Help Me Understand SWA, RAC, and DME

[RSGroup]

Ok, so I am flying SWA and staying at ASSp. I sign up for DME, they send me my vouchers and luggage tags. I put the tags on my bags. I fly into MCO.
1. Do I need to check in at the DME counter or do I go straight to the bus queue area?
2. Do I need to do something additional in order to participate in RAC for my return flight?
3. I am flying with a group of 12 total, so we have 2 SWA record locators. Can RAC deal with that?
4. Is RAC going to check me in 24 hrs in advance, and how do they know how many bags I am checking?

Thanks in advance for the help!
Jesse

 

[seashoreCM]

1. A CM at the welcoming area may direct you to skip the counter queue and go to the bus queue; if not then you must go to the counter there. If one or more checked bags don't have yellow tags then you need to go to the counter.
2. Using baggage check at the resort going home (RAC) there is no unusual procedure for Southwest, except currently that part does not work at all at Caribbean Beach or Old Key West.
3. One, two, three, etc. record locators (PNR's, or whatever you call them) does not matter. It would be a good idea to have at least one person in each grouping in the RAC line.
4. RAC is separate from checking in 24 hours in advance for your boarding pass(es). RAC is open from about 5 AM to about 1 PM. There is an early limit and a late limit (the latter is 3 hours before your flight) during which you can check baggage in advance and for flights leaving before 8 in the morning you cannot use RAC for any airline.
5. Being in the RAC line does not count as being punctual for your DME bus. If T-15 comes up for your bus and you are waiting to use RAC, abort the latter and bring your stuff to the bus.

 

[goofy4tink]

Ok, so I am flying SWA and staying at ASSp. I sign up for DME, they send me my vouchers and luggage tags. I put the tags on my bags. I fly into MCO.
1. Do I need to check in at the DME counter or do I go straight to the bus queue area?
2. Do I need to do something additional in order to participate in RAC for my return flight?
3. I am flying with a group of 12 total, so we have 2 SWA record locators. Can RAC deal with that?
4. Is RAC going to check me in 24 hrs in advance, and how do they know how many bags I am checking?

Thanks in advance for the help!
Jesse

1. You need to go to that area. A CM, at the entrance to the DME checkin counter, will direct you to either the line for the counter or directly to the bus lines.

2. In order to use RAC, you just show up at the RAC counter.

3. Record locators?? Not sure what that is. I'm assuming that you are talking about 2 different flight itineraries. Shouldn't be an issue as long as there is someone there for each itinerary, to check in for RAC.

4. No, RAC will not check you in at the 24 hr mark. That is up to you to do. You have two options...pay for EBCI and SW will automatically check you in at the 36 hr mark, or you can head to Guest Services at a park or a resort, at the 24 hr window and check yourselves in.
The day before you are to depart, you will get a notice giving you your pickup time. Depending on your flight time, you may, or may not, get luggage tags/boarding pass type things, in your room. But..they are not the 'real' ones. RAC has no idea how many bags you have. You still have to take your bags down to the RAC counter and get your real boarding passes and baggage tags.
And be sure to have all this done no less than 3 hrs before your flight.

 

[kaytieeldr]

1. At least stop at the podium at the entrance to the Welcome Center line; one person from every party needs to do this, no matter which airline is used (may be outdated, will correct within 24 hours if necessary)
2. No
3. Yes
4. Unless you have more than the two bags each Southwest allows, you should be fine. Remember, you can stop by the RAC counter any morning when it's slow and you have a few minutes and ask; you can also simply call the DME toll-free number and ask. They know their service

 

[kaytieeldr]

3. Record locators?? Not sure what that is. I'm assuming that you are talking about 2 different flight itineraries. Shouldn't be an issue as long as there is someone there for each itinerary, to check in for RAC.

They bought the twelve tickets in two groups, instead of all at once

 

[RSGroup]

I just read on another post that if you tell DME that you want to use RAC when you first arrive at the airport (inbound), that they WILL print your boarding passes at the 24hr mark, and deliver them to your door the morning of your flight. Can anyone confirm this?

 

[goofy4tink]

I just read on another post that if you tell DME that you want to use RAC when you first arrive at the airport (inbound), that they WILL print your boarding passes at the 24hr mark, and deliver them to your door the morning of your flight. Can anyone confirm this?

It depends on when you are flying out. And, I'm just not sure that RAC is going to actually check you in. BUT....having not done it personally, I can't say for sure. That is just nothing I want to leave up to someone else to do for me...and that's why I am paying the $10 pp for EBCI for our departure flights.


The problem is this....RAC and DME are not the same system. They are completely different entities. You can use RAC if you aren't riding DME back to MCO. You can use RAC if you are riding the DME bus, or if you have a rental car, or if you have a car service booked. So...I'm just not sure what the situation is. I would suggest waiting until you are physically there, and ask them in person, at the RAC counter....before your departure day.

 

[seashoreCM]

I just read on another post that if you tell DME that you want to use RAC when you first arrive at the airport (inbound), that they WILL print your boarding passes at the 24hr mark, and deliver them to your door the morning of your flight. Can anyone confirm this?

I have read some trip reports on The DIS confirming this but also some trip reports that getting the boarding passes was not reliable.

So I suggest for now doing your own calling at T-24 (hours).