Luggage Check-In at Terminal

[adelle]

Can you check-in luggage with the airlines at the terminal if you are using a limo instead of Disney transfers? We are flying American and hope we can get luggage check-in out of the way on the return trip.
Thanks!

 

[DisneyNutMary]

Yes.
After you pick up your luggage inside the terminal, you go outside. Before going to your limo meeting place, go right over to the airline check-in counters. They were outside and to the left after my cruise last year, on a covered walkway.
Our flight was at 6 pm, and we checked our luggage, and checked in for our flight right there at the port at 9 am.

 

[drclaws]

Not neccesarily so! We had to show that we had DCL transfers before being allowed into the airline/bus area on our 6/19 cruise. It's been posted here that the baggage transfer is being more strictly enforced that it had been previously.

 

[lbastida1]

What does Disney or the Airlines care how we are getting to the airport? How does it benefit the Airline and/or Disney to only check bags for people who pay Disney transfers? Is this a security issue? Is it a quantity control issue (can only transport a certain number of bags?). I think this is totally unfair. Not everyone using Disney transfers will want to check their bags with the airlines anyway. Many are not flying back the same day. People who do not want to ride a bus should still be able to check their bags with the airline they purchased the tickets from in my opinion. We're paying the airline for our plane tickets. No matter how we get to MCO, we should still be able to use their services at the port after disembarking from a Disney Cruise.

Can anyone else verify if you do indeed have to use Disney transfers to be able to check bags in with the airlines at the port?

Also, what is the reasoning behind such limitations?

 

[drclaws]

Search here for posts by PorterBob. He can indeed verify the current staus of the rule.

 

[tvguy]

Maybe DCL is paying the airlines to be there as part of their tranfer program?
I can fully understand them not wanting those who didn't pay for the service using it for free.

 

[mmouse37]

In the beginning of DCL they only let transfer people use the airline checkin.....then for a few years they let that rule relax and anyone could check in their bags.

Now they are strictly enforcing the rule again and you will have to show transfer paperwork to get into the airline area....as the other poster said. We have checked in bags before and had to wait in line about 45 minutes....I think the lines were just becoming too overwhelming with everyone using this service and they decided to cut back.

Disney considers this part of their service for transfer people, not the general public. You have to think of it as an added perk to buying transfers, not something DCL is taking away from everyone else.

MJ

 

[fortierv]

I think they require you to purchase a transfer because after checking in your bag with the airline, Disney actually transports the bag to the airport. I have read before that DCL offers a baggage only transfer option for anyone using their own ground transportation. You tag you bags when you leave home and DCL pulls them at MCO just like passengers ridding the DCL Busses. I believe it is a fixed price for a certain number of bags. If DCL employees are actually handling your luggage why wouldn't this be fair?

I haven't used it myself so if someone else has could you please enlighten me. If I'm wrong, sorry.