Airline Bag Check-in at Resorts

[DisneyFan1979]

We used the airline bag check-in at the Beach Club to check our bags for our return flight on JetBlue on our last trip. We also use a towncar service for our airport transfers. The towncar automatically picks us up 2.5 hrs before our flight. As we checked our bags at the hotel, we we ended up arriving at the airport way too early. So, we think that for our next trip this September that we'd like the towncar to pick us up a half hr later - 2 hrs before our flight.

My questions are:
(1) Is the airline bag check-in cut-off at the hotels still 3 hrs before the flight?
(2) Is JetBlue still offering the service?

Before we tell the towncar to pick us up a little later, we wanted to make sure that the bag check-in at the hotels is still working normally!

Thanks in advance :mickey:

[MuchLovedMama]

Disney info states about 3 hours. If I remember correctly I've read that it's about 2 hr 45 mins - 3 hr 15 mins.

[faline]

I'd also caution you against making your return trip too late. You never know when you'll run into a traffic jam or a problem at security.

[TheRustyScupper]

1) The bus for DME is 3-hrs prior to flight, not luggage check-in.
2) Bag check-in should be at least 30-45 minutes before your bus.
3) You need to protect against a crowd at the luggage check-in desk.
4) The DME bus does not wait for you.
. . . whether you are waiting in the luggage check-in line
. . . whether you are waiting to pay the hotel bill
. . . whether you are running from a meal that took too long or started late
. . . whether you dozed off in the lobby
. . . whether you are late coming from a few extra park minutes
5) The bus in on a schedule and must keep to it.
6) A delay here and there can cause late schedules through the whole day.
7) This can cause other to miss their flights.
8) Luggage check-in is open 5:00am-1:00pm.

NOTE: If you will have bag fees for any airline, these must be paid by credit/debit card at the DME check-in location the day before your flight. If not prepaid, they will not accept the luggage that has a fee. You will have to carry them to the airport and check them yourself.

[DisneyFan1979]

Thank you for your responses.

RustyScupper: I think you may have misinterpreted my question. We are not using Magical Express. On our last trip in March we just used the airline bag check-in service at the resort and then used a towncar service for our ride to the airport. The towncar service automatically schedules your return pick-up time at 2.5 hrs before your flight. Last time was the first time we tried the bag check-in and it was great, so great that we were sitting at the airplane gate with nothing to do 1.5 hours before our flight. In our previous experience checking bags at the Orlando airport takes the most time and without having to do that we ended up being at the airport way too early.

The last trip we had to bring our bags down to the airline check-in at least 3 hrs before our flight. Can anyone confirm that is still the case?

[Tinkerfreak]

I would also caution agains arriving at the airport much later not because of checking baggage but because sometimes the line for security can get really long. On our last trip we were totally taken by surprise at how long it took to get through security. We had never seen a security line that long. We were very glad that we arrived over 2 hours early.

[eandrsmom]

We used Quicksilver last Feb. and we almost didn't make our flight. We were not there during a busy time of the year. (President's Week had already passed.) The lines at the security checkpoint looked worse than the wait for Soarin' during peak season! We were randomly chosen (I think he felt sorry for us) by the security guard to answer a few questions, then allowed to bypass the stand-by wait.
I'd say, get there early, you never know what you're going to encounter at security.

[CleveRocks]

The last trip we had to bring our bags down to the airline check-in at least 3 hrs before our flight. Can anyone confirm that is still the case?

I've read 3 hours. I've read 2.75 hours. Pretty much the same thing. This Resort Airline Check-in timeline has nothing to do with DME bus schedules ... that the cut-off for luggage and the time-of-bus-before-flight are prety much the same amount of time is just a coincidence.

They need time to transport the bags to the airport, check them in with the airline, go through the usual security measures, be loaded onto the aircraft, etc.

[chick20679]

Direct from the Disney website:
"You must check in at the Resort Airline Check-In Desk located in the lobby of select Walt Disney World® Resort hotels up to 12 hours prior to your flight departure time (but no less than three hours prior) during operating hours."

I, also, would not advise cutting it too close when it comes to your arrival at the airport.
While you'll already be checked in and have checked your bags, you can NEVER predict what the line at the TSA checkpoint will be (or any circumstances that may delay your arrival to the airport). Will that extra half-hour at the pool really be worth it when you miss your flight? Probably not. But that's just my :twocents:.
:mickey:

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . RustyScupper: I think you may have misinterpreted my question. We are not using Magical Express. On our last trip in March we just used the airline bag check-in service at the resort and then used a towncar service for our ride to the airport . . .

1) OK, gotcha.
2) I would still leave 3-hrs prior to the flight.
3) You just never know about the security lines at MCO.
. . . sometimes really quick
. . . sometimes it winds through the airport

[O'MalleytheAlleyCat]

I'm just going to tack my own question on to this thread. We're going for a long weekend in October. There will be 4 of us and we're not checking any bags. Our flight home leaves Orlando at 12:35 PM and we plan to use Magical Express. I've seen very long lines of folks checking in and checking bags early in the morning. Since we're likely to be leaving the resort about 9:30 AM, would it just be best for us to wait and get boarding passes at a kiosk at the airport since we're not checking bags? Any opinions out there?

[Beast_fanatic]

I'm just going to tack my own question on to this thread. We're going for a long weekend in October. There will be 4 of us and we're not checking any bags. Our flight home leaves Orlando at 12:35 PM and we plan to use Magical Express. I've seen very long lines of folks checking in and checking bags early in the morning. Since we're likely to be leaving the resort about 9:30 AM, would it just be best for us to wait and get boarding passes at a kiosk at the airport since we're not checking bags? Any opinions out there?

A lot of airlines allow check-in up to 24 hours in advance of the flight, and guest concierge in the lobby of the resort or guest relations at the parks can help with that, so you probably don't have to do the check-in at the resort baggage check in location. What airline are you flying?

[O'MalleytheAlleyCat]

We are flying Delta. I forgot you could check in online. I think you're right, that would probably be the best option. Will the concierge print boarding passes for you do you know?

[faline]

Yes they will as will guest services in the parks. You need to be sure you have your flight information as well as you are within the check-in period for your airline.

[DisneyFan1979]

Thank you again for your responses.

I have another question to add on this thread: just out of curiosity - in Boston where we live if your flight is leaving soon you are bumped to the head of the security line automatically, is that not the case in Orlando? You'd think that would be a general TSA policy, no?

[wendy*darling]

No, I actually would not think that would be a general TSA policy. TSA policy is "arrive 2 hours before your flight time."

I do not believe that's the case in Philadelphia, and I have not heard of it in Orlando either.

I would think that would create a nightmare of confusion. If you know you get to move to the head of the line- why bother following guidelines and showing up early?
Then everyone would be "leaving soon" and have to get moved up.

I do not advise this in Orlando at all.

[ThanxForNoticin]

I have another question to add on this thread: just out of curiosity - in Boston where we live if your flight is leaving soon you are bumped to the head of the security line automatically, is that not the case in Orlando? You'd think that would be a general TSA policy, no?

No, this is NOT TSA policy. If you are late and your flight is leaving while you are in line, that's not security's problem. It's not something they'll do automatically at any airport. They really want people to get to the airport in plenty of time.

[scootch713]

I am doing the same thing(towncar vs ME)... our flight leaves at 332pm, we are having a pickup time of 115pm. In the past ME has NEVER gotten me to the airport at the 2 hour mark before my flight(even with leaving 3 hours before the flight)..... the one time we took it, it was late and it only got me there only 55 min before my flight. I had to check in luggage, get boarding passes, go thru security and get food..... thus my rationale for spending $50 more this year and getting the convenience of a towncar. We are using the resort luggage check in. This last time I did it around 6am, there was absolutely no line.

[DisneyFan1979]

No, this is NOT TSA policy. If you are late and your flight is leaving while you are in line, that's not security's problem. It's not something they'll do automatically at any airport. They really want people to get to the airport in plenty of time.

Guess we're lucky to live in Boston then! The security people always seem very accommodating to ensure that no one misses their flight.

[Nurse Kim]

On our last trip with the kids and I we arrived at our departing airport KCI 2 hours prior to our departure time just to find that we had been bumped up to an earlier flight. It was great news we got to leave early but very inconvenient when we were trying to get through security and still get on that earlier flight. I even checked in online the night before. It was my first time flying with all 3 of my kids and even though they are older it was hectic because they had never flown before. The security line was ridiculous and my daughter had too much jewerly on so that delayed her getting through. You never know what you will encounter at the airport.

We are using ME on our next trip but I don't like getting to the airport that early but we can go through the Disney store or sit down and eat and take in our last minutes of Florida.