Magical Express Question

[madmaxmom]

Hi All:

This is the first time going to WDW since they introduced the ME transportion system. I have a couple of questions about this.

1. When we arrive at MCO - we do not have to worry about getting our luggage at the baggage claim? If that is true, how will they know it is ours?

2. I assume the check in for this is downstairs in the transportation area?

3. Has anyone had a problem with this system before? I will have two little ones with us dd (3) and ds (6 months) and just want to minimize confusion before we get there.

Thanks for the help!!

 

[pezpam]

If you're signed up for ME and have given WDW all of your flight info, you should be ok.

They will send you special bag-tags - bright yellow - to identify your bag as one that should head for the ME system. They'll have your name, resort, date, and a bar code - they'll be delivered right to your room. If the tags do not arrive, you're still ok - when you check in, ask who to talk to. Make sure you put identifying information (luggage tag with your contact info) on the bag so you can tell them what to look for.

The ME information you receive will include a note about the location of checkin, but yes, it's near the buses. You check in at the desks against teh back wall, then get in line for your particular bus - it's all well marked and there are always plenty of people helping out.

I haven't had a problem, but it is possible for a bag to be delayed or lost, even by the airline.

Make sure you and the kids carry-on whatever you'd need to get through the first few hours (or more if there's a delay). Things like a change of clothes, swimsuits if you'd want to swim right away, and some basic toiletries......

 

[all4fun]

We've use DME twice now and it has gone smoothly both times. The airline lost a bag on our way home the last time, but I don't think that was DME's fault. It was a pretty small bag and it got misrouted from our connecting airport.

When you check in at the airport, there are helpful CM's who will direct you to where you need to go.

I wouldn't worry about it. You'll have a great time and it's wonderful to not have to mess with baggage claim when you get there.

Oh, FYI if you check on the transportation forum there's a section dedicated to DME that should answer any other questions.

Hth!

 

[momtoBrandon&Jacob]

What is the average time it takes for the bags to actually get to your room? Anyone know?

 

[LJRJR]

When we arrived at the Poly last May is was late on a Monday night, about 8p.m. I waited up for our bags untill 11:00p.m. This was my own fault assuming that I would get my bags immediatly and I would be able to get my three very young children ready for bed. I put the kids to bed in their clothes and waited for the luggage to arrive, one of the bags got to the hotel much later and they brought it to me in the morning (I think one of the i.d. tags fell off). I learned from this experience that when we go again this May, pack what you will need for the first 2 or 3 hours after you arrive. In the end, it worked out great not having to lug all that heavy stuff around.

 

[woodchuck]

What is the average time it takes for the bags to actually get to your room? Anyone know?

When we used this a few years back our bags were in our room. We checked in then went to have lunch then went to find our and our bags were there.

 

[jenlynn0808]

We used DME last June and it was wonderful! There wer five of us (DH, me, DD8, DS11months, &GGM73). Our special yellow tags hadn't arrived two weeks prior to us leaving, my DH called to check on them, we were delivered a set overnight (then the actuals showed up two days later~oops!). When we checked in they suggested we go eat and by the time we were in our room, so was the luggage. Our booking agent als suggested we pack swimsuits so we could hit the pool incase the luggage was late getting there.

I ended up packing DS's diaper bag with all of his essentials, DD's carry on (one of the rolling suitcases-it was big enough for us all to us) had a change of clothes 4 all, swimsuits, sunblock, and the camras; mine had things to entertain us all on the plane.

We are planning on going again and are definetly going to use MDE!!!

 

[daipp]

I use elbow crutches so for me, after a nine hour flight from the UK, not having to worry about moving and carrying cases is a fantastic bonus.

Last August, our flight was late arriving in Orlando due to a recent terrorist alert so we didn't get our cases in our room until after 11:00pm and the children were both sleeping (long flight and five-hour time difference).

David

 

[all4fun]

What is the average time it takes for the bags to actually get to your room? Anyone know?

They are supposed to be in your room within 3 hours of arrival.

Transportation forum

DME info off of disneyworld.com (I got the 3hr timeframe from the FAQ)

 

[CleveRocks]

How do they know which bags are yours?

As stated earlier, you'll receive special, pre-printed, bright yellow DME luggage tags. Among the info printed on the tags is a bar code.

This bar code is scanned 5 times between airplane and room delivery. The trucks that deliver the luggage are also tracked by GPS. Disney knows where your luggage is at all times. This is a serious system that utilizes serious technology and logistics.

Roughly 4 million guests have used DME so far. It's been wildly successful with both Disney suits and Disney guests alike. It was originally announced as a temporary program set to end in September 2006, but was extended through December 2011 due to its success.

I've used it twice, and it worked perfectly every time. The first time I used it (on its 4th day of operations), I went from airplane to resort in 63 minutes; my luggage arrived inside my room about 3.5 hours after I got to the resort (I can't say EXACTLY when it arrived, because we weren't in our room but rather were in the pool enjoying the start of our vacation -- we packed swim stuff in our carry-ons).

The second time we used it, 2 months ago, we went from airplane to resort in 56 minutes; our luggage arrived 2.25 hours after we did.

I'm a big fan of DME.

 

[madmaxmom]

Thank you so much for all your advise. I feel better about this. I still have not received our tags yet, but just shot an e-mail to my TA to see if they have been sent.

I love this idea of DME - because with two kids it can be hectic- which I am sure you all know.

Thanks again also for the advise on the wait to the room. We will get in right at lunch time, so we will just plan on eating lunch once we get to the hotel.

Thanks!!

 

[TheDizMom]

What is the average time it takes for the bags to actually get to your room? Anyone know?

They say as much as 3 hours. We got ours in about 11/2 and we were there during peak season, but as someone else said pack anything you will want right away in your carry on bags. For instance if you are there on spring break and come from the frozen tundra like I do, pack shorts to put on once you get to your room.

We loved this service and had no problems. It was such a joy not to deal with baggage claim and the added expense of a rental car. If you are only planning to do WDW and are on a tight budget this is a great way to save some money to use for something you might not otherwise be able to afford.

 

[my2tinkerbells]

Ok, I'm obviously in the minority here, but I need to tell you our experience. We will NEVER take the ME, EVER again! I hated it!

We arrived at the airport 9:00 am Orlando time on a Sat. in Sept. We had no trouble finding the ME counter, but once we did, we stood in a very long line. Then when we were done in that line we went and stood in another VERY long line to wait for the bus. 2 buses for our resort filled and left before we ever got on. This was the same for all the other resort lines too. It was soooo hot and crowded that a lady in the line next to us passed out cold! This was not a fun place to be with 3 young children. When we did get on the bus, we were the first resort to be dropped off, which was good. BUT, they dropped off half the bus, that then piled into the check in line. We stood in the check in line for a good hour at least. So, we finally get out room keys, room's not ready yet, ok. Off to the parks assuming our luggage will be in the room when we come back. NO! We didn't get our luggage until the next morning!

Then, when we were leaving to go home, the bus was over booked! There was no orderly fashion to getting on the bus. My dh just about got in a fight with the very rude bus driver. Needless to say, there were some angry people that didn't get on that bus!

Never again! My motto for ME is "you get what you pay for". I will pay for a ride in a town car any day!

 

[all4fun]

Ok, I'm obviously in the minority here, but I need to tell you our experience. We will NEVER take the ME, EVER again! I hated it!

We arrived at the airport 9:00 am Orlando time on a Sat. in Sept. We had no trouble finding the ME counter, but once we did, we stood in a very long line. Then when we were done in that line we went and stood in another VERY long line to wait for the bus. 2 buses for our resort filled and left before we ever got on. This was the same for all the other resort lines too. It was soooo hot and crowded that a lady in the line next to us passed out cold! This was not a fun place to be with 3 young children. When we did get on the bus, we were the first resort to be dropped off, which was good. BUT, they dropped off half the bus, that then piled into the check in line. We stood in the check in line for a good hour at least. So, we finally get out room keys, room's not ready yet, ok. Off to the parks assuming our luggage will be in the room when we come back. NO! We didn't get our luggage until the next morning!

Then, when we were leaving to go home, the bus was over booked! There was no orderly fashion to getting on the bus. My dh just about got in a fight with the very rude bus driver. Needless to say, there were some angry people that didn't get on that bus!

Never again! My motto for ME is "you get what you pay for". I will pay for a ride in a town car any day!

I'm just curious if you ever called or wrote Disney about this experience when you returned from your trip? They should definitely be aware of what happened to you. And if the DME bus driver was rude - they they should know about that too. That sounds like a very un-Disney experience.

The two times we have used DME on arrival the first time dh checked in within 15mins we were on a bus (no line) and the 2nd time we had to wait for a little bit but it wasn't terribly long. The bus (both ways) was crowded, but not full. Once on departure the computer system wasn't fully functional and it made checking our luggage on the way home take a long time, however I also know from working in a technology field, that sometimes, stuff happens, and it can take a while to fix. they were doing their best to move things along with what they had.

Anyway, I'm sorry you had such a horrible experience. Thank goodness that does not sound like the "normal" experience (from all the positive reviews I've read - not just my own experience). They were obviously off their game.

 

[bopper]

Like others have said, I have not had a problem with DME.
Also, like others have said, DO remember to pack in your carry on what you will need in the next 3 hours. Getting in late? Pack the pajamas and toothbrushes. Getting in early? Pack the bathing suits. Getting in really early? Pack stuff for the parks.

 

[tjmw2727]

I have used ME three times now and will use it again in April. The links posted above are a great resourse for the details so I won't repeat.

I love getting off the plane and heading directly to the ME counter. Only one person from the party has to check in so the rest can wait in the airconditioned sitting area while you check in. You do have to queue up for the buses but again its airconditioned and in our three expreiences the bus was either already there or arrived quickly. The CM's were walking around giving out stickers and asking the kids trivea questions - during the short wait for our bus.

Onto the bus - nice a/c coach with a intro Disney video and then one stop prior to our resort. Because the ME system notifies the resort that a ME bus is on the way the check in desk can be alerted and fully staffed so we had minimal wait twice and no wait once. Again no luggage to deal with during check in!

Luggage arrives in the room regardless of if you are in the room or not so plan for 3-5 hours after arrival and your all set.

IMHO for a complimentary service its great!

TJ

 

[TheDizMom]

Ok, I'm obviously in the minority here, but I need to tell you our experience. We will NEVER take the ME, EVER again! I hated it!

We arrived at the airport 9:00 am Orlando time on a Sat. in Sept. We had no trouble finding the ME counter, but once we did, we stood in a very long line. Then when we were done in that line we went and stood in another VERY long line to wait for the bus. 2 buses for our resort filled and left before we ever got on. This was the same for all the other resort lines too. It was soooo hot and crowded that a lady in the line next to us passed out cold! This was not a fun place to be with 3 young children. When we did get on the bus, we were the first resort to be dropped off, which was good. BUT, they dropped off half the bus, that then piled into the check in line. We stood in the check in line for a good hour at least. So, we finally get out room keys, room's not ready yet, ok. Off to the parks assuming our luggage will be in the room when we come back. NO! We didn't get our luggage until the next morning!

Then, when we were leaving to go home, the bus was over booked! There was no orderly fashion to getting on the bus. My dh just about got in a fight with the very rude bus driver. Needless to say, there were some angry people that didn't get on that bus!

Never again! My motto for ME is "you get what you pay for". I will pay for a ride in a town car any day!

What a terrible experience for you. It sucks you had to go through that. We got in at 6pm so I wonder if the time of day you get in makes any difference. I would not be surprised considering most people probably want to get in early so they can spend a day at the park which would make their system much busier at that time of day. It also would explain why your room wasn't ready, they tell you check in is after 3pm because they have to clean the rooms being vacated and check out usually isn't until at least 11am. There is no excuse however for not getting your luggage until the next day, a rude bus driver and not having enough space for everyone who needs to get on the bus for their flight. I would definitely contact D if you haven't already.

Though I truly sympathize with your frustration, I would still recommend it. Your experience is a lesson for all of us that we may have to wait for awhile and we need to be prepared for that possibility. Having worked in the travel industry it does unfortunately require a lot of "hurry up and wait".

 

[my2tinkerbells]

What a terrible experience for you. It sucks you had to go through that. We got in at 6pm so I wonder if the time of day you get in makes any difference. I would not be surprised considering most people probably want to get in early so they can spend a day at the park which would make their system much busier at that time of day. It also would explain why your room wasn't ready, they tell you check in is after 3pm because they have to clean the rooms being vacated and check out usually isn't until at least 11am. There is no excuse however for not getting your luggage until the next day, a rude bus driver and not having enough space for everyone who needs to get on the bus for their flight. I would definitely contact D if you haven't already.

Though I truly sympathize with your frustration, I would still recommend it. Your experience is a lesson for all of us that we may have to wait for awhile and we need to be prepared for that possibility. Having worked in the travel industry it does unfortunately require a lot of "hurry up and wait".

I haven't contacted Disney about it, I probably should. Once I got home, I was in that Disney depression. I just wanted to plan my next trip. We didn't expect our room to be ready at 11 am, but we did expect out luggage to arrive before the next day. But, of course we did have carry on bags with everthing we needed in them. I think Pop Century was just filled to capacity that day. We stayed there in 2004 and loved it. But, this time our room was wrong when we did finally get our keys. There was no door in between our rooms, like we needed. And they wanted to move us to the 90's section so we could have a door. Um....no! We stayed in the "wrong" rooms, and Disney compensated us for the difference we paid for the preferred location. That was great.

We had a great trip, the ME was just the worst part. We would not have gotten seats on the bus if I would not have gotten on the bus without my dh. He was still in line with our luggage even though we were the 2nd people to the bus stop! The driver said he was not getting on, becaue the bus was full, be we were already on there saving him a seat. He argued with the bus driver, but I was not about to get off that bus. If you would have waited for another one we would have missed our flight home. There were at least 3-4 families that were booked on that bus and couldn't get on. That should never happen. I mean Disney knows how many seats are on one of those busses and how many people are in each party. And this was a Tuesday when we were leaving, no a busy Sat. or anything. They should have just sent 2 buses at the same time. I think it's crazy. I had such high hopes for the ME, but I just don't think I can risk it again. In 2004 we used Tiffany Town car, and it was the best experience ever! Soooo much easier, and we could have gotten to the resort way faster with a town car.

 

[TheDizMom]

I haven't contacted Disney about it, I probably should. Once I got home, I was in that Disney depression. I just wanted to plan my next trip. We didn't expect our room to be ready at 11 am, but we did expect out luggage to arrive before the next day. But, of course we did have carry on bags with everthing we needed in them. I think Pop Century was just filled to capacity that day. We stayed there in 2004 and loved it. But, this time our room was wrong when we did finally get our keys. There was no door in between our rooms, like we needed. And they wanted to move us to the 90's section so we could have a door. Um....no! We stayed in the "wrong" rooms, and Disney compensated us for the difference we paid for the preferred location. That was great.

We had a great trip, the ME was just the worst part. We would not have gotten seats on the bus if I would not have gotten on the bus without my dh. He was still in line with our luggage even though we were the 2nd people to the bus stop! The driver said he was not getting on, becaue the bus was full, be we were already on there saving him a seat. He argued with the bus driver, but I was not about to get off that bus. If you would have waited for another one we would have missed our flight home. There were at least 3-4 families that were booked on that bus and couldn't get on. That should never happen. I mean Disney knows how many seats are on one of those busses and how many people are in each party. And this was a Tuesday when we were leaving, no a busy Sat. or anything. They should have just sent 2 buses at the same time. I think it's crazy. I had such high hopes for the ME, but I just don't think I can risk it again. In 2004 we used Tiffany Town car, and it was the best experience ever! Soooo much easier, and we could have gotten to the resort way faster with a town car.

Jeepers!!!! Sometimes you really do have to wonder don't you? I can totally see why you aren't even remotely interested in using this again. Now I really think you should contact them. From my experience they are really willing to try and make things right when they mess up like that. Maybe they'll throw in some cool freebees or cut you a deal for your next trip, which will certainly make planning it a lot more fun.