SW question for flight home...

[Maybelle]

Does SW have any curbside check in where ME drops off, or do you have to go to the SW desk inside to check your bags? I am assuming the latter, but just checking to be sure.

Thanks.

 

[DebbieB]

ME drops off on level 1. You have to go up to level 3 for either the curbside or the counter. If the counter line is long, I sometimes go outside to curbside.

 

[jjarman]

I have done the curbside. Last trip was a Saturday return flight during springbreak. The line inside was scary long. I didn't think we would get through in time to make our flight. Stepped outside and there were 2 curbside checkins with 1-2 people in each line. Whew.

 

[5boyz]

HI there!! I am leaving tomorrow night at 6:55pm , so I did 24hr online check in . I got A45 46 47 & 48. Does anyone know if those are good boarding passes? Thanks

 

[LorieDisneyLover]

HI there!! I am leaving tomorrow night at 6:55pm , so I did 24hr online check in . I got A45 46 47 & 48. Does anyone know if those are good boarding passes? Thanks

You shouldn't have any problems sitting together. Those are good. Anything in 'A' group is good.

 

[Missytara]

I have only flown SW once, when I took some friends and they insisted we save the few dollars between SW and Airtran. We picked up the curbside check-in guy right at the ME place on level 1 and he took all of our bags up - there were four of us. Boy am I glad - the line was out the door practically.

 

[Bound For Glory]

We flew SW home Tuesday morning. There were 2 guys waiting with baggage carts when the DME dropped us off. Our guy asked what airline, loaded our bags, and led us to SW. The line inside was huge so he led us outside. That line was also huge. He said he could check-in our luggage outside and also print our boarding passes. (My mother checked us in on-line the day before but we never printed our passes.) He went in there and returned 5 minutes later with our boarding passes. It must've saved us at least 30 minutes, not to mention not having to figure out where to go. I never felt somebody did more to earn a $10 tip from me.

I don't know if he worked for SWA, I don't think he had anything to identify him as such. But he did appear dressed the same as the outside SWA people. But it saved us a lot of aggrevation and all of our luggage turned up safe and sound at BWI. It also got us a head start to wait for our flight which was delayed 30 minutes. We actually would've been on time for the flight scheduled 1:20 before ours. I don't know why DME picks you up 3 hours ahead of your flight time.

 

[Maybelle]

Thanks for the replies...I hope we can find a luggage porter when we get off the bus right away. I would much rather be in the airport sitting, or getting something to eat, rather than stading in line waiting to check our bags.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

We flew SW home Tuesday morning. There were 2 guys waiting with baggage carts when the DME dropped us off. Our guy asked what airline, loaded our bags, and led us to SW. The line inside was huge so he led us outside. That line was also huge. He said he could check-in our luggage outside and also print our boarding passes. (My mother checked us in on-line the day before but we never printed our passes.) He went in there and returned 5 minutes later with our boarding passes. It must've saved us at least 30 minutes, not to mention not having to figure out where to go. I never felt somebody did more to earn a $10 tip from me.

I don't know if he worked for SWA, I don't think he had anything to identify him as such. But he did appear dressed the same as the outside SWA people. But it saved us a lot of aggrevation and all of our luggage turned up safe and sound at BWI. It also got us a head start to wait for our flight which was delayed 30 minutes. We actually would've been on time for the flight scheduled 1:20 before ours. I don't know why DME picks you up 3 hours ahead of your flight time.

They do this b/c not everyone has such a lucky circumstance as yours. Sometimes traffic can be bad or an accident shutting downs lanes. Also some people have to wait in that long line you described above. Add to that long lines at security and people could miss their flight.
Disney is just trying to make the whole thing as stress free as possible b/c so many of the factors I just described are out of their control.

 

[MinnieLee]

We always found skycaps at the ME drop off spots - and always use them. Unfortunately, the ME bus stop is on level one and you have to go up the elevator to level 3 and to the other side of the terminal. I don't want to go back to reality that quickly but lugging our suitcases. Skycaps have always loaded our luggage from the bus and then when we arrived at the check in waited with us. In May curbside was closed. The lines move rather quick and SW had plenty of employees doing the check ins/luggage weighing. We always tip the skycaps also. They are not Disney or ME employees. Hopefully, after the trial run of being able to use your luggage check in for SW return flights - which they are using now at POP - will expand to all of the Disney resorts. That would be so much easier.

 

[DebbieB]

We flew SW home Tuesday morning. There were 2 guys waiting with baggage carts when the DME dropped us off. Our guy asked what airline, loaded our bags, and led us to SW. The line inside was huge so he led us outside. That line was also huge. He said he could check-in our luggage outside and also print our boarding passes. (My mother checked us in on-line the day before but we never printed our passes.) He went in there and returned 5 minutes later with our boarding passes. It must've saved us at least 30 minutes, not to mention not having to figure out where to go. I never felt somebody did more to earn a $10 tip from me.

I don't know if he worked for SWA, I don't think he had anything to identify him as such. But he did appear dressed the same as the outside SWA people. But it saved us a lot of aggrevation and all of our luggage turned up safe and sound at BWI. It also got us a head start to wait for our flight which was delayed 30 minutes. We actually would've been on time for the flight scheduled 1:20 before ours. I don't know why DME picks you up 3 hours ahead of your flight time.

The skycaps (both at the DME & the curbside) usually don't work for the airlines, they are contracted by the airport. They depend on tips for income.

 

[jamstew]

We flew SW home Tuesday morning. There were 2 guys waiting with baggage carts when the DME dropped us off. Our guy asked what airline, loaded our bags, and led us to SW. The line inside was huge so he led us outside. That line was also huge. He said he could check-in our luggage outside and also print our boarding passes. (My mother checked us in on-line the day before but we never printed our passes.) He went in there and returned 5 minutes later with our boarding passes. It must've saved us at least 30 minutes, not to mention not having to figure out where to go. I never felt somebody did more to earn a $10 tip from me.

I had the same experience last December. Unfortunately, I forgot about it my May and schlepped my bags up to Level 3

I don't know why DME picks you up 3 hours ahead of your flight time.

(1) Minimum 30 minute drive time to the airport, (2) stops at other resorts on the way, (3) potential for traffic or an accident, (4) possibility of long security lines. I've arrived at the gate more than once with only a few minutes to spare, but if I have more than an hour, I'll usually get a bite to eat or do some shopping. It's definitely better than missing a flight

 

[Bound For Glory]

Yeah, the three hour thing falls into the better safe than sorry category. And I'm normally the one bugging my wife about getting places early. It was ironic on our trip home because I used part of our SWA credit rebooking to a flight that was about 1:20 later in the morning so we wouldn't be rushed. We could've easily made the original earlier flight with the later DME time. But by getting there early we all got nice leather seats with outlets. My wife took a nap, I read the paper in comfort, and our younger son recharged his Nintendo DS while playing.