Nervous about Magical Express

[*love*2*shop]

WRONG! Repeat, yellow tags are not used or needed for going home. Remove them from baggage before checkout.

GOOD to KNOW, I ASSUMED they would have to give us more tags for our luggage for the bus ride back to Airport..GOOD too know..We wont be Using ANY of the TAGS then...... thanks for the info... again, we will *NOT* be putting the Tags on our LUGGAge and we will be getting our OWN bags and Bringing them WITH US! on the ME BUS< so as to have them right away....

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

GOOD to KNOW, I ASSUMED they would have to give us more tags for our luggage for the bus ride back to Airport..GOOD too know..We wont be Using ANY of the TAGS then...... thanks for the info... again, we will *NOT* be putting the Tags on our LUGGAge and we will be getting our OWN bags and Bringing them WITH US! on the ME BUS< so as to have them right away....

On your arrival day...

Getting your own bags is certainly an option. (As you're aware, just don't use the yellow tags.) But it's not advice that I would give to anyone.

The last thing I want to do when I arrive in Orlando to to spend an extra 20-40 minutes at the airport before heading to WDW. That's what it takes to get to baggage claim, wait for luggage, and drag the luggage to Magical Express. Then, it's customary to tip the driver for handling it and to tip bell services for assistance at your resort.

My advice is to use Magical Express as designed. It is such a pleasure to go straight from the arrival gate to the Disney Welcome Center! Arriving late? No problem. Bring a carry-on with essentials for the first night — which you should always do anyway in case the airline delays your luggage. Then, have your checked luggage delivered the next morning while you're out having fun. In this case, Disney pays the bell service tip.

When it's time to go home...

If you are flying on one of the airlines that participates in Resort Airline Check-in, you can check your bags and get your boarding passes right at your resort. (Resort Airline Check-in is a remote skycap service at all Disney-operated hotels at WDW.) It's a wonderful service. The next time you see your bags will be at baggage claim at your home airport.

You can use Resort Airline Check-in regardless of how you're getting from your WDW resort to the airport. If you riding on a Magical Express motorcoach, it's great to travel with just carry-ons (small bags with valuable and fragile items that you don't want to check).

As other have noted, there are no yellow tags involved on the day that you travel home. The purpose of the yellow tags is to get your bags to your room on your arrival day only.

 

[newfie]

We arrived at 12:30am and our bags were with us within 1 hour I guess because it was so late not as many people checking in.

 

[*love*2*shop]

thanks for the advice..BUT i think i will have to stick to grabbing

My Bags,we dont Fly iNTO MCO until AFTER 11pm ( i think 1130PM to be exact) And I def would NOT want my Luggage left outside my doorway at 3AM until we woke up/ unattended ..Also with the Airline

rstrictions..I wont have some of my essential items or bed items ) ie my makeup wash off cleanser, toohpaste, jammies etc)

SO, I appreciate the advice, BUT with the Airline restrictions and the lateness of us arriving to the hotel, ill need all my luggage right away....

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

thanks for the advice..BUT i think i will have to stick to grabbing

My Bags,we dont Fly iNTO MCO until AFTER 11pm ( i think 1130PM to be exact) And I def would NOT want my Luggage left outside my doorway at 3AM until we woke up/ unattended ..Also with the Airline

rstrictions..I wont have some of my essential items or bed items ) ie my makeup wash off cleanser, toohpaste, jammies etc)

That's fine. Do as you wish.

For the benefit of others reading this thread, allow me to point out the bell services does not leave DME-handled bags outside hotel doors, unattended, at 3 a.m. Also, the TSA restrictions on liquids and gels in carry-ons have been modified. You are now allowed to carry travel-size (3-ounce container or smaller) toiletries that fit in a quart-size, clear plastic, zip-top bag.

Regardless of whether or not you use the yellow tags, you should bring a carry-on with the things you need the first night (such as "makeup wash off cleanser, toohpaste, jammies etc") and the first morning. Airline delays of checked luggage are way too common.

People should make informed decisions based on accurate information.

 

[bnorm27]

We used ME for our 9/18-9/24 trip with no problems. Bags were delivered to our room while we were down grabbing a bite to eat. My only suggestion, and we did not do this, is to pack you bathing suit in your carry on. We did pack the kids suits in their carry on bag, but not our own. So they got to go in the pool when we arrived and we did not! Return trip was uneventful as well. You can check your bags at the hotel for your return flight (and get boarding passes for most airlines) between 3 and 12 hours prior to your departure time.

Why grab you own bags at the airport?? Do you thin kit will be fun checking in with all your suitcases instead of just your carry-ons?

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Why grab you own bags at the airport?? Do you thin kit will be fun checking in with all your suitcases instead of just your carry-ons?

There seem to be four main reasons why some DME guests choose to wait at baggage claim rather than getting the benefit of free luggage delivery to their resort room:

1. Some guests absolutely need immediate access to something that absolutely cannot be taken as carry-on luggage. For example, someone who is tent-camping at Fort Wilderness and is arriving later in the day would check the tent with the airline and would then want to set it up at the campsite as soon as possible.
2. Some guests cannot relax and don't feel like they're on vacation until they've unpacked their bags in their room. (This is something I learned on this board.) So they handle their own luggage, even though this means an extra 20-40 minutes at the airport.
3. Some people don't understand how Magical Express works or don't trust Disney, and they think it's better or smarter to "grab" their own bags.
4. Some people don't understand the definition of "participating airlines," so they incorrectly believe they're not entitled to inbound luggage transfers.

 

[Lewisc]

Golf clubs is another example of item 1.

Guests arriving late at night might also want to get their own bags. I'm thinking about guests who need their checked luggage for the next morning, planning on getting an early start (EMH) and don't want to have to wait a possible 20 minutes for bell services to deliver luggage in the morning. I wouldn't book anything early the next morning after a late evening flight but different people have different schedules. Plus waiting for luggage is less of an issue if you're arriving after dinner and don't really have anything planned for the rest of the night.

There seem to be four main reasons why some DME guests choose to wait at baggage claim rather than getting the benefit of free luggage delivery to their resort room:

1. Some guests absolutely need immediate access to something that absolutely cannot be taken as carry-on luggage. For example, someone who is tent-camping at Fort Wilderness and is arriving later in the day would check the tent with the airline and would then want to set it up at the campsite as soon as possible.
2. Some guests cannot relax and don't feel like they're on vacation until they've unpacked their bags in their room. (This is something I learned on this board.) So they handle their own luggage, even though this means an extra 20-40 minutes at the airport.
3. Some people don't understand how Magical Express works or don't trust Disney, and they think it's better or smarter to "grab" their own bags.
4. Some people don't understand the definition of "participating airlines," so they incorrectly believe they're not entitled to inbound luggage transfers.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Guests arriving late at night might also want to get their own bags. I'm thinking about guests who need their checked luggage for the next morning, planning on getting an early start (EMH) and don't want to have to wait a possible 20 minutes for bell services to deliver luggage in the morning. I wouldn't book anything early the next morning after a late evening flight but different people have different schedules. Plus waiting for luggage is less of an issue if you're arriving after dinner and don't really have anything planned for the rest of the night.

I probably should have listed "arriving late at night" as reason #5 why some guests choose to go to baggage claim — not as a good reason (in my opinion), but just as a reason.

If I were arriving at 11 p.m., I would not want to spend another 20-40 minutes at the airport, nor would I want the hassle of dealing with my luggage in the airport and at the resort.

We would pack carry-ons with sleepwear, toiletries (within TSA rules), and clothes for the next morning in any case (whether or not we use Magical Express). After all, we want these items in case the airline delays our checked luggage.

If we have these items in our carry-ons anyway, we might as well go straight from the arrival gate to the DME Welcome Center. That way, we'll be on the first motorcoach to our resort (and if we're the only ones going to that resort, we'll start DME's "timer" as soon as possible, so that we get dispatched to our resort as soon as possible).

I would ask for our luggage to be delivered the next day. We wouldn't have to be in our room because Disney takes care of the inbound luggage delivery gratuity. So there's really no "waiting for luggage" — not at the airport, and not at the resort. There's no need to "wait a possible 20 minutes for bell services to deliver luggage in the morning" — simply by packing a few items in a carry-on.

 

[MouseyMin]

I have reason #6 for grabbing my own bags - peace of mind. To me, the most stressful part of the trip is waiting at the baggage carrousel to see if my suitcase actually made it on the plane or went to another state! I would rather waste 1/2 hour or 45 minutes to get my own bag than continue to worry about it for another few hours. I fly a lot and have never lost a suitcase yet - and I'm probably way overdue!!

 

[Lewisc]

I have reason #6 for grabbing my own bags - peace of mind. To me, the most stressful part of the trip is waiting at the baggage carrousel to see if my suitcase actually made it on the plane or went to another state! I would rather waste 1/2 hour or 45 minutes to get my own bag than continue to worry about it for another few hours. I fly a lot and have never lost a suitcase yet - and I'm probably way overdue!!

Your reason is either 2 or 3 on HHs original list.

You're not going to change, you won't be happy until you physically get your bag BUT for others reading this thread sometimes airlines may delay luggage.

Assume one of your bags doesn't make it. You'll wait at least 45 minutes until all the luggage has made it to the carrousel. You'll then have to wait and fill out a claim form. Eventually the luggage will arrive at MCO and the airline will ship the bag to your resort. My guess is you'll see a light on your phone and will call bell services to have your bag delivered.

Now assume you used DME. Disney will follow up with the airline and will deliver your bag to your room when it arrives. The DME CM asks how many bags you checked.

 

[bdink921]

Thanks OP for posting this question -- you read my mind. And thanks for all of the helpful answers. I'll be putting my yellow tags on our bags and taking essentials in the carry ons (we do anyways).

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Thanks OP for posting this question -- you read my mind. And thanks for all of the helpful answers. I'll be putting my yellow tags on our bags and taking essentials in the carry ons (we do anyways).

Yep!

That's the way to do it. Put the yellow tags on your checked luggage before you leave home. Pack carry-ons with essential items that you might need before your checked luggage is delivered. When you arrive at the airport, go straight to Magical Express. Check in at your resort. Go a theme park, or to your resort pool, or to a restaurant. When you return to your room a few hours later, your checked bags will be there.

Have fun!

 

[crashbb]

I probably should have listed "arriving late at night" as reason #5 why some guests choose to go to baggage claim — not as a good reason (in my opinion), but just as a reason.

If I were arriving at 11 p.m., I would not want to spend another 20-40 minutes at the airport, nor would I want the hassle of dealing with my luggage in the airport and at the resort.

I was under the impression that if you arrive after 11pm you HAVE to pick up your own bags. I thought I read that DME will not do it for you after 11pm or before 6:30am. It is entirely possible that I am totally wrong though. Can someone please confirm/unconfirm this?

 

[Lewisc]

I was under the impression that if you arrive after 11pm you HAVE to pick up your own bags. I thought I read that DME will not do it for you after 11pm or before 6:30am. It is entirely possible that I am totally wrong though. Can someone please confirm/unconfirm this?

This was wrong information that was originally posted as fact on another internet board. DME normally holds the luggage for delivery in the morning but you have the option of having it delivered in the middle of the night. You do not have to pick up your luggage.

 

[CleveRocks]

I just called DME (866-599-0951) and asked if I NEED to pick up my own luggage if I arrive at 11:00 p.m. or midnight or 6:00 a.m. The very nice CM immediately and confidently answered that I would not NEED to pick up my own luggage, that I could put the yellow DME tags on my checked bags and have them automatically delivered to my resort room no matter what time my flight arrives.

For the late night arrivals, he did warn me that the luggage would take from one to three hours to arrive, and that I should pack accordingly in a carry-on as well as be prepared to be awakened by the luggage delivery. I told him my idea to ask at my resort's front desk and Bell Services to hold my luggage until morning, as well as Tyler's idea to put out the Do Not Disturb sign. He agreed those were good ideas (but were outside of his direct scope of knowledge).

 

[Redmic]

Don't worry , be happy
The bags will be there within a couple of hours (at the longest).

Sorry, but we were at Disney in August and were told 5 to 6 hours . It actually took 4 1/2 hours. I would never use ME again without transporting my own bags.

 

[Lewisc]

Sorry, but we were at Disney in August and were told 5 to 6 hours . It actually took 4 1/2 hours. I would never use ME again without transporting my own bags.

My flight gets in at 10:00a. After I check in I'll be going directly to EPCOT. I won't know, or care, if my luggage takes 2 hours or 4 1/2. Eventually DME will give us the opportunity to check in to our resort at MCO and be bused directly to a theme park.

Carry on what you'll need immediately. Items like golf clubs are the exception. Luggage that's needed immediately, and has to be checked, is the exception.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Sorry, but we were at Disney in August and were told 5 to 6 hours . It actually took 4 1/2 hours. I would never use ME again without transporting my own bags.

What's so bed about 4 1/2 hours?

This is an example why it's a good idea to pack carry-ons with anything you'll need for the first 6-12 hours (or even the first 24 hours).

However, I don't see why this example should make anyone feel the need to throw away their yellow tags, delay their arrival at the DME Welcome Center by 20-40 minutes to get their own luggage, be on a later motorcoach to WDW, have to deal with the burden of luggage at the airport and at the resort, and spend their own money on tips (rather than having Disney pay the inbound luggage delivery tip).

 

[leanne11]

asked all star sports to not deliver them till 6:00am,i even wrote it on the yellow tags, but about 1am,i got 1 single phone ring and then the red light came on, i called down very quietly about 6:am and they brought them right over, this all happened before the kids even woke up so they didn't miss anything and i brought a little bag w/jammies in it.
i encourage ALL people to not take their own bags, because i don't want to wait for you .
if everyone brought there own bags, i will have to wait for all of you guys to take the luggage off the bus in the middle of the night, you just want to get to your resort and your room and remember the bus stops at alot of resorts not just yours...