Southwest and Resort Check In ?

[culli]

I did a search and found parts of my answer. My Mom is traveling SW for the 1st time and staying at Disney by herself so I won't be there to figure it out for her.

I will check her in 24hr to get her a good boarding # and she can get her boarding pass from conc desk or guest services or the airport. However, with her luggage can she be checked in bring her suitcase to the airport resort check in and have them check her luggage in for her?

Thanks and sorry if this has been asked before, I just couldn't find it.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Yes, as far as I know all SWA is participating at all WDW resorts so your mother should be able to have her bags checked thorugh her resort to the airport.

 

[culli]

I was wondering if anyone has checked in online then had the resort ONLY due the luggage. I know you can check in and take your bags, but will they allow you to check in at the 24hr mark then only bring your luggage?

 

[Petraman]

I was wondering if anyone has checked in online then had the resort ONLY due the luggage. I know you can check in and take your bags, but will they allow you to check in at the 24hr mark then only bring your luggage?

Okay, not sure exactly the question, but I will walk you through our experience using SW and Magical Express. I am assuming your Mom is going to use the Disney-provided Transportation "Magical Express" from the airport to the resort.

You need to contact Disney and let them know you are using Magical Express, and they will mail you special luggage tags to put on your bags (max of 2 tags per person),
Then 24 hrs before your flight, you call SW to reserve your seating.
The day you are leaving, place the Magical Express tags on the bags you plan to check and then just check them like you always do when boarding your flight. When her luggage arrives in Orlando, they will see the special ME tags, and they will pull the luggage and send it directly to her resort.

It can take a few hours to arrive to your hotel... sometimes well after you get there, so don't panic if the luggage isn't there when you arrive. You can just take a small bag as a carryon and put your basics in that bag (change of clothes, swimsuit, etc), then you just carry that bag onto the ME bus with you.

The day that you are departing back to the airport (if you are using ME to take you back), you need to take your bags down to Valet services and have them checked in for your flight like you would out on the sidewalk at the airport. Then they will take them to the airport, get them on your plane and you don't have to touch them until you arrive back home.


Does that answer your questions? Hope so :

 

[Petraman]

I was wondering if anyone has checked in online then had the resort ONLY due the luggage. I know you can check in and take your bags, but will they allow you to check in at the 24hr mark then only bring your luggage?

The 24hr checkin for SW is strictly to get your boarding assignment. It has nothing to do with your luggage. You just bring your luggage to airport with you when flying and check your bags like usual

 

[dudspizza]

The 24hr checkin for SW is strictly to get your boarding assignment. It has nothing to do with your luggage. You just bring your luggage to airport with you when flying and check your bags like usual

PP's are referring to using Resort Airline Check-In. It has been reported that if you check yourself in online, that you cannot use RAC. RAC can only be used 12 or less hours prior to a flight....

 

[Petraman]

PP's are referring to using Resort Airline Check-In. It has been reported that if you check yourself in online, that you cannot use RAC. RAC can only be used 12 or less hours prior to a flight....

Ahh... ok, the OP never mentioned that particular issue, so didn't know. I am trying to remember how we handled it in March. We had no issue, but it may be because we had paid the extra fee for the Early Bird checkin, so we didn't have to go online to checkin...

Or maybe we just got lucky

 

[culli]

Ahh... ok, the OP never mentioned that particular issue, so didn't know. I am trying to remember how we handled it in March. We had no issue, but it may be because we had paid the extra fee for the Early Bird checkin, so we didn't have to go online to checkin...

Or maybe we just got lucky

Sorry if not clear but yeah that is what I'm trying to say! I might just have her pay the extra $10 for the trip home for the priority check in. I have used ME about a dozen times to include the resorts airline check in, just never with SW. I was just wondering what people who fly SW due to maximize their "priority boarding" at the 24hr check in mark but want to have the benefit of checking your luggage at the resort you don't have to take it with you on ME and check the luggage at the airport.

Thank you again for your patience!

 

[Petraman]

I am so glad I saw this thread, we never knew this issue existed. We are headed back in Nov 2011, so we will definitely pay again the for the Early Bird. If you do this for your Mom, make sure you let us know how it turns out for her.

Here's a little pixie dust to help

 

[npcougar]

PP's are referring to using Resort Airline Check-In. It has been reported that if you check yourself in online, that you cannot use RAC. RAC can only be used 12 or less hours prior to a flight....

Are you saying since I used the EBC with SW I can't use RAC?

 

[clanmcculloch]

In August I used EBCI and then checked my luggage at the RAC desk. Disney had my boarding passes hanging from my doorknob when we opened out door in the morning on our departure day so that means SWA checked us in plus our account was accessed for boarding passes before we ever went over to the RAC desk. We had no problems at all.

It doesn't make sense that you wouldn't be able to do this. RAC is the same as doing curbside check-in. You can do that with using EBCI or checking yourself in online at T-24.

 

[culli]

In August I used EBCI and then checked my luggage at the RAC desk. Disney had my boarding passes hanging from my doorknob when we opened out door in the morning on our departure day so that means SWA checked us in plus our account was accessed for boarding passes before we ever went over to the RAC desk. We had no problems at all.

It doesn't make sense that you wouldn't be able to do this. RAC is the same as doing curbside check-in. You can do that with using EBCI or checking yourself in online at T-24.

You would think it wouldn't be an issue.......however, I had an issue with airtran and the first thing they asked was "you didn't check in online did you?". Then the manager told me if you check in online it causes problems and they can't print your boarding passes or take your luggage. I don't think the manager was just giving me a line as he worked with me for over an hour, walked me to conciere desk called airtran and was extremely helpful. Not sure if it was just airtran or what but I have had issues everytime with airtran and RAC, last time I asked the lady about airtran and she told me that they often have lots of problems with airtran and is getting worse now that SW bought them. She said they rarely if ever have issues with SW.

 

[Missytara]

You would think it wouldn't be an issue.......however, I had an issue with airtran and the first thing they asked was "you didn't check in online did you?". Then the manager told me if you check in online it causes problems and they can't print your boarding passes or take your luggage. I don't think the manager was just giving me a line as he worked with me for over an hour, walked me to conciere desk called airtran and was extremely helpful. Not sure if it was just airtran or what but I have had issues everytime with airtran and RAC, last time I asked the lady about airtran and she told me that they often have lots of problems with airtran and is getting worse now that SW bought them. She said they rarely if ever have issues with SW.

Getting your boarding placement with SW and checking in online with Airtran are two totally different animals.

When checking in online with SW at the 24 hour mark, you are only getting your placement of boarding - not your actual boarding pass.

If you checked in online with Airtran, you have virtually already checked in, receiving your boarding pass and cannot use the RAC desk because you are already checked in and locked out of the system. (This happened to someone in front of us in line last year.)

 

[dudspizza]

Are you saying since I used the EBC with SW I can't use RAC?

Below is the type of scenario I am referring to....... people who have checked in online prior to going to RAC have had issues using RAC. Maybe SW is different......

Getting your boarding placement with SW and checking in online with Airtran are two totally different animals.

When checking in online with SW at the 24 hour mark, you are only getting your placement of boarding - not your actual boarding pass.

If you checked in online with Airtran, you have virtually already checked in, receiving your boarding pass and cannot use the RAC desk because you are already checked in and locked out of the system. (This happened to someone in front of us in line last year.)

 

[Tara]

Love the bat signal, duds!

 

[Jestocost]

PP's are referring to using Resort Airline Check-In. It has been reported that if you check yourself in online, that you cannot use RAC. RAC can only be used 12 or less hours prior to a flight....

This is absolutely not true.

We have used EBCI and RAC on more than one occasion with no problems. The system is set up to allow that and it would make no sense for it not to be the case, since no one would use RAC if they were flying SWA and it meant the earliest they could get their boarding numbers assigned would be 12 hours before their flight. It's been hit or miss about getting the BPs on the door in advance or just having to get them printed at the RAC desk when you check your bags, but we have never had a problem.

Now, that's not to say that no one who has used EBCI or checked themselves in at 24 hours hasn't had problems using RAC, but there's nothing inherently problematic about getting checked in for SWA in advance of using the RAC desk. I'm sure that there are people on every airline that have had issues using RAC for one reason or another.

I'm not sure if there may be problems with checking in on other airlines before using RAC or not as we have never attempted that. And, with a few exceptions, there's really no reason you would have to check in for most airlines sooner than 12 hours before your flight. I've never used AirTran and can't comment on their check-in system or any potential issues.

 

[Missytara]

This is absolutely not true.

We have used EBCI and RAC on more than one occasion with no problems. The system is set up to allow that and it would make no sense for it not to be the case, since no one would use RAC if they were flying SWA and it meant the earliest they could get their boarding numbers assigned would be 12 hours before their flight. It's been hit or miss about getting the BPs on the door in advance or just having to get them printed at the RAC desk when you check your bags, but we have never had a problem.

Now, that's not to say that no one who has used EBCI or checked themselves in at 24 hours hasn't had problems using RAC, but there's nothing inherently problematic about getting checked in for SWA in advance of using the RAC desk. I'm sure that there are people on every airline that have had issues using RAC for one reason or another.

I'm not sure if there may be problems with checking in on other airlines before using RAC or not as we have never attempted that. And, with a few exceptions, there's really no reason you would have to check in for most airlines sooner than 12 hours before your flight. I've never used AirTran and can't comment on their check-in system or any potential issues.

He was responsding to the OP, who was referring to another airline other than SW. She was referring to Airtran.

And as I stated in my post, there is a problem if you "check-in" on any airline (other than Southwest, who is an entirely different animal) because you have already completed check-in and blocked yourself out of the system.

On Southwest, you are not "checking in" at the 24 hour point, you are only obtaining your placement in boarding.

 

[culli]

He was responsding to the OP, who was referring to another airline other than SW. She was referring to Airtran.

And as I stated in my post, there is a problem if you "check-in" on any airline (other than Southwest, who is an entirely different animal) because you have already completed check-in and blocked yourself out of the system.

On Southwest, you are not "checking in" at the 24 hour point, you are only obtaining your placement in boarding.

I believe EBCI is different as you pay the $10 fee or whatever it is and whenever you check in your place is already guarenteed so no need to check in online. However, when you use the 24hr online check in they do give you your boarding priority but also that is checking in and you can print your boarding pass.

But it appears you can check in online at the 24 hr mark on SW getting your boarding priority and check in (print pass if you have access) and then drop your bags off with RAC and have them print you your boarding pass. From what I gather from what has been said this is the case. I know many have talked about the EBCI for SW but that is not what I was asking - which to be on the safe side might just do for my Mom. She is traveling by herself, if I was there I would just figure it out on the fly and handle it if something went differently then plan. My Mom......well she doesn't handle things not going as planned very well and I get the heavy dose of friendly fire from her. Hmmmmmmm maybe I should just go with her to make sure everything works out

Thank you all for your help, I really appreciate the comments and insight. SW just recently started flying from our area and I have used them several times but just not to/from Orlando yet with Disney's RAC.

 

[Jestocost]

I believe EBCI is different as you pay the $10 fee or whatever it is and whenever you check in your place is already guarenteed so no need to check in online. However, when you use the 24hr online check in they do give you your boarding priority but also that is checking in and you can print your boarding pass.

But it appears you can check in online at the 24 hr mark on SW getting your boarding priority and check in (print pass if you have access) and then drop your bags off with RAC and have them print you your boarding pass. From what I gather from what has been said this is the case. I know many have talked about the EBCI for SW but that is not what I was asking - which to be on the safe side might just do for my Mom. She is traveling by herself, if I was there I would just figure it out on the fly and handle it if something went differently then plan. My Mom......well she doesn't handle things not going as planned very well and I get the heavy dose of friendly fire from her. Hmmmmmmm maybe I should just go with her to make sure everything works out

Thank you all for your help, I really appreciate the comments and insight. SW just recently started flying from our area and I have used them several times but just not to/from Orlando yet with Disney's RAC.

The short answer is you can pay the $10 for EBCI and have SWA automatically check your mother in 36 hours before her flight or you an check her in 24 hours before her flight. EBCI will get her a lower boarding number, but for an individual traveling alone there's no reason just doing the 24-hour check in shouldn't be perfectly fine. Either way, she can still take her bags to the RAC desk as early as 12 hours before her flight to check her bag and get her boarding pass printed. She must have the process completed (not just be in line) no later than three hours before her flight time.

There's a chance she may have her boarding pass placed on her door sometime the day or night before her departure, but this doesn't always happen. Even if it does, she still will need to get her bag to the RAC desk to check it.

 

[simzac]

This past May, DS & I stayed at All Star Sports and flew down and back on SW. We used ME and RAC for our trip. We did not use EBCI. I went to the concierge desk 24 hrs before our return flight left and had them check us in and print our boarding passes. The next morning, a bag was on our door. In it was another copy of the boarding passes and our info for RAC. We then proceeded to RAC to drop our luggage, then waited on our ME bus. Bottom line is that yes you can use the 24 hr checkin and RAC for SW flights. Sure is great to arrive at MCO and proceed directly to the security line.