ME on non-participating Airline & Late Departure Question

[home brewer]

My family and I are traveling to WDW in September. We plan to use ME but are flying on a non-participating airline (AirTran).

I've heard/read different things about what we will be required to do with our luggage. Now that the system is actually in operation I thought I might get the correct answer.

When we arrive, do I need to do anything with my luggage? I've heard that we may need to pick it up and deliver it to some "special" location after which it will join the other luggage and find its way to our hotel. Or is everything taken care of on the inbound flights to MCO and I just need to check in with the CM and hop on the bus?

When we depart. I know I can't check my luggage at the resort since we are not flying on one of the participating airlines. So do I need to have my luggage at the curb with me when we hop on the bus to go back to MCO?

Our departing flight leaves at 4:35 PM. The bus will likely pick us up at 2 PM. Is it possible to get a late check out. We're having breakfast at Chef Mickey's and then plan to hit a few more rides before heading back to the hotel to clean up and leave. Any suggestions on the best way to handle a late departure?

Thanks,
Kip

 

[goofy4tink]

If you get your luggage tags, and you most likely will since it will be awhile before you travel, you will put them on each one of your checked bags at your departure airport. Then, when you get to MCO, your luggage will get grabbed before it hits the carousel claim area. You will be directed to the DME welcome area and told which bus to hop onto for your particular resort. Then, you will check-in at your resort and your luggage shouldn't be too far behind you. Supposedly it will get to your room.
Then when you leave WDW, since you are flying a non-part. airline, you will check-out of your resort the normal way. You can leave your luggage with bell services until it's time to leave for the airport. Then, when the time for the bus comes, be there, ready to board and your luggage will go into the 'belly' of the bus. Then you head off to the airport as usual. The only difference with a participating airline is that they can print off their boarding passes right at the resort, their luggage goes directly to the airport and then when the passengers get to the airport, they go directly to security since they have already 'checked-in' back at the resort earlier in the day.
Pretty easy.