Can you use resort pre-boarding if not using Magical Express?

[mr.mike]

My airline is listed as one of the participating airlines that you can check your luggage at hotel and get boarding pass.

Is this something You have to sign up for like ME? or is it tied to ME? I wont be taking ME back to the airport and want to use the check in service at the hotel.

 

[srfrgrl07]

Yes..you can use resort check in without booking dme as long as your airline participates; anywhere within 3-12 hours prior to departure.

 

[goofy4tink]

Maybe....but be advised that when you first arrive at MCO and check-in with the DME desk before boarding the bus to your resort...they will stamp your return voucher. Without that voucher it may be hard to hop on a bus for the return trip to the airport. I know they gave my dh a raft of grief when I forgot to give him his voucher when he left 5 days before me. It may not be an issue, but just wanted to give you a heads up.

 

[seashoreCM]

You can also get or modify return vouchers after you get to the resort, if you did not or forgot to do that at the airport. Do this at least a day before departure, particularly if your return package was not hung on your room door the morning before.

Be sure to get a "show up time" for the return bus also.

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

 

[betterlatethannever]

My airline is listed as one of the participating airlines that you can check your luggage at hotel and get boarding pass.

Is this something You have to sign up for like ME? or is it tied to ME? I wont be taking ME back to the airport and want to use the check in service at the hotel.

Maybe I'm mistaken, but the OP wants to use ME as a luggage delivery service which I thought you couldn't do.

If I have a late flight leaving MCO(using Continental for example), can I check in at the resort, give them my luggage and then hop in my rental car and go to Sea World for the day heading to the airport from there?

Ed

 

[mr.mike]

I'm not using the ME bus either way. I'm just not sure if the program that lets you get your boarding pass at the hotel is a separte program or not.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

My airline is listed as one of the participating airlines that you can check your luggage at hotel and get boarding pass.

Is this something You have to sign up for like ME? or is it tied to ME? I wont be taking ME back to the airport and want to use the check in service at the hotel.

Yes. Disney allows you to use Resort Airline Check-in without riding back to the airport on a Magical Express coach.

From this FAQ: http://disneymeetings.disney.go.com/dwm/services/detail?name=DMEAttendeesFAQDetailPage

RESORT AIRLINE CHECK-IN and Out-Bound Luggage Handling

Q: What is Resort Airline Check-in?

A: This service offers remote check-in, allowing you to check your luggage and receive your airline boarding pass at the Resort. At this time, remote check-in service is only available for guests flying domestically on the following airlines: American, Continental, Delta (including Song), and United (including Ted). Additional airlines may be added at a later date.

Q: What do I do with my luggage if I'm not using the Resort Airline Check-In service?

A: Please take your luggage with you on the bus or other transportation you have arranged to return to the airport.

Q: Where are the Resort Airline Check-in Desks located?

A: The dedicated check-in desk will be located in or near the lobby or outside the Resort entrance.

Q: What are the hours of operation for the Resort Airline Check-in Desk?

A: 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Q: Do I need to ride the Disney's Magical Express motor coach to the airport in order to participate in the Resort Airline Check-in?

A: No. After utilizing the Resort Airline Check-in service, you can either take advantage of the complimentary motor coach transportation to the airport or arrange your own private transportation. Your checked luggage will be transported to the airport regardless of which transportation option you choose.​

 

[mr.mike]

Thanks for that info!!!
Seems to be some confusion even among CMs. I was just going to post that I just called ME and they told me to use that servive you have to be riding the ME bus.

THanks again!!

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Thanks for that info!!!
Seems to be some confusion even among CMs. I was just going to post that I just called ME and they told me to use that servive you have to be riding the ME bus.

For the inbound service, Disney says no luggage-only transfers. If you want your luggage to appear "magically" in your resort room, you must ride the Magical Express coach.

For the return home, Disney allows you to use Resort Airline Check-in without riding back to the airport on a Magical Express coach.

I can see why this is confusing -- even to CMs.

 

[srfrgrl07]

I'm not using the ME bus either way. I'm just not sure if the program that lets you get your boarding pass at the hotel is a separte program or not.

And that's how I took you to mean it...I think others were thinking you wanted a "luggage transfer only" reservation, which they are correct is not available. Obviously, you have made your own arrangements for transportation and you are aware that it is your resposibility to get yourself and your luggage to the resort. However, as the other poster mentined, you can check in at the wdw resort for your return flight and they actually check your bags at that point and transport them to the airport. Think of it as an airline counter offsite. Then you get yourself to the airport and go directly to the departure gate.

**edited to add that Jetblue is now a participating carrier for this service**

 

[srfrgrl07]

If I have a late flight leaving MCO(using Continental for example), can I check in at the resort, give them my luggage and then hop in my rental car and go to Sea World for the day heading to the airport from there?

Ed

yes, as long as your flight is no more than 12 hours from the time you check in for your flight and give them your luggage and no less than 3 hours. You aren't using DME for this, it's airline check run by the airlines (I believe) similar to the curbside check in at the airports only on a remote site. HTH, although I know this was hypothetical

 

[goofy4tink]

Well then....you learn something new every day!!! I didn't realize you could do the resort/airline check-in without utilizing DME. Thanks HoraceH for the info. I stand corrected.

 

[CarolA]

I'm not using the ME bus either way. I'm just not sure if the program that lets you get your boarding pass at the hotel is a separte program or not.

According to Disney's FAQs (which I don't have linked) you can give you luggage to the service at the resort and have it delivered to the airport. I think that is because DIsney is NOT paying for it LOL! This part of the service has been open and working even longer then the bus. I did it a month or so before ME started and it worked great!

 

[Alexander]

According to Disney's FAQs (which I don't have linked) you can give you luggage to the service at the resort and have it delivered to the airport. I think that is because DIsney is NOT paying for it LOL! This part of the service has been open and working even longer then the bus. I did it a month or so before ME started and it worked great!

Exactly! The airline resort check-in service is different than ME. It has been available for longer than ME. It is a luggage transfer service, but it is NOT part of the dreadful (IMHO) ME.

 

[CarolA]

Actually, I think the reason you can use the luggage check in is that it is run by a different company (There are companies the TSA has approved to do this, they use them at other hotels around the country) and of course it's actually paid for by the participating airlines. That's why SW and some others aren't participating. It costs money!

 

[Lewisc]

Horace--you might use a little editorial license and add Jet Blue to the list of participating airlines when you reprint the section from the Disney website.

Carol--SW also has computer issues with the resort checkin. SW doesn't check luggage interline with other carriers and that might have something to do with the computer system that's being used.

I agree they're more likely to be asking Disney for money to pay for the changes rather than agreeing to pay someone for the service. I wonder if they'll be enough money available to add airlines like SW if the service stops being free. Not sure if it'll be worth the standard charge of $10/bag.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Actually, I think the reason you can use the luggage check in is that it is run by a different company (There are companies the TSA has approved to do this, they use them at other hotels around the country) and of course it's actually paid for by the participating airlines. That's why SW and some others aren't participating. It costs money!

The Resort Airline Check-in Service is run by BAGS Inc. -- see http://www.airportbags.com/

I wouldn't be so quick to say, "of course it's actually paid for by the participating airlines."

When BAGS, Inc. provides remote airline check-in service at places like the Orange County/Orlando Convention Center, the passenger has to pay for each checked bag.

At the Disney resorts, I'm sure that Disney is paying a negotiated volume rate to BAGS, Inc. What's in it for Disney? The answer is that Disney is doing everything they can to fill on-site rooms, without having to turn to heavy discounting, by providing compelling reasons for guests to stay on site -- and especially for guests to stay on-site without a rental car.

I'm sure that Disney is spending a fortune on Magical Express and Resort Airline Check-in, but they'll make even more money through increased room yield and onsite spending on dining and shopping.

American Airlines is doing everything they can to cut costs. They eliminated meals on all domestic flights -- even from Chicago to Hawaii. They even eliminated pillows and blankets from all but the longest flights. American would not take on new costs for remote airline check-in -- especially for Orlando passengers visting WDW, most of whom are flying on deeply discounted leisure tickets. And the other airlines are cutting costs and watching expenses along similar lines.

So why are some airlines participating and other airlines not participating in Remote Airline Check-in? It may have to do with factors like baggage lability and with computer interfaces between the airline and BAGS, Inc.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

Horace--you might use a little editorial license and add Jet Blue to the list of participating airlines when you reprint the section from the Disney website.

Good point. I copied and pasted the FAQ excerpt from Disney's WDW Meetings website without changing Disney's text.

There have been reports on several unofficial Disney websites that JetBlue is now participating in Remote Airline Check-in.

I really wish Disney would get their act together regarding accurate, up-to-date, unambiguous information about Disney's Magical Express. It's really strange that the only Disney website with detailed information is Disney's WDW Meetings website -- and even that hasn't been kept current.

 

[Lewisc]

Good point. I copied and pasted the FAQ excerpt from Disney's WDW Meetings website without changing Disney's text.

There have been reports on several unofficial Disney websites that JetBlue is now participating in Remote Airline Check-in.

I really wish Disney would get their act together regarding accurate, up-to-date, unambiguous information about Disney's Magical Express. It's really strange that the only Disney website with detailed information is Disney's WDW Meetings website -- and even that hasn't been kept current.

It's been confirmed that Jet Blue is participating.

 

[CarolA]

I think the airlines are paying some of it or everyone would have been on board Day 1. LOL! There are still several airlines serving MCO that are not in the program... Midwest Express, SW, AirTran come to mind.

However, for the airlines there may actually be some associated cost savings. If you check your luggage at the Delta counter you have a union employee with a decent salary dealing with it... If you check at Disney, you have a contractor whose costs are spread over several airlines. Plus if you could estimate x% would check at Disney you could possibly look at a reduction in the staffing at the airport.

I think the $10 fee that gets quoted is high. That is what companies charge when they hit the individual traveler up. In cases like this it would be a negioated rate and if Disney has any sense it's lower then that.

Also, for the airlines it is a marketing tool... If you use us you can check in at Disney...