Magical Express - Staggered?

[xipetotec]

So my cousin is booking a trip with her kids and BF. He's on a separate flight however and will be arriving 4 hours BEFORE them at MCO.

Rather than go into the resort, he would like to wait for her at the airport and head in together. ( I guess they want to see the WDW gate together ). To anyone's knowledge, will Magical Express allow them to do this? Or will they INSIST he take the bus in and wait for her at the resort?

 

[Sandi]

He can wait as long as he likes. We've done this a couple of times when meeting up with family from another state and our flights are within an hour of each other. I'm not sure that I'd be able to wait 4 hours, but that's not what you asked. DME doesn't know you're ready to go to the resort until you present yourself for transportation. They might be curious about his luggage arriving so early, but that won't be a problem either. (One time, we missed a connection but our luggage somehow made the connection. Our bags where in our room when we arrived about an hour later than we were supposed to arrive.)

 

[xipetotec]

He can wait as long as he likes. We've done this a couple of times when meeting up with family from another state and our flights are within an hour of each other. I'm not sure that I'd be able to wait 4 hours, but that's not what you asked. DME doesn't know you're ready to go to the resort until you present yourself for transportation. They might be curious about his luggage arriving so early, but that won't be a problem either. (One time, we missed a connection but our luggage somehow made the connection. Our bags where in our room when we arrived about an hour later than we were supposed to arrive.)

That's good news. To be honest, I don't know why he would want to wait THERE either. Why not just go ahead to the resort and wait in the lobby ( or some pre-designated meeting area )... seems more pleasant than waiting 4 hours in MCO...

The only thing I can think is that maybe she wants to experience driving through the WDW arches with him ( he's never been )... other than that...

Thanks for the reply!

 

[seashoreCM]

He can wait as long as he likes. We've done this a couple of times when meeting up with family from another state and our flights are within an hour of each other. I'm not sure that I'd be able to wait 4 hours, but that's not what you asked. DME doesn't know you're ready to go to the resort until you present yourself for transportation. They might be curious about his luggage arriving so early, but that won't be a problem either. (One time, we missed a connection but our luggage somehow made the connection. Our bags where in our room when we arrived about an hour later than we were supposed to arrive.)

If you dilly dally at the airport, say, waiting for someone or grabbing a bite to eat, that will not perturb either your DME reservation or the baggage handling process to your room.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

If you dilly dally at the airport, say, waiting for someone or grabbing a bite to eat, that will not perturb either your DME reservation or the baggage handling process to your room.

I always thought that your bags wouldn't be delivered to your room for up to 3 hours AFTER you check in at the resort.

If that is true, then he would be waiting an awful long time for his luggage.

Is my thinking incorrect?

 

[bumbershoot]

If there's any airport where it's relatively pleasant to hang around, it's MCO, in my opinion. So much fun shopping (and I"m not a "shopper"). Get a head's up on the souvenirs he might want to buy.

 

[goofy4tink]

Yes, the bags are held until 'up to 3 hrs after resort checkin'. BUT....that's not because it takes that long to get luggage from MCO. Here's an example...
The Smith's plane arrives at MCO at 10am....they have tagged their bags with DME tags, so figure the bags will be in their room. They get to POR (for instance) at 11:15, but their room isn't ready yet...official time is 3pm, if I remember correctly. So...even if their bags were there, there isn't any room to put them in...so they are held in baggage storage. And usually by the time the room is ready, the bags are there and they are ready to be delivered.....and that is usually within 3 or so hours. It isn't often that a guest has to wait more than 3 hrs for their room to be ready.
On the other hand...let's say the Smith's arrive at MCO at 3:30, and subsequently get to POR by 5pm. The room is ready, but the bags haven't arrived yet. But, if the Smith's head out for dinner, the bags may very well be in the room when they return, just an hour or so later.

DME needs to give themselves some leeway for room availability.

So....pack that carryon with anything that you may need. Then, the BF can hang at MCO until everyone else gets there. His bags will be at the resort, waiting for him, most likely. Everyone should get their bags a few hours after they get to the resort.

 

[seashoreCM]

I always thought that your bags wouldn't be delivered to your room for up to 3 hours AFTER you check in at the resort.?

We might say it this way: The goal of DME is for your bags to get to your resort within 3* hours after you can get there.

(Some curfews at Pop Century and the All Stars will result in longer room delivery times for guests arriving in the evening.)

* Or is it 2 hours so most room deliveries are completed within 3?

 

[xipetotec]

Well the bags are not really an issue ( earlier, later, whatever )

However, now she's telling me she thinks they're going to not put the tags on and pull their own bags. She tried to explain her reasoning to me, I see *zero* reason why this is a good idea to her. ( I can see people wanting immediate access to luggage, but this was not her reasoning.. I don't know ). Whatever, the fact that BF can wait around for her is good enough for me. That's where my involvement ( information gathering ) kinda ends. Beyond that we're all meeting later that day at a park ( we're all arriving on different flights, and different resorts... large group ).

Thanks for the great replies!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Okay, what IS her reasoning? We'll try to help you with even more reasons why she uld tag her bags!

 

[xipetotec]

Okay, what IS her reasoning? We'll try to help you with even more reasons why she uld tag her bags!

Well since you requested, I emailed her and it sort of makes sense. ( assuming she can pack LIGHT ). She is flying with American Airlines and wants to avoid baggage fees. So she is going to try and bring only carry-on.

 

[goofy4tink]

Just to add to the whole 'checked' luggage vs 'carryon' luggage issue...we are two couples flying down to WDW in a week or so. Not flying into MCO but Sanford, so we'll have a car. BUT....we really don't care to add almost $60 to each couple's cost by each checking a bag. We are going to try to do carryon only...now I know I can do it, and my dh should be able to under my guidance. The other couple??? Remains to be seen. We may decide to check just one bag between us...we'll put our stuff in plastic ziploc baggies to keep them straight. Then, it will only be $30 per couple....$15 each way, for our halp the bag.
It can be done, but you do have to be willing to go without some stuff. And if the stay is longer, you will need to do laundry.

 

[nkereina]

Well the bags are not really an issue ( earlier, later, whatever )

However, now she's telling me she thinks they're going to not put the tags on and pull their own bags. She tried to explain her reasoning to me, I see *zero* reason why this is a good idea to her. ( I can see people wanting immediate access to luggage, but this was not her reasoning.. I don't know ). Whatever, the fact that BF can wait around for her is good enough for me. That's where my involvement ( information gathering ) kinda ends. Beyond that we're all meeting later that day at a park ( we're all arriving on different flights, and different resorts... large group ).

Thanks for the great replies!

We usually pull our own bags and bring them on the bus. I usually need immediate access to my luggage and if my room is ready, I like to unpack before anything else. If we were heavy packers, had more than one bag, or had kids with us we probably wouldn't do this because that would definitely be a hassle to lug bags from baggage claim all the way to the other side to DME.

 

[Sandi]

Well since you requested, I emailed her and it sort of makes sense. ( assuming she can pack LIGHT ). She is flying with American Airlines and wants to avoid baggage fees. So she is going to try and bring only carry-on.

If they are carry-on bags, she isn't going to be "pulling" them from the baggage carousel. She'll just literally be pulling her bags. We have done carry-on only to Europe for a week, but I'm not sure I could do carry-on only for WDW.

 

[xipetotec]

If they are carry-on bags, she isn't going to be "pulling" them from the baggage carousel. She'll just literally be pulling her bags. We have done carry-on only to Europe for a week, but I'm not sure I could do carry-on only for WDW.

Well now THAT remains to be seen . I know our family couldn't do it. Especially that we're going for 10 days... Fortunately, we're flying with air Canada, who doesn't charge for first checked bag ( whew ). We got burned when we went to California last year by flying with United... we're a family of 5 who all had their own bag ... and it hurt.