ME late arrival question

[TxDisFans]

We're arriving late - 9:30 pm. The CM I spoke to when changing our reservation said that if you arrive after 10 pm, you have to get your own checked bag and lug it to the ME bus yourself...

So what should I do? Hope we arrive on time and attach the tags and let the ME work its magic? Or go get the bags myself just to be safe?

I'm traveling alone with two small kids, so getting the bag myself is no small feat.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Attach the tags.

If your flight arrives on time, you're all set.

If your flight arrives after 10, you can go pick up your luggage before heading down to the DME Welcome Center (it will appear on the baggage carousel, since there are no Cast Members behind the scenes pulling luggage after 10 PM).

You can probably leave it as unclaimed luggage, and it will be sent off to the DME sorting/shipping center in the morning.

 

[WizardLarz]

You may just want to get your own bags anyway. Arriving at 9:30pm means that your bags may not get delivered to your room untill 12:30am. Even if yuo tell bell service to hold them, you'll then have to go down in the morning to retreave them.

 

[Missytara]

You may just want to get your own bags anyway. Arriving at 9:30pm means that your bags may not get delivered to your room untill 12:30am. Even if yuo tell bell service to hold them, you'll then have to go down in the morning to retreave them.

Bell Services could deliver them in the morning; you can request that, but you do need to be in the room to receive them once Bell Services takes the bags from ME.

Since you should carry anything that you need in the first 24 hours, since sometimes AIRLINES do lose bags - I would let ME take them to your resort, if you arrive too late for pick-up.

 

[kaytieeldr]

You may just want to get your own bags anyway. Arriving at 9:30pm means that your bags may not get delivered to your room untill 12:30am. Even if yuo tell bell service to hold them, you'll then have to go down in the morning to retreave them.

NO, you WON'T. Magical Express Luggage Delivery covers this. The message light on your phone will be flashing when you wake up. You return the call, let them know that, or when, you want your luggage, and IT WILL BE DELIVERED TO YOUR ROOM, just as it would have been on your arrival day if that's when you chose to recieve it. AND, Disney still tips the Cast Member who delivers your luggage - you don't even need to be around.

Bell Services could deliver them in the morning; you can request that, but you do need to be in the room to receive them once Bell Services takes the bags from ME.

Not in this one instance . Most of the time, sure, Guests MUST be IN the room waiting for their luggage from Bell Services/Luggage Assistance. Not so with Magical Express, either the say of arrival or the next day for late arrivals. That's part of the "magical" part.

 

[WizardLarz]

I've been missinformed. However, If you fail to have bell service hold the bags you could get a late knock on your door! Correct?!

 

[CandyMandy]

To me, the whole benefit of a late arrival at a WDW resort -- which we do all the time -- is to be rested and ready the next morning to make a park opening, e.g., "hit the ground running."

Worrying about retreiving luggage the next morning (or getting it delivered at some obscene hour of the night) completely defeats that, plus, we like having all our stuff at hand before we go to bed and when we we wake up.

So even if we were arriving a little before ten we would just retreive our luggage and take it down to the ME reception center. From that point on schelping it around becomes Disney's problem; they load it on the bus, they unload when we get to the resort, handing it to bell services which brings it to our room immediately after we check in. To me those benefits outweigh the delivery timing hassles being discussed here, which all stem from the logistics of ME transferring checked luggage.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I've been missinformed. However, If you fail to have bell service hold the bags you could get a late knock on your door! Correct?!

Correct - although if you do forget, putting the "Privacy Please" card in your door's key slot usually works

 

[kaytieeldr]

So even if we were arriving a little before ten we would just retreive our luggage and take it down to the ME reception center. From that point on schelping it around becomes Disney's problem; they load it on the bus, they unload when we get to the resort, handing it to bell services which brings it to our room immediately after we check in. To me those benefits outweigh the delivery timing hassles being discussed here, which all stem from the logistics of ME transferring checked luggage.

And all that is your right. Note, though, that by bypassing the Magical Express luggage delivery option for whatever reason, you immediately assume responsibility for the customary tipping for any service person who handles your luggage.

 

[seashoreCM]

So even if we were arriving a little before ten we would just retreive our luggage and take it down to the ME reception center. From that point on schelping it around becomes Disney's problem; they load it on the bus, they unload when we get to the resort, handing it to bell services which brings it to our room immediately after we check in. .

Nitpicking. Actually, no, it does not become Disney's problem. When you fetch luggage from the carousel yourself, you can enlist the help of bus drivers, bellhops, etc. as needed to help you schlep the luggage. Usually a different bellhop would take it to your room as opposed to the one who carried it in from the bus.

Can't win. Sometimes the bellhops hover around you raring to seize your bags which annoys some guests. Sometimes they stand up against the far wall, perhaps texting on iPods, and you have to beckon them over, which annoys some guests.

When you go to the carousel to claim bags and they don't appear, file a claim before walking away.

 

[puffkin]

We almost always come in on a late evening flight and we always get our luggage. It really isn't a big deal, even travelling with a toddler and all the gear. The reason we fly in late Fridays is to get all the hectic, tiring travelling out of the way so we can wake up rested and ready to go in Disney. So, I like to have my bags with me that first night. We sleep in that Saturday and have a great first day of vacation! It really isn't a big deal getting the bags!

 

[TxDisFans]

Hmmm.... still don't quite know what to do! But the suggestions are great - I understand the process now, so I think I'll be able to figure it out. I may just wait to see how heavy the bag is, how many bags, whether my 7 year old can schlep her own suitcase, etc. Once I see how much gear we're actually checking, I'll make the call... good point that we have to bring overnight stuff in a carryon regardless in case the luggage is lost by the airline!!

All in all, I'd rather have it with me that night if it's easy to do... I hadn't thought through how late it might arrive at the hotel.

 

[TheWog]

Hmmm.... still don't quite know what to do! But the suggestions are great - I understand the process now, so I think I'll be able to figure it out. I may just wait to see how heavy the bag is, how many bags, whether my 7 year old can schlep her own suitcase, etc. Once I see how much gear we're actually checking, I'll make the call... good point that we have to bring overnight stuff in a carryon regardless in case the luggage is lost by the airline!!

All in all, I'd rather have it with me that night if it's easy to do... I hadn't thought through how late it might arrive at the hotel.

Not sure what your budget is, but an option is a car service. You can have the driver handle the baggage for you while you deal with the children. He will be waiting at the luggage carousel for you with a sign and will take the bags for you to the car and drop you at the resort. Just an option, it does cost extra, but might be worth it to you in this situation.

 

[2Tiggies]

Not sure what your budget is, but an option is a car service. You can have the driver handle the baggage for you while you deal with the children. He will be waiting at the luggage carousel for you with a sign and will take the bags for you to the car and drop you at the resort. Just an option, it does cost extra, but might be worth it to you in this situation.

I am also a single mom and prefer to pick up my own bags before boarding ME. Part of this has to do with the fact that we usually arrive mid afternoon and I want to have the room all set up so when we get back that evening, we are ready for bed without digging through bags looking for a toothbrush. This year we only land at 5.55 pm. I will get my own luggage as usual for ME .... but due to the late arrival (and a 5 hour time difference making it 10.55 pm according to our bodies) I am considering a Town Car. It seems like a waste of money I guess sitting comfortably at home, but I know after more than 9 hours of flying plus all the down time in the airports on both sides, I will be ever grateful to be able to leave as soon as we get there. (Of course I would be a little annoyed with myself if the ME rolls into our resort the same time we do )

 

[TheWog]

I am also a single mom and prefer to pick up my own bags before boarding ME. Part of this has to do with the fact that we usually arrive mid afternoon and I want to have the room all set up so when we get back that evening, we are ready for bed without digging through bags looking for a toothbrush. This year we only land at 5.55 pm. I will get my own luggage as usual for ME .... but due to the late arrival (and a 5 hour time difference making it 10.55 pm according to our bodies) I am considering a Town Car. It seems like a waste of money I guess sitting comfortably at home, but I know after more than 9 hours of flying plus all the down time in the airports on both sides, I will be ever grateful to be able to leave as soon as we get there. (Of course I would be a little annoyed with myself if the ME rolls into our resort the same time we do )

All things being equal, it is highly unlikely DME will pull in at the same time you do. You will undoubtedly get there before them. Walking across airport, checking in, loading bus, waiting for other passengers, stops at other resorts along the way. You will definitely beat it. www.mousesavers.com has discount codes for Happy Limo (www.happylimo.com) for r/t airport service. We used Happy and had a great experience, but there are many others with good reviews on this board. Depending on how many in your party it will be a little over $100 US plus tip. Good luck.

 

[jessica29]

Grab them!

Just back from Port orleans arrived at airport 8:30 . We sat on the bus long enough that I could have grabbed my own luggage but did not.

My luggage was not able be delivered till 11:30pm they told us on arrival then 12:30am then finally around 1:00 am we just told them to deliver the luggage at 5:30 am when we woke up.Apparently it is 3 hours after delivery to resort not your flight landing.

Fortunatly I took advice of fellow dissers and had pjs in my kids carry on, but we did not have any and it was a hassle to unpack in the morning.