Late flight, help me plan please

[allybabba98]

Hi everyone,

Our flight leaves at 7:30pm so I am assuming perhaps a 4pm pickup from DME?
My question is that I thought I read somewhere if you check in with your flight you can't leave your bags to be brought to the airport for you??
I would like to go to Magic Kingdom to just soak up the atmosphere but other members of my party may want to swim, shop etc.

We are at POR and while I may ask if late check out is available I expect a "no" as it is also free dining time and I think they will be full.

So, if you could please educate me as to what we need to do. We are flying SouthWest if that helps.

Thanks.

 

[siskaren]

You can definitely use Resort Airline Check-in (RAC) the morning of your last day to check in for your flight and have your luggage transported to the airport for you. (RAC is essentially the same as curbside check-in, except the curb is at your hotel instead of the airport.) Then just leave your carry-ons with Bell Services and then pick them up before getting on the DME bus. With a 7:30 flight time, your pick-up time should be between 4:15 and 4:45, and you actually need to be at the pick-up location about 15 minutes before that, because the pick-up time is when the bus leaves, not when it arrives. So pick up your carry-ons about 30 minutes before your DME time and you should be fine.

 

[Hootch]

Resort Airlines check in (which currently includes Southwest):

How It Works
The convenient Resort Airline Check-In service makes your departure experience a breeze.
This complimentary service lets you check in for your return flight, collect your boarding pass and even check your bags at the Airline Check-In desk. When you arrive at the airport, simply make your way to security.

Walt Disney World Resort Guests must present a valid government-issued I.D. for domestic travel or a valid passport for international travel. In addition, Guests must check in no later than 3 hours prior to their scheduled flight departure. (Flight delays do not extend this check-in time.) A parent or guardian may check in for all family members traveling together on a domestic flight. All Guests must be present at check-in for international flights.

Unfortunately, some Guests may be selected to check in at the airport and may not be able to use the Resort Airline Check-In service.

It would seem to work for you unless you are chosen to check in at the airport. Just be sure to be at your resort in time for the bus. I would also confirm with POR when you arrive. Policies periodically change and sites are not always updated regularly.

 

[dancin Disney style]

I have a similar question. My flight departs MCO at 10pm. I know that I can check my bags at RAC in the morning(until 1pm) but it worries me a little, checking my bags 10-12 hours prior to departure. Should I be concerned or do people do this every day? Where would my bags be all that time and could they miss my flight?

I've used RAC a few times but we checked the bags with them and immediately got on DME.

 

[jillgunter]

We do late flights a lot and always check our bags in the morning. Never had a problem

 

[jec6613]

We do late flights a lot and always check our bags in the morning. Never had a problem

Just throw a luggage lock on them and check them in early and you'll be fine.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

Your luggage will be at the airport. Use a lock or a colored zip tie to lock your luggage.

 

[Carriemel]

If you do use a lock, be sure it's a TSA lock. If we need to get into the bag, we WILL cut that non-TSA lock off.

 

[hsmamato2]

check your bags in the morning,and keep a small bag with items you need for the day- swimsuits,etc. then enjoy and relax till you go to airport!

 

[gap2368]

for those of you that think putting a lock on your bags will help I would not watch this.

 

[Chi_Kel]

I've had them check my bag in the morning for a 8:30pm flight, and did not have an issue.

 

[Tricia's mom]

Yea, don't bother locking your luggage ! A big waste of time. Just don't put anything valuable or not replaceable in your luggage.

 

[jec6613]

Yea, don't bother locking your luggage ! A big waste of time. Just don't put anything valuable or not replaceable in your luggage.

Locks have been shown to greatly reduce incidence of theft from luggage - a lock plus a locked strap even moreso, and the ultimate is shrink wrapping your bag. South Africa keeps statistics on this stuff because of the theft problem in Johannesburg.

However, not putting anything valuable or non-replaceable in checked luggage is a good idea anyway, because even if you reduce theft, the chance of loss is still non-zero, and damage does occur when checking, though fortunately both are infrequent.

 

[siskaren]

I don't put anything of value in my luggage, but I'd still like it to stay closed, so I put a lock on it.

 

[happymommy]

Make sure you check your checked luggage in in the morning before heading out (and they work for tips). I didn't realize that they only provide this service until about 1:30PM or so, so my first time using this, I had to bring my checked luggage on magical express with me and check it in at the airport (my friend had checked hers in early - we all had a late flight home).

It is very convenient!

We do this now (always fly home in the evening), and just leave any carry on bag with bell services.