Just Back-SWest, L&M, Security, Diabetics

[Pan's Dad]

Just returned from WDW (2 families of 4 and grandma) flying from Albany NY and...

1.. Security - Grandma had some sort of nail clipper with a sharp tip to it...they pulled her aside and went thru her small carryon, which basically stored all her medicatiion...they wanded her and she needed to take off her shoes and then they made her do the hokey-pokey as they wanded her one last time (ok, i made the last one up)..they did search her like she was a serious threat but that was fine by us..glad to see they take security so serious.
I, being a diabetic, had brought my various supplies inlcuding syringes on my carryon and fully expected to have my bags searched but they didn't search me. I had a note from my doctor ready if needed. They also seem to check every xth person. When we got to the SWest gate, we just needed to show them our driver's license and then after we lined up in the 0-30 line, we once again had to show them our drivers license and then we boarded.

On the way home from Orlando, as I went thru the security machine, I was pulled aside -The wand went off due to: 1)I had one of those "Lenscrafters" foil-wrapped cleaning tissues in my back pocket 2) my insulin pump - she just asked what it was and i explained it was an insulin pump and no big deal 3) my blood testing kit - I also explained what that was...after I was fully wanded and cleared, I realized my carryon bag was being put thru for a second time and they were really looking at it closely..I explained to one of the security workers that he should tell them I have diabetic supplies (syringes etc) in that bag - he mentioned that some heavy metal was in my bag and I told him it was all our Disney Pins and they better not mess with my Disney Pins...jsut kidding! anyway, the security worker didn't say anything to the guys looking at my bag, and they did not open it, so I guess they must have been able to tell what it was...can they actually see the detailed pins??

Southwest Airlines - first time we ever flew and we were very impressed - on time, very organized - on the way to Orlando they explained that we were riding the newest airplane in their fleet and we didnt know if that was good or bad! ...On the way home, one poor guy had to send his three family members back to Albany without him as there were no seats left. Also noticed how busy that airplane's bathroom gets! As Yogi might say "Definitely go before you go!

2. L&M Car Rental - excellent...highly recommend. Very quick in and out service. Their rates were phenomenal - for a minvan for 8 days with taxes included it cost about $250. Without taxes included for 7 days, the national chains were looking for upwards of $350/wk. We did have to show them proof of insurance and all I had to show them was my insurance card - I had read on these boards to bring a Dec Page, but the insurance card was enough.

3. Disney - I get upset that when you arrive at the resort, one guy takes all your luggage out of the car and stops! so me and my brother went to park the minivans (they want $10/nite for valet parking - forget about it! - I think I saw this at another Disney resort - looks like this may be a standard policy?? I recall years ago, we never paid a fee at the GF but just tipped the drivers everytime they parked or brought us our minivans)...so as we parked out minivans our wives gave the guy the standard tip....then ANOTHER guy brought our bags to our room - I feel one guy should do the whole job. It seems like a cheap stunt to get the bellboys more money and I have never appreciated it. Next year I understand the second bellboy will stop at the elevators and ANOTHER bellboy will take bags to your floor where ANOTHER Bellboy wiill be waiting to finish this 4x4 relay event....

4. We found the boat service to MGM and bus service to MK very good from the Dolphin. We also took a boat to Epcot on a rainy day and I had wished I had driven the minivan that day to store extra clothes etc and also for convenience sake as that boat wasn't as convenient to us.

Hope this helps future visitors....

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Great report, thank you for sharing.
What hotel/resort is charging 10.00 per day for valet. Disney resorts are only supposed to be 6.00 per day.
I totally agree with the bell boy thing, but, the guy that unloads the luggage is not a bell boy, he is a greeter/helper. (I am assuming male here cause that is all I have ever seen doing this outside)

 

[poohraedopey]

We were so paranoid they would take them we checked our pins in one of the suitcases. The girl next to me had a lanyard full they didnt even blink guess we were over cautious. We were in the second group both times ont he way home and ont he way down we were once in the 90's and once numbers 3 and 4. We always did sit together.

I did get angry on SUnday on our BWI to ALB leg though and I will tell you why first of all SW had overbooked by about 15 and HAD to bump 3 more passengers at the end as they were transferring 3 flight attendants to ALB on our plane. Now those 3 FA were on FIRST! they tooka row together not against a partition but in the middle just back of the wing so they could IMMEDIATLY fully recline while we were taxiing! HELLO! Then the last 4 on the plane was a family mom dad and two 8-12 yr girls they all had to split up and they coudlnt even get seated as the last 2 seats were in the EMERGENCY row were kids could not sit anyways. WOudlnt it make sense to have the 3 flight attendants who KNow the drill sit there? rather than PAYING customers? That whole situation irked me and I have written a letter to SWA regarding the situation. I understand if they NEED their attendants to fly hoem or to another assignments but on an extremely overbooked flight for them to all SIT together and not move was ridiculous.

As far as the age of planes the 2 we took down were kinda old and scary the one from MCO to BWI going back was a year old and really nice NEW MEXICO 1? the captain dsaid they adding 4000 jobs and a ton of new planes this year.

I would deffinitly fly SWA again in the future.

 

[Mic]

My DH and I flew SW for the first time last month from RDU to MCO, before a 4-day Disney cruise. I used SW gift certificates I collected last year by eating a lot of Hershey bars. When the fare went down by $20, they issued me a voucher at the counter as I was checking in. On our flight leaving RDU, I made sure we were there VERY early and had boarding passes in the first group of 30. When the boarding call was made, everyone jumped up, and people with passes in the 2nd group were in front of us, and no one at the gate seemed to care. It was a "through" flight, from Baltimore, and was very late due to de-icing in MD. Anyway, the flight was full, and by the time DH and I got on, there were no 2 seats available anywhere. 2 SW pilots were seated together in one row with 1 extra seat, and when they realized DH and I were trying to sit together, the older pilot got up and gave us his seat. The pilot that sat next to us was very pleasant, and lived in Orlando(but had never been to WDW???!!), and he told us the pilot that gave us his seat lived in Tampa, and was worried he would not catch the flight from MCO to TPA because we were so late. I told him SW had announced at RDU that a call had been made to MCO requesting they hold the connecting flight to TPA, so he would probably make it(these guys would not have heard the announcement, as they were already on the plane before RDU). Anyway, we arrived @40 minutes late to MCO, and the SW plane to TPA was waiting, and the attendant asked that all passengers except those trying to make that flight to stay seated until they were off. The trip back to RDU from MCO, the boarding was handled differently, and we were in the 2nd group, but had no trouble finding seats together. We are not frequent flyers(we have put 61k miles on a full-size van in 2.5 years) but I was impressed with SW employees on this trip. Having said that, DH has decided to fly delta again on the next trip, when he and DS will join me and our 3 DD for our next cruise in Oct. Even though their flights would be almost free on SW, DH does not want to risk not sitting with DS(we told our son that this is one time when he will be glad he has an "assigned" seat!).