Magical Express Question

[goofy4tink]

Edd....while I thank you for your information that you get directly from MCO (OIA), you can not just say the Disney website FAQ are just an 'opinion of a writer and not available to everyone.' Of course they are available to everyone. In fact, I think they are more available to the general public than the information you give us. Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with your info from MCO powers that be. BUT....when push comes to shove, if I have a problem with DME and my bags, I can go to that FAQ section and say..'here, it says xyz right here....what do you plan to do to make this right?' versus, 'well, Edd on the DIS boards says that Mr. Jones at MCO says we could do this, so how are you making it right for us?'
I have no doubt you're right and giving out valid info. But, please, do not try to tell everyone that what is posted on the official Disney site is not true..only an opinion of some writer. We have had many guests call Disney directly and ask this same question. They have been told that someone has to ride the bus in order to use the luggage transfer perk of DME.
But, on the other hand....we all realize that this is not 'etched in stone'....many people have tagged their bags, then taken a rental or private car service and still gotten their bags, quite nicely, in their resort rooms.

So....rather than dispute whether or not it's doable, with outlandish info, let's just stay on-track with truths...all the way around. Othewise, some come off sounding like crackpots, or someone with an agenda.

 

[CarolA]

My question Edd...

Why if a poster on here posts "I called and the CM told me no" is that "gossip" and your post of a CM told me "yes" a "fact'???????

Offical word is what's PRINTED not "what a CM told" you. And since you seem to be the only person who has ever had a CM tell you "yes" .......

 

[CleveRocks]

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.

Edd,

This is the point you always choose to ignore. Ignore, or dismiss as a very rare occurrence that no one should worry about.

I haven't had a flat tire since about 2001, but I have a spare tire and jack in each car.

I haven't been in a car accident since about 2000, but I always wear my seat belt.

Just because something is rare doesn't mean you shouldn't be prepared for it. Not checking-in at the Disney Welcome Center means you are not adequately prepared for the rare occurrence of your luggage never being flown to MCO.

Knowing your work history, I'm certain you can follow this logic. You may choose not to, but I know you are smart enough to understand it.

 

[seashoreCM]

Disney is in a position that they don't refuse the claims put in by travel insurance, ...

Tell me where you find the directions on your trip package to report your luggage to the DME Welcome center. .

OT (MBA required): 1. You mean that once in a while an independent travel insurance company, after paying the traveler for a loss, then goes after Disney in subrogation? If Disney believes it was not responsible for the loss, i.e. the suitcase was never received into the DME system, Disney is certainly within its right to initially refuse that claim. Of course, if Disney offers its own travel insurance and the guest purchases that, then Disney would have to pay claims but these are travel insurance claims, not DME claims.

2. The instructions say to go to the DME welcome center and check in. Not going there constitutes not following directions. In addition, instructions in the yellow tag booklet reportedly say something like, "If you are not going to utilize DME, please do not put these tags on your luggage".

 

[tinyrip]

we're planning on taking ME... we have a party of 7 going down in two groups, party A. is myself and mother and 3 nieces, and party B will be my brother and sister in law. we're staying at pop and before I get flamed, two of the kids are staying in my brothers room. the problem is that Party B wont be arriving until later that night somewhere around 9pm or so. will we have problems with ME taking all of the luggage thats with my party of 5 and placing it in a room for 4? We'd have party B take one of the kids bags but theres that pesky thing about airlines wanting up to $80 for extra piece of luggage.

 

[CleveRocks]

we're planning on taking ME... we have a party of 7 going down in two groups, party A. is myself and mother and 3 nieces, and party B will be my brother and sister in law. we're staying at pop and before I get flamed, two of the kids are staying in my brothers room. the problem is that Party B wont be arriving until later that night somewhere around 9pm or so. will we have problems with ME taking all of the luggage thats with my party of 5 and placing it in a room for 4? We'd have party B take one of the kids bags but theres that pesky thing about airlines wanting up to $80 for extra piece of luggage.

You'll be fine. No worries.

 

[tinyrip]

thank goodness, thats been the biggest worry about planning this trip, followed closely by, if my brother and sister in law miss the plane then what?

 

[tjmw2727]

Originally Posted by Edd
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.

Sure,

The DME booklet (with the DME luggage tags) clearly states that you must check in at the welcome center. When you check in at the Welcome Center the CM asks you how many pieces of luggage you checked through with the DME yellow luggage tags. I have used DME 8x so far and been asked each and every time how many bags I checked through with the DME tags. A few times I have also been asked if I have my bag claim checks from the airline.

TJ

 

[Edd]

Here is the way I look at it. The Disney guarantee of safe luggage is already there when you sign up or reserve for the DME. The past two years have proved that to be true. There are many things a family has to do to get to Disney World. Kids need to be taken care of, items have to be accounted for, you have to get to the airport to fly and than you have to get to the resort to begin the vacation. That is a bunch of things to have on your mind.

Now, some people may have a few different ideas on how they want to use the Disney conveniences. The biggest percentage of Disney guests don't bother to call Disney to ask questions. They read the information provided to them in the packages they receive. The package gives them explicit instructions and that doesn't include some of the suggestions that are made here. I am sure those instructions are printed exactly how Disney wants to run their system. It has probably been gone over with a Disney fine-toothed comb. I personally don't think the system should be refined by those who have not had anything to do with setting it up. Putting luggage on your airplane at your home and it appearing in your room is the only true Magic the DME offers.

I just think when you add the ideas of lost baggage, checking in even when you don't plan to ride the busses, checking in to guarantee luggage delivery, and bringing luggage to the busses goes against the unique idea that has been set up. Already three years working and so far the idea has not been duplicated in any other airports that I know of. It is a great system that is a working just about as great. Passengers can use it and there are almost no restrictions placed on it.

You know posters are quoting U.S. figures for lost luggage. I think using that figure is "phooey" because no one has tried to get figures put out at OIA. Give me OIA figures and I will reconsider how I look at lost luggage. Quoting U.S. figures is a great negative add.

So yes I say use the "luggage feature" in the way it suits your family. Disney provides it, you are paying for it and Disney up until this point, has not shown any disagreement with whether they ride the busses or not. It the same way.

I also encourage people to use the DME "Luggage Delivery" because it relieves the OIA baggage system from the Disney baggage load. The OIA system is already overworked. There are plans to expand the system and the area that takes care of luggage.

to TMJ. I have a cruise package and a land package from two years ago, which I occasionally refer to, and it doesn't say anything, about the requirement of checking in at the DME desk if you don't plan to ride the bus, that I can find. If your package has that information than Disney has up-dated it.

 

[goofy4tink]

A few notes...
from the first page of the DME info packet....
3.Place the enclosed luggage tags on the items that you are checking with the airline. Please attach only one tag per piece of luggage. Please retain the baggage claim tickets provided to you by the airline when checkin in at your originating airport. You will need to present these at the Disney Welcome Center located on the B side of the airport on Level 1.

Next page....
At the Disney Welcome Center, please present this booklet and your airline baggage claim tickets to the Disney representative who will confirm the number of items checked with the airline as well as your return flight information.

Now, from those things, it is easy to see how Disney wished DME to be used...much talk of reporting to the Disney Welcome Center.

Also...Edd....you say in your post that we are quoting US figures for lost luggage...and that you think those numbers are 'phooey' because they aren't numbers OIA puts out. Well....wouldn't it be the originating airports that misdirect said luggage? I don't think that OIA is going to be misdirecting my luggage when it is only arriving there....it's most likely it will be someone at Boston's Logan International that will be misdirecting my bags..not someone at OIA (MCO).

So, as far as I'm concerned (not that anyone really cares)..this is a dead argument. We know what Disney tells us in the info packet. We know what DME tells us if we call and ask them. We know what Disney tells us if we call them and ask. All of them will tell you that someone has to ride the bus in order to get that magical resort room luggage delivery. That's the 'official' word to those of us who ask. Yes, Edd has gotten a slightly different answer for MCO (OIA) officials. But, what they say and what Disney says seem to be different.

Choose how you want to use DME. It's up to each traveler to decide what works best for their group. Be armed with all the information you can get. That way, if something does go wrong, you will have as much knowledge as is humanly possible. Be aware of those things that could go wrong, and be prepared to deal with them.

 

[tjmw2727]

snip
to TMJ. I have a cruise package and a land package from two years ago, which I occasionally refer to, and it doesn't say anything, about the requirement of checking in at the DME desk if you don't plan to ride the bus, that I can find. If your package has that information than Disney has up-dated it.

I have the remains of my DME package from a November 07 trip. In the first section entitled "Before you leave home" with instructions numbered 1 through 4.

Number 3 says exactly this: Place the enclosed luggage tags on the items that you are checking with the airline. Please attach only one tag per peice of luggage. Please retain the baggage claim tickets provided to you by the airline when checking in at your originating airport. You will need to present these at the Disney Welcome Center.

Bold is mine, I can scan it later if necessary.

TJ

 

[seashoreCM]

. You will need to present these at the Disney Welcome Center.

Psst!
There is a missing link* in the equation. Currently the ME CM's are not meticulous about scanning absolutely everypne's baggage claim checks at the welcoming area. This makes it impossible to file any needed claims within 4 hours. Consequently, so far, Disney has given guests more benefits of the doubt.

This could change at some yet to be determined future date, making the following of directions by guests more crucial.

* (OT) Where are you most likely to find a missing link?
1. Dinosaur
2. Haunted Mansion
3. Jungle Cruise
4. Universe of Energy
5. Maelstrom

 

[Edd]

I go along with Di's post. It is essentially a dead issue, so I won't make any further comments, unless!

 

[CleveRocks]

I go along with Di's post. It is essentially a dead issue, so I won't make any further comments, unless!

And you persist in conveniently ignoring the concern that I highlighted, and about this wisdom of preparing for and protecting yourself from rare occurrences.

Again, I can only conclude that you are evading the issue, as surely you have the intelligence to understand the issue.

 

[goofy4tink]

And you persist in conveniently ignoring the concern that I highlighted, and about this wisdom of preparing for and protecting yourself from rare occurrences.

Again, I can only conclude that you are evading the issue, as surely you have the intelligence to understand the issue.

Yeah...but he agreed with me!!! That's what's important ! Kidding.
I think most of us have that same issue Eric. I just don't know how they are going to track something they don't know if they even have. Or....whether or not they actually track the number of bags you say you checked. Sure, they ask how many bags we have checked...but, does it really make a difference? I wish I knew. I think they just pull those yellow tagged bags as they come out. Sure, they scan 'em, but I think they only scan for resort placement...not as part of a 'bag count'.

 

[kaytieeldr]

and before I get flamed

No problem. We don't 'flame' for room issues over here. Frankly, we don't flame at all - we provide facts, not opinions . Just to be 100% flame-proof, and despite your actual reservation arrangements... don't mention this on the Resorts board

"Here is the way I look at it." "I just think" "So yes I say "

Translation: Here's Edd's opinion

You know posters are quoting U.S. figures for lost luggage. I think using that figure is "phooey" because no one has tried to get figures put out at OIA.

The Department of Transportation gathers and reports statistics by airLINE, not by airPORT. Given that every airline has lost/misdirected luggage stats, and the number and variety of airlines that fly into OIA, it is impossible that 100% of the luggage intended for that airport actually arrives on the same flight as the passenger. Impossible.

Also...Edd....you say in your post that we are quoting US figures for lost luggage...and that you think those numbers are 'phooey' because they aren't numbers OIA puts out. Well....wouldn't it be the originating airports that misdirect said luggage? I don't think that OIA is going to be misdirecting my luggage when it is only arriving there....it's most likely it will be someone at Boston's Logan International that will be misdirecting my bags..not someone at OIA (MCO).

But it doesn't matter to you that/if Logan misdirected your luggage. You're not there. You're in Orlando. Ergo, your misdirected/lost luggage is an issue AT Orlando International Airport.

 

[Edd]

Off the subject a little, but I found out something that floored me Sunday. Continental does not scan any bags, off the airplane, on the weekend. Only during the weekdays. The bags get scanned when they are pulled off the carousels and taken to the office because no one picked them up. The continental people in the office told me this.

Eric, I don't disagree with you, but I also don't agree with you either. I don't always back up a whole lot of things. I don't want to sit here and try to explain to you why. Magic basketball, Pennsylvania primaries and American Idol are coming on in about 10 minutes.

I learned a long time ago to always make a woman feel like you agee with them. It makes a happier world. Most women anyway. Just kidding.

 

[yayagoofy]

Bottom line.. if you have the Disney yellow tags on your luggage it goes to your hotel. If you take a helicopter, donkey, DME bus, etc. your tagged luggage still goes to your hotel. Ya Ya, this subject will probably start up again soon.

 

[seashoreCM]

(copied from another post)
The original intent back in 2005 was to load the yellow tagged baggage on the trucks only after the guest checked in at the welcoming area. This would have caused complications with guests not riding the bus except,
1. It was far easier and less labor intensive to skip that step and summarily load all yellow tagged baggage onto the trucks.
2. Holding back the baggage would have lengthened the time it took to get the baggage to the rooms.

 

[Edd]

No, that statement is wrong and is completely false. The luggage was moved to Disney immediately after it was processed. There was no waiting for someone to sign in at the Welcome Center before the luggage was moved and that was not the original intent. By contract, Disney took responsibility of the luggage when it was separated from the luggage coming off the plane and it went straight to the Disney processing center and than on to Disney. That statement is what I consider gossip and shouldn't be passed on from another post.