Disney's Magical Express/RAC - What "Participating Airline" Really Means!

[ameraumi]

I tried to scan some of the most recent posts and did not see this anywhere. Can 1 or 2 people from your group check in at RAC with the luggage or does everyone need to be present? I am just planning ahead so I know on our last day how to handle this.

[goofy4tink]

It 'used to be' that everyone had to be present, just like at the counter at the airport. But, it seems that now, only one person has to be there to check the whole family in. Now, I don't think I would go so far as to try to check in another family. But, your own family shouldn't be an issue.

[WeemanMom]

OKay, if I understand this correctly...

I am flying Southwest - when I fly INTO MCO, my bags (with their little yellow tags) will be picked up by DME and brought to the resort - and we can utilize DME.

When I am flying HOME (leaving MCO ) I can leave my bags with the at the resort while we go play (we are leaving in the evening)...come back and get our bags, get on DME, go to the airport, get our bags as we exit DME and then go check out bags in with the airline.

Is this correct? I am sorry if I missed the answer to this earlier but I am so incrediably confused.

Thanks!

[CleveRocks]

Originally Posted by WeemanMom

OKay, if I understand this correctly...

I am flying Southwest - when I fly INTO MCO, my bags (with their little yellow tags) will be picked up by DME and brought to the resort - and we can utilize DME.

When I am flying HOME (leaving MCO ) I can leave my bags with the at the resort while we go play (we are leaving in the evening)...come back and get our bags, get on DME, go to the airport, get our bags as we exit DME and then go check out bags in with the airline.

Is this correct? I am sorry if I missed the answer to this earlier but I am so incrediably confused.

Thanks!

You got it!!!

[karylrocks]

I have decided that I might rent a minivan at the airport because I found a great deal and it might come in handy. There are seven in our group and we cannot fit all of us with our luggage in the minivan so I still want ME to take our luggage. Am I correct that you can't use ME only for your luggage (with no passengers)? If so, will there be any problem if only 2 or 3 of our group take the ME with all seven of our bags or do each of us need to check in with ME to use it for our luggage?

[goofy4tink]

Originally Posted by karylrocks

I have decided that I might rent a minivan at the airport because I found a great deal and it might come in handy. There are seven in our group and we cannot fit all of us with our luggage in the minivan so I still want ME to take our luggage. Am I correct that you can't use ME only for your luggage (with no passengers)? If so, will there be any problem if only 2 or 3 of our group take the ME with all seven of our bags or do each of us need to check in with ME to use it for our luggage?

That is a very good way to handle it. Most people report that they have gotten their bags just fine without riding the bus. But, why take the chance of something not working perfectly. So, have a couple of people ride the bus, the rest of you head out in the minivan. Be sure to let us know how it works out. I would be interested in seeing what your arrival times are like, using the two modes of transportation.

[leebee]

HI-
I made it through 9 pages of this thread and didn't find my question- but I don't have the time to read all 45 pages, so here's my question:

We are using DME to get from MCO to ASMo, arriving around 4pm. However, we have an ADR at Boma (at AKL) for 7:05pm, which is 3 hours after our flight lands at MCO. If our flight is delayed, can we let our yellow-tagged luggage go straight through to ASMo while WE go to Boma for dinner, then meet up with our luggage at ASMo after dinner and check in then?

[clkelley]

You MUST get on the bus to All-Star Movies. If you don't need your resort ID to go to Boma (such as dining plan), then once you get to your resort, you can directly get on a bus to an open theme park, then transfer over to the AKL bus and hurry on to your dinner reservation. It will take a bit longer for your luggage to arrive in your room cause you haven't checked in, but if that's not a problem for you, then don't worry about it.

(FYI, if your DME bus happens to also be going to AKL AND you have no carryons under the bus, then feel free to get off at AKL instead of Movies) (That is a possibility with that route).

[goofy4tink]

Originally Posted by leebee

HI-
I made it through 9 pages of this thread and didn't find my question- but I don't have the time to read all 45 pages, so here's my question:

We are using DME to get from MCO to ASMo, arriving around 4pm. However, we have an ADR at Boma (at AKL) for 7:05pm, which is 3 hours after our flight lands at MCO. If our flight is delayed, can we let our yellow-tagged luggage go straight through to ASMo while WE go to Boma for dinner, then meet up with our luggage at ASMo after dinner and check in then?

Your bus will be tied to the resort reservation. So, you have to hop on the ASMovies bus. But, if your flight arrives at 4:00, you should be at your resort in about 70 mins. I would then just hop on the bus to a park and transfer to the AKL bus. OR...you could just take a cab. It wouldn't cost very much and you would save a lot of time...the resorts are even in the same general area.

[anniem8]

Hi! I am planning a last minute, 2-day trip to WDW in less than 3 weeks. My question is this: I will be flying in on Delta. As understand the process, I will check my bags in Atlanta and they will magically appear in my resort room at Pop? What about return? I'm leaving in the evening, so I will check out and go to the parks before I head back to the airport. How will that work? Do I leave my bags (1 checked and 1 carryon) at the Resort Check In? Then be back to head out to the airport 2 hours before departure? I'm sorry, this may have been answered, but I couldn't find it and I'm running out of time. Speaking of that, do I even have time to get the yellow tags everyone talks about? If not, can I just get my own suitcase and take it on the bus?

[goofy4tink]

Originally Posted by anniem8

Hi! I am planning a last minute, 2-day trip to WDW in less than 3 weeks. My question is this: I will be flying in on Delta. As understand the process, I will check my bags in Atlanta and they will magically appear in my resort room at Pop? What about return? I'm leaving in the evening, so I will check out and go to the parks before I head back to the airport. How will that work? Do I leave my bags (1 checked and 1 carryon) at the Resort Check In? Then be back to head out to the airport 2 hours before departure? I'm sorry, this may have been answered, but I couldn't find it and I'm running out of time. Speaking of that, do I even have time to get the yellow tags everyone talks about? If not, can I just get my own suitcase and take it on the bus?

DME recommends booking at least 10 days in advance in order to get the info packet/luggage tags. So...book it now, if you haven't already. You can not just walk up to the DME counter, without a prior reservation..it must be booked in advance.
So, that being said, yes, tag your checked bag(s) in Atlanta, and say goodbye to them. They will be in your resort room within 3 hrs of resort checkin. Be sure to pack a carryon bag with anything you may need for the start of your vacation.
Then, when you arrive at MCO head down to level 1, checkin at the DME counter, head to your bus and you're on your way.
For your return to Atlanta...because you are flying on Delta (a participating airline) you will be able to check your bags at your resort that morning. The RAC (remote airline checkin) desk opens at 5 am. You can drop your checked bag there, and get your boarding pass issued. Then, leave your carryon bag with luggage services and head off and enjoy your last day. You will be given a time to return to the DME bus area for your trip back to MCO. It is about 3 hrs before your flight departure time. Be sure to be at the bus stop earlier than the time given to you....be there about 20 mins or so early. The time you have been given is the time the bus departs, not when you should show up. Get your carryon bag and then head to the bus stop.
Hope this helps a bit.

[anniem8]

Awesome! Thanks so much!!

[lissiesmum]

Could someone please spell out the benefit of using a participating airline? I would like to fly out of my hometown, Manchester NH, but the only nonstop flight offered is Southwest which is not listed as a participating airline. Now from what I've read and understand, I still have access to use the DME. This is where I need the clarification. If I am on a non-par airline, do I have to pick up my baggage myself and drag it to the bus? And on the way home, when I get off the DME, I will have to drag my baggage to the ticket counter? This is really important for me to have answered because I will be traveling solo with my DD3 and I will not have any spare hands for assistance. Could someone take a few minutes and clarify the differences for me? It would be much easier for me to fly out of Manchester than Boston, but if there are more benefits to using a participating airline, I really would take that into consideration. Thanks in advance for your help

PS...I guess another question I should ask, is, If I do have to lug my bags around myself, can you check them at the curb at the airport so I don't have to lug them inside?

[goofy4tink]

Originally Posted by lissiesmum

Could someone please spell out the benefit of using a participating airline? I would like to fly out of my hometown, Manchester NH, but the only nonstop flight offered is Southwest which is not listed as a participating airline. Now from what I've read and understand, I still have access to use the DME. This is where I need the clarification. If I am on a non-par airline, do I have to pick up my baggage myself and drag it to the bus? And on the way home, when I get off the DME, I will have to drag my baggage to the ticket counter? This is really important for me to have answered because I will be traveling solo with my DD3 and I will not have any spare hands for assistance. Could someone take a few minutes and clarify the differences for me? It would be much easier for me to fly out of Manchester than Boston, but if there are more benefits to using a participating airline, I really would take that into consideration. Thanks in advance for your help

PS...I guess another question I should ask, is, If I do have to lug my bags around myself, can you check them at the curb at the airport so I don't have to lug them inside?

With any airline, any airline at all...when you are flying into MCO, from your home airport, you will have tagged your checked bags with the yellow luggage tags. Then, you will not see them again until you get to your resort room at WDW. You just fly to MCO, get off the plane, and head to level 1, ground transportation, Side B, of MCO and checkin at the DME counter, get on your resort bus and off you go.
Now....because you are flying home on SW, you will not be able to check your bags at the resort. You can still head to guest services at the parks, or a resort front desk, at the 24 hr mark, before your flight departure time, and get checked in, with your boarding pass assignement. Then, the day you fly home, you will take your luggage with you, to the DME bus at the appointed time, the bags will go underneath the bus, you get on the bus. When you get to MCO, you should be able to curb check your bags.
Hope this clears it up for you a bit.

[lissiesmum]

Thanks, Diane. I think that helps a lot. So to make sure I understand, the only real benefit to using a participating airline is on the way back. I can still go to the parks for the day, leave my bags at the resort, come back, Check in ahead of time at the lobby, and board the DME...the only difference is I will be responsible to bring my own bags to the lobby and I will have to check in my own luggage at the airport. Is that correct?