Magical Express Luggage Question

[joer167]

Good Morning. We are arriving via Jet Blue on April 17th. Our flight is scheduled to land at 9:12P. Assuming we are not delayed we should land within the Magical Express Luggage Service Operating Hours, but I am very worried about the process. We have used this service before on early morning arrival.

Questions:
1. In your opinion, should we use the luggage service to the resort or at that hour should we just grab our own bags from the carosel.

2. Does anyone have any experience with arriving at this time of day and using the baggage service.

3. Has anyone ever had DME lose their bags?

Thanks
Joe

 

[wdwrich]

Since luggage arrives in your room approx. 3 hours after you actually check in at the resort, I would skip the DME luggage service and retrieve my own bags.
Others may see it differently.
We have never lost luggage using DME.

 

[AnnaS]

I agree with Rich.

 

[OKW Lover]

Let DME handle your luggage for you. Pack what you are going to need for the first night in your carryon (seasoned travelers do this all the time) and when you get to the resort tell bell services to hold your luggage until you call in the morning. When you get to your room that night, hang the do not disturb sign on the door.

The next morning, call for the luggage to be delivered and take the do not disturb sign off the door. Easy.

The likelyhood of DME loosing your luggage is much less than the airline loosing it. I'm sure its happened to somebody but reports of that happening are very rare.

 

[FCDub]

I would spend the extra 20 minutes and wait for your bags, rather than be at the mercy of the bell staff to deliver it the next morning. It will delay you getting out the door vs. having your things in your room ready and available.

Regardless of what you choose, there's no need to be worried. Disney does this thousands of times a day.

 

[goofy4tink]

When I arrive, at MCO, after 7pm, I don't tag my luggage. I just prefer to get settled when I get to the room.
Waiting for luggage usually takes less than an additional 20 mins.

 

[Jimsig]

As a reminder you don't have to be in your room when the luggage arrives. So if you want to you could pack not only what you needed for the night but also the next morning in a carry on and be on your way and not have to worry about being there when it shows.

 

[goofy4tink]

As a reminder you don't have to be in your room when the luggage arrives. So if you want to you could pack not only what you needed for the night but also the next morning in a carry on and be on your way and not have to worry about being there when it shows.

Very true. I always pack anything I will need for that first night, in any case. Sometimes bags get delayed, or they go to Seattle, when I'm arriving in Orlando!
My point is that if you are going to your resort, and hoping to get a good night's sleep, before starting out fresh in the morning, it's nice to have the bags there, with you, so you can get settled. If you arrive later in the day, say after 7pm, your bags won't get to your room until at least 10, and it could be closer to midnight, depending on the resort! Sometimes, you just want to get unpacked, and go to bed. And if I get my own bags, I know, immediately, if they are all there. If I tag them, and then arrive later and ask that the bags be held until the next morning, well..if the bag has been misdirected, by the airline, I won't know about it for almost 12 hrs after I arrive. Doesn't happen often, but it can.

Many, many guests tag their bags and arrive later in the day, with no issues. They don't mind waiting for the bags to be delivered, or they might be going to a park that's open late. I've done that myself. It's up to each person to decide what works best for them!

 

[spartankid34]

Please grab your luggage at this time of arrival. I waited 5HOURS, for luggage this past February, no lie.

 

[kaytieeldr]

My opinion:
1. I would pack anything I need for the first 24-36 hours in carry on luggage. I'm a night person, so Bell Services/Luggage Assistance can deliver any time they want.
2. No experience with this, the last time I arrived 'late' was pre-DME. But many guests in your position let DME transfer the luggage,and notify Bell Services not to deliver that night. They also put up the Do Not Disturb sign to avoid being woken.
3. May 5, Magical Express will enter its 13th year of operating daily around the clock. Even if the trucks only transported 100 suitcases daily (a ridiculously low number, by the way), that's still over 4,000,000 pieces of luggage.
Misplaced/misdirected luggage, sure. One poster recently reported her luggage arrived, but not her travel companion's. Apparently it was delivered to the wrong room. But actual post luggage? Maybe two or three times since

 

[AngiTN]

Nope, I never get my bags if I arrive before 10:00 (even if it's 30 min before)
I hate bag claim
I don't care how long it takes for them to bring my bags, I am prepared. If I want to go to bed before it arrives, I tell them to hold it and put out the do not disturb sign.
There is no reason for me to waste my time and patience going to bag claim when one of the primary reasons we go to Disney as our destination of choice for vacation is to let them get my bags.

 

[maxiesmom]

There is no chance I would get my bags if DME can grab them for me. Why waste the time and stay at the airport longer than needed?

Pack what you need for the first 24 hours in you carry-on (which you should always do anyway) and let DME handle the checked bags. Tell the desk you want the bags held, and for good measure put the Privacy Please tab in your door. Simple. Then all you need to do is call down when you want your bags brought to your room. I've done it a few times and the wait in the morning to get my bags has always been minimal.

 

[nkereina]

I'm in the camp that I can't get settled until I'm organized and my bags are unpacked. With a later flight, I'd retrieve my own bags so I could take care of business when I get to my room, and not worry about it again. However, it's just DH and I so we're both capable of wheeling our own bags. If you have kids, disabled, or elderly with you then be aware that for most arriving flights, you'll have to get your bags on one side of the airport, go back up the elevator/escalator, walk across to the other side of the airport, and then go back down to get to DME. So it does require some maneuvering across the airport which isn't fun if everyone can't handle their own bags.

 

[anonymousegirl]

I prefer to grab my own bags (sometimes I just use carry-on). I arrive after 6pm most times, so I like to drop my bag in my room, hit the park for a few hours, then come back and unpack my suitcase and my Owner's Locker. I get completely organized for my early start the next day.

 

[Kaytie]

then come back and unpack my suitcase

What is this "unpack" thing of which you speak?

 

[AngiTN]

What is this "unpack" thing of which you speak?

I'm wondering the same thing. Seems like a huge waste of time to have to pack twice

 

[seashoreCM]

<< this "unpack" thing of which you speak >>

Dunno, but could this "thing" be the act of utilizing the drawers or cubbies of the credenza or bureau provided in your room?

At Art of Animation, the All Stars, and Pop Century, scheduled bellhop delivery of Magical Express bags to rooms normally ceases at about 10 PM. This does not mean such delivery will never happen; some additional trips may be made if Bell Services is too congested with bags.

 

[AngiTN]

<< this "unpack" thing of which you speak >>

Dunno, but could this "thing" be the act of utilizing the drawers or cubbies of the credenza or bureau provided in your room?

The ones that people store dirty clothes in
(referencing other threads for those confused)

 

[momtwoboys]

The ones that people store dirty clothes in
(referencing other threads for those confused)

eeewwwwww. No thanks!

 

[Dis703]

If you need your bags before the next day I'd plan on grabbing them yourself. We had an evening flight once where we landed at 6:30 or so. Checked in at our resort around 8:30pm and didn't get our luggage until 4am after several trips to the front desk. I was told normal timeframe was 5-6 hours after landing but because there had been an issue with a short airport closure that night it was going to take much longer.