ME Newbie questions -- leaving tomorrow!

[labdogs42]

I have never used Magical Express before and I actually have my mom set up to test it out tomorrow. We're all traveling to WDW, but DH, DS, and I are renting a car. My mom and her friend are using ME (then we can all use the car once we get all of our STUFF to the hotel!). I messed up and forgot to tell the travel agent about her needing baggage tags until too late, so now she'll have to get her bags at baggage claim, right? If she picks up her own bags at baggage claim, will they still take her bags to her room for her? How does that work? Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[CleveRocks]

I have never used Magical Express before and I actually have my mom set up to test it out tomorrow. We're all traveling to WDW, but DH, DS, and I are renting a car. My mom and her friend are using ME (then we can all use the car once we get all of our STUFF to the hotel!). I messed up and forgot to tell the travel agent about her needing baggage tags until too late, so now she'll have to get her bags at baggage claim, right? If she picks up her own bags at baggage claim, will they still take her bags to her room for her? How does that work? Thanks in advance for your help!

She does have a DME reservation, right? If she does NOT have a DME reservation, then she can't use DME. They are not permitted to accept "walk ups" even if you would otherwise qualify for using DME.

Now, on to the good news (that is, if she already has a DME reservation) ....

She can ABSOLUTELY use the automatic luggage delivery part of DME even without the luggage tags. She can skip baggage claim and go directly to the DME Welcome Center at MCO. They will ask her if her bags are DME-tagged, and she will of course answer "No." They will ask how many bags she checked, ask her for her baggage claim ticket numbers, and also ask her to identify the bags using a photo array they have. They will dispatch a CM to go to baggage claim and claim her bags for her, then put them in with the rest of the DME luggage slated for resort delivery.

So, she absolutely can use DME without the tags (but NOT without a reservation). People do it every day.

If she does choose to unnecessarily delay herself and first go to baggage claim to get her own checked bags, she should do that first before going to the DME Welcome Center to check in. When she eventually gets to her bus, the driver will stow the bags under the bus, and when she arrives at her resort the driver will unload her bags for her. A tip will be in order for such service.

I hope she has DME reservations, and if she does, she can enjoy DME to the fullest. ENJOY YOUR TRIP!!!

 

[labdogs42]

Yes, she does have a DME reservation. I have a printout from our travel agent for that. OK, so she doesn't have to get her own bags? Awesome!

 

[dudspizza]

You could even have her take a picture of her exact bags and hand that picture to the DME desk so they can find her bags easily.

Have fun! I leave in 32 days and will be using ME! Exciting!

Duds