Magical Express Luggage Question

[sbrotherton]

We are arriving "late." I qualify late because we will be traveling with a 10 month old who is accustomed to bedtime at 730 or 8pm with mom and dad going down shortly thereafter . We got fabulously cheap direct flights on AA and won't arrive until around 930. I am trying to decide if we should still let DME handle the luggage. I am figuring that the earliest we could get to the room without getting luggage would be 1030pm and I would guess that we wouldn't get delivered luggage until after midnight.

I forgot to mention that I'm one of those uptight unpackers who has to unload the suitcases and get organized when I get there...it's really much easier than listening to the other 5 people I am traveling with ask "where's my...whatever" in rapid fire. We also want to get to the MK fairly early the next morning. Does it make more sense to go to baggage claim and get the luggage ourselves? If at slower times of the day the luggage arrives quicker, I wouldn't mind waiting a bit, but last time we used ME, DH bags were en route for over 12 hours so it may take a bit of a sales pitch from me for him to NOT get the luggage. What do you think? Would love feedback from folks who have used this more recently...our first time was right after it started so I'm open to anything. Thanks again for reading...

 

[goofy4tink]

I know there are others here who will say just to have DME deliver your bags first thing in the morning. But...I've heard too many stories from people who have asked for that only to be awoken at midnight when a CM knocked on the door with their luggage. So, if it were me, and I were traveling with a little one, late at night, I would get my own baggage. If you can do it with a minimum of hassle then go for it. It willt take you a few hours to unwind anyway, so you can unpack and get settled in and put the little one down for the night. But, again...that's just me. You will get differing opinions here.

 

[OKW Lover]

Well, I'd tell bell services to wait until morning. I've done this before with no problem. Just be sure you have everything you need for the evening in your carryon.

 

[CleveRocks]

My flight arrived around 10:00 p.m. We got to POFQ around 11:00 p.m. Even though I'd planned to do so, I forgot to ask to have my luggage held 'til morning. At precisely 1:16 a.m. (about 2.25 hours after we arrived at the resort, within Disney's stated 3 hour window), our phone rang, and it was Bell Services asking if we wanted our luggage now or later. "Uh, later please."

I was thrilled that with a sleepy 4 year old and sleepy 6 year old, we had the option of skipping baggage claim and thus getting our exhausted kids to bed earlier than if we had to wait at baggage claim. Getting them to bed even 15 or 20 minutes earlier was worth its weight in gold that night.

They were so exhausted they didn't even stir when the phone rang. I was so exhausted that I don't remember the clock radio reading 1:17 a.m.

 

[sbrotherton]

This is kind of what I figured. How bad will it be for us to get our luggage and drag it to the ME area? I think getting our own luggage might work better for us.

As I mentioned before, I'm a bit compulsive when it comes to unpacking (the first step is admitting you have a problem , right?). We want to get up and go the MK in the morning and I would rather unpack when I get there.

 

[CleveRocks]

It won't make it "bad" to get your luggage, it'll just delay you. It depends how long you have to wait at baggage claim, and then how long you have to wait for a bus -- it's probable that you'll have missed the first bus available for your resort, but there will be others. It sounds like your top priority is having your bags with you, so you really have no choice. In your case, waiting the extra 15 or 20 minutes will be worth its weight in gold.

 

[goofy4tink]

See, I told you the majority would say to have your luggage delivered to your room!! And usually I agree with that. I have heard too many instances where people have asked for their luggage to be held until the morning but have been woken up by bell services delivering the bags in the middle of the night. I would choose to not worry about it, and spend the extra 20 minutes waiting for my bags at baggage claim. But, again that's a very personal choice..what works for one might not work for everyone else.

 

[sbrotherton]

You definitely called the reaction I would get. I'm sure my luck would be the middle of the night knock that would wind up waking the baby. Even worse, though, would be the idea of not having my luggage to unpack. I can pack a mean carry on, but I really like to put everything away that first night so I'm settled for the rest of the trip. Thanks for your advice!

 

[Ibelieveinfairies]

Since only one of you can get into the check in line for ME, couldn't one of you go there with the 10 month old and the other of you wait for the luggage at baggage claim? That way, you would avoid waiting in two lines and perhaps cut the wait time down? I know that's what we do when we rent a car...makes things much easier.

 

[Disneyolic]

We are a family of 5 (kids ages 7, 6, 2) arriving at 11 pm. I thought this over and over and decided to pack our PJs and nighttime essentials in our carryons. Then, I thought, yes I do still want my luggage delivered even if it is after we've fallen asleep in our room. I decided this because, having 3 young children and lots of luggage, I really don't want to lug them and the luggage around. Then, we really want to sleep in (Disney standards to 9 am) and get going to Epcot. I don't want to have to wait for our luggage in the morning. So what if we get awakened briefly by the CM with our luggage. I would rather have it that way. I'm sure we'll be able to get back to sleep.

 

[CleveRocks]

Since only one of you can get into the check in line for ME, couldn't one of you go there with the 10 month old and the other of you wait for the luggage at baggage claim? That way, you would avoid waiting in two lines and perhaps cut the wait time down? I know that's what we do when we rent a car...makes things much easier.

The only problem with that plan is that the bus won't wait for people who are waiting for others from their party stuck at baggage claim. You're always free to wait for a later bus, but they won't delay other people on the bus to wait for someone's family member not yet back from baggage claim.

 

[goofy4tink]

The only problem with that plan is that the bus won't wait for people who are waiting for others from their party stuck at baggage claim. You're always free to wait for a later bus, but they won't delay other people on the bus to wait for someone's family member not yet back from baggage claim.

But, once the 'one person' checks in with DME, they don't have to get into the bus line. They are directed to the right line, but no one forces them to get in line. The one who checked in already can just sit down in that lounge area, adjacent to the checkin desk, and when the rest of the party arrives, they can all head to the appropriate bus line. That's what I would do.