SWA curbside/ME dropoff??

[Lisa10]

Solo mom here travelling with 3 kids and LUGGAGE. Does MCO have curbside checkin for SWA for when I travel back to Pgh? I would definitely want to use the curbside if I hire a towncar for the ride back to the airport. If I use ME instead of hiring a towncar, where at the airport does the ME shuttle drop us in relation to where I have to go to check in my bags with SWA? I will be checking in online at the 24 hour mark the day before. Any help/advice will be much appreciated!! Leaving in 6 days!!! YAAAAAAA!!!!

 

[CleveRocks]

Solo mom here travelling with 3 kids and LUGGAGE. Does MCO have curbside checkin for SWA for when I travel back to Pgh? I would definitely want to use the curbside if I hire a towncar for the ride back to the airport. If I use ME instead of hiring a towncar, where at the airport does the ME shuttle drop us in relation to where I have to go to check in my bags with SWA? I will be checking in online at the 24 hour mark the day before. Any help/advice will be much appreciated!! Leaving in 6 days!!! YAAAAAAA!!!!

MCO has two levels for ground transportation. Level 1 is "ground level," and Level 3 is two floors above that. Normally, people being dropped off for flights would be dropped off at Level 3. Level 3 is where the airline ticket counters are, and is where curbside check-in occurs.

DME drops off guests at Level 1 ... apparently the buses are too heavy to be permitted to drive on Level 3. This means that when you are dropped off by DME, you have to go inside and take a nearby elevator (there are many of them). There are usually skycaps at DME drop-off areas (who will bring your luggage to your airline or curbside for you), but this can't be guaranteed.

So it would seem in your case, if you are very concerned about your ability to handle the luggage yourself, that being dropped off by a car service would suit you better, since you could be dropped off pretty much near a SWA curbside check-in location.

My only question would be how do you intend to handle your luggage in Pittsburgh in both directions, coming and going?

 

[pamjb]

I have always used the curbside check in at MCO for SW. I don't know about other airlines, but the insidein luggage check in is a mess. You get your luggage tags and then have to take them to the TSA. It is well worth the tip to the skycaps to handle the luggage.
I don't use ME, but use a towncar service. My aunt used DME on her last trip and did have to lug her luggage from the DME drop off point to the SW ticket counter. To hear her, you would think it was miles that she had to lug her bags

 

[Lewisc]

Ed said DME buses are suppose to use a couple of spots near the middle of the level. There are suppose to be skycaps (tip) and luggage carts (for rent) available. Guests with a lot of luggage should just budget a couple of dollars per bag and get a skycap.

 

[cepmom]

OP ~ I'm glad you just posted this. I was just talking to DH about this last night. I am also traveling with three kids and no DH ~ leaving in 8 days!!!!

So, when we get dropped of by ME on level 1, there should be skycaps there on level 1 to take my luggage to SW for me?? If not, then I need to go inside and up two levels to level 3 and either wait in the SW check in line or find a curbside check in for SW on level 3? How about if I need to reprint my boarding passes....can the skycaps (either on level 1 or level 3)do that for me? I am having DH check us in at the 24 hour mark, but will need to reprint the boarding passes at MCO.

 

[dburg30]

My only question would be how do you intend to handle your luggage in Pittsburgh in both directions, coming and going?

My guess would be that they will have help at the airport both at drop off and pickup in p'burgh from a friend or family member. Just my speculation though

 

[Lisa10]

Thank you everyone for all of your responses! I think a towncar taking me right to the curbside checkin at MCO would be the least aggravation.

Hello CleveRocks,

On the morning we leave for Orlando, I will drive my van that's loaded up with kids and luggage to a shuttle/long term parking service near Pgh. International Airport. The shuttle guys will load my luggage onto the shuttle bus, go park my van and drive me to SWA curbside checkin where the SW people will take the luggage right from the shuttle and I won't see it again until its in my room at WDW. Can't wait!!! Thanks for your advice!!

 

[bbrnca]

I came back from WDW on Aug8/07 and used the SW curb side check in...there were 9 of us and total of 8 bags and the inside check in was atleast 1 hr long if not longer and using curb side we were done in 5min and gave the guy $10 for checking us in....best $10 I have spent at MCO....next time I will be doing the same thing.......

 

[Princess-Less]

I had the same thought last April on the ME ride back to MCO....How to check in all of these bags and keep track of 4 kids, and my husband was with me too! WE hadn't flown in 9 years, and it was the kids first flight too. Thankfully the ME bus pulled in and there were skycaps available. The one we had was wonderful, 6 of us and 7 bags, he loaded them all on a cart so my husband and I could concentrate on keeping track of the 4 kids and carryons; wheeled it inside, up the elevator, and back outside where the upper level curbside check-in is. He was tipped well for his help and it made it very easy for us. The only time we had to handle the bags was upon our return at our home ariprt, and we managed. I will pack lighter next time too!

 

[KarlaG4Kids]

I agree. The skycaps are wonderful. Well worth what you tip them. ME dropped us off with LOTS of luggage and 2 young grandsons. Skycap was right there, he loaded the luggage and even loaded the youngest grandson on top of the luggage (because the grandson was worn out from walking), held him on and off we went to SWA checkin. He unloaded the luggage, and even checked the luggage in with SWA. He made is so easy. It is quite a distance from ME drop off to SWA check in. With kids I wouldn't do it any other way. I figure it is still much cheaper to hire a skycap and take the ME than to hire alternative transportation.