Is Southwest part of DME?

[zurgandfriend]

A co-worker asked if Southwest Airlines participates in the DME/deliver your bags to your resort room program. They have heard yes from some people and no from other. I haven’t flown southwest to WDW so I couldn’t answer their question but told them I would find out and get back to them.
Does anyone know definite the answer? Master Yoda?

 

[sshindel]

I've always flown into MCO not OIA. Maybe that's the confusion. Also, I've bolded the part that talks about returning TO the airport - not taking ME FROM the airport at arrival.

OIA is MCO
From the Orlando International Airport website:
"Orlando International Airport (MCO) - It's the real McCoy!"

I promise you that Southwest flying both into and out of MCO was not able to use the "check your bags straight to your room" feature of magical express prior to this year. In all of our past trips to MCO using DME, we've never been able to receive the tags that allowed us to check our luggage, and always were required to retrieve our luggage from baggage claim prior to heading to the DME counter. We then had to carry our luggage to the DME bus and place it underneath and haul it ourselves to the rooms. This year will be the first trip that we're able to receive this service. When booking our 2009 trip, the Disney agents went out of their way to explain this to us.

 

[Monty]

OIA is MCO
From the Orlando International Airport website:
"Orlando International Airport (MCO) - It's the real McCoy!"

I promise you that Southwest flying both into and out of MCO was not able to use the "check your bags straight to your room" feature of magical express prior to this year. In all of our past trips to MCO using DME, we've never been able to receive the tags that allowed us to check our luggage, and always were required to retrieve our luggage from baggage claim prior to heading to the DME counter. We then had to carry our luggage to the DME bus and place it underneath and haul it ourselves to the rooms. This year will be the first trip that we're able to receive this service. When booking our 2009 trip, the Disney agents went out of their way to explain this to us.

I have no idea where you heard this, but any airplane landing at MCO since the inception of DME had the same access to DME baggage handling, regardless which airline.

 

[sshindel]

I have no idea where you heard this, but any airplane landing at MCO since the inception of DME had the same access to DME baggage handling, regardless which airline.

If that is the case, it has been very kind of Disney to not send me the luggage tags the past few trips, even though I've been signed up for DME. Doesn't matter anymore though, as of now, no matter what we're covered.

 

[Monty]

If that is the case, it has been very kind of Disney to not send me the luggage tags the past few trips, even though I've been signed up for DME. Doesn't matter anymore though, as of now, no matter what we're covered.

I'm sorry, I'm really not trying to be argumentative, but even when DME was first introduced there was no mention of specific airlines being "excluded". The following is a December 2004 press release about the start of DME on 5 May 2005:

Disney's Magical Express Delivers 'Hassle-Free Travel' for Disney Hotel Guests

(LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. - Tuesday, Dec. 28, 2004) -- Walt Disney World announced an innovative new service today called "Disney's Magical Express" which offers complimentary airport shuttle, luggage delivery and airline check in for Disney hotel guests.

Beginning May 5, 2005, guests of Disney hotels* using Disney's Magical Express service can check their bags at their hometown airport, bypass baggage claim at Orlando International Airport (OIA) and board state-of-the-art motor coaches to the Walt Disney World Resort - as their bags "magically" appear in their room upon check in. The round-trip service, which is available and complimentary during Disney's Happiest Celebration on Earth event (which also begins May 5, 2005), is designed to give Disney hotel guests the stress-free vacation they want.

With Disney's Magical Express service, a family of four can save more than $80 (based on round trip shuttle or taxi transportation, plus tip, for two adults and two children).

"We are extremely excited to add Disney's Magical Express to the extensive list of ways we make Disney guests' vacations easier and more enjoyable," said Al Weiss, president of Walt Disney World Resort. "In essence, this benefit provides a hassle-free experience for our guests from the airport to our hotel room door and back again."

"Disney's Magical Express service will set new standards for convenience, value and comfort for guests traveling between the airport and Walt Disney World Resort," Weiss added. "Orlando International Airport is one of the premiere airports in the world. We believe Disney's Magical Express will not only transform the airport experience for Disney hotel guests, but will further enhance the world-class status of OIA and drive additional visitation to Central Florida."

* Disney's Magical Express service will not be available to guests of the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin hotels, the Shades of Green and the seven hotels near Hotel Plaza Boulevard.


How Disney's Magical Express service works:

Disney's Magical Express must be booked at least 10 days prior to arrival through disneyworld.com, Disney Reservation Center by calling 407-W-DISNEY or a travel agent beginning Jan. 2, 2005. The service commences May 5, 2005.
Guests check their specially-tagged luggage at their departure airport.
Upon arrival in Orlando, guests bypass airport baggage claim and go directly to the Disney Airport Welcome Center.
Guests board state-of-the-art motor coaches that take them to their Disney hotel.
A team of Disney representatives at the airport will pick up guests' luggage and transport it to their hotel room.
Disney's Magical Express service makes guests' return to OIA hassle-free as well. This convenient system lets guests flying with participating airlines avoid airport check-in lines by enabling passengers on domestic flights to check their luggage and receive a boarding pass before ever departing their Disney hotel. As an added benefit, guests with flight departures later in the day no longer have to worry about their luggage after they check out of their hotel. They can simply check their luggage at the Resort Airline Check-in Desk and then enjoy the last day of their stay.
In addition to partners at Orlando International Airport, Walt Disney World developed this innovative service in conjunction with private and public sector leaders including: the Mears Transportation Group, the largest provider of ground transportation to the Walt Disney World Resort; BAGS Inc., the provider and innovator in off-airport passenger check-in services for the hotel, convention, cruise and airline industries; ARINC Incorporated, a leading global provider of technology systems for airports and airlines; the Transportation Security Administration; and airline partners including: American Airlines, Continental Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Song, United Airlines and Ted. Walt Disney World hopes to add other air carriers to the resort airline check-in service in the near future.

Congressman John L. Mica (FL-7), Chairman of the U.S. House Subcommittee on Aviation, called Disney's announcement "welcome news."

"Not only does resort airline check-in provide a convenience for the traveler, it also helps to expedite and improve security checks by reducing congestion during the busiest times," Mica said. "By combining Walt Disney World Resort's destination volume and operational expertise with BAGS' innovative processes and exclusive technology, a new industry model will be established."

Disney's Magic Your Way

Disney's Magical Express is the newest addition to Disney's Magic Your Way program, an exciting new plan, which allows Walt Disney World guests to create their own tickets and vacation packages for a customized vacation. Starting Jan. 2, Walt Disney World Resort guests will be able to purchase tickets to the various theme parks, attractions and other entertainment offerings that are tailored to the length of their vacation and the interests of their group - and allow them to save more per day based on their length of stay. Under Magic Your Way, a family of four will be able to enjoy a six-night/seven-day Walt Disney World vacation - including a stay at a Disney Value hotel, with theme park tickets - for as little as $1,500.

Disney's Magical Express is also added to the long list of premier benefits that are afforded to guests staying at Disney hotels. This includes the recently-announced Extra Magic Hours, where each day one of our theme parks opens one hour early or stays open up to three hours after regular park closing for guests of select Walt Disney World Resort hotels. **

"Disney's Magical Express adds even more value to a Walt Disney World vacation," Weiss said. "And with the myriad of new attractions and shows premiering this spring in conjunction with the Happiest Celebration on Earth - our global celebration marking 50 years of Disney theme park magic - the timing couldn't be more perfect."

Booking Disney's Magical Express

Walt Disney World guests can book Disney's Magical Express starting Jan. 2 along with the new Disney's Magic Your Way tickets and packages. Guests can log onto the new disneyworld.com, call the Disney Reservations Center at 407-W-DISNEY or contact their travel agent.

 

[sshindel]

That article was a good read, but I know it didn't specify any airlines in genral, it was a blanket statement that also talked about resort check-in in a blanket way, which we know is not the case because Southwest just added that part this year. Not saying that proves Southwest didnt offer the baggage check part, just that it is not clear either way.

And honestly I could be very wrong about all of this. My family has a bad luck streak with airlines losing luggage (or at least it showing up 1-2 days late) about 80% of the time we check luggage, sometimes even both ways. With that, I tend to try and pack carry on unless it's absolutly the only way we can make it. With that said, maybe I've missed the luggage tags before because I didn't plan on checking luggage.

Either way, I'm dropping it. Most likely I was told something incorrectly once by a Disney representative years ago, which can happen, and just continued to assume that because I couldn't check luggage through on the way home, I couldn't do it on the way there either. I'll assume that is what happened since there are multiple folks on here that are sure that it's the case that Southwest has been able to check luggage to the room for years.

All I know is that today, my DME package showed up in the mail, and my luggage stickers are there for this year. If it's been my mis-understanding previously, I certainly am not missing the chance this year. A DME packet in the mail is nearly the most exciting thing that can possibly show up in the mail, so I'm just happy that this year, I won't be confused about it and will be checking our family's bags straight to our room and heading out to a park at first opportunity!

Sorry if I came off as combatitive or anything. It's sometimes hard to realize that something you thought for years may be wrong. After thinking about it a bit, I've most likely been running on wrong assumptions for years.

 

[Monty]

That article was a good read, but I know it didn't specify any airlines in genral, it was a blanket statement that also talked about resort check-in in a blanket way, which we know is not the case because Southwest just added that part this year. Not saying that proves Southwest didnt offer the baggage check part, just that it is not clear either way.

And honestly I could be very wrong about all of this. My family has a bad luck streak with airlines losing luggage (or at least it showing up 1-2 days late) about 80% of the time we check luggage, sometimes even both ways. With that, I tend to try and pack carry on unless it's absolutly the only way we can make it. With that said, maybe I've missed the luggage tags before because I didn't plan on checking luggage.

Either way, I'm dropping it. Most likely I was told something incorrectly once by a Disney representative years ago, which can happen, and just continued to assume that because I couldn't check luggage through on the way home, I couldn't do it on the way there either. I'll assume that is what happened since there are multiple folks on here that are sure that it's the case that Southwest has been able to check luggage to the room for years.

All I know is that today, my DME package showed up in the mail, and my luggage stickers are there for this year. If it's been my mis-understanding previously, I certainly am not missing the chance this year. A DME packet in the mail is nearly the most exciting thing that can possibly show up in the mail, so I'm just happy that this year, I won't be confused about it and will be checking our family's bags straight to our room and heading out to a park at first opportunity!

Sorry if I came off as combatitive or anything. It's sometimes hard to realize that something you thought for years may be wrong. After thinking about it a bit, I've most likely been running on wrong assumptions for years.

The best part: Have a fantastic trip! :sohappy:

Which is all that's really important here anyway! :animwink:

 

[CleveRocks]

OIA is MCO
From the Orlando International Airport website:
"Orlando International Airport (MCO) - It's the real McCoy!"

I promise you that Southwest flying both into and out of MCO was not able to use the "check your bags straight to your room" feature of magical express prior to this year. In all of our past trips to MCO using DME, we've never been able to receive the tags that allowed us to check our luggage, and always were required to retrieve our luggage from baggage claim prior to heading to the DME counter. We then had to carry our luggage to the DME bus and place it underneath and haul it ourselves to the rooms. This year will be the first trip that we're able to receive this service. When booking our 2009 trip, the Disney agents went out of their way to explain this to us.

Respectfully, I promise you that you're incorrect about Southwest. You simply don't understand how DME works. From Day One back in 2005, everyone on every airline got the automatic luggage delivery from MCo to Disney resort room. Period. No exceptions.

The airline was never part of the process. The bags get off-loaded from the aircraft. In the journey through the bowels of the airport, Disney cast members pulled the bags with the DME tags away from the rest of the bags, and sent to DME-tagged bags to Disney's luggage sorting facility on the grounds of the airport.

You got very bad information in the past. Please believe me (and others) on this. I've flown SWA to Disney. I've also flown Spirit Airlines. Spirit still isn't a "participating airline," and SWA wasn't when I flew them back in May 2005.

If you had trouble receiving DME tags, this had NOTHING to do with what airline you were flying.

I certainly don't know everything, and there are precious few things about which I know a lot, but I've been a "student" (as well as a guest) of Disney since 2004, and I am very very fully versed in the tiny little details of DME. And by the way, there are STILL some cast members at 407-W-DISNEY who continue to give laughasbly incorrect information about DME.

EDITED TO ADD: I just read your most recent post. Yes, assumptions often casue problems. As I think you now know, Resort Airline Check-in is actually completely unrelated to Disney's Magical Express. They are not the same service. Sorry, didn't mean to pile on. It's such a shame that Disney has a track record of giving out bad information, but we read stuff like this every week or so at least.

 

[lilclerk]

OIA is MCO
From the Orlando International Airport website:
"Orlando International Airport (MCO) - It's the real McCoy!"

I promise you that Southwest flying both into and out of MCO was not able to use the "check your bags straight to your room" feature of magical express prior to this year. In all of our past trips to MCO using DME, we've never been able to receive the tags that allowed us to check our luggage, and always were required to retrieve our luggage from baggage claim prior to heading to the DME counter. We then had to carry our luggage to the DME bus and place it underneath and haul it ourselves to the rooms. This year will be the first trip that we're able to receive this service. When booking our 2009 trip, the Disney agents went out of their way to explain this to us.

I have flown Southwest into MCO/OIA and used Magical Express many many times and always used the yellow tags for baggage delivery... last
December was the first time I was able to use the Resort Airline Checkin.