Question about Magical Express

[Ann S]

Hello,
I am a first time traveler to WDW this Sept. 9..whoo-hoo.
I am using Magical Express, but I am nervous about them getting my luggage for me. How does that work? How do they know what my luggage looks like etc...? Any other advice I need for using MExpress?

Thanks,
Ann~

 

[DisneyJoe]

They send you bright yellow luggage tags with barcodes that attach to your luggage. The baggage system sees the tags and pulls them aside from the regular processing and sends them to magical express, who then uses the barcode (which matches your reservation in Disney's systems) to route the luggage to your room.

 

[Monty]

They'll send you one yellow tag per person in your party. The tag has a bar code that tells them where to deliver the bag.

If you're arriving after 10PM, you'll have to pick up your bags yourself, DME won't pick up after 10. Some people recommend getting your own bags if you're arriving much after 8PM, because it can take a few hours before it's delivered. If you're arriving earlier, no worries. Bring what you might need to get started, check in at your resort and head to the parks or out for dinner... When you get back to your room later, your bags will be there.

The great thing is, if the airlines lose your bags, a lot of times DME will have had them tracked down and you'll still have them delivered possibly without your ever knowing there was a problem.

 

[NYwdwfan]

Relax - Magical Express is fantastic! You tag your luggage like the prior poster said, check it at the airport and it magically appears in your room. It takes so much stress out of traveling to not have to deal with baggage pickup in Orlando. You just land, head for the Magical Express bus, and your vacation begins!!

 

[maryszhi]

Hello,
I am a first time traveler to WDW this Sept. 9..whoo-hoo.
I am using Magical Express, but I am nervous about them getting my luggage for me. How does that work? How do they know what my luggage looks like etc...? Any other advice I need for using MExpress?

Thanks,
Ann~

they will send you special luggage tags to use,.. which is how they know whose bags are whose because they have your resort, last name, and a bar code with info on your reservations. its easy to use and i love it. its one of the fun parts of your vacation.

 

[maryszhi]

They'll send you one yellow tag per person in your party. The tag has a bar code that tells them where to deliver the bag.

If you're arriving after 10PM, you'll have to pick up your bags yourself, DME won't pick up after 10. Some people recommend getting your own bags if you're arriving much after 8PM, because it can take a few hours before it's delivered. If you're arriving earlier, no worries. Bring what you might need to get started, check in at your resort and head to the parks or out for dinner... When you get back to your room later, your bags will be there.

The great thing is, if the airlines lose your bags, a lot of times DME will have had them tracked down and you'll still have them delivered possibly without your ever knowing there was a problem.

agreed

 

[Ariel484]

We have used Magical Express 3 times since 2009 and haven't had any problems. I would suggest packing toiletries, a change of clothes and swimsuits in a carry-on so that you have anything with you that you'll need right away...Magical Express DOES work, but it could take awhile for them to bring you your luggage.

 

[Mukta]

I have used DME 7 or 8 times and it has been great for me. They send 1 luggage tag per person. I put that tag on my bag, I check the luggage in at my home airport and then next time I see it is in my room.

 

[RonAnnArbor]

Once you use the DME and the baggage service, you will never go back to checking your luggage the old fashioned way again -- I have now used DME and their baggage delivery for years, and it has never had a single problem.
That being said, your bag is not instantaneous -- it can arrive anytime between two hours and 4 hours after you do (although I once walked into my room exactly an hour after landing and it was sitting in the room!!) so pack any necessities for the first few hours into your carryon bag. I get a 2.5 ounce sunscreen to put in the travel bag too.
You should have no worries about using the service.

 

[steviej]

Hello,
I am a first time traveler to WDW this Sept. 9..whoo-hoo.
I am using Magical Express, but I am nervous about them getting my luggage for me. How does that work? How do they know what my luggage looks like etc...? Any other advice I need for using MExpress?

Thanks,
Ann~

I've been on 4 Disney cruises which use the same luggage system as ME, and used ME once, never been a problem. So relax and enjoy

 

[Uncle Lupe]

DME is great! It makes your vacation start as soon as you check-in at your home airport. No luggage to lug until your vacation is over. Just check-in at your resort and go enjoy the parks. Good suggestions about the carry-on bags.

 

[CaptainShortty]

Here's how it works to put you at ease.

When the plane lands at OIA and the bags are transported off the plane all bags with the Yellow Mickey tags are pulled off and sorted seperately. They are scanned by the DME folks at the airport which alerts them to which hotel the bags need to go to. They are put in baggage "cages" by resort, loaded onto a truck and then transported to your hotel. When the cages are brought to the luggage room at the hotel the cages are unloaded and the bags are sorted by name (which are on your tags). The bags are then scanned to know what room the bags need to go to. Then, as long as you have arrived (which at this point you should have as it takes you a lot less time to get to the hotel than your bags) your bags will be brought up to the room. Each room has a scanner which is scanned by the bellman to let the hotel know what bags were placed in what room. This helps if by any chance your bags were delivered to the wrong room (which doesn't happen often), we still know where they are and can move them for you!

Hope that helps you in understanding the process and feel a bit better about using the service. It's a great perk for resort guests and I highly recommend it. Just remember as others have said, it can take up to around 3-4 hours for your bags to get to your room so ensure you pack anything you need (including medication, sunscreen, bathing suit, etc.) in your carry on. If you have any other questions about it, please feel free to ask!

 

[YoungNY]

Another word of advice. Those yellow tags have glue on the back to stick together like a regular bag tag, however your bag is handled by A LOT of people and machines throughout the traveling process. I'd staple the tag together in addition to sticking it together. I work at an airport and the other day I saw the bag handlers pick up a yellow Disney tag that fallen off of someones bag and under the rollers. I thought of the poor person whose bag is now gonna get "lost" because their Disney tag fell off.

 

[olinecoach61]

Magical express is one of the best innovations that Disney has one up with. It makes travel so much better! Give it a shot and you'll love it.

 

[Hannah1284]

Here's how it works to put you at ease.

When the plane lands at OIA and the bags are transported off the plane all bags with the Yellow Mickey tags are pulled off and sorted seperately. They are scanned by the DME folks at the airport which alerts them to which hotel the bags need to go to. They are put in baggage "cages" by resort, loaded onto a truck and then transported to your hotel. When the cages are brought to the luggage room at the hotel the cages are unloaded and the bags are sorted by name (which are on your tags). The bags are then scanned to know what room the bags need to go to. Then, as long as you have arrived (which at this point you should have as it takes you a lot less time to get to the hotel than your bags) your bags will be brought up to the room. Each room has a scanner which is scanned by the bellman to let the hotel know what bags were placed in what room. This helps if by any chance your bags were delivered to the wrong room (which doesn't happen often), we still know where they are and can move them for you!

Hope that helps you in understanding the process and feel a bit better about using the service. It's a great perk for resort guests and I highly recommend it. Just remember as others have said, it can take up to around 3-4 hours for your bags to get to your room so ensure you pack anything you need (including medication, sunscreen, bathing suit, etc.) in your carry on. If you have any other questions about it, please feel free to ask!

Do you have to let Disney know in advance how many bags you are checking?

 

[Monty]

Do you have to let Disney know in advance how many bags you are checking?

No need for advance notice. They send you tags for one bag per person. I think you can request more. They will ask when you check in at the bus how many bags your party checked and whether they are all tagged with the yellow tags they sent.

If you don't get the tags or don't have enough, you'll have to go to the counter at check-in and describe the bags that weren't tagged [a digital photo of each bag is very helpful in speeding this process]. Then they will retrieve the bags and deliver them to your resort.

 

[TinkerChelli]

Hi When you book through Disney and take Magical Express you will be mailed luggage tags for luggage you are checking and not bringing onto the plane, that luggage tag will have the name of the Resort as well as the customers name onto it. Your luggage will not get lost. No worries ok.

 

[mickeysbrother]

Here's how it works to put you at ease.

When the plane lands at OIA

Orlando airport code is MCO

 

[englanddg]

Just a note, you don't have to use the yellow tags with Magical Express. You can go through regular baggage claim and get your things. When you check in to Magical Express at the airport, the driver will put your luggage under the bus, and when you get to your Disney Resort, bell services will be on hand to help you get everything to your room, if you need help.

I am also leery about ME luggage services, and have never used them on my trips. However, I always use the bus transport to the resort.

 

[Rob562]

Orlando airport code is MCO

While its airport code is MCO, it's also often referred to (especially by locals) as OIA (Orlando International Airport).

The code OIA is actually an airport in Brazil.

-Rob