Questions on Magical Express??

[RebYork]

Has anyone used Magical Express and collected their own luggage at baggage claim? If so, how does this work? How much of a hassle is it to get your own luggage and get to Magical Express? Does the bus driver put your luggage underneath the bus or on the bus with the passengers? The reason I am asking these questions is my sister'n law is paranoid of losing her luggage.
She has lost her luggage several times on trips and she says she likes to keep it as close to her as possible. She wants her stuff with her when she goes to her room. It doesn't matter to me but I thought I would ask about the differences in getting your own luggage or letting Magical Express bring it to the room later. Also, do most people tip the bus driver when arriving at the resort?

 

[ancestry]

You can collect your own luggage and take it to the DME bus. The driver will store it underneath the bus. You will not be allowed to take full sized suitcases on the bus with you. If your sister does this be sure to remind her that she should tip the driver.

Honestly I think one of the greatest things of DME is that you don't have to get your own luggage. If anyone is going to lose your luggage chances are much higher that it will be the airlines not the Disney baggage pickup.

 

[LWQuestie]

Also, depending on the baggage claim side, you may have to go down to baggage claim, then schlep the bag back up to the main level, across and back down to the ground transport level on the other side of the airport.

 

[goofy4tink]

Okay...if your flight arrives on Side A of MCO, this means you will have to take the tram to the main terminal..then go down to level 2 (you arrive on level 3), go to baggage claim. Get the bags, return to level 3, cross over to Side B, then go down to level 1, ground transport, and head to DME. If you arrive on Side B, it's not a big deal. Just take the tram to the terminal, go to Side B, down to level 2, get the bags, continue on down to level 1, and the DME bus area.
The bags will be put beneath the bus you are on. The driver will expect to be tipped for doing this. Yes, gratuities are included when you use DME but that's when you let DME handle your checked baggage for you...not if you get your own bags.

Another thing.....luggage is seldom lost when DME handles it. Yes, there have been instances where someone's bags were left at the wrong resort, but that is quickly remedied. It is the airlines that routinely misdirect luggage. So, allowing DME to take my luggage doesn't concern me at all.

Then, once you get to the resort, with your bags in hand...if your room isn't ready yet, you will have to leave your bags with Bell Services/Luggage Assistence. And that means more tipping!!! Usually, it means tipping when you leave your bags off, and then tipping again when the bags are brought to the readied room. So, now, rather than not have to worry about tipping because DME is handling your checked bags, you are tipping the bus driver to stow the bags (about $1-2 per bag) and then Bell Services...twice. So, if you have 4 bags, you are tipping about $12-24, depending on how generous you are.