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View Full Version : Magical Express - late check in



cglaura
09-05-2007, 03:24 PM
I've never used Magical Express before. I know it takes a good long time for your luggage to catch up with you. Our flight arrives at 9:17pm. We plan on having a carry on w/ one change of clothes for each, and essentials, so I know we'll at least have clothes for our first full day.

For those who have used this service, would you recommend just letting them bring the luggage (any ballpark idea of time...like will they knock on my door at 4am!). Or should I just get it myself and have them load it under the bus? I've always used Mears and am kind of intimidated by the unfamilar :o

TIA !

Jusacuz
09-05-2007, 04:46 PM
We let them take our luggage and we arrived around 8:30 AM. The bag (we only had one checked) didn't arrive until after 6:00PM. I actually ended up calling to find out where it was and they had to search for it. I think it may be safer to just bring it on the bus. I know that if I ever use the ME bus again, that's what I'll do.

m 'n c
09-05-2007, 05:40 PM
You can request at checkin for them to hold your luggage until the morning so that they don't come in the middle of the night.

We had an early flight and let ME do everything. Of course our room wasn't ready until after 4 so our luggage didn't get to us until 5 or 6 but it wasn't too bad.

llgray16
09-05-2007, 08:10 PM
When you arrive late at night they actually don't bring your luggage until you call bell services. In May we arrived at 10:30 pm. I called in the morning to have our luggage brought to the room.

cglaura
09-05-2007, 10:16 PM
Thanks everyone! I think I'll probably just grab them myself, that way I won't have to worry about doing anything the next morning. I thought about splurging on a towncar if the eBay fairy is good to me, but I have a hard time spending $$ on something when I know there is a cost free option out there.

llgray16
09-06-2007, 07:50 AM
Thanks everyone! I think I'll probably just grab them myself, that way I won't have to worry about doing anything the next morning. I thought about splurging on a towncar if the eBay fairy is good to me, but I have a hard time spending $$ on something when I know there is a cost free option out there.

Honestly, I can think of much better things at WDW to splurge on rather than a town car. We actually really enjoy using ME. They show a video on your way to your resort that really gets you in the Disney spirit! There is a nice one that they show on the way to the airport as well (but obviously we don't like that one as much!)

I really like the luggage aspect of ME as well. We travel with two little kids. The first year we went we didn't use ME and it was a pain in the rear dealing with our luggage and them. They are a little bit older now and can help with their own small carry-ons but I love arriving and not having to worry about competing with 100 other people to get my luggage off of the carousel!

Have a great trip!!!

wilsonfamily4
09-06-2007, 11:08 AM
I have used it once and LOVED It. If I was you I would just leave a note with the front desk stating not to bring it between certain hours and to deliver it at such a time of they miss getting it to you before bed. It was so nice to get off our LONG flight and just get on the bus. Our luggage did not take long to get to us and we had everything else we needed in a carry on. It will also allow you to go check in faster without towing luggage around with you.

cglaura
09-06-2007, 12:16 PM
Do you have to actually be in the room when they deliver it? On one hand I don't want to sit around waiting for it and like the idea of just getting on that bus since it is at night, but I also want to make sure the bellhop person gets tipped. I guess I could leave the $$ in the room, with a note specifically for them, and one in a separate place for mousekeeping?

llgray16.... ITA! I'm always, ok, that is x amount of dollars, which is x amount of sit down dinners, or x amount counter service, or equal to 2 nights AAA at a value resort! In this case it may be Liberty Tree Tavern before MVMCP, will try for an ADR today.

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone!

wilsonfamily4
09-06-2007, 12:19 PM
I do belive you have to be present to get your luggage. So you could say come at 6:30 or 7 in the morning when you know you will be there.

Kycha
09-06-2007, 03:15 PM
Actually, I don't think you do need to be present for luggage delivery. DH and I were in the parks last year when our luggage was delivered.

wilsonfamily4
09-06-2007, 03:24 PM
Actually, I don't think you do need to be present for luggage delivery. DH and I were in the parks last year when our luggage was delivered.

That makes me so jealous. When they called and said they were bringing our luggage up I asked if we had to be there and they said yes. So we stuck around. :( I will let them know next time no we will not be here! So good to know.

llgray16
09-07-2007, 11:54 AM
You do not have to be present for you luggage to be delivered.

cglaura
09-07-2007, 05:31 PM
Yea! Now that I know I don't have to be in the room, I definitely use ME. And I'm doing the :cooldance: as my big ticket item sold on eBay. So I called and was able to get a 5:45pm at Crystal Palace the night of our MVMCP.

Thanks for everyone's input!

wilsonfamily4
09-07-2007, 05:47 PM
Yea! Now that I know I don't have to be in the room, I definitely use ME. And I'm doing the :cooldance: as my big ticket item sold on eBay. So I called and was able to get a 5:45pm at Crystal Palace the night of our MVMCP.

Thanks for everyone's input!

O, what fun. Gotta love ebay when it works out!

cglaura
09-07-2007, 08:40 PM
It was great timing too, I didn't even have to call them! We were literally sitting at the computer pondering our itinerary, etc. The phone rings and it is Disney MGM Studios! I'm like whoohoo, I must have won something! But they just had to change my ADR time for the Fantasmic Dinner Pkg b/c of an earlier closing or something.

So I very nicely as can be asked if it would be at all possible to check a few others, and she was so nice. I think it was only her job that day to do the call backs.

So I got the Crystal Palace and decided to divert my budget from Rainforest to Liberty Tree Tavern for lunch on another day. 1. LTT was my mom's first pick, but wasn't available for the MVMCP. 2. We have a Rainforest in Atlantic City, about 40 min from me so we've been a few times this year. I also have the Safari club, so if some extra $$ shows up in the budget I can get a seat w/ not a terrible long wait (hopefully ;) )...I've never actually used it down there. But in A.C. it is great, walk up with people waiting 2 hours and get a seat w/in 30 minutes. Well worth the $15 membership. Especially since you get a $10 GC back!

chipndale
09-08-2007, 12:18 AM
Our last three trips we used ME and arrived late in the evening. We usually and around 10:30pm and it is very nice to just walk off the plane and take the kids and get on the bus. I pack jammies and the next days cloths in a carry on. They will deliver your luggage unless you tell them that you want it held until the morning. My mom and dad forgot to tell them on one of our trips and they knocked on the door around 2:30 in the morning. :rotfl: You do not need to be in the room for them to deliver your luggage. We usually get up and shower and go eat breakfast. When we leave for breakfast we call and tell them to deliver our luggage. Most of the time it is in the room when we return from breakfast. If it is not we just leave and head to the parks. ME is fantastic. We have used them 7 times and never had a problem.

cglaura
09-08-2007, 11:20 AM
Jammies! Thanks, I would have never remembered to pack them in the carry on! :rotfl:

Thanks everyone. I feel much less intimidated now that I know more about the process.

Now the hard part, waiting to go!