Using Magical express but getting luggage yourself/ ME getting your bags worth it?

[Childs1stTime2Disney]

Can you ride Magical Express but get your luggage on your own?

I am a control freak and I dont think I can go all day wondering when and if my luggage will arrive.

If I ride ME, and want to retrieve my own luggage, what do I need to do (and what do I need to NOT do) for this to work out?

Also...do you think having ME claim your bags is worth it? Or would you rather claim your own luggage and have it with you as soon as you check in?

 

[meekostitch]

I always tell people if they’re going to using ME to get their own luggage at the airport. It can take up to several hours for your bags to make it to your room.
When you check your bags in at your departing airport simply check them normally and don’t place the Disney luggage identifiers on your bags. Last I checked these where yellow tags. Then just pick them up before checking in at the ME counter. They have plenty of room on the bus for bags to be stored underneath.

 

[goofy4tink]

The vast majority of guests like having DME handle their bags for them. There is seldom any issue. Usually, if there is an issue, it is the airlines misdirecting a bag or two.
You can leave your bags untagged, and then get them yourself at baggage claiim and bring them to the bus with you. It will add about 20 mins to your overall time. And, you will be expected to tip the driver. Yes, tips are included when you use DME but that only covers baggage delivery to your room, when DME handles the bags. Any time the bus driver 'touches' a bag, they expect to be tipped.

If you are arriving at any time after 7pm, you may want to get your own bags. It can take up to 3-4 hrs after resort checkin to get your bags...and it's nice to have your bags to get unpacked before bed.
But, if you arrive prior to that, I would let DME take care of the bags. Just be sure to always pack a carryon bag with anything you may need to start your WDW fun. As noted above, checked bags do get misdirected, usually by the airlines, and you certainly don't want the stuff you really need for those first few hours, in one of those 'lost' bags. So, put the stuff in a carryon and you'll have it with you when you get to the resort.

 

[bookwormde]

I think a lot of that decision is the time of day you are arriving. We arrive early morning so having our main bags is not that big of an advantage since we likely will not have our room. If I was arriving after 6pm then I would think about it so I could get settled in adn not have to worry about being disturbed when the bags are delivered.

 

[mamamary]

Although DME is very convenient, I now like just pick up my own luggage this way I can give the room a once over before my luggage gets put in the room.

 

[backyardponder]

MCO is one airport I HATE dealing with baggage claim. A high percentage of passengers going to MCO are going on vacation and have checked baggage...sometimes lots of it. There's just too many people down there waiting for their bags.

When I can, I let DME handle them. I get off the plane and walk over to the bus. My bags get to the room when they get there. I do take carry on for things I need right away.

 

[brewhome]

I love having ME take care of the bags for us. Like other posters have said, if you've got a decent arrival time, let ME handle it for you. All you have to do is pack your carry-on bag with things you'll want at the park. Each time we've gone, our room was ready when we checked in, so we dropped off things we didn't want at the park from our carry-on bags, and took off to the parks. I love the ME service!!

 

[NYtoFLA]

I was going to do what original poster was going to do and grab my own bags but there are some valid points for letting somebody else handle it so I will let them do it after all we are on vacation.

 

[jdb in AZ]

First time we used ME, our luggage took its sweet time arriving, but it all got there. eventually.

Our most recent trip to WDW, I wanted to claim our bags to make sure it all arrived, since we were going on a cruise two days later. I realize that's usually plenty of time for "misplaced" luggage to catch up with us, but I was feeling paranoid at the time, partly because we had connecting flights and the luggage had to be transferred. The workers at ME wondered why I wanted to get my own.... They seemed disappointed that I didn't trust them. And DH and his poor back wished we'd just let ME handle everything for us.

My brand-new soft-sided suitcase arrived with major damage -- a bent frame and a ripped seam. at least I couldn't blame ME for that.

Anyway, our bags are heavy and DH's back isn't getting any younger, so next time we'll probubbly just let ME do all the lifting for us.

 

[aubriee]

I go to WDW 4-6 times a year and have used DME since the very first week it started. Yeah, I was one of the original guinea pigs that first week. I always let them get my bags. I love getting off the plane and going straight to the DME bus, without having to deal with my luggage. I just get off the plane, hop on the DME bus, check into my resort, if my room is ready check out the room and if it's not just drop any carry ons with bell services, then hop onto a park bus. After a wonderful day at the parks, I return to find my luggage setting in my room. I've never had a problem with my bags being there waiting for me, when I return from the parks. It's a great service!

 

[arthuruscg]

As a reminder, just because you pick up your bags doesn't mean they will be transported on the ME buss. The one time we picked up our bags (waiting for the other part of our family to arrive on a different flight), a large group got to the buss before us. The large group filled the entire cargo area and the overhead shelf.

I would suggest using your liquid carry on allowance for the nice strong adult bev, and trust Disney.

 

[goofy4tink]

As a reminder, just because you pick up your bags doesn't mean they will be transported on the ME buss. The one time we picked up our bags (waiting for the other part of our family to arrive on a different flight), a large group got to the buss before us. The large group filled the entire cargo area and the overhead shelf.

I would suggest using your liquid carry on allowance for the nice strong adult bev, and trust Disney.

That must have been a very large group!!! I have never seen a DME bus come even close to having it's luggage storage areas full. I have been on one bus that had a lot of guests stow their checked bags. So many, in fact, that it took us an addtl 15 mins to make the run to the final resort. We sat on that bus, waiting for the luggage to be taken out, and handed to the appropriate guest, before the driver would get back on and head to the next resort.
There had to be about 15-20 people with checked luggage going beneath that bus. And the bins weren't even close to full.

So....in all reality, there is going to be room for the checked bags that show up. Only smaller carryons will go in that overhead area...totebags are even on the large side to fit in there. If you really want to leave the checked bags untagged and bring them with you to the bus, go for it. Just be aware that when people do that, they slow down the system for everyone...not just themselves.

Really.....DME does a great job of transporting checked bags from MCO to the resorts. There are many checks/scans along the way. If a bag were to be misdirected by DME it would be easy to find it and get it to the right party.

 

[NYtoFLA]

So if im going home on and earlier flight 7am on sat do I let them take my baggage on friday night or just keep it with me?

 

[backyardponder]

So if im going home on and earlier flight 7am on sat do I let them take my baggage on friday night or just keep it with me?

When you leave WDW heading home, you have the option of checking your bags at the RAC (Remote Airline Checkin) which will transport your bags to the airport for you.

In your case, with such an early flight, DME will pick you up at about 4AM. RAC isn't open that early. Also, they close at 1PM on Friday, so checking them Friday evening isn't an option.

You will have to take your bags with you on the bus to MCO.

 

[tkitty]

I've used ME for the past 3 trips to WDW and love it. I drop them off and forget them. We put the absolute necessities in our carry on and when we hit MCO we just head to the bus loading area. Much less stressful. Never yet had an issue.

 

[arthuruscg]

That must have been a very large group!!! I have never seen a DME bus come even close to having it's luggage storage areas full.

We have had it happen 2 times. They wer a sports team staying in one of the POP/All stars hotels.

The second time the buss driver pulled off some of the teams bags to be sent with the regular DME luggage. One of the parents was mad and yelled at the buss driver, but he calmly replied, something about sharing the space with other guests and he and his grand gathering can take the next bus to ride with the other bags. This was at 10pm on a Friday night.

 

[LisaS]

Can you ride Magical Express but get your luggage on your own?

I am a control freak and I don't think I can go all day wondering when and if my luggage will arrive.

I resemble that remark! I resisted the idea of letting DME handle our bags but after reading many positive reviews here when the service first started, we decided to give it a try. After doing it once, we so enjoyed heading straight to WDW without that long wait at the baggage carousel, dragging our bags to the bus and waiting for our bags to be unloaded once we got to the hotel, we just let DME handle it and go off and enjoy ourselves. We've never had a problem. At some point we return to the hotel, go up to our room and discover our bags were delivered while we were out. It's great!

 

[seashoreCM]

The workers at ME wondered why I wanted to get my own.... They seemed disappointed that I didn't trust them.

My brand-new soft-sided suitcase arrived with major damage -- a bent frame and a ripped seam. at least I couldn't blame ME for that.

Magical Express will even handle loss or damage claims, exactly as if you had collected the bags yourself.

It is conceivable that you may have to go back to the airport (you may the way you came) but I have found no reported instance of this actually happening regarding a DME guest.

 

[mouselike-harrier]

Slightly OT....We are staying a night at MCO Hyatt as our flight gets in very late. We will of course have our bags. Our friend put us on ME with her when her flight gets in early the next morning. I am assuming we will be okay having our bags?

 

[seashoreCM]

As a reminder, just because you pick up your bags doesn't mean they will be transported on the ME buss. The one time we picked up our bags (waiting for the other part of our family to arrive on a different flight), a large group got to the buss before us. The large group filled the entire cargo area and the overhead shelf.

I would suggest using your liquid carry on allowance for the nice strong adult bev, and trust Disney.

You would need to wait for the next bus.

Apparently at one time there were baggage carts outside the welcoming area where you could re-check (were supposed to re-check if large?) bags with Magical Express for automagical delivery to your room but apparently they don't have that any more. Or do they?

Slightly OT....We are staying a night at MCO Hyatt as our flight gets in very late. We will of course have our bags. Our friend put us on ME with her when her flight gets in early the next morning. I am assuming we will be okay having our bags?

If your friend put you on DME then your friend must have you booked into her room. If you have your own room then you need to make your advance DME reservation yourself. That next morning DME and resort check in is okay. The bags are okay; you would just bring them down from your Hyatt room. At one time the Hyatt had luggage carts where you could re-check your bags with DME for automagical delivery to your room; see the concierge to see if they still do that.