ME bus or towncar?

[lovesdumbo]

Spoke with three skycaps and they informed me that many times they are hired and the luggage doesn't show up. The first question they ask is, "did you put yellow tags on your bags?" The answer was "is that what those tags are for?"

Are those skycaps talking about folks who are looking for help with luggage and they are planning to go get a taxi or some other ground service? Maybe those folks are planning on using ME and don't realize that they don't need to collect their luggage.

 

[Lewisc]

Actually there is a third possibility. Disney sends all yellow tagged bags directly to WDW without checking to see if the guest even checked in at the DME desk. They may not have any system to see if the guest is using DME. There has already been posts of non yellow tagged bags being grabbed from the unclaimed baggage office and sent on to WDW. The stated reason for holding the bags is to accomodate guests who get bumped. The concern would be the passenger never makes it to MCO and the bags have be sent back home. Sending the bags to WDW would require those bags be sent back to MCO and the guest might not get their bags until the next day. My guess is the situation is extremely rare and probably not worth holding bags at MCO.

Disney may be discouraging luggage only transfers but willing to accept those guests who are willing to take their chances. Is using part of a "free" service really an abuse? We may think Disney is using DME to reduce grocery stops and rental car customers going offsite BUT the stated purpose of DME is provide a service to guests and help celebrate.

FL Tours not Edd was the first poster who posted first hand experience using DME for luggage only. Edd is only confirming what others have posted and is doing some "detective" work to try and find out what's happening in the real world. It's possible his detective work might result in Disney changing the system.

Look at this logically. My flight is delayed and I decide to grab a cab so I have a shot of making my dinner reservation. Is there a system for me to claim my yellow tagged luggage at MCO? NO. Is Disney going to return my luggage to the airline and make me go the airlines unclaimed office at MCO? I don't think Disney would do that and I doubt the airline would even accept the bags back. Yellow tagged bags are grabbed right on the tarmac. At least some of the bags make it to the sorting center before the guests checkin. A few guests actually find their bags beat them to their resort room. I doubt, but I don't really have any evidence, that Disney has a pile of bags that represent guests that haven't checked in at the DME desk. Having to go back to those bags would require additional manpower and DME is busy.

I'm not sure why Edd keeps arguing the point that guests' yellow-tagged bags are sent to their resort even if they don't ride the DME motorcoach.

There are two possibilities:

• Disney has a foolproof method to discourage guests from abusing the system.
• Disney doesn't have a foolproof method to discourage guests from abusing the system.

In either case, Disney's Magical Express does not allow inbound luggage-only service. And, in either case, Disney knows when a guest did not check in at the DME Welcome Center and did not have the transportation voucher scanned when entering the motorcoach.

Edd can keep advocating that guests should abuse the system, but that just reflects badly on Edd.

 

[Edd]

Today I visited the Corporate offices of Baggs. Personally I don't think the luggage situation is as sophisticated as everybody makes it out to be. Needless to say the three employees in the office were not to thrilled to see me or to answer any questions. One of the employees took my name and number and than told me I would either receive a call or the name and number would go in the waste basket along with all the others they don't need to speak to.

Could be security. I may have the FBI on my tail tomorrow.

 

[CleveRocks]

Today I visited the Corporate offices of Baggs. Personally I don't think the luggage situation is as sophisticated as everybody makes it out to be. Needless to say the three employees in the office were not to thrilled to see me or to answer any questions. One of the employees took my name and number and than told me I would either receive a call or the name and number would go in the waste basket along with all the others they don't need to speak to.

Could be security. I may have the FBI on my tail tomorrow.

In all fairness, that makes sense. Most companies aren't going to roll out the red carpet for an unsolicited visitor. You could be a terrorist, or more likely a "corporate spy." But the likelihood of both of those reasons is dwarfed by the most obvious one -- they're in the business of providing a service, not public relations.

Good try, though. Thanks for trying! We'll wait for Plan B.

 

[jackmac]

Bags Inc. is the first of many companies that are trying to handle luggage for resorts. Many other resorts are also looking into this service. I know that when DME was first discussed it was mentioned that there was a 18 month review process by the Transportation Safety Administration to approve this service. The luggage is kept in a secure warehouse at the airport after it is pulled from the plane.

Will DME transport bags if people don't check in? I don't know definitively only that the policy says no. Do they have a sophisticated way to track bags, most definately. Last May one of my bags did not arrive at the resort with the other bags. The DME people were able to tell me where the bag was in the system and what time it was loaded onto the truck to be delivered to the resort and what time it would get to the resort. Not bad for a tracking system.

Edd, delivering bags without knowing that the person is at the resort would be a basic violation of every security procedure put in place since 9/11. Airlines will not take luggage on a plane if your not flying on it, I'm sure Disney would live by the same standard. Who knows what could be in a bag that someone wants delivered to Disney, without being assured that the person is there. DME won't know if you missed the flight or just went another way.

Will some bags slip through? Maybe, but I'm glad that the policy is such that you have to check in to have your bags sent.

 

[Lewisc]

That's not true. Now that all bags are searched, by hand or X-Ray, there is no requirement that the bags go on the same flight as the passenger. Disney knows that all bags picked up at MCO have already been screened by the TSA. Doesn't seem like a security issue at all.

You're right, DME has no way of knowing if the guest missed the flight and is coming in later, missed the flight and cancelled the trip, took the flight but found other transportation to WDW or if they delayed checking in at the DME desk for a variety of reasons. The chances are the guest will still be at the resort. I don't know if it makes more sense to store the luggage at the resort or store it at MCO but it's not a security issue but a logistical issue. If I were the vendor I'd probably want to get the bags out of MCO and in the hands of bell services as soon as possible.

We know the published policy is that bags are held until the guest checks in but I haven't seen any posts that confirms that.

Edd, delivering bags without knowing that the person is at the resort would be a basic violation of every security procedure put in place since 9/11. Airlines will not take luggage on a plane if your not flying on it, I'm sure Disney would live by the same standard. Who knows what could be in a bag that someone wants delivered to Disney, without being assured that the person is there. DME won't know if you missed the flight or just went another way.

Will some bags slip through? Maybe, but I'm glad that the policy is such that you have to check in to have your bags sent.

 

[Lewisc]

Today I visited the Corporate offices of Baggs. Personally I don't think the luggage situation is as sophisticated as everybody makes it out to be. Needless to say the three employees in the office were not to thrilled to see me or to answer any questions. One of the employees took my name and number and than told me I would either receive a call or the name and number would go in the waste basket along with all the others they don't need to speak to.

Could be security. I may have the FBI on my tail tomorrow.

Unless you were a local hotel looking to sign up I don't think Baggs has any reason to want to talk to you, or any of us, if we showed up. They probably put you in the same category as a office supply salesman.

Disney's posted policy is bags stay at MCO until the guest checks in. You might get the "real" answer from an employee at MCO but I doubt corporate will contradict Disney's posted policy. For that matter I doubt corporate will even talk to any of us.

I wouldn't expect their corporate offices to be much more than a mail drop. I'd expect most of the real work is done at the airport or outside salesmen soliciting business.

All indication is their system of tracking bags is pretty sophisticated. It sounds like they're using a system similar to what companies like Fedx uses.

 

[Edd]

I just came away from a monthly meeting I have been attending at the airport for the past 6 - 7 years. I was able to speak with several officials who have knowledge of the DME luggage situation. This is basically how the luggage is taken care of.

On arrival at MCO the luggage is split off into two groups. Disney and the airport carrousels. The Disney luggage on Saturdays, Sundays and Thursdays is again split into two groups, cruise line and Disney World. This is done under Airport supervision. The luggage for Disney World and the cruise lines is than put into cages or bins. Bags, who is actually transporter of the luggage takes over and puts the luggage into the proper vehicles, cruise line or Disney World. The luggage is than transfered to the cruise lines on the appropriate days or to Disney World. The luggage is than turned over to Disney. Disney scans and verifies the luggage. Disney World has a storage area set up to unload the luggage and than to process it down into areas designated for for each resort. When the reservation is activated by the resort area, upon arrival by the guest, the luggage is than forwarded to the proper resort. At no time is any luggage stored at MCO. Once off the plane and sorted it will be on its way to Disney.

The scanning of passengers as they board the bus is a requirement by Mears, the airport and Disney. The scanning provides the airport and Mears with accurate information for billing and provides Disney the information they need to forward to the airport and Mears the proper amount of the receipts due each entity, $.50 and $.75 for each passenger transported from MCO under the new contract, to the airport and $15.00 per person to Mears, speculated. Disney and Mears probably use the information they receive from the scanning as traffic and time tools to scedule the arrival and departure of buses.

The passengers who arrive and their luggage had been forwarded to Disney could have booked online or at the travel agency requesting the DME service. It is possible they could have booked the service without even knowing it and received the proper baggage tickets in the mail. When the final plans were set up, or after reading information on these boards, they could have chosen a different mode of transportation without cancelling the DME and than for some reason put the DME tickets on the luggage not knowing why or why not. Like someone noted, there are no posts that passengers have gone back to pick up luggage because they did not take the DME. I am sure there would have been, something printed. if that happened.

My motivation is linked directly to one of the regulars on this boards that I feel tends to distort things a little bit, and to the passengers who may have wondered what happens to their luggage when it leaves the plane.

 

[sluggo]

Well, just to straighten out a few misunderstandings.

1. BAGS only handles luggage from the resorts to the airport. It has nothing to do with moving luggage from the airport to the resorts.

2. Most of the major airlines drop off yellow tagged luggage at designated drop off points where they are then picked up by a different contractor and taken to a sorting facility. These drop off points are supervised by Disney CM's.

3. Not all airlines use the drop off points. Many of the smaller ones just put the bags on the carousel. There are Disney CM's working behind the carousels pulling the yellow tagged bags off and setting them aside to be picked up and taken to the sorting facility.

4. There are Disney CM's assigned to every airline to catch the bags that the airlines missed taking to the drop off point. They also check every unclaimed bag against a manifest to insure that the bags are found even if by chance the guest forgot to put on the tag or it fell off (highly unlikely).

5. All of the bags are scanned when they get to the sorting facility, again after they are put in a cage and again when the cage is put in a truck.

6. The trucks all have GPS devices and their location can be pinpointed at any time.

7. The bags are scanned again when they arrive at the resort and again when taken to a guests room.

8. Disney is well aware of where the bags are most of the time. Now for the question , will your bags make it to the resort if you don't check in and get on the bus? Most likely no, but you could get lucky and one could slip by.

9. If a bag is delayed the resort will call a central office at the airport and the first thing they check is to see if the guests checked in through the Welcome Center and rode the motor coach. If they did not, the bags will not be sent to the resorts. I know for a fact that this happens and the guest is required to contact the airline to see about getting their bags.

10. It is against Disney policy to use the DME as a luggage delivery service. I know that Edd would love it if DME would take the bags for his customers. It would make his job alot easier but it is not allowed.

11. Disney is providing DME free to its guests. Disney is not a non-profit charity organization. They are doing it because it has been shown that when people use DME for transportation to the resorts, they have more money to spend because they did not have to pay for transportation. Also, because they do not have other transportation, they are more likely to spend the entire vacation on property. If people start using just the luggage portion of DME and finding their own transportation, it will become unprofitable. When that happens, it would mean the end of DME or at least the luggage transfer portion. Lets not kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.

Sluggo

 

[Edd]

Sluggo,

Although I do not positively know who the transporter is or are, I think BAGS may tend to disagree with you on their website Airlinebags.com. There is a picture of Mickey which changes into a Disney Magical Express logo and below it is this statement.

"Disney's Magical Express delivers hassle-free travel for Disney hotel guests in conjunction with BAGS."

This alone makes it real easy to think BAGS does the delivery even though there is possibility other companies may work on it also.
Mears and the former airport director, Bill Jennings have also made comments on the great work BAGS does. The statements were made when the DME began.

Secondly I don't think there are facilities, at MCO, to handle all the bags that are run through DME everyday. Why pay a lease for a facility when Disney has all the property to build and storage space, at their location, to take care of everything. They handle on an average of 5200 passengers per day. How much luggage is that?

What is this about GPS. Why is so important to know where luggage is for the 30 minutes of its travels between the airport and Disney. Or are you trying to make it look sophisticated.

 

[sluggo]

Sluggo,

Although I do not positively know who the transporter is or are, I think BAGS may tend to disagree with you on their website Airlinebags.com. There is a picture of Mickey which changes into a Disney Magical Express logo and below it is this statement.

"Disney's Magical Express delivers hassle-free travel for Disney hotel guests in conjunction with BAGS."

This alone makes it real easy to think BAGS does the delivery even though there is possibility other companies may work on it also.
Mears and the former airport director, Bill Jennings have also made comments on the great work BAGS does. The statements were made when the DME began.

Secondly I don't think there are facilities, at MCO, to handle all the bags that are run through DME everyday. Why pay a lease for a facility when Disney has all the property to build and storage space, at their location, to take care of everything. They handle on an average of 5200 passengers per day. How much luggage is that?

What is this about GPS. Why is so important to know where luggage is for the 30 minutes of its travels between the airport and Disney. Or are you trying to make it look sophisticated.

Edd,
Well I do positively know who is the transporter. Like I said, BAGS takes the luggage from the resorts to the airport. Another contractor by the name of ASIG sorts the luggage and drives the trucks to deliver the bags to the resorts. ASIG has been at the airport doing baggage services for some of the airlines and DCL for many years.

There is a Disney facility at the airport that can more than handle the bags. It is leased from one of the larger airlines at MCO. I won't give the exact location but there are lots of big storage buildings located around the airport.

As far as the GPS, maybe I am trying to make it look sophisticated. But, I think that it makes the guest reassured when a CM can tell them that their delayed bag is in a truck that just left the Poly and will be here in about 5 minutes.
Sluggo

 

[CleveRocks]

Sluggo, so glad you are posting this stuff! Your well-informed informed and highly informative posts are GREAT! Thanks so much for the wealth of objective facts! I've never used so many exclamation points in my life!

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Earlier in this thread, I wrote:

There are two possibilities:

• Disney has a foolproof method to discourage guests from abusing the system.
• Disney doesn't have a foolproof method to discourage guests from abusing the system.

Lewisc replied:

Actually there is a third possibility. Disney sends all yellow tagged bags directly to WDW without checking to see if the guest even checked in at the DME desk. They may not have any system to see if the guest is using DME.

I don't agree that this is a "third possibility." The two possibilities that I listed are binary. Either Disney has a foolproof method to discourage guests from abusing the system, or Disney doesn't. In the very unlikely case that Disney does not have any system to see if the guest is using DME transportation, then that would simply be an example of Disney not having a foolproof method to discourage guests from abusing the system.

Next, let's look at some facts:

• According to Disney's Magical Express Guest Services and according to Disney's Magical Express FAQ, guests are not allowed to use Disney's Magical Express only as an inbound luggage service; at least one member of the traveling party is supposed to ride the inbound motorcoach.
  
• DME reservations are tied to Disney lodging reservations.
  
• Disney checks guests in and scan guests' transportation vouchers when guests board the motorcoach.
  
• DME luggage is scanned multiple times (five times according to Tyler).
  
• Disney has a business reason to pay the substantial cost of inbound luggage transfers as part of the overall Disney's Magical Express transportation and luggage service. Guests who arrive at their resorts without a rental car (and even guests who arrive without a towncar grocery stop) will usually spend more money with Disney.
  
• Disney has a financial incentive to discourage abuse. Otherwise, Disney is paying the substantial cost of inbound luggage transfers without getting the financial benefit of a "captive audience."

Does anyone want to dispute the facts above?

Edd,
Well I do positively know who is the transporter. Like I said, BAGS takes the luggage from the resorts to the airport. Another contractor by the name of ASIG sorts the luggage and drives the trucks to deliver the bags to the resorts. ASIG has been at the airport doing baggage services for some of the airlines and DCL for many years.

Sluggo, thank you!

In case anyone doesn't believe Sluggo, here's an excerpt from Disney shuttle deal forces drivers to cope, Sun-Sentinel, March 17 2006:

Though the service is free to passengers, Disney along with its contractors Mears Transportation Group and Aircraft Services International Group will pay the airport an estimated $4.4 million next year to run the program. Mears runs the buses; ASIG transports the luggage.​

The article does not mention that Baggage Airline Guest Services Inc. — BAGS Inc. for short — provides Resort Airline Check-in, with luggage service back to the airport. However, I think that's already been well established.

 

[Lewisc]

Sorry but both your possibilities assume Disney wants to set up a system discourage guests from use DME for luggage only. Both your possibilities talk about guests abusing the system. The third possibility is Disney doesn't even really consider luggage only guests abusers. Assume my flight is delayed and I spend the $$$ for a cab so I can go directly to another resort to make my dinner reservation. By what definition would I be "abusing the system?"

I'll refute some of your "facts". My DME voucher wasn't scanned when I boarded my bus last December. We were the last passengers to board the bus and they had already moved the employee with the scanner to another bus. My luggage magically appeared while I was having lunch. Based on the assumptions many of us were making I was anticipating having to make a phone call to track down my luggage. My voucher was scanned at the DME desk but it at least looks like the scanning when you enter the bus is not required.

The fact is several posters didn't use DME tags, were delayed going to baggage claim and found DME had taken their bags from the airlines unclaimed baggage office and sent it on to their resort.

The fact is a few town car companies, including FL Tours, posted guests being able to use DME for luggage only but there haven't been any posts from guests with contrary experiences.

The fact is a few posters have found their luggage beat them to their resort. It is all but logistically impossible for that to happen if Disney holds the bags until the guest checks in.

Earlier in this thread, I wrote:

There are two possibilities:

• Disney has a foolproof method to discourage guests from abusing the system.
• Disney doesn't have a foolproof method to discourage guests from abusing the system.

Lewisc replied:

I don't agree that this is a "third possibility." The two possibilities that I listed are binary. Either Disney has a foolproof method to discourage guests from abusing the system, or Disney doesn't. In the very unlikely case that Disney does not have any system to see if the guest is using DME transportation, then that would simply be an example of Disney not having a foolproof method to discourage guests from abusing the system.

Next, let's look at some facts:

• According to Disney's Magical Express Guest Services and according to Disney's Magical Express FAQ, guests are not allowed to use Disney's Magical Express only as an inbound luggage service; at least one member of the traveling party is supposed to ride the inbound motorcoach.
  
• DME reservations are tied to Disney lodging reservations.
  
• Disney checks guests in and scan guests' transportation vouchers when guests board the motorcoach.
  
• DME luggage is scanned multiple times (five times according to Tyler).
  
• Disney has a business reason to pay the substantial cost of inbound luggage transfers as part of the overall Disney's Magical Express transportation and luggage service. Guests who arrive at their resorts without a rental car (and even guests who arrive without a towncar grocery stop) will usually spend more money with Disney.
  
• Disney has a financial incentive to discourage abuse. Otherwise, Disney is paying the substantial cost of inbound luggage transfers without getting the financial benefit of a "captive audience."

Does anyone want to dispute the facts above?



Sluggo, thank you!

In case anyone doesn't believe Sluggo, here's an excerpt from Disney shuttle deal forces drivers to cope, Sun-Sentinel, March 17 2006:

Though the service is free to passengers, Disney along with its contractors Mears Transportation Group and Aircraft Services International Group will pay the airport an estimated $4.4 million next year to run the program. Mears runs the buses; ASIG transports the luggage.​

The article does not mention that Baggage Airline Guest Services Inc. — BAGS Inc. for short — provides Resort Airline Check-in, with luggage service back to the airport. However, I think that's already been well established.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Well I do positively know who is the transporter. Like I said, BAGS takes the luggage from the resorts to the airport. Another contractor by the name of ASIG sorts the luggage and drives the trucks to deliver the bags to the resorts. ASIG has been at the airport doing baggage services for some of the airlines and DCL for many years.
There is a Disney facility at the airport that can more than handle the bags. It is leased from one of the larger airlines at MCO. I won't give the exact location but there are lots of big storage buildings located around the airport.
As far as the GPS, maybe I am trying to make it look sophisticated. But, I think that it makes the guest reassured when a CM can tell them that their delayed bag is in a truck that just left the Poly and will be here in about 5 minutes.

Thanks, sluggo! I was sure I knew of the name ASIGS in connection with DME luggage; when people started posting BAGS, Inc, I thought I was losing it! The storage facility makes sense; there are generally buildings in/around airports used for freight, storage, etc; and Tyler has posted several times about the use of GPS and that each bag/tag is scanned something like five times between the plane and the rooms!

Though the service is free to passengers, Disney along with its contractors Mears Transportation Group and Aircraft Services International Group will pay the airport an estimated $4.4 million next year to run the program. Mears runs the buses; ASIG transports the luggage.

Meanwhile, Disney operates the entire program (before anybody claims Mears does )

 

[Lewisc]

Some posters decided at the last minute not to use DME. At least two posters delayed getting to the carousel and found DME had already sent their unclaimed and untagged bags directly to WDW.

This leads me to suspect that DME doesn't always hold bags until guests check in at the DME desk.

I understand the official position but I haven't read of any guests being told that DME would be returning their bags to the airline and that the guest would have to find their own way to MCO to retrieve their luggage. I'd be surprised if the airlines would even want to accept the bags back. How long would it take DME to retrieve my bags at MCO if I decide I don't want to take the bus? A delayed flight combined with a dinner reservation might motivate some guests to spend the $$$ to take a cab from MCO.

My guess is if too many people try luggage only Disney would have to post a price schedule for that service. It would not be very guest friendly to tell guests to take a cab to MCO to retrieve their luggage.

4. There are Disney CM's assigned to every airline to catch the bags that the airlines missed taking to the drop off point. They also check every unclaimed bag against a manifest to insure that the bags are found even if by chance the guest forgot to put on the tag or it fell off (highly unlikely).

 

[sluggo]

LewisC,

All I can tell you is that numerous bags are returned to the airlines each day for various reasons. I also know that some guests have been told that because they did not go through the Welcome Center that they would have to contact their airline to pick up their bags. The airline may have sent the bags to the resort as a courtesy or they may have sent the bags to the resort via delivery service COD for the guest to pay. That I do not know.

It doesn't occur often, but I know that it has happened.

Can't we all just obey the rules? After all it is free.

I understand the official position but I haven't read of any guests being told that DME would be returning their bags to the airline and that the guest would have to find their own way to MCO to retrieve their luggage. I'd be surprised if the airlines would even want to accept the bags back. How long would it take DME to retrieve my bags at MCO if I decide I don't want to take the bus? A delayed flight combined with a dinner reservation might motivate some guests to spend the $$$ to take a cab from MCO.

PS. Thanks for all the kind words above from the various posters

 

[Lewisc]

Other than paying $$$ for a cab due to a late flight and a dinner reservation, I can't think of any reason why I wouldn't take the free bus. I can always rent a car at WDW and use a grocery delivery service.

As far as I'm concerned this is an academic question.

I haven't read posts from anyone who was told to contact the airlines for missing luggage but I've read posts from people who found their luggage got to WDW before their flight even landed. Passengers who took a later flight but who's luggage arrived on their original flight.

I'll speculate that the airlines will stop letting Disney take luggage if too many bags get returned to the airlines for delivery/pickup by the passenger.

As a WDW guest I like DME but Disney is the party that wasn't following the rules regarding solicitation.

LewisC,

All I can tell you is that numerous bags are returned to the airlines each day for various reasons. I also know that some guests have been told that because they did not go through the Welcome Center that they would have to contact their airline to pick up their bags. The airline may have sent the bags to the resort as a courtesy or they may have sent the bags to the resort via delivery service COD for the guest to pay. That I do not know.

It doesn't occur often, but I know that it has happened.

Can't we all just obey the rules? After all it is free.




PS. Thanks for all the kind words above from the various posters

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Sorry but both your possibilities assume Disney wants to set up a system discourage guests from use DME for luggage only. Both your possibilities talk about guests abusing the system. The third possibility is Disney doesn't even really consider luggage only guests abusers.

Call DME Guest Services. Tell them you want to rent a car for your whole family, but you still want your luggage to "magically appear" in your room. I assure you that the CM will discourage you from using DME for luggage only. Take a look at post #25 by CleveRocks in this thread.

I've never said that your bags won't be delivered to your room if you don't ride on the DME motorcoach. Maybe your bags would make it anyway some of the time. Maybe your bags would make it anyway most of the time. And maybe your bags would always make it these days. But there's no guarantee that Disney won't figure out a better way to enforce the rules in the future.

I'll refute some of your "facts". My DME voucher wasn't scanned when I boarded my bus last December. We were the last passengers to board the bus and they had already moved the employee with the scanner to another bus.

You only refuted one of my facts. Based on your statement above, I'll update my facts, with one of them edited to reflect your statement:

• According to Disney's Magical Express Guest Services and according to Disney's Magical Express FAQ, guests are not allowed to use Disney's Magical Express only as an inbound luggage service; at least one member of the traveling party is supposed to ride the inbound motorcoach.
  
• DME reservations are tied to Disney lodging reservations.
  
• Disney checks guests in at the DME Welcome Center and the guests' transportation vouchers are supposed to be scanned (but this apparently does not happen 100% of the time) when guests board the motorcoach.
  
• DME luggage is scanned multiple times (five times according to Tyler).
  
• Disney has a business reason to pay the substantial cost of inbound luggage transfers as part of the overall Disney's Magical Express transportation and luggage service. Guests who arrive at their resorts without a rental car (and even guests who arrive without a towncar grocery stop) will usually spend more money with Disney.
  
• Disney has a financial incentive to discourage abuse. Otherwise, Disney is paying the substantial cost of inbound luggage transfers without getting the financial benefit of a "captive audience."

Disney is a business. There's a business reason why Disney is willing to pay for for DME guests' luggage to be sorted at the airport, transported by ASIG, and delivered by bell services to guests' rooms. But, as the last two bullets above indicate, that business reason assumes that guests are using the DME transportation too.

 

[goofy4tink]

People...it's beginning to look like the Transportation Board is going to have it's very own 'hot topic', just like some of the other boards. Let's see, the Resorts have 'pool hopping', the Restuarants have 'refillable mugs', CB seems to have the 'clique' threads. Looks like we have ours too!!!
I think it's safe to agree that the rules are that Disney 'wants' everyone sending their luggage to the resort, using those nifty yellow tags, to be on the DME bus. We all realize that. However, I don't think we are going to get the 'definative' word here...yes, a lot of good input, and some great info..thanks to all of you. However, as of the moment, we have only hearsay as to what will happen if you don't get on that bus, yet have luggage with yellow tags. Are there ways around it? Probably. But, if someone comes here asking if they have to be on the bus in order to use the 'resort luggage delivery' feature, then perhaps we should just give the 'rule' as we know it, rather than spend an inordinate amount of time arguing back and forth about the best ways to circumvent the system, or how the 'back room' of the system works. There are always going to be those who are not going to change their position, even if faced with irrefutable proof of something. They will think that the one with the 'proof' has an agenda, or is out to 'prove' something.
Sorry, I didn't mean for this to get long-winded, it was just supposed to be an observation. now, I'll just away.