Resort Airline Check In Service testing a return

[SoFloMagic]

Honestly the real question is why MCO didn't take advantage of the relatively low travel volumes during covid to implement improvements to baggage processing.

If they'd planned better, they probably could have offloaded baggage screening to terminal c before it was passenger ready to allow screening systems to be replaced in A/B.

As of now, this feels more like a scale up than a true test. Makes sense to only bring one airline system online and only do at one hotel - and they chose the biggest hotel and airline.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Honest question: don’t most people check in on their phones now?

 

[Chi84]

Honest question: don’t most people check in on their phones now?

Yes we do. It’s not the check-in but the dropping your bags at the hotel instead of taking them to the airport that we loved.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Yes we do. It’s not the check-in but the dropping your bags at the hotel instead of taking them to the airport that we loved.

Got it - didn’t even know that was a thing. We’ve only flown from South Florida a handful of times. I mistakenly assumed luggage was brought by the ME!

Now it makes a lot more sense!

 

[stuart]

It would be good if / when this returns that those flying internationally could make use of being able to drop bags off at the hotel.

Since we have to collect our bags on arrival anyway, taking them to the coach is no issue. However being able to drop them off at the resort for return would be ideal.

When ME first started, there was baggage collection available for international guests on arrival, however this stopped when it became too costly to send baggage tags out. I dare say there were likely delays with this too which was behind the move. Perhaps a UK / EU distributor for this would be better.

However, even then, if flying internationally from Orlando, direct or in-direct, check -in and baggage drop had to be done at the airport.

Virgin Atlantic used to have their own check-in and baggage drop service behind Cirque du Soleil for $15 ea, but free if Virgin Holidays or flying Upper Class. It was extremely handy, but sadly never returned after Covid. They don't have the same flights now (sometimes 6x 747s a day in high summer) but if they used the same Bags inc that may have also been why it stopped if they had gone down the swanny.

 

[dvitali]

I think BrightLine also play a role in this testing. Disney and Mears believe a family of four would rather get a free transportation to Disney than have BrightLine keep a charge $30 per person ($60 round trip) just get travel to Disney Springs from MCO terminal C

 

[ABQ]

As airline check in was not exactly a feature of Magical Express, I don't see much reason to connect this with some greater return of things lost. All this perk of staying on properly cost Disney was space at their resorts. If the trucks that hauled luggage around are still available and the curbside check in staff can be found, there is no reason for this to not be back. It was far more welcome for our family than the bus ride provided by the Express. Ironic that it is beginning with Southwest as I believe they were one of the last airlines to be included in the original service.

 

[Rosso11]

This is amazing news for me as I never liked to use the shuttle part of the service anyway. But being able to check my bags at the hotel gave me the freedom to spend the remainder of the day at the parks without having to return to our hotel. Then I would just taxi/uber to the airport from the parks. Always saved us a ton of time at the parks that last day and made the day that much more relaxing.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I think BrightLine also play a role in this testing. Disney and Mears believe a family of four would rather get a free transportation to Disney than have BrightLine keep a charge $30 per person ($60 round trip) just get travel to Disney Springs from MCO terminal C

Disney pulled out the agreement for a station near Disney Springs. Thanks to Universal we’re years out from construction even starting on the Sunshine Corridor.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

So? Why do I care who paying? The key thing to me is that the baggage handling was by far the most beneficial and awesome part of MDE. Sure I’d love to get an included shuttle service too that would be nice but I’d be thrilled with just being able to drop off my bags at my home airport and not seeing them again until they magically appear in my resort room later that day.

The baggage part didn’t really cost you anything.

You’re grasping

The Disney issue is their costs have exceeded their value. Across the board. Which is why they are hemorrhaging visitors and that dive may be impossible to pull out of (you don’t do it. Eisner 101)

They part that yanked people off about Slaphead non-chalantly cancelling the bus is it added cost to everyone…across the board. It was no better than a price increase or a resort tax.
And for what? Pennies…minor costs.
Complete miscalculation. And the saviour could have reversed it with a 5 minute phone call. crickets.

I don’t expect you to stop going for your magic…and if you want to waive the poms for this…go right ahead.
But the problem is not convincing the people on this board that they will always be the greatest thing since sliced bread. That was never the problem.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

It isn't a rumor.

Southwest has been in a downward spiral for 10+ years

It’s why you don’t buy valuejet

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Disney pulled out the agreement for a station near Disney Springs. Thanks to Universal we’re years out from construction even starting on the Sunshine Corridor.

I wish I lived somewhere where efficient travel wasn’t considered “Unamerican”

 

[lazyboy97o]

Honestly the real question is why MCO didn't take advantage of the relatively low travel volumes during covid to implement improvements to baggage processing.

If they'd planned better, they probably could have offloaded baggage screening to terminal c before it was passenger ready to allow screening systems to be replaced in A/B.

As of now, this feels more like a scale up than a true test. Makes sense to only bring one airline system online and only do at one hotel - and they chose the biggest hotel and airline.

They had no money?

Using Terminal C would have required building out an entire infrastructure to properly move bags back and forth. That seems a bit redundant when the issue is handling the volume of bags.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

They had no money?

Using Terminal C would have required building out an entire infrastructure to properly move bags back and forth. That seems a bit redundant when the issue is handling the volume of bags.

Investment is always the most wise when things are slow…

You know who’s gotten really bad at that?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Honest question: don’t most people check in on their phones now?

Only +/- 99%

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Got it - didn’t even know that was a thing. We’ve only flown from South Florida a handful of times. I mistakenly assumed luggage was brought by the ME!

Now it makes a lot more sense!

The baggage part of magical express was always separate from the shuttle

Which is why they’re doing this…tossing/sorting bags at a centralized point is more efficient to MCO than the normal chaos.

But it’s also why the entirety of ME is not returning…it logistical costs a lot more and Disney is not in the business of adding costs. Gotta get that stock up

 

[larryz]

I love how they are calling something they did for years a “pilot program”….

I think it's more of a pun... Airline check-in... Pilot...

 

[larryz]

Rumor has it Southwest is going to start charging for bags...does anyone know when that starts?

It's no rumor...

Southwest Airlines to Introduce Checked Bag Fees Starting May 28, 2025

Southwest Airlines to Introduce Checked Bag Fees Starting May 28, 2025

www.wdwmagic.com

 

[plutofan15]

The baggage part didn’t really cost you anything.

You’re grasping

The Disney issue is their costs have exceeded their value. Across the board. Which is why they are hemorrhaging visitors and that dive may be impossible to pull out of (you don’t do it. Eisner 101)

They part that yanked people off about Slaphead non-chalantly cancelling the bus is it added cost to everyone…across the board. It was no better than a price increase or a resort tax.
And for what? Pennies…minor costs.
Complete miscalculation. And the saviour could have reversed it with a 5 minute phone call. crickets.

I don’t expect you to stop going for your magic…and if you want to waive the poms for this…go right ahead.
But the problem is not convincing the people on this board that they will always be the greatest thing since sliced bread. That was never the problem.

What exactly are they grasping at??

 

[SoFloMagic]

They had no money?

Using Terminal C would have required building out an entire infrastructure to properly move bags back and forth. That seems a bit redundant when the issue is handling the volume of bags.

If my memory is correct, this already exists. They transfer bags between main terminals and C for connections. I believe there's a peoplemover of sorts for bags under the peoplemover for people. And it's seriously over-built to plan for anticipated future capacity of a significantly larger C.

Of course it's hindsight, but looking back It seems reasonable that they could have planned to prioritize the baggage system and get it operational before the terminal - maybe in 2021 at some point. It seems reasonable that they could have moved baggage screening operations over there for 6 months while they rebuilt screening facilities in A/B without a massive additional cost.

Now if you want to talk about hindsight - imagine if they'd built out 20 more gates in C and could move another airline or two out there to take down a whole airside at a time for refurb now...