Magical Express Cut Back

[Padrepride]

There's going to be no more luggage deliveries for people who arrive after 10 PM. Now you have to take it on the bus with you. Not really heartbreaking news, but more evidence of the economy's impact on Disney. http://wdwmagic.com/Transportation/Disneys-Magical-Express/News/17Feb2009-Disney%27s-Magical-Express-to-discontinue-luggage-delivery-after-10pm.htm

 

[Keyser]

Maybe evidence of a cutback, but why on earth would anyone want luggage delivery if you are arriving after 10 p.m.? I would think people arriving at that time would be checking into their hotel, and not doing anything else for the evening, and thus would want their luggage as soon as possible (i.e. by bringing it with them). I might be missing something, though, never having used ME for luggage delivery.

 

[doconeill]

Disney is at least saying it is so that people wouldn't have to wait for their luggage when they are arriving late at the resorts, which makes perfect sense.

 

[disneymath]

Based on our connection times, we usually land at MCO until after midnight ... having DME worry about our bags at that late hour was a nice perk ... we could shuffle off to the bus, check into our resort, pull our PJs out of our carryons and sleep 'til morning. (We just asked at check-in that our bags from DME be held with Bell Services until the morning.)

While I understand why Disney might want/need to cut back, my family for one will miss the late night baggage service.

 

[Metro West]

Based on our connection times, we usually land at MCO until after midnight

So you're one of the people on those flights I hear flying over my house at that hour!

 

[micki7337]

I do not think it is a economic thing it is a common sense thing because who wants to wait unit the next am or after midnite for your luggage. an actual cutback would be no magic express after 10pm

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

I do not think it is a economic thing it is a common sense thing because who wants to wait unit the next am or after midnite for your luggage. an actual cutback would be no magic express after 10pm

In past, when I arrived late, I went straight to Magical Express check-in. I was on the first motorcoach to my resort. My carry-on bag had everything I needed for overnight. Disney could deliver my checked bags the next morning, and I didn't even have to be in the room. Excellent!

Now I will have to go out of my way to my airline's baggage claim. (It could be in the opposite corner of the airport from Magic Express.) There I will wait and wait until the bags eventually appear. I then have to take them from Side A level 2 up to level 3, across to Side B, down to level 1, and over to Magical Express. I might need to find (and tip) a porter to help me if I have small kids who can't handle their own bags. Finally I can check in at the Magical Express counter. The driver puts my bags in the motorcoach baggage hold. I'll be on the road 30 to 60 minutes later than if I had been able to skip baggage claim. (If I have to wait a whole hour for my bags, as has happened to me at MCO, I could be on the road 90 minutes later.) Each stop takes longer because the driver has more bags to handle at each stop. I owe the driver a tip for handling my bags when he returns them to me. I eventually arrive at the DME stop at my resort, near the lobby, with my bags, but my room could be somewhere far away (especially at spread out resorts like the moderates). I now have to wait for a bellman, who could be quite busy, especially if 3 or 4 other families arrived at the same time. Of course, I need to tip the bellman (Disney only handles the bellman tip when using DME luggage transfers). Eventually, I get to the room -- much later than if I could have let Disney handle my checked bags from the airport to my room.

Previously, we all had a choice if we arrived after 10:00 pm. We could enjoy the benefits of the luggage service and get to the room (and into bed) much faster. Or we could deal with our bags, delaying our arrival in the room.

Now we no longer have a choice. That's an "actual cutback" in my book.

Just because I prefer to get to the resort more quickly and enjoy the same luggage transfer benefit that other guests get does not mean I lack "common sense."

 

[redrosesix]

We did this a couple of weeks ago -- then the rule was "handle your own bags if you arrive after 11 pm" At the time, nobody believed me that this is what ME told me.

Hah! See!

And we had to go from A side to B side -- that sucked!

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

We did this a couple of weeks ago -- then the rule was "handle your own bags if you arrive after 11 pm" At the time, nobody believed me that this is what ME told me.

Hah! See!

Actually, there was no official "handle your own bags if you arrive after 11 pm" rule.

Reservationists often gave that advice. Some even stated it as a rule. But the Magical Express packet had no such language. Guests received and could use yellow tags, regardless of their flight's scheduled or actual arrival time.

Now, effective March 30 2009, it's a rule. Disney has sent directives to travel agents that Disney's Magical Express will not provide luggage service for arrivals at Orlando International after 10:00 p.m.

And we had to go from A side to B side -- that sucked!

I agree.

This is a guest-hostile change.

I'm sure there were some guests who didn't bother to read their Magical Express packet, and then complained bitterly when they were told late at night that they would receive their bags the next morning (at Value Resorts without 24-hour luggage assistance) or within a few hours.

Disney should have dealt with the issue by including an "If Your Flight Arrives After 10:00 p.m." note, explaining the two choices and the advantages of each.

 

[jade1]

Isnt 10PM only 7PM for someone from the west coast? Doesn't seem to uncommonsensical to them I bet.

 

[CanadianGuy]

In past, when I arrived late, I went straight to Magical Express check-in. I was on the first motorcoach to my resort. My carry-on bag had everything I needed for overnight. Disney could deliver my checked bags the next morning, and I didn't even have to be in the room. Excellent!

Now I will have to go out of my way to my airline's baggage claim. (It could be in the opposite corner of the airport from Magic Express.) There I will wait and wait until the bags eventually appear. I then have to take them from Side A level 2 up to level 3, across to Side B, down to level 1, and over to Magical Express. I might need to find (and tip) a porter to help me if I have small kids who can't handle their own bags. Finally I can check in at the Magical Express counter. The driver puts my bags in the motorcoach baggage hold. I'll be on the road 30 to 60 minutes later than if I had been able to skip baggage claim. (If I have to wait a whole hour for my bags, as has happened to me at MCO, I could be on the road 90 minutes later.) Each stop takes longer because the driver has more bags to handle at each stop. I owe the driver a tip for handling my bags when he returns them to me. I eventually arrive at the DME stop at my resort, near the lobby, with my bags, but my room could be somewhere far away (especially at spread out resorts like the moderates). I now have to wait for a bellman, who could be quite busy, especially if 3 or 4 other families arrived at the same time. Of course, I need to tip the bellman (Disney only handles the bellman tip when using DME luggage transfers). Eventually, I get to the room -- much later than if I could have let Disney handle my checked bags from the airport to my room.

Previously, we all had a choice if we arrived after 10:00 pm. We could enjoy the benefits of the luggage service and get to the room (and into bed) much faster. Or we could deal with our bags, delaying our arrival in the room.

Now we no longer have a choice. That's an "actual cutback" in my book.

Just because I prefer to get to the resort more quickly and enjoy the same luggage transfer benefit that other guests get does not mean I lack "common sense."

So... I misunderstood this change .... this means they will not gather the bags after 10p nor will anyone else herd them together for the morning.. so you MUST pick them up?

I presumed this change to mean that the bags (if left to DME) would be processed in the morning and you'd get them - albeit much later.

So that's wrong?

Knox

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

So... I misunderstood this change .... this means they will not gather the bags after 10p nor will anyone else herd them together for the morning.. so you MUST pick them up?

I presumed this change to mean that the bags (if left to DME) would be processed in the morning and you'd get them - albeit much later.

So that's wrong?

Knox

Here's what the DIS says at http://www.wdwinfo.com/Transportation/magical-express.htm

Starting March 30, 2009, Luggage service will no longer be available for arrivals to Orlando International Airport after 10 PM. You will need to take your luggage to the Welcome Center for Disney's Magical Express. You and the luggage will be transported on the bus.​

Other sites have similar descriptions, although the exact wording is not always the same. What all descriptions have in common is that they all say is that if you arrive after 10:00 p.m., the DME luggage transfer service is no longer an option.

So it seems that, effective March 30, only passengers arriving at MCO between 5:00 a.m. and 10:00 p.m. get the luggage transfers.

So far, there does not appear to be anything official at an official Disney site.

 

[disneymath]

So you're one of the people on those flights I hear flying over my house at that hour!

If it's any consolation, looking down on the lights of Orlando is a pretty sight in the middle of the night.