Anything I should know before buying Southwest tickets to WDW?

[Disneyfriend]

So we are going to be visiting family in New Orleans and then flying on to Orlando. I am looking to buy tickets on Southwest. Nonstop flights from New Orleans plus reasonable fares right now . . . a pretty good combo.

But we're using Magical Express for the first time, and it's been so long since we have flown Southwest that it might as well be for the first time.

I gather from the threads that Magical Express does work with Southwest now, right? No issues there with luggage either arriving or departing from a Disney resort, correct?

We'll be travelling with a 3 yo so can board our Southwest flight at a slightly preferred time, right?

Anything else I should know before I pull the trigger and buy our Southwest tickets? Sorry to be dense here! Thanks for your patience.

ps - if anybody knows, what is a reasonable/realistic good far between New Orleans and Orlando? I'm looking at $212 plus taxes roundtrip on Southwest right now. Thanks so much!

 

[phillipst47]

I'm flying SW due to the price, $150 round trip from KC, plus the 2 checked bags for free! They are part of the Magic Express now, so that's good. I do know that they don't have assigned seats and that you can check in online 24 hrs before you leave to get your seat. At least that's what they told me when I called. I'm used to having an aisle seat, so I dunno what I'll end up with, which makes me a little nervous.

I week before I leave!

 

[goofy4tink]

SW has always been part of DME...every single person arriving at MCO, is entitled to ride the DME bus and have their tagged luggage taken directly to their resort. It was the departure from the resort where the airline you were flying on mattered. But, that is no longer the case. SW is now participating in RAC (remote airline checkin) at the vast majority of resorts. So..it is no longer an issue when flying SW.
As far as boarding with children 4 and under goes....those families (and they do mean immediate family) will be allowed to board in between the A group and the B group.
This is how that is determined...
when you checkin, online, at that 24 hr window mark, you will be given a boarding group letter and number. The groups are A, B, and C. Anyone flying with a medical issue will be allowed to board first. Then, those passengers who have paid for fully refundable seats, or business select seats, will get boarding group A, 1-15. Early bird checkin people (if any) will get the next slots. At the point where there are no more EBCI people, the system will then start alloting numbers. So...you could get an A16 or an A50...depends on how many people there were ahead of you, online. Each person in your group will get a number. So....if you have children, 4 and younger, you can get online at the 24 hr mark and check in. Or you can take your chances and end up with a B or even C grouping, but you will then be allowed to board after the A group is all boarded. Depends on how 'safe' you want to be.

 

[Disneyfriend]

I'm flying SW due to the price, $150 round trip from KC, plus the 2 checked bags for free! They are part of the Magic Express now, so that's good. I do know that they don't have assigned seats and that you can check in online 24 hrs before you leave to get your seat. At least that's what they told me when I called. I'm used to having an aisle seat, so I dunno what I'll end up with, which makes me a little nervous.

I week before I leave!

Have a great trip!!

 

[Disneyfriend]

SW has always been part of DME...every single person arriving at MCO, is entitled to ride the DME bus and have their tagged luggage taken directly to their resort. It was the departure from the resort where the airline you were flying on mattered. But, that is no longer the case. SW is now participating in RAC (remote airline checkin) at the vast majority of resorts. So..it is no longer an issue when flying SW.
As far as boarding with children 4 and under goes....those families (and they do mean immediate family) will be allowed to board in between the A group and the B group.
This is how that is determined...
when you checkin, online, at that 24 hr window mark, you will be given a boarding group letter and number. The groups are A, B, and C. Anyone flying with a medical issue will be allowed to board first. Then, those passengers who have paid for fully refundable seats, or business select seats, will get boarding group A, 1-15. Early bird checkin people (if any) will get the next slots. At the point where there are no more EBCI people, the system will then start alloting numbers. So...you could get an A16 or an A50...depends on how many people there were ahead of you, online. Each person in your group will get a number. So....if you have children, 4 and younger, you can get online at the 24 hr mark and check in. Or you can take your chances and end up with a B or even C grouping, but you will then be allowed to board after the A group is all boarded. Depends on how 'safe' you want to be.

Diane, thanks so much for taking the time to explain this!! Perfect . . .