Many Magical Express Questions

[Terk-1]

Have never taken DME before and have several questions.

1. I am flying via Southwest. What terminal does this airline fly into?

2. How long does it actually take for DME to deliver your luggage to your resort?

3. Am arriving into MCO around 10:30am. When should I expect to see my luggage at my resort?

4. Is your luggage held at the Bell Desk or do they deliver it to your room?

5. How do I get from the incoming Southwest gate to the DME counter?

6. If I decide to claim my own luggage, where do I go to get the luggage?

7. If a registered guest arrives later than another guest in that room, how do they get their tickets for DME? Does the 2nd guest need to get a printout or some type of proof fom the resort to show they are a guest?

8. How long of a ride is it from MCO to POFQ on DME? How many resorts does each bus make? Is there a minimum or maximum amount of stops?

9. Our flight home is at 3:30pm. What time will our bus pick us up for the return back to MCO?

10. We were planning on hitting a park early that morning. Can we check out and store our luggage with Bell Services to hold until the DME bus?

11. Is there a special place we need to go to catch this bus?

12. How early do we need to be at the stop prior to our DME to MCO?

 

[Lewisc]

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=14836897&postcount=24

Will give you an idea.

1. SW uses gate uses the gate 100-129 air side terminal, A side of the airport.
2. A couple hours after your room is available. Most of us don't know. We're at the pool, having lunch or in a theme park when it's delivered.
3. Same as 2.
4.Delivered directly to your room, bell services is pre-tipped by Disney, you don't have to be in your room.
5. See above map.
6. You don't want to. Terminal A baggage claim, then you go back up to level three, walk across the terminal and then go down to level one.
7.You'll get a DME voucher and 2 yellow bar coded luggage tags for everyone on your reservation. The later guest just goes to the DME desk and takes a bus.
8. The bus will normally service 3 or 4 resorts. Not much more than an hour from the time you land to the time you arrive at your resort.
9. About 3 hours before your flight.
10 Yes
11. Same place you're dropped off.
12. At least 15 minutes if you have luggage that has to be retrieved from storage.

Have never taken DME before and have several questions.

1. I am flying via Southwest. What terminal does this airline fly into?

2. How long does it actually take for DME to deliver your luggage to your resort?

3. Am arriving into MCO around 10:30am. When should I expect to see my luggage at my resort?

4. Is your luggage held at the Bell Desk or do they deliver it to your room?

5. How do I get from the incoming Southwest gate to the DME counter?

6. If I decide to claim my own luggage, where do I go to get the luggage?

7. If a registered guest arrives later than another guest in that room, how do they get their tickets for DME? Does the 2nd guest need to get a printout or some type of proof fom the resort to show they are a guest?

8. How long of a ride is it from MCO to POFQ on DME? How many resorts does each bus make? Is there a minimum or maximum amount of stops?

9. Our flight home is at 3:30pm. What time will our bus pick us up for the return back to MCO?

10. We were planning on hitting a park early that morning. Can we check out and store our luggage with Bell Services to hold until the DME bus?

11. Is there a special place we need to go to catch this bus?

12. How early do we need to be at the stop prior to our DME to MCO?

 

[goofy4tink]

Have never taken DME before and have several questions.

1. I am flying via Southwest. What terminal does this airline fly into?

2. How long does it actually take for DME to deliver your luggage to your resort?

3. Am arriving into MCO around 10:30am. When should I expect to see my luggage at my resort?

4. Is your luggage held at the Bell Desk or do they deliver it to your room?

5. How do I get from the incoming Southwest gate to the DME counter?

6. If I decide to claim my own luggage, where do I go to get the luggage?

7. If a registered guest arrives later than another guest in that room, how do they get their tickets for DME? Does the 2nd guest need to get a printout or some type of proof fom the resort to show they are a guest?

8. How long of a ride is it from MCO to POFQ on DME? How many resorts does each bus make? Is there a minimum or maximum amount of stops?

9. Our flight home is at 3:30pm. What time will our bus pick us up for the return back to MCO?

10. We were planning on hitting a park early that morning. Can we check out and store our luggage with Bell Services to hold until the DME bus?

11. Is there a special place we need to go to catch this bus?

12. How early do we need to be at the stop prior to our DME to MCO?

Okay...
1. Side A

2. depends on a lot of things...Pack your stuff to change into in your carryon.

3. you should be at resort by noon, luggage anytime after that...most likely by 2 or so.

4. they will put it in your room

5. head to the center of the terminal and then cross to Side B, head to bottom level (level 1)

6. the baggage carousel for Side A

7. DME should have both names on file. If arriving at different times, just head to the DME and give them your name. No problems at all.

8. about 30 minutes...3-4 stops for each run

9. 12:30

10. yes

11. you will go to the same spot you were dropped off at, at POR it would be just outside the lobby.

12. if your pickup time is 12:30, you should be at the bus stop by 12:15...when they say the bus leaves at 12:30 they aren't kidding. A word, even though you didn't ask about it...leave plenty of time to get your bags from bell services. A lot of folks will be doing the same as you...so be at the bag area by 11:55-12:00 at the latest. Better safe than sorry.

 

[Terk-1]

I don't usually check a bag, but since I can't bring 1/2 the stuff in my toiletry bag in my carry-on, am going to have to check it this trip.

I arrive mid-morning on the day after Thanksgiving. Where it's going to be a bit crowded to begin with, was thinking it would probably be easier (and less stressful) to just head to baggage claim, get my luggage, then head to the DME counter. This way I know I have my luggage and even if the room is not ready at check-in, I know my luggage is there when I return later on. Have read alot of posts about serious delays in receiving luggage via DME.

 

[Hugpug]

Terk-1 I am coming in same day as you but on American Airlines. Due to arrive around 2:30 heading for POP for 2 nights then WL. Youg Bags wil go to your room I wood guess about 2-3 hours after you check In. No need to be in you room. I would make sure you are at the bus stop as stated 15 or so before your pick up time which is 3 hours before your flight and they don't wait believe me. You will will love POFQ I stayed there last year.

 

[Lewisc]

There have been very few posts regarding serious delays and even then we don't know if the airline misdirected the bags.

I'd skip baggage claim. You don't have to be in your room for DME luggage delivery but you do if you have your bags stored. What difference does it make if your luggage takes 2 hours or 6 hours? It'll be there when you get back to your room.

I don't usually check a bag, but since I can't bring 1/2 the stuff in my toiletry bag in my carry-on, am going to have to check it this trip.

I arrive mid-morning on the day after Thanksgiving. Where it's going to be a bit crowded to begin with, was thinking it would probably be easier (and less stressful) to just head to baggage claim, get my luggage, then head to the DME counter. This way I know I have my luggage and even if the room is not ready at check-in, I know my luggage is there when I return later on. Have read alot of posts about serious delays in receiving luggage via DME.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Where it's going to be a bit crowded to begin with, was thinking it would probably be easier (and less stressful) to just head to baggage claim, get my luggage, then head to the DME counter. This way I know I have my luggage and even if the room is not ready at check-in, I know my luggage is there when I return later on.

I'm not sure I understand the advantage of having your luggage even though your room isn't ready. That means having to leave your bags with bell services and then arranging to get your bags returned to you. Of course, tipping is customary in that case. And you're likely to have to wait until a bellman is not helping someone else.

With DME, your bags will be delivered to your room some time after it's ready. You don't have to be in your room when the bags are delivered. And Disney takes care of the inbound luggage delivery tip. That sounds good to me!

For more discussion on why some people choose to retrieve their own bags from baggage claim, see Nervous about Magical Express — and read all the pages. There are people for whom the Magical Express luggage transfers are not appropriate. That has less to do with Magical Express, and more to do with the people themselves.

 

[grimgrinner]

Thank you for your in depth reply. Even tho it wasn't my question, you alleviated some of my fears...BUT, what if I am late, how often do the transports depart?

 

[CleveRocks]

Thank you for your in depth reply. Even tho it wasn't my question, you alleviated some of my fears...BUT, what if I am late, how often do the transports depart?

You are not assigned to a specific bus, so it's not like you can be late for "your" bus, if you follow what I mean. Maybe your flight is delayed, maybe you stopped to get a bite to eat, or maybe you're like my mother-in-law, who, I'm dead serious here, wanted to shop in the stores at the airport when we arrived because she was concerned she wouldn't have enough retail options during our week in WDW. In any case, you won't miss your ride to your resort.

The buses don't run on a set schedule, it's all based on need, which they can pretty much gauge by reservations. Under normal circumstances you shouldn't have to wait much longer than about 15-20 minutes for a bus at worst, again under normal circumstances. Just as likely as waiting 20 minutes is boarding the bus just one minute before it leaves.

 

[Lewisc]

Thank you for your in depth reply. Even tho it wasn't my question, you alleviated some of my fears...BUT, what if I am late, how often do the transports depart?

CleveRocks accurately described the process at MCO but your question isn't clear.

You're assigned a specific bus time for your trip back to MCO. DME allows time for your bus to make a few stops, traffic and still give you enough time at MCO. If you miss your return bus at your resort you have to find, and pay for, your own transportation to MCO. Basically you'll have to pay for a cab.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

CleveRocks accurately described the process at MCO but your question isn't clear.

You're assigned a specific bus time for your trip back to MCO. DME allows time for your bus to make a few stops, traffic and still give you enough time at MCO. If you miss your return bus at your resort you have to find, and pay for, your own transportation to MCO. Basically you'll have to pay for a cab.

I must admit that I once missed the scheduled DME pickup time for the trip back to the airport. I don't recommend missing the pickup. Also, I think that the pickup time approximately three hours before the scheduled flight departure is good and realistic.

Anyway, we missed our pickup. It was early afternoon, and DME motorcoaches to the airport were calling on OKW every 30 minutes. We asked the bell service desk about taking the next DME motorcoach. In our case, there was no problem. There were plenty of empty seats on the motorcoach. We made one quick stop (at SSR) for more guests; only a few people boarded. We got to the airport with plenty of time to spare.

Again, I don't recommend missing your pickup time. If the next DME motorcoach had been fully booked, or if there had not been another pickup so soon, we would have had to pay for a cab.

My reason for posting this is to point out that it may be possible to take the next DME motorcoach, but, then again, it may not be.

And if we had missed our flight because we missed our scheduled pickup, we would have had only ourselves to blame.

 

[seashoreCM]

Thank you for your in depth reply. Even tho it wasn't my question, you alleviated some of my fears...BUT, what if I am late, how often do the transports depart?

Going to Disney you can be early or late fro DME; you could even stop off for lunch in the airport. Except, late at night, someone in your party should report to the DME welcoming area immediately after getting off the plane.

Going home you must be on time. We actually recommend aiming to be back at the resort an hour before your assigned bus leaves for the airport. You never know what problems you could run into for example the bellhops may be too busy to go get your carry-ons quickly.

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

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

In post #11 in this thread I described my experience taking a later DME ride to the airport when we missed our scheduled pickup. I tried to make it clear that nobody should count on being able to return to the airport on a later DME motorcoach departure.

I want to add that my experience was a year ago. It's quite possible that policies have changed. So, I repeat, don't count on being allowed to take a later DME departure.

However, if you miss your pickup for any reason, don't immediately reach into your wallet for 50+ dollars for a cab, without first asking about the possibility of riding on the next DME motorcoach.