Originally Posted By Shooba When I used it last October, transportation to the hotel was quick and efficient. There was a delay with our bags though, and we ended up having to get them ourselves near the front counter, after midnight (our flight arrived before 7:00 if I recall correctly). If we had waited for delivery, it would have been after 2:00 am. The bag delay wasn't just us, but I don't know the cause. At the time we were allowed no liquids in carry-on bags, so that was a pain. I assume you have the option of getting your bags and bringing them with you though, right? If you arrive early and are equipped to head out to a park or elsewhere, I'd see no reason not to use DME to its fullest. If it were me, and I was arriving late (after 9:00 or 10:00) I think I'd just collect my own bags and bring them with me on the DME bus. I was staying at Pop Century, and while I have no concrete basis to say this, I suspect guests at the higher end hotels suffered less delays than we did...
Originally Posted By Autopia Deb As for toiletries on planes, you may take things like shampoos, lotions and toothpaste in containers no larger than 3oz. Take all liquids and put them in a quart size (I think, maybe gal size?) zip lock style bag and have it out of your carry-on for security inspection. I would have these things in origional packaging and not transfered to small containers. BTW, 3oz of toothpaste in a large tube won't pass inspection. Just buy travel sizes and you'll be fine.
Originally Posted By mickeymad Thanks for that.The rules for planes change so often. Think we might collect our own baggage and then we know we will have everything. Does this take awhile at Orlando International?? Not planning to go to the parks(it will be so hard) on our first day as I think we will be at our hotel in the early hours of that day.Don't want to waste a day of our 10 day pass being tired.
Originally Posted By twirlnhurl The baggage claim at Orlando International is pretty efficient. You should have your bags within 10 minutes of getting to the carousel.
Originally Posted By jodiefra A word of caution -- we were on a late night plane (arriving Orlando around midnight) and had to SIT on the ME bus for 90 minutes (!) until there were enough people on board to justify leaving. The ride was pleasant and the movie was a good idea, but we were pooped and overheated and wanted to get to the resort, so we weren't thrilled. We watched out the window as our driver sat on a bench and ate a sandwich; when we got out of the bus and asked him when we were leaving, he said it was up to the dispatchers. Our luggage was on a separate bus, and they did ask us if we wanted them to keep it in hold until morning or deliver it asap, and we chose the latter. They brought our bags about two hours later (by this time 3:30 a.m.!!), but they were all there and intact. Meanwhile we were sleeping in our undies... that was probably our fault for not thinking ahead, but it was still a little irritating! The return trip was timely and easy -- right on time from the resort. It was ALMOST enough to help us forget our issues. Knowing what I know now, if I take another late flight I would spring for the hundred bucks for Quicksilver transportation's car ride we used last trip. They were AWESOME.
Originally Posted By DAR Well we're leaving here at 8:30 and should arrive by 11:30 Orlando time. So are you guys guessing by 3:00 we should have our luggage?
Originally Posted By twirlnhurl The airport is the largest in the state of Florida and 13th in the US. It is open 24 hours a day ( <a href="http://www.orlandoairports.net/faq.htm#open" target="_blank">http://www.orlandoairports.net /faq.htm#open</a> )
Originally Posted By jodiefra I would say you SHOULD have your luggage by 3, but if I were you I would wear clothes you can wear to the park and carry on anything you might need for the rest of the day. If I remember correctly, they load up a big truck with luggage and take it from resort to resort, so the arrival of your stuff may depend on where you are in the route. You can always leave what you have in the room or check it at the main desk if you can't get your room when you arrive, then head off to have some fun instead of hanging around waiting for your luggage. Just don't expect things to arrive too quickly and they probably will -- Murphy's law!!
Originally Posted By coral_barks I like the concept of Magical Express more than the execution. But even so, it's nice to have the option. Now, if only they could get that Maglev... Definitely plan not to have your bags the first day. The potential for luggage delays seems endless. My own frustration followed from making the reservation too late to get the special luggage tags. Very helpfully, we were told it wouldn't be a problem, while not being told it would take many extra hours to get our bags. So, be sure to reserve your room in time to get the tags, and use them.
Originally Posted By Labuda "The baggage claim at Orlando International is pretty efficient. You should have your bags within 10 minutes of getting to the carousel." Ha! Hahahahahahahahahahah! I got to MCO this week, headed down to baggage claim, and then waited half an hour for the bags from my plane to hit the carousel. About 5-7 minutes later was when my bag finally appeared.
Originally Posted By twirlnhurl ^My experience has been the opposite. It is possible that you fly more often then me and I have just been lucky, or that you were just unlucky. The time I said did not include the wait for one's actual bags, because the amount of time it takes for the first bag from one plane to the last varies by the amount of bags.
Originally Posted By sun-n-fun A few years ago (and the last time we flew to MCO) we sat for over an hour waiting for the carousel to even move. Everyone on that flight was extremely upset. We are flying in again in 11 days - I hope it's better this time!!!
Originally Posted By mickeymad Please let us know how you go sun-n-fun. We are going in December and arrive at 11.30pm after flying 20+ hours from Australia so we will be pretty tired. We are weighing up waiting for the bags or letting Disney to take care of them and bringing some PJ's and toothpaste in our carry on luggage.
