Magical Express Questions

[KelleyK75]

The 3 All Stars would likely be on the same bus - whether there are other resorts on with those or not I don't know. Generally they would start with Sports, then Music, then Movies - but occasionally I've had them go to the further one first (in the case of Pop and Art of Animation - you pass the entrance to Animation first, but the bus went to Pop first).

Thank you!!

 

[siren0119]

One thing that hasn't been mentioned - IF you decide to put the yellow tags on your bags and let Disney bring them to the resort, be aware that it may be very late in the day/evening before they are brought to your room. Make sure you have enough clothes for 24 hours in your carry on so that any delay in bringing the luggage to your room won't affect you the first day. Whether they bring your luggage from the airport or you put it on DME yourself, guest services will be able to hold your carryons so that you can go to the parks on arrival day.

Also - there are NO buses from Disney Springs to the parks. If your plan is to go to HS on arrival day, I would go there first, and then plan to visit DS later in the day (there are limited buses going from the parks to Disney Springs starting at 4pm). Otherwise, plan to use Uber to get from DS to HS without eating up a ton of time.

 

[AngiTN]

One thing that hasn't been mentioned - IF you decide to put the yellow tags on your bags and let Disney bring them to the resort, be aware that it may be very late in the day/evening before they are brought to your room. Make sure you have enough clothes for 24 hours in your carry on so that any delay in bringing the luggage to your room won't affect you the first day. Whether they bring your luggage from the airport or you put it on DME yourself, guest services will be able to hold your carryons so that you can go to the parks on arrival day.

Also - there are NO buses from Disney Springs to the parks. If your plan is to go to HS on arrival day, I would go there first, and then plan to visit DS later in the day (there are limited buses going from the parks to Disney Springs starting at 4pm). Otherwise, plan to use Uber to get from DS to HS without eating up a ton of time.

Since it's OPs first time using ME, good time to mention that should be 3-4 hours after they arrive at their resort. With a 10:00 AM flight, unless something goes awry, should be by 4:00, if not before.
We landed at 8:30 last Friday, got our room ready notice at 2:00 and when we walked in our room shortly after that, our bags were waiting. Not sure how long they'd been there prior to that if any.

 

[siren0119]

Since it's OPs first time using ME, good time to mention that should be 3-4 hours after they arrive at their resort. With a 10:00 AM flight, unless something goes awry, should be by 4:00, if not before.
We landed at 8:30 last Friday, got our room ready notice at 2:00 and when we walked in our room shortly after that, our bags were waiting. Not sure how long they'd been there prior to that if any.

It's definitely a YMMV situation. We traveled during a pretty busy time a few years ago (landed at 10:30 am), and it was almost 10 hours before our luggage was delivered. We had packed stuff in our backpacks to change into so it wasn't the end of the world, but we didn't get our luggage until AFTER our dinner reservation on arrival day. The thing some folks don't realize is that the luggage doesn't travel on the buses when you yellow tag them - they are picked up by a box truck that delivers to the resorts, then need to be sorted out at the hotel, then delivered by bell services to the rooms. If it's busy, or they are short staffed, or something causes a holdup at any stage of the process, it can be quite a bit longer to get your luggage in your room.

 

[bumbershoot]

Any idea where All Stars Music is on the drop off route?

As others have said, there’s no set schedule.

It can be a 90 min process just to reach DS at that point in the day, then another 90 min back to a resort, then to HS.

Pulling this out to really point out to the Op that buses don’t go from DS to parks. You have to go to a resort and then on to a park in a other bus/boat/whatever.

 

[kaytieeldr]

They will deliver the bags straight to your room within a few hours of arrival, once its ready.

Only if it has been transported by DME.

If you hand over your luggage to Bell Services, you will need to call when you are back in the room, and wait there. Guests should also be tipping anybody who hsndles their luggage - i.e. bus driver, Bell Services.

Only DME-delivered luggage is delivered automatically, and Disney covers the tip. Now, I do recall one trip where they also delivered my carry on along with my DME luggage, which may be standard.

 

[kaytieeldr]

If it's busy, or they are short staffed, or something causes a holdup at any stage of the process, it can be quite a bit longer to get your luggage in your room

Just to emphasize - airline passengers should always do what this poster did: pack whatever you need for the first 24 hours in carry ons.

 

[nkereina]

Only if it has been transported by DME.

If you hand over your luggage to Bell Services, you will need to call when you are back in the room, and wait there. Guests should also be tipping anybody who hsndles their luggage - i.e. bus driver, Bell Services.

Only DME-delivered luggage is delivered automatically, and Disney covers the tip. Now, I do recall one trip where they also delivered my carry on along with my DME luggage, which may be standard.

Right, that's what I meant - DME will deliver bags to room once its ready. Sorry I wasn't clear on that!

 

[nkereina]

it was almost 10 hours before our luggage was delivered

That's an anomaly. What is typical is that bags will be delivered from DME about 3-4 hours after you arrive at the resort (or once the room is ready). Obviously anything can happen such as lost luggage, short handed staff. But that is not typical.

With a 10 hour delay, I wouldn't be surprised if the airline lost your luggage and it came in on a later flight.

 

[AngiTN]

It's definitely a YMMV situation. We traveled during a pretty busy time a few years ago (landed at 10:30 am), and it was almost 10 hours before our luggage was delivered. We had packed stuff in our backpacks to change into so it wasn't the end of the world, but we didn't get our luggage until AFTER our dinner reservation on arrival day. The thing some folks don't realize is that the luggage doesn't travel on the buses when you yellow tag them - they are picked up by a box truck that delivers to the resorts, then need to be sorted out at the hotel, then delivered by bell services to the rooms. If it's busy, or they are short staffed, or something causes a holdup at any stage of the process, it can be quite a bit longer to get your luggage in your room.

It is highly out of the norm to take 10 hours, even when busy.
We have traveled at NYE (just for one busy holiday, but we've done others too) for several years and not had them take that long.
I would say that in 9 out of 10 trips, bags make it in 3-4 hours.
So yeah, it's possible to take 10 hours again but it's also possible that the airline will lose your luggage. You don't go on a trip to expect that though. So I wouldn't suggest to anyone expect 10 hours for ME either.
Heck, if you didn't track your bags via the airline for all you know the bags didn't even arrive on your flight. This is also possible. Again, not likely but possible. I think Southwest can be one of the worse airlines for putting bags on a flight different than the passenger.

 

[eccobleu]

~ If Magical Express is extremely busy, can you choose not to use them & just take a Lyft? Or do you have to let them know in advance?

There were huge lines for ME when we were there in Oct. After we had already checked in, I asked one of the CMs if we could just take a taxi, and he said sure. Our luggage arrived at the resort as expected; no issues.

 

[AngiTN]

Just to emphasize - airline passengers should always do what this poster did: pack whatever you need for the first 24 hours in carry ons.

They should but you know what, after flying a whole lot lately, a vast majority do not and it's well within their choice. Even my DH won't. DD doesn't either. Both are grown and can make their own choices.

And after their losing my carry on bag, I'm not sure how much difference it made in the end. I got my checked bags before my lost carry on, which had to be gate checked due to plane size. Though I know not everyone flies a part of their trip on puddle jumpers like I do.

Anyway, I've decided that folks can just decide what they need to carry on all by themselves.

 

[siren0119]

That's an anomaly. What is typical is that bags will be delivered from DME about 3-4 hours after you arrive at the resort (or once the room is ready). Obviously anything can happen such as lost luggage, short handed staff. But that is not typical.

With a 10 hour delay, I wouldn't be surprised if the airline lost your luggage and it came in on a later flight.

We asked about it, there was an issue with all luggage being delivered at POP that day. It was a combination of a truck issue and short staffing in bell services. When we had gone outside at one point the box truck driver was discussing the situation with another CM while they were unloading, so it wasn't just GS giving us a line.

And while ours may be a more extreme example, I've seen enough similar situations reported just on this forum, and worked in logistics long enough to feel pretty confident advising anyone using DME yellow tags to have anything they need for the first day on hand in a carryon or backpack. 3-4 hours is the target, and when things run smoothly it's a very attainable one. But things can (and do) go wrong, at no fault of anyone involved in the process.

 

[KelleyK75]

Thanks everyone!! You’ve all been very helpful!

 

[kaytieeldr]

feel pretty confident advising anyone using DME yellow tags to have anything they need for the first day on hand in a carryon or backpack.

Anybody flying anywhere should be following this advice!!!!

 

[Dug720]

If you hand over your luggage to Bell Services, you will need to call when you are back in the room, and wait there. Guests should also be tipping anybody who hsndles their luggage - i.e. bus driver, Bell Services.

That is not what I have experienced in my last two stays - once at Sports and once at AoA. I had a carry-on bag and a backpack that I checked with Bell Services (tipping at hand-off but just $1/bag) because my room was not ready or assigned yet. I let them know I was checking in but did not have a room number yet and both times they said "Not a problem. As soon as the room is assigned, we'll take it there for you." And they did.

Not saying that always happens, but in my experience I have not had to call for it.

 

[dansdad]

That is not what I have experienced in my last two stays - once at Sports and once at AoA. I had a carry-on bag and a backpack that I checked with Bell Services (tipping at hand-off but just $1/bag) because my room was not ready or assigned yet. I let them know I was checking in but did not have a room number yet and both times they said "Not a problem. As soon as the room is assigned, we'll take it there for you." And they did.

Not saying that always happens, but in my experience I have not had to call for it.

Your experiences are definitely not the norm. But really cool when it happens.

 

[PrincessArlena'sDad]

I would either:
1. Take DME and have them take your luggage also, skip Disney springs, and go straight to HS.

2. Have DME take your luggage, but take uber/ Lyft to Disney springs with your carry ons. When finished with DS, take bugs to your resort, drop carry ons with bell services, then bus to HS. Luggage can take DME even if you don't.

 

[MarkinNM]

I think Southwest can be one of the worse airlines for putting bags on a flight different than the passenger.

Naw that is Delta, EVERYTIME we have flown Delta their was a baggage issue to point of ridiculous and they punched a hole in a solid case that went all over Europe with no issues and they damaged the suit case beyond repair. They took me to their lost and found and asked me to pick a replacement out of a rather huge storage room of lost items, so much stuff, I laughed at the idea, SW on the other had NEVER had an issue with luggage lost or not in many, many flights, and BTW it is VERY common for luggage to travel on other planes for many various reasons.....

 

[nkereina]

And while ours may be a more extreme example, I've seen enough similar situations reported just on this forum, and worked in logistics long enough to feel pretty confident advising anyone using DME yellow tags to have anything they need for the first day on hand in a carryon or backpack. 3-4 hours is the target, and when things run smoothly it's a very attainable one. But things can (and do) go wrong, at no fault of anyone involved in the process.

No doubt. The advice about packing the carry on accordingly is valid. But still, for the 5 poor DME luggage experiences we may read about here every month, there are thousands of suitcases being delivered every day without issue.