Southwest and DME

[bakalorber]

I just read that southwest does participate in the DME.
Here's is the link:
http://www.magictrips.com/plan/dme.htm

It is towards the bottom of the page. Anyone have any information on this. Or this a typo.

 

[bakalorber]

Now I just found another site that said they did not. Oh well... I least I am keeping up my posts on here. Hope everyone has a happy new years!

 

[stopher1]

The part that Southwest does not currently participate in is the Resort Check-In for your RETURN trip to the airport. You certainly CAN use DME with Southwest flying to Orlando and your bags will be "magically transported" to your room the same as anyone else's that flew on a different carrier, provided of course you put those nifty yellow stickers on your luggage prior to checking in at your home airport. The primary difference is that for your return trip to the airport, instead of checking in for your flight at the resort desk and leaving your luggage with them to go off to the airport, you must transport your luggage with you to the DME bus pick-up and give it to the driver to load on the DME bus. Then at the airport, you must then retrieve your luggage and take it to the Southwest counter to check it in.

We've done it numerous times with absolutely no problems whatsoever.

 

[jekjones1558]

Southwest is currently piloting Resort Airline Check-in at Pop Century and All Stars. Hopefully it will eventually be permanent and at all resorts.

 

[dopeygirl76]

Here is the update from the Passporter Website. SW was doing some test runs but now joined the Check-In resortwide!!!

We returned on the 5th - so a few days late for us and let me tell you the line for bag check both curbside and inside was scary!!!!



Southwest Airlines is now part of the Resort Airline Check-In program. Guests flying Southwest can now check their luggage at their resort on their last day then make their way to the Orlando Airport and head directly to their gate.

Jennifer Marx - 2009-12-10 23:01:45 [update]

 

[bakalorber]

Here is the update from the Passporter Website. SW was doing some test runs but now joined the Check-In resortwide!!!

We returned on the 5th - so a few days late for us and let me tell you the line for bag check both curbside and inside was scary!!!!



Southwest Airlines is now part of the Resort Airline Check-In program. Guests flying Southwest can now check their luggage at their resort on their last day then make their way to the Orlando Airport and head directly to their gate.

Jennifer Marx - 2009-12-10 23:01:45 [update]

If this is true my trip just got better before I left. I knew that I can use DME luggage going to DW. But if I can use it returning home... now that is a really nice gift from santa!!

 

[helenk]

I am not sure if that post from Passporters is correct. From reading posts on the Transportation board, those who have just come back from WDW are not finding this to be the case.

 

[goofy4tink]

The PassPorter site is incorrect!! I was just at WDW, at BW, and did indeed ask the RAC CMs if there was any truth to this. I was told 'No...there is no talk about SW being a participating airline at all resorts at the moment. It will happen, for sure, but no one knows when that will be.'

The issue is that Disney combines DME with RAC...and they are two different entities. So, when Disney states that SW is not a 'participating airline' with DME, it gives the wrong impression. Add to that the CMs who give out incorrect info....'Oh, you're flying in on SW..you'll have to get your own bags and bring them to the DME bus with you.' is so very wrong!!! But, TAs and Disney CMs are telling guests that, so the guest figures it must be true!!

As of this moment....SW passengers are able to check their luggage at Pop, and the All Star resorts, no place else!!! You have to be staying at the resort, so don't think you can take a cab over to POP from BW and get your bags checked!!!

 

[stopher1]

Southwest is currently piloting Resort Airline Check-in at Pop Century and All Stars. Hopefully it will eventually be permanent and at all resorts.

I've read about that actually, but since it wasn't resort-wide yet, I don't count it as happening. I am hopeful though that eventually it will become a reality.

 

[SusanWasHere]

I just got back last week and the Southwest check-in was still only at the value resorts. We had a very nice ME driver on the way back to the airport and he was calling out the terminals and said that the majority would be going on Southwest. So I asked him why they didn't have SW resort check in at every resort yet since it's such a popular airline with no charge for luggage. He said that SW accounts for a very high percentage (can't rem #) of the air traffic there going to Disney. He said Disney approached them to be part of the resort check-in. They didn't want to go 100% into it bc they weren't sure how it would go with so many customers using it all at once. So they started at the value resorts first to smooth out any issues and see how it went. According to him, they were told that within 6 months SW will be at all the resorts. He said they look forward to it bc the majority of the luggage they unload at the airport is from SW bc everyone brings the 2 bags. I guess we'll see if he's right. I know I've called resorts and written on every survey about getting SW on board. Maybe lots of people did as well and they are listening!! It's the only airline we fly so I would love love love it!!

 

[CarolMN]

Moved from DVC Boards.

 

[bakalorber]

Moved from DVC Boards.

Where did you move this too? I would be nice if you wrote moved from DVC boards to...
Have a happy New year!

 

[CarolMN]

Where did you move this too? I would be nice if you wrote moved from DVC boards to...
Have a happy New year!

Sorry you were confused.

It's very easy to tell where you are on the Disboards, once you know a few tricks. Just look at the top of the page on the left hand side (just to the left of the Twitter ad). You'll see a list of links. For example, we are now in the Southwest and DME thread on the Transportation board, which is part of the Disney Trip Planning Forums, which is part of The DIS Discussion Forums - Disboards.com.

You can also look near the bottom of the page on the right hand side at the Forum Jump drop down box. You will see the name of the forum you are currently in just to the left of the GO button.

Happy New Year to you, too.