Weird Magical Express Question.

[crazygirley]

This is sort of an odd question about Disney's Magical Express, but here goes...

I have a hard enough time trusting the airlines with my baggage, let alone leaving my bags in the hands of a third party... even if it is Disney, who I usually do trust. I am also having a hard time trusting that the people with whom I am traveling with made our reservations for DME correctly. So I guess I have two questions.

First, when using DME, is it possible to check your own bags and use the DME only as a means of transportation of both you and your bags?

Secondly, if your DME reservations were made incorrectly, is it possible to, at the resort upon check-in or during your stay, arrange to use the DME to get to MCO from the resort? Or does it HAVE to be done ahead of time?

What can I say... I am nervous.

 

[amejr999]

1. You can claim your own bags at the baggage claim and bring them with you on the bus. They will be loaded into the underside of the bus.

2. This can be done (call 1-866-599-0951 while at WDW)- however to travel from MCO to WDW, you must have advance reservations.

 

[Rcoaster809]

If you put the yellow tag on your luggage, no matter how messed up the reservation is it will arrive at your resort (the tag has the resort name, your name, and reservation # on it if I remember correctly). If the people making your reservations don't get the yellow tags to you, you should get your own bags at baggage claim, but you can still use DME and they will put your bags under the bus.

 

[crazygirley]

So what you are saying is, even if the people I am going with gave the wrong flight number and everything, if they have our name on file, we will be able to use the ME? I'm not concerned at all about them checking our bags. I just need the ride!

(We are only using ME to get from ASMusic to MCO... not vice versa. We have a ride FROM the airport.)

 

[amejr999]

The night before you leave, you will get a notice on your Resort door with your pickup time and info. If the flight information is not correct, you can call DME that night and they will reschedule you. As long as you are booked, it's not a problem.

If you are only using DME from the resort to the airport, you should discard the yellow luggage tags, as you will not use them.

 

[bgraham34]

I am just going to carry my own bags since I am not landing until 9.30 tonight. I dont want to have to wait for my bags when we get to our room.

 

[blackerbys17]

Well, if this helps, I didn't put the yellow tags on our bags so that we could pick up our own baggage. When we got to the ME bus, the driver took our bags and put it below the bus. When we got to the resort, the driver just handed us our bags. Very speedy and I loved not having to wait for our bags.

Have fun!

 

[shoppingnut]

Very speedy and I loved not having to wait for our bags.

So standing at the luggage carousel was that not waiting for your bags. I've been at MCO and there are times I have waited 30 mins or more for bags during peak times.

I have used DME three times this past year and have had no problem what so ever in my bags arriving in 2-3 hr time frame. The only time it is suggested you get your own bags is if you arrive late in the evening 9:00p.

 

[Nicole]

My friend's mom has had so many bad airline/luggage experiences that she refuses to check baggage anymore. She ships everything via UPS a few days before her trip. So that might be an option for you too, which would allow you to still ride the ME bus then have your belongings waiting for you at the hotel when you arrive.

 

[blackerbys17]

Actually ShoppingNut, the moment I got down to baggage claim my bags were right there in front of me, so no, I didn't even wait 30 seconds for my bags, :lol: ! And no, I don't like the idea of waiting even 2-3 hours for my bags. I'm sure they would show up but for me it wasn't worth it. I already had to give the driver our stroller to store underneath the bus so why not hand them our bags as well?

I'm actually glad I did it that way too. Not only were all my things available to me at once, but I overheard a couple complaining at the front desk one night at the WL who also used ME. They were saying they arrived at the lodge at about 3:30 PM and hadn't gotten their bags yet and it was after 8 PM. They had a reservation at Narcoossee's that night and needed to dress up a bit and didn't have anything to wear. I felt so bad for them. We didn't see them again so I'm not sure when they finally got their bags but I rather avoid situations like that.

Now, if you have tons of bags to carry with you then I can understand using ME to pick up your bags for you but if you only travel with 2 bags on wheels like we do then it is no trouble to take your own and avoid the hassle. Just my 2 cents!

 

[shoppingnut]

Actually ShoppingNut, the moment I got down to baggage claim my bags were right there in front of me, so no, I didn't even wait 30 seconds for my bags

Count yourself lucky because when my cousin went this passed June, her flight landed at 9:00p and at 10:00p she was still waiting for her luggage and finally at 10:30p got it.

 

[blackerbys17]

Well, it may have something to do with our airline. We only fly Southwest Airlines and everytime we fly, our bags are coming down the belt no more than 2 minutes after arriving at baggage claim. Southwest is FASSSTTT!

Mind you, we always pre-board because our infant son travels with us so we are first on the plane and first off and even with a head start, we never wait for our bags! I guess it is a Southwest thing after all. However, I have flown other airlines and have never waited for my bags more than 10 minutes tops except for the time they lost one of my bags in Paris. However, I did not have to wait for it. They delivered the bag to my hotel room within 4 hours.

 

[ErickainPA]

blackerbys17 - Thanks for the comments about Southwest, we are flying them for our trip to Disney this Christmas. We are picking up our bags from the carousel though, since it's Christmas Eve and we get in around 7:45. We are shipping our Christmas tree but taking 2 bags with us on the plane.

 

[shoppingnut]

blackerbys17 - Thanks for the comments about Southwest, we are flying them for our trip to Disney this Christmas. We are picking up our bags from the carousel though, since it's Christmas Eve and we get in around 7:45. We are shipping our Christmas tree but taking 2 bags with us on the plane.

If you don't have kids, be sure to check in online, since that determines what group you are in and when you board the plane. I used SW once and I really didn't care for the cattle mentality of no seat assignments. I like knowing what seat I'm going to sit in and not have to run and ask people is anyone sitting there.

 

[blackerbys17]

Well, that is where having kids comes in real handy when it comes to Southwest. You get first pick because you pre-board. As a matter of fact, 80% of the time I sit in the first row. First row is great, no trays in front of you but it is not an emergency exit and the leg room is better than first class. That's why even with pre-boarding I try to be the first person in the pre-boarding line to get the oh so coveted first row on SW.

Buy yes, if you don't have kids coming along on the trip and you're not checking in bags, use the online check-in process and you'll be able to print your boarding pass at home. However, if you have bags to check-in just use the self check-in at the airport if you have an electronic ticket and you'll save tons of time. If you don't have an e-ticket, well, then it's off to the good ole "ring around the rosies" line.

As for SW service, they can't be beat. Did you know that they have a higher safety rating than all the other major airlines? It's true. They are also the only airline to make a profit even in their first year of business. No, you don't get frills like meals but you get snacks and a free non-alcholic beverage. (Though you can buy some if you'ld like.) What you do get is oh so very friendly service and even on-board entertainment! That's right, on most of our flights the flight attendants break out into song. Last time they sang that song that goes "you give me fever..." but changed the lyrics to "we give you peanuts". It was SO funny! :lol: You also get to fly for a BARGAIN and yet enjoy anice, safe flight, with leather seating!

As if that weren't enough, Southwest has the best frequent flyer program in the industry. The way it works is you accumulate credits, not miles. It only takes 8 roundtrip flights within a 24 month timeframe to earn a free r/t ticket anywhere they fly. But better yet, it doesn't matter if you paid $250 for your ticket or $50, you still get the same credit for your flight regardless. So since my fligts are typically very cheap, about $100 r/t per person, it doesn't cost me much at all to earn a free R/T ticket. I then use that ticket to fly somewhere expensive like cross-country.

But wait, there's more! (Why is this starting to sound like an infomercial? :lol: )
There are SO many ways to earn credits besides flying. You get 2 free credits just for signing up in the program. Then, there are many times when you get double credits when you fly during certain times. Plus, I have the Southwest Visa card where I earn a credit every $1,200 I spend. So, on average, I earn a free R/T every 3 months or so so I love SW!

 

[ErickainPA]

Thanks for the tips. We won't be flying with kids, I usually do on-line check in for any airline I fly on. We will be checking bags for this flight. I have to say I love watching Airline where the show is based on SW airlines, they were on Montel this morning as a matter of fact.

 

[shoppingnut]

All I know is that if people were to break out into song on a morning flight, I would have this overwhelming urge to stab them. My time of the plane is quiet time and I bring earplugs, etc to ensure it. People that are too happy can be down right annoying.

Now for the travelling with kids thing. I believe that there is no real practical reason for them to pre-board, since it just prolongs the time that they are stuck in their seats for the flight, so they can become more restless and start screaming or kicking the seat in front of them. There are many other airlines out of Orlando that don't pre-board kids and there is never a problem with them boarding with everyone else. I guess those airlines feel that if they did pre-board kids, 3/4 of the flight would be trying to board at the same time.

 

[blackerbys17]

Well, I admit SW is not for everyone. I personally love it when the lady checking me in at the airport is waving pom-poms in the air and cheering but I am a very happy-go-lucky kind of person so I just love SW!

And yes, I too LOVE Airline, I watch it all the time. Those people are such a trip. (No punn intended :lookaroun )

At any rate, have a great time no matter who you fly with or how your bags get there. Enjoy!

 

[amejr999]

All I know is that if people were to break out into song on a morning flight, I would have this overwhelming urge to stab them.

Use the small scissors that you're now allowed to bring on board. :lol:

Let me know if they work for anything.