Magical Express and luggage delivery

[REEREEG]

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.

If we don't ask them to wait til the morning would they deliver after 1am?

 

[ColoradoMom12]

If we don't ask them to wait til the morning would they deliver after 1am?

Which resort are you staying at? Most of the resorts have bell services 24 hours. The value resorts have luggage assistance; at all but the All Stars, it is 24 hours. You could try calling down to bell services/luggage assistance to inquire about it. As long as your flight arrived before 10 PM, your luggage should arrive yet tonight. They will deliver, in our experience, at all hours. We once assumed that if our luggage arrived after midnight, they would just hold it, but they knocked and woke us up. Things could be different now. I would call to see if they have assumed you are sleeping.

 

[Minniemoo15]

We haven't had the best luck. Arrived once around 7pm, luggage came around 1am.

Last year, we arrived at 9am and at 4pm were on the phone trying to track down where it was. Finally arrived at 530.

My parents also had a 7 hour wait. I don't know if we just have bad luck but next time I think we will just collect our own bags.

 

[CarrieR]

FWIW, we landed just shy of 10 (9:55) last week and they automatically held our luggage. We were out early the next morning and by the time we returned mid-morning, luggage was in the room.

 

[maxiesmom]

We haven't had the best luck. Arrived once around 7pm, luggage came around 1am.

Last year, we arrived at 9am and at 4pm were on the phone trying to track down where it was. Finally arrived at 530.

My parents also had a 7 hour wait. I don't know if we just have bad luck but next time I think we will just collect our own bags.

By arrive do you mean at the airport or at the resort? It makes a big difference as far as the timing goes.

 

[goofy4tink]

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?

Depends on the resort. The value resorts are notoriously bad about late night luggage delivery. They may even stop delivery!! The deluxe resorts are the best but they are true Bell Services.

 

[dansdad]

The deluxe resorts are the best but they are true Bell Services.

As are the Moderates.

 

[ColoradoMom12]

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?

Did you get your luggage? I really hope so! Have a great vacation!!

 

[raddisneyfan]

If I have a late flight, I would always pick up my own bags and carry to the ME bus. Your resort room is going to be ready that late and this way you'll have the bags with you to go directly to your room when you arrive?

 

[Dean Marino]

OK - always do this:

1) KEEP your Airline Bag Tags. CARRY them in wallet, or carry on.
2) REAL time frame for MDE luggage delivery is 4-5 hours after touch down. 3 hours? Right....
3) TAKE PHOTOS OF YOUR BAGS - keep 'em on your smartphone, that you carry with you. TAKE PHOTOS OF MDE TAGS, HIGH RES.

Problem? 5 hours after touchdown, Proceed to Bell Services. Produce Airline Bag tags, and BAG IMAGES. Produce MDE TAGS. Watch how Bell Services goes to town to find your bags . This has happened to us.... and Bell Services is VERY GOOD at resolving this stuff . Pretty close to fanatical .

 

[maxiesmom]

OK - always do this:

1) KEEP your Airline Bag Tags. CARRY them in wallet, or carry on.
2) REAL time frame for MDE luggage delivery is 4-5 hours after touch down. 3 hours? Right....
3) TAKE PHOTOS OF YOUR BAGS - keep 'em on your smartphone, that you carry with you. TAKE PHOTOS OF MDE TAGS, HIGH RES.

Problem? 5 hours after touchdown, Proceed to Bell Services. Produce Airline Bag tags, and BAG IMAGES. Produce MDE TAGS. Watch how Bell Services goes to town to find your bags . This has happened to us.... and Bell Services is VERY GOOD at resolving this stuff . Pretty close to fanatical .

When you touchdown has nothing to do with the delivery time frame. When you get to your resort does. Disney aims to have your bags to you 3-4 hours after you arrive at the resort. When you land doesn't enter into it.

 

[Hopefully]

OK - always do this:

1) KEEP your Airline Bag Tags. CARRY them in wallet, or carry on.
2) REAL time frame for MDE luggage delivery is 4-5 hours after touch down. 3 hours? Right....
3) TAKE PHOTOS OF YOUR BAGS - keep 'em on your smartphone, that you carry with you. TAKE PHOTOS OF MDE TAGS, HIGH RES.

Problem? 5 hours after touchdown, Proceed to Bell Services. Produce Airline Bag tags, and BAG IMAGES. Produce MDE TAGS. Watch how Bell Services goes to town to find your bags . This has happened to us.... and Bell Services is VERY GOOD at resolving this stuff . Pretty close to fanatical .

When you touchdown has nothing to do with the delivery time frame. When you get to your resort does. Disney aims to have your bags to you 3-4 hours after you arrive at the resort. When you land doesn't enter into it.

I agree with @maxiesmom
Disney states 3 hours after Checkin, NOT LANDING

 

[Kaytie]

Problem? 5 hours after touchdown, Proceed to Bell Services. Produce Airline Bag tags, and BAG IMAGES. Produce MDE TAGS. Watch how Bell Services goes to town to find your bags . This has happened to us.... and Bell Services is VERY GOOD at resolving this stuff . Pretty close to fanatical .

Bell Services would be equally very good/fanatical even looking for delayed luggage without all this, but the photographs help.

Problem? 5 hours after touchdown,

Touchdown isn't even the same as arrival. Pilot needs to slowly taxi the runway to reach the terminal, roll to a gate, the plane has to be prepared for debarkation... Touchdown to door being opened maybe ten minutes (longer if there isn't a current open gate, which happens); exiting the plane can be another ten minutes or more; gate area to DME another ten. Then a potential combined wait for DME boarding/departure combined of one to twenty minutes, and thirty-ish minute ride.

So already you're over an hour from touchdown. Because luggage delivery is 3-4 hours after resort arrival, yeah, you're potentially at a total of 4-5 hours. From touchdown.

 

[Chip_Dale]

Previous trips had no idea how long it took to get my bags as we went to park after check in. Last trip arrived at noon. Grappled lunch at the airport. Grabbed MDE.. Checked in. Checked in and walked around the resort a bit. Went to the room and our bags were already in the room.

 

[melanielll]

We used it once. It took 8 hours for our luggage to get to our room. That is why we used it once.

Edited to add - 8 hours after we got to the hotel. Not 8 hours from landing.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

There should be no concern. If you are concerned about getting your luggage then just drag it with you to the bus instead. If it's after 7 we would do that.

 

[kaytieeldr]

We used it once. It took 8 hours for our luggage to get to our room. That is why we used it once.

Edited to add - 8 hours after we got to the hotel. Not 8 hours from landing.

And you're positive the delay was Disney-related? Your luggage was all correctly tagged by the airline, put on your flight, and there were no weather incidents at MCO that prevented luggage from being taken off the plane? And your flight arrived before 10?

Millions of guests have used the luggage delivery option with zero issues.

 

[IrishNYC]

We're in a similar boat. Our upcoming flight lands at 7:30p and there's no way I want to be waiting for luggage. I want to get to sleep so we can hit the ground running early. We will bring our luggage to DME with us.

 

[melanielll]

And you're positive the delay was Disney-related? Your luggage was all correctly tagged by the airline, put on your flight, and there were no weather incidents at MCO that prevented luggage from being taken off the plane? And your flight arrived before 10?

Millions of guests have used the luggage delivery option with zero issues.

Yes - Disney did it. A terrible service run by uncaring people.

Edited to add - They brought the luggage to the wrong resort. They knew where it was, but didn't seem interested in sending it over. My husband took a cab to the other resort, but they refused to release it to him. Only the mystical employee who handles this kind of mess was allowed to bring it to the Contemporary. But - he was unavailable for hours. Since then - no Disney employee is allowed to touch our luggage. This was the one time we didn't drive and didn't rent a car. Never again.

 

[BlueHippo]

The last time we had a late arrival they held our bags until the morning automatically. We have a late arrival again and plan on just packing everything we need for the night in carryons. Not having to deal with baggage claim is a huge perk for us.