As of January 1, 2019, we have closed our forums. This is a decision we did not come to lightly, but it is necessary. The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk. The server software itself must be updated, and it cannot be without removing the forums.
So it is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to our long-running forums. They came online in 2000 and brought together so many wonderful Disney fans. We had friendships form, careers launch, couples marry, children born ... all because of this amazing community.
Thank you to each of you who were a part of this community. You made it possible.
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There are other changes as well.
Why? Well, the world has changed. And change with it, we must. The lyrics to "We Go On" for IllumiNations say it best:
We go on to the joy and through the tears
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Moving on with the current of the years.
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To a new day, we go on.
It's time to move on and move forward.
PassPorter is a small business, and for many years it supported our family. But the world changed, print books took a backseat to the Internet, and for a long time now it has been unable to make ends meet. We've had to find new ways to support our family, which means new careers and less and less time available to devote to our first baby, PassPorter.
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So we are retiring this newsletter, as we simply cannot keep up with it. Many thanks to Mouse Fan Travel who supported it all these years, to All Ears and MousePlanet who helped us with news, to our many article contributors, and -- most importantly -- to Sara Varney who edited our newsletter so wonderfully for years and years.
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If you miss us, you can still find some of us online. Sara started a new blog at DisneyParkPrincess.com -- I strongly urge you to visit and get on her mailing list. She IS the Disney park princess and knows Disney backward and forward. And I am blogging as well at JenniferMaker.com, which is a little craft blog I started a couple of years ago to make ends meet. You can see and hear me in my craft show at https://www.youtube.com/c/jennifermaker . Many PassPorter readers and fans are on Facebook, in groups they formed like the PassPorter Trip Reports and PassPorter Crafting Challenge (if you join, just let them know you read about it in the newsletter). And some of our most devoted community members started a forum of their own at Pixie Dust Lane and all are invited over.
So we encourage you to stay in touch with us and your fellow community members wherever works best for you!
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I received our Disney's Magical Express luggage tags yesterday. I'm a bit leery about using them as I don't like the thought of my suitcase being out of my hands. (What if they forget it? What if the tag falls off? What if the airline loses my bag & I don't know about it until hours later?)
I know that the luggage tags aren't mandatory, but I also know it could be a useful service. Does anyone have any good or bad experiences to share about letting DME handle your suitcases?
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~Joby/Lil~Me stealing Capt. Jack Sparrow's treasure!
Okay. The airline could lose your bag without it having the DME tags on it. The DME tags are similar to the ones the airlines put on your bag and those things not only never fall off but are a royal pain to take off.The DME tag causes the bag to be pulled and placed with all the other Disney bound luggage so they'd have to forget about a whole lot of luggage. As for lost luggage it can happen but in all my travels I've never had it happen. I've used the tags for nine out of my ten trips and have always gotten my bag(s). Although last time I did end up getting a $50 credit because for some bizarre and unknown reason DME thought I wasn't arriving until 7:30pm when in fact I had arrived and was walking away from the check in desk by early afternoon. The result was I didn't get my bags until 11:30pm.
The catch is that your luggage is delivered about 3-4 hours after your flight arrives. We knew that but didn’t think about it and barely had time to change for a Signature dinner when we used the service once. (Incidentally, luggage delivery is a separately contracted service unassociated with DME.)
Otherwise, I don’t recall reading of any complaints.
Thinking ahead about what you might need immediately upon getting to your resort is wise so that those things can go in your carryons.
You can simply leave off the yellow tags, collect your bags as usual and haul them yourselves to the DME bus. The driver loads them for you, and you have everything with you upon arriving at your resort. That way, should one go astray, you can deal with that hassle immediately.
If your flight arrives between 10:00 pm and 5:00 am, you must collect your own bags and take them to the bus anyway.
It’s a matter of personal preference and needs, really. Do whichever you feel will work better for your family, I suggest.
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“People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing every day.” —Winnie-the-Pooh
Things can certainly go wrong, but I can say that over the many times I have used them, I have never had a problem. Once, when our connecting flight was terribly delayed, we ended up arriving around 2am (rather than around 6 or7). Our bags were tagged so DME got them the next morning and they were delivered to our room rather early in the day. That was a good thing as we needed the clothes. I have no complaints at all concerning them.
We've used DME several times and I've never had an issue with the tags or the luggage not getting to me at the resort. Using the RAC (resort airline check in at the hotels) however was a different story. The one time we used them to come home, we made it on our flight but our luggage didn't. We arrived home I want to say early afternoon and our luggage didn't make it to our house until like 1 am in the morning. Someone had to hand deliver it to us because of the screw up - and the airport is an hour away. A long distance to go that late at night IMO but we got it.
20+ trips and we've used DME AND the luggage tags for every trip, except the one we flew into Sandford instead of MCO. Each time we used the tags, our luggage arrived in our room uneventfully.
The most recent trip--March--it was evident one of our tags fell off as a different tag was attached to the bag when it arrived in our room. I have no idea how that happened, but I'm guessing our original tag fell off and somehow the computer system was able to figure out where that bag needed to go based on the tag the airline attached. Maybe the computer system had all of our bags linked together to our airline reservation--which DME has access to--and that helped them attach a new tag.
I understand your concern. Hope the responses help. Good luck with your decision and have a great trip!
We have used the ME luggage tags more times than I can remember and never had a problem. Those tags are pretty tough so I wouldn't worry about them coming off. Airlines and WDW handle tens of thousands a bags a year with ME tags. If they had a problem with them they would have changed or improved their system.
We always use DME and love the tags and having our bags delivered to our room. For me, it means not hauling bags with me, and when DD was little, it was the best thing because I only had to worry about my carryon and her. Now, I just use it because its super convenient. I make sure if there is anything I think I might need, I drop it in my carryon and I'm all set. I hate traveling anywhere else now because I despise having to worry about my luggage and getting it to the hotel all by myself - and I'm not an over-packer.
I am so glad that Disney created this- I love putting on the yellow tags and forgetting about them until I see them in my resort room. I have never had a problem with them in the past trips.
Do you what you think is best for you & your family. Enjoy!
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Kate in PA All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them- Walt Disney
Another vote for use them!
Positives: You leave the plane, go directly to the DME area, and possibly walk right onto a bus (yes, unlikely, but it has happened!). No standing around a conveyor belt, waiting for your suitcases that look like so many others, fighting people who are doing the same. Get to the resort, and walk from the bus to check in. NO standing around the bus waiting for you suitcase to come out of the belly of the bus. No lugging that suitcase through the resort. Let's face it, the resorts are spread out - and dragging your luggage through them is a pain. Yes, you can let bell services do it, but at this point, why bother - you're attached to the thing!
Cons: You have to wait a few hours to get your luggage.
We pack what we know we'll need that day in a carry on. Toiletries, an extra change of clothes, medications, medical equipment, etc.
Thanks for all the info. While I know the airlines can misplace the luggage too, I'm worried about that happening then I don't find out until after 10pm (ish) when it never arrives to my room. I think to be on the safe side and take out any worry I have, I'll be fetching my own bags. But, thanks to everyone for the advice!!
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~Joby/Lil~Me stealing Capt. Jack Sparrow's treasure!
Thanks for all the info. While I know the airlines can misplace the luggage too, I'm worried about that happening then I don't find out until after 10pm (ish) when it never arrives to my room. I think to be on the safe side and take out any worry I have, I'll be fetching my own bags. But, thanks to everyone for the advice!!
Depending on what time you arrive, you may get your bags much earlier. Very often we arrive early and by the time we've dropped our carry-ons at bell services and gone to have a bite to eat, our room is ready and when we take our stuff to our room, our luggage is already there. So 10pm is not always the time they deliver.
We've been using DME since 2009 and we've never had a problem. In fact, DME was actually one of the reasons my husband wanted to buy into DVC! We've always arrived early in the day, but by the time we check in and get to our room, our bags are there, or when we call downstairs, they are ready. The saddest part is removing them when we check our bags back in at the RAC
We have used it almost every. There is something very restful about not having to deal with your luggage when you get off the plane. Of course we still seem to walk 100 miles an hour to get to ME but at least we are not pulling big suitcases.
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Disney's Magical Express Luggage Tags
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