Magical Express Question

[TinkerBelle_325]

Hi!

I'm a WDW vetran, but I've never taken Magical Express. Typically my family rents a car but this trip I am going with a friend and we are both under 25 and have no desire to pay the WAY increased rate to rent.

I'm also about the least trusting control freak in the world, so I'll be collecting my own bags at MCO. Of course, Murphy's law dictates that our baggage will arrive on Side A and then we will have to trapse over to Side B.

Here is my question. Can I go check-in for Magical Express while my friend goes to grab the bags? I'm thinking it will save us time. I've never been through the process of checking-in for ME, do they simly direct you to a bus stop after they proccess you? Does the whole party have to be present? They ship "tickets" to you correct?

 

[kaytieeldr]

You can do that - as you finish checking in, the CM will point to your left and tell you to approach the Red Carpet area when you are ready.

But, think about this. You are willing to trust the airline to transport your luggage what, thirteen-hundred-plus miles, despite the number of suitcases airlines misdirect or lose each year - but you're not willing to let Magical Express transport your GPS-tracked, five-times-scanned luggage the last twenty five miles.

 

[marylouwho]

I love love love Magical Express!

Hand the bags in at the airport............ and they magically appear in your room!!!

works every time!!! ( I hope I didn't just jinx myself !!! )

 

[Lewisc]

"Control freaks" who don't trust DME with their luggage have no reason to trust the airline. I suggest you either use DME for luggage or go carry on only.

 

[TinkerBelle_325]

You can do that - as you finish checking in, the CM will point to your left and tell you to approach the Red Carpet area when you are ready.

But, think about this. You are willing to trust the airline to transport your luggage what, thirteen-hundred-plus miles, despite the number of suitcases airlines misdirect or lose each year - but you're not willing to let Magical Express transport your GPS-tracked, five-times-scanned luggage the last twenty five miles.

Yup I'm weird like that. I don't trust ME at all to transport my luggage. Know why? On more than one occassion I have returned to my resort room (after having checked in a few days ago) at 2 different resorts, on 2 different trips, and I've found...

Magical Express luggage waiting for me...that obviously was NOT mine I had another persons luggage in my room. I am not comfortable knowing that happened to me on 2 seperate occassions. How do I know my bags haven't ended up in someone elses room before being re-directed to mine?

 

[disneyfaninaz]

I've used DME twice now. Both times all of my luggage showed up in my resort room within hours of checking in. It is so nice not to have to wait and then schlep my luggage all over the airport to transportation to the resorts.

 

[TinkerBelle_325]

"Control freaks" who don't trust DME with their luggage have no reason to trust the airline. I suggest you either use DME for luggage or go carry on only.

Excuse me? My choices are my own. I do NOT appreciate the flames or the judgement. I know MANY people who have travelled to WDW countless times, have used ME and have taken their luggage WITH THEM.

*sigh* I asked for advise on CHECKING-IN, not for your opinions on how I will be handling my luggage. I'd appreciate if my original question could be the primary topic of conversation and NOT have this turn into a debate of how individuals should choose to transport their luggage.

I have been on more than 150 flights in my life, I also don't have a choice in trusting the airline to transport my luggage, i DO have a choice in how I get it to disney. So if we could all focus our attention on the ORIGINAL question please!

 

[TheWog]

I have not done this myself, but I would venture to guess that yes you can do this. You will wait in line to get checked in and then there is an area between where the check-in desk it and where you go outside you could just wait for your friend there. Once your friend arrives go to the appropriate location to catch your bus. I don't think anyone will be ushering you along to get out of the way, so yes, in theory you should be able to do this. If someone has actual experience they will certainly let you know.

 

[TinkerBelle_325]

I have not done this myself, but I would venture to guess that yes you can do this. You will wait in line to get checked in and then there is an area between where the check-in desk it and where you go outside you could just wait for your friend there. Once your friend arrives go to the appropriate location to catch your bus. I don't think anyone will be ushering you along to get out of the way, so yes, in theory you should be able to do this. If someone has actual experience they will certainly let you know.

Thank you!

 

[Lewisc]

I used the same language you used in your OP to categorize yourself, no flames or judgement just a suggestion that carry on luggage is the only way to be in control of your luggage. I posted before I read your post regarding wrong luggage being left in your room. I see where you're coming from. DME luggage delivery wouldn't work for you, you'd probably wind up waiting in your room until DME delivered your bags.

Will you both have cell phones? Otherwise.... Suppose it takes 30 minutes for luggage for your flight to start showing up, one of your bags is missing and your friend has to wait in line to file a claim? You walk over to see what's taking so long at the same time she's walking over to the DME desk and you wind up taking different escalators. I'd only split up if you both have cell phones.

To answer your question, only one person has to check in at the DME desk. You could check in and then wait for your friend.

Excuse me? My choices are my own. I do NOT appreciate the flames or the judgement. I know MANY people who have travelled to WDW countless times, have used ME and have taken their luggage WITH THEM.

*sigh* I asked for advise on CHECKING-IN, not for your opinions on how I will be handling my luggage. I'd appreciate if my original question could be the primary topic of conversation and NOT have this turn into a debate of how individuals should choose to transport their luggage.

I have been on more than 150 flights in my life, I also don't have a choice in trusting the airline to transport my luggage, i DO have a choice in how I get it to disney. So if we could all focus our attention on the ORIGINAL question please!

 

[LittleStinkerbelle]

Here is my question. Can I go check-in for Magical Express while my friend goes to grab the bags? I'm thinking it will save us time. I've never been through the process of checking-in for ME, do they simly direct you to a bus stop after they proccess you? Does the whole party have to be present?

You can definitely do this. In fact, every time I've used ME I noticed that the CM at the end of the line asks that only one person per party wait in the line. I think to keep the line from getting too congested. So I think as long as your friend can handle the luggage on their own you should be good to go. Once you're checked in they direct you to the red carpet to get in line for your resort but you don't have to make a bee-line there. Usually what I do is go over to the waiting area to collect myself and join back up with the rest of my family then we go to the line.

 

[TinkerBelle_325]

I used the same language you used in your OP to categorize yourself, no flames or judgement just a suggestion that carry on luggage is the only way to be in control of your luggage. I posted before I read your post regarding wrong luggage being left in your room. I see where you're coming from. DME luggage delivery wouldn't work for you, you'd probably wind up waiting in your room until DME delivered your bags.

Will you both have cell phones? Otherwise.... Suppose it takes 30 minutes for luggage for your flight to start showing up, one of your bags is missing and your friend has to wait in line to file a claim? You walk over to see what's taking so long at the same time she's walking over to the DME desk and you wind up taking different escalators. I'd only split up if you both have cell phones.

To answer your question, only one person has to check in at the DME desk. You could check in and then wait for your friend.

Thank you for answering the question that I originally asked. I am a frequent traveller and have already had bad experiences with DME. I refered to myself as a control freak in a light and playful manner and I did not take your connotation as being such.

As a frequent traveller I have rarely experienced that long a wait for baggage at MCO. I find they are very efficient with their baggage claim. Yes, we both have cell phones and if we chose to split up we would have contact with one another.

In my experience, I have left the plane, boarded a monorail within 5 minutes. Proceeded to baggage claim. Have had a 15 minute wait or so and then proceeded to a rental counter to wait approx 10 mins to get a car. We are usually at our resort within 60 to 75 minutes of landing. I expect that even with claiming my own bags I should have a similar experience with ME.

 

[CleveRocks]

It's possible you'll run into some difficulty, making your plan unnecessary.

One person from each party waits in line at the DME counter (if there even is a line) and then is told to gather their party and go to the red carpet area, and from there a CM checks their vouchers and directs them to the proper us queue.

If your travel partner takes longer than you (which will almost surely be the case), you'll have to wait around in no man's land ... you can't go to the red carpet area and then be led to your bus queue because your travel partner won't have his voucher (you'll have it), so he won't be able to get past the red carpet area.

So yes, you could hang around in the nearby comfy chairs and wait for him. I guess what I'm trying to say is that if the DME counter line is non-existent or very short, you'll be waiting around for him for a while.

But if you don't mind that, then it'll work, no sweat.

 

[TinkerBelle_325]

Thanks!

We are arriving on a Saturday afternoon so I was going by the assumption that the ME check-in line might be a bit long, but from what I've read here it doesn't seem to take more than 15 mins even if the line is long.

I sometimes take for granted that Orlando is like a second home for me, whereas my friend has only been to Orlando once, and never to WDW. I dont want her getting lost or disoriented for the sake of 15 minutes.

Thanks for the replies!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Excuse me? My choices are my own. I do NOT appreciate the flames or the judgement.

Honestly? Lewisc simply offered his opinion; if you consider that a judgement, then you will have to consider everything in my second paragraph a judgement as well.

 

[TinkerBelle_325]

Honestly? Lewisc simply offered his opinion; if you consider that a judgement, then you will have to consider everything in my second paragraph a judgement as well.

Actually, i did consider the second part of your post as judgemental. I meant to multi quote and thought I had as i replied to your post and Lawisc's post within moments of each other. I did not ask for input or opinions on my luggage choices. As stated several times in this thread, I am a frequent traveller and I have already had issues with DME's luggage handling procedures. I did not ask if it was *OK* to take my bags with me, I merely stated I was going to do so.

I asked about the check-in procedure and did not appreciate the additional comments about my choices to carry my luggage with me onto the DME bus. I know many others that have done this and I will do it as it makes me feel comfortable.

 

[crashbb]

Actually, i did consider the second part of your post as judgemental. I meant to multi quote and thought I had as i replied to your post and Lawisc's post within moments of each other. I did not ask for input or opinions on my luggage choices. As stated several times in this thread, I am a frequent traveller and I have already had issues with DME's luggage handling procedures. I did not ask if it was *OK* to take my bags with me, I merely stated I was going to do so.

I asked about the check-in procedure and did not appreciate the additional comments about my choices to carry my luggage with me onto the DME bus. I know many others that have done this and I will do it as it makes me feel comfortable.

Honestly, if you don't want "just the facts", pick up the phone and call DME and ask them for the facts.

When you post on a message board, you leave yourself open to receiving people's opinions.

 

[TinkerBelle_325]

Honestly, if you don't want "just the facts", pick up the phone and call DME and ask them for the facts.

When you post on a message board, you leave yourself open to receiving people's opinions.

I can see why the expression "There is no pixie dust on the transportation board" is used.

When someone asks a question, they expect it is going to be answered. I've been a member of these boards for 8 years and I've never gotten the kind of reception I got today. Lewisc actually apologized to me via PM and I've since THANKED him for his suggestions. My issues are with the judgemental statements explaining to me that I should trust DME because I trust airlines. To me you cannot compare the two. On an airline the luggage travels on the same vehicle as the individual. On DME it does not.

My point was that I asked for opinions on the CHECK-IN process, not on how effective, efficient or trustworthy DME's luggage handling system is. Saying things like "well you trust the airlines, therefore you SHOULD trust DME" has nothing to do with what I asked and it isn't an opinion its a judgement about a choice I have made.

I've used DME twice now. Both times all of my luggage showed up in my resort room within hours of checking in. It is so nice not to have to wait and then schlep my luggage all over the airport to transportation to the resorts.

That is an opinion. That poster is telling me that DME luggage delivery has worked for her. She is not judging or criticizing.

 

[kaytieeldr]

To me you cannot compare the two. On an airline the luggage travels on the same vehicle as the individual.

Usually, but NOT always. Not nearly always - otherwise there couldn't be so much misdirected luggage. That's GENERAL, nationwide misdirected luggage - not limited to onsite Disney Guests using Magical Express.

My luggage was transported on the same plane as me on only 75% of my flights in 2007.

Now, 2008 was much improved - to the best of my knowledge, my luggage and I flew on the same plane on every trip. I mean, I'm not positive on the inbound Disney flight - because I didn't wait in the room. But I went to Animal Kingdom for EMH, and when I got back - there it was!

 

[toocherie]

well, my one and only experience with ME luggage delivery was not so magical--but I'm not sure if it was the airline (Delta) or ME. All I know is I didn't get my luggage for 36 hours . . . . which given the current fees is why I'm shipping most of my luggage Fed Ex to the resort and taking a small carry-on with me on the plane.