Why does RAC only operate from 5am to 1pm?

[DISNEY FIX]

Does anyone know why the hours for RAC are 5am to effectivly 12:40pm???????? I read another post that someone who dropped off their bags said that they stop taking bags after 12:40. Just curious. I feel for the RAC people they are going to be overwhelmed with all the SW bags......tip em well.

 

[NJRRK]

1 - that's an 8 hour day, only requires one "crew" of employees.
2 - Since check out is 11 a.m. I guess they figure that's plenty of time to get the bags to them.

i've never seen anyone have a problem with these hours. But if you do you can store you bags with bell services and take them to the airport for checkin yourself, just like those flying on non-participating airlines.

 

[DISNEY FIX]

i've never seen anyone have a problem with these hours. But if you do you can store you bags with bell services and take them to the airport for checkin yourself, just like those flying on non-participating airlines.

It would stink to have an early flight then you will have to do it yourself, been there done that schlepping bags stinks.

Wow an Auntie Mame quote.

 

[goofy4tink]

The people with the really early morning flights are the only ones impacted. YOu can pretty much check those bags up to 12 hrs before flight departure. But if you have an 8am or earlier flight, you can't use RAC. You have to be done with your checkin no less than 3 hrs before flight time....it takes about 10 mins to get it all done...but sometimes more. So, if you get there right at 5am, you can't use it for a flight that's earlier than 8:15, and even that is going to be iffy. I wish they would open the desk earlier, but I have to wonder who would be using it then...there isn't a huge need for RAC that early.

 

[kaytieeldr]

And the 'closing effectively at 12:40' goes along with the 'check in and check your luggage at least three but no more than twelve hours prior to flight departure' restriction. VERY few, if any, flights are scheduled to depart MCO after midnight.

 

[DISNEY FIX]

And the 'closing effectively at 12:40' goes along with the 'check in and check your luggage at least three but no more than twelve hours prior to flight departure' restriction. VERY few, if any, flights are scheduled to depart MCO after midnight.

I was thinking about people with late afternoon and evening flights won't have access to their luggage. I guess it is the price you pay for wanting to squeeze every last hour out of your trip.

 

[Missytara]

I was thinking about people with late afternoon and evening flights won't have access to their luggage. I guess it is the price you pay for wanting to squeeze every last hour out of your trip.

Yes, but if you are checking out at 11:00 am, you would have to place your baggage in Guest Services and you won't have access to it that way either....

Better just to send it on its way.

 

[goofy4tink]

They can, and should, keep anything they are going to need in their carryon bags. Each person gets one, as well as a personal item. That should allow plenty of room for whatever is needed.

 

[DISNEY FIX]

Don't get me wrong none of theses posts are complaints, just curiosity as to how things work. I couldn't be happier about RAC now that SW has joined.
I just like to know how and why things work.

 

[dburg30]

I'll be very happy when SW is fully in the RAC. I'll be much less tempted to buy that last minute stuff since I'd have to make sure it could go carry on with me. If I had access to my luggage I'd think about wanting to shove those last purchases in them.

 

[goofy4tink]

Don't get me wrong none of theses posts are complaints, just curiosity as to how things work. I couldn't be happier about RAC now that SW has joined.
I just like to know how and why things work.

Ah, but this is Disney we're talking about. Some things just don't make sense. We'll never 'get' how they work.

 

[Lewisc]

How many guests with a 7a flight would be interested in shelping their luggage to the RAC desk at 3:45a?

I'm not even sure how many guests are interested in schelping their bags over to RAC at 5a. I guess one person can take the luggage over while the rest of the group showers. How many resorts have a restaurant open at 5a? I could see dropping your luggage off at RAC then having breakfast while waiting for the DME bus.

The 1p time is 2 hours after the resort check out time. Some guests can get a late check out of noon. 1p works with that.

Evening hours would make sense if RAC is able to accept bags the night before.

The people with the really early morning flights are the only ones impacted. YOu can pretty much check those bags up to 12 hrs before flight departure. But if you have an 8am or earlier flight, you can't use RAC. You have to be done with your checkin no less than 3 hrs before flight time....it takes about 10 mins to get it all done...but sometimes more. So, if you get there right at 5am, you can't use it for a flight that's earlier than 8:15, and even that is going to be iffy. I wish they would open the desk earlier, but I have to wonder who would be using it then...there isn't a huge need for RAC that early.

 

[goofy4tink]

How many guests with a 7a flight would be interested in shelping their luggage to the RAC desk at 3:45a?

I'm not even sure how many guests are interested in schelping their bags over to RAC at 5a. I guess one person can take the luggage over while the rest of the group showers. How many resorts have a restaurant open at 5a? I could see dropping your luggage off at RAC then having breakfast while waiting for the DME bus.

The 1p time is 2 hours after the resort check out time. Some guests can get a late check out of noon. 1p works with that.

Evening hours would make sense if RAC is able to accept bags the night before.

I have to agree. I would be hard pressed to be up and moving by 3:45. If you had a flight at 7am, you would be picked up around 4...give or take 15 mins either way. Which means if your pickup time is 3:45am, you would have to be at the RAC counter by 3:15!! You really need to allow 15 mins for that and then be at the DME bus stop 15 mins before the listed pickup time.
I can only imagine that those who have to book those early morning flights don't want to get up that early!!! That would have you getting up around 2:30!!! Nope, not me.
I would get a room close to the airport for the previous night rather than get up that early at WDW.

 

[Dan Murphy]

What is RAC??

 

[NJRRK]

What is RAC??

Resort (or Remote) Airline Check-in.

This allows those flying participating airlines to check their baggage at the resort instead of at the airport, think of curbside check in VERY far away from the checkin desk.

 

[NJRRK]

Wow an Auntie Mame quote.

One of my favorite movies!

 

[goofy4tink]

What is RAC??

Really Dan??? Really? I can't believe you're not familier, but you usually rent a car I think.
When you are able to use RAC, you can check all your checked bags right at the resort and have your boarding passes issued. It's sooooo nice not to have to lug those bags to the airport. But not all airlines participate in the program. It seems that SW is joining the group of airlines that do participate...a really big deal.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Resort (or Remote) Airline Check-in.

This allows those flying participating airlines to check their baggage at the resort instead of at the airport, think of curbside check in VERY far away from the checkin desk.

Ahh, I see. That is a nice service.

Really Dan??? Really? I can't believe you're not familier, but you usually rent a car I think.
When you are able to use RAC, you can check all your checked bags right at the resort and have your boarding passes issued. It's sooooo nice not to have to lug those bags to the airport. But not all airlines participate in the program. It seems that SW is joining the group of airlines that do participate...a really big deal.

And yes, Diane, I have rented a car every trip I have ever taken there, so no DME yet for me. So RAC goes with DME?

 

[kaytieeldr]

Not necessarily

You can use RAC (Resort/Remote Airline Check-in) even if you're NOT using Magical Express to get back to the airport - as long as your airline 'participates' - see the "what participating airline really means" sticky at the top of this forum, and DON'T panic over its size; all necessary information is in the first post or two!.

RAC = extreme curbside check-in... except that the 'curb' is thirty miles, not thirty feet, from the terminal.

What airline/s do you normally use, Dan?

 

[Dan Murphy]

In the past I have used Midwest Airlines out of Milwaukee. With their reduction in service of late, now Airtran.