Disney Transfers to MCO

VeroBeachGirl

DIS Veteran
Joined
May 31, 2007
We're using Disney Transfers from the port to MCO upon debarkation. Can anyone tell me what the procedure is? We are flying Southwest back home. Do we have to deal with the luggage? Do they print our boarding passes? Are we assigned a time to get on the bus?

Thanks!
 
I know DCL was in trial to include Southwest for the Onboard Airline Check-in program during February -- but as of yet I don't believe anyone has heard whether that trial has officially ended, extending into March, or officially SW will be part of OAC.

One thing I can say is you are not assigned a time for the DCL bus. You may debark at any time once the ship is cleared, which typically occurs between 7-7:30am. All passengers are expected to be off by 9:00am.

Enjoy your cruise!
 
We flew SW in November and here is what we had to do:
Have our luggage outside our room by a certain the night before debarkation.
Be off the ship by 9am
Once off the ship and back in the port building we had to collect our bags from a huge room (there were workers there to assist)
Take bags to ME bus
Ride to MCO
Get bags, check in and wait for flight

Very easy process.
 
We flew SW in November and here is what we had to do:
Have our luggage outside our room by a certain the night before debarkation.
Be off the ship by 9am
Once off the ship and back in the port building we had to collect our bags from a huge room (there were workers there to assist)
Take bags to ME bus
Ride to MCO
Get bags, check in and wait for flight

Very easy process.

This is the process when SouthWest isn't part of the onboard checkin process. They were testing the onboard checkin process for SouthWest for the month of February. No word as to whether it's been extended or rejected as of yet.
 


So when flying southwest on the return do I put my luggage outside the room or carry off with me?

I'm not sure exactly what information you are looking for, but I thought I would cover a few scenarios.

Southwest is not part of the Onboard Airline Check-in program, as described in the first few posts on this thread.

If you aren't using one of the airlines mentioned above and you have plans to be among the first to disembark the cruise, whether using DCL transfers to MCO or your own arrangements, you will need to carry your luggage off the ship and then go through customs.

If you have a flight after 11:30am, you could leave your luggage outside the cabin the night before disembarkation. You will then find your luggage in the terminal the next morning and go through customs. You would then take your luggage to the DCL bus if you have purchased transfers.
 
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So when flying southwest on the return do I put my luggage outside the room or carry off with me?
We routinely fly SW from MCO after debarking the ship. Since we book a flight leaving MCO after noon, we put our luggage outside the room the night before, have breakfast and leave the ship when we’re ready, retrieve the bags in the terminal, clear customs/immigration, and take the luggage to the bus to the airport to be loaded under the bus. At the port, we usually use (and tip) a porter to manage the bags from the pick up point in the terminal to the airport bus. At MCO, we retrieve the luggage from under the bus. We usually rent one of the small luggage carts ($5) to move the bags from the bus drop off to baggage check. I’m still pretty mobile for my age, but I no longer wrestle with luggage when on vacation. At MCO, SW has kiosks for self-check and printing the boarding passes and luggage tags for our return flight. Since we do Early Bird Check In on SW so we don’t have to worry about checking in at the 24 hour mark, we just print everything, put the tags on the checked bags, and drop them at the luggage check in desk before heading to our gate for the flight.
 
Unless you have a very early flight, you might as well put your bags outside the night before. When they clear the ship, you can get off, find your bags and head for the bus. PC is very easy to navigate. Buses to MCO leave as they fill. There are people to direct you to the buses. Beware, lines at MCO for SW can be ridiculously long. Also, security lines in Orlando can take 30-60 minutes, even early in the morning. So if you are flying before noon, I'd be ready to get off the ship as soon as they clear it.
 
this thread was from 5 years ago. I got excited when I saw SW, trial, February (we are cruising in February) but alas I guess the trial ended without renewal!
 

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