ME and RAC are not the same thing

[ccgirl]

There seems to be a lot of confusion and many threads regarding this now that Southwest has been added as a participating RAC airline.

ME has always been offered regardless of what airline you flew. You put the yellow baggage tags on your luggage and they would be picked up for you and taken to your resort. They will not be put on the same bus as you unless you picked them up yourself (in that case, don't use the yellow tags). The last time I used ME, my bags showed up 3 hours later. I was prepared and brought a carry on with a swimsuit, sunscreen and things to hang out at the pool. You then get on the coach bus and they bring you to your resort. AGain, this has been available for a very long time, even for people flying Southwest.

RAC is resort airline checkin. This is what Southwest has just been added as a participating airline to. I am not sure if it is at every resort yet. I know they are at just about all of them; not sure about Coronado Springs. In any case, the resort will check you in and bring your bags to the airport for you. Again, not on the same bus as you so be sure to keep what you need for the rest of the day in a carry on. They will also print boarding passes for you.

I hope this clears up confusion. I have seen a lot of threads either stating Southwest has just added ME or asking if ME is available to Southwest passengers. Again, ME has been there regardless of the airline you travel. The RAC was just added for Southwest passengers.

Thank you for letting me vent.

 

[seashoreCM]

Going to Disney, both guests and automagically delivered baggage are part of DME.

Going home, only the buses that take guests and their hand carried baggage are part of DME.

 

[goofy4tink]

Unfortunately, Disney CMs still insist on giving out bad info. If a guest calls them and asks if their bags will be picked up upon arrival via SW, that CM will tell them no, that they have to get their own bags and bring them to the DME bus with them..because SW isn't a 'participating' airline! Drives me nuts!!!

So, now SW is, in fact, a 'participating' airline at (I beleive) all the resorts. Here's hoping guests will get the correct info when calling Disney.

I have been trying to tell people, for years, that DME is not RAC...that they are two different entities. But, Disney insists on lumping them together, which only serves to confuse people.

So, again people...
DME...Disneys Magical Express. It gets you from MCO to your Disney owned resort. If your checked bags are tagged with those yellow tags, DME will get your bags for you and they will be left in your room up to 4 hrs after resort arrival. Then, DME will take you (and your bags if you so choose) back to MCO when your resort stay is over.

RAC...Remote Airline Checkin. If an airline is 'participating', you may head down to the RAC counter at your resort, have your checked bags taken and tagged for delivery to MCO, and your boarding passes issued. All this has to be done no less than 3 hrs before flight departure time though. You do NOT need to ride the DME bus back to MCO in order to use RAC. You can drive your car back, you can take a cab, or you can have a car service take you...makes no difference.
And yes, SW now participates in RAC.

 

[Lewisc]

Some places Disney lists RAC as one of the services provided by DME.

Complimentary Airport Transportation Service – Disney's Magical Express Transportation

In those websites/brochures DME includes passenger bus service, inbound luggage handling and RAC for returning guests.


I agree some posters, and CMs, don't' realize any airline can be used for incoming bags but only participating airlines will let you use RAC.

Disney can't decide if RAC should be considered part of DME or something different.