[TigTig]

Hello All.
Well, my husband and I are counting down the last days until our trip (woohoo!) and we only have one thing left to decide... departure plans. Our flight isn't until 6:35pm and I want to be able to spend some time at the parks without lugging around our luggage all day. (In the past we always left early so it wasn't an issue.) Seems to me that the Resort Airline Checkin Service will work perfectly for us, but I have had a hard time convincing my husband of that. He is nervous about entrusting our bags to them all day; he's scared of them getting lost or stolen.

Does anyone have any words of advice? Has anyone had trouble with this service?? Does anyone have any better suggestions???

Thanks in advance for your help!!!

[Daisee]

I do not have experience with this service myself.. but I have seen the trucks pull up to our resort and pick up the luggage for the airlines. They are inside of metal cages and loaded onto the truck. I am not sure if they are locked.. but it did look as though they were. This adding to the safety issue. They sure did take a lot of luggage.. so people are using the service.

[whitba]

Being from Canada, we can't use the Airline checkin for departure but I do have one tip - be sure you are early to meet your ME bus back to the airport. Our return was scheduled for 9:55, we stepped out the front doors at 9:45 to see our bus driving out the driveway

It turned out there was another bus scheduled for 10:20 and that worked fine for our flight, so all was well.

If I could, I would leave my bags with the Airline checkin, they seem to run a pretty tight ship and we've never had a problem with bag delivery on arrival.

[dac921]

we tried to use the check in but the computers were done.
What we did is check out of our room early and took our bags to the bell stand and they stayed in a maned room until we returned and took the magical express... keep in mind the magical express will pick you up approx 3 hours before your flight.

The nice thing with the resort airline check in is that your bags go directly to that airline, you don't have to check in, you get your boarding passes right there and go right to the gate... a great time saver... wish it worked last september.

[dznylvr]

I think it would be fine to do that. Are you using ME on your arrival? If so, are you trusting them to get you luggage from the airport to the room on arrival? If so, I think it would be the same if you trust them to watch it while you are at the park on your last day. I wouldn't hesitate to do that. I think all will be fine!
Oh, yeah, and glad to see you on MB!!

[bransworld]

If you are using ME i would use the service. It is very helpful and works out fine.

[ssn]

We used it in April and we loved it!!!! One of my bags was even over the 50 lb limit and the CM told me not to worry about it! The convenience of the whole process was incredible.

I wasn't worried at all that our bags were going to get stolen or anything. Just make sure you don't put anything valuable in your bags. Not so much for the Disney end of it, but for when your bags go thru airport security.

It was so nice not to have to drag all your bags to the airport. You just walk in and find your gate!!!

Oh, if you're staying at the All Stars, make sure you give yourself ALOT of time to check in your luggage. The day we were leaving last week we noticed the lines were sooooooo long. It wasn't as bad at the Beach Club in April.

Also, someone mentioned meeting your ME bus early - we actually had to wait over 1/2 for our ME bus (after the time they told us) and then it stopped at 4 other hotels along the way. That part wasn't so convenient, but hey it's free!

[Jen]

We used the departure service at OKW for our trip at the end of August. It was very conveinent. The Resort Airline Check-in employees informed us that checking in there was the same as checking in at the airport ~ as they are Airline employees, not Disney CMs. I have to say that I was just a little nervous waiting for our bags that evening when we came home (as our plane was delayed and it had been almost 20 hours since we checked our bags!!) but they all arrived safely!!

[XQIXX]

I used it and it is great. Last time I was there in Feb, the CM told me that Southwest would be joining soon and they were testing the software. As far as I know though they haven't joined yet. I really wish they would because it is a great feature!

[aPIRATESlife]

Good Afternoon. I am the husband of TigTig & it seems that pretty much everyone has had a good outcome with the Resort Airline Check-in Service.
I appreciate eveyone pitching in their opinion. I'm sure it will all work out perfectly & have no worries. We are counting down to our visit & could not be more excited. I can't wait to get on the "new" Pirates of the Caribbean ride. Thanks again everyone & please continue to post.

[PrincessPooh]

First, welcome to MB. I can say that we use resort airline check in each time we are there, and only fly the specific carriers that offer this service with Disney. We have never had any problems. Our only issue has been overweight baggage on the way home which caused some delays on our part.

[TigTig]

Thank you all so much for your advise! From reading my husband's post it looks like you might have convinced him! It sounds like it is a wonderful idea and it would benefit us greatly to use it. We are planning on using ME both ways, it's just all new to us so we wanted to hear real life experiences to make sure it was a good idea.

I appreciate ALL your help! You guys are all so very helpful & knowledgable! Glad to be part of MouseBuzz!!!

[palmickey]

We did it once with no problems. Then we changed to an airline that did not offer it. This trip, our airline is on the list. I am so excited.