? for Southwest flyers that used ME

[momoftwins]

A comment over on the DVC forum prompts this question?

Since Southwest is not one of the (I think the term is) Approved airlines - meaning you can get your boarding pass at the resort/check your bags right through:


Do you take your luggage on the bus with you when you are departing at the end of your trip? Where does ME drop you off if you are using Southwest?

Thanks and have a great night!

 

[Lewisc]

Your luggage goes under the bus, you're dropped off at level one. It's not clear if SW has a special checkin at level one or if you'll have to take your bags up 2 levels to check in.

 

[DMKaren]

We used ME and Southwest for our trip at the end of May and it was Great! Our luggage went with us in the under bus storage. We were dropped off on the first level and Southwest has a special checkin area for ME. We checked in with 3 families in front of us. When we went up the escalator, there were no less than 75 people in line at the normal Southwest check-in counter

 

[momoftwins]

Perfect. This is just what I needed to know!

 

[Pocahantas]

Please let us know how everything goes when you return from your trip. I am debating whether or not to use DME for our October trip. We are also flying Southwest.

 

[momoftwins]

just wrote a note on my computer to come back and post!

 

[CleveRocks]

Please let us know how everything goes when you return from your trip. I am debating whether or not to use DME for our October trip. We are also flying Southwest.

What exactly do you need to know that you can't already read about (by doing a search)? My DME experiences on May 8 and 14 were great, and I've read mostly positive reviews from others. Of course there have been a few glitches, but there are glitches in ANY system related to travel (airline delaying luggage, resort not having proper reservation info, etc.).

There's nothing about a fellow Southwest passenger's experiences that will be any different from that of customers of any other "non-participating airline." The non-participating airlines have NOTHING to do with DME. DME first comes into play when your aircraft arrives at MCO. You get yourself to the DME desk. Your luggage follows the normal route off of the aircraft but at some point in that route rampers (the people who handle luggage) pull all bags with DME tags and from there the bags get put onto trucks to take them to the proper resorts. On the way home for customers of non-participating airlines, DME is only a bus ride and has nothing to do with the airline at all.

-- Eric

 

[Lewisc]

I agree most of the pros and cons have already been discussed to death. Flexibility of rental car, personal service of a towncar vs ME being FREE and direct luggage transfers.

AFAIK SW is the only airline that is currently offering luggage checkin on level one. It might be reasonable for a passenger to ask if that service is still available and how it's working.

There's nothing about a fellow Southwest passenger's experiences that will be any different from that of customers of any other "non-participating airline." The non-participating airlines have NOTHING to do with DME. DME first comes into play when your aircraft arrives at MCO. You get yourself to the DME desk. Your luggage follows the normal route off of the aircraft but at some point in that route rampers (the people who handle luggage) pull all bags with DME tags and from there the bags get put onto trucks to take them to the proper resorts. On the way home for customers of non-participating airlines, DME is only a bus ride and has nothing to do with the airline at all.

-- Eric

 

[dthogue]

We just returned on Tuesday, used DME and flew Southwest. We were dropped off on level 1 and had to take the elevator to level 3 to check in with Southwest - no special checkin available on level 1 - that was also at 7am so maybe the special check in has limited hours.

 

[clkelley]

Just spoke to my hubby, he used ME and Southwest for his return on July 21. They went up to third level and checked in at curbside there. If there was a 1st level check-in they missed it. (Which is possible because I wrote them detailed instructions on where to go and what to do, so they might have not seen it).

Carol

 

[Pocahantas]

The information I am looking for is just if things went smoothly, how long was the wait at the airport, how long did it take to get to resort. Same info for return to airport - did DME pick you up 3 hours before your flight or 1.5 hours before? It seems DME is getting better and better and wait times are getting shorter. This is helpful for those of us who are still trying to decide whether or not we want to try DME later this year.

 

[mking624]

We just got back from WDW this past Monday and we flew SWA and used ME. ME picked us up at 11:10am...our flight was at 2pm. We had to take our luggage to the ME bus where it was put unnder the bus. We were dropped off at the 2nd stop at the airport...the 1st stop was for a few different airlines (I don't know what level it was...I just know that it was the 2nd stop and that we did have to go up about 2 levels I believe)...all the checkins for many airlines were right inside). It all went very smoothly and I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

 

[jeankeri]

I am just so excited to read that ME is not only for the airlines that participate in the luggage transfers. My DA & DN will be joining us halfway through our trip flying in on SW. I thought we were going to have to pick them up at MCO. All info given has been great. Thanks!

 

[dthogue]

Pocahontas - Our flight on Tuesday left at 9:10am and our DME pick up time at CBR was 6am. Our bus went from CBR to Pop and we arrived at the airport just before 7am. First stop was on the A side of the terminal, then we drove around to the B side of the terminal. It seemed like a very slow ride to the airport, but very relaxing not worrying about driving and dropping off a rental car.

We were there with my daughter's soccer team and the other families also used DME at various times for departure and their scheduled pick ups were all 3 hours before flight time - hope that helps!

Tammy