Southwest Airlines now officially joins the list of airlines that provide Airline Check-In at the Walt Disney World Resort.  This is big news since Southwest Airlines is the busiest carrier at the Orlando International Airport (MCO).

Disney's Magical Express
Disney's Magical Express Service is a free service that the Walt Disney World Resort offers to guests that are staying at one of its on property Resort Hotels.

Through Disney's Magical Express, the Disney World Guests can arrive at the Orlando International Airport and proceed directly to the special Disney area to board a bus to their resort.  The Magical Express takes care of picking up their luggage, transporting it to their resort, and magically placing it in their room for FREE.  No need to even go to the baggage claim area of the airport.

For your return trip, for most airlines and now most importly Sourthwest Airlines as well, you can do your airline check-in at your resort and even check your bags.  With boarding pass in hand, you ride Disney's Magical Express Bus to the Airport and go through security and directly to your gate.  Again a FREE service.

This removes a lot of the stress in the traveling process, especially if you have small children.

Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines has become the airline carrier bringing the most visitors to Orlando, so it is great to hear that the Disney World Resort Check-In service is now offered.

Here is the official Disney Press Release:

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla., Apr. 7, 2010 – Southwest Airlines, the busiest carrier at Orlando International Airport, is now officially a part of Resort Airline Check-In at Walt Disney World Resort.


Resort Airline Check-In is the popular service that allows guests the convenience of checking their bags through to their final destination before leaving their hotel. With the addition of Southwest Airlines to the service, more than 90% of domestic passengers who depart Central Florida for Orlando International Airport will have Resort Airline Check-In service available to them at Walt Disney World Resort Hotels.

According to Orlando International Airport, nearly one of every four guests who flies into the airport arrives on Southwest Airlines. Many Southwest passengers already use Disney’s Magical Express service for transport to and from the airport. Since guests flying on Southwest Airlines no longer need to carry their own luggage through the airport and may go directly to security check, Resort Airline Check-In could help reduce terminal traffic and reduce wait times at Orlando International Airport.

Disney and Southwest launched a pilot program at Disney’s Pop Century Resort and Disney’s All-Star Resorts to test the impact of Southwest’s baggage on the Resort Airline Check-In program.

“The testing proved to be very smooth, seamless progression,” according to Steve Schreiber, general manger of Disney’s All-Star Resort. “Luggage handling is not the most fun part of a guest’s vacation. When the worry of luggage is no longer a concern, guests can spend a longer time enjoying their vacation, rather than trying to manage luggage.”

Since March 9, Resort Airline Check-In with Southwest Airlines has been gradually rolled out to all but two Walt Disney World Resort Hotels, culminating with the addition of Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort and Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort & Spa the week of April 6.

Upon completion of a construction project at Disney’s Old Key West Resort and an assessment at Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Resort Airline Check-In with Southwest Airlines should be available at every Walt Disney World Resort hotel by the end of 2010.