ME and claiming own luggage

[airplane]

Is this frowned upon? I am so nervous about letting someone else p/u my luggage. I used to work for an airline and so many people picked up identical bags that were not theirs and I am so scared not to be right at the opening of the baggage carroussel when they come out. I also always wondered why more thieves don't hang around the baggage claim. They could easily go to the bag belt and look for bags w/ the ME tags and take them.
Why am I such a worry wart
Please ease my concerns.

 

[Bit Bucket]

You can pick up yourself your baggage and use the ME just for Hotel Transportation...

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

I used to work for an airline and so many people picked up identical bags that were not theirs and I am so scared not to be right at the opening of the baggage carroussel when they come out.

Yes, you can handle your own bags. However, please be aware that your bags never go to the baggage carrousel if you use the Magical Express luggage transfers.

Here's how it works for guests who use luggage transfers: At their home airports, they attach bright yellow, bar-coded Magical Express baggage routing tags to their bags. At Orlando Airport, their bags are retrieved behind the scenes by Disney (or Disney's contractors). Their bags never go to the baggage carrousel.

The guests go straight from their arrival gates to the Disney Welcome Center, bypassing baggage claim. They check in and are directed to motor coaches to their resorts. This also triggers their bags to go onto luggage trucks for delivery to their resorts. The bags are delivered to the guests' rooms. It can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few hours after the guests check in at the resort. But the guests don't have to stay in their rooms and wait. They can go off and have fun. Disney takes care of the gratuities for the bell staff. Guests should pack small carry-ons with anything they'll need right away, such as swim suits, as well as the usual items that nobody should ever check on a flight -- valuables, medicines, and anything fragile.

Again, if you prefer, you can handle your own bags. That's perfectly okay.

However, please accept this friendly suggestion in the spirit in which I am offering it. If you choose to handle your own bags, I would recommend doing so with a full knowledge of how the luggage transfers work. For example, some people think they'll save time if they handle their own bags. They think they'll have to spend hours in their rooms waiting for their bags. In reality, they can save time by taking a motor coach immediately upon arrival; they could be on the road while others on their flight are still waiting for the luggage to appear on the baggage carrousel. And, as mentioned earlier, there's no reason to wait in the room.

I think it's absolutely terrific that I don't have to deal with my bags after I check-in with the airline at my home airport.

In another thread, I wrote, "Yes, you're allowed to throw away the best feature of Disney's Magical Express." I was trying to make a thought-provoking point, but that was a bad choice of words. Various people responded with comments to the OP such as, "I am sorry you got such rude responses. This board is about asking questions, not making judgements on what other people do with their luggage." Honestly, I wasn't trying to be rude or judgemental.

Some folks on this board have admitted that they just feel better knowing they're in control as much as possible. Other folks have written that they like to unpack their bags before they go off to have fun. Such folks won't use the luggage transfers.

For the rest of us, the luggage transfers are great.

 

[goofy4tink]

Please don't worry about losing control of your luggage with DME. I've used DME twice now and it was wonderful both times. First time I had the yellow tags and I can't tell you how wonderful it was to say good-by to my bags in Boston and not have to wait for them to finally appear on that carousel and then have to lug them to the bus. They arrived in our room about 30 minutes after we were able to get into our room. The second time I used DME I used carry-on luggage since it was just dd and I going for a 4 night stay. Big mistake. I hated having to lug my stuff down to the lower level and then have it put under the bus, then wait for the driver to unload it and schlep it with me to check-in. Yuck. Yes, I know I could have had them bring my bags to my room but with a value resort that can take quite awhile.
So, don't worry about anything happening. I guess it could, but most likely..nothing will happen, other than your trip starting off with a more relaxed you!!! Have fun!!

 

[Poohbear123]

On to the plane. However, when I get to the Orlando Airport, can I have ME place it on the luggage bus? Doesn't sound like a good thing for me to schlep it thru-out the airport.

 

[localdriver]

On to the plane. However, when I get to the Orlando Airport, can I have ME place it on the luggage bus? Doesn't sound like a good thing for me to schlep it thru-out the airport.

Bring your carry-on luggage to the bus. If it is not checked with the DME tags, it goes with you.

If it's too big to fit in the overhead, or under the seat, we will store it in the luggage bays. (overheads in a bus are smaller than in most aircraft.)

Checked luggage with DME tags is sorted and transported on a truck.

 

[goofy4tink]

On to the plane. However, when I get to the Orlando Airport, can I have ME place it on the luggage bus? Doesn't sound like a good thing for me to schlep it thru-out the airport.

By the time you will have gotten to the DME desk, you will have already lugged your stuff through the airport!!! I would check your stuff and bring a smaller bag as carry on instead. I did the carry-on several weeks ago because I booked my trip way too late and wouldn't get my luggage tags in time. My shoulder and neck hurt for three days after lugging that duffle around with me!!!! No way would I do that again.

 

[Disney Fanatic]

Is it not just specific airlines where you can check your bags in at your point of departure and use MME?

I am flying SW from Buffalo and thought we could not use this.

Is this correct and if so, what do we do??

Thanks

 

[Hopefully]

Everyone can use DME From MCO to their resort. You need to make DME reservations at least 10 days in advance. Only specific airlines allow you to check your bags AT the resort and get your Boarding Pass for your flight the day of your departure to home.
However, even if you are not flying on a participating airline (and SWA is not one), on the day of your departure you bring your bag to the DME bus stop yourself, where it is loaded onto the bus. When you are dropped off at the airport you will check it to your home airport there at the airport.
You can, however, use the service as described no matter what airline you are flying.

 

[rantnnravin]

The transfer of luggage from the airport to the hotel is for any airline.
SW does not participate in the resort check-in for departure (participating airlines will check you in and give you your boarding passes at the resort, and take your luggage to the airport for you)

You are fine to use the ME luggage transfer for your incoming flight on SW--just put your ME luggage tags on your bags.

When you depart, you will have to bring your luggage with you (stowing it under the bus for the trip back to the airport--or if you have carry-ons, with you in the bus)

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

I am carrying on my luggage
On to the plane. However, when I get to the Orlando Airport, can I have ME place it on the luggage bus? Doesn't sound like a good thing for me to schlep it thru-out the airport.

Anything that you carry onto the plane is something that you will need to "schlep thru-out the airport," and take to the DME motor coach. It's a huge airport. Depending on where your gate is, it could be quite a distance to the Disney Welcome Center.

If you want to DME luggage handling, you'll need to put the yellow DME luggage routing tags onto your bags at your home airport. Also, you ill need to go down two levels.

Of course, it's not an either-or situation. You can check your larger bags all the way to your resort room, and carry only a manageable amount of carry-on luggage onto the plane.

 

[Poohbear123]

For answering my 'stupid' question, of course I will be schelping my small rolling luggage thru-out the airport, in fact, I get off at gate 129 Section A and will have to go down 3 story's to get to the ME bus. My question is, how long is the walk to the bus from the plane? Will they wait for me, or take off without me? (I walk kind of slow).

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

For answering my 'stupid' question, of course I will be schelping my small rolling luggage thru-out the airport, in fact, I get off at gate 129 Section A and will have to go down 3 story's to get to the ME bus. My question is, how long is the walk to the bus from the plane? Will they wait for me, or take off without me? (I walk kind of slow).

Gates 100-129 are in Airside 2, one of 4 clusters of gates. Southwest, Spirit Airlines, AirTran Airways, Sun Country, and JetBlue have their gates in Airside 2. From Airside 2, you'll take an AGT train to the "A" side of the main terminal. You'll need to take escalators or an elevator to the ground transportation level. Disney cast members will direct you to the Disney Welcome Center.

I would plan on about 15 minutes after you get off the aircraft, if you walk leisurely.

Don't worry about the DME motor coach leaving without you. You haven't been scheduled onto a specific motor coach departure. Flights routinely arrive anywhere from 15 minutes early to 15 minutes late -- and are considered on time. Of course, some flights are delayed substantially longer. The motor coaches are dispatched as needed. So, when you check in at the Disney Welcome Center, you'll be directed to the next motor to your resort. You might sit on the coach 10 or 20 minutes until the motor coach is dispatched (or you might be dispatched right away).

Have a great trip!

 

[eeyore25]

I don't mean to hijack this thread, but what do you do if you don't have the DME tags? We booked our trip two weeks ago and we were told that we may not be getting our tags. Do we carry our own luggage on the shuttle?

Thanks

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

I don't mean to hijack this thread, but what do you do if you don't have the DME tags? We booked our trip two weeks ago and we were told that we may not be getting our tags. Do we carry our own luggage on the shuttle?

You have two choices if you don't receive you Magical Express packet in time:

• Retrieve your own bags at baggage claim, take them to the Disney Welcome Center, and have the driver load them into the motor coach. If you have a manageable amount of luggage, the only downside is that you'll probably get to your resort later because you'll be on a later motor coach departure, and you won't have the benefit of having your bags arrive in your room "magically." (You may want to plan on tips for the DME driver handling your luggage, and for bell service assistance at the resort.)
  
• Go directly to the Disney Welcome Center. Turn in your airline's checked baggage receipts and describe your bags (style, color, size, brand). The checked baggage receipts are usually stickers attached to your boarding pass folder. Disney will retrieve your bags from baggage claim and, from that point, your bags will be handled as though you had received your DME luggage routing tags.

Call Disney's Magical Express (1-866-599-0951) for details.

 

[eeyore25]

Great!!!! Thanks so much for the information.

 

[Poohbear123]

Thanks again, Horace, your are the BEST!

 

[kaytieeldr]

I'm a little slow sometimes, but something finally just occurred to me

In a variety of DME threads, people who want to claim all their luggage and take it on the bus with them cite "not wanting to wait for hours in the room" as one of the reasons.

Depending what time a Guest arrives at the Resort, there's a reasonable likelihood that their room will not be ready yet and they won't even be given a room number until they call a designated phone number later in the day. So these Guests would have to end up leaving their luggage with Bell Services anyway, then getting it delivered to the room much later in the day.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

In a variety of DME threads, people who want to claim all their luggage and take it on the bus with them cite "not wanting to wait for hours in the room" as one of the reasons.

Depending what time a Guest arrives at the Resort, there's a reasonable likelihood that their room will not be ready yet and they won't even be given a room number until they call a designated phone number later in the day. So these Guests would have to end up leaving their luggage with Bell Services anyway, then getting it delivered to the room much later in the day.

Very true.

A guest who uses DME as designed does not need to be in the room when the luggage is delivered.

But a guest who chooses to handle his or her own luggage, and has that luggage stored by bell services because the room isn't ready, needs to wait in the room after calling bell services to have the luggage delivered. (And, in this case, the tip isn't covered by Disney.)

Of course, guests arriving after 3:00 p.m. (after 4:00 p.m. for DVC) should be able to go directly to their rooms. For guests arriving earlier, it's hit or miss.

 

[CleveRocks]

Is this frowned upon? I am so nervous about letting someone else p/u my luggage. I used to work for an airline and so many people picked up identical bags that were not theirs and I am so scared not to be right at the opening of the baggage carroussel when they come out. I also always wondered why more thieves don't hang around the baggage claim. They could easily go to the bag belt and look for bags w/ the ME tags and take them.
Why am I such a worry wart
Please ease my concerns.

If you put the DME tags on your luggage, your luggage will never show up in public. You check it in at your home airport, it makes it onto your aircraft, then gets unloaded at MCO. BEFORE it gets to the baggage claim carousel at MCO, it is pulled behond the scenes and loaded on a DME truck and delivered to your resort, where it will then be placed inside your room.

-- Eric