Magical Express, still no luggage tags and transportation?

[michelleiada]

We have a trip planned in May. I know i sound spoiled, but do we really have to get our own luggage at the airport? Ugh!!

 

[Fangorn]

Yes. Still have to get your own luggage and take it to the DME bus. It's a pain. Worse, is not having RAC for the return trip. To me, that service is the best thing that Disney has ever offered to resort guests.

Steve

 

[MICKIMINI]

Count me in as being spoiled too! We've enjoyed getting ME to our resort, especially last year when I was a few weeks prior to total knee replacement. DH couldn't deal with two 49 lb suitcases (hey, they are FREE on SWA!) plus me hobbling around the airport.

I have a car reserved at MCO for two weeks Oct/Nov 2021 for $715! I have another car reserved at Car Care Center four days into our trip for 7 nights (so we can switch BRV to OKW) which is $400...that is hoping ME will resume luggage transport. We finish our trip at OKW, so getting a golf cart ride to ME along with baggage check in at 6 am has been such an easy way to get to MCO. I agree, that "perk" is the BEST and hope it comes back soon.

 

[michelleiada]

Yes. Still have to get your own luggage and take it to the DME bus. It's a pain. Worse, is not having RAC for the return trip. To me, that service is the best thing that Disney has ever offered to resort guests.

Steve

Oh yes! I wasn’t thinking that far ahead but this is a great service. People always comment, when I tell them we are going to Disney again, “you’re going again...its too expensive”. And I agree, its expensive, but all those little extras, like for example, ME and resort airport check in, make that expense worth it. If those things dont come back...not sure Disney will continue to be worth the expense. Pray they come back. These are the things that make Disney special and unlike any other vacation.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

If you feel strongly about the subject, make sure to let Disney know about it: wdw.guest.communications@disneyworld.com

The luggage service was operated by a third-party called "BAGS" out of MCO. I'm not sure if we really know if this was a Disney decision or a Bags situation. But regardless, never hurts to let Disney know how you feel.

 

[Fangorn]

The luggage service was operated by a third-party called "BAGS" out of MCO. I'm not sure if we really know if this was a Disney decision or a Bags situation. But regardless, never hurts to let Disney know how you feel.

It may be a little bit of both. Disney obviously doesn't want to shell out any cash it doesn't have to, and they were paying BAGS for the luggage services.

On the other hand, BAGS laid off most of their workers in March as the travel industry tanked. BAGS also supplied the valet service at the Disney resorts (which i suspect Disney was not paying anything for as the business should be self-funding), and that didn't come back either. That indicates to me that BAGS is in serious financial difficulty right now and couldn't actually provide the services anyway.

Just a theory, but since Disney is still paying for DME, I'm thinking it's more a BAGS issue than Disney cutting the service.

I think it will be back in some form eventually. Way too popular of a perk to eliminate. But they may have to find another partner, and that could take awhile.

Steve

 

[GPC0321]

Not to hijack, but I was just realizing this morning that I've gotten nothing in the mail from ME. I guess since they're not handling luggage, there's no reason, but it kind of made me uneasy. We rented DVC through David's and they arranged DME for us and I still have the email confirming this. I assume there won't be an issue? It's always so uncertain to me since there's nothing on MDE about DME and there's nothing official from them...just the email from David's.

As long as we have a WDW resort reservation we're good though, right? Scan the band and get in line for our bus? (I've done this three times over the past three years, you'd think I'd be more confident!)

 

[Tink Fans]

Not to hijack, but I was just realizing this morning that I've gotten nothing in the mail from ME. I guess since they're not handling luggage, there's no reason, but it kind of made me uneasy. We rented DVC through David's and they arranged DME for us and I still have the email confirming this. I assume there won't be an issue? It's always so uncertain to me since there's nothing on MDE about DME and there's nothing official from them...just the email from David's.

As long as we have a WDW resort reservation we're good though, right? Scan the band and get in line for our bus? (I've done this three times over the past three years, you'd think I'd be more confident!)

We leave this weekend and we did receive information from Magical Express about 10 days ago but if you didn’t get info in mail, Just have them scan the band and your reservation should come up should not be an issue. Happy travels

 

[GPC0321]

We leave this weekend and we did receive information from Magical Express about 10 days ago but if you didn’t get info in mail, Just have them scan the band and your reservation should come up should not be an issue. Happy travels☀

Shoot. We travel Sunday and I never received anything. Oh well. I don't remember them ever asking for anything beyond just scanning our bands.

ETA:
Ha! DME envelop in the mailbox today! Whew! Better late than never!

 

[focusondisney]

Count me in as being spoiled too! We've enjoyed getting ME to our resort, especially last year when I was a few weeks prior to total knee replacement. DH couldn't deal with two 49 lb suitcases (hey, they are FREE on SWA!) plus me hobbling around the airport.

I have a car reserved at MCO for two weeks Oct/Nov 2021 for $715! I have another car reserved at Car Care Center four days into our trip for 7 nights (so we can switch BRV to OKW) which is $400...that is hoping ME will resume luggage transport. We finish our trip at OKW, so getting a golf cart ride to ME along with baggage check in at 6 am has been such an easy way to get to MCO. I agree, that "perk" is the BEST and hope it comes back soon.

So you have a car for 3 weeks? Or 2 cars at some point? I’m kind of confused. But just so you know, bell services will transfer your luggage if you are moving resorts. Really no need to rent a car for that.

 

[MICKIMINI]

So you have a car for 3 weeks? Or 2 cars at some point? I’m kind of confused. But just so you know, bell services will transfer your luggage if you are moving resorts. Really no need to rent a car for that.

I have two rentals. We will only use one and cancel the other. One is from MCO for two weeks and we skip ME. The other option (IF ME handles luggage/check in again) is partway through our split stay using Car Care Center.

We've used bell services to move luggage before as we've been doing this since 1996. We prefer to have a rental for part of the vaca so we can visit family in the Orlando area and visit the beach, plus move our own luggage BRV to OKW, groceries and perhaps outlet shopping LOL.

Thanks for your tip!

 

[imktdqt810]

I came to the Transportation Form looking JUST for this info...if anything has resumed as far the the luggage to DME and the check in for the airport on our way home at the resort. This will be our 3rd WDW visit over 8 years and have not gotten to use the "airport check in" feature on the return flight home yet (mainly due to early flights out and even earlier up and out time at the resorts..like 4AM and 5 AM). When I booked our return flight this time, I had this option in mind and specially chose a noon flight knowing (IF it's up and running) that we can try this perk. Fingers crossed and being hopefully that by June 2021 they are are back and into full swing!

 

[BoatDriver]

Not just one of my favorite perks, but unfortunately one of many that have fallen to the wayside and been lost in recent months.

 

[kristenrice]

Shoot. We travel Sunday and I never received anything. Oh well. I don't remember them ever asking for anything beyond just scanning our bands.

ETA:
Ha! DME envelop in the mailbox today! Whew! Better late than never!

Our Magical Express envelope arrived on the day we arrived in Orlando. This was back in October when my dad and I went by ourselves. I called my DH to let him know we landed safely and he told me there was a Magical Express envelope that arrived THAT DAY in the mail for me. I didn't need it, they just scanned our Magic Bands so we were all set.

 

[leannak]

If you feel strongly about the subject, make sure to let Disney know about it: wdw.guest.communications@disneyworld.com

The luggage service was operated by a third-party called "BAGS" out of MCO. I'm not sure if we really know if this was a Disney decision or a Bags situation. But regardless, never hurts to let Disney know how you feel.

I just sent an email. So sad about the no luggage handling. That’s one of the things that made a Disney vacation doable for large families.

 

[Brett Wyman]

If you feel strongly about the subject, make sure to let Disney know about it: wdw.guest.communications@disneyworld.com

The luggage service was operated by a third-party called "BAGS" out of MCO. I'm not sure if we really know if this was a Disney decision or a Bags situation. But regardless, never hurts to let Disney know how you feel.

Sadly with the end of DME a few months away I doubt they will bring back the extras before they sunset the service altogether.