Here now and need some advice

[Narnia_girl]

We leave tomorrow (Sunday) on a 6:55 pm flight out of MCO.

We have magical express scheduled but don’t want to use it if we can extend our time at park by a few hours.

Here is what I’m thinking of doing... please let me know if this will work.

1. Take Lyft from All Star Music to Epcot tomorrow. Bring our luggage with us.

2. Store luggage in lockers. (Where are these?)

3. Order Lyft about 4:30 to go to airport (domestic flight).


I assume I’d also need to notify DME of our changes.


Will this plan work? And help us gain a couple hours at park?
This is our first stay at all star Music and have noticed the commute times to/from parks are eating a lot into our days.

 

[joelkfla]

If they're still there, the luggage lockers are in the breezeway between the two resort bus lots. They're behind the abandoned bus info booth. I think they take 4 quarters, so get some quarters at your resort or a shop before you head over there.

Unfortunately, Lyft & Uber no longer drop off in the bus lot, so you'll have to drag your bags there from the main parking lot. Walk towards the main entrance, then turn right past the tram drop-off.

 

[a1tinkfans]

Your airline does not participate in the luggage part of ME?
I was not aware you can even take luggage into the parks. I know u can’t bring it on internal buses, so lyft works,
thought they stopped luggage into park. Ohhhh locker before entrance....
how can u be sure ur luggage will fit?

Did you call M e?
Hope it works so you can squeeze every last hour.
Have fun!!

 

[cruisin5]

Like a1tinkfans mentioned, many airlines (especially domestic) participate in RAC where you can check you luggage at your resort.

I've never seen a locker that could hold a suitcase!

 

[Narnia_girl]

Thanks for the info. I hadn’t really thought about letting luggage go on board even if we don’t. On the other hand I would like to get into my suitcase before the airport so we may just have to do resort Bus to airport.

 

[joelkfla]

You could also leave your luggage with bell services at the resort, and request your Lyft to the airport with a stop at the resort. The driver should be willing to wait if you're just picking up luggage (but I'd leave someone in the car to make sure.)

I've never seen a locker that could hold a suitcase!

The lockers outside Epcot at the bus area were luggage lockers, like you used to see at airports & bus stations before 9/11. They would hold most bags, but I don't know about a full 29-incher. But like I said, I'm not sure whether they're still there. There's no mention of them on the official site.

 

[KrazeeK120]

I hadn’t really thought about letting luggage go on board even if we don’t.

What do you mean by this? RAC is totally separate from DME. Anyone flying on a participating airline can use the service, regardless of how they’re traveling to the airport.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

RAC is resort airline check in. YOu check in your luggage at the resort and they take it to the airport. RAC is only open in the morning.

 

[Narnia_girl]

Thanks for info. My hesitation is turning over my luggage at the resort at the beginning of day. The stuff I am taking in my bag to the park is not the same stuff I want on a flight. Because of that I wanted access to my suitcase.

I’m having bell services hold my suitcase in the morning and we’ll just come back to resort and get luggage and use DME as originally planned.

 

[suemom2kay]

Thanks for info. My hesitation is turning over my luggage at the resort at the beginning of day. The stuff I am taking in my bag to the park is not the same stuff I want on a flight. Because of that I wanted access to my suitcase.

I’m having bell services hold my suitcase in the morning and we’ll just come back to resort and get luggage and use DME as originally planned.

Can you put park/plane stuff in a backpack? Than you can take what you need for the park and put the backpack in locker or on your back while in the park. This way you can check your luggage in the morning and not have to deal with it until you land at your destination.

 

[Narnia_girl]

Thanks for the suggestions. We are home now and it worked out fine.
We left our suitcases with Bell Services and went to Epcot. Got the bus back to the resort and picked up our bags. Waited about 20 minutes and got on Magical Express. My daughter enjoyed it because she likes the Disney trivia and other info they show on the bus.
We checked our bags at the Southwest counter and were on our way.
We did end up leaving park two hours earlier than if I had used Lyft/Uber but that was okay. We were exhausted by then. It all worked out fine.

 

[NYCgrrl]

Your airline does not participate in the luggage part of ME?
I was not aware you can even take luggage into the parks. I know u can’t bring it on internal buses, so lyft works,
thought they stopped luggage into park. Ohhhh locker before entrance....
how can u be sure ur luggage will fit?

Did you call M e?
Hope it works so you can squeeze every last hour.
Have fun!!

Yes you can take luggage into at least Epcot. Not the smartest move I ever made as it was security checked twice and thank goodness I'm a neat packer, LOL. Once @ the Contemporary monorail station and then at the entrace to Epcot. It was a split stay and I did not feel like waiting for transport to YC.
Got there 10 minutes before the rest of my party which was not enough of a timesaver to ever repeat.

 

[nkereina]

Thanks for the suggestions. We are home now and it worked out fine.
We left our suitcases with Bell Services and went to Epcot. Got the bus back to the resort and picked up our bags. Waited about 20 minutes and got on Magical Express. My daughter enjoyed it because she likes the Disney trivia and other info they show on the bus.
We checked our bags at the Southwest counter and were on our way.
We did end up leaving park two hours earlier than if I had used Lyft/Uber but that was okay. We were exhausted by then. It all worked out fine.

Glad it worked out. FWIW, Southwest is a participating airline in RAC. For future reference for someone else in this case wanting to maximize park time, the best option is to check luggage with RAC and keep anything needed for the flight in a carry-on size shoulder bag or backpack. I think most, if not all, park lockers would accommodate a backpack or similar size carry-on. That way, you can Lyft/Uber directly to the airport. At best, you'd gain about 90 minutes to 2 hours of a park time.

 

[Narnia_girl]

Glad it worked out. FWIW, Southwest is a participating airline in RAC. For future reference for someone else in this case wanting to maximize park time, the best option is to check luggage with RAC and keep anything needed for the flight in a carry-on size shoulder bag or backpack. I think most, if not all, park lockers would accommodate a backpack or similar size carry-on. That way, you can Lyft/Uber directly to the airport. At best, you'd gain about 90 minutes to 2 hours of a park time.

Thanks for the extra info. It wasn't so much that I wanted stuff from my bags to take on the plane; it was I didn't want to carry stuff on the plane that I had in my park bag (2 ponchos, sun umbrella, etc..) For that reason I wanted access to my luggage again. But if wouldn't have been awful if I had used RAC and kept that stuff with me. Now I know better the options I have!

 

[AngiTN]

If they're still there, the luggage lockers are in the breezeway between the two resort bus lots. They're behind the abandoned bus info booth. I think they take 4 quarters, so get some quarters at your resort or a shop before you head over there.

Unfortunately, Lyft & Uber no longer drop off in the bus lot, so you'll have to drag your bags there from the main parking lot. Walk towards the main entrance, then turn right past the tram drop-off.

Learned yesterday they removed the lockers outside Epcot just after labor day. We used them that trip but went to use them yesterday and they are no more.

 

[maxiesmom]

I was not aware you can even take luggage into the parks. I know u can’t bring it on internal buses, so lyft works,
thought they stopped luggage into park. Ohhhh locker before entrance....
how can u be sure ur luggage will fit?

You can bring in any bag--as long as you are fine with it being searched, and don't drag it behind you.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Learned yesterday they removed the lockers outside Epcot just after labor day. We used them that trip but went to use them yesterday and they are no more.

Oh wow, really? I know you were a prolific user of those lockers. Bummer!

 

[bumbershoot]

Thanks for the extra info. It wasn't so much that I wanted stuff from my bags to take on the plane; it was I didn't want to carry stuff on the plane that I had in my park bag (2 ponchos, sun umbrella, etc..) For that reason I wanted access to my luggage again. But if wouldn't have been awful if I had used RAC and kept that stuff with me. Now I know better the options I have!

You could always check in most bags, and keep one bag behind to do the switch out.

 

[AngiTN]

You can bring in any bag--as long as you are fine with it being searched, and don't drag it behind you.

They have actually given up stopping anyone with things they drag behind them. I haven't gone to the park in like 2 years where I didn't see coolers and even rolling suitcase bags, being used in the parks. Many of them.
This past trip I even saw several wagons in use, not the metal red ones but the canvas on a frame type.

 

[KBoopaloo]

They have actually given up stopping anyone with things they drag behind them. I haven't gone to the park in like 2 years where I didn't see coolers and even rolling suitcase bags, being used in the parks. Many of them.
This past trip I even saw several wagons in use, not the metal red ones but the canvas on a frame type.

I saw a ton of wagons on my early September trip as well. The same ones you described.