A Question Regarding Participating Airlines

[thefigueroas]

I am hoping you transpoartion enthusiasts can help me with this. My husband has set up a mother/son vacation for us while he is deployed. The only thing I have to book is airfare as he wants us to get a good deal. Here is the question I have. I can travel down to Kansas City and fly nonstop on Southwest right now for $69.00 each way OR I can fly on Airtran for $99.00 to Orlando and $69.00 back (I think it is more going since that is Labor Day weekend).

I learned that Airtran recently became a participating airline for Magical Express. Of course I am going to keep checking but as this gets closer if that one flight doesn't go down do you feel that the extra $60.00 is justified as to the ease of dropping everything off on our return? Remember it will be just me and my son. Does it make it alot easier or not? I would be willing to pay it if it makes our journey considerably easier but I have never used ME and am just not sure. Please help!

 

[tjmw2727]

Personally I would go for the cheaper airfare! I travel as the solo adult with my two daughters to WDW at least once a year and don't mind taking the luggage back to MCO via ME when we fly SWA. If we have a later flight I just check the luggage with bell services at the resort and then retreive it prior to the ME pick up. Then at the airport I either use a sky cab or just check the luggage myself. I use rolling luggage and don't pack more than I can deal with myself.

Honestly, I would much rather spend the $60.00 on something fun like a character meal or a tour and lug my own bags! Its really up to you though if the $$ difference is worth not having to deal with the luggage or not.
TJ

 

[MKFan-PR]

I am hoping you transpoartion enthusiasts can help me with this. My husband has set up a mother/son vacation for us while he is deployed. The only thing I have to book is airfare as he wants us to get a good deal. Here is the question I have. I can travel down to Kansas City and fly nonstop on Southwest right now for $69.00 each way OR I can fly on Airtran for $99.00 to Orlando and $69.00 back (I think it is more going since that is Labor Day weekend).

I learned that Airtran recently became a participating airline for Magical Express. Of course I am going to keep checking but as this gets closer if that one flight doesn't go down do you feel that the extra $60.00 is justified as to the ease of dropping everything off on our return? Remember it will be just me and my son. Does it make it alot easier or not? I would be willing to pay it if it makes our journey considerably easier but I have never used ME and am just not sure. Please help!

'Participating Airline' means that you can check your luggage at your resort on your return trip (for your flight home). Arriving TO Orlando ME will pick up your bags and deliver them to your resort regardless of the airline you are coming in. See this thread for more info: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=944813.

Airtran was added as participating airline, meaning you can now check-in for your return flight at your resort. If I understand correctly, your Airtran flight would be arriving to Orlando, but you would return on Southwest. The only way you could take advantage of flight check-in at the resort would be if you changed to Airtran for the return trip.

If you feel the extra $60 for the convenience of checking in your bags at your resort is worth it, then go ahead. Be aware that flight check-in at your resort is only available during limited hours during the day, so check the flight time to make sure that you'll be able to take advantage of it. If not, you can always use those $60 for something nice and fun for you both.

Have fun and enjoy!

 

[MKFan-PR]

Sorry for the long post above , I misunderstood your flight details. I would keep the Southwest flight. Or maybe take Southwest TO Orlando and return on Airtran, since that's the lowest part of their fare and where you could take advantage of resort check-in.

 

[tjmw2727]

Sorry for the long post above , I misunderstood your flight details. I would keep the Southwest flight. Or maybe take Southwest TO Orlando and return on Airtran, since that's the lowest part of their fare and where you could take advantage of resort check-in.

Now that's a good idea ~ I missed that on the first read.

FWIW I always book SWA as one way tickets now anyway. This makes it easier to change things if fares go down or I get a ding. So far so good with the ding as I have gotten credits almost every time. Which of course keeps me flying SWA - great marketing isn't it?

TJ

 

[goofy4tink]

This is one way to look at it....would you be willing to pay 'X' dollars in order to be able to check your bags at your resort, and get your boarding passes issued. For me, while I like being able to do those things, it just isn't worth it to me to get all worked up because I have to lug my bags at the airport. If I can get a great fare, that's what I care about. The rest is gravy. It's much more important to me to be able to use DME to get from MCO to my resort. I just love starting my vacation off that way. But, I guess I'm just easy to please.

 

[thefigueroas]

Ya'll are great! It never occurred to me to split it with leaving on Southwest and returning on Airtran. That's why I love these boards! Nothing like fellow "thrifty" people to put it in perspective!

 

[supersuperwendy]

I say always go for the best deal...

we live close to philly, but are flying out of baltimore because we got a better deal! and a good deal x 5 people..is worth the longer drive!

 

[seashoreCM]

No airlines participate before 8 AM. This is because the resort baggage check stand doesn't open until about 5 which is when you have to already be on the Magical Express bus for the 8 AM or earlier flights home.

So it doesn't make sense to choose your airline strictly on whether it participates and then your flight is changed by the airline to a non-participating time.

Disney hints: http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

(Except for the baggage checking at the resort when going home, Magical Express works the same way both ways for all airlines at all hours.)

 

[MKFan-PR]

No airlines participate before 8 AM. This is because the resort baggage check stand doesn't open until about 5 which is when you have to already be on the Magical Express bus for the 8 AM or earlier flights home.

So it doesn't make sense to choose your airline strictly on whether it participates and then your flight is changed by the airline to a non-participating time.

Disney hints: http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

(Except for the baggage checking at the resort when going home, Magical Express works the same way both ways for all airlines at all hours.)

That is correct. Taking into account the fact when the airline check-in desk opens, and that your assigned bus leaves about 3 hours befor your flight, you have to check the return flight time to make sure you can take advantage of the airline check-in.