ME and baggage

[bab31]

but a lesson learned for us. We took a trip to Tucson for a family reunion. My husband took a later flight than I (couple days later) His flight was delayed in Chicago for weather. His bags went who knows where...we had to go out and purchase a comb, underwear,deodorant, socks, a shirt and a pair of shorts. His bag finally showed up the day before he was to leave to return- never even had to unpack. Those bad stories you hear about..hmmm.... maybe the blame is being put in the wrong place? I think so. Our lesson- we now pack for such an incident when we travel. It was a pain to have to go out an purchase this stuff- took time away from my family get together. So be prepared if when you are waiting for your bags at the carousel and they dont show you will loose lots of time dealing with the airline and shopping because you didnt prepare with your carry on. And one of the perks of ME is they track down your luggage not you. Believe me it is time consuming. I spent alot of time on the phone trying to track my husbands luggage

I truly hope you have a wonderful vacation- regardless of your choice - consider the lesson we learned

I just wanted to reinterate what I said about our Tuscon trip. We were one of those who did not pack a carry on for the "just in case it happens" scenerio. Your vacation will go alot smoother if for some reason your bag is delayed by the luggage dept delay employees of which ever company

P.S. we will be the couple with the small carry on bag with a change of underwear, pj's, swimsuit, makeup ( I hate not wearing makeup) and a change of clothes

 

[Babyboo]

Wow you lot are scaring me !!!

I am flying in from the UK and until a few days ago had no intention of using DME purely because of the luggage issue and was intending to book a town car or similar.

When I found out that I would be able to take our luggage on the DME bus I changed my mind as this would suit our families needs by keeping our luggage with us.

Personnaly for us it is not an option to receive our luggage up to 3 hrs after arriving at the hotel - at that point we will have been travelling for nearly 24 hrs. Yes for us it's a convienience thing.

After this thread I will consider our options once again as I didn't realise that it would cause so much bad feeling with other people on the bus.

I do feel though that I should be able to use a service that is offered to me without upsetting other travellers or them forming opinions of me.

If Disney offer the option for luggage to go on the bus then there should be an expectation that people will take advantage of this and not to get upset when people do.

What works for some will not for others.

Guess I start reasearching the limo companies again ........

 

[kaytieeldr]

I just wanted to reinterate what I said about our Tuscon trip. We were one of those who did not pack a carry on for the "just in case it happens" scenerio. Your vacation will go alot smoother if for some reason your bag is delayed by the luggage dept delay employees of which ever company

P.S. we will be the couple with the small carry on bag with a change of underwear, pj's, swimsuit, makeup ( I hate not wearing makeup) and a change of clothes

Oh, yeah... I read a post the other day that made me rethink my own practices.

Yes, I do the outbound carry-on packing - but on the trip home, I throw everything (especially toiletries) in the luggage I'm checking. Somebody related an experience where a large group of Southwest's Buffalo-bound passengers did not make their connection on the (dreaded) last flight of the day - but their luggage did! So a lot of these people were stranded without the basic necessities for a night in a hotel... or airport

 

[goofy4tink]

Let get down to the nitty gritty here. I've done the tour bus thing before. It takes an average driver about 5 minutes to unload a bus. The WHOLE bus. What are you going to miss out on doing while those 5 minutes are being taken? 5 people will get to go on Space Mountain before you? They'll run out of churros? You'll miss Wapner?

I just fail to see your logic. It doesn't take that much longer. You're not missing anything. The only downside I can see to sitting on the bus for a few extra minutes is if somebody takes a deuce and stinks the joint up. If that's a problem for you, sit in the front.

If you really want to know how long it takes, try this on for size. Put your bags in your trunk. Get in the drivers seat. Now start your stop watch and get out of the car and unload the bags then get back in the drivers seat. How long did that take you?

I'm pretty sure it takes longer to go to the bathroom than it does to unload somebody's bags.

Your argument has been noted and will be ignored. I'm bringing an extra bag. See you soon.

I'm pleased that our arguments have been noted and ignored! However, I have used DME close to 5 times now, will be again in Dec and Jan, and I DO understand how those bringing their luggage impacts others. Not only does it take the driver time to unload those bags, it also takes time for the driver to stand there, and wait for the expected tips. If 7 families choose to take this route, the time grows exponentially. Sorry, you may choose to feel that that extra 10 mins isn't a big deal, but for some, it is. Your sarcasm is wearing thin.

I think the general consensus here is that there is an option for people who don't want to worry about whether or not their bags will arrive at their room when they do. You can take your bags on the bus with you. A few people will likely be sore at you for doing so but they'd find something to complain about anyway. They might as well start by getting mad about the bus trip to the resorts. I'd hate to see what happens when they discover that there are lines for all the rides.

How about if I lend a hand to help the wary driver? Granted he just had to walk down 3 steps and 5 more feet than I would have to walk to unload my own car. He might need oxygen or a least 20 minute break. I'm sorry that most families cannot afford a car service and we don't want to wait until the next morning for a clean clothes for their kids. I'm sure they could pack enough clothing for a family of 5 in a back and not use the service for THAT bag but we'd still have to have it unloaded from the ME bus which would still ruin your vacation.

I don't think the majority of travelers will mind waiting a couple minutes while somebody unloads. If this really bothers anybody they shouldn't be traveling in the first place.

Again, the sarcasm is getting old. Continued sarcasm is against board guidelines. I have traveled more than enough, especially to WDW via DME, to form an opinion. And I do not have a problem with bus lines, or attraction lines. It's those who feel the need to bring all their myriad bags with them, on an 'express' bus. Most people overpack in the first place. But, enough of my 'argument'. People are allowed to do it this way, so fine. But, others on the bus are impacted.

Wow you lot are scaring me !!!

I am flying in from the UK and until a few days ago had no intention of using DME purely because of the luggage issue and was intending to book a town car or similar.

When I found out that I would be able to take our luggage on the DME bus I changed my mind as this would suit our families needs by keeping our luggage with us.

Personnaly for us it is not an option to receive our luggage up to 3 hrs after arriving at the hotel - at that point we will have been travelling for nearly 24 hrs. Yes for us it's a convienience thing.

After this thread I will consider our options once again as I didn't realise that it would cause so much bad feeling with other people on the bus.

I do feel though that I should be able to use a service that is offered to me without upsetting other travellers or them forming opinions of me.

If Disney offer the option for luggage to go on the bus then there should be an expectation that people will take advantage of this and not to get upset when people do.

What works for some will not for others.

Guess I start reasearching the limo companies again ........

Like I said, there are always going to be instances where taking your bags with you, on the bus, makes sense. Those flying for a huge amount of time will want their bags with them as soon as they get to the resort. Those flying in very late may not want to be awoken in the middle of the night or wait until the next morning to get settled. Please realize that we all know that their are circumstances that warrant bringing bags with you to the bus.
I just would hate to see everyone doing it!!


People....either keep this polite, with no sarcasm or rudeness, or it will get locked. And points will get handed out. And I hate being a meanie and handing out points!!!! It does NOT make my day to have to do that.

 

[Edd]

Supposedly Disney CM's and some FAQ's have stated you must use both options of the DME, coach and luggage transfer, in order to qualify to ride the DME. Disney does allow some exceptions and perhaps where the problem lies. I would guess the tranfer of luggage is the easiest and cheapest feature passengers can bypass.

Luggage transfer is almost automatic when the yellow tags are on the cases. Due to luggage transfer the airport can breathe a little better because the luggage does not hit the overcrowded carousels. The airport loves it because the overcrowded carousels get a little bit of a break. Because of the luggage transfer Disney has been able to negotiate a much cheaper per passenger rate they pay the airport. So luggage transfer is the biggest advantage the airport gets from the DME.

Coach transfer provides Disney with the security of passengers. Of course, they love it and provide the security for free. According to the one airport official, Disney did not envision that people would still be dragging their luggage to the busses when they provide the luggage transfer. I have not spoke to Mears about the capacity of the busses to hold the luggage, but talking to drivers I have been told that there are times when they get loaded to the hilt with luggage that could have gone on the luggage transfer route. It does cause a delay when getting passengers to their WDW resorts.

One driver put it this way. If he had 3 stops with nothing to process out of luggage bin except carry-ons or small luggage he could get through those three stops in about, including driving, 45 minutes to 1 hour after arriving in WDW. With additional luggage add another 15 to 30 minutes to that schedule. I would say a lot depends on how much extra luggage is put aboard. In the airport they designate certain busses for certain resorts for convenience and closeness. Once a family is designated a certain bus They luggage is carried out and set down for loading. A driver does all the loading, as I have never seen anyone getting any help. It is hard for me to figure out how a driver who has to load a bunch of luggage can get out sooner than a driver who has a normal load to put on the bus. Second, passengers who want to get to Disney are than held up a few extra minutes while the luggage is being loaded. This takes a lot of magic out of the express.

Disney marketing missed out, I think, when they said bring stuff to cover you for a few hours. They didn't really miss that because the luggage does get there in a few hours. I hardly believe those that try to sell the idea the luggage gets there the next day or as some put it late. Maybe they should have stated bring enough to cover you for the first night and ship the rest on the luggage transfer. You certainly can find a case that will hold the things you might need through the night. I am sure if everyone is there for a week they don't use everything the first day.

 

[goofy4tink]

Edd, the driver you spoke to had about the same timing as I have experienced. I have been the last stop and still been at my resort within 70 mins of deplaning. But, the times I have been on a bus with a ton of luggage to drag out, the arrival times have been about 15 mins longer.
Will 15 mins kill anyone? No, I don't think so. It's the principle I guess.

 

[d4est]

SNIP
This takes a lot of magic out of the express.

...it takes the express out of Magical Express.
And whats ME without the E?

 

[Edd]

Di,

Sit in your chair about 15 - 30 minutes, with nothing to do, wanting the super bowl to start on TV or a great soap show with the final episode coming up to start. That is about the same feeling as sitting on a bus waiting for your resort to appear so that you can get started. I agree it is not much time, but a whole lot of anxiety that has to be in some way released. I am two weeks from the cruise and all of a sudden days are getting longer and it seems like a dream that I will be on the boat for a week of relaxation.

 

[clkelley]

I hardly believe those that try to sell the idea the luggage gets there the next day or as some put it late.

When you land at 12:10 am and arrive at the resort at 1:15 am, yes the luggage does not arrive until the next day, and I don't want it arriving until the next day. However, it is no problem for us to bring sleep clothes and the next mornings clothes in carryons we already use. We have the laptop, camera, and CPAP machine anyway. We purchased rolling cases for them that also easily carry our first 24 hours of essentials.

By doing it this way, we are in bed before 2am, because we are not waiting up to an extra 30 minutes on the carousel, and don't have all our "stuff" to put away when we arrive. We come back to the room the next afternoon about 2pmish anyway, and then we can put the rest of our stuff away.

 

[goofy4tink]

Edd, believe me....I know how long 15 mins can be. When POP was the last of three stops, and we had to sit there at AKL and CSR as the driver pulled those myriad bags out, and then waited as guests dug in their pockets for the expected tip...well, yeah, it did seem a lot longer than the 8 mins we spent at each of those two stops. Like I said, basically not a huge deal but man, it sure seemed like a long time as I sat there...again, it's the principle.
I know how those last two weeks can drag....I have three weeks until I head to WDW for MouseFest..time is just ambling along for me. Have a great cruise!!

 

[Quest4fun]

I was laying the sarcasm on very thick. I'm all for the convenience of ME and letting them "handle it." I always take a toothbrush and usually a change of knickers just in case.

There are also people who don't and they should be able to make that decision without being badgered for doing so. It's a free country (thank God) so if you don't like that Disney allows people to do this contact Disney and let them know what you think. Don't put down people who choose to do it differently than you do just because what is convenient for them is inconvenient for you.

There will always be exceptions to the rule. Disney folk in general are good people and I find it very sad that some of them are negative. Part of the magic of Disney is the shared experience with other people. I've encountered wonderful souls after hundreds of trips to Disneyland (AP holder) who are always willing to share smiles with me and everybody else who happen to be standing in line or just people watching.

Then there are the other people. The people who yell at cast members, cut in line, complain about crowds, etc. simply ruin the whole experience for everybody else. I'm not asking everybody to join hands and sing Kumbaya but I am asking everybody to be considerate of each other. If you find that Disneyland or Disneyworld makes you unhappy you might want to go someplace like Busch Gardens or Six Flags.

 

[dburg30]

Supposedly Disney CM's and some FAQ's have stated you must use both options of the DME, coach and luggage transfer, in order to qualify to ride the DME. Disney does allow some exceptions and perhaps where the problem lies. I would guess the tranfer of luggage is the easiest and cheapest feature passengers can bypass.

.

Dunno about the CM's but the FAQ's dont say you HAVE to use both, they just never mention bringing your luggage with you to the bus. They tell you all the things to do if you dont tag your bags, and none of them end with 'get your bags and take them to the bus'. I just think they 'let it happen' because even though people on the bus will sometimes be antsy waiting for the luggage to get offloaded at the resort stops it's easier to deal with that, then someone who didnt read the instructions on the DME flyer, and follow them. Disney doesnt want the persons first impression to be "Sorry, you cant take your luggage with you, please leave it here and we'll deliver it for you".

And if you dont follow directions given with the DME package, or decide to ignore them, when you get to the resort and get your bags, please dont stop there and chat with the driver for 5 minutes, or dig for a tip for the bus driver when you've had the entire trip from the airport to your resort to get that ready. (Remember, tips arent covered if the driver has to stow something for you, which was initially meaning things like car seats, strollers, etc, things that you really could'nt 'check'). At least make the stop go as quickly as possible..

 

[goofy4tink]

I was laying the sarcasm on very thick. I'm all for the convenience of ME and letting them "handle it." I always take a toothbrush and usually a change of knickers just in case.

There are also people who don't and they should be able to make that decision without being badgered for doing so. It's a free country (thank God) so if you don't like that Disney allows people to do this contact Disney and let them know what you think. Don't put down people who choose to do it differently than you do just because what is convenient for them is inconvenient for you.

There will always be exceptions to the rule. Disney folk in general are good people and I find it very sad that some of them are negative. Part of the magic of Disney is the shared experience with other people. I've encountered wonderful souls after hundreds of trips to Disneyland (AP holder) who are always willing to share smiles with me and everybody else who happen to be standing in line or just people watching.

Then there are the other people. The people who yell at cast members, cut in line, complain about crowds, etc. simply ruin the whole experience for everybody else. I'm not asking everybody to join hands and sing Kumbaya but I am asking everybody to be considerate of each other. If you find that Disneyland or Disneyworld makes you unhappy you might want to go someplace like Busch Gardens or Six Flags.

I have to agree with most of what you say. But, again, I will say that I don't think anyone was badgering anyone else here. Most people merely took offense at the way an attitude was tossed out there. Most of us are pretty even keeled here, but we get a bit nudgy when someone tells us they are going to do what they want, since it's not against any rules, even if it does slow others down...that works for their family and everyone else just needs to slow down. Sorry, that attitude just isn't going to fly here. But, after many rereadings of all the posts here, I still maintain it was just a particular attitude that got people going. We all realize people are going to take their luggage on the bus with them..there are no rules that advise against it. But, they can do so without the sense of entitlement. And they need to be aware that others find it to slow down their ride to their resort....can't argue with that, it does!
Thanks for the lack of sarcasm..I truly appreciate it...as I'm sure others do as well.

 

[dburg30]

When you land at 12:10 am and arrive at the resort at 1:15 am, yes the luggage does not arrive until the next day, and I don't want it arriving until the next day. However, it is no problem for us to bring sleep clothes and the next mornings clothes in carryons we already use. We have the laptop, camera, and CPAP machine anyway. We purchased rolling cases for them that also easily carry our first 24 hours of essentials.

By doing it this way, we are in bed before 2am, because we are not waiting up to an extra 30 minutes on the carousel, and don't have all our "stuff" to put away when we arrive. We come back to the room the next afternoon about 2pmish anyway, and then we can put the rest of our stuff away.

And in this case 'next day' means 'later that morning' It's not like if you get in at 12:10 Tuesday, you dont get your stuff til wednesday.. I know you arent worried about it, but I didnt want someone thinking for some silly reason that next day really meant next day

 

[tjmw2727]

I was laying the sarcasm on very thick. I'm all for the convenience of ME and letting them "handle it." I always take a toothbrush and usually a change of knickers just in case.

There are also people who don't and they should be able to make that decision without being badgered for doing so. It's a free country (thank God) so if you don't like that Disney allows people to do this contact Disney and let them know what you think. Don't put down people who choose to do it differently than you do just because what is convenient for them is inconvenient for you.

There will always be exceptions to the rule. Disney folk in general are good people and I find it very sad that some of them are negative. Part of the magic of Disney is the shared experience with other people. I've encountered wonderful souls after hundreds of trips to Disneyland (AP holder) who are always willing to share smiles with me and everybody else who happen to be standing in line or just people watching.

Then there are the other people. The people who yell at cast members, cut in line, complain about crowds, etc. simply ruin the whole experience for everybody else. I'm not asking everybody to join hands and sing Kumbaya but I am asking everybody to be considerate of each other. If you find that Disneyland or Disneyworld makes you unhappy you might want to go someplace like Busch Gardens or Six Flags.

Exactly - and there have been inconsiderate posts on both "sides" of the issue.

There is nothing wrong with pointing out that by choosing to bypass the luggage delivery you are not only missing out on a great service but you are slowing down the bus service for everone else. Unavoidable yes, but still true! Most of us who advise folks to use the luggage delivery also acknowledged that there are times when it isn't an option or it just isn't the best option, still it does slow the process.

A simple "I know it will slow everyone down but I really can't see any way around it this time" goes down alot better than some of remarks on this thread that I don't care to repeat.

For those still deciding I have used DME 5x and the luggage delivery feature worked as well or better than advertised each time. The two times we happened to be in the room when the luggage came it was under 2 hours from check in. All other times we were out enjoying the parks or resort pools and returned to find our bags.

TJ

 

[kaytieeldr]

Luggage transfer is almost automatic when the yellow tags are on the cases. Due to luggage transfer the airport can breathe a little better because the luggage does not hit the overcrowded carousels. The airport loves it because the overcrowded carousels get a little bit of a break

AND it eliminates the opportunity for someone else to 'accidentally' walk off with YOUR luggage http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1636372

 

[bab31]

Wow you lot are scaring me !!!

I am flying in from the UK and until a few days ago had no intention of using DME purely because of the luggage issue and was intending to book a town car or similar.

When I found out that I would be able to take our luggage on the DME bus I changed my mind as this would suit our families needs by keeping our luggage with us.

Personnaly for us it is not an option to receive our luggage up to 3 hrs after arriving at the hotel - at that point we will have been travelling for nearly 24 hrs. Yes for us it's a convienience thing.

After this thread I will consider our options once again as I didn't realise that it would cause so much bad feeling with other people on the bus.

I do feel though that I should be able to use a service that is offered to me without upsetting other travellers or them forming opinions of me.

If Disney offer the option for luggage to go on the bus then there should be an expectation that people will take advantage of this and not to get upset when people do.

What works for some will not for others.

Guess I start reasearching the limo companies again ........

If I were you I would take ME- you have been traveling 24 hours and you really feel you cannot due without- actually if I were you I would be falling into a dead sleep. I would probably think about picking up my bags too.

But on the other hand if you pack for overnight with your carry on- When you arrive at the resort ask for the resort to hold your bags till the morning. you will get to the resort quicker and not have to deal with going to get your luggage

what a lot of this thread is about is ( not pointing fingers here- so NO FLAMES) that many people dont use ME to its full potential. Which impacts the speediness of the program. I believe it just calls for common sense. Use it if you can. If you cant- so be it. you said it yourself what works for some does not always work for others.

 

[Edd]

I would fill one carry-on with the goods you need for the night and let the rest go with the DME. If you are coming in from the UK you are probably traveling BA, Virgin or Aero Lingus which land between 1530 and 1830 hours so you don't have any time to do anything but go to the resort and sleep. Your luggage will arrive about 1900 hours and you could ask them to deliver the next morning. Excus me if you take another airline.

If you feel to groggy to look for the DME you can pick up a demand taxi to your resort.

 

[clkelley]

Also, if you are traveling from overseas AND clearing customs in Orlando, you actually have an advantage. You will be claiming all of your bags at the customs center and then after customs, placing them on a separate carousel to be sent to the main terminal. So, you can pack a bag with your first 24 hours of stuff, but still check it, then after you go through customs, you then drop the rest of your stuff on the 2nd carousel with the yellow tags and DME takes care of them. You then keep your bag with your immediate needs, go to the DME bus and your off to your resort.

No need to worry about what to pack in that bag as it will be checked and won't have to go through onboard security, and you don't have to worry about overhead size or under the seat size. You will just have to roll it through MCO from customs to the DME area.

 

[bab31]

Also, if you are traveling from overseas AND clearing customs in Orlando, you actually have an advantage. You will be claiming all of your bags at the customs center and then after customs, placing them on a separate carousel to be sent to the main terminal. So, you can pack a bag with your first 24 hours of stuff, but still check it, then after you go through customs, you then drop the rest of your stuff on the 2nd carousel with the yellow tags and DME takes care of them. You then keep your bag with your immediate needs, go to the DME bus and your off to your resort.

No need to worry about what to pack in that bag as it will be checked and won't have to go through onboard security, and you don't have to worry about overhead size or under the seat size. You will just have to roll it through MCO from customs to the DME area.

That is really good info! I hope the poster who originally has this issue reads this! Because it is really valuable info for their trip.