Printing Boarding Passes for Southwest Airlines

[LoriKutchey]

Will the DVC Resorts in particular, SSR print up boarding passes for me at the 24 hour mark before my flight. I booked with Southwest because of the great price and didn't realize they don't offer assigned seating and you need these silly A,B Boarding passes for the best chance for better seats. Stupid, Stupid Me!! Never again, lesson learned. Hopefully front desk can print out these out for me the day before departure so we can sit together. I am thinking of just booking with spirit and eating this airfare but it is over Easter and spirit prices are outragous now.

 

[Scratch42]

I've not ever experienced a problem with any Resort printing out SW Boarding Passes!

j

 

[MiaSRN62]

I've also never had a problem getting SW boarding passes printed up. From the values to the DVC and deluxe resorts, it's been smooth sailing. The only time I had trouble I should add was this past August. The computers all went down in disney. All resorts were affected. Luckily we had our car, and ran over to the local Kinkos.
I'll take the inconveniences for the great SW fares (especially the DINGS !). If it weren't for SW, we might not be making our 3rd trip to WDW this year.

 

[LoriKutchey]

Thanks for the replys! So this open seating isn't a huge inconvenience?? We also have a stopover and never have done that before. We just planned this Easter thing last week and all the airlines prices were so high. Southwest definately had the best prices.
Thanks again, Lori

 

[MiaSRN62]

So this open seating isn't a huge inconvenience??

YOu will notice people standing in line fairly early---sometimes as much as 45 min ahead of boarding. We usually get in line about 20 min prior if we have an "A" pass. If I had a "B" or a "C", I might be a littler nervous about getting our whole family seated together. Even though my kids are older (teens), my girls are nervous about flying. My youngest (13) still remembers Sept 11 and that has been the event that made her fear flying. So for us, we aim to get an "A" pass. But I've seen "B" boarders able to get seats together. Just depends on how many "pre-boarders" you have an/or how full the flight is.
So there is def some inconvenience, but for us, it's worth it for the price----and we've always had good service from SW as well
I personally have never had a flight with a stopover on SW, so not sure how that is.
PS: BTW, if you have anyone in your party under age 5 or mobility impaired, you will be allowed to board ahead of all A,B & C boarders. Good luck and happy flying !

 

[LoriKutchey]

Thanks for the advice Mia, We don't qualify for preboarding so I will shoot for those A boarding passes!

Lori

 

[Muushka]

I am a type/seating "A" person. I didn't want to have printing up a boarding pass dictate what I would do at the 24 hour mark while at WDW. So I had my husband (who was not with me) 'check me in' on the internet at the 24 hour mark and then on the day of the flight I had the hotel print out my boarding pass. Because I had been checked in the day before, that was the time on the boarding pass, so I got the "A" seating. Worked great.

 

[Doug7856]

Also, if your cell phone is web enabled you can check in on your cell phone 24 hours in advance and then print your boarding pass at the airport. Very easy. In our opinon, Southwest has the best service (although we've never used Spirit before).

 

[salmoneous]

So this open seating isn't a huge inconvenience??

In general, no. Most frequent SW flyers end up being big fans of open seating. Once you are used to it, it's better than traditional seating in many ways.

Now, not to jinx things, but I fly SW frequently and the only time I've *ever* seen it be a problem is with a connecting flight. Do you have a stopover, or a connection? Stopovers are fine. Connections can lead to poor choice of seats if your first flight is delayed and you end up running for your connecting flights.

 

[MiaSRN62]

In general, no. Most frequent SW flyers end up being big fans of open seating. Once you are used to it, it's better than traditional seating in many ways.

The biggest problem lies in not getting an A pass and possibly not having a family seated together. I can tell u, my kids were a little anxiety ridden after seeing some families were separated. I sometimes fly without my husband and just my girls. I can tell u they would be very upset if I couldn't get a seat with them. One flight, the SW flight attendant was walking up the aisle asking for volunteers to switch seats so a family could sit together. I happened to be flying alone that trip so it wasn't a big deal for me to give up my seat. But if you have kids (and they're over age 5 thus disqualifying them for pre-boarding), I'd aim for an A pass which means checking in as soon as you can to that 24 hour window. Thus far, we have been lucky with SW. But this trip, I will have to leave the park and run over to get us checked-in, so that might be a tad inconvenient.

Question : Does anyone know if I "have" to check-in and print boarding passes at the resort I am staying at ? I'll be at the CBR next week, but say, for instance, I'm in the MK. Can I walk over to the Contemp and have them check me in instead of taking the bus back to CBR ?
Thanks.

 

[jiggerj]

I have had my boarding passes printed at the BWV's and also at GS in the MK. Very easy!

 

[MiaSRN62]

I have had my boarding passes printed at the BWV's and also at GS in the MK. Very easy!

Thank You. I thought perhaps I had to go back to the resort I was staying at. So I can simply go to a guest services window at one of the parks ----this makes it really convenient.

 

[miamimama]

Just last week we were staying at SSR, but having dinner at Wilderness Lodge at the 24 hour mark. I showed them my confirmation number and the printed the passes with no problem. And, if you have your laptop and just want to check in, its no problem to print your passes when you get to the airport.

 

[dgaston]

I too had boarding passes printed out at the Poly while waiting for fireworks on July 3. I was staying at the Boardwalk. No worries!

 

[disneygal55]

We have just returned from SSR Sunday via Southwest Air. We asked the concierge at SSR if they could print our boarding passes on Saturday at the 24 hour mark. They informed us that we would have to be present in order to access the passes. Because we didn't want to waste our last day by having to leave a park early to do this we asked about alternatives. They told us that we could have them printed at any of the guest relations buildings at the parks. We were able to print them at Animal Kingdom and were able to resume our fun at the park. Just a note...we had them accessed one minute after our 24 hour mark and there were already 29 people with A passes already!

 

[MiaSRN62]

Just a note...we had them accessed one minute after our 24 hour mark and there were already 29 people with A passes already!

I know ! Similar happened to us ! We got a little spooked. But then when we got to the airport, we were suprised to see like 20 preboarders, maybe 15 A boarders and there was only like 5 B boarders and no C. But ya just never know.......

 

[dumbo71]

Off topic but SWA became the number 1 carrier in the U.S. passing American in total pasengers carried.

I can't help but wonder what that says about this country.

I am still hoping for a return to luxury flying. I feel things will come around full circle eventually. Lining up like cattle for boarding and seats so close you are eating your knees can't be what Americans want. At least I hope not.

 

[MLK-RI]

You can check in from any internet connection. If you need to check luggage anyway, then don't worry if you can't print the boarding pass as you'll be able to print it at the kiosk at the Southwest check-in area or they will print it for you. The main thing is to check in at the 24 hour mark.

I ran into a snafu on our recent trip and was all the way at the back of Epcot (GS is in the front of the park) at our 24 hour mark. My internet enabled phone had a battery problem so I was stuck. I went into the American pavilion and ask the CM at the gift counter if she could give me the number of the WL (we were staying at VWL) and I could then use my husband's (non internet enabled phone) to call them to see if they would do it.

She not only got the number, but called the lodge, let me use the phone right there and the CM at the WL was so wonderful. She took the confirmation number and checked all 9 of us in, printed the boarding passes and then asked if I'd like them left at the desk for pick up or delivered to our room!!!
Wonderful service from both CMs, totally saved us from having to run all the way to GS at the front of the park or having to split up too much on the plane. And bonus... no one had to sit in the last row, where we tall people have knee issues!

I dare say from this experience (and others at various Disney resorts where the front desk has been happy to do this for us) you should have no trouble. Just know your Flight Reservation Confirmation number, and if you won't be near a GS, know the telephone number of your resort!

Have a great trip.

 

[LoriKutchey]

Wow, thanks for all the reply's, they are sincerely appreciated.

Lori

 

[byoung]

Been doing it for us for the last 2 years.