Disney Express Baggage Service

[Bonnie]

I have a few questions about the Disney Express Baggage Service.

We're arriving on the earliest Eurostar service on our first day, and were told that the Disney Express was all booked and everything. So from what I gather, when we arrive, we take our stuff up to the first floor of the station and hand it over, then we're free to go to the parks. Is that right?

We're planning to take our laptop with us; will the Disney Express people take a laptop? (It'll be in a laptop backpack type thing and it'll be locked.) It's just that if we're going to have to take it around the park with us on the first and last days (if Disney Express won't take it), then it might not be worth taking it as we wouldn't be able to go on any rides together on those days if we had to lug the laptop around with us.

Just curious to know if anyone has any experience with this kind of thing. If anyone has any other tips about the baggage service, please let me know! I've never used it before and I'm scared of things I've never used before, lol.

 

[jillrobinson]

Hi Bonnie,
We used the Disney Express Service last time, as you probably know when you're aboard Eurostar, you keep your luggage in your train compartment in specified areas, the Disney reps come around the train and hand out your park ID card, park passes, meal tickets etc. in fact everything except your room key which you collect from the hotel reception. They'll also give you tags for your cases, each hotel seemed to have different colour tags, we were Santa Fe - Red, you fill them in attach one to each of your cases and in our case a rucksack that we'd used to carry snacks, kids video games, etc. in. and there's a small tear off bit which you keep, and take the cases to the top floor of the station, there's an escalator and I think a lift as well. Each hotel has it's own desk, coloured to correspond with your tag for easy recognition and you just hand everything over. The luggage is then taken to the Hotel - the Santa Fe had a dedicated luggage room near to where the shuttle buses stop, you go there as and when you're ready to collect your luggage, hand the tear off piece over and then we were told to go into the room and collect our cases, which does seem like a bit of a security lapse with hindsight. Would you have enough room to hide the laptop inside one of your cases ?, you could do this after you get off the train if you need it onboard and before leaving the luggage at the desk.
On the way home drop your bags off again using the tag system and they're delivered to the station ready for you to collect later in the day.
I was impressed at how efficient the system was and it certainly means you can make the most of available time at the parks, we didn't check into our hotel until after the park closed on our arrival day and of course you get almost a full day on your departure day, as check in for the Eurostar is, I seem to remember only 30 minutes.
Hope this helps.

 

[Bonnie]

Hi Jill,

Thanks very much for the information! I was beginning to give up the hope that someone might answer, hehe! I appreciate it.

Your information about the Disney Express service is very helpful. I've never travelled via Eurostar before and I didn't know it worked quite like that. I'm wondering whether it would be a good idea to conceal my laptop in my suitcase or not. Some travel companies say to carry electrical devices as hand luggage, but I suppose it's all hand luggage if you put it in the same compartment as you're in!

It was mentioned in the brochure I have that there are some items Disney Express can't carry. I was just wondering whether laptops were included in that! Hmm, I may have to give them a ring if nobody's sure.

I really appreciate your reply! Thanks!

 

[jillrobinson]

Glad I could help, incidently we boarded at Ashford, I believe that if you're getting on at Waterloo, there's a dedicated disney desk to check in at prior to boarding.
Like you I get edgy when I'm not sure how things are going to work out, but our experience was excellent, we flew on our first visit and you wouldn't persuade me to do that again.
From the moment we arived at Ashford everything was straightforward and as an added surprise, they called all the children and gave out disney packs, with crayons, puzzles, etc. in, which helped keep them busy during the journey.
I'm planning our next visit early next year and despite the 220 mile trip to and from Ashford we'll definately go by Eurostar.

 

[Bonnie]

Sounds great! We were also upgraded to Eurostar's new full first class service for £7 each, which will be fab I'm sure as it includes a three course hot meal each way. I'm really looking forward to it!

 

[jillrobinson]

I had a look through my travel documents from the trip (I keep everything, lol) and the only thing I could find was a warning not to leave anything fragile or valuable, maybe they do offer a registered baggage handling for these sorts of things.
Let me know how the upgrade goes because I was thinking of doing it next time.
Counting down the days until the brochures are released - mid May according to the travel agents, although contacted DLRP direct and they're not taking bookings for next year until mid summer.