Checking In For Return Flight

[YO's Mom]

I plan to check-in online for our flight on Saturday, but how (and when) do I check-in for our return flight the next weekend? Can I do this at the front desk? I’m not using DME. Do I even need to do this? I’m under so much stress right now, I can’t even think straight. After all this planning, I’m spending the last 3 days running around like a chicken with my head cut off. Please, be kind.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

What airline are you flying?

You can check in at Guest Services form any resort or park. You can check in using a smart phone. You can have a trusted friend or family member check you in. It doesn't matter if you're using DME or not, because you are checking in with the airline to get a boarding pass. You can print your boarding pass at the airport when you check your bags.

 

[Jestocost]

I plan to check-in online for our flight on Saturday, but how (and when) do I check-in for our return flight the next weekend? Can I do this at the front desk? I’m not using DME. Do I even need to do this? I’m under so much stress right now, I can’t even think straight. After all this planning, I’m spending the last 3 days running around like a chicken with my head cut off. Please, be kind.

If you are flying Southwest or AirTran (without having paid for an advance seat assignment), you need to check at the 24-hour mark to get your boarding number (SWA) or seat assignment (AT). For most other carriers, you can check in at 24 hours but it's not necessary as you have an assigned seat and can just print out your BP at the airport.

If you are flying SWA, you can purchase their Early Bird Check-in option for $10 per person and they will check you in automatically 36 hours before your flight. If you don't want to do EBCI or are on AirTran, you can check in using a Web-enabled cell phone or other device, they will check you in at the front desk at any WDW resort or guest services locations in the parks or at DTD, or you can have a trusted (100% reliable) friend or relative check you in. In those cases you can get your BP printed out at any point thereafter, including at the airport. It's the checking-in part, not the printing-out part, that's important.

 

[MinnieLee]

We just got back 11/6 from 10 fantastic days of F&W and MNSSHP. I had done EB check in for myself but forgot to add it on to my DH when I rebooked because of a price change. The morning of our check out two boarding passes where under my door and when I did the RAC service they reprinted the boarding passes (I didn't ask them to). I thought I was going to have to downstairs to check DH in.

Friends of ours came down for 5 days and she checked in from her Iphone while we were waiting at Pirates of Caribbean and got A seating on SW. There boarding passes were also under the door.

 

[Missytara]

Please be aware that if you do want to use RAC, if you do check-in, other than SW, you will essentially already be checked in and will be blocked out of the computer.

I have been behind someone the last two years that got to the RAC desk and had already checked in the day before, not flying SW, but another airline and they were blocked out of the computer and had to take their luggage to the airport on the ME bus. They were not too happy.

 

[johnnyr]

Please be aware that if you do want to use RAC, if you do check-in, other than SW, you will essentially already be checked in and will be blocked out of the computer.

I do this all the time with various participating airlines and have never been blocked out of the RAC computer. I check in at the 24 hour mark from the front desk of the resort to get my boarding passes. The only thing I do not do is pay the luggage fee until the next day. Disney gives you an 800 number to call to pay for bags. Once I get the confirmation code for the bags, I go directly to RAC. Never had a problem.