Use of the Magical Express bus

[AngiTN]

I like leaving the airport with my luggage with me so we always pick up our bags. I know the airline can misplace my luggage either way but I don't want to wait at the hotel for 5 hours and then find out my luggage is missing. If I know before I leave the airport the airline can start looking for it.

I've got an app for that. I can see if my luggage is on the plane with me before I even depart the airport and know if it arrives at my destination with me.

 

[Gracie09]

It was likely the airline that left your bags out.

agreed. Depending on when the thunderstorm hit, if the baggage was still being removed from the plane, lightening will mean that workers are called in for their protection. The luggage will remain out in the carts and likely get rained on.

 

[GeorgiaHoo]

It was likely the airline that left your bags out.

Perhaps. But Yacht Club told us that the DME storage area is outdoors/uncovered and that this happens from time-to-time.

 

[Manda]

agreed. Depending on when the thunderstorm hit, if the baggage was still being removed from the plane, lightening will mean that workers are called in for their protection. The luggage will remain out in the carts and likely get rained on.

Yup. This happened to all our luggage one trip. Soaked all the way through - every single thing. Luckily, we were on our way home. We could see it sitting on the tarmac next to the plane while all the workers ran for cover. From this, I learned to always pack my clothes inside xxl ziplocs if I check them (I rarely check though).

 

[ellbell]

I've got an app for that. I can see if my luggage is on the plane with me before I even depart the airport and know if it arrives at my destination with me.

What app is that. I would love to have an app like that for piece of mind.

 

[AngiTN]

What app is that. I would love to have an app like that for piece of mind.

It's built right in to Delta and AA both. And there are luggage tracker's too. You leave the card in the luggage and it links to an app and shows you where the bags are. I haven't bothered with one since The airlines provide that info on their app

 

[Chrelaine]

And finally- I hear that we can check our luggage quite early on the morning of departure at the baggage check counter at the resort...then they handle the bags while we get breakfast and relax until our ME bus back to the airport. I'm thinking we would need to catch a 9am bus, so we could check bags around 7:30 and grab some breakfast. We would be able then to bypass the lines to check bags at the airport. Is this a good idea or should I just keep managing our own luggage?

This is by far my favorite amenity offered. You have to check your bags no less than 3 hours before your flight, I believe. It is so nice to go to the airport and skip the check in line. Most major airlines participate. We have had no problem. I definitely recommend it over handling your own luggage going home.

 

[IrishNYC]

Thanks, @AngiTN ! That's exactly the ease i was hoping for. We're flying down at night to minimize days of school missed, and staying at a value just that night, rather than fly down the next morning and miss park time.

 

[Cinderella94]

It's built right in to Delta and AA both. And there are luggage tracker's too. You leave the card in the luggage and it links to an app and shows you where the bags are. I haven't bothered with one since The airlines provide that info on their app

Thanks for mentioning this! I so need to get one of those!

 

[NeedMoreMickey]

I've got an app for that. I can see if my luggage is on the plane with me before I even depart the airport and know if it arrives at my destination with me.

Will you share the app? Flying from MD to CA in 12 days for my first trip to Disneyland and would be nice to know my luggage is making the same trip

 

[siskaren]

Will you share the app? Flying from MD to CA in 12 days for my first trip to Disneyland and would be nice to know my luggage is making the same trip

She said it's part of both the Delta and AA apps. (post #26)

 

[AngiTN]

Will you share the app? Flying from MD to CA in 12 days for my first trip to Disneyland and would be nice to know my luggage is making the same trip

She said it's part of both the Delta and AA apps. (post #26)

Correct. In addition there are external devices that you can purchase. They reviewed one on The Today Show just before the Holiday travel time started. It got glowing marks. LugLoc

 

[Canooknic]

We always collect our bags. Not because we're worried about them going missing etc but because our flight always arrives late afternoon/early evening so we head straight to the resort, check in and get something to eat, we never go to a park so if I'm sitting around while my kids relaxing and settling in to our room I may as well unpack so I don't have to worry about it later!

 

[Ava]

Yup. This happened to all our luggage one trip. Soaked all the way through - every single thing. Luckily, we were on our way home. We could see it sitting on the tarmac next to the plane while all the workers ran for cover. From this, I learned to always pack my clothes inside xxl ziplocs if I check them (I rarely check though).

Oh, packing clothes in XXL Ziplocs is a good idea! We haven't had the misfortune of soaked luggage yet, but that's definitely not the way I'd want to start out a trip. (Or end one, either. I'm sure those wet clothes didn't smell very nice by the time they made the trip home in the cargo hold.)

We always pack a change of clothes, basic toiletries, a swimsuit, and pajamas for each of us in a carry on when we use MDE. That way we're set for the night & the next morning in case of any luggage mishaps. @AngiTN, I didn't think of asking bell services to hold our bags if they don't arrive by the time we're ready to go to bed - or put the kids to bed. I'll definitely do that in the future!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Perhaps. But Yacht Club told us that the DME storage area is outdoors/uncovered and that this happens from time-to-time.

It's not. Yes, all luggage is outside while coming off the plane, but the DME sorting location is inside a warehouse on the airport grounds.

 

[Barnabas T Bullion]

But Disney tells you to expect your luggage 3-4 hours from your arrival at your hotel, not your arrival at the airport. So if your flight landed at 3:30 (like the OP's), then you probably got to your hotel at 5, which means that 9pm was within that 3-4 hours.

You might have just blown my mind. Honestly I need to go back and check my flight times now. I'm not sure if they knew when we arrived at our hotel since we did online check-in a week ahead of time (maybe they know from the scanning of the barcode at the Magical Express airport desk?).

 

[AngiTN]

You might have just blown my mind. Honestly I need to go back and check my flight times now. I'm not sure if they knew when we arrived at our hotel since we did online check-in a week ahead of time (maybe they know from the scanning of the barcode at the Magical Express airport desk?).

There is a lot of unknown on what starts the clock on check in now that they use online check in and many go straight to their rooms. We've gotten our room text before we even gotten on our flight.
Disney has never updated the verbiage they use on the ME documentation to reflect anything but 3, 4 hours from check in. They need to but until they do folks go with the 3, 4 hours from when you arrive, which they do know when you get on ME. Eventually they need to change it to show X from the time you land, to clear up questions on what is your check in time.

 

[BobbyDukes]

My family and I only once didnt use the baggage delivery service, and it was only because we were traveling with two infants so we needed diapers and extra formula that we somehow packed in the luggage than carry ons.

Having Disney do the work is so amazing. The baggage claim at MCO is not a magical experience at all. It's just another long boring line, and it's not like your waiting for the SEven Dwarves mine train. Your waiting for bags to then go stand and wait for a bus.

Pack your carry on's wisely and prepared. Have a plan for just in case ur bags don't show up right away.

 

[scrapquitler]

I've got an app for that. I can see if my luggage is on the plane with me before I even depart the airport and know if it arrives at my destination with me.

what app, please?

 

[scrapquitler]

Oh, packing clothes in XXL Ziplocs is a good idea! We haven't had the misfortune of soaked luggage yet, but that's definitely not the way I'd want to start out a trip. (Or end one, either. I'm sure those wet clothes didn't smell very nice by the time they made the trip home in the cargo hold.)

We always pack a change of clothes, basic toiletries, a swimsuit, and pajamas for each of us in a carry on when we use MDE. That way we're set for the night & the next morning in case of any luggage mishaps. @AngiTN, I didn't think of asking bell services to hold our bags if they don't arrive by the time we're ready to go to bed - or put the kids to bed. I'll definitely do that in the future!

I usually lay a couple large trash bags in the bottom of my suitcase and wrap them around the clothes once the bag is packed, kind of like you would wrap a gift in tissue paper inside the gift box. I figure that will help keep the clothes dry to some extent, and then I've got a convenient place to stash dirty laundry in the room.