Magical Express Question

[seashoreCM]

Don't look now but even if you did check in and ride the bus, Disney (in most cases) still doesn't have enough information to file a timely baggage claim with the airline.

In all the lost/misdirected baggage instances that I got wind of, Disney has found imaginative ways to keep that guest's Disney experience magical. (I'll leave it to your imagination to figure out how, unless you have read the same accounts I did.)

I won't rule out the possiblity of Disney's some day using failure to ride the bus just as an ad hoc excuse or loophole to refuse to compensate the guest with any cash (for example for a business suit to be used down in Miami or Tampe after the Disney vacation) as a result of baggage lost forever prior to arriving in Orlando, saying instead (copied from another reply) "too bad" althoug not in those exact words.

I'll leave this point in an abstract state. When you follow the DME instructions precisely (using the service for "people and baggage") it could be said that Disney has separated you from your baggage. If you use DME for "baggage only" you have voluntarily separated yourself from your baggage.

I can't imagine that if the baggage people at <home airport> misdirect my bag to Omaha, rather than Orlando, that when that one lone bag gets to Omaha, some baggage person is going to say..."Hey, it's a yellow Disney tag. This bag should've gone to Disney World. Send it there guys!"

But the white tag with MCO in big letters on it, next to the yellow tag, should be known the world over and the baggage person should send the bag there accordingly.

And now to make sport. Someone who participated in this thread and who shall remain unnamed saw fit to (or felt compelled to) wait in * room several hours for DME baggage to arrive. The reason was some screwup by * grown child prior to the vacation. * has also from time to time on these boards disparaged using DME as a "people only" service which is currently the only way to protect one from the yet to be reported on worst case airline screwup.

* -- Pronouns that have a gender have been suppressed to protect that person's innocence.

 

[Lewisc]

A "preliminary" claim has to be filed within 4 hours. Disney doesn't generally have enough information to file a complete claim but they probably have enough information to file a preliminary notice of claim. My guess is Disney has an arrangement with the airlines that allows them to at least do that based on whatever information Disney has. Disney can't enquire about bags they don't know about.

I agree Disney takes responsibility for lost bags, the question is what happens if a guest contacts Disney a day or two after arriving and has never checked in at the DME desk. Disney has no record of receiving the bag nor have them told to expect bags from the airline. I can't see any way we can ask Disney to accept responsibility for luggage they never received nor were told to look for. One poster in that position has already said they had to deal directly with the airline. The luggage was found so the issue of failing to make a timely claim never came up.

Disney wouldn't say, too bad. Rather they would say we don't have a record of receiving the bag, nor do we any record of you checking in. Please check with your airline. Do you need their phone number? The airline is the company that might say "too bad" you didn't file a timely claim. I don't recall reading a single post where Disney took responsibility for bags they didn't receive or were at least told Disney would be receiving from the airline.

Sluggo has already said we'd be surprised at the number of bags that wind up having the handles ripped off. Those bags may not have any tags remaining on the bag. We're not talking about something that happens to a large percentage of customers but something that happens to dozens, if not hundreds, of passengers on a daily basis.

I don't think I'd bother using DME for "luggage only". I suspect most guests either "buy in" to the entire free transfers concept or they don't even bother looking at the information.

I'll agree very few bags, that are misdirected wind up being lost.

Very few DIS have had their luggage really lost. That includes guests that get their own luggage, use the complete DME service or use DME as luggage only.

Don't look now but even if you did check in and ride the bus, Disney (in most cases) still doesn't have enough information to file a timely baggage claim with the airline.

In all the lost/misdirected baggage instances that I got wind of, Disney has found imaginative ways to keep that guest's Disney experience magical. (I'll leave it to your imagination to figure out how, unless you have read the same accounts I did.)

I won't rule out the possiblity of Disney's some day using failure to ride the bus as an ad hoc excuse or loophole to refuse to compensate the guest with any cash (for example for a business suit to be used down in Miami or Tampe after the Disney vacation) as a result of baggage lost forever prior to arriving in Orlando, saying instead (copied from another reply) "too bad" althoug not in those exact words.

But the white tag with MCO in big letters on it, next to the yellow tag, should be known the world over and the baggage person should send the bag over accordingly.

And now to make sport. Someone who participated in this thread and who shall remain unnamed saw fit to (or felt compelled to) wait in * room several hours for DME baggage to arrive. The reason was some screwup by * grown child prior to the vacation. * has also from time to time on these boards disparaged using DME as a "people only" service which is currently the only way to protect one from the yet to be reported on worst case airline screwup.

* -- Pronouns that have a gender have been suppressed to protect that person's innocence.

 

[goofy4tink]

Okay, make sport of me!!! I can take it.
I will say that adult child has now seen the error of her ways...she won't be repeating that situation again.
I still maintain that DME should be used as Disney stated...make a reservation, tag your checked bags, go to DME welcome counter, checkin, get on the bus. Go to your resort, head off to a park, and expect your bags to be 'magically' in your room when you return.
Can it be done other ways? Sure. There are always going to be situations where a guest is going to have to bring their luggage with them, to the DME bus. Perhaps they arrived late the previous evening and decided to stay at the airport and head to WDW first thing in the morning. Maybe they got dropped off at the airport...who knows. But, for the most part, if peole just did what DME says to do, things would run quite smoothly.
If you want to tag those bags and then go off in a rental or a private towncar, do so. I don't care. It doesn't impact me. I just like everyone to have as much info as possible. However, it does impact me when a ton of people head to baggage claim, retreive their own luggage and then bring it with them, to the DME bus. Now, I have to sit there and wait while all that luggage is stowed underneath the bus, and then, when we get to each resort, wait while it is unstowed and handed off to the guests. That's my gripe.

 

[Lewisc]

There is no doubt that Disney accepts liability, at least to guests who check in at the DME desk. All evidence indicates Disney is more generous then airlines in providing compensation for bags that are missing or delayed.

disparaged using DME as a "people only" service which is currently the only way to protect one from the yet to be reported on worst case airline screwup.

* -- Pronouns that have a gender have been suppressed to protect that person's innocence.

 

[Edd]

Disney accepts liability for those who reserve the DME. The information has been received from several different Disney sources. Until Disney decides to put out any word to the contrary I would accept the idea that some passengers will use the luggage transfer or the passenger transfer in the manner that best suits their needs.

Specifically; they will ride the bus and bring their luggage to the bus, they will not ride the bus and let Disney transfer the luggage or they will ride the bus and let Disney transfer the luggage.

 

[Lewisc]

A recent poster flew Spirit. The luggage didn't show up until the next day. The luggage was wet and some of the contents were ruined. DME told the OP to file a claim with Spirit. Spirit wouldn't accept the claim because the poster waited until they were departing. You were of the opinion the luggage probably got wet at the resort and Disney was probably responsible.

How can you claim Disney always accepts liability when you had the opposite opinion when you posted in that thread.

Disney accepts liability for those who reserve the DME. The information has been received from several different Disney sources. Until Disney decides to put out any word to the contrary I would accept the idea that some passengers will use the luggage transfer or the passenger transfer in the manner that best suits their needs.

Specifically; they will ride the bus and bring their luggage to the bus, they will not ride the bus and let Disney transfer the luggage or they will ride the bus and let Disney transfer the luggage.

 

[Edd]

I didn't read that Disney told the OP to file a claim with Spirit. I saw just what you said on your post. The bags were wet and I suggested that maybe Disney or Spirit left the bags out in the rain. I didn't read some of the contents were ruined. I certainly had no evidence to put a blame on anyone. The OP posted that nothing was damaged, just wet. I don't think you can file a claim on something being wet.