Magical Express, luggage and customs?

[Kaiya]

Has anyone used the Magical Express when flying out of Canada?

We are flyling on Alaska Airlines out of Vancouver with a layover/ stop in Seattle.
I guess we'll clear customs in Seattle but not sure if we'll have to pick up our luggage in Orlando?

Any tips or info would be great!
Thanks

 

[crashbb]

Actually, you'll clear (technically, pre-clear) US customs/immigration in Vancouver. Your baggage will be tagged through to MCO and, assuming you put the yellow DME tags on them, you'll next see them in your resort room. Basically, you follow the instructions for domestic flights (rather than the instructions for international flights).

 

[dis_guy]

Yup you should do the US Customs thing in Vancouver. Then just make your connections as usual. But you never can tell, I've heard of flights from Toronto clearing US Customs at MCO. Not the norm but it happens.

 

[Karen9028]

The Magical Express is awesome - no more waiting for your luggage to come out on the carosuel. You just head to the Magical Express pick up area and will see your suitcases in your room sometime later. It is just one less time to have to drag suitcases behind you - just sit back and relax till you get to your resort. Don't forget to put the Disney Magical Express Luggage Tags on and have a great trip. I always do.

 

[crashbb]

Yup you should do the US Customs thing in Vancouver. Then just make your connections as usual. But you never can tell, I've heard of flights from Toronto clearing US Customs at MCO. Not the norm but it happens.

As far as I know it only happens with charter airlines - I know that we did customs/immigration in the US once when flying Air Transat. I don't believe that Air Canada or West Jet (or other US legacy carriers) ever do it that way (unless something very weird occurs).

 

[Sillyminny40]

We have this direct Winnipeg to Orlando. So we do NOT pick up our bags from the carousel? Really?

 

[crashbb]

We have this direct Winnipeg to Orlando. So we do NOT pick up our bags from the carousel? Really?

Really and truly. Assuming that you aren't flying an airline that does customs/immigration at MCO and that you put the DME tags on your bags (or give the details of your bags at DME check in).

 

[CDNCA]

We have this direct Winnipeg to Orlando. So we do NOT pick up our bags from the carousel? Really?

As long as you have the magical express yellow tags on your bags you will not have to pick them up in Orlando.

You will arrive at the Winnipeg Airport with your tagged bags. You will check in for your international flight. You will clear customs and after you have cleared, you will place your bags on a conveyor in the customs area.

Enjoy your flight and upon arrival in Orlando, go directly to the Magical Express counter and get a bus to your resort.

Magical Express will collect your bags and bring them to your room later that day.

If you arrive late at night, you can request a morning delivery so you can sleep.

Some people do not trust magical express and do not use the tags and as a result, claim their bags and take them on the bus. If Magical Express made a habit of losing bags, you would see alot of threads here and we do not.

We will be using this service at the end of March.

Note that since you are returning on an international flight, you can not use the resort airline checkin when you leave. You will have to have your bags on he return bus with you and check them in like normal. Do not pay any baggage fees at the resort for an international flight as you will have to pay again at the airport and call Disney for a refund. Not a problem, but, just one more thing to do.

 

[seashoreCM]

Going to Disney.

The suggestion has been to put the yellow DME tags on after clearing customs, but sometimes the bags are whisked away too fast for that.

Meanwhile the only reason I can think of not to put the yellow tags on at the very start of your trip is the chance of having them torn off.

So I would opt for the second since I think the chance of tear off are no greater compared with on a domestic U.S. flight.

With the yellow tags already attached, the customs procedure would then be the same for home airport customs, Canadian connection city customs, U.S. connection city customs, or Orlando customs.