Picking up bags & taking ME

[KerTggr]

So we usually don't land until dinnertime as we come from the west coast. Lady time it tlonly took them an hour longer than when we were in our room to bring our bags. However that is when my littles will be getting bath and heading to bed.

This time we want to get our bags at baggage claim and take with us on ME. Has anyone ever done this before? Do I just bring them from baggage claim to the ME checkin and they'll put on the bus? When we get to our resort, do they unload the bags with us?

My only worry with this is that we may not be the first stop and don't want someone else to accidentally take our bags off early. (Have seen happen at time when they take you back to airport for MCO departure).

Thanks for any help/ experience you all can share.

 

[tjmw2727]

Yes you can do this - Don't use the yellow bag tags you will receive from DME and pick up your bags from baggage claim when you land in Orlando. Take them with you to check into DME and you will keep them until the last minute when you load the bus. The driver will place them on your bus in the hold sorted by resort and you board the bus. When you arrive at your resort the driver will unload the bags for that resort, you collect them and proceed to the check in desk. A tip is customary for the handling of the bags.

Alternately you can just pack what you want for bath/bed in a carryon and let DME deliver the rest of the checked bags, it can take up to 3 hours from the time you check into your resort for this.

I personally love the luggage delivery feature esp with young kids and strollers etc. It can also be a long walk from baggage claim back up to the main area and across the main terminal then back down to DME depending on the airline you fly.

But again either way is fine, your choice !

 

[jscottnc]

The only time we DON'T do this is if we arrive early enough in the day to make going to the park worthwhile. We have never had an issue with taking baggage on DME. You get your baggage from baggage claim and take it with you to the door of the bus; they will put it on the bus for you. If you worried about your bags being pulled off the bus before your stop, you could put the DME tags on AFTER you have claimed the bags and before you get on the bus.

 

[tjmw2727]

The only time we DON'T do this is if we arrive early enough in the day to make going to the park worthwhile. We have never had an issue with taking baggage on DME. You get your baggage from baggage claim and take it with you to the door of the bus; they will put it on the bus for you. If you worried about your bags being pulled off the bus before your stop, you could put the DME tags on AFTER you have claimed the bags and before you get on the bus.

Not sure using the yellow DME tags would stop another guest from grabbing the wrong bags and the driver certainly won't bother to look at the codes on the tags. A better strategy would be to either use the luggage delivery or get a seat with a view of where the bags will unload. As I said above the driver loads the bags in the hold sorted by resort so only the bags of passengers traveling to that resort would be unloaded.

 

[jscottnc]

Not sure using the yellow DME tags would stop another guest from grabbing the wrong bags and the driver certainly won't bother to look at the codes on the tags. A better strategy would be to either use the luggage delivery or get a seat with a view of where the bags will unload. As I said above the driver loads the bags in the hold sorted by resort so only the bags of passengers traveling to that resort would be unloaded.

Just addressing the fear. I have never had a problem and have not used the yellow tags on DME.

 

[tjmw2727]

Just addressing the fear. I have never had a problem and have not used the yellow tags on DME.

Oh I understand but using the yellow tags won't be any different than using a regular luggage tag in this case. I was just saying that it wouldn't prevent a guest from grabbing the wrong bag as in the OP"s example.

For clarification they are only for use when you don't transport your bags via the bus with you - when you use the DME yellow luggage tags you attach at your home airport and they bypass the luggage carousel and are delivered to your resort room. There isn't much info on them - last name first initial and a code indicating the resort with several bar codes, much like the airlines bag tags.

 

[Hopefully]

The only time we DON'T do this is if we arrive early enough in the day to make going to the park worthwhile. We have never had an issue with taking baggage on DME. You get your baggage from baggage claim and take it with you to the door of the bus; they will put it on the bus for you. If you worried about your bags being pulled off the bus before your stop, you could put the DME tags on AFTER you have claimed the bags and before you get on the bus.

This is a bad idea.
You very likely will not be the first stop.
As stated by PP, the bags are loaded under the bus in resort specific areas of the hold. There needs to be a bit of trust here. If you have had a prior bad experience, or are too worried, maybe DME is not for you. Not everything ever works for everybody. There are other ways that lots & lots of folks use every day
We have used DME for years & never had a problem.
Good Luck with your decision.

 

[adisneyaunt]

We used both methods but preferred getting our own luggage n rolling it over to DME. We never had an issue with that method ( you DONT use the yellow tags)
Nor did we ever have someone take our luggage by accident. Could be cause we all have pretty Bright colored Identifiers/personalized luggage tags.
That's just something we have Always done with luggage while traveling.. Cruise plane etc...
Enjoy ur trip OP!

 

[Canooknic]

We have always collected our cases too for exactly the same reason as OP, we've never had an issue - if you are concerned then an easy fix is to sit on the side of the bus that the luggage is loaded (left as you get on) so you can see out the window at each stop to check your case hasn't been removed

 

[tjmw2727]

We have always collected our cases too for exactly the same reason as OP, we've never had an issue - if you are concerned then an easy fix is to sit on the side of the bus that the luggage is loaded (left as you get on) so you can see out the window at each stop to check your case hasn't been removed

This - and if the OP is truly worried one person in the party could just get off the bus - watch as the bags are unloaded and picked up and then re-board the bus for the next stop!

 

[KerTggr]

Thanks all! We will probably do some combination of that which was suggested: for on load side and one maybe step out to make sure bags don't disappear to another resort.

 

[sndral]

Thanks all! We will probably do some combination of that which was suggested: for on load side and one maybe step out to make sure bags don't disappear to another resort.

What are you planning to pack in those bags - gold bars?
Slowing everyone else on the bus down by hopping on and off seems a bit excessive - if you are that concerned best to spend the money to rent a car.
I've sat on the luggage unload side many times and you can see perfectly well through the window - just make sure you have a bright ribbon or something secured to your luggage if you have generic looking pieces so you can recognize it.
You go to the luggage carosoul and wait for your bags to come tumbling out - note this is where some bags go astray as someone grabs the wrong bag from the carosoul. Once you have collected all of your bags you cart them to the B terminal and to the DME level. Check in at the DME podium then wheel your bags through the boarding line. Once you are assigned a bus wheel your bags out to your bus and the driver puts them under the bus. Sit on the side of the bus he put the bags into - left.
Once you arrive at your resort wait while the driver retrieves each bag, tip the driver $X for each bag/stroller/carry on then schlep your bags to the lobby. Check in then schlep them to your room. If you elect to secure help from bell services (you cannot 'borrow' their luggage carts) remember to tip $X per bag again. Me, I trust DME to get my bags to my room - only my carry on goes under the bus, but I'm tired after flying cross country and don't want to be hauling luggage all over the place when Disney has this great free service for getting them to my room especially if I'm flying into A terminal.

 

[KerTggr]

Thanks for the added point of view. The main reason we don't want to do the luggage delivery is that we don't get in until 5:30 and last time it took them until 9 pm to bring our bags (well within their delivery window policy). But will have 2 little ones this time and don't want to be unpacking while they are sleeping and until late in the night.

The misplaced bag concern isn't about the contents so much but more about past experience (see original post) and having less stress once we are there. We'll sit on the left per recommendations.

 

[bumbershoot]

But will have 2 little ones this time and don't want to be unpacking while they are sleeping and until late in the night.

Easy solution to that is to pack what you need for the first 36 hours in carryons, and if it's getting to be too late on that first night, just put out your Do Not Disturb sign and make a call to Bell asking that they not deliver that night.

 

[monorailsilver]

We get our bags every trip and have never had an issue.

If you are worried that there is a stop before yours, make sure one of you sits on the side the luggage goes in on.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

I got my bags on the last 2 trips and took them to the bus myself. I have really liked doing it that way so I can unpack right away and not have to wonder when my luggage will arrive or track it down myself if it doesn't arrive within the expected time frame.

The drivers put your bag under the bus in a certain order so that all the bags for certain resorts are together so the odds are slim that someone else will grab your bag or that it would end up at the wrong resort.