twilight check in

[drennan]

Can some one help me?? we go to floriday in december, we are flying from gatwick so we have booked a hotel & park, we booked our holiday with Virgin via Thomas Cook - does that mean we are still able to use the twilight check in or do you have to book direct with virgin to get this. If anybody could tell me i would be grateful, and if we can still do this can someone tell me what we need to do

Thanks in advance

Sharon

 

[Twinks]

Hi Sharon

We used the twilight check in last Christmas both ways and we booked with Bon Voyage Travel.

You need to arrive at the airport, sorry I cannot remember times, but it will tell you on the Virgin website, with all of your luggage. We did not take our hand luggage, but I know on previous postings some people have said you should do. Take your luggage, tickets and passports to the Virgin check-in desk and they will check in your baggage and allocate your seats, return your passports with your boarding cards. You turn up the following morning with your hand luggage and proceed directly to departures (again, sorry I cannot remember exact timings).

On your return journey, you can check in the morning of your flight at Downtown Disney. We did this for the first time last year and it was great. The cost was $5 per passenger and again they took our luggage and issued the boarding cards (you need your passports too). We were particularly pleased as our flight was delayed by 4 hours and they were able to tell us this at the time, which gave us another nearly full day at the park.

Have a fantastic time. I am sure there are other people that may be able to fill in the bits I have missed

Donna

 

[drennan]

Thanks Donna

Much appreciated!!

ttfn
Sharon

 

[Goofyish]

Twilight checkin is available to all Virgin Atlantic passengers regardless of how/who you booked the flight with

Opening times are 12noon until 9pm

 

[drennan]

Thanks Goofyfish, that's put my mind at rest

 

[Julie L]

Could you do the on-line check in, which i believe can be done 24hrs before, to guarantee your seats, then proceed to use the Twilight check-in to get rid of the cases and get your boarding passes???

 

[kristieuk]

Could you do the on-line check in, which i believe can be done 24hrs before, to guarantee your seats, then proceed to use the Twilight check-in to get rid of the cases and get your boarding passes???

We have certainly done this with BA. I'm sure it would be the same for Virgin. When we flew with them it was before the days of online check-in!

 

[mickeys_chick]

Hello wondering if you can help too!

We have booked flights with Virgin atlantic were staying 1 week on site disney 1 week at sheraton safari (near DTD) We will be using the online checkin the night before for Manchester but can we use the DTD virgin checkin to off load our bags for the return flight??

 

[MazdaUK]

Online check-in only works if you book through Virgin - otherwise you don't have the right numbers for the system to find your booking. But using twighlight check-in avoids the queues as well. We didn't take our hand luggage and no-one asked about it.

If you're booked on a Virgin flight you can use the DTD check-in, but they will charge $5 per person if you didn't book through Virgin. Its by Cirque du Soleil (so park down there or you have to drag your cases a LOOOng way!) They pack the cases into U-Haul trucks - they will weigh them if they look very heavy, but otherwise they just put them through (One little old lady had two huge cases she could hardly shift and she was insisting they weighed nothing!!)

We saw someone checking in one of those HUGE cuddly toys you win (if you're very unlucky ) on sideshows - the Virgin people wrapped it in plastic and tape and we saw it coming round the carousel at Gatwick, so bear that in mind if you win it.

 

[drennan]

Thanks guys for all your info, i definately will be doing the twilight check in at gatwick, that way we can go for a nice meal that night not worrying about our cases etc, the DTD check in sounds good also especially when it gives you extra time to SHOP at the disney shop

Thanks again

ttfn
Sharon x

 

[AnitaCB]

Just out of curiosity - if you used the twilight check in would you stand any chance of an upgrade, or does that only happen on the day of the flight? I live in hope of a free upgrade!!!

 

[Miffy2003]

Just out of curiosity - if you used the twilight check in would you stand any chance of an upgrade, or does that only happen on the day of the flight? I live in hope of a free upgrade!!!

When we got upgraded from economy to PE, we had done Twilight check in

 

[AnitaCB]

When we got upgraded from economy to PE, we had done Twilight check in

Did you ask or did they offer - I get a bit embarrassed in these situations!

 

[MazdaUK]

From my understanding (OK I'm an AIRPORT fan ) they never upgrade families - usually couples or singles who look fairly smart. Apparently (so I was told) if you ring up the day before and find out if the flight is full that's your tip - if its full they'll be looking to move people up to maximise seat use. If half-empty you cvan keep your shellsuit as they're not going to move you anyway
They also sometimes move *ahem* heavier people up to balance the weight ratios.
Well-covered, well-dressed and kids-free is the way to go

 

[rosiejo]

Could you do the on-line check in, which i believe can be done 24hrs before, to guarantee your seats, then proceed to use the Twilight check-in to get rid of the cases and get your boarding passes???

I'm just bumping this to see if you can do both - need to decide which one to do otherwise

Thanks

RJ

 

[Miffy2003]

Did you ask or did they offer - I get a bit embarrassed in these situations!

Anita, I am so sorry, I did not realise you had asked about this

No I definitely did not ask. To be honest I had no clue about holidaying at that point (pre Dis days ) and it would not even have occurred to me to ask!! I did not know things like upgrades even happened!

Mazda - when we were upgraded it was myself, DH and a 3 year old and a 6 year old. I can't exactly remember what we were wearing but I would put money on tracksuit bottoms for me! I know general advice is to look smart and only travel in a couple but I can state categorically we were upgraded as a family with young kids and we would definitely not have looked smart at Twilight, LOL. I wear clothes for travelling in comfort, not style

 

[Obi Wan Kenobi]

Most of the upgrade decisions have already been made when you get to check in so whether you use on line, twilight or standard check in it won't matter.
By the way, DTD check in is free for FC Gold card members and UC seats

 

[MazdaUK]

Its generally not very busy at twighlight - particularly early on (we checked in around 2.00) so there's no problem with seats. I think if you check in online you use the quick drop line the next day, but please correct me as I'm only going on what I saw.

 

[Miffy2003]

Most of the upgrade decisions have already been made when you get to check in so whether you use on line, twilight or standard check in it won't matter.

That's interesting Obi! I shall remember that for future reference as this question gets asked a lot.