first few hours in our carry on bags. After we checked into our hotel we went to the MK for a few hours (left our carry on bags with bell services) and an early dinner at Chef Mickey. Went back to our rooms and our bags were there. Unpacked and and early to bed.

For us, the convience of not having to go pick up our bags was great. We were at our hotel within 50 minutes of landing.

Emily

 

[chessie2008]

We were impressed by it last year. Very *magical* to have it already in our rooms when we opened the door (to quote my kids 'how'd they do that?')!

 

[Tnkrbelle565]

Good Lord yes I recommend this for families with young children. There is no better feeling than saying goodbye to all the luggage at your home airport and not having to deal with it again until it arrives in your room. It does take a couple of hours to arrive so as long as you pack your day's essentials in your carryon...you'll be fine. Just for the record, we have been very happy with ME. If you can't fit everything you need for the day in a carryon, what you can do is put everything is one small small suitcase (carryon sized) and leave the ME tags off of that piece of luggage. While one member of your party checks in for ME, the other can run and grab that one bag from baggage claim (we did this before since we flew when TSA wasn't allowing ANY liquids in carryons...in Florida you need sunscreen right away)

 

[tjmw2727]

I have used DME at least 8 times in the past couple years and had a good experience each and every time. I love the luggage delivery feature and by skipping the baggage carosel you save lots of time. Our quickest trip was from MCO to POFQ at 50 minutes and our longest was to AKL at 75 minutes.

You can wait for your luggage and bring it with you to DME if you like. The driver will load it under the bus and then retreive it at the resort. He will expect to be tipped for this service. Having done this once I now always let DME bring the bags.

DME literature says it can take up to 3 hours from the time you check in for your bags to arrive in your rooom. Unfortunately, I can't say for sure how long ours have taken as I have never been in the room when the bags were delivered. We usually have swimsuits or park attire in our carryons and head the the pool or park after checkin. Our luggage has always been waiting for us when we return to the room. For a late night arrival we pack what we need for the night and next day and have the bags held until morning. When we return for a pool break our bags are in the room.

Since its recommended that you pack your carryon with what you need for 24 hours anyway in case the airline misdirects your luggage its easy to go without all the checked bags for the 3 hours it can take.

I often travel as the solo adult with my two daughters and using DME and letting them deliver the luggage is a lifesaver

TJ

 

[wlwilliams9]

We always use ME! Like the PPs have said, make sure you pack the essentials you will need when you arrive at the resort. Last year we stayed at POP and after check in we went to the food court for lunch and bags we already in our rooms after we ate (maybe 45 mins), however they we're not our bags. I called luggage services and our bags were in our room within 15 mins. Even with the mix up, we'll still use ME to deliver our bags! It's much easier than lugging bags and kids through the airport!

 

[hrt05]

After our experience I will make sure that we pack whatever we want for when we get there, our pj's, and the next days clothes in a carryon.

Last year we got to the resort mid afternoon and didn't get our bags until the next morning. Hubby and I slept in our bathing suits. Luckily we had put all DD's clothes in a carryon.

I would use the service again. It's a great perk! We will just be a little more prepared next time.

 

[Maggie'sMom]

I highly recommend the ME, especially if you have little ones. It was absolutely a lifesaver for me since I was travelling alone with DD. I always pack whatever we need for the first day of our trip in a carryon, even if we aren't going to Disney, just in case the airlines lose our luggage.

I can't say how long it took our bags to get to our room last year. We went to dinner shortly after we checked in and the bags were in our room by the time we returned.

 

[eyeheartgoofy]

We just used ME during spring break. Not one problem ... service was excellent! Our luggage was delivered within 2 hours of us arriving at the hotel (plane landed at 5:00pm, luggage was in our room by 8:00pm). It was awesome to breeze right through the airport without all that luggage.

I packed a backpack for both of my children (6yo and 4 yo) to carry on the plane. I put everything needed for bedtime (pj's, toothbrush, etc.) as well as an outfit for the next day in the back pack ... I figured we would be covered in case luggage didn't arrive until the next day.

 

[LoveTwoTravel]

We used ME during our last trip and had no problems at all. The tv/dvd on the bus didn't work so we didn't watch Disney movies during the ride but that wasn't a big deal.

Our luggage arrived quickly.

We're using ME again in Sept.

 

[eeyoregon]

ME has been smooth every time.

Last flight we landed, boarded ME and arrived at our resort. We checked in at the desk, which took OVER and hour and went to our room. We were flaking out on the beds planning our game plan when we got the knock on our door and the first 3 of our 5 bags arrived.

It was about 30 minutes later before the rest arrived.

 

[3mickeys&me]

All our experiences with Magic Express have been great! I highly recommend it! Especially with little kids.

I packed a carryon with my kids bathing suits in it so when we arrived at our resort they could swim.

 

[sbrotherton]

We have used it twice in the last two years and have had little issues each time. Both were resolved fairly quickly, but there was a lot of angst in wondering what had happened. The first time, my husband's bag was not with everything else that was delivered and it took about 12 hours for it to make its way to us. The second time really was not an issue at all, but I was a bit worried nonetheless. Our flight came in around 8:30 p.m. and by midnight nothing had been delivered (there were 6 of us traveling...so lots of bags were missing). I woke up at 4am and found they still were not there. After our first experience, I was a bit nervious so I took a stroll up to the front desk (we stayed at the BW Villas) where a very kind CM told me that they had our bags, but didn't want to wake us since they knew we had an infant in our room. Our first experience saw bags delivered in the middle of the night so I was amazed that they actually thought it best not to disturb late a night. I still wish they would have told us that when we checked in so I wouldn't have had to have a panic attack at 4am, but I was just relieved that the bags were on site (all of them).

I am still debating whether or not we should pick up our own luggage before heading to the ME bus when we go in September. Could our third trip be a charm?