ME - Can you hand carry your luggage?

[luv2plan]

Can we get our own luggage at the carousel and hand carry them onto the ME bus?

We are going to the park after we check-in and will want our jackets but I don't want
to mess with carry on luggage or be stuck waiting for luggage from ME.

Thanks! & Happy Planning!!

 

[Robo]

Can we get our own luggage at the carousel and hand carry them onto the ME bus?

Yes.

Just don't attach the yellow tags to your luggage and go by the baggage-claim and grab 'em on your way to DME desk.
The bus driver will stow them under the bus for you, then pull them out at your resort stop.

(Be sure to tip him a bit more.)

 

[luv2plan]

Thanks ~ I figured as much, but wanted to double check!

 

[CleveRocks]

Just my personal opinion:
If I NEEDED my jacket in order to go to a park soon after I arrive, I wouldn't be caught dead packing that jacket in my checked luggage. What if my luggage is delayed by the airline??? That would mean I wouldn't be able to comfortably go to a park. Here's an idea: wear your coat onto the plane, and then take it off and place it in the overhead bin once you board. Or if you don't have a carry-on, carry your coat on over your arm.

Either way, please let me convince you NOT to pack anything into your checked luggage that you will need immediately upon arrival. Delayed luggage is not very very common, but it's not unheard of, either.

 

[TLinden16]

I'm moving this to the transportation board for you.

 

[maxiesmom]

Can we get our own luggage at the carousel and hand carry them onto the ME bus?

We are going to the park after we check-in and will want our jackets but I don't want
to mess with carry on luggage or be stuck waiting for luggage from ME.

Thanks! & Happy Planning!!

You need to rethink having carry-on luggage. There are certain things you should never check, such as medications or anything valuable. Plus you should have a change of clothes in your carry-on, just in case your luggage gets misdirected by the airline.

Also, you do not have be in your room for you ME luggage to be delivered. They will put it in your room for you even if you are not there.

 

[dburg30]

You can do that, but I would just wear my jacket, as it's probably not going to be really warm when you leave. And as far as the luggage delivery for DME that's one of the GREAT parts. They will deliver your luggage without you being in the room. So A) you dont have to get your luggage and schlep it thru MCO B) all you would need to do is check in at your resort and head to a park C) no tipping

And as stated, in case of delayed luggage, no matter how slim of a chance, IF it happens, you get to spend more time at the airport waiting for your luggage. And if you are taking a camera or any electronics ie: games or stuff, PLEASE keep those with you, dont check them.

 

[Becky521]

Last Dec. we just wore sweatshirts under our coats when we left home airport. When we got to our resort we left our coats with lugage services there. We had our sweatshirts when it got coll and bell services delivered our coats to our room along with our lugage when it arrived from the airport.

 

[Missytara]

Agreed; for those of us who choose to let ME take our bags to our rooms, it is somewhat annoying for the long wait to get off the bus, while people choose to bring ALL of their luggage with them, being offloaded from the bus.

If you want to wear your jackets to the park, either carry them over your arm or put them through the straps of your carry-on, which is what I do. No sense in making everyone wait for all of your luggage to be unloaded, just for a few jackets....

 

[kaytieeldr]

Can't help it... just curious why you would be storing your jackets in your luggage in Illinois, but expect to need them in Florida? I'd expect it to be reversed - needing jackets in December at home, not needing them so desperately in the warmer Central Florida climate.

 

[Lewisc]

Some window sets in an airplane are cold. You may need whatever light jacket/sweater you plan on wearing in the parks in the airplane.

 

[dburg30]

Can't help it... just curious why you would be storing your jackets in your luggage in Illinois, but expect to need them in Florida? I'd expect it to be reversed - needing jackets in December at home, not needing them so desperately in the warmer Central Florida climate.

I was asking pretty much the same thing. Only thing I could figure they were doing was either having someone drop them off at the airport or doing valet parking, and just dashing inside at the terminal, so they wouldnt have coats with them. Or, wearing them, and then packing them so they didnt have to carry them on (but they would make great pillows for the flight ) then unpacking them when they got to MCO. Unless the OP finds their thread down here, we may never know

 

[luv2plan]

WOW! So many replies after my question was already answered.

I know we don't need to be in the room to receive our luggage, but I don't want to be stuck waiting for it.

My problem is I don't know if it will be raining when we go the park or how cool (60 at night) it will be for us. So, I don't know which sweatshirt/rain poncho/jacket will be appropriate for the evening. We are going to DHS for dinner & Osbourne Lights.

I hate taking extra bags on the plane. I take one tote bag w/DVD player for the kids & my book, that's it. I fly multiple times a year with my kids & that's just how I like to fly. I have never packed extra clothes, etc. in a carry-on bag. I just don't worry about it.

As for coats (not jackets) in ILL, my DH drops us off at the airport with our luggage and we leave our coats in the car. He just toughs it out for 10 minutes on the bus from the parking lot to the airport.

Have a great week everyone! We leave tomorrow!!

 

[bavaria]

Here's an idea: wear your coat onto the plane, and then take it off and place it in the overhead bin once you board. Or if you don't have a carry-on, carry your coat on over your arm.

Airlines ask that you not do this, and that coats and jackets be placed in the bin only AFTER all other carry on luggage has been stored.

Putting your jacket in the bin beforehand takes away space from others.

 

[FireDancer]

Can we get our own luggage at the carousel and hand carry them onto the ME bus?

We are going to the park after we check-in and will want our jackets but I don't want
to mess with carry on luggage or be stuck waiting for luggage from ME.

Thanks! & Happy Planning!!

I always get my own bags and bring them to ME. I would just rather have my bags with me the whole time instead of letting ME handle them. It really just comes down to preference.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Getting your own bags at baggage claim normally means that you'll be on a later DME coach. You'll arrive at your resort 30-60 minutes later than if you had dashed straight from your airplane to DME check-in.

Then, it's customary to tip the DME driver for storing and retrieving your bags from the DME coach baggage hold.

Next, it's customary to tip bell services for holding your bags if your room is not ready.

Finally, it's customary to tip bell services when they bring the bags to your room after your room is ready. You need wait in your room for bell services, because they won't deliver if you're not there (because they expect a tip).

So, yes, retrieving for own bags, instead of using DME luggage transfers, is an option. Some of of us just think it's not a good option.

(I'd rather be on the first DME departure to my resort after I land, with Disney handling the luggage transfers and the tips to bell services, so I can be out having fun instead of inconveniencing myself with luggage.)

 

[luv2plan]

How do you know if you are on the later coach to your resort? We are not in a hurry at the airport. We will actually be getting something to eat at the food court before we get our luggage and will get on the next available coach to our resort when we get there. How will we know if we just missed one or not? How often do they leave for any given resort?

We will have been up since 6am and have a 2hr drive to the nearest airport so we are not rushing off to the park as fast as we can. We are planning on resting in the room until 4 or 5pm. I just don't want to take a chance that our luggage won't arrive in time.

Have a great week & Happy planning!

 

[Missytara]

Getting your own bags at baggage claim normally means that you'll be on a later DME coach. You'll arrive at your resort 30-60 minutes later than if you had dashed straight from your airplane to DME check-in.

Then, it's customary to tip the DME driver for storing and retrieving your bags from the DME coach baggage hold.

Next, it's customary to tip bell services for holding your bags if your room is not ready.

Finally, it's customary to tip bell services when they bring the bags to your room after your room is ready. You need wait in your room for bell services, because they won't deliver if you're not there (because they expect a tip).

So, yes, retrieving for own bags, instead of using DME luggage transfers, is an option. Some of of us just think it's not a good option.

(I'd rather be on the first DME departure to my resort after I land, with Disney handling the luggage transfers and the tips to bell services, so I can be out having fun instead of inconveniencing myself with luggage.)

Agreed; however I wish they would change one thing. I wish they would let all of us off first who chose to let ME handle our luggage. They hold you prisoner in the bus, until all the luggage for that resort is offloaded. I think they should let all of us who chose to let ME handle our luggage off first, since we are helping to keep the process moving. Then they unload all the luggage for that resort, and make just the people who brought all of their luggage with them wait......they are the ones that hold up the process.

 

[Traveliz]

How do you know if you are on the later coach to your resort? We are not in a hurry at the airport. We will actually be getting something to eat at the food court before we get our luggage and will get on the next available coach to our resort when we get there. How will we know if we just missed one or not? How often do they leave for any given resort?

We will have been up since 6am and have a 2hr drive to the nearest airport so we are not rushing off to the park as fast as we can. We are planning on resting in the room until 4 or 5pm. I just don't want to take a chance that our luggage won't arrive in time.

Have a great week & Happy planning!

I don't think the you will be on a later coach holds much water. I have used ME many times, sometimes with luggage and sometimes without. My longest wait by far was during the day when I did not take my luggage to the bus. We stood there 40 minutes before we even boarded (this was during the summer). I have also gotten off the plane, used the restroom, come right out as the luggage was onto the carousel and walked right onto a bus at ME.

Honestly I have had to sit and wait while luggage is unloaded from under the bus and those drivers have it down to a science - the wait in my opinion is minimal. Even if everyone let their luggage come by separate bus you will still be waiting for carryon luggage and strollers to be unloaded.

Liz

 

[Lewisc]

Many of the replies are intended for others reading this thread. You've already made your decision.

DME buses seem to leave every 20-30 minutes. It takes at least that long to get your luggage from the carousel and walk over to the DME bus. It's all but inevitable you'll be taking a later DME bus.

Airline makes a difference. SW passengers have to go back up to level 3 and walk to the opposite corner of MCO before going down to the DME location.

It sounds like you have enough time for DME luggage delivery. The issue would be if he airline put your luggage on a later flight.

How do you know if you are on the later coach to your resort? We are not in a hurry at the airport. We will actually be getting something to eat at the food court before we get our luggage and will get on the next available coach to our resort when we get there. How will we know if we just missed one or not? How often do they leave for any given resort?

We will have been up since 6am and have a 2hr drive to the nearest airport so we are not rushing off to the park as fast as we can. We are planning on resting in the room until 4 or 5pm. I just don't want to take a chance that our luggage won't arrive in time.

Have a great week & Happy planning!