ME & Flying Southwest

[marypoppinswannabe]

It is my understanding that ME is in Terminal B. However, I will be flying Southwest. It is also my understanding that Southwest uses Terminal A. I also understand if you fly Southwest, you have to claim your own bags at baggage claim, and ME doesn't gather your bags for you.

So, if the above is all true, help me understand the logistics of getting my bags and getting to Terminal B and then to ME. I have been reading through the info that was posted re: MCO airport, but I am still confused.

Can someone please help me?

Thanks

 

[Tara]

You do not have to claim your bags. Anyone using Magical Express and arriving before 10pm can use the baggage delivery service, regardless of airline.

 

[a1tinkfans]

If you want your luggage pulled by ME and you are arriving before 10pm, place the YELLOW TAGS disney send on your bags and you go straight to ME area. IF you need stuff though, be sure its in your carry on as bags can take hours to get.
We choose to pull our own and take it to the buses with us...just works for us

 

[kaytieeldr]

As you can see from the responses, what you thought is not true. However, if you do arrive after 10 PM or for some other reason choose to claim your own luggage even though you don't have to because Magical Express will pull and deliver ALL inbound yellow-tagged luggage:

• Take the tram from your gate area to the main terminal
• Follow the signs to Side A's baggage claim area on Level 2
• Proceed to the correct belt
• Claim your luggage
• Go back up one level to the main/departure level of the terminal
• Walk across the terminail to Side B
• Proceed down two levels to Ground level
• Locate and approach the Magical Express Welcome Center

 

[dburg30]

If you want your luggage pulled by ME and you are arriving before 10pm, place the YELLOW TAGS disney send on your bags and you go straight to ME area. IF you need stuff though, be sure its in your carry on as bags can take hours to get.
We choose to pull our own and take it to the buses with us...just works for us

Just to clarify, that yes, you will be without your bags for approx 3 hours after hotel check in. If you are arriving in the AM or early PM, it's one of the best things about DME. You tag your bags with the yellow tags, and dont worry about them. Check in at you resort, leave carry ons at bell services, hop a bus to a park, and start having fun. Dont worry about dragging your bags thru the airport, to the bus (where a tip will be expected) and then have to check all your bags with bell services (again a tip will be expected when you get them).

 

[taylor3297]

Good information to know. Now what happens if the yellow tag falls off before some from ME picks up the luggage?

 

[dburg30]

Good information to know. Now what happens if the yellow tag falls off before some from ME picks up the luggage?

Well, if youve never seen the yellow tags, they are sticky and basically you stick sticky to sticky . So they wont fall off. Could they get torn off? Sure they could, but so could the airlines bag tag (it's basically the same type of label). DME could still on your behalf, take your baggage claim number and chase your bag down if the tag happened to come off..
Same if you forget to put the yellow tag on, you can give the DME folks your claim check and they can still pull them from the luggage area and have them delivered.

 

[marypoppinswannabe]

As you can see from the responses, what you thought is not true. However, if you do arrive after 10 PM or for some other reason choose to claim your own luggage even though you don't have to because Magical Express will pull and deliver ALL inbound yellow-tagged luggage:

• Take the tram from your gate area to the main terminal
• Follow the signs to Side A's baggage claim area on Level 2
• Proceed to the correct belt
• Claim your luggage
• Go back up one level to the main/departure level of the terminal
• Walk across the terminail to Side B
• Proceed down two levels to Ground level
• Locate and approach the Magical Express Welcome Center

You make it sound so easy. But for some reason, I was having trouble navigating that in my head.

Thanks so much!!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Oh, well, it SOUNDS difficult when people describe the airport as "Terminal A" and "Terminal B". It's really just one big building with (excluding the actual gate areas) two sides designated "A" and "B". Makes navigating a LOT less confusing!

 

[seashoreCM]

For Southwest I did not think it was that miuch farther compared with heading directly to the welcoming area although schlepping the baggage may make it seem so.

As you are heading to the Southwest A side carousels, at some point you will see a big neon A overhead and the B side stairways etc. are directly behind you.

(copied from another post) If you took the elevator down on the B side, turn left when stepping out of the elevator; the windows to the outside should be to your left.

Remove some of the waxed paper from both ends of the yellow tag before sticking it together, this lessens the chance of the tag's falling off.

 

[dburg30]

Is a picture of a football stadium really supposed to help explain MCO to someone?

 

[goofy4tink]

There are plenty of MCO diagrams out there without resorting to the football stadium analogy.
It is basically a big ole X, but more laid on it's side. Terminal A is at the top, B on the bottom. There are gates at each 'end'...so two ends per side. The trams drop everyone off at the same spot...right at the 'main' terminal. When you get off the tram, you can then see both Side A and Side B. It's really all very easy and self explanatory once you see it.

And yes...if you are flying SW your bags will be taken for you. Just put those yellow tags on the bags. As far as them 'falling off'....just doesn't happen. In fact, it's actually a bit of work to get them off once you get them at the resort. YOu have to forcefully rip them apart.

 

[Anal Annie]

A little off-topic. We're flying SW tonight for only the 2nd time. We don't land until 10:25 therefore no DME. Since it's so late I didn't want to fiddle around with having to go to baggage claim at that hour - I just want to head straight to the ME area. We normally get there during normal ME operating hours. This late flight is just how it worked out this time. Anyway, I have us packed in carry-ons only for the week (thanks to Owners Locker) but they are BULGING at the seams full. Two of our 3 bags are std. 21" or 22" suitcases and I got them closed & zipped without using that 2" expansion feature...but they look like they have bloated weight gain!! And they're very heavy. I didn't weigh them yet but I'm sure they're 30 Lbs. Will we be OK in the overhead bins? Maybe I should be more worried about coming home on Air Tran? I mean I could redistribute stuff and just take 2 carry-ons & check 1 bag but I was afraid the time consumption would just grate on my nerves that late. We're not used to having to claim bags...and I know how we hate doing it when we get HOME...it always seems to take forever.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Is a picture of a football stadium really supposed to help explain MCO to someone?

Don't tell me you think a picture of... MCO would be more helfpul???? I still don't know how to "do" pictures, but this link might help the OP http://www.orlandoairports.net/ops/terminal.htm

 

[dburg30]

Don't tell me you think a picture of... MCO would be more helfpul???? I still don't know how to "do" pictures, but this link might help the OP http://www.orlandoairports.net/ops/terminal.htm

The thought had crossed my mind

 

[kaytieeldr]

I know. I've been here long enough to read your mind.

 

[4luv2cdisney]

As you can see from the responses, what you thought is not true. However, if you do arrive after 10 PM or for some other reason choose to claim your own luggage even though you don't have to because Magical Express will pull and deliver ALL inbound yellow-tagged luggage:

• Take the tram from your gate area to the main terminal
• Follow the signs to Side A's baggage claim area on Level 2
• Proceed to the correct belt
• Claim your luggage
• Go back up one level to the main/departure level of the terminal
• Walk across the terminail to Side B
• Proceed down two levels to Ground level
• Locate and approach the Magical Express Welcome Center

Great info. Wish I'd had these instructions printed and in my hand when we (inexperienced flyers) arrived after 10 pm. So, I'll add...

But move quickly and do not stop to let your tired, unhappy children go to the bathroom on the way. Your luggage will be confiscated by security before you can get to it.

Believe me, I know!