Magical Express and luggage delivery

[Shellyb84]

We have a trip coming up in 2 weeks. We have always driven down before so this is our first time using Magical Express transportation. My question is in regards to luggage delivery. We will be arriving at MCO at 7:50pm. The letter I received in the mail says it can take 3 hours after we arrive at our resort to receive our luggage. In your experience, how long does it typically take to receive your luggage? My concern is that it will be so late by the time we get to our resort, I don't want to be waiting on our luggage until midnight. Would we be better off picking up our own bags from baggage claim and then having them put on our bus? Would we have time to do that or would we risk missing our bus?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

It is likely to show up around 9-10PM.

There is no "missing the Magical Express." There is just "waiting for the next one." Your ME reservation isn't for an assigned seat on a particular bus when arriving. (It is specific to a bus time outbound. But they know airport arrivals are wacky.)

 

[sqpcsqpc]

We have used Magical Express many times and sometimes it has been every bit of 3 hours (and a couple of times more) and other times less. Not sure if the differences were caused by changing resorts, time of year or something else.

 

[Shellyb84]

We have used Magical Express many times and sometimes it has been every bit of 3 hours (and a couple of times more) and other times less. Not sure if the differences were caused by changing resorts, time of year or something else.

Has it been 3 hours after you land or 3 hours after arriving at your resort?

 

[sqpcsqpc]

Three hours from landing.

 

[KT0191]

I've always had early flights in so I've always just had them grab my bags but I know many people with flights that arrive after 6p like to grab their own bags because bags seem to arrive very late. I'd probably just grab my own if I were that late.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

If this were me, given your time or arrival I wouldn't put the Mickey tags on your bags, rather just get them and roll to MDE yourself. That way you won't have to worry about waiting.

 

[happymommy]

It will NOT be delivered at 9 - 10 pm.

More likely 12:00am or much later.

I would get your luggage.

No way it would make it by 10pm, or very, very unlikely.

I arrive next trip at 3pm, and with my DD and her wheelchair, we are on the fence on getting a porter to assist and taking our luggage with us. I am leaning towards that at this point (worth a tip). The bus will load it and you will have it then. That late at night, I would definitely get the bags yourself!!!!!!!

 

[Polydweller]

Three hours from landing.

Nope, from the Disney site, its 3 hours after arriving at your hotel.

In this case they would likely get yo their hotel after 9:00pm at earliest so 12:00am for luggage delivery at earliest. It would be better at their arrival hour to get their own luggage and take it with them to DME. Then it's with them when they arrive at their resort.

 

[rosiebean]

I usually pack a carry on bag with essentials for when I get to the hotel and let MDE deliver my luggage (and it takes about 4 hours from when I land...and once, after a late night landing, we didn't get our luggage until the next day).

However, my last trip, I bought my flight late and didn't have time to get tags for MDE, so I just waited at luggage claim and brought my bags to the bus. It was pretty easy...bags came through luggage claim very quickly, the only hard part was having to go up an escalator and back down to the area where MDE buses are (I flew on Southwest, whose baggage claim is in a totally different area that MDE is). Even with the walk, it was so easy that I'm very likely to just check my own bags again. It was nice having everything in my room as soon as I arrived.

 

[CarrieR]

You should get bags between 11 & midnight. But honestly - pack a carry on for that night and the next morning. If your bags haven't arrived by the time you want to hit the hay, call and ask them to be held until the AM.

For me personally, not dealing with bags is a huge perk... so I'm willing to take the gamble. IME, my bags arrive more quickly in the evening - like they just want to get everything dispersed and get out of there. YMMV, of course.

 

[purple figment]

On average it takes 60 - 90 minutes to get to your resort using Magical Express, then assume another 3 to 4 hours for your luggage to arrive so midnight is a good estimate.

If you want your luggage that night do NOT put the yellow tags on them and pick them up at the luggage carousel yourself. There's no rush because you are not assigned to a specific DME bus. You'll be assigned to the bus for your resort when you arrive at the DME check in area. When you get on the bus the driver will store the luggage under the bus and get them for you at your resort. A tip is appreciated.

If you want DME to pick up your luggage, but don't want to wait up until midnight, pack everything you will need for the first night and next morning in your carryons. When you arrive at the resort let bell services know you do not want your luggage delivered until the next morning. Once in your room put the Do Not Disturb sign on the door.

 

[Canooknic]

We always collect our bags so I can unpack and get us all settled asap. I hate dealing with luggage so want it done as early as possible so we cans start enjoying our vacation.

 

[Hopefully]

Three hours from landing.

This is not correct. It will be 3 - 4 hours after you arrive at your resort

 

[MHDTS]

Agree with purple figment above. Another factor is where your resort is on the luggage delivery -- if yours is the last resort of several where luggage is being dropped off, that could add another hour or two to the delivery.

 

[Shellyb84]

Thanks everyone! I think we'll just collect our own luggage.

 

[Sandi]

You should get bags between 11 & midnight. But honestly - pack a carry on for that night and the next morning. If your bags haven't arrived by the time you want to hit the hay, call and ask them to be held until the AM.

For me personally, not dealing with bags is a huge perk... so I'm willing to take the gamble. IME, my bags arrive more quickly in the evening - like they just want to get everything dispersed and get out of there. YMMV, of course.

I wanted to "like" this 50 times! This is just what we do.

 

[mickeygirl78]

The last three trips that I arrived between 5-8pm at the airport, my luggage didn't come til 12am-1am ish. I would highly recommend getting your own bags.

 

[REEREEG]

What is the latest that they will bring luggage to your room?

Our flight was delayed and didn't land until 8:30pm and we arrived at the hotel at 9:20pm. We are still waiting now at almost 12:30am for our luggage.

I'm afraid I've done something wrong but it sounds above that maybe it's not too unusual?

 

[ColoradoMom12]

It's 3-4 hours from the time when you arrive at your resort. A few times for us it's taken longer. When we're on a flight that gets in at 5 or later, we usually don't count on seeing our bags until morning.

Part of the appeal of a Disney vacation for us is the Magical Express luggage transfer. We put the yellow tags on our luggage and get on the bus right from our flight. We put into our carry-on luggage anything that we will need overnight and for the following morning. If the luggage hasn't arrived when we want to go to bed, we call bell services and request they hold our luggage until morning when it arrives. We also request no phone call about our luggage (it's happened twice despite us asking them not to deliver it). We put the Do Not Disturb sign on our door and go to sleep. First thing in the morning, I call to request the luggage. We have it before we're ready to leave for the parks that day.