Question about Resort Airline Check-in with Southwest

[MAD on Disney]

Does anyone know how the airline check-in at the resorts works when flying Southwest? Specifically, I am wondering:

1. Do they check you in and get your zone assignment, or do you still have to do that part yourself?

2. If they do that for you, do they do it early enough (i.e. at or near the 24-hr mark) to get you a good zone assignment? and/or

3. If you check-in at the 24-hour mark yourself in order to get a good zone assignment, can you still use the resort check-in to get a print-out of your boarding pass and to check your bags through to your destination?

Thanks in advance for any responses!

 

[roliepolieoliefan]

They will not check in for you. You still have to do it yourself.
We paid for early bird check in because we were at the MK during the time we would need to check in and I didnt want to have to remember to do it.

Early morning of our departure our boatding passes were slipped under our door.

We checked our bags at the hotel airline check in about 11 when we checked out and went swimming. I kept clothes in a carry on and we changed in the bathroom and caught our ME at 3pm.

It was nice not to worry about our bags. We picked them up at our final destination.

 

[SharonZ]

I normally purchase the early-bird check-in, but I would suggest that if you need to check in at the 24-hour mark, you do it yourself. RAC should be able to print your boarding pass, but you can also get them sent to your phone instead of the paper version. Keep in mind that the RAC check-in is usually only open from 5:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m.

 

[Sheaboys]

I checked in 24 hours prior, on the computer in our room.
Did airline check in at the resort. It was easy, they printed my boarding passes. They checked in our luggage, so we had nothing to worry about once we got to the airport.
It worked great!

 

[WEDWDW]

If you are signed up for it,Resort Airline Check in will do the check in.

I always let them do it and I always get a "mid to late B #" Baording Pass which is good enough for me.

 

[DebbieB]

My last 2 or 3 trips, they did not print the boarding passes and put them under the door. I checked in on my phone and had them printed at RAC.

 

[Mousemommy1]

I'm not sure if it's because we have stayed CL, but the resort has checked in for us. Even last week, they got to it before I could and we got boarding group B1-4 which is better than I ever get for myself, LOL.

They printed our boarding passes and slid them under the door the day of our departure.

 

[beccasmom]

We always purchase Early Bird Check In too. It is really helpful for return trips. When we checked in at RAC, they printed our boarding passes for us.

 

[WEDWDW]

I'm not sure if it's because we have stayed CL, but the resort has checked in for us.

No,they do it for any room category.

I stay at All-Star Sports and my Boarding Pass is always on my door the morning of departure.

I like them doing it so I don't have to think about going home while I'm having fun in the Parks on the day before Departure Day!

 

[Pattil1960]

In March, Resort check in asked me if I had checked in. I did it at the 24 hour mark, from the Southwest app. They printed my boarding passes for me at resort check-in, took my luggage, and sent me off to enjoy the day.

 

[KNovacovschi]

POP has never checked us in. Always have had to do it ourself. They provided the boarding pass when we check into RAC but they stated we had to check in ourselves.

 

[LisaBi]

I usually stay at All-Star movies and always fly Southwest. I also usually try to do my own check in at the 24 hour mark. But when I have forgotten the resort has done it for me. But they do not do it at the 24 hour mark - it seems like they do it in the wee hours of the morning. Either way I do get my boarding passes from them. But honestly I can't remember if they are in the envelope on our door or if I get them when I checked our bags at the resort.. I did stay at one time and I don't remember there being any difference in the check in service. I absolutely love the resort airline check-in service.

 

[DisneyRunner2009]

Just did this in August. Checked in on the Southwest app for the return flight home, as a family was hogging the resort online check in desk. We were even stalking it a half hour early. They must have had to check in a large group. I had my kids take a screen shot of our boarding order, just in case. We got near the end of A. I knew we didn't need it, because I could print the passes at the airport. The next morning boarding passes were hanging on our door. Went to airline check in and they took our bags with no problem. I didn't know how the no bag fee would go, because I've always had a confirmation number that I've to show I've paid. My sister was there a week later, and she got boarding C. She missed the 24 hour mark. I don't know, if she eventually checked herself in or if Disney did it.

 

[ols386]

How do you sign-up and pay for early-bird check in? At the resort? With Southwest?

 

[Grandmaof2]

How do you sign-up and pay for early-bird check in? At the resort? With Southwest?

I paid for early-board check in when I purchased my ticket.

 

[Altoqueenkelly]

How do you sign-up and pay for early-bird check in? At the resort? With Southwest?

You have to sign up & pay for it through Southwest. You can add it to your flight on the website if you log in to your account. Otherwise you can call to add it.

 

[suefly]

Checked in myself from the sw app at 24hrs. got boarding passes at RAC when dropping off my bags.

 

[ellbell]

What boarding group do those with early bird check in normally get? I'm wondering if I should get it so my kids and I can all sit together since I am the only adult and it's our first time flying southwest.

 

[emily94]

What boarding group do those with early bird check in normally get? I'm wondering if I should get it so my kids and I can all sit together since I am the only adult and it's our first time flying southwest.

In my experience, I got a late "A" group with early bird check in and IMO it is worth the extra $12 (?)!! Since your child is 3, if you do not get an "A" group ticket, you can board with family boarding after the A group has boarded and before the B group - just another thing to think about

http://www.southwest.com/html/generated/help/faqs/boarding_the_plane_faq.html (Do families get to pre board?)

 

[ellbell]

In my experience, I got a late "A" group with early bird check in and IMO it is worth the extra $12 (?)!! Since your child is 3, if you do not get an "A" group ticket, you can board with family boarding after the A group has boarded and before the B group - just another thing to think about

http://www.southwest.com/html/generated/help/faqs/boarding_the_plane_faq.html (Do families get to pre board?)

Thanks for the info, I have definitely thought about that, when I originally started researching we were going to be going for his 5th birthday so he wouldn't have been young enough. I've changed it for a few months before his birthday now and hadn't even thought about it again. I will think about that again.