Magic Express Question

[Diane Hughess]

For my 2011 trip, I have an issue. I am planning on staying at a moderate resort for 6 nights using the free dining promotion, with Magic Express bringing me to the hotel, and getting an 8 day park hopper pass. Then I'm renting a car and going to Universal for 2 nights. Staying on site there for the front of the line pass. Then I was planning on staying at a snazzy Disney Deluxe for one night, using a hotel discount percent, and using the remaining 2 days on my hopper pass. I realize that I will have to make 2 dif't ressie's- 1 for the free dining, and 1 for the hotel discount. But can I take Magic Express from the Deluxe 1 night stay to the airport for departure(I'm thinking it's hotel only)?? Can my departure Magic Express be for the checkout of Deluxe, or can it only be for checkout of the moderate for the first 'package'?? Just like me to make things difficult! But I'm trying to fufill my entire family's wishes

 

[Tom]

For my 2011 trip, I have an issue. I am planning on staying at a moderate resort for 6 nights using the free dining promotion, with Magic Express bringing me to the hotel, and getting an 8 day park hopper pass. Then I'm renting a car and going to Universal for 2 nights. Staying on site there for the front of the line pass. Then I was planning on staying at a snazzy Disney Deluxe for one night, using a hotel discount percent, and using the remaining 2 days on my hopper pass. I realize that I will have to make 2 dif't ressie's- 1 for the free dining, and 1 for the hotel discount. But can I take Magic Express from the Deluxe 1 night stay to the airport for departure(I'm thinking it's hotel only)?? Can my departure Magic Express be for the checkout of Deluxe, or can it only be for checkout of the moderate for the first 'package'?? Just like me to make things difficult! But I'm trying to fufill my entire family's wishes

Absolutely!

You can book 1-way or 2-way Magical Express for any Disney Resort hotel stay.

When you book (or, if you've already booked, call WDTC back to update your preferences), tell them you'd like inbound DME for the Moderate stay, and outbound only for the Deluxe stay.

It's not a problem and absolutely no hassle. It happens all the time

 

[Diane Hughess]

THANK YOU!!!! (Ooops! Edward!!) You ROCK

 

[Tom]

THANK YOU TOM!!!! You ROCK

I'm going to print your reply and frame it on my wall. :lol:

You're welcome. Enjoy your trip, especially the night-o-indulgence!

 

[Rob562]

Just one small item to keep in mind... If DME messes up and sends you yellow luggage tags for BOTH reservations, throw the tags for the second resort away immediately!

If you should accidentally tag your bag with the second reservation's tags, it's quite likely that your luggage will get stuck in limbo for at least a day, possibly getting lost in the shuffle or sent to your second hotel. (Because in the DME computer's view, your luggage will have arrived a week before it's supposed to, and it wouldn't know what to do with it.)

-Rob

 

[Tom]

Just one small item to keep in mind... If DME messes up and sends you yellow luggage tags for BOTH reservations, throw the tags for the second resort away immediately!

If you should accidentally tag your bag with the second reservation's tags, it's quite likely that your luggage will get stuck in limbo for at least a day, possibly getting lost in the shuffle or sent to your second hotel. (Because in the DME computer's view, your luggage will have arrived a week before it's supposed to, and it wouldn't know what to do with it.)

-Rob

Excellent point! Everyone I know who did a split stay only received their incoming tags- but that's because they specifically told DME that they were doing 1way. But like rob said, read carefully and burn the yellow tags associated with your deluxe reservation.

 

[Phonedave]

Excellent point! Everyone I know who did a split stay only received their incoming tags- but that's because they specifically told DME that they were doing 1way. But like rob said, read carefully and burn the yellow tags associated with your deluxe reservation.

Yeah, we had a fun game of DME reservation fun this last trip

7 people arrive on three flights on Friday into a 2 bedroom lock off

2 of those people leave Wednesday and the room drops from a 2BR to a 1BR (meaning a different reservation)

4 of the remaining people leave on Friday

The final person leaves Saturday

So we had 7 people arriving and two leaving on the first reservation and nobody arriving and 5 people leaving on two different days on the second one.

We were on a bunch of different flights and the people at the inbound DME desk were all up in arms because we had ripped the voucher coupons out of the book.

-dave

 

[minniemickeyfan]

I have always not put any yellow tags on my luggage when using MExp. I simply go and get my own luggage and then put it on the ME bus myself inbound to WDW. It's more work, but at least I have everything when I arrive.

 

[Tom]

I have always not put any yellow tags on my luggage when using MExp. I simply go and get my own luggage and then put it on the ME bus myself inbound to WDW. It's more work, but at least I have everything when I arrive.

I am quite a control freak, and I do the exact same thing. My wife wants to let DME take the bags and make life "easy" but I can't handle the fact that I might spend all day in the parks only to come back to the room at midnight and find out THEN that the airline or DME lost my bags at some point during the day.

I'd much rather find that out at 11am, and not 11pm. But, again, I'm a control freak, and I just plain don't trust anyone to do their jobs right.

 

[CleveRocks]

Keep in mind that any resort reservation qualifies you for Disney's Magical Express. It makes no difference whatsoever if it's a package or a room-only.

When you make your DME reservations, make sure they know that each reservation needs only a 1-way ride.

However, there is a harmless glitch in the system. Any DME reservation will trigger the mailing of a FULL DME package which includes the yellow DME luggage tags. As mentioned earlier, the luggage tags for the second reservation are completely useless, and in fact could mess you up if you accidentally put them on your checked luggage instead of the tags from the first reservation.

 

[DisneyJoe]

However, there is a harmless glitch in the system. Any DME reservation will trigger the mailing of a FULL DME package which includes the yellow DME luggage tags. As mentioned earlier, the luggage tags for the second reservation are completely useless, and in fact could mess you up if you accidentally put them on your checked luggage instead of the tags from the first reservation.

I've actually been seeing fewer DME packages with return only reservations with yellow tags, so they may be getting a little smarter....

 

[Diane Hughess]

Thanks!

Thank you all for your help!! I had always thought DME was for packages, and if you booked 'room only' you were on your own!! Now all I have to do is wait 10 more mos. to go!!!!!

 

[Tom]

I've actually been seeing fewer DME packages with return only reservations with yellow tags, so they may be getting a little smarter....

Come to think of it, you're right. If you make all of your DME arrangements well enough in advance (i.e. at least 45 days), they'll ship just the booklet if you're doing return only.

 

[minniemickeyfan]

I am quite a control freak, and I do the exact same thing. My wife wants to let DME take the bags and make life "easy" but I can't handle the fact that I might spend all day in the parks only to come back to the room at midnight and find out THEN that the airline or DME lost my bags at some point during the day.

I'd much rather find that out at 11am, and not 11pm. But, again, I'm a control freak, and I just plain don't trust anyone to do their jobs right.

Exactly! Have a great first day at the park knowing all your luggage made it with you!

 

[Phonedave]

I am quite a control freak, and I do the exact same thing. My wife wants to let DME take the bags and make life "easy" but I can't handle the fact that I might spend all day in the parks only to come back to the room at midnight and find out THEN that the airline or DME lost my bags at some point during the day.

I'd much rather find that out at 11am, and not 11pm. But, again, I'm a control freak, and I just plain don't trust anyone to do their jobs right.

One thing to remember is that when you use DME to move your bags, they are responsible for getting them to your room.

If the airline looses your bags, the DME people will know they did not show up, and they will work with the airline to find your bags and get them to you. That is in fact what has happend very often when your bags are late to your room. The airline has messed up, and while you were in the parks, the DME was tracking them down and getting them to you.

If you decide not to put the tags on your bags, and they don't show up at the luggage carousel, guess who now gets to spend their time at the airport first waiting to see if they show up, then dealing with the airline - that's right, you do. Instead of being able to let DME handle it.

Honestly, if my bags went missing, I would much rather deal with a company like DME / Disney that is supposed to be making customer service a focus, than to deal with an airline.

-dave

 

[Tom]

One thing to remember is that when you use DME to move your bags, they are responsible for getting them to your room.

If the airline looses your bags, the DME people will know they did not show up, and they will work with the airline to find your bags and get them to you. That is in fact what has happend very often when your bags are late to your room. The airline has messed up, and while you were in the parks, the DME was tracking them down and getting them to you.

If you decide not to put the tags on your bags, and they don't show up at the luggage carousel, guess who now gets to spend their time at the airport first waiting to see if they show up, then dealing with the airline - that's right, you do. Instead of being able to let DME handle it.

Honestly, if my bags went missing, I would much rather deal with a company like DME / Disney that is supposed to be making customer service a focus, than to deal with an airline.

-dave

I've heard this before, but then I've always wondered...how does Disney know that they should even be looking for my bags? Do they ask at the DME desk and I just don't realize it? I've skipped the desk the last couple of times, and I don't remember the people at the queues asking.

If I really thought Disney was looking for my bags hard core, I'd be less anxious about it. But I've just never gotten that feeling. And I've had my bags lost by Delta once, so I'm very nervous about it happening again (fortunately it was on the way home).

 

[Monty]

I've heard this before, but then I've always wondered...how does Disney know that they should even be looking for my bags? Do they ask at the DME desk and I just don't realize it? I've skipped the desk the last couple of times, and I don't remember the people at the queues asking.

If I really thought Disney was looking for my bags hard core, I'd be less anxious about it. But I've just never gotten that feeling. And I've had my bags lost by Delta once, so I'm very nervous about it happening again (fortunately it was on the way home).

All they ask is how many bags you checked. They ask at the entrance to the queues if you bypass the counter.

 

[Tom]

All they ask is how many bags you checked. They ask at the entrance to the queues if you bypass the counter.

Hmmm, ok. I was probably just in the "too excited" state of mind and don't remember them asking. I've also only used the yellow tags once (Honeymoon) - and have gotten my own bags every other time. They probably asked me if I got my own bags, I said "yes" and they skipped the follow-up for obvious reasons.

We're taking my brother and his new wife in January/February, and my wife is insisting that we use the tags this time. I've given in, but only because we're taking the 7am Airtran flight from Indy to MCO, which gives them all day to find my bags. Plus, it's a direct flight so the risk of them being lost in a layover is 0. AND, our last 3 experiences with getting our own bags have resulted in minimum of 30-minute waits at the MCO baggage carousel. MCO baggage handling is just plain pathetic.

 

[Monty]

Hmmm, ok. I was probably just in the "too excited" state of mind and don't remember them asking. I've also only used the yellow tags once (Honeymoon) - and have gotten my own bags every other time. They probably asked me if I got my own bags, I said "yes" and they skipped the follow-up for obvious reasons.

We're taking my brother and his new wife in January/February, and my wife is insisting that we use the tags this time. I've given in, but only because we're taking the 7am Airtran flight from Indy to MCO, which gives them all day to find my bags. Plus, it's a direct flight so the risk of them being lost in a layover is 0. AND, our last 3 experiences with getting our own bags have resulted in minimum of 30-minute waits at the MCO baggage carousel. MCO baggage handling is just plain pathetic.

:lol:

Yes, if you have your bags already, they won't ask.

You can be forgiven if you were distracted when arriving on your honeymoon... :animwink: