resort airline check in question

[Skippy24]

Can you still check in at the resort airline check-in and check your bags there if your not taking ME back to the airport? We are thinking for our next trip of having a rental car, but thinking that it would still be quicker to check in at the resort then the airport. Is that a possible? Thanks!!

 

[churchstein]

Yes it is possible. I've did it several times!

 

[Turtlegirl]

Hi, I know the answer to this Q, because I recently asked it myself! RAC & ME are two separate services. You do not have to use ME in order to use RAC. However, only some resorts and some airlines participate. We're using AKL and Delta and they both participate (please check if your resort and airline participate). Also, you have to check your luggage at the resort check-in desk 3 hours prior to your scheduled flight time and you tip the luggage handlers just as if they are skycaps curbside at the airport.

 

[BCV23]

All Disney resorts participate in RAC. It's a very sweet service.

Swan/Dolphin do not.

The three hours is a minimum. For instance, you could check in at 8am, go to a park and then head to the airport for a 4 pm flight.

 

[mkmommy]

Is it 3 or 4 hours minimum prior? I know I have read it was changing to 4, but when I used it in December it said on the paperwork 3 hours.

Have a 8:45 AM flight in March and would love to check the bags in at the resort instead of taking them to the airport.

Thank you

 

[kinntj]

Is the RAC something you have to arrange prior to departing at the resort? Or do you check out of resort with bags then and there without giving them a heads up before hand? Can't you tell I just booked our vacation last night and am scrambling for information.

 

[corvair]

Another resort check in question....it says it is open from 5:00am until 1:00pm...check in no more than 12 hours and no less then 3 hours...my problem is our fight is at 7:30 am...so how are we to check in at the hotel..with the hotel hours it does not work...thanks..amy

 

[BCV23]

Is the RAC something you have to arrange prior to departing at the resort? Or do you check out of resort with bags then and there without giving them a heads up before hand? Can't you tell I just booked our vacation last night and am scrambling for information.

You do not need to prearrange RAC although you do need to do so for ME if you plan on using that service as well.

RAC has nothing to do with checkout from the resort either. Completely separate areas and transactions. For instance, we've taken our bags down to RAC 8ish and left the room around 10.

Happy planning.

Corvair, I don't think you'll be able to use RAC with a flight that early. You could check the FAQs on the Transportation forum for more info. And when you're at your resort, just ask at the RAC desk someday of your trip. But I think the 3 hour minimum is to make certain the bags make it to the flight.

 

[OKW Lover]

Is it 3 or 4 hours minimum prior? I know I have read it was changing to 4, but when I used it in December it said on the paperwork 3 hours.

Have a 8:45 AM flight in March and would love to check the bags in at the resort instead of taking them to the airport.

Thank you

It's defiantly 3 hours. We did it this morning.

 

[Skippy24]

Thanks! That will make the return trip much easier if we can do that.

 

[kinntj]

It's defiantly 3 hours. We did it this morning.

I'm sorry you had to say good-bye to Disney today.
I'm sure Disney will get your money in the future and you'll be happy again!

Have you started planning your next trip yet?

 

[IMGONNABE40!]

This is what I did in Novemeber. Left my bags with ME at Pop. GOt my boarding pass. Checked out of the hotel. Went to Epcot. Had a car service pick me up from Epcot about 90 minutes before my flight.

Everything went perfectly! Bags arrived home when I did.

One tip. Take pictures of your bags. I learned this from a fellow traveler who had a problem getting her luggage. So, when I left my bags with ME, I took a few photos so they could be identified if need be.

 

[OKW Lover]

I'm sorry you had to say good-bye to Disney today.
I'm sure Disney will get your money in the future and you'll be happy again!

Have you started planning your next trip yet?

Sure have - actually its already booked for early May. I'll have to start working on the one after that.

 

[Laren]

Okay, this is great I was about to ask, you can do the pre=check in from ALL the hotels now? POFQ included??? on the WDW website it says 'select' hotels but neglects to tell you which have been selected lol

We did it at Poly last fall and it was WONDERFUL. With me being disabled and also having elderly dad with us it was a lifesaver for my husband, the most able-bodied person in the group. We tipped the folks who checked our bags in too- they smiled. . .and we actually saw our bags being loaded onto the plane when we got to the gate! Amazing.

Our flight doesn't leave until 6:30 pm the day we come home from our just the two of us trip and so I want to ditch the bags and hit the park as early as we can. Sounds like we might just make it for rope drop!!!

 

[kaytieeldr]

"Select" hotels means every Disney-owned hotel on-site; it excludes Swan, Dolphin, Shades of Green, and the seven Hotel Plaza Boulevard properties.

 

[BCV23]

It appears it is "select Disney" hotels for US Airways which is in a test phase.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=944813

 

[pjynx]

It appears it is "select Disney" hotels for US Airways which is in a test phase.

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=944813

The thread you linked to is referring to Magical Express, which is entirely different from Resort Airline Check-in (some people prefer to use RAC but do NOT use ME to get to the airport).

 

[BCV23]

The thread you linked to is referring to Magical Express, which is entirely different from Resort Airline Check-in (some people prefer to use RAC but do NOT use ME to get to the airport).

No, the thread is about "What participating airline really means"....which is about RAC. Read the first line in red.

The info on US Air is toward the bottom of Tyler's post.

I'm well aware that RAC is separate from ME. We've used RAC quite a few times now and have never used ME to the airport.

 

[Laren]

"Select" hotels means every Disney-owned hotel on-site; it excludes Swan, Dolphin, Shades of Green, and the seven Hotel Plaza Boulevard properties.

Tyvm for the explanation! that makes total sense

Laren