Magical Express??

[TeamMMouse]

We will arrive at the airport about 8:30p.m. We have heard stories about some not getting their bags through Magical Express until 2-3:00a.m., so we are trying to decide if we should reallly use this service or just collect our bags ourselves. I'm not real excited about taking pjs and bathroom stuff in our airline carryon. Advice please!

 

[Sinderelli]

I'm wondering the same thing, since we do not land until 11:50 pm Someone suggested to me to just take our own luggage. Anyone have experience with this?

 

[Poohbear123]

You can carry on your luggage, or pick it up at baggage claim when you land, and carry it over to ME! They will put it under the bus, and you can get it when you get to the hotel and carry it in with you.

 

[Cmbar]

If you do that, make sure you don't put the yellow tags on your baggage!

 

[TeamMMouse]

Does anyone know the typical timeframe for delivery? I am interested because it saves time at the airport & puts us at the resort sooner. I know we can wait and get our bags - but was wondering if anyone has views on ME and if it is worth it....especially when arriving late.

 

[shelleybell]

How about sending one person to get the bags, and the other person stand in line for ME? You will have a wait time at the airport. You have to stand in line to check in for ME, and then you have to stand in line to wait for your bus.

We gathered our own luggage last May, as we arrived at 10:30pm. On our bus, the majority of people gathered and took their own luggage.

It was much easier than having to wait up(after an already long day) for luggage delivery.

Have a great trip!

shelleybell

 

[TDC Nala]

If your luggage comes in on the B side carousel, don't you then have to haul it across the airport? The Magical Express desk is on the A baggage claim side.

 

[rubbergypsy]

We just returned from POP and our bags arrived around 5pm-our flight got in at 3pm. I always put our swimsuits and necessary bathroom stuff in carry on along with an extra t shirt for each of us-i have a pretty good sized carry on so no prob with room. I love not having to deal with luggage. When we got to POP we changed into our suits and went swimming, when we were done we actually ran into the cm who was delivering our bags! perfect timing.

 

[Amy&Dan]

Our airline does not participate with ME so we have to handle our own bags. It was no big deal and since we arrived at POFQ after midnight I was amazed everybody else wasn't doing the same thing! We just put our stuff on luggage carts and took those right to the bus where the driver loaded the stuff on. I did make sure I tipped the driver accordingly for each bag he handled. Personally, even if my airline did participate I probably would take my own bags. I am way too anal to have to wait for my stuff!

And as someone else said, don't put the luggage tags on your bags if you decide to handle your own luggage!

 

[disnut1149]

Hi!
We used ME in Sept. 2005 and it was great. Arrived at MCO at 1130AM , got to Pop around 12:30 and we were in Epcot by 1:30. When we got back to our room, our bags were there. We did take a small carryon bag with a few things in it, in case our luggage was late. Going again this August and am not hesitating to use it again. Loved it. It was great not to have to get our luggage. If you do use it, I hope it works as well for you as it did for us. Have a great trip!!!

 

[Biscuitsmom31]

We used Magical Express after a late arrival last August. By the time we checked in at got to our cabin (after midnight) our bags were there in about 15 minutes.

 

[CleveRocks]

Our airline does not participate with ME so we have to handle our own bags. It was no big deal and since we arrived at POFQ after midnight I was amazed everybody else wasn't doing the same thing! We just put our stuff on luggage carts and took those right to the bus where the driver loaded the stuff on. I did make sure I tipped the driver accordingly for each bag he handled. Personally, even if my airline did participate I probably would take my own bags. I am way too anal to have to wait for my stuff!

I'm sorry you had such badly incorrect information before your trip. "Participating airline" ONLY matters for your return trip home. EVERYONE who arrives via commercial airline at MCO and is staying at a Disney owned-and-operated resort gets the full DME treatment, most especially including the luggage handling/delivery to your resort. Someone told you wrong info.

It's on the way back from your resort to MCO that "participating airline" matters with luggage handling.

I'm pointing this out for the benefit of anyone who is taking their trip soon. Even if your airline is not on the list of "participating airlines," you STILL get your luggage "magically appearing" inside your resort room, as long as you put the DME tags on your checked luggage.

 

[CleveRocks]

We will arrive at the airport about 8:30p.m. We have heard stories about some not getting their bags through Magical Express until 2-3:00a.m., so we are trying to decide if we should reallly use this service or just collect our bags ourselves. I'm not real excited about taking pjs and bathroom stuff in our airline carryon. Advice please!

You're really chancing having a very uncomfortable first night if you decide it's too much of a pain to pack PJs and toiletries in your carry-on. I'm not talking about DME, I'm talking about YOUR AIRLINE. Airlines misdirect 10,000 bags a DAY. I've had luggage delayed by a day of so because it took a more interesting trip than I did! Packing for the first 24 hours of your trip is just good planning, DME or not. It just makes good sense. It can make the difference between a lousy first day/night and a normal first day/night.

My flight to WDW landed in the morning, we checked in by lunch time, and our DME luggage magically appeared in our room sometime while we were at the resort pool with our kids. We sure as heck didn't wear our swimsuits on the airplane! In our carry-ons we had a change of clothes for each of us, swimsuits, "beach shoes," toiletries, medications, PJs, diapers for the little one, bedtime buddies for both kids, some snacks, etc. Sounds like a lot, but it really takes up very little room, ESPECIALLY when you're talking about warm weather clothes. If you just experiment and try it at home, you'll see how very little room it takes up. I do this EVERY time I fly anywhere, always have. And unfortunately, I've had to actually use this advice twice in my life. Glad I was prepared, KWIM?

Think of taking things in a carry-on as a kind of insurance policy against the airline delaying your luggage, and thus delaying your enjoyment of your vacation. For me, for my time, my money, and my family's enjoyment, I can't leave something like that up to chance.

ENJOY WDW!