Airline Check-In At Resort

[jillgunter]

We fly southwest and love the check in at resort. Just make sure you have tip money for the people handling your luggage.

 

[mumumouse]

I did still have to pay for my United bag. It was really such a mess. Partly my fault for packing sooo much. Partly my fault for having booked such an early flight outta there.

I tend to procrastinate on my flights. Note to self: book earlier next year!

Just booked thru SW. I love there customer service.

Generally never have a single issue whatsoever with the entire process. Resort airline check in, magical express, especially not Disney!

I just upgraded a flight with SW. I was stopping in ATL and changing planes. Switched to non stop.

No change fees with them. Of course I paid the difference.

I should have gone back up to Disney front desk that time and asked for bell help again. They had brought the bag from the room to the lobby.

I had a "friend" who did not want to help with my bag either. Serves me right. I was really just in a panic over lifting anything.

Now I take one bag only, for the entire stay. That is shared with my daughter!!!! With wheels. Check it in HOU and do not have to deal w/it till we head out from Disney for home!!

Disney really has great service and makes travel easy.

 

[mumumouse]

Oh and forgot to add. My bag is free now with United (rewards card) and always free w/SW.

 

[DaisyNY]

We got a notice for our Magic Express pick-up and it also said that we weren't eligible for pre-checking our bags for our Southwest flight...when we went to the resort check desk they were able to work out the problem...What a pleasure not having to worry about your bags until you get home!

 

[smjj]

Word of caution about return trips on ME we learned on our last trip. We switched at the 7 month window from OKW to BCV. We had already made our ME reservations. The morning of our return to the airport, they(bus people) did not have us as listed as a valid pickup on their sheet. We quickly ran to the front desk and they ask us if we got a pickup notice on our door the night before and we had not. It turns out that somehow during the switch from OKW to BCV we got dropped somehow and the front desk stated they have no way of knowing when and why but they were able to get us on board the bus now finishing the loading process out front. I already have a note to myself for our next trip in Oct. to make sure this does not happen again. We have used this service several times now and this was a first. Just a FYI to make sure if you switch resorts or not make sure the notice is on your door the day before you leave!!....smjj

 

[mumumouse]

Procrastinated on my flights this year. Should have booked them before December.

I broke down and got flights with stops thru SW.

Then I thought, who am I kidding. I can fly for 2 hours from TX to FL, vs having to stop in ATL and switch planes. I found out the travel time includes the time you spend at the airport in between the flights, but still it would bring me to almost double travel time and then some.

So, I went back on SW and changed to direct flights, for a price of course!

I will keep my eyes peeled and maybe get lucky and the price will go down before Spring Break arrives. Highly unlikely! But, I know I will be happy I have these direct flights. We might actually have time to do a little something on our first evening.

Here is the issue. When I made a change to my Disney room/switched a Sat. to the beginning of the trip vs the end. No addtl charge.
When the CM helped me do this, she asked for my flight info. I gave it to her, but have since made 2 changes.

I contacted ME via an online form, but I am going to find there phone number and speak to a human.

The switches were made pretty quickly, but I am getting the feeling that the are so efficient that the ME packet probably already got mailed out with the old info.

I have to add (forgive me if I already posted this, can't remember) that my experience with hotel airline check in after my fiasco has always been smooth.

I have flown both United and SW and never had an issue.

I prefer SW.

We usually do our 24 hour check in for the flight. I go to the hotel concierge and have them print my boarding passes the evening before.

Next morning we are checked out. Take our bags to the airline resort check in folks/we stay in the 90's section of POP and just walk on over there.

Then after our bags are off our hands, we head to AK for a half day before catching ME back to the airport.

That is what works best for us after much trial and error. I have learned not to fly out so early in the morning. And catch a later flight, which means we leave the parks around 4. Allowing us 3 hours prior to a 7pm flight.

 

[disneynutz]

The DVC member online form sends an email to DVC MS who inputs your DME reservation.

If anything changes, flight, resort, you have to correct the DME reservation, it isn't automatic.

After setting up your DME reservation with MS, you can contact DME directly at (866) 599-0951 to verify the reservation or to make changes.

Bill

 

[mumumouse]

Thanks for the number Bill. Will do.

 

[mumumouse]

Just called the ME number provided and they were super efficient. Thanks again.

I asked if the booklet for my upcoming trip had already gone out and they said it usually goes out 30 days prior.

I will feel better when I see the correct info in there.

Never had a problem with ME to date. The only time I had a slight issue was when I flew in later to Orlando and my bag got delivered to my Disney room in the wee hours.

Always such a fantastic service as far as I am concerned.

It is usually all about being informed and reading the rules!!

P.S. There was some "Peter Pan" stuff playing during the wait (which was not long) during my call to ME....gets me in the Disney Spririt

 

[mumumouse]

One last thing I thought I would share. I got an email from SW yesterday alerting me that I would lose my unused reward points with them on 3/14.

I thought I was "good" as I am traveling on 3/12. Not so fast. Turns out that because I was traveling round trip thru 3/18, my points for this 2016 trip would not be applied to my existing rewards account until after the trip is completed. I am a very literal person, so this seemed accurate to me.

Too bad for me and my daughter.

Not so fast. I thought, "wait a minute!" This did not seem right. So I called SW back and this time got Gary, the supervisor in Phoenix.

He said what I had been told was not accurate. That even though the points would not be effective till after I complete my upcoming trip, I was flying out on 3/12 and therefore would meet my deadline of 3/14, when my points were due to expire.

SW keeps your points for 24 BTW. Unless you have their Visa rewards card, which I do not. And which the first rep I spoke to suggested I obtain. She also told me I could keep fr losing my existing points by buying miles ($55 min 2000 reward points).

None of which I was really excited about doing after paying an arm and a leg for my current flights.

So, back to Gary. To make me feel more secure, he did something a little scary. Yep, Gary/Scary. That is how I knew I would remember his name.

He took my existing flights and cancelled the outbound from HOU to MCO on the 12th. Thereby giving me a new confirmation number. He basically split the trip up, so that when I fly on the 12th, I will automatically be qualified to save my points within my deadline window.

Again, sort of scary. I called ME once again and they said this does not have anything to do w/info they need, as my flight times and numbers have stayed the same.

THANKS AGAIN GARY, SUPERVISOR IN PHOENIX!

Just a nod to SW for good customer service. I know that by having the points, it will encourage me to fly w/them, but still appreciate the time Gary took.

Sorry a bit off topic from original post, but felt it was worth mentioning.

 

[mumumouse]

Sorry, Gary cancelled and rebooked my 3/12 flight. Rebooked being the key here!!! And they keep your points for 24 months. Of course it takes a lot of those points to get from HOU to MCO!

 

[BillPA]

Update, just returned 2/11/16 and was able to just pay when I took the bags to the airline desk. Just allow a few more minutes. FYI, they only take credit or debit cards, no cash. You can call the number posted, but that just 1 more person with your credit card number.

 

[mumumouse]

I've booked with Southwest this year, so no baggage fees for me! I have the United card as well, so they give me a break when I use them.

I had never realized that when flying with participating airlines, the boarding pass is automatically printed.

I used to always do my 24 hr check in on line and then go to the concierge desk to print my passes.

Now I know that they are either delivered to my room or given to me when I check my bags the day I leave.

We have scheduled AK for the day of departure, so will do the 24 hr check in and then deliver the bags to the airline check desk before we head to the park.

Our flight is not till 7:50, so bus should lv around 3 hours prior.

Wish me luck catching my bus. I always cut it sooooo close. I always underestimate the distance to get out of AK to the bus area. It is a long way!!!!

Gives me a heart attack every time. Last time we were in line to get Pocahontas' autograph before we headed out.

The bus was not the usual Magical Express and at first I did not realized that is what it was.

I was repremanded by the driver for being late, but he had not left yet, so we made it!!!!!

Can't wait/we are at 29 days and counting!!!! Finally got some springy weather here in Texas, so we can get in the mood!!!!

 

[TiggerBouncy]

They access the same system as the curbside check or kiosks at the airport. So it should come up.

Actually, they don't. The Curbside checkin are operated by the airline and are either direct airline systems or CUTE / CUPPS (Common Use) systems (kiosks are CUSS).

DME is operated by BAGS, INC which uses a software called Onvoy which integrates with the airline system.

either way though - they should pick up the proper fees from the airline host reservation system.

 

[houseofduck]

My experience with Resort Airline Checkin was not so great for our last trip. We had an early afternoon flight (12:55pm). We arrived at the RAC desk about 40 - 45 minutes before the 3 hour mark (9:55). They were extremely slow that day. There were only 3 families in front of us (two already being helped at the counters). By the time we got up to the counter, it was 9:53 and the woman tried to help someone else who was on a "deadline." I told her about our deadline and she attempted to help me first, but by that time, it was 9:55am and they were not able to take our luggage. We took it on the ME bus and at the airport, the wait was much shorter than the 45 minutes we spent in the RAC line. For us, we will NOT use RAC when we have earlier flights.

 

[smjj]

Actually, they don't. The Curbside checkin are operated by the airline and are either direct airline systems or CUTE / CUPPS (Common Use) systems (kiosks are CUSS).

DME is operated by BAGS, INC which uses a software called Onvoy which integrates with the airline system.

either way though - they should pick up the proper fees from the airline host reservation system.

Doesn't Mears operate DME anymore??...smjj

 

[TiggerBouncy]

Doesn't Mears operate DME anymore??...smjj

Mears does the buses. The check-in people at the resorts are Bags, Inc.

 

[gdrj]

My experience with Resort Airline Checkin was not so great for our last trip. We had an early afternoon flight (12:55pm). We arrived at the RAC desk about 40 - 45 minutes before the 3 hour mark (9:55). They were extremely slow that day. There were only 3 families in front of us (two already being helped at the counters). By the time we got up to the counter, it was 9:53 and the woman tried to help someone else who was on a "deadline." I told her about our deadline and she attempted to help me first, but by that time, it was 9:55am and they were not able to take our luggage. We took it on the ME bus and at the airport, the wait was much shorter than the 45 minutes we spent in the RAC line. For us, we will NOT use RAC when we have earlier flights.

The solution of course is to never take an early flight home . I always try to get every minute of vacation I can and always try to take a early evening flight home or later!

 

[mumumouse]

My experience with Resort Airline Checkin was not so great for our last trip. We had an early afternoon flight (12:55pm). We arrived at the RAC desk about 40 - 45 minutes before the 3 hour mark (9:55). They were extremely slow that day. There were only 3 families in front of us (two already being helped at the counters). By the time we got up to the counter, it was 9:53 and the woman tried to help someone else who was on a "deadline." I told her about our deadline and she attempted to help me first, but by that time, it was 9:55am and they were not able to take our luggage. We took it on the ME bus and at the airport, the wait was much shorter than the 45 minutes we spent in the RAC line. For us, we will NOT use RAC when we have earlier flights.

I had a nightmare experience when I had an early flight. Was compensate by Disney when I let them know about it. I never flew out on such an early flight again.

 

[houseofduck]

The solution of course is to never take an early flight home . I always try to get every minute of vacation I can and always try to take a early evening flight home or later!

We usually do take early evening flights. At the time I booked this one, I didn't consider 12:55pm an early flight! Now, I know better!