Magical express screwed up

[lisaanddenny]

I received my ME packet in the mail, I planned this trip for 16 people, 4 groups and my ME packet was the only one with wrong flight info, anyone else ever experience this? I called, they fixed it but they said that I will not receive any other notification, I thought that was odd. My online reservation in correct, so I will print that out. Anyone else experience this?

 

[disneynutz]

I received my ME packet in the mail, I planned this trip for 16 people, 4 groups and my ME packet was the only one with wrong flight info, anyone else ever experience this? I called, they fixed it but they said that I will not receive any other notification, I thought that was odd. My online reservation in correct, so I will print that out. Anyone else experience this?

Are talking about your Disney online reservation? I would call and verify the reservation. I had the same thing happen once. Online looked fine, but the actual reservation was wrong and the same incorrect info was passed to DME. They told me that different data bases are used and the info was not updated correctly.

 

[klineyqueen]

Call Disney again. They sent me the wrong stuff one time and I called them and they express mailed the correct packet!

please call them again.

 

[kimis]

I always call a day or two ahead to make sure there aren't any mistakes.

 

[lunalibre]

When we went to the World in June, our ME information was completely messed up. One person was missing entirely from the reservation and the flight information was wrong for me. I called and got it straightened out over the phone. The person I talked to swore the information was correct in their system, but that no, I would not get a new packet. I kept my fingers crossed, used the luggage tags with my kids' names on them (at least their info was completely correct), and everything turned out okay. It also helped that the person who was missing entirely didn't need any luggage tags.

I would call, make sure I had my ME confirmation number, and hope for the best.

 

[CleveRocks]

I received my ME packet in the mail, I planned this trip for 16 people, 4 groups and my ME packet was the only one with wrong flight info, anyone else ever experience this? I called, they fixed it but they said that I will not receive any other notification, I thought that was odd. My online reservation in correct, so I will print that out. Anyone else experience this?

In reality, it doesn't matter if the flight info is wrong.

For your arrival at Orlando, the only reason they even have flight info for you is so they can get a general idea of how many people are arriving at around what time and going to which resorts. Armed with this info, they can dispatch buses as needed. There is not a bus waiting for you personally, so it's not like you won't have a seat on a bus.

The bright yellow DME luggage tags are a signal to those in the bowels of the airport to set your luggage aside for transport to Disney's luggage sorting facility in the grounds of the airport. At the point your luggage will initially be pulled from the luggage stream, they are not looking for your luggage, just for DME-tagged luggage. It's not like they have a list of what they are expecting from Delta Flight 222, and if have different flight info then they'll reject your bag ... it simply doesn't work that way.

The only vital vital vital info on your luggage tag is the barcode. The barcode, when scanned, gives them access to your main reservation number, which in turn gives them access to your main reservation information in the database. If you have a reservation at Polynesian, that will be in the database, and the bags will be routed to the Polynesian.

When you land at Orlando, you must check in at the Disney Welcome Center. It is only when you check-in there that they know you're even at the airport. They will ask how many bags you checked with your airline that you put DME tags on. If, in a reasonable amount of time, that number of bags don't show up in their system as having their barcodes scanned, then they'll start looking for them. But since you've already checked in, they now know your correct flight info, and thus they'll know what to tell/ask your airline about your luggage that hasn't yet been put into Disney's custody.

I'm hoping that an understanding of how the system works will relieve anyone's anxiety about the not uncommon circumstance of funky flight information included in DME packets. Happened to me, too, and on two trips he luggage delivery has worked perfectly for me.

No worries!

 

[anbouk]

Eric, when you check-in at the desk upon arrival, do they physically check a hotel roster with your names, etc. or just scan your dme card to hop on a bus. P.S. We will NOT be checking any luggage in. Thanks for your expertise.

 

[brack]

We've used the service twice and are set for another in three weeks. They have been excellent so far.

I am amazed at how well they do keep track of everything and do as good as they do with this service.

What we tend to forget is that this is a valuable service that Disney gives away for FREE!

 

[anbouk]

this service, I am sure is in the package price somewhere...

 

[a1tinkfans]

I can't even FIND the DME tags they sent us, LOL
But, honestly don't plan on having them pull our luggage anyway, as we pull it ourselves and take it on the bus right to the resort.
It just works better for us so we have everything we want and access to it. Resort gladly hold it for you until room is ready, which honestly I think the longest I have waited was an hour or two (we arrive early am).
Have a wonderful vacation everyone!!

 

[mvazul]

Eric,

Thank you so much for that wonderful information!! I have a question.

I am going to Disney with my mother and sister. I received our DME tags a few weeks ago. I am leaving from Chicago. My mother and sister are leaving from Scranton/Wiles-Barre, PA. I am the one who booked and paid for the trip, so all info has been sent to me. When I received our DME packet, I noticed everything is fine for my sister. However, they had me leaving from PA and my mother was nowhere to be found.

I called Disney to see what was going on. I was told they had me flying from both Chicago and PA. The person I spoke to had no idea what happened to my mother. I was told she would fix it and send out new info. We are leaving in 18 days - tomorrow - and I don't have the updated info. I was told my mother can use the tags with my name due to the info you just gave above. I sent the packet to my mother and sister so they have their tags (even though Mom will be using tags with my name).

My question is....

If I don't receive the new DME luggage tags, can I pick up my own luggage and hand it over at the check-in desk before getting on the bus? Or will I have to take it along with me on the bus and drag it around until I can get in our room since it won't have the tags?

TIA for any info you may have!!

Michelle

 

[CleveRocks]

this service, I am sure is in the package price somewhere...

DME is a huge money-maker for Disney, they don't need to charge for it. If you don't pay for transportation, you have more in your pocket to spend at Disney. If you don't have a rental car and thus don't have easy access to the outside world, you spend more on meals/snacks/entertainment at WDW than if you could easily get to Publix and Universal and Applebee's. Most people don't know about the availability of grocery delivery, so by not having the car service grocery stop or stopping there yourself in a rental car, you ahve no choice but to either spend more on meals at WDW or spend the inflated prices on grocery items at the resort shops. Like I said, DME very easily pays for itself. And that is by design.

On a quick personal note ....

Back in October 2004 I was pricing out WDW vacations for the next spring. I looked at 4 separate one-week times, two of them before May 5, 2005 (DME's launch date) and 2 of them after that -- at that time, DME was not yet announced to the public). The short version is that all 4 weeks were the identical price, to the penny, even though 2 would include DME and 2 would not.

 

[CleveRocks]

Eric,

Thank you so much for that wonderful information!! I have a question.

I am going to Disney with my mother and sister. I received our DME tags a few weeks ago. I am leaving from Chicago. My mother and sister are leaving from Scranton/Wiles-Barre, PA. I am the one who booked and paid for the trip, so all info has been sent to me. When I received our DME packet, I noticed everything is fine for my sister. However, they had me leaving from PA and my mother was nowhere to be found.

I called Disney to see what was going on. I was told they had me flying from both Chicago and PA. The person I spoke to had no idea what happened to my mother. I was told she would fix it and send out new info. We are leaving in 18 days - tomorrow - and I don't have the updated info. I was told my mother can use the tags with my name due to the info you just gave above. I sent the packet to my mother and sister so they have their tags (even though Mom will be using tags with my name).

My question is....

If I don't receive the new DME luggage tags, can I pick up my own luggage and hand it over at the check-in desk before getting on the bus? Or will I have to take it along with me on the bus and drag it around until I can get in our room since it won't have the tags?

TIA for any info you may have!!

Michelle

If you have existing tags for yourself, you can use them. The flight info isn;t what's important, as long as your reservation number is correct.

ALSO ...
DME has a procedure in place if you don't have any DME tags. You don't need to get your own bags! Skip baggage claim, go to the Disney Welcome Center. They'll ask if your checked bags are tagged. WHen you say no, they'll ask for your baggage claim ticket numbers as well as a physical description of each bag (and how many there were). A CM will be dispatched to claim your bags for you, take them back behind-the-scenes, print out new DME tags for them, place a tag on each bag, and send them on their way with the rest of the DME luggage. This procedure has been in place since Day One.

 

[mvazul]

If you have existing tags for yourself, you can use them. The flight info isn;t what's important, as long as your reservation number is correct.

ALSO ...
DME has a procedure in place if you don't have any DME tags. You don't need to get your own bags! Skip baggage claim, go to the Disney Welcome Center. They'll ask if your checked bags are tagged. WHen you say no, they'll ask for your baggage claim ticket numbers as well as a physical description of each bag (and how many there were). A CM will be dispatched to claim your bags for you, take them back behind-the-scenes, print out new DME tags for them, place a tag on each bag, and send them on their way with the rest of the DME luggage. This procedure has been in place since Day One.

Thank you very much! That puts my mind at ease. At this point, I don't have DME tags and I'm not holding my breath.

 

[CleveRocks]

Eric, when you check-in at the desk upon arrival, do they physically check a hotel roster with your names, etc. or just scan your dme card to hop on a bus. P.S. We will NOT be checking any luggage in. Thanks for your expertise.

When you check-in at the Disney Welcome Center, you give them your DME voucher if you have one, and if you don't, just telling them your name will do. They look you up in the computer, and then you're checked-in.

They'll tell you which queue to get in, or if it's not too busy someone will actually lead you to your bus queue. The queues are marked with which resorts each serves, just in case you weren't paying attention.

You then wait until your bus is ready to load. The driver will escort you to the bus, scan your bus voucher, and take any bags you ahve that you'd like stored under the bus. You can take carry-ons into the bus with you, as long as they're small enough to fit under your own seat or onto the overhead shelf. If not, the driver will stow it under the bus for you, and you'll get it back as soon as you arrive at your resort. Even if a carry-on is small enough to go inside the bus, you can elect to have the driver stow it in the cargo bay.