ME and SW

[iluvepcot]

When I called 2 months ago to make a reservation for May 11-17, the CM asked if I wanted to use the ME. So I did. She asked for all my flight info and said I would get luggage tags etc. I know the tags will not arrive until 3 weeks before, so I did not get them yet. All posts and website iformation show other airlines but not Southwest. Does anyone know why they took all my information if they are not running this with SW?

 

[zdad]

No proglem incoming.

On the outgoing leg though, you will not be able to "send your luggage ahead", since SW is not participating. As I understand it though, you will still be able to use the bus transportation, you'll just have to lug the luggage yourself.

 

[debster812]

OK--once again for everyone

ANYONE arriving at MCO on ANY airline is eligible to participate in ME. Your luggage will be pulled behind the scenes and transported to your resort.

On your RETURN flight, if you are flying on a participating airline, you have the ability to check your luggage at your resort, hop on the bus, and you will see your bags at your home airport.

On your RETURN flight, if you are flying on a NON-participating airline, you will have to bring your bags with you on the bus (they'll be stowed underneath I imagine) and you will have to check them at the airport.

So to sum it up--anyone can use ME upon arrival to MCO, and you may have to check your bags at the airport for your return.

 

[Lewisc]

If you're arriving on an internation flight you'll have to get your luggage to go through customs. You won't have to get your luggage a second time. Your luggage will by-pass the second baggage claim and go directly to your resort, as long as you put the ME tag on your bag.

 

[iluvepcot]

Thank you for the replies. I will post after my trip to let everyone know how things went.

 

[Tinkerbelle32]

Just though I would mention that one of the above posts is incorrect. I just got off of the phone this morning with a disney cm. We are going in June and are also flying Soutwest. Yes, we are able to use the ME, but we will have to collect our own luggage. Disney is only using three airlines right now and Southwest is not one of them. But, this should not be a big deal because the character meets you in the baggage area. We will simply grab our bags and then meet the charater in the same area. For those people flying in on the other airlines there will be an area in the luggage area to leave our bags. The cm said it will all be very close and that we will not have to be dragging our luggage everywhere. Hope this has straightened things out!

 

[Lewisc]

The CM is incorrect. EVERY single description of ME on the Disney website, press releases and almost every other CM has confirmed that the ME luggage tags will allow your bags to bypass baggage claim.

Just though I would mention that one of the above posts is incorrect. I just got off of the phone this morning with a disney cm. We are going in June and are also flying Soutwest. Yes, we are able to use the ME, but we will have to collect our own luggage. Disney is only using three airlines right now and Southwest is not one of them. But, this should not be a big deal because the character meets you in the baggage area. We will simply grab our bags and then meet the charater in the same area. For those people flying in on the other airlines there will be an area in the luggage area to leave our bags. The cm said it will all be very close and that we will not have to be dragging our luggage everywhere. Hope this has straightened things out!

 

[goofy4tink]

Wouldn't it be nice if all the info the CM's are giving were correct? Why do we keep hearing that CM's are telling people something that is counter to what all releases have told us?
It's either bad info or the people getting the info are misinterpreting it. I can't for the life of me understand why this is so hard. Anyone flying into Orlando, with the special luggage tags,supplied by Disney for DME, can use DME. You check your luggage at your home airport and don't see it again until you check into your resort. It's only on the return trip to the airport that it matters which airline you are flying on. And that affects only the ability to check-in for your flight, at your resort, bypassing the check-in area of the airport. You hand over your luggage at your resort and get your boarding pass. You, again, don't see your luggage until you get home to your home airport. If you don't use one of the 'participating' airlines, you can still use DME for the return to the airport, you just have to take your own luggage and go through the normal check-in process at the airport.

 

[Lewisc]

Wouldn't it be funny if the few CM were right and while the first guests to use ME are on their way to their resort their bags keep going around the carousel?

You're right it shouldn't be that hard for the CM's to have the right information. I wonder if Disney is outsourcing CRO, at least for overflow staffing, and those people don't have enough experience booking Disney.

Wouldn't it be nice if all the info the CM's are giving were correct? Why do we keep hearing that CM's are telling people something that is counter to what all releases have told us?
It's either bad info or the people getting the info are misinterpreting it. I can't for the life of me understand why this is so hard. Anyone flying into Orlando, with the special luggage tags,supplied by Disney for DME, can use DME. You check your luggage at your home airport and don't see it again until you check into your resort. It's only on the return trip to the airport that it matters which airline you are flying on. And that affects only the ability to check-in for your flight, at your resort, bypassing the check-in area of the airport. You hand over your luggage at your resort and get your boarding pass. You, again, don't see your luggage until you get home to your home airport. If you don't use one of the 'participating' airlines, you can still use DME for the return to the airport, you just have to take your own luggage and go through the normal check-in process at the airport.

 

[goofy4tink]

Wouldn't it be funny if the few CM were right and while the first guests to use ME are on their way to their resort their bags keep going around the carousel?

You're right it shouldn't be that hard for the CM's to have the right information. I wonder if Disney is outsourcing CRO, at least for overflow staffing, and those people don't have enough experience booking Disney.

Oh dear God, bite your tongue!!! What a nightmare!!!!