Magical Express Question

[disneyisfun11]

Hope i'm posting in the right place. I was wondering if i HAVE to use the yellow luggage tags and use Disney's luggage delivery service? It says it might take three hours for my luggage to arrive and I'd like to visit a park upon arrival. Would I be able to wait for my luggage at the carousel and then go to magical express, or will they be waiting for me? Thanks for your help.

 

[luvdisney87]

You do not have to use the tags and then can collect your luggage yourself. You don't have to wait and be in your room when the luggage arrives.

 

[OThopeful35]

No, you do not have to use the luggage service. Just Do not attach the yellow luggage tags and retrieve your bags at baggage claim at MCO.

 

[figment_jii]

Hope i'm posting in the right place. I was wondering if i HAVE to use the yellow luggage tags and use Disney's luggage delivery service? It says it might take three hours for my luggage to arrive and I'd like to visit a park upon arrival. Would I be able to wait for my luggage at the carousel and then go to magical express, or will they be waiting for me? Thanks for your help.

No, you can a collect your own luggage and take it with you to the bus. Don't put the yellow tags on if you want to do this.

You don't have to be in your room to receive the luggage if you use the yellow tags. They'll leave it in your room. I usually drop my carry-on in the room, head out to a park, and then when I get back, the luggage is in the room waiting.

 

[MagicalMeg]

If you do use the yellow tags, your bags will not make it onto the carousel. You can opt not to use the yellow tags, pick up your bags from baggage claim like normal & than take them on ME with you.

 

[MinnieMommy]

Hi! Welcome to the DIS!

You certainly don't HAVE to use Disney's Magical Express.

If you would like to pick up your own bags at the carousel and then transport them yourself down to the Magical Express Bus loading area you may.

Not sure if you are aware, but when they suggest that it may take 3 hours for your bags to be delivered to your room, they are not asking you to sit in your room and wait for your bags. They will deliver your bags to your room, so even if you are gone to the parks, when you return to your room, your luggage will be there waiting for you.

Whichever option you choose, have a great trip!

 

[OurBigTrip]

We always put a change of clothing and bathing suits in our carry-ons, use the tags, and then either put our carry-ons in the room, if it's ready, or leave them with bell services.

That we can head out to a park or relax by the pool, and our luggage is awaiting us when we get back to our room.

 

[dminnie]

We prefer not to use the yellow tags. We like to pick up our own luggage from the carousel and then go to DME. We just prefer to handle our own luggage. If there is any damage/lost etc. we know it's the airline and not DME that way. That way we're also not spending our first hours in the parks wondering if everything went well with the luggage. (IDK, this is probably some carry over from my parents...they would never even check luggage on trips...they'd take just what could fit in their carry ons).

 

[winterman]

Would I be able to wait for my luggage at the carousel and then go to magical express, or will they be waiting for me? Thanks for your help.

The bus does not 'wait' for certain people to arrive before they leave the airport. Flights are late regularly. They wait for a bus to fill up. In July, my first time using ME, I was the first in line for the bus so I had a little wait. But, I still arrived at POR in about an hour. Much like an ADR, you are placed on the next available bus for your resort.

 

[disneyisfun11]

Thanks for the replies everyone! One last question... On the way home do I use the luggage tags so that Disney can check my bags? How does departure work ?

 

[MommyGina]

Do not use the yellow tags. That alerts the airlines when you arrive that they are not for pick up by you, but by Disney. You don't want your luggage being sent back to your hotel and not home with you. We use resort airline check in. Bring your luggage to resort airline check in. They will tag your luggage for your home airport and send it ahead of you. You will get your luggage when you arrive at your home airport.

Have a great vacation!

 

[Carolejm]

We actually arrive quite late at night (11:30PM), and at 1st I was told there is no ME at that time of night, but to call the company. I called and she assured me that yes they run that time of night. However, we need to grab our own bags and bring them to the bus. I don't mind this because I wouldn't want them arriving at like 3 AM or something silly

 

[APiratesLifeForMe2]

One year we decided not to use the ME tags since it was a short weekend trip and we wanted our bags right away so we could change and head to the parks. We went down to the carousel and neither mine or my DM's bags were there. We ended up finding mine in a separate area since they sent it on an earlier flight and just left it in the airport for me to get (in a roped off unmanned area I might add). After over 2 hours in the airport trying to locate DM's bag and filing a missing baggage report we got to the ME to head to our resort. The bag was never located and about 3 months later she received a claim payment from the airline. She borrowed some of my clothes and we bought a few more down there. It was a total nightmare! Although Disney had no responsibility in the entire matter, they gave us a $100 credit on our KTTW card so my DM could buy some necessities.

Now we always use the tags and pack a carryon with clothes for at least two days and any items we couldn't easily replace. I will tell you in the whole process we learned that if your bags are tagged, Disney employees (not airline employees) get your bags behind the scenes at MCO and take them to the resorts etc. If you tag your bag and it gets lost once it arrives at the airport (as ours did), Disney is responsible for taking care of the missing bag reports. I don't know about you, but I would rather Disney take care of my missing bag claim then the airline.

 

[figment_jii]

Luggag delivery service is available for flights arriving between 5 am and 10 pm. Outside those hours, you have to claim your own luggage and bring it with you to the bus. The buses themselves run 24-hours a day.
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/planning-guides/in-depth-advice/airport-service/

Thanks for the replies everyone! One last question... On the way home do I use the luggage tags so that Disney can check my bags? How does departure work ?

No, things are a little different on the return trip. You can bring your bags with you on the bus and check them at the airport OR you can use the Resort Airline Check-In service (RAC). You have to pay your baggage fees in advance, but you can check-in your checked baggage at the resort. They will then take the bags to the airport and you won't see them until you get to your home airport. You do not have to use DME to use RAC.

 

[maxiesmom]

We actually arrive quite late at night (11:30PM), and at 1st I was told there is no ME at that time of night, but to call the company. I called and she assured me that yes they run that time of night. However, we need to grab our own bags and bring them to the bus. I don't mind this because I wouldn't want them arriving at like 3 AM or something silly

As of 10 pm you have no choice but to grab your bags yourself and haul them to the Magical Express bus. Keep in mind it is customary to tip the driver a dollar or two a bag for them stowing your bags under the bus, and then grabbing them back out again.