Someone help Please!! Magical Express ???

[faindrops27]

Ok, Can someone please answer this question for me. Southwest is not a preferred airline for disneys magical express. But, can I still fly SW. And still take magical express, since I will have no car? Or do I have to fly the preferred airlines, to use magical express. I called disney yesterday the Cm, told me I could fly any airline, and then when i told her. I thought there was a preferred list of airlines. She came back and gave me the list. Needless to say the list she provided. Did not include SW. So, now I am confused. Someone please help. TIA

 

[bugbugmom]

We just returned from Disney a few days ago and flew SWA. We used Magical Express without any problems. All you have to do is apply the yellow luggage tags to your bags before leaving home. Check your bags as you would do usually and they will appear "Magically" in your room. Your return trip you will have to take and load your bags on Magical Express. We also, had our boarding passes printed at the front desk at AKl without problems. So we had a great experience. Don't worry it will be fine and have a great trip.

 

[Anthony1971]

Magic express gives you tage to put on your luggage this allows Disney to pick up your bags and bring them to your room. If the airline is not on the list you may need to get your bags yourself (depends on the airline) the same at the end of your trip you need to check your bags in at the airline otherwise Disney would do it for you otherwise it is still free and everthing else is the same

 

[tmt martins]

Ok, Can someone please answer this question for me. Southwest is not a preferred airline for disneys magical express. But, can I still fly SW. And still take magical express, since I will have no car? Or do I have to fly the preferred airlines, to use magical express. I called disney yesterday the Cm, told me I could fly any airline, and then when i told her. I thought there was a preferred list of airlines. She came back and gave me the list. Needless to say the list she provided. Did not include SW. So, now I am confused. Someone please help. TIA

Yes you can Fly SWA and still use ME. Use the yellow Me Tags and they will transport your bags for you.

The perfered carriers are only a concern for the return trip. If you have that then you can check your bags at the resort and get your boarding passes there.

If not ( SWA ) then you will just get a time (3 hr mostly) the day before you leave and you take your bags with you to the bus and then to the terminal.

Also remember the front desk will print you a boarding pass at the 24hr mark if you ask them nicely.

 

[debster812]

You'll be fine.

Preferred Airlines mean absolutely NOTHING to you on your way TO Disney. Attach the yellow tags to your bags, get off the plane, check in at the DME desk, take the bus to your resort, check in, do whatever, and your bags will be delivered to your room.

On your way HOME you will need to take your bags with you on the bus (they'll be stowed below) and check them with SWA when you arrive at MCO.

 

[faindrops27]

Thank you all very much for your answers. I love you all for putting my mind at rest. You guys are all the best!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[seashoreCM]

If or when Southwest becomes a preferred airline you might prefer not to use the one and only additional feature you get.

If you get your boarding pass close to 24 hours before flight time home in order to get earlier boarding, you won't be able to check your baggage at the resort which can be done no sooner than 12 hours before flight time.

 

[CleveRocks]

Magic express gives you tage to put on your luggage this allows Disney to pick up your bags and bring them to your room. If the airline is not on the list you may need to get your bags yourself (depends on the airline)

INCORRECT. As the past few posters explained, EVERYONE gets the SAME DME treatment upon arrival. EVERYONE. EVERY AIRLINE. As long as you are named on the reservation at a Disney owned-and-operated resort.

"Participating airlines" matters ONLY on your way home from WDW. PERIOD.

On your way to WDW, there is NOTHING, NO SERVICE, NO PERK, that some DME users get and some don't get.

 

[Lewisc]

I've read Tyler's post but I'll respectfully wait until the service is rolled out until I accept his information as fact.

We can get our BP in advance and still use a sky cap to check out luggage. Resort check in is basically a remote sky cap service. I don't even think anyone will know what will happen if they try to check luggage for a passenger that already has a BP until the system is tested. The only reason I can think of that kind of restriction is if SW is paying based on the number of passengers that use the service and they are trying to reduce that number.


Now it's possible the resort will stop printing BP as a courtesy and might send guests to to the resort check in desk.

If or when Southwest becomes a preferred airline you might prefer not to use the one and only additional feature you get.

If you get your boarding pass close to 24 hours before flight time home in order to get earlier boarding, you won't be able to check your baggage at the resort which can be done no sooner than 12 hours before flight time.

 

[faindrops27]

Hello Ladies and Gents,

I was very clear until Tyler posted. Now, I am confused again. What is this about a boarding pass 24 hours, within a 12 hour mark? Even though I am confused. It leads me to another question. Thank you very much in advance again.

Ok. I added an extra ticket. For my depature day, since I have a 7pm flight. Ok, now lets say I am flying Southwest air. I check out around 8 a.m. Because I have a ADR for Boma. And I want to head to the animal kingdom park thereafter. How, or where can I hold my luggage, until approxiametly 4 or 5 p.m.? Since, you all say I must take my luggage myself to load it on the DME buses? Again, thank you all very much for your answers. You all are the best!! Oh, and let me mention. I have been on 17 trips to disneyworld. But, this is my first time onsite. So, please forgive my cluelessness. Pertaining to DME

 

[betterlatethannever]

Hello Ladies and Gents,

I was very clear until Tyler posted. Now, I am confused again. What is this about a boarding pass 24 hours, within a 12 hour mark? Even though I am confused. It leads me to another question. Thank you very much in advance again.

Ok. I added an extra ticket. For my depature day, since I have a 7pm flight. Ok, now lets say I am flying Southwest air. I check out around 8 a.m. Because I have a ADR for Boma. And I want to head to the animal kingdom park thereafter. How, or where can I hold my luggage, until approxiametly 4 or 5 p.m.? Since, you all say I must take my luggage myself to load it on the DME buses? Again, thank you all very much for your answers. You all are the best!! Oh, and let me mention. I have been on 17 trips to disneyworld. But, this is my first time onsite. So, please forgive my cluelessness. Pertaining to DME

I hope I can clarify a few things.

1. SeashoreCM posted about the 24 hour and 12 hour. He is not Tyler. Tyler wrote about the 12 and 24 hour thing in another thread.

2. The discussion on that other thread carried over to your thread (which confused you). You should ignore all this 12 and 24 hour thing since SWA is currently not a participating airline.

IF SWA BECOMES A PARTICIPATING AIRLINE, you MAY then need to be concerned about the 12 and 24 hour thing. SWA allows you to get your boarding passes 24 hours before your flight. That is a good feature if you want an "A" boarding pass.

At each WDW resort, there is a PARTICIPAING AIRLINE check in desk where you check in your luggage and get your boarding pass. You can do this up to 12 hours before your flight.

IF SWA BECOMES A PARTICIPATING AIRLINE before your trip, then come back over to this board and you can find out how that affects you.

3. NOw to your question (finally), when you check out of your resort, store your bags with Bell/baggage services at your resort. Your ME bus will pick you up at your resort about 3 hours before your flight. Before the bus arrives, get your luggage out of storage. You will then bring the luggage to the ME bus and the driver will put them in the luggage compartment.

I hope this cleared up some things.

Ed

 

[goofy4tink]

While I can understand some of you hoping that SW does become a 'participating' airline, I have to agree with Tyler on this one. If, and when, SW changes it's seating proceedures, then it could work to your benefit to have them as a 'participating' airline. But, until that time, I don't see what the big deal is. We have always had to get our own luggage to the airport ourselves..it's not a deal breaker. Yes, I love not having to worry about it on the way to WDW but going home, it's just not a big deal. Just leave your bags with bell services. Then, when you go back to the resort for your DME pickup time, just go to BS and get your bags and hand them over to the bus driver.
There just seems to be a lot of whooha here with people getting all confused. Let's not worry about SW at this time.
So..once again...

'participating' airline matters only for your departure from WDW to the airport to go to your home airport. If you are on a 'participating' airline you may check your bags and get your boarding pass right at your resort. However, this could be impacted on your flight times....those early morning flights can't do the baggage check/boarding pass hand out service.
It does not matter one iota what airline you fly into MCO on. You get the free baggage delivery to your resort as long as you use the tags. If you don't get the tags or feel safer retreiving your own bags, just head to baggage claim, get your bags and take them to the bus with you.

Any other questions? Ask away.

 

[faindrops27]

Thank you muches ED

 

[bdklein]

That at the Orlando Airport the bus drops you off at Ground (1st level) level, and that Southwest check in is on the 3rd level (2 levels up). You need to get your luggage up to the 3 level. Depending on age, physical condition, traveling with kids, etc., it could be a a little difficult.

 

[faindrops27]

Thank you for the heads up Bd. I am not in the best physical condition. (Overweight). But, I am pretty good with getting around. Traveling, with my 12 year old son. So, it should be no problem. But, again thank you for letting me know.

 

[goofy4tink]

That at the Orlando Airport the bus drops you off at Ground (1st level) level, and that Southwest check in is on the 3rd level (2 levels up). You need to get your luggage up to the 3 level. Depending on age, physical condition, traveling with kids, etc., it could be a a little difficult.

All the airline checkins are up there, so if someone isn't using the resort checkin feature they have to get up there. I had to make the trek with just my carryon stuff (had no checked luggage) and it was a haul. That's the one downside to DME. I wish they could drop you at the departure areas, rather than on level 1.

 

[clkelley]

I've read Tyler's post but I'll respectfully wait until the service is rolled out until I accept his information as fact.

We can get our BP in advance and still use a sky cap to check out luggage. Resort check in is basically a remote sky cap service. I don't even think anyone will know what will happen if they try to check luggage for a passenger that already has a BP until the system is tested. The only reason I can think of that kind of restriction is if SW is paying based on the number of passengers that use the service and they are trying to reduce that number.


Now it's possible the resort will stop printing BP as a courtesy and might send guests to to the resort check in desk.

I agree with LewisC. For example, we were flying Delta on our trip last week which is a participating airline. Sometimes Delta runs Skymiles Specials where if you check in online, you get bonus Skymiles. I usually bring a laptop with me, so if Delta were to run a bonus Skymiles promotion again, I would still check-in online, then bring my luggage down to the resort airline desk. I still think they would check my luggage. I expect it will be the same scenario with Southwest. Check-in online at the 24-hour mark, then drop by with your luggage at the appropriate time at the resort airline desk. As a matter of fact, that would be great if someone with a laptop would test this with Delta just to see what would happen. I should have thought of that myself.

 

[Lewisc]

Carol--Don't do that if you want to check your luggage. Tyler said remote checkin won't let you check luggage if you already have a BP for their existing carriers.

I still think SW may be different. SW's system is set up to allow for reprints but I'm prepared to give up an "A" BP if that's what it takes.

I agree with LewisC. For example, we were flying Delta on our trip last week which is a participating airline. Sometimes Delta runs Skymiles Specials where if you check in online, you get bonus Skymiles. I usually bring a laptop with me, so if Delta were to run a bonus Skymiles promotion again, I would still check-in online, then bring my luggage down to the resort airline desk. I still think they would check my luggage. I expect it will be the same scenario with Southwest. Check-in online at the 24-hour mark, then drop by with your luggage at the appropriate time at the resort airline desk. As a matter of fact, that would be great if someone with a laptop would test this with Delta just to see what would happen. I should have thought of that myself.