Magical Express Review on Mousesavers

[LoriR]

I just wanted to let you know there is a review of ME newly posted on the Mousesavers.com front page. Doesn't look very good!

I REALLY hope things improve in the near future. I'll be watching reports closely for the next few weeks.

Lori

 

[bridgettesmom]

This is what I was afraid of... I guess I will keep my rental car


Maybe, for our next trip in December these "glitches" will be gone.


Thank you for posting!!

 

[momsgoofy]

We arrive at MCO on 6/1 around 3:30pm...right now I'm holding out for ME to get it together. The part about long lines, waits doesn't scare me as much as not having my luggage until the well into the night. IF things don't seem to shape up from the reports I read here and at other sites, then I may get a last minute rental or towncar service...we'll just have to see.

 

[SB in KY]

Call me an eternal optimist, but I really think a lot of the luggage delay was due to the fact that tags did not get mailed out in time....I am assuming that will be back on track in a week or so if not sooner and the luggage transit time will speed up considerably...just to be safe I will take items we might want soon after arrival in the carry ons and then we can hit the parks and I won't care when the luggage arrives!!

I don't think it will ever be as convienent as having a towncar driver standing there with your name on a sign...but in 8 trips using towncar services over the years exactly one time did everything go exactly as planned (driver waiting when we arrived and showed up on time for the return....they weren't all big problems, but at the price we paid each time I expected flawless service and was usually disappointed....ditto with car rentals, exactly 3 times I can ever recall walking right up to the counter or the car, getting in and driving away without delay, and that is out of probably 20+ rental experiences at MCO, again most were not nightmare experiences, just long line waits or delays getting the car, or incorrect charges at return that had to be corrected when we got home, etc.)...so am I willing to suffer some of the same types of minor glitches we have usually experienced with rentals ot town cars to save the $100+??.....yep!!!

 

[SDFgirl]

Call me an eternal optimist, but I really think a lot of the luggage delay was due to the fact that tags did not get mailed out in time....I am assuming that will be back on track in a week or so if not sooner and the luggage transit time will speed up considerably...just to be safe I will take items we might want soon after arrival in the carry ons and then we can hit the parks and I won't care when the luggage arrives!!

I don't think it will ever be as convienent as having a towncar driver standing there with your name on a sign...but in 8 trips using towncar services over the years exactly one time did everything go exactly as planned (driver waiting when we arrived and showed up on time for the return....they weren't all big problems, but at the price we paid each time I expected flawless service and was usually disappointed....ditto with car rentals, exactly 3 times I can ever recall walking right up to the counter or the car, getting in and driving away without delay, and that is out of probably 20+ rental experiences at MCO, again most were not nightmare experiences, just long line waits or delays getting the car, or incorrect charges at return that had to be corrected when we got home, etc.)...so am I willing to suffer some of the same types of minor glitches we have usually experienced with rentals ot town cars to save the $100+??.....yep!!!

Well said! I would like this all to work perfectly, but I don't really expect it to. If I get a free ride to the resort and my luggage within a reasonable amount of time...I will be happy.

By the way...from a fellow Kentuckian...GO BABY GO! What a race!!

 

[DebbieB]

I arrived today and rented a car as usual. I don't like busses and love having the rental car to get around. I did notice there were alot of Magical Express cm's in the airport, both in the arrival area of the terminal and in baggage claim. I also saw quite a few ME busses around. It took us about 25 minutes to get our luggage, Air Tran had 6 flights of luggage coming off the same carousel. For those without ME tags, there's no way I would hand my claim checks over and expect a ME cm to find my bags. The bags were coming constantly, how could they possibly read the tags.

 

[bsusanmb]

Mary states on her web page that the ME does not take passengers on return Southwest flights. When I made my ressie I was told that ME did take Southwest and they took my flight info. Don't know what I will do. I guess I will get a rental car. Going 6/3-6/15. Also surprised that I have not heard from the AKL concierge people. I have my stay booked and have not heard a word or received any mailings from them. Guess everyone is busy.
Can't wait to get there.

 

[Disneymomofsix]

The info that I have read about Southwest and other non-participating airlines states that those of us using Southwest or others can still use ME on the way back- we just can't participate in whatever kind of check in they have on the way back. Someone else may remember what it is, but I think it is where you can check your bags in at the resort versus checking them in at the airport. I have heard conflicting info on this, but I think that those of us flying Southwest will put our luggage under the bus while people on participating airlines will not have to handle their luggage. For me, it was still worth it due to the cheap fare.

 

[TDC Nala]

Non participating airlines can still get a ride but can't get their luggage checked in at the resort or get a boarding pass ahead of time. Passengers have to put their own luggage onto the bus, take it into the airport and check it themselves.

 

[dkrause716]

I read Mary's review and I have been reading all ME on these boards. I feel confident that Disney will straighten this out, especially by the time we go in July. Call me an optimist!

Hey airlines lose luggage (also throw it around causing damage) all the time. We always carry on essentials, a change of clothes and bathing suits anyway.

Let's send some Pixie Dust to DME!!

 

[seashoreCM]

It took us about 25 minutes to get our luggage, Air Tran had 6 flights of luggage coming off the same carousel. For those without ME tags, there's no way I would hand my claim checks over and expect a ME cm to find my bags. The bags were coming constantly, how could they possibly read the tags.

I would expect that one of three things would happen after you get off your plane and (should) go first to the Magical Express welcoming area and you have checked baggage without ME tags:
1. You are sent to the carousel alone to fetch your bags which you may or may not be required to re-check with ME at any time before you board the bus.
2. You need to accompany a CM to the carousel, you pick out your bags while the CM stands there. After you have picked up your bags you may or may not be required to recheck them with ME anytime from immediately with the CM who accompanied you to the time you are about to join the queue for the bus.
3. A CM takes your baggage tags and a brief description of your bags and goes to the carousel without you but waits until (or leaves and comes back later when) the crowds and most of the baggage are gone, then picks out your bags from what is left.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/magicx.htm

I read the Mousesavers. com article and some persons were reporting having missed some appointments/events while waiting for Magical Express.

Who was at/in the long lines (1) the week Test Track opened, (2) the week Splash Mountain opened, (3) the week Tower of Terror opened, (4) the week Disney MGM Studios opened, etc.?

 

[Disney_1derland]

Well, considering that I have now called 5 times to get my flight information onto my reservation and NONE of those times is it still there when I call back, I am VERY uneasy about the service. We arrive Thursday and I don't think a week is enough time for them to get it straightened out.

A friend of mine arrived yesterday and I talked to her late last night. She did NOT have luggage tags and she had to wait in the first line to talk to someone about her luggage and then in a seperate line to check in for the busses. By the time she boarded the bus it had been 1 hour and 20 minutes since her flight. By the time she got to her hotel it had been 2 hours and 30 minutes since she landed. She got into her room at 4:45 yesterday afternoon and and 9pm her luggage still had not arrived. At 11pm it finally made it to her room and she found out from the bellboy that it had been at the resort since 7pm but they did not have enough people on staff to distribute it quickly so it took another 4 hours to get it to her room. She is staying at CBR.

I know that it will get better, but it's going to take some time and I *don't* think that it will be better by Thursday, so we are taking a towncar, like usual.

 

[maxiesmom]

This is making me very uneasy! I leave for Disney in 10 days! I think I am going to bite the bullet and get a towncar. As it is just me, it will be expensive, but my peace of mind is worth it!

 

[seashoreCM]

Well, considering that I have now called 5 times to get my flight information onto my reservation and NONE of those times is it still there when I call back, I am VERY uneasy about the service. We arrive Thursday and I don't think a week is enough time for them to get it straightened out.

Use the Magical Express hotline, 866-599-0951, to plug in your flight info. And request a written ME confirmation and get the name of the person you talked to on at least two tries, then (if you are arriving before 10 PM) don't bother to call any more.

Once you give your flight number, if they forget it it really should not make any difference unless your flight is delayed and/or you arrive after about 10 PM. Don't ask about your ME reservation, assume you have one when you step off the plane. Just smile and be friendly to the ME airport hosts and ask as few questions as you can get away with as you follow the hosts' instructions.

Next trip: mid-May 2005, off site therefore can't use ME.

 

[CarolA]

Mary states on her web page that the ME does not take passengers on return Southwest flights. When I made my ressie I was told that ME did take Southwest and they took my flight info. Don't know what I will do. I guess I will get a rental car. Going 6/3-6/15. Also surprised that I have not heard from the AKL concierge people. I have my stay booked and have not heard a word or received any mailings from them. Guess everyone is busy.
Can't wait to get there.

Usually Mary has good information, but in this case I think she is wrong and you are right. They will take you on SW, but you will have to haul your luggage. What she should have said is they won't check luggage for the return. That is actually a different part of ME and run by a specially approved vendor not Disney.

 

[PocahontasLookALike]

I leave in 20 days and I too will have faith that Disney will get it together. I have not received tags yet, but am thinking that if I don't, I'll just get my own luggage and take it to the bus and have them put it underneath. Great info on this thread!

 

[golfgal]

I think, also, that had Disney not had the problems with the luggage tags for this first weekend, things would have gone more smoothly. I am curious to see what the next couple weeks brings for those going that got tags in advance.

 

[BettyCv]

I leave in 20 days and I too will have faith that Disney will get it together. I have not received tags yet, but am thinking that if I don't, I'll just get my own luggage and take it to the bus and have them put it underneath. Great info on this thread!

I've been following the ME threads pretty closely because we will be arriving at WDW on May 15th... I have read reports that you are NOT allowed to take anything but carryons onto the ME bus. Just wanted to give you a heads up... You might want to call ME to find out the official word on this.

Betty

 

[Luv2Roam]

There is not much room overhead for carry-ons. But there the large typical luggage compartment under the bus. I imagine most luggage will just be stored underneath during the drive, for those with luggage.

 

[Blueeyes101817]

im getting really nervous about this!! im going on wednesday morning and we are taking ME..we have luggage tags, will this make it easier? i wish we could just grab our luggage and have them put it on our bus!