Southwest Newbie Questions

Skjhjb

DIS Veteran

Joined

Jul 8, 2012

• Oct 13, 2015

• #1

Hey all,

My oldest DD (20 in November!!) and two friends are flying to Disney October 31st. DH and I are driving them to the Days Inn across from the airport on the Friday evening (already booked).

We never fly - we've always driven, so the tickets/flight thing are new to us (DD especially, the other girls have flown before to other places).

None of the girls had a high enough credit limit on their student credit cards to book all 3 tickets, so they got together and all signed on to Southwest and booked their tickets on the same flight at the same time.

How does the boarding pass thing work? I know they have to log on to Southwest and do online check in and print the pass. But glitch #1 - they all have school all day Friday, so can't log in at the 24 hour mark - and they won't have a printer when they get to the hotel. So the plan is to log in at the one friend's house before leaving Kitchener to do their check-in and print passes. Will that work?

And how does the flight home work? How do they check-in and get their boarding passes while they are at Disney?

Thanks! I appreciate the help!

 

C

caisland

Mouseketeer

Joined

Jul 6, 2008

• Oct 13, 2015

• #2

Anyone can do the check in for them. Just need the info. They can check in on a cell phone.

Passes can be printed afterwards at home before they leave.

At Disney for the return trip the can check in by cell again or go to the concierge at their resort.

Disney will print out the boarding passes for them all.

I checked in by cell while driving in August and printed out at hotel that night.

Disney did my boarding passes for the trip home.

 

dvcmom14

Mouseketeer

Joined

Oct 11, 2015

• Oct 13, 2015

• #3

The Southwest app makes checking in and electronic boarding passes super easy (if your home airport uses electronic boarding passes, that is). Otherwise, most airports have kiosks where you can check-in and print your boarding passes out. For Southwest, they put you in a boarding group and you just pick an open seat when you get on the plane (within your assigned area). The sooner you check-in, the earlier you get to board.

 

C&B Young

Twitter @CanaDisney

Joined

Jul 19, 2009

• Oct 13, 2015

• #4

Agree with the previous posters, have someone check them in online/via app at the 24 hour mark, that's the important part to get them a relatively decent boarding position. Once you've done that you can print the passes anytime, or have them printed at the Southwest desk at BUF when checking your bags.

 

Skjhjb

DIS Veteran

Joined

Jul 8, 2012

• Oct 14, 2015

• #5

Thanks so much all!

If I offer to do the check-in for them - will I need all of their flight info for each girl? Since they purchased individually, they will all have separate confirmation numbers correct?

That helps big time - I appreciate it!

 

Diamondintheruff

<font color=magenta>Thinks she saw a flash!<br><fo

Joined

Aug 26, 2006

• Oct 15, 2015

• #6

If it's that a big a deal that they sit together buy them the seat upgrade.

Plus don't forget to tell them to book again 24 hours out on their way home. Or maybe you can arrange to do it again for them.

 

sk8jdgca

DIS Veteran

Joined

Sep 9, 2007

• Oct 16, 2015

• #7

It's only 12.50 each way for early check in. I would highly recommend it. Then they won't have any issues at all.

 

S

SaraMc

Moderator

Moderator

Joined

Jan 18, 2005

• Nov 1, 2015

• #8

I always get the early check in with my flights from Disney. Because they will automatically check you in for your flight and do your boarding pass for you, I would rather not be in the C loading.
Its just me but its worth the 12.50 every time.

 

Skjhjb

DIS Veteran

Joined

Jul 8, 2012

• Nov 2, 2015

• #9

We checked them in here at home first thing Friday morning (right at the 24 hour mark) and they were in the B group.

They will be heading to the front desk at POP on Thursday evening to get them checked in for their Friday evening flight.

Thanks for the help everybody!