What's so Magical about it?

[HVACMD]

We left for WDW on 2/27. A week prior we had called about our luggage tags for Disney's Magical Express. After getting different answers, finally we were told that the tags are mailed out a week before and we may not get them in time. We flew into Orlando on US Airways, so after claiming luggage, we were in the wrong terminal for Magical Express and had to lug our bags from one terminal to the other. We had our luggage tags in the mail when we arrived home.

Why don't they mail them out a little sooner? Our travel agent warned us about the service, and he sure was right on the money.

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

If you are booked into the system, with address and all, tags are printed and mailed out one month prior to arrival. The catch is, with travel agent reservations, there is no address unless the TA divulges that information to Disney, and many will do everything to avoid that, including having the tags sent to them, and they mail them to the guest.

 

[Iggipolka]

We're 16 days out from our trip and don't have our ME tags yet. We booked through AAA 9 months ago and are completely paid in full. I'm very nervous that our tags won't get to us in time! I'm so sorry for the OP that that happened to you. That must have been very frustrating!

 

[Lewisc]

Why don't they mail them out a little sooner? Our travel agent warned us about the service, and he sure was right on the money.

Actually your TA is probably the problem. DME tags are mailed about a month in advance to your TA.

When you TA was warning you what you were really being told is that your TA can't be bothered forwarding the tags to you or following up with Disney if they're dealyed. Blame Disney and then just throw out the tags when they arrive.

 

[isyt]

I am a TA and all ME tags are sent to the TA (if you book through a ta , of course) 21 days prior to departure. I have used ME 3 times for myself and has worked great. I had 1 occasion where I didn't receive the tags for ME (for a client) and if you go to the ME counter with your claim check they will pull your bags. I am sorry you didn't have a magical experience but I do think your ta didn't follow through.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

After getting different answers, finally we were told that the tags are mailed out a week before and we may not get them in time. We flew into Orlando on US Airways, so after claiming luggage, we were in the wrong terminal for Magical Express and had to lug our bags from one terminal to the other.

As others have noted, you could have used the DME luggage transfers, even if your travel agent didn't get the tags to you in time or if the tags were delayed (or even lost) by the US Postal Service.

Then you could have gone from your arrival gate straight to the DME Welcome Center, and you wouldn't have had to lug your bags around the airport or your resort. And you probably would have been on an earlier DME motorcoach to your resort.

My answer to your topic name, "What's so Magical about it?" is that the luggage transfers are magical!

 

[kathylovesdisneyworl]

I think part of the problem is that the majority of the TA's out there do not know enough about Disney. Whether magic express didn't get the tags out early enough or the TA didn't forward them right away still shouldn't cause any real problems. The real issue is the TA didn't inform thier client that all they had to do is go to the Magic Express Welcome Center and they would help them from there. No need to haul any luggage through the airport.

A co-worker was trying to book a trip through her local travel agent. They told her if she wanted to go into a park in the AM and leave and return to the SAME park in the evening they needed park hoppers. Thank goodness she works with someone who is obsessed with Disney and can help her out.LOL

 

[CleveRocks]

I think part of the problem is that the majority of the TA's out there do not know enough about Disney. Whether magic express didn't get the tags out early enough or the TA didn't forward them right away still shouldn't cause any real problems. The real issue is the TA didn't inform thier client that all they had to do is go to the Magic Express Welcome Center and they would help them from there. No need to haul any luggage through the airport.

EXACTLY.

OP, your beef is with your travel agent's lack of knowledge of how DME works. Your beef isn't with Disney. No one from Disney told you you had to lug your bags around the airport. Your TA should have known to tell you that if you don't have your tags, no problem, just give your baggage claim numbers to the DME Welcome Center and they'll so the rest for you ... MAGICALLY, of course!

 

[HVACMD]

EXACTLY.

OP, your beef is with your travel agent's lack of knowledge of how DME works. Your beef isn't with Disney. No one from Disney told you you had to lug your bags around the airport. Your TA should have known to tell you that if you don't have your tags, no problem, just give your baggage claim numbers to the DME Welcome Center and they'll so the rest for you ... MAGICALLY, of course!

Well, I'm sure you're right about this. You guys know more about this than I do. But even had I known about going to the welcome center, I probably wouldn't have used the service without my luggage being tagged at home. This is because my luggage was delivered to one terminal, while DME is in the other terminal (or are they in both? We were told they weren't.) I'm one of those guys that likes to claim my luggage when it comes out, not let it spin round and round on the conveyer allowing someone else to grab it. Maybe it's because of my trips overseas where bags just disappear. Anyway, with the time it would have taken to find DME in the next terminal, I wouldn't have been comfortable leaving the bags. And of course the location of DME was noted in my DME packet which we didn't get, but now we know where it is for next time


So, is there a DME in both terminals?