Disney's Magical Express -- Luggage Tag Info

[TinkerbellLuvr7]

hm, i wonder why we have not gotten ours yet?? maybe you paid before we did? lol. I'll have to ask my parents just to make sure they arent hiding the tags but i dont think it has come yet, it comes postal mail right? and should fit in the mailbox??

 

[TinkerbellLuvr7]

Okay i got the info, we paid for our trip on March 24th so according to what others have said they have gotten their trip info about 2 wks after paying which would be tomorrow, so I'm guessing we should get the package any day now and if we dont by the middle of april, i guess we better call, but i'm trusting that wdw is pretty good with their package sending!!

 

[TinkerbellLuvr7]

Expect your DME packet any day now. If you get about 3 weeks out and still don't have it, call 866-599-0951 and ask about it.

we finally got our luggage tags for ME!!! I posted a thread but maybe more ppl check this one, we didnt recieve the special commemorative luggage tags with the yellow ones, are we supposed to? We got the yellow ones and a small booklet of aiport information.

has anyone else not recieved the special luggage tags with the yellow ones, or should we be expecting another package with that along with our free mini golf voutcher and the free 5x7 pic at Epoct, etc.??

 

[CleveRocks]

we finally got our luggage tags for ME!!! I posted a thread but maybe more ppl check this one, we didnt recieve the special commemorative luggage tags with the yellow ones, are we supposed to? We got the yellow ones and a small booklet of aiport information.

has anyone else not recieved the special luggage tags with the yellow ones, or should we be expecting another package with that along with our free mini golf voutcher and the free 5x7 pic at Epoct, etc.??

Unless things have changed in the past few months, the mailing you received with your DME info and tags is from DME, not from WDTC (Walt Disney Travel Company). Go and look at the envelope to confirm this.

Anything you receive as part of a PACKAGE (as opposed to a room-only reservation) will come to you in an envelope with WDTC as the return address.

 

[calster21]

Can someone tell me if we sign-up for the free Magical Express Service, will they just take my luggage for me. In other words, I want to go from the airport in a rental car to the resort, but prefer to use the magical express simply to transport my luggage (not me and my family)!

Thanks

 

[TinkerbellLuvr7]

we had the same situation and decided if we were getting a rental car that my dad would go and get it and the family could ride the ME bus and meet up at the hotel but I'm not sure if you can just give them your bags w/o riding??

 

[CleveRocks]

Can someone tell me if we sign-up for the free Magical Express Service, will they just take my luggage for me. In other words, I want to go from the airport in a rental car to the resort, but prefer to use the magical express simply to transport my luggage (not me and my family)!

Thanks

Anecdotal evidence says that this idea will work.

However, it's specifically against Disney's rules. On their website (among other places), Disney says that DME cannot be used as a luggage-only service. So it depends if you want to play by the rules or not.

The other thing to consider is that since it is against the rules, Disney could (theoretically) decide to start enforcing the rules at any time without notice. Between you and me, I suspect that if they ever started enforcing this there'd be some sort of announcement.

So you pretty much have to make up your own mind. I'm pretty much a rule-follower, so I wouldn't do it, but I also know the world is made up of lots of different types of people, including people who will do whatever they think they can get away with.

HAVE A GREAT TRIP! And

 

[bicker]

It sounds wildly dangerous that Disney doesn't prevent this from happening, a situation ripe for a horrible situation to occur.

 

[goofy4tink]

It sounds wildly dangerous that Disney doesn't prevent this from happening, a situation ripe for a horrible situation to occur.

Have to agree. While we have heard that people have been able to get their luggage delivered without their riding the bus, I would be afraid Disney might change it at any time. It is listed, on their FAQ page, that DME is not a luggage transferral service. It is intended to move people, with luggage delivery being a nice perk. So, long story short....if you want to take the chance, then go ahead, tag your bags and go off in a rental or a towncar. But, if something happens to your bags you can't say you weren't warned.

 

[CleveRocks]

It sounds wildly dangerous that Disney doesn't prevent this from happening, a situation ripe for a horrible situation to occur.

OK, I have to ask, what could be wildly dangerous? What horrible situation?

If you're alluding to security, it's not analogous to air travel, since the automatic luggage delivery is completed by trucks, so that DME-tagged luggage is never on buses with the owners, anyway.

 

[bicker]

Yes, you're correct. I forgot about that, Cleve.

 

[goofy4tink]

OK, I have to ask, what could be wildly dangerous? What horrible situation?

If you're alluding to security, it's not analogous to air travel, since the automatic luggage delivery is completed by trucks, so that DME-tagged luggage is never on buses with the owners, anyway.

I would be more concerned that they would implement a system where your bags aren't released until you are checked in at the DME desk. I would imagine that it could be done pretty easily. I don't think that Disney would do that, but it's entirely within the realm of possibility.
Can you just imagine someone getting to their resort, and upon returning to their room late that night (after a day in the parks) find that their luggage hadn't been delivered? When they call to ask about it, they are told that they never boarded the DME bus, so their luggage was held at the airport. Now, they have to return to retrieve it. Again, I don't think Disney would actually do this, but it is a thought. I would just hate for someone to get 'caught' in a system change based on something that was said here. THe board guidelines do stipulate that we not post about ways around Disney policy or ways to 'break the rules'....since Disney has their answer on the FAQ site, I really don't like posting about how to get your luggage to the resort without being on the bus. Yeah, I know....picky, picky, picky. But, that's my job I guess.

 

[clkelley]

Actually, if this becomes widespread what I think will happen will be on the other end.

"Yes, we have your luggage in Bell Services, however, noone in your party boarded a Magical Express bus. To receive your luggage there will be a $xx.xx charge added to your resort bill."

 

[raider97]

O.K. I have a question and would greatly appreciate any help.... We had originally booked a trip from Houston to Orlando subsquently have added a ticket from where we live so we don't have to drive in. The ticket counter said they could check our bags all the way to Orlando, if our bags arrive on a flight before the one we are going to be on what happens then to our luggage? Will we have any problems with Disney not picking up our luggage? Should I worry it will be lost in the system if we arrive on a seperate flight than our luggage?

Thanks in advance for the help!!

Stephanie

 

[gokenin]

O.K. I have a question and would greatly appreciate any help.... We had originally booked a trip from Houston to Orlando subsquently have added a ticket from where we live so we don't have to drive in. The ticket counter said they could check our bags all the way to Orlando, if our bags arrive on a flight before the one we are going to be on what happens then to our luggage? Will we have any problems with Disney not picking up our luggage? Should I worry it will be lost in the system if we arrive on a seperate flight than our luggage?

Thanks in advance for the help!!

Stephanie

I didnt think that an airline these days would allow luggage to be on a plane without the owner of it also being on the same flight? this may have changed I am not sure. I would guess if due some situation where you were seperated from the bags as long as they are on the original flight you told Disney you were going to be on then I guess they would still pick it up but your best bet would be to call Disney and ask them about this

 

[clkelley]

I didnt think that an airline these days would allow luggage to be on a plane without the owner of it also being on the same flight? this may have changed I am not sure. I would guess if due some situation where you were seperated from the bags as long as they are on the original flight you told Disney you were going to be on then I guess they would still pick it up but your best bet would be to call Disney and ask them about this

All checked luggage is now x-rayed, so that is not as much of a problem.

The airlines are allowed to put luggage on any flight they wish. YOU cannot volunteer to put luggage on a flight that you are not on.

This happens many times when a passenger misses their connection, but the luggage makes the connection. (Case in point, Atlanta). B2 and A3 are a long distance from each other for a passenger, but is very close distance for the luggage. Sometimes that luggage makes the transfer, but the passenger doesn't.

 

[Sorsha]

OK, I read (scanned actually, but did my best) all 14 pages of this handy-dandy thread, and really didn't see my question anywhere so figured I would jump right in.
When returning home using ME, approximately how long before your flight leaves are you told to catch the ME bus? I know you are supposed to check your luggage at the resort with ME no later than 3 hours before your flight, is that about when you catch your bus as well?
Reason I ask is, our flight home leaves at 7:45 AM... that means we check our bags no later than 4:45 AM (ack) will we be getting on the bus right about then too?
*picturing bleary-eyed, crabby, Disney-exhausted family being herded into buses at 4:30 in the morning with no breakfast or coffee yet... NOT pretty! LOL*

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news... but the RAC Desk does not open until 5:00am. You will not be able to check your bags at your resort... you will need to bring them with you to the airport.

The motorcoach pick up time is arranged to be approximatly 2 hours and 45 minutes prior to your flight.

 

[Sorsha]

I hate to be the bearer of bad news... but the RAC Desk does not open until 5:00am. You will not be able to check your bags at your resort... you will need to bring them with you to the airport.

The motorcoach pick up time is arranged to be approximatly 2 hours and 45 minutes prior to your flight.

Well... Poo. And not this guy, either!
OK, so we have to take the bags with us on the bus... like, with-us-on-our-laps with-us? Or just take them out to the bus whereupon the bus driver will stick them in some sort of luggage area for us? If its the latter, I am cool... no big deal to just take them out to the bus with us. Will we then just take them to the Magical Express check-in desk at the airport and they (ME people) take them from there to load them on the plane for you??

 

[Chip 'n Dale Express]

The motorcoaches have luggage bays underneath. The driver will stow them there. When you reach Orlando Int'l Airport, you will take your bags to your airlines check-in desk, and check them as you normally would anywhere else.