Hi Kimberly! Welcome to the Disney Parks Moms Panel!
I always feel like my vacation officially begins once I'm on
Disney's Magical Express, heading to my
Disney Resort hotel. The magic truly starts in that moment and I find myself overwhelmed with excitement every time!
It sounds like you will be taking Disney's Magical Express and having them claim and transport your luggage to your Disney Resort hotel room. You will find that this process is extremely easy! Your checked luggage will show up auto-magically later that day/evening. As for your carry-on luggage, it will be stowed under the bus during your journey to
Disney's Contemporary Resort, then retrieved for you when you arrive. If you wish, you can check with the Front Desk to see if your room happens to already be available first. Like you said, it probably won't be ready since it will be so early, but it never hurts to check! If your room isn't ready, simply head to the Bell Services desk and ask them to hold your carry-on while you head to the parks. They will take care of it from there!
While tipping is not required, I always make sure to have a little cash on hand to tip each person that handles my luggage. It's a small way to show my appreciation for how wonderful the Cast Members are.
Enjoy your vacation, Kimberly! Please visit us again with any other questions you may have!
Tabitha