My ME experience on 5/5

[JudicialTyranny]

I posted this in another thread, but I thought I might start a new one about my ME experience yesterday.

My travel agent received my tags on Tuesday and overnighted them to me so I had them on Wednesday (I left Thursday morning).

The ME booklet did not have my flight information, but my TA called them and they did have it in the system. I do not know if they print flight information on the actual tags themselves - it was not on mine.

When I got off the plane, I took the tram in MCO and when I got off, I walked a short distance and there was a ME rep there who told me where to go (side "A", level 1, which is a bit of a hike).

When I got there, I had to "check in" at the ME desk by filling out a form with the names of everyone in our party (5), my departing flight info, and a few other things - nothing unusual. This was very quick.

The guy at the desk assured me that I would get my luggage. He said someone would take the form I filled in and enter it into their system.

They stamped my ME vouchers (one per person, which came in the packet). He said I needed those to get on the bus for my return trip. (He also said they would check them when I got on the bus, but they didn't.)

There are something like four queues with signs listing the destination resorts. Some lines had only one resort (Carribean Beach for example) where others like mine had a few (FW, CR, GF, and one other). Our line was fairly long, while others had a few people only.

We didn't get on with the first busload, but the next bus came quickly and we got on that one. We were one of the last people to get on that bus, and there were people behind us.

Timing wise, our flight got in at about 3:10 and we arrived at CR (the second stop for the bus) about 4:45. As I said before, the bus driver drive rather slowly and there was some trouble with the wheelchair ramp at FW - some problem positioning the bus to unload the wheelchair.

Check in was fairly quick. When we got to our room, no luggage. We went to get something to eat after resting and I asked Bell Services about the luggage. They said it was running up to 5 hours behind.

We stopped back at our room at 7:30 PM and our luggage WAS THERE!!!

My estimation is that it arrived between 6:30 PM and 7:30 PM because I was in the room at 6:30 PM and it was not there.

So.... after having visions of having no change of clothes our whole trip... all seems to be OK!

Other than the axiety about the luggage, I think everything went very smoothly. There were LOTS of ME people at the airport to help.

 

[debster812]

Thanks for this report JT. All in all, it sounds pretty good. And the report of a 5 hour wait for luggage, sounds like a classic case of "Underpromise, and Overdeliver".

Have a GREAT trip.

 

[bytheblood]

Thanks for posting your experience. For being the official launch day, not too bad.

 

[goofy4tink]

Thanks for checking in!! Hope your trip is wonderful!!

 

[rsschneck]

Thanks for posting. We still have not received our luggage tags (probably won't). Anyway, ME has one more week before we arrive. I am sure each day is getting easier and easier . Have a GREAT trip!

 

[Lewisc]

JD--When you checked in did you have a room pre-assigned? Where you allowed to express an preference? The last few times I stayed at WDW I was able to chose a room from the pool of available rooms.

Some posts indicate the luggage may beat us to our room which would imply our room assignment is cast in stone before we even get to the front desk.

 

[spiceycat]

good report! thanks!

I can't wait just another week....

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

JD--When you checked in did you have a room pre-assigned? Where you allowed to express an preference? The last few times I stayed at WDW I was able to chose a room from the pool of available rooms.

Some posts indicate the luggage may beat us to our room which would imply our room assignment is cast in stone before we even get to the front desk.

Your room is NEVER set in stone until you physically check in. Even when it's pre-blocked, luggage cannot be delivered until the guest checks in.

 

[Lewisc]

Your room is NEVER set in stone until you physically check in. Even when it's pre-blocked, luggage cannot be delivered until the guest checks in.

That's what I thought. Some of the posts indicated your luggage may beat you to your room which would imply an absolute room assignment.

Tyler--Glad to see you have time to continue posting. Good luck.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

It's an addiction that's hard to break! lol

 

[betterlatethannever]

Tyler--Glad to see you have time to continue posting. Good luck.

Tyler,

Did I miss something? Have you graduated? Are you off to bigger and better things?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Ed

 

[goofy4tink]

Yikes...I don't remember Tyler posting during the daylight hours lately. Must have just hopped on and then off to 'bus duty'. Sure is nice to have someone around that is not only in the know about the bus system but also how it all works at the resorts. Thanks Tyler.

 

[ZacinIndy]

Lewisc, that is a very good question. I hope we can find the answer.

 

[JudicialTyranny]

That's what I thought. Some of the posts indicated your luggage may beat you to your room which would imply an absolute room assignment.

That's what I read also, but that would indicate things need to be running very effeciently.

My ME tags had "Room #" printed on them, but did not give a room number.

My guess is that their plan is that the luggage will come off the plane and get sent right to the resort and the ME # on the tag will match up with the reservation number and they will know the room number assigned (which I suppose means the room number is assigned before you check in).

I guess they are thinking that the time it takes you to get through MCO, check in with ME, and get on the bus, and check in will give them enough time to get the luggage to the room.

If they can get things running that effeciently, I'll have to hand it to them.

 

[dreamingdisney]

We leave tomorrow - no tags! Did you happen to see what the CMs did for those guests who did not have a tag?

 

[Tiggers&Springs]

We leave tomorrow - no tags! Did you happen to see what the CMs did for those guests who did not have a tag?

Ditto on that -- curious to hear reports. I leave Sunday and am holding out hope they'll still show up tomorrow. But if not, I'm inventing a creative way to ID the bags to the CMs. I think that may be the best thing we can do.

After the week I've had, I've already passed the frustration stage and now just feeling resigned to go with the flow. We'll get there, we're on vacation, and if the ride is bad I'm gonna get a nice girlie drink (something involving fruit and/or rum, if possible) at AKL!!! 1 more day!!!!

 

[JudicialTyranny]

We leave tomorrow - no tags! Did you happen to see what the CMs did for those guests who did not have a tag?

There were several people putting their luggage under the bus. When the buses pulled up, they opened up the luggage area underneath.

So I would say to go claim your luggage and bring it down to the ME area and put it on the bus.

 

[seashoreCM]

There were several people putting their luggage under the bus. When the buses pulled up, they opened up the luggage area underneath.

What time of day? Could it be that guests would put their own (plane)checked luggage under the bus only when the situation at the bus platform was not crowded and hurried?

Also most guests have carry on (the plane) luggage that never gets an ME tag.

 

[simba2]

We don't land in Orlando until 11:00 pm. Does that mean our luggage won't arrive at our hotel until 3:00 am? And are they going to call us to come get it at that hour? Or knock on our door and say it's there at 3:00 am?

 

[hulkcoaster]

Was there a video on the bus?