Experiences with DME late evening

[meekoman]

Our flight is due to land at 9:35pm in Orlando. I know there is a 10 pm rule in there somewhere where you need to schlep your own bags.
A couple of questions...
Since my flight lands just before 10, will DME grab our bags?
Also, what are your experiences with baggage delivery that late at night?

thanks

 

[Zummi Gummi]

I'd leave the tags off and get the bags yourself because if your plane is even slightly delayed, you won't get your bags until the next morning.

 

[surfsupdon]

DEFINATELY TAKE YOUR OWN BAGS!!!

Leave the tags off the bags(maybe use them on your carry-ons for Disney effect) but DO NOT put them on your checked luggage.

Grab your bags from baggage claim, and walk down to DME counter, and get on the bus with your bags.


I reccommend always using the free transportation, but always taking your bags (which you are allowed to do) to stow under the bus.

 

[DisneyJoe]

Leave the tags off the bags(maybe use them on your carry-ons for Disney effect) but DO NOT put them on your checked luggage.

I see no reason to put the yellow dme luggage tags on your carry-ons....the other decorative Disney luggage tags can go on any luggage, even the checked luggage with no impact on dme.

 

[minniemickeyfan]

So glad to see this question posted, I was wondering the same thing.
We get in at 9:50pm for our upcoming May trip and questioned whether to get my own bags. I believe I will.

Any good way or help available to get our bags from the baggage area to DME? Can I use those carts to that location?

 

[wilkeliza]

We have done the 9:35 flight into Orlando for one time out of our 3 trips (I get motion sick in the mornings but not evening weird I know) and we had no problems. We did not put the yellow tags on and just carried our luggage to the bus with us. As many have said if you flight is delayed 30 minutes you will not get your luggage until the next day. Disney suggests you pack 1 set of clothes and your toiletries in a carry on that you take with you on the bus just in case your bag does not make it that night. I do this every trip anyways so next time if we take a late flight I'll probably just use that method.

The two other times we have used DME we let them get our bags because it was around noonish and we just wanted to get to the parks and start our day.

 

[RonAnnArbor]

Yes there are carts....

In general, while they say 10:00, I really wouldn't do any DME bag for a flight that arrives later than 8:00 pm....

It takes 3 - 4 hours for the bags to arrive at your room -- sometimes even longer when using DME.

I had a flight that came in once at 8:10 and the bag didn't arrive at the resort room until 12:30 am....two hours after I had already gone to bed.

Just pick up your bag.

 

[dreamscometrue]

For a flight at that hour, I too would pick up my bags. We've done that for a couple flights that arrived about 9pm, and it worked well.

If your flight was getting in a quite a bit later, however, the process to get to your resort might be longer. We arrived last year on a flight that landed at 11:50pm. We only got our bags off the belt at about 12:35am, and when we checked in at DME 10 minutes later, we had to wait for the DME bus leaving at 1:00am. The bus only had about 30 people on it, but made 5 stops, and we were last. We arrived at Kidani at 1:45am. That was a long evening.

 

[Zummi Gummi]

For a flight at that hour, I too would pick up my bags. We've done that for a couple flights that arrived about 9pm, and it worked well.

If your flight was getting in a quite a bit later, however, the process to get to your resort might be longer. We arrived last year on a flight that landed at 11:50pm. We only got our bags off the belt at about 12:35am, and when we checked in at DME 10 minutes later, we had to wait for the DME bus leaving at 1:00am. The bus only had about 30 people on it, but made 5 stops, and we were last. We arrived at Kidani at 1:45am. That was a long evening.

I can actually top that story...

Due to bizarre weather related flight delays in another city, my flight was delayed for hours. Many hours. The weather was fine where I was, but the plan took forever to get to my airport. Anyway, long story short, my friend and I landed at MCO around 3:30 in the morning. We rolled up to the DME counter about 3:45. There was one guy there behind the counter. He directed us to the correct line to wait, but there was not a bus nor driver in sight. About 10 minutes later one lone driver poked his head in the doors and said, "I guess I can do a run now." He took us off to DAK Lodge. Mercifully, however, (and I increased his tip for this very reason) he did not turn on the DME welcome movie. We pulled in to the front of DAK Lodge about 4:30.

 

[murphysmom]

For a flight at that hour, I too would pick up my bags. We've done that for a couple flights that arrived about 9pm, and it worked well.

If your flight was getting in a quite a bit later, however, the process to get to your resort might be longer. We arrived last year on a flight that landed at 11:50pm. We only got our bags off the belt at about 12:35am, and when we checked in at DME 10 minutes later, we had to wait for the DME bus leaving at 1:00am. The bus only had about 30 people on it, but made 5 stops, and we were last. We arrived at Kidani at 1:45am. That was a long evening.

Sounds very similar to a trip I had. We landed around 11pm. Got right on the bus, but sat there. And sat there. And sat some more. The a few kids started crying, not that I blamed them. It was late and they were probably very tired. We ended up being the 4th stop that night. It was after 1am by the time we were standing at check in.

I swear I won't use DME that late at night ever again. If I have to get my own bags anyway, I will just suck it up and pay for a towncar.

 

[dreamscometrue]

I can actually top that story...

Due to bizarre weather related flight delays in another city, my flight was delayed for hours. Many hours. The weather was fine where I was, but the plan took forever to get to my airport. Anyway, long story short, my friend and I landed at MCO around 3:30 in the morning. We rolled up to the DME counter about 3:45. There was one guy there behind the counter. He directed us to the correct line to wait, but there was not a bus nor driver in sight. About 10 minutes later one lone driver poked his head in the doors and said, "I guess I can do a run now." He took us off to DAK Lodge. Mercifully, however, (and I increased his tip for this very reason) he did not turn on the DME welcome movie. We pulled in to the front of DAK Lodge about 4:30.

Okay, so your story does top mine. You certainly were 'whisked off' to AKL rather quickly though...that was nice.

I bet you found, as we did, that it's relatively quiet at that late hour. I know the AKL lobby might have the tv on and a few people around, but at Kidani, it was completely silent. It was wierd...a bit eerie, but still kinda cool. When we wheeled in our suitcases, the CM seemed a bit surprised. He gave each of the ladies a red rose to brighten a long day/night. That was a nice little gesture to start our vacation.

 

[worldfanatic]

I bet you found, as we did, that it's relatively quiet at that late hour. I know the AKL lobby might have the tv on and a few people around, but at Kidani, it was completely silent. It was wierd...a bit eerie, but still kinda cool.

It really is cool at that hour of the morning.
I generally wake up fairly early and I love just hanging out in the near empty lobby before the day begins. There's usually some cleaners making their rounds, a security guard here and there, and the occasional morning jogger heading out.
Love it!

 

[Zummi Gummi]

Okay, so your story does top mine. You certainly were 'whisked off' to AKL rather quickly though...that was nice.

I bet you found, as we did, that it's relatively quiet at that late hour. I know the AKL lobby might have the tv on and a few people around, but at Kidani, it was completely silent. It was wierd...a bit eerie, but still kinda cool. When we wheeled in our suitcases, the CM seemed a bit surprised. He gave each of the ladies a red rose to brighten a long day/night. That was a nice little gesture to start our vacation.

Yes, the lobby was pretty quiet...quite a contrast to what the DAK Lodge lobby is usually like. It was just the TV playing the movie, one lady vaccuuming, and one person at the front desk playing Angry Birds.

One interesting thing...when we got off the bus we saw a bunch of people boarding another DME bus to go back to MCO. They were the folks who had early flights home...I felt bad for them. They were looking at us longily as we were walking in with bags whilst they were walking out.

 

[eddiemcgarrigle]

Speaking of tags, I was quite annoyed when no tags where included in our package for our upcoming trip. From what I have been able to find online, neither Disney UK or from Open Ride (Virgin) who handle UK bookings that are made direct through WDW.

It has left my son a little upset as I had previously shown him pictues of the tags and he was excited about attaching them to his suitcase.

So, in a desperate act of throwing myself at the feet of fellow members, if anyone is not using their luggage tags could you possibly (please, please, please, with a cherry on top) see your way to posting one to me?

 

[RonAnnArbor]

International Flights do not offer the Luggage tags --

Because of US Customs laws, you need to claim your own luggage and go through customs. Disney's Magical Express can not do that for you.

 

[stuart]

Speaking of tags, I was quite annoyed when no tags where included in our package for our upcoming trip. From what I have been able to find online, neither Disney UK or from Open Ride (Virgin) who handle UK bookings that are made direct through WDW.

It has left my son a little upset as I had previously shown him pictues of the tags and he was excited about attaching them to his suitcase.

So, in a desperate act of throwing myself at the feet of fellow members, if anyone is not using their luggage tags could you possibly (please, please, please, with a cherry on top) see your way to posting one to me?

International Flights do not offer the Luggage tags --

Because of US Customs laws, you need to claim your own luggage and go through customs. Disney's Magical Express can not do that for you.

The reason, so far as i'm aware, that they no longer mail out tags or the welcome pack is basically because of cost, not due to customs. Think that stopped maybe 2008/9? That is a shame as far as i'm concerned.

When arriving internationally at Orlando, you collect your bags and go thru customs and you can then either take it up onto on the monorail with you, or you can choose to put it on a conveyor belt and pick it up off the carousel in the airport. Doing the latter will allow DME staff to pick up your bags. As an aside, for those flying thru Dublin, like we are this year, you actually clear US Immigration and customs there.

We are due to arrive at 4.50 this year from Dublin but will still probably just collect our own bags, sometimes easier. Certainly any time we have arrived from that time onwards we normally just pick them up, saves a bit of hassle as can get things unpacked and sorted that bit quicker.

 

[dreamscometrue]

One interesting thing...when we got off the bus we saw a bunch of people boarding another DME bus to go back to MCO. They were the folks who had early flights home...I felt bad for them. They were looking at us longily as we were walking in with bags whilst they were walking out.

Those poor folks. Never again will we book an early flight out of MCO. We did it for our first trip and I did not like getting up at 3am to get our shuttle. (There was no D.M.E. back then.) Anyway, we don't mind getting up at 3am at home when going on vacation (and usually get a 5:30 am or 6:00 am flight) because we are excited, energized and going to WDW. Leaving to come back to the real world is hard enough, so we ease the pain slightly by always getting an early afternoon flight which means a good sleep, and good breakfast before we get on our D.M.E. bus at 10am or 11am.

 

[meekoman]

Sounds like the majority rules in saying to pick up our own bags. Last year, our flight came in at 11pm, so we had to pick the up anyway and it was no issue getting them to the DME area. I had a baggage guy wheel them over to the bus and that was it.
thanks for the replies everyone