magical express question

[TIGGER1981]

Not sure I totally understand the Magical Express

If you stay at a disney resort...is it possible to pick up your own luggage and still have transportation to the resort? Im just not sure I like the idea of someone else getting my bags and waiting for them to get to there. Has anyone done that?
Thanks

 

[alicenwonder99]

Yes, you can just go to the luggage turnstyle to get your own luggage before you head over to the ME check in desk. The ME driver will help you put your luggage in the storage area under the bus. I read on this board that most people tip the bus driver when they bring their luggage on the bus.

I think if I had just a couple of bags, I would probably get my luggage too. But, when you have 6 in the family, and lots of luggage (and not to mention a few kids to look after in the airport), it's easier to just have your luggage delivered to your room.

HTH

Mary

 

[goofy4tink]

Not sure I totally understand the Magical Express

If you stay at a disney resort...is it possible to pick up your own luggage and still have transportation to the resort? Im just not sure I like the idea of someone else getting my bags and waiting for them to get to there. Has anyone done that?
Thanks

Absolutely. Many people do this. It is very safe to allow the DME people to pull your luggage and transport it. Not too many reports of their losing bags. However, if you are uncomfortable doing this then by all means, head to the baggage claim area and take your own bags. You can then bring your bags to the DME checkin area, get checked in, and hop on the bus. Your bags will go underneath the bus. Having to wait awhile for my bags to arrive is the one thing I don't like about DME.
However, if you do choose to get your own bags at baggage claim, do NOT put those yellow luggage tags on your checked luggage before you leave home. If you do, your bags will never make it to the baggage claim area!! They will be taken directly off the luggage truck from the plane and put aside for transport to the resort.

 

[kaytieeldr]

And I pipe in with information and questions such as...
All DME-tagged luggage is pulled "backstage" before ANY luggage from your flight is placed on the luggage carousel.
The company that handles this aspect of DME has been in business for at least ten years - they know what they're doing.
Hundreds of thousands of passengers annually trust airlines to transport their luggage hundreds or thousands of miles - yet airlines misdirected over three million bags in 2005, and permanently lost 250,000 of those. Why are many people reluctant to trust an experienced subcontractor to retrieve their luggage and transport it the last twenty or so miles?
Once a DME-tagged piece of luggage is pulled, it is scanned five times between then and arrival at your resort. In addition, the trucks that deliver the luggage are GPS-tracked.
If a piece of luggage IS misdirected, the passenger has to stay there, fill out forms, deal with the lost luggage department... on the other hand, if it's got the yellow tag, DME will take care of tracking, locating and delivering it once it arrives at MCO. Okay, granted, this probably wouldn't start until a Guest questioned why one of their bags hadn't arrived, but at least the Guest is AT Walt Disney World, not hanging around the airport.

 

[CleveRocks]

Another thing to keep in mind about 'waiting" for your DME-delivered luggage is that you don't have to sit and wait for it. To me, the "magical" part of Disney's MAgical Express is that your bags will magically appear inside your resort room whether you're there or not. And Disney "pre-tips" the bell services staff who do the deliveries, so that they don't get short-changed by deliering to an empty room.

When my bags arrived, I didn't know it because my wife and I had our kids in the pool enjoying the start of our vacation. We found them in our room when we returned from the pool.

 

[Redmic]

We just got back last night and I would strongly recommend you get your own bags! Our flight arrived in Orlando at 5:50 pm and the bags were not delivered on average until 11:00 to 11:30 at night! We got ours at 10:15 only because we complained about having to sleep in our street clothes!

It was my understanding that you are supposed to get your bags within 3 hours of landing, but the woman at the front desk of ASSports thought 5 to 6 hours was typical. We will probably never do ME again (major problems when leaving), but if I did I would take my own bags.

 

[Lewisc]

I thought the average time for luggage delivery was around 4 hours. Most of us are at the pool, eating lunch or at a park when our luggage gets delivered. I guess flights that land around 6 are iffy. It's not so late that you plan to have your bags held until the morning but it's late enough that you might not get your bags delivered until 10 or 11p.

The value, and I think the moderate, resorts don't really have bell services. They have a luggage delivery service that runs either once or twice an hour.

 

[kaytieeldr]

We just got back last night and I would strongly recommend you get your own bags! Our flight arrived in Orlando at 5:50 pm and the bags were not delivered on average until 11:00 to 11:30 at night! We got ours at 10:15 only because we complained about having to sleep in our street clothes!

It was my understanding that you are supposed to get your bags within 3 hours of landing, but the woman at the front desk of ASSports thought 5 to 6 hours was typical. We will probably never do ME again (major problems when leaving), but if I did I would take my own bags.

In fairness, it is ALWAYS advisable/recommended that airline passengers pack immediate needs, such as a change of clothes depending on plans on arrival (fresh outfit for dinner, bathing suit for swimming, pjs for sleeping) in case the AIRLINE misdirects one's luggage. Generally, toiletries are suggested too - but with the current restrictions, hotel rooms and gift shops should have enough selection to get one through the first few hours or even the first day of a trip.

Lewis, I think the moderates DO have Bell Services; it's just us lowly Value Resort Denizens who are stuck with the less personalized Luggage Services. DISCLAIMER: I refer only to myself in the previous sentence and intend no offense or insult to any other Guests, or to any denizens of anywhere.

 

[CleveRocks]

The Moderate resorts DO have "normal" Bell Services services. It is on-demand, just like at the Deluxe resorts.

 

[Lewisc]

The Moderate resorts DO have "normal" Bell Services services. It is on-demand, just like at the Deluxe resorts.

I wasn't sure about the moderates but Redmic was staying at the AllStars. I wonder if that accounted for part of the delay. The luggage truck drops off the stuff and then it may have wait for the delivery people to make their next circuit. He go his luggage in about 4 1/2 hours and it sounded like it would have been 5 - 5 1/2 hours if he didn't call.

 

[casey49781]

help me understand this,,,,i am leaving in dec ,,,i am flying spirit airlines which is not one which is with magical express...so i need to get my luggage first then go find the bus to disney hotels,,,,if i have my luggage with me they will let me have it when i get to my resort,,,or do i still have to wait for it ,or will i get it off when i get off the bus,,,,,

 

[IlovePiglet]

help me understand this,,,,i am leaving in dec ,,,i am flying spirit airlines which is not one which is with magical express...so i need to get my luggage first then go find the bus to disney hotels,,,,if i have my luggage with me they will let me have it when i get to my resort,,,or do i still have to wait for it ,or will i get it off when i get off the bus,,,,,

Anyone can use the luggage service inbound to Orlando. Just attach the yellow luggage tags you receive. Your bags will be pulled behind the scenes and transported via truck to your resort.
It's on the return trip that you'll have to bring your bags with you. Spirit is not one of the airlines that offers the resort check in service.

 

[Lewisc]

help me understand this,,,,i am leaving in dec ,,,i am flying spirit airlines which is not one which is with magical express...so i need to get my luggage first then go find the bus to disney hotels,,,,if i have my luggage with me they will let me have it when i get to my resort,,,or do i still have to wait for it ,or will i get it off when i get off the bus,,,,,

Anyone staying at a WDW owned resort, flying into to MCO, and use DME including inbound luggage delivery. Put the yellow bar coded tag on your luggage and you luggage will be delivered to your room a few hours later.

You'll have to checkin at the DME desk on level one.

 

[kaytieeldr]

help me understand this,,,,i am leaving in dec ,,,i am flying spirit airlines which is not one which is with magical express...so i need to get my luggage first then go find the bus to disney hotels,,,,if i have my luggage with me they will let me have it when i get to my resort,,,or do i still have to wait for it ,or will i get it off when i get off the bus,,,,,

NO, you don't. This is a common misconception.
EVERY airline "participates" in DME on the passengers'/Guests' inbound flight. Attach the yellow tags to your luggage before you leave home.
Get to the airport.
Check in.
Wave bye-bye to your suitcases.
See them magically appear in your room several hours after you check in.