The biggest difference with SW is that they don't have any assigned seating. When you board the plane, you are free to sit in any open seat. You get a boarding letter & number when you check in. The earlier your boarding number, the earlier you will get in he plane & the more seating options you will have . The positions are A 1-60, B- 1-60 & C 1-60. Southwest does have family boarding for immediate families with children 6 & under. This group boards after A 60.
You can check yourself in at the 24 hour mark before your flight. SW offers Early Bird check in service. For a fee if $12.50 per person, they will check you in at he 36 hour mark. So
you would get checked in & get a better boarding number/ position than people doing it themselves. If you don't do Early Bird, you want to be online at that 24 hour mark for the best chance at a better boarding position.
In your case, you should be able to board with family boarding if you don't get an A boarding position & have no problem getting seats together. There have been reports of family boarding being suspended to or from Orlando because of the large numbers of families who would qualify. I can't speak to that personally but just something to keep in mind. There are also reports of people paying for Early Bird check in & getting a B number which puts them behind family boarding. We have always gotten an A position tho.
