Is RAC Automatic?

[Shanti]

When you're signed up to take DME back to the airport, will RAC automatically check you into your flight? I've used it before but not without checking luggage, so I'm not sure how it works with no luggage to check. Will they automatically check you in & put your boarding documents under your resort room door the night before, or do you need to go the RAC the morning of departure, and give them your flight info? Or is there no RAC available to those who don't check bags?

 

[iteachlit]

On my past trips, yes, boarding passes arrived in an envelope along with a temporary checked baggage tag. We would tag the bags, take them to the RAC checkin stand, and a Bags, Inc. worker (they aren't Disney CMs) would put the proper luggage tags on them.

HOWEVER... on our trip a few weeks ago, all we got was an envelope with a DME departure time and information on how to use RAC. I had checked in for our SWA flights at the 24 hour mark, so no worries there. When we arrived at RAC, our boarding passes were printed and our bags checked through to Pittsburgh.

I'm not sure whether this is a new policy or an aberration. Like most things Disney, change is the norm. YMMV.

 

[tnolan]

We have used RAC for years and each time, (including last week) we got the in-house tag and the boarding pass on the door handle morning of departure, so they do check you in . We have always had luggage to check though, so I'm not sure how it would work with no luggage.

 

[goofy4tink]

I've used DME so many times I can't begin to remember how many trips total. But I've had tags/boarding pass on my door once, just once. And that boarding pass would't work when I got to MCO!! I had to go to the JB self service kiosk and print a new one.
I always go to RAC and check in.

 

[AngiTN]

For the record, RAC and ME are completely unrelated and unconnected services.
What you do with ME has no bearing with RAC and what you plan to do with ME has no bearing on using RAC.
RAC isn't who puts tags on your door. They do nothing but check luggage in for flights for participating airlines, and can print boarding passes for those airlines.
ME will put the tags on the doors for anyone who has signed up for the return service to MCO. I believe they will also print boarding passes for anyone signed up. We don't use it so I'm not sure on that.
If you just need boarding passes printed and are not using ME I believe the resort can print the boarding passes for you, if you want to get them prior to arriving at the airport. We just use the electronic passes on our phones.

 

[DebbieB]

I haven't seen the boarding passes for awhile. If you are flying Southwest, I would not depend on them checking you in at 24 hours. I either get early bird or do it on my phone at 24 hours.

 

[DLgal]

We used RAC but not DME on our last trip in July. We did not get boarding passes automatically. We were on southwest and we had purchased early bird, but I had to stop by the concierge desk to ask for the passes to be printed out.

On our morning of departure, we simply walked our bags down to RAC, presented our boarding passes, and checked the bags. My parents drove us to the airport later, so we didn't ride the DME bus.

 

[bumbershoot]

If you are flying Southwest, I would not depend on them checking you in at 24 hours. I either get early bird or do it on my phone at 24 hours.

Yep.

I wouldn't depend on them checking me in for any flight. I'm very much hands on with things like that.

 

[Jimsig]

On our last trip in October (2017) I extended our trip by two more days the day before we were supposed to leave. When calling JB I found that we had already been checked in and our boarding passes and info arrived a bit later. But for our new flights a couple days later we never got boarding passes until we went to the RAC and I checked myself in on the JB app.

 

[Jestocost]

While it happens sometimes--and apparently randomly--I would not rely on Disney to check you in for your return flight. We were on SWA with EBCI last week and did get our BPs slipped under our door overnight; but that's the exception IME. If you're on SWA with EBCI or on another carrier with pre-assigned seats it's usually not going to make a difference and you can just get your BPs when you check your bags with RAC or whenever. If you are planning to check in at 24 hours on SWA or otherwise have to check in to obtain seat assignments or whatever on another carrier, you should plan to do it yourself or potentially suffer the consequences.