Magical Express Without Luggage Tags

[Brian]

We will be using Magical Express this year and don't have tags for our luggage (our Magical Express packet was never mailed to us). I was told that we could just take our baggage claim tickets to the Magical Express check-in desk and they'd take care of our luggage, even though we don't have tags. Has anyone done this before? Is it reliable? The last thing I'd want is for my luggage to be sitting out in the open waiting for someone from ME to pick it up. (I'm assuming that with the tags, it is pulled before even being placed on the conveyor belt for passengers to pick up.)

Would we be better off if we just grabbed our luggage ourselves and loaded it on to the ME bus?

[disneyfan328]

I have a similar situation in that I didn't realize we would only be getting one DME yellow tag per person this time. We have 4 people but 5 tages ( no worries on SW there is no charge for the extra bag) we leave on Friday so there is no way we can get another tag in time. They told me that I can check in at the ME counter at MCO and tell them that we checked 4 bags with yellow tags and one bag without and give them that claim ticket and they will get that additional bag as well.

has anyone done this and did it work out? I would hate for that extra suitcase to go missing but I don't think that I can rearrange anything to fit that stuff in the other bags?

[divinedi]

Personally I like to pick up my own bags, although Disney is very efficient with the bag claim and getting it to your room, it does take 2-3 hours. I like to have my stuff right away, in case I need something, and I also like to unpack first and get that taken care of and then I'm free to have fun!!:thumbsup:

[WishingStar2006]

We have traveled without the yellow tags (because they didn't arrive in time) and you give your claim check and a description of your bag to the CM at the Magical Express counter and they get the bags and deliver them as usual. We found that it did take longer to get the bags delivered than when we have the yellow tags...but nothing was lost.

I agree with the previous poster. If I didn't have the yellow tags, I would claim my own luggage and load it on the ME bus with me...then there is no stress as to when and if the bags will appear.

[Strmchsr]

Haven't personally done this, but I've talked to folks who have and it worked out fine. It's especially helpful if you have a pic of your luggage to give them along with the claim tags.

BTW, if you haven't received your tags I would highly recommend calling DME and making sure they have your reservation. You have to reserve with them. It doesn't happen automatically when you book your trip. Most of the time when folks don't receive tags it's because they didn't register with DME or their reservation got mixed up.

[marylynne95]

I hate getting my luggage, which is why I love magical express! My most recent trip I did not have the yellow tags and I gave them my Baggage claim tickets and had no problems. I don't know if the luggage took longer, because I check in and go straight to a park and then come back to the room and luggage is there and I unpack it and go to bed.