Magical Express Question

[lovedoggies]

Can we use Magical Express to take our luggage and then we go in a rental car? Or do we have to go with the luggage on the ME Bus?

I know it can take a few hours to get your luggage, will they just leave it in your room or do you have to stay there and wait for it?

 

[seashoreCM]

The yellow tag luggage delivery to your resort currently works just fine even if you did not ride the bus. The luggage actually travels on a truck, not the bus you would ride in.

There is a slight complication if your luggage got mislaid by the airline (before getting to the DME system in Orlando); it is possible Disney may not compensate you if you did not follow all the procedures including checking in at the DME welcoming area at the airport.

You never have to wait in your room for your luggage to be automagically delivered. Tips for the bellhop bringing that luggage to your room are taken care of for you. You would tip for all other luggage maneuvers including luggage brought to the bus yourself so you will have that stuff at the resort sooner.

A boatload of additional groovy information about this subject:
http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1793514

 

[CarolA]

Well that depends...

Disney's FAQ says you cannot book a luggage only transfer but must PARTICIPATE in the whole service.

For reaons I fail to understand the word NO on Disney's FAQ is interpreted as
"that's not what Disney meant" How NO can be "intrepereted" in an interesting concept LOL!

Now, people have reported doing it. There is a risk. If your luggage misses it's plane Disney is NOT looking for it. They don't know it ever was suppose to arrive.

And abuse will lead to change!

 

[lovedoggies]

Well that depends...

Disney's FAQ says you cannot book a luggage only transfer but must PARTICIPATE in the whole service.

For reaons I fail to understand the word NO on Disney's FAQ is interpreted as
"that's not what Disney meant" How NO can be "intrepereted" in an interesting concept LOL!

Now, people have reported doing it. There is a risk. If your luggage misses it's plane Disney is NOT looking for it. They don't know it ever was suppose to arrive.

And abuse will lead to change!

I never meant to ABUSE anything, I was just asking a question. Never used it before. I have not received any of my paperwork, or the tags yet, so I had no official paperwork to read about the program.

 

[goofy4tink]

Disney's official site, with FAQ, does say you can't book a luggage only transfer with DME. Technically, that's right..you can not call them and book luggage transfer with DME. But, there have been many people that have reserved DME but chosen to take a rental car or private car service to their resort, while allowiing DME to take care of their tagged checked luggage. I have yet to hear of anyone having any issues doing it this way.But...that is not to say it couldn't happen. I'm still concerned with the situation where the airline midirects your DME tagged luggage. If you have not checked in at the DME counter, and told them you checked a total of 5 bags, then they will have no idea how many bags to be looking for. Now, again, I'm making the assumption that they actually do look for the total number of bags you have said you checked. So....worst case scenario...you check 5 bags, you go and rent a car. You get to your resort, but your room isn't ready yet. You go off to a park for the day, fully expecting to have your bags waiting in your room when you get back later on. So...you return to the resort 8 hrs later...tired but happy. You find that there are 3 bags in your room, not the 5 you were expecting. You call Bell Services, they start looking for the missing 2 bags. What happens at this point is anyone's guess. I'm assuming (yet again) that they will call the airline at some point.
I wish I knew what happens if you have checked in at the counter with DME, and all your bags don't get to your room. I have not heard any anectdotal stories here.
But, for what it's worth....your bags will most likey make it to your room just fine if you do not checkin and ride the bus.

 

[Jestocost]

 

[goofy4tink]

Well then....that's a bit incendiary, don't you think!!?

 

[CleveRocks]

Can we use Magical Express to take our luggage and then we go in a rental car? Or do we have to go with the luggage on the ME Bus?

I know it can take a few hours to get your luggage, will they just leave it in your room or do you have to stay there and wait for it?

Bottom line, as a practical matter, YES, at the present time you can DME-tag your bags and they will be automatically delivered to your resort.

DME is specifically set up so that you DON'T have to sit around in your room waiting for your luggage. As long as you have checked in at your resort, your bags will be left inside your room whether you are in there or not. To me, that's the "magical" part of Disney's Magical Express. The staff are even pre-tipped by Disney for the luggage delivery.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

The issue of what Disney's FAQ says versus what's actually possible keeps coming up. Here's a recent example:

http://disboards.com/showthread.php?p=24526740

 

[Edd]

There are posters on this site that just like to gossip and try to tell people different, who they think may be gaining an extra advantage. I spent 30 minutes with a supervisor CM last week and he explained to me how the system works. Of course, I don't think he is completely right, but he pretty much covers the way the DME system works.

I think he answered all the questions pretty good. Of course, he didn't answer how Carol A would want the questions answered, but he did say that Disney is happy with the way the system is working right now. I am sure when Disney wants to change it they will take care of that.

So yes, you can tag your luggage and get a rental car not riding the bus. When Disney wants this changed they will change it in the rules and regulations which come with your package. FAQ's are only opinions of a writer and is nothing official as they are not available to everyone. If you didn't read the Disboards I am sure you would never see the FAQ's that everyone is talking about.

It looks like the information I put on the boards has disappeared, as I cannot find it. That usually happens when I find out information that some Disboarders don't agree with.

As far as the little story about where the bags go, 5 bags showing up as 3, perhaps you haven't heard any anecdotal stories because the situation is taken care of by Disney, or even the slight chance that the system is so good that it does not produce any stories like you have tried to picture.

 

[Edd]

There is a slight complication if your luggage got mislaid by the airline (before getting to the DME system in Orlando); it is possible Disney may not compensate you if you did not follow all the procedures including checking in at the DME welcoming area at the airport.

Did you read the information I provided the readers on the boards? Disney will do everything they can to find the luggage if you used the DME, period.

 

[seashoreCM]

It looks like the information I put on the boards has disappeared, as I cannot find it. That usually happens when I find out information that some Disboarders don't agree with.
...
Did you read the information I provided ... ?

I take it you are referring to the same information, which is still there in the boatload of groovy stuff I referred to earlier.

I didn't say that Disney wouldn't make every effort to find it; it's just that Disney might refuse to pay the up to $2500. associated with totally lost baggage claims if you don't follow directions.

 

[Edd]

Disney is in a position that they don't refuse the claims put in by travel insurance, unless the claims are completely ridiculous. They make so much money on that insurance it is unbelievable. Claims are few and far in-between. Travel insurance is like appliance insurance. It is a money maker and no one turns down a reasonable claim for fear to many turn down claims will get the insurance commission after the premium fees.

Tell me where you find the directions on your trip package to report your luggage to the DME Welcome center. Don't go back to the FAQ. I have already been that route. I would estimate of the 2000 adult passengers DME receives every day not more than 10, if that, see the FAQ's that everyone is pulling that information from.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

FAQ's are only opinions of a writer and is nothing official as they are not available to everyone. If you didn't read the Disboards I am sure you would never see the FAQ's that everyone is talking about.

Edd,

I believe you when you explain that DME-tagged luggage makes to a guest's hotel room, even if the guest bypassed the motorcoach ride.

But you lose a lot of credibility when you state that the official Disney.com Disney's Magical Express FAQ represents "only opinions of a writer" and "is nothing official." If Disney.com is not official, and the people who answer the phone at Disney's Magical Express Guest Services are not official when they explain the rules, then shall I assume the only official word from Disney is the unnamed CM with whom you spoke?

By the way, the Disney's Magical Express FAQ at http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/wdw/common/helpFAQ?id=HelpFAQDMEPage is not just for people who read DISboards; it's for anyone with Internet access.

You choose to interpret "no" to mean "yes," and "you must participate in both" (within the context of the FAQ question) to mean "you can choose to use only the luggage transfers."

Q. Can I book a "luggage-only" transfer?

A. No. To utilize Disney's Magical Express Service, you must participate in both the motor coach transportation and the luggage transfer services.​

And the Disney's Magical Express Guest Services phone number is for anyone who has access to a phone that can dial 866-599-0951. It's not just for DISboards readers either.

If you would simply write, "Yes, It's possible to get away with ignoring that item in the FAQ because it's not currently enforced," then I would have no objection. (However, I do think the lost luggage issue is a valid concern. We're not talking about travel insurance; we're talking about the liability that airlines and Disney accept when claims are made but there's no travel insurance involved.)

There are posters on this site that just like to gossip and try to tell people different, who they think may be gaining an extra advantage.

What does that mean? Am I one of those posters?

 

[CarolA]

I have reserved DME and not used it.

Trust me, Disney has NEVER contacted me to determine what happened to the luggage they didn't get. And why? Because Disney didn't know they were SUPPOSE to get luggage so they didn't look for any (which there was none for them to look for, but.. they didn't know that either)



Other posters have posted that when they CALLED Disney and asked "can my luggage be transported while I take a rental car?" the response was NO! But on the DIS No means "maybe" ???? The ONLY person who seems to believe that Disney's FAQ's are not policy is Edd and until he can find something in black and white then I figure it's just his view!

Edd has a vested interest in making sure you DO NOT ride the bus. Then you might get him to transport you!!!!

Edd also seems unable to believe that Disney puts things in writing because that's their Policy. Apparently since they have NOT personally talked to him it's just an "advisory" (He also thinks the "conditions of carriage" for the airlines are "red herrings" they don't enforce. Trust me they enforce them DAILY!)

 

[Edd]

You are right I don't believe the FAQ is official. It is backed up by no official policy that I can find. I don't think the information is printed on any other piece of literature put out by Disney. I would like someone to point it out to me if it is. As I said in the last post probably 10 in every 2000 adult guests may see that FAQ, if even that. If it was official I am sure that Disney would want guests to read it, but they make no attempt to put it in the rules and regulations for riding the DME that they send to everyone making a reservation. As important as that seems to be to everyone, I would think the policy would be in those instructions.

Second, as I explained in one post about a talk with a Supervisor,CM at OIA, CM's making that statement are trying to help out passengers by telling them to go to the DME Welcome Center. The CM stated he knew of no requirement that anyone has to check in with the DME for the luggage to get to the resort. You have to check in when you plan to ride the bus. Also if you are asked the pieces of luggage, it is put on the reservation just for information purposes. I guess if you claimed 3 at the airport and than claimed 5 at the resort Disney would question that.

Those speaking about lost luggage are only trying to keep passengers guessing on whether how they plan to use the DME. Lost luggage is no factor at OIA. Posters keep going back to that because they can keep the readers of the Disboards in fear of using only the "luggage delivery" feature.

There are some gossipers on the boards. I call gossipers those who try to state the official word and not have any knowledge or been around the situation enough to make their words credible. I saw that more about 2 years ago when everyone tried to tell me you have to ride the DME for the luggage to get to your room. It took me a lot of time to get the actual information to the boards in order for those to finally believe it.

 

[CarolA]

You are right I don't believe the FAQ is official. It is backed up by no official policy that I can find. .

That IS the policy.

Just because they didn't give it to you in on a piece of paper title "offical policy" doesn't make it anything but offical. It's in writing. What more do you need?

Does Disney copy you on all thier policies and procedures? I know they don't publish them all for public viewing but that does not make the "not official"



And since you are accusing us of "trying to keep passengers guessing" then WHY had Disney NEVER called me when I get here and said "Ms CarolA we noticed we didn't recieve any luggage for you, is there an issue?"

And "lost luggage is not an issue at OIA" Umm..... Lost Luggage is an issue industry wide for the airliens. OIA did not receive special exemption!!

Stats

Mishandled baggage reports filed by passengers of U.S. airlines
(June 2006)

1. Hawaiian (2.6 reports per 1,000 passengers)
2 .JetBlue (3.08)
3. Northwest (4.07)
4. Southwest (4.12)
5. Frontier (4.29)
6. Alaska Airlines (4.87)
7. Aloha (5.08)
8. United (5.23)
9. American (5.31)
10. Continental (5.43)
11. ATA (5.48)
12. AirTran (5.55)
13. Delta (6.64)
14. US Airways (7.84)
15. SkyWest, partner for Delta and United (8.5)
16. Mesa, operates go! and is a parnter to Delta United, US Airways (10.92)
17. Continental partner ExpressJet (11.05)
18. Delta subsidiary Comair (11.15)
19. AA subsidiary American Eagle (13.18)
20. Atlantic Southeast, partner to Delta (19.2)

Almost ALL of these airlines fly to MCO. So they have "lost luggage" And since Edd will soon show up to point out that these are 2006 numbers. 2007 didn't look any better

http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/11/20/business/baggage.php


Edd will also say that it's OK if you don't file within the airlines time limit for reporting lost lugagge. I read those "ombudsman" articles in travel blogs and magazines a lot. There have been LOTS of complaints where the passenger waited a day or two or even just several hours and was told "too bad".

Since you keep accusing us why don't you ever post "It's in my best interest to convince you NOT to take ME"???

 

[kaytieeldr]

If it was official I am sure that Disney would want guests to read it, but they make no attempt to put it in the rules and regulations for riding the DME that they send to everyone making a reservation.

Well, why would they? The Magical Express packet is sent out only to Guests who have already made a reservation. These Guests are not asking, and do not care, whether they can use DME for their luggage only.

I guess if you claimed 3 at the airport and than claimed 5 at the resort Disney would question that.

The natural extension of this is, if at the airport you 'claim' you checked NO bags - because you didn't check in for Magical Express - then claimed ANY not-received luggage at the resort, Disney would have no responsibility and you would have no recourse.

Lost luggage is no factor at OIA.

Then the Powers That Be at OIA need to share their secrets, tips, and procedures with every other airport in the world. Lost/misdirected luggage is a factor at EVERY airport.

 

[Edd]

One big secret which can't be shared is that OIA has the DME to move a bulk of luggage. No other airport has a Disney picking up luggage.

Claiming luggage at the Disney desk is not a requirement, as well as not checking in at the DME, so your natural extension of the argument is not good.

Every guest gets who gets a reservation can use it in the way it benefits them most. Some do use it to just get their luggage to the resort painlessly, so they can get a rental and pick up extra goods on the way to Disney. Disney has made no move to prove they disagree with the procedure.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Magical Express can't move luggage that doesn't arrive at OIA. Period. Therefore, the claim that OIA does not have a problem with lost luggage is invalid.

Party A makes a Magical Express reservation. They check five suitcases. They check in at the Welcome Center, where they advise the CM that they checked five pieces of luggage. Three pieces arrive. The CMs know to track, locate, receive, and deliver on arrival, the two originally misdirected pieces.

Party B attaches the yellow tags to their five checked suitcases, then rents a car at the airport, leaving DME to deliver their luggage. Three pieces arrive. The Magical Express CMs, with no knowledge of the existence of Party B or how much luggage they checked, take NO action in tracking luggage they do not know exists.

And once again, Disney sends DME packets ONLY to Guests who have made reservations for the service. These Guests intend to use all aspects of the service; Guests intending to have DME just handle their luggage do not make reservations. Disney does/can not send DME packets - which include the rules and regulations of the service (which are synopsized in the FAQ) - to Guests who do not make reservations.