Just thought I'd pass this along. During our recent (quick weekend) visit to Disney, we planned on being at MK the whole day/night on Saturday as we were leaving Sunday morning. We were at the AKL and I asked if they would help by printing out our boarding passes since Southwest, 1st does not have seat assignments and 2nd, a boarding pass is needed to get thru the airport. Concierge at AKL said that they could not do it unless I came back to the hotel and stood there while they printed it out. Since that would mean so much time in transportation, I asked for any alternative plan they could offer. They told me to go to the Contemporary from MK and explain that we were onsight guests and they'd print them. Since that was so much closer to MK, I thought I'd do just that. The plan was for me to go take care of the boarding passes and then meet back up with my family. Just before I was going to exit the park, I decided to stop in at Guest Services in MK (where you'd go to make dinner reservations while in the park, etc) The woman behind the counter told me not to leave the park and that she would gladly go on line and print them out for us, which she did! What a wonderful surprise. If you're familiar with Southwest, the seating is based on when you print your boarding passes and you are assigned an A, B or C, which means you board in that order. (you can only print them out online if your tickets were purchased online and it is 24 hours or less for the departing flight). We were able to secure A's and it was another "magical moment" for me! I am unsure if MK Guest Services did this out of courtesy or it is something they normally will do, but either way it worked out wonderful for us and I was able to join back up with my family that much sooner! On 2 previous ocassions at POR, they gladly printed them up while we were out at a park. I really am unsure what the Disney policy is, but the MK Guest Services really helped us out!
It depends on both the CM you get and how busy they are at the time. We had great luck anywhere on-sight getting ours printed when we did it that way. Now I just use my Cell to do the on-line check-in and then reprint at MCO. I guess it just once again proves it never hurts to just ask.
Just FYI, if you have a web-enabled cell phone, you can check in anytime. It is NOT necessary to print the BP's when you check in online; you can "re-print" them at the kiosks in the airport checkin and bag-check area. The boarding group you got when you checked in online will be the one you will keep when you print out the actual BP. You can also have a friend/relative at home check you in at the designated time; they would need your itinerary number. Again, you can "reprint" the actual BP's once you reach the airport.
Last year we were at WL concierge. I left my info with them and when we returned from MVMCP, our boarding passes had been slid under our door. This year we had them printed out at MK. The first person I spoke to said "we dont do that", so I asked someone else and they did it for us.
I have been telling people this for months. They will check in and print them in the parks for you at Guest Services and it does not seem to matter how busy they are, they do do it. Just a FYI, you do not need to print a boarding pass to get through the airport. You can get one at the airport at the curbside check in, the kiosks or the counter. BUT....in your case, as with anyone flying SWA, it is wise to check in within that 24 hour window. The policy you encountered at the resorts before may have been changed for privacy reasons.
Just an FYI for Southwest flyers if you are checking lugguage. A few months ago my hubby and his group where unable to print out boarding passes so I went online and went through the check-in process but did not print out their passes. When they got to the airport and check their lugguge the agent printed out their passes. My daughter did this for me again last month. Both times got "A". Hope this makes sense?
