Online check-in questions

[leebee]

We have been to Disney many, many times but never have purchased a package through Disney, and usually stay offsite, so I am sorry if my questions are elementary, but I am confused!

We are flying home from WDW on Airtran in August. I am getting a little confused about all the check-in stuff; can someone help? How do I do online check-in, and print boarding passes, if WDW hotels have no internet access for guests (we will be staying at POP), and where can I find a printer? Can I pay my baggage fees online and hope my suitcases are the correct weight? Is this check-in process different from Disney's for DME, and how do I check-in luggage for DME? Our flight is at 10:55 am so I am hoping that DME will get us at 8am, NOT 7am!

Also... we are 60 days out and I don't have any tags, etc., from DME. Will these be sent after paying my package in full?

 

[Tara]

You will get instructions about how to use RAC - Resort Airline Check-in before your return Magical Express trip to the airport.

1. The hotel concierge/services desk can help you with your online check in and print boarding passes for you if you need them. (They can also be printed by RAC or at the airport.)

2. RAC has a scale to weigh your luggage.

3. You'll get a number you have to call to pay your bag fees. You pay it to BAGS, the company that runs RAC, not on the airline site.

4. I highly encourage you to read the sticky above on the subject of DME and RAC so you feel more comfortable. Remember that your luggage has to be done being checked in by RAC 3 hours before your flight.

5. When you get your tags doesn't have anything to do with when you pay for your package - you'll get them about a month out.

 

[Missytara]

You will get instructions about how to use RAC - Resort Airline Check-in before your return Magical Express trip to the airport.

1. The hotel concierge/services desk can help you with your online check in and print boarding passes for you if you need them. (They can also be printed by RAC or at the airport.)

If you go to the concierge desk first and have your boarding passes completed, you have essentially checked in and cannot use RAC.

You need to go to RAC directly in order to use this service.

 

[Tara]

If you go to the concierge desk first and have your boarding passes completed, you have essentially checked in and cannot use RAC.

You need to go to RAC directly in order to use this service.

This has not been my experience. I used RAC with Southwest and was automatically checked in 36 hours prior but had no trouble whatsoever.

 

[Missytara]

This has not been my experience. I used RAC with Southwest and was automatically checked in 36 hours prior but had no trouble whatsoever.

Yes, it only works with Southwest. Because you are just receiving a boarding number, not actually checking in like on other airlines. Southwest is a whole different animal.

If you are flying on anything other than Southwest, if you check-in prior to going to the RAC desk, including printing out your boarding passes, etc., it locks you out of the RAC desk. Happened to the person standing in front of us in line last year, flying Airtran like we were.

 

[Tara]

Yes, it only works with Southwest. Because you are just receiving a boarding number, not actually checking in like on other airlines. Southwest is a whole different animal.

If you are flying on anything other than Southwest, if you check-in prior to going to the RAC desk, including printing out your boarding passes, etc., it locks you out of the RAC desk. Happened to the person standing in front of us in line last year, flying Airtran like we were.

Huh - go figure. I'll have to file that away in case I ever decide to fly something besides Southwest to Orlando! Thanks for correcting that bit of info.

 

[Missytara]

Huh - go figure. I'll have to file that away in case I ever decide to fly something besides Southwest to Orlando! Thanks for correcting that bit of info.

You are so welcome - the girl in front of us was pretty mad about it, but it makes sense - you are really doing curbside check-in, just XX amount of miles from the airport. She went ahead and already did it on her computer, so she was essentially checked in and RAC couldn't do anything about it.

 

[Promomx2]

Can we get someone at WDW to do our checkin for our airtran return flight even though we will be driving ourselves to the airport with our rental car?

 

[TwiddleDeeTwiddleDum]

We have been to Disney many, many times but never have purchased a package through Disney, and usually stay offsite, so I am sorry if my questions are elementary, but I am confused!

We are flying home from WDW on Airtran in August. I am getting a little confused about all the check-in stuff; can someone help? How do I do online check-in, and print boarding passes, if WDW hotels have no internet access for guests (we will be staying at POP), and where can I find a printer? Can I pay my baggage fees online and hope my suitcases are the correct weight? Is this check-in process different from Disney's for DME, and how do I check-in luggage for DME? Our flight is at 10:55 am so I am hoping that DME will get us at 8am, NOT 7am!

Also... we are 60 days out and I don't have any tags, etc., from DME. Will these be sent after paying my package in full?

We flew home Airtran in Aug 08, used ME. Don't recall exactly how it happened but between the ME & ASsports they had all our boarding passes & on-line check in handled for our evening flight before I even had a chance to go to the RAC that morning. ANd they do tell you what time ME will be picking you up, we had no say in the matter. It was about 3 hrs before our flight.

Like you we booked our first package but again flying Airtran in August so I'm hoping it will go as smoothly as before. I tend to think it will since they have all our ressie information but like OP noted, check with your resort the day before you are leaving to confirm what you should do or if it's all taken care of.

As far as getting the ME luggage tags, I was told once your package is paid in full to expect 2 separate mailings from disney travel. One being all your flight, resort, etc info. Then second being your ME info & tags. So if you waited until 45 days out to pay in full, you should have everything about 30-35 days before your leave.

Hope that helps. Wave to me when you're there - I'll have a lime green Mickey on my backpack