Magical Express: Return trip and tipping

[icarus]

I know that this has probably been covered, but I am going to ask anyway.

I understand that my bags will arrive in my room sometime during the day of our arrival, and that I won't see them until this time, after I check them at Providence before we fly to Orlando. Does the same thing happen on the way back, or do I have to take them off of the bus and go to the airport check-in like normal?

Also, I'd be curious as to how the bell people feel about this service, as it seems that it takes away their chance of tips. If you never see the bags or the person that brought them to your room, I would assume that you wouldn't have any one to tip. - any thought on this?

 

[Tink's Pixieduster]

How you check your luggage on your departure date depends entirely on which airline you are flying with. If you are flying on American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Jet Blue, Northwest, Delta Air Lines/Song, United Airlines (and Ted), you can use Resort Airline Check-in (RAC). I think Air Tran may also have recently been added to this list, but since I haven't flown with them I don't know for certain (I KNOW someone will jump in here to set me straight ).

To use the RAC, you go to the RAC desk at your resort where your luggage will be checked for you and your boarding pass will be printed. From that point forward, you will not see your checked luggage until you arrive at your home airport. Here is a link to a very good article at All Ears that provides a much more thorough explanation of how the system works. http://allearsnet.com/acc/mexpress.htm

If you are not flying with an airline participating in RAC, your luggage will go on the ME bus with you to the airport and you will have to check it there, as usual.

As for tipping, we have had luggage delivered to our room while we were in it (our luggage did not beat us to the room), and in this case we always tip the delivery person. Also, don't forget about the ME driver. Tipping the ME drivers is optional, but most people will tip, especially if the driver handles your luggage, even if it is just a carry-on that is stowed on the bus for you.

As for how bell services feel about it, your guess would be as good as mine.

 

[icarus]

. . . Tipping the ME drivers is optional, but most people will tip, especially if the driver handles your luggage, even if it is just a carry-on that is stowed on the bus for you.

I am assuming that when you get on the bus, at least going to Disney, the luggage is already on the bus, or do you actually see the driver putting the luggage on? The way they make it sound is that you don't see the bags unitl they get to your room. So, without bags in hand, is it safe to say that there's a stream of people getting on the bus, tipping the driver, even though the bag transaction doesn't happen between them and the driver?
- again, I'm talking about on the way to Disney.

- no, we don't have RAC.


Thanks, again

 

[Brian_WDW74]

I think Air Tran may also have recently been added to this list, but since I haven't flown with them I don't know for certain (I KNOW someone will jump in here to set me straight ).

Okay, I'll jump in. As of May 5th, AirTran has been a part of the Resort Airline Check-In Service.

 

[goofy4tink]

. . . Tipping the ME drivers is optional, but most people will tip, especially if the driver handles your luggage, even if it is just a carry-on that is stowed on the bus for you.

I am assuming that when you get on the bus, at least going to Disney, the luggage is already on the bus, or do you actually see the driver putting the luggage on? The way they make it sound is that you don't see the bags unitl they get to your room. So, without bags in hand, is it safe to say that there's a stream of people getting on the bus, tipping the driver, even though the bag transaction doesn't happen between them and the driver?
- again, I'm talking about on the way to Disney.

- no, we don't have RAC.


Thanks, again

If you have put those yellow luggage tags on your checked bags back in Providence, they will be pulled before they ever make it out of the baggage area when the plane lands. Then, the bags are put on trucks that deliver the luggage to various resorts. You will get your luggage up to three hours after you checkin at your resort. If you happen to be there, in the room, when the bags are delivered, you do not have to tip the luggage deliverer. They have already been tipped. You can tip them if you want, but they shouldn't be expecting it. That is part of using DME..you do not have to be in your room to get your bags, hence no tipping is required.
If you decide to not use the yellow tags, you will have to go to baggage claim on level 2 to get your bags. Then you will take all your luggage down to level 1, where you will checkin with DME, be directed to the appropriate bus, you take your bags to the bus, the driver will load the bags underneath the bus, you get on and off you go. When you get to the resort, it is nice to tip the driver $1 a bag for his help.

If you have only carryon bags with you on the bus (because you used those yellow tags) and you keep the bag with you, rather than give it to the driver, then there is no tip involved. Only if the driver touches your bag would a tip be nice. Now...there have been occasions where I have had no bags but still tipped the driver because he made the ride so enjoyable. But, I have had drivers who did touch my bags and I have not given them a dime. Why? Because not only is there a sign at the front of the bus saying that gratuities are gratefully accepted, the driver actually said it at the end of the ride!!!

Hope that helped clear it up a bit!!