Southwest Check-in

[javamom]

I have a question about the airport check-in desk. I was intending to check-in 24hours in advance for my Southwest flight, but then I realized that I wouldn't be able to print the boarding passes.

Can you "check-in" 24 hours in advance at the desk and then check your bags the next day for your flight?

 

[FLYNZ4]

I have a question about the airport check-in desk. I was intending to check-in 24hours in advance for my Southwest flight, but then I realized that I wouldn't be able to print the boarding passes.

Can you "check-in" 24 hours in advance at the desk and then check your bags the next day for your flight?

I have not done this in a long time... but when traveling and needing a printer... I would use the fax/modem built into my laptop to fax a document to the hotel that I was staying at.

I know that on United (which I primarily fly)... I can check in at home... and then at the terminal have the option to print the boarding pass. I am not sure if SW allows local printing of pre-checked in passengers.

Finally... I am fairly positive that SW is not one of the airlines that allows luggage check-in at WDW resorts.

/Jim

 

[scotttrippett]

You are right SW are not part of the resort check in.

 

[Corinne]

You can go to the front desk at your resort and ask them to print your boarding passes, we do it all the time.

SW is not a 'participating' airline for Magical Express which simply means on your return home, you will have to bring your bags to the airport and check in there. Hope this helps.

 

[TisBit]

With Southwest you can check in 24 hrs early and if you don't have access to a printer, you can just reprint the boarding passes at the kiosk at the airport. This allows you to get an early check in, but does take a few extra minutes (unless you were checking bags, than it is the same amount of time). We do this all the time with our laptop when we travel to Orlando.

 

[Muhlenberg]

With SouthWest...you can check-in online yourself on any computer 24 hrs ahead, and print the boarding passes later. My son does that a lot. If you don't print the boarding passes when you initially check in, check in again later to print them. I've also heard/read that you can have the actual boarding passes printed at the luggage check-in at the airport.

And that was a simulpost with the above person.

 

[JaxFLBear]

You can also use a cell phone that has a web browser by going to http://mobile.southwest.com.

 

[Goofy's apprentice]

The front desk at any of the resorts will be happy to print your boarding passes. A number of times when we were at a resort other than the one we were staying at (having dinner, watching fireworks etc) we have asked that resort to print for us. They were always happy to do it.

 

[FLYNZ4]

That is good to know that SW allows you to advance check-in and print at the airport. I know other airlines (esp United) do... but I was not sure about SW.

Has anyone else but me ever used the hotel fax machine as an emergecny printer for anything? It has been so long since I have used a modem... that I had to check to see if my new laptop still had a modem port

/Jim

 

[FLYNZ4]

SW is not a 'participating' airline for Magical Express which simply means on your return home, you will have to bring your bags to the airport and check in there.

Technically, the resort check-in and DME are totally independent. You can check backage if you are not on DME or vice versa. DME is paid for by Disney. Resort check-in is paid by the airlines and/or airport.

However... from a practical standpoint... you are correct as SW does not participate in either program.

/Jim

 

[tor]

You can also check in at guest relations in the parks

 

[danielle782001]

You can go to the front desk at your resort and ask them to print your boarding passes, we do it all the time.

SW is not a 'participating' airline for Magical Express which simply means on your return home, you will have to bring your bags to the airport and check in there. Hope this helps.

We always do the same thing... Go to the front desk the day before the flight to check-in and print out boarding passes... It is quick and easy... Much better than having to do it at the airport!!! CM are always pleasant, happy to help, and quicker than doing it after you arrive at the airport.

Luggage becomes difficult with SW... You can store them at resort after you check-out of your room and they pull your bags out when you come back to get on the Magical Express bus... Just make sure you get there at least 15 minutes before the bus is secheduled to leave in order to get your bags out of storage.... Plan on tipping for that...

They will take your bags to the airport for you but you will need to move them through the airport... Plan on tipping the driver for taking your bags on and off the bus for you...Once you get to the airport you will have to go up stairs to Southwest to check-in your bags... This is a pain if you have a lot of stuff/kids with you... Think of packing light...

DH and I have learned that the hard way... We have found the process to be such a pain that we take a taxi to the airport in order to take advantage of curb-side check-in... It costs about $60 and worth every penny for us... We have two small kids (one with special needs)... The line in the airport to check your bags is always long and a pain to get to with two kids and all of their stuff... It is much easier to check-in at the curb because there is hardly ever a line and there is no need to bring your bags through the airport...

If you try not to have a ton of stuff, you should be fine... Just be prepared for the stress of moving bags through the airport and waiting on line to check your bags.

 

[javamom]

That's weird, I thought that I read somewhere that Southwest was the latest to join the program. I better go check that info again...

 

[javamom]

Yep, it's sadly true... *sigh* no resort check-in with Southwest. Oh well, I guess I will just checkin on my laptop at the 24-hour mark and check-in again.

edit to add that I normally do not fly Southwest, and I may not again if it means losing resort check-in and baggage handling.

 

[TisBit]

That's weird, I thought that I read somewhere that Southwest was the latest to join the program. I better go check that info again...

I did hear that Southwest and Disney are working on a deal to make resort check in available. I think it involved some software fixes, etc and they were hoping to have it online in the next year (if I recall correctly). I think that article came out last september.

 

[danielle782001]

I did hear that Southwest and Disney are working on a deal to make resort check in available. I think it involved some software fixes, etc and they were hoping to have it online in the next year (if I recall correctly). I think that article came out last september.

oh, that would be great!

 

[JFrey4240]

If you are in the parks, you can go to guest services and they will check you in online with Southwest and print your boarding passes. We did this in February while at MK. It was very easy!

 

[salmoneous]

I did hear that Southwest and Disney are working on a deal to make resort check in available. I think it involved some software fixes, etc and they were hoping to have it online in the next year (if I recall correctly). I think that article came out last september.

For more than year now, there have been rumors from really reliable sources that Southwest and Disney were thisclose to finalizing a deal to allow RAC. At this point, I wouldn't trust any rumors on this issue - just assume it's not happening and be pleasantly surprised if it does.

Personally, I never want to be bogged down worrying about checking in for my SW flight. I have friends/family back home check in for me at the 24-hour mark and print my passes at the airport.

Note that not only is SW up several flights from where ME drops you off, but is all the way down the hall. If you are worried about juggling kids/luggage/etc. make use of the red caps who are usually there to meet the ME buses.