Question about Magical Express and Travel Agent

[chipper10]

My DH and I leave on our trip on Feb.4th and we still have not received our Magical Express luggage tags. I called my travel agent to see when we would get them and she said that sometimes they don't come on time and not to worry about it. She was not concerned at all about it. She said we are signed up and it's no big deal. But if we don't have the luggage tags, then how will the luggage get to our hotel (Animal Kingdom Lodge)? Won't we have to go to baggage claim to get the luggage?? The TA didn't say anything about this.... so I'm confused. I'm not sure what I need to do. Thanks for any advice.

 

[CleveRocks]

Of course it would feel better if you had your DME tags and you still might get them! , but your TA is right that you don't NEED them. I'll explain ....

DON'T GO TO BAGGAGE CLAIM! Everyone needs to go to the DME counter. There, they'll ask you if your bags are tagged, and you'll say no. They'll pull out picture charts and ask you to ID your luggage, and also ask to see your baggage claim check numbers. Disney Cast Members (CMs) will retrieve your bags for you and they'll be transported by truck to your resort with all the other DME luggage.

You have the option of getting your own bags and taking them to your bus, but that's a lot of work and deletes, in my opinion, the neatest and most convenient aspect of DME.

ENJOY WDW!!!

 

[chipper10]

CleveRocks,
Thanks so much. I'm wasn't sure how that would work. But I have one more question. We have Disney/Mickey themed luggage. Won't half of the travelers have this do? Is the more important thing the baggage check tickets? Thanks!!

 

[CleveRocks]

CleveRocks,
Thanks so much. I'm wasn't sure how that would work. But I have one more question. We have Disney/Mickey themed luggage. Won't half of the travelers have this do? Is the more important thing the baggage check tickets? Thanks!!

I think actual Disney luggage will be few and far between. Believe me, they have charts of everything. And besides, they WILL ask for your claim numbers.

We received our DME tags 18 hours prior to leaving (we left on the 4th day DME was in place), so we were prepared to do without. My wife went to a fabric store and bought the brightest and most obnoxious ribbon she could find, orange with purple polka dots. We tied some to each bag, and put some inside a carry-on so we could give them a swatch of the ribbon to further help them with IDing our bags. I don't know if this would really have mattered, but I guess it can't hurt to try. We've done that before in regular travel just to help us better ID our own bags at baggage claim.

 

[3from3]

We are leaving today and our luggage tags arrived at the TA on Monday. They warned us that they come very close to departure but that they would arrive. I was worried and had our TA follow up with Disney. Whoever she talked to was able to tell her that the tags had been sent to print. You may want to ask your agent to call.

 

[Petmd]

Thanks for the info on the previous posts- I am extremely nervous b/c we leave Feb. 4th and still no tags.

We received our travel vouchers, airline tickets, etc., BUT haven't yet received our yellow tags. When I called on 1/23 they told me the tags would take 10 days to arrive and they were mailed on 1/12...we leave 2/4. She said she would request they be mailed again and it would take 10 more days (mail days I'm assuming). In which case we may not get them on-time.

I am a little upset that they can't just priority mail them. We live in IL, can't believe it would take 10 days to get them.

Maybe I'll get some ribbon to tie on them to help us- we have BLACK luggage so do you think we should just get our luggage ourselves- one of the main reasons we are doing AKL is so we can use DME- we usually either stay off property or rent a car or drive from IL down.

10 more days....


petmd99
Caribbean Beach 2001
Off-property Feb 2003
All star movies Dec. 2003
All Star Movies Jan. 2005 (7 months PREGNANT)
Animal Kingdom Lodge Feb 4th, 2006

 

[chipper10]

Thanks for the info on the previous posts- I am extremely nervous b/c we leave Feb. 4th and still no tags.

We received our travel vouchers, airline tickets, etc., BUT haven't yet received our yellow tags. When I called on 1/23 they told me the tags would take 10 days to arrive and they were mailed on 1/12...we leave 2/4. She said she would request they be mailed again and it would take 10 more days (mail days I'm assuming). In which case we may not get them on-time.

I am a little upset that they can't just priority mail them. We live in IL, can't believe it would take 10 days to get them.

Maybe I'll get some ribbon to tie on them to help us- we have BLACK luggage so do you think we should just get our luggage ourselves- one of the main reasons we are doing AKL is so we can use DME- we usually either stay off property or rent a car or drive from IL down.

10 more days....


petmd99
Caribbean Beach 2001
Off-property Feb 2003
All star movies Dec. 2003
All Star Movies Jan. 2005 (7 months PREGNANT)
Animal Kingdom Lodge Feb 4th, 2006

I'm from IL too and we're staying the the AKL!! What a quinky-dink!!!

Thanks for all the help everyone. I think I might to the fabric idea just incase. Thanks again.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Maybe I'll get some ribbon to tie on them to help us- we have BLACK luggage so do you think we should just get our luggage ourselves- one of the main reasons we are doing AKL is so we can use DME- we usually either stay off property or rent a car or drive from IL down.

Nope, I think you should let DME take care of getting your luggage and transporting it to your resort.
Use some or all of the suggestions here - do something to your luggage to make it distinctive; in fact, if you have a digital camera take a picture of your luggage before you leave home or before you check it in at your home airport. This will make it even easier to match to the pictures the DME CM will show you. Also, make a note of your claim ticket numbers before handing them over to DME.

 

[Gary M]

Why don't you call 1-866-599-0951 and ask the DME people about your yellow tags. My daughter is going to WDW Feb. 11. She hadn't received her tags. She phoned DME yesterday, they told her thetags had been processed last Friday and she should get them this week.

DW and I are going to WDW next Tuesday (Jan. 31). We received our tags on Jan. 3.

I would think your TA should be more helpful.

 

[chipper10]

I would think your TA should be more helpful.

I would think so too. But she has not been. I don't think I will ever book with a TA again. She would not even book the meals I wanted. I wanted Cindy's breakfast, she told me there was no way she could do that. So I booked it myself along with the other character meals. She just is not very knowledgeable about Disney.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

One thing that I might bring up... when you book through a Travel Agent, your address does not get passed onto Disney unless the Travel Agent passes it on. Many do not take the time to do that. This may be why you have not recieved your tags. Call the number listed above, and they can verify your DME info.

 

[Lewisc]

I would think so too. But she has not been. I don't think I will ever book with a TA again. She would not even book the meals I wanted. I wanted Cindy's breakfast, she told me there was no way she could do that. So I booked it myself along with the other character meals. She just is not very knowledgeable about Disney.

It's not the job of the TA to get up at the crack of dawn to secure hard to get ADRs, although some Disney oriented TAs provide that service.

It is the job of the TA to forward all travel related documents, including DME tags, to the customer. It is also their job to follow through if they don't receive them.

 

[Gary M]

If you want a travel agent for WDW trips, you might use Dreams Unlimited or some of the other WDW TA specialist used by people on this board. I know DU will make ADR's for you and help with WDW questions and problems.

I went to our local AAA office and talked to the girl that was their WDW travel person and she had very little knowledge of WDW. She had certificates showing she had training in WDW travel, but either she was not a good student or the course was not good.

 

[seashoreCM]

>>> why not send the tags out priority mail?

Yellow tags can be re-remade for less than a dime a dozen. Meanwhile priority mail is the same thing as first class, and is for packages. You need express mail at something like ten dollars for the smallest envelope to beat that.

What is most important when your trip is being done by a travel agent, is to make sure the Magical Express reservation actually got made.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/magicx.htm