Truth be told:
Disney wants to make sure you get to pack as much fun as possible into your trip all the way from the moment you arrive until it is time to head to the airport.
But, unless you went to Disney World empty handed, you're going to have a lot of bags to deal with (and if you "accidentally" buy a few things, you'll likely have more bags than when you left home).
So, that begs the question: what do you do with your luggage if you have yet to check-in (or have already checked out) of your resort?
Options for storing luggage at Disney World
Stashing your stuff so you can get one last dose of magic is easy to do at Disney World. Most of the options below are free (aside from tipping), and a couple of them (like Magical Express and Resort Airline Check-In) are some of our favorite ways to make travel days easier.
Magical Express
Flying into Orlando? Many guests opt to use Magical Express for their luggage.
This free service transports guests from the airport to their resort. The best part (aside from not having to worry about driving) is that they retrieve your luggage at the airport for you and deliver it to your room. This means you leave the airport with only your carry-on items.
Having your luggage delivered to your room can take a few hours but it can make the entire process of getting to your resort (and potentially out to the parks) a lot easier.
Bell Services/Luggage Services
Every resort on Disney property has Bell Services (also sometimes called Luggage Services). This is where grocery items that you might have ordered from places like Amazon Prime Now or Garden Grocer are delivered but it is also where you can store your bags and carry-on items on your arrival and departure days.
Using Bell Services is free (aside from tipping) and is a great option for both full sized suitcases as well as smaller carry-on items.
Resort Airline Check-In (not just for people using Magical Express!)
Lots of people book late day flights on their departure days so they can go to the parks one last time.
But, since you have to check out of your room by 11 am you'll have to figure out what to do with your bags until you head to the airport.
One option, of course, is to use Bell Services/Luggage Services, but for departure days there's another option that we love even more: Resort Airline Check-In.
Many guests (not just those that use Magical Express) are able to use Resort Airline Check-In.
This AMAZING service lets you check your bags for your flight at the resort. No schlepping your bags to the airport at all!
And the best part? Like Bell Services, aside from tipping, this service is FREE.
And as you know, in the world of "Disney" anything that is FREE is precious and the stuff that dreams are made of.
Resort Airline Check-In isn't available for every airline, however, so be sure to double check the list below before you plan on using it.
If your airline isn't listed, your best option for storing your luggage at the resort before heading to the airport is probably utilizing Bell Services.
Airlines eligible for Resort Airline Check-In:
- Alaska Airlines
- American Airlines
- Delta Air Lines (domestic flights only)
- JetBlue Airways
- Southwest Airlines
- United Airlines
In addition to being able to check your bags at your resort (which makes it easy to then head to the parks one last time), at Resort Airline Check-In you are also able to print your boarding pass, which is nice to have just in case.
Using your car
If you have your car with you or if you have rented one for your vacation, you'll have the option to store items in it.
This isn't the ideal situation but if you are able to get stuff hidden safely away (for example, in a trunk so it is out of sight) and you don't have anything that could be damaged by the heat you could just leave stuff there.
This isn't the best option but it might work for some people.
Lockers
Finally, all the parks (and even the water parks!) have handy lockers that you can use, and, while they won't hold full-sized pieces of luggage, smaller carry-on sized items will fit.
Lockers are especially handy if your plan is to use Resort Airline Check-In and then head to the airport directly from one of the parks (by either driving or using a taxi or Lyft/Uber).
By using a locker in one of the parks instead of stashing carry-on items at Bell Services you skip having to return to your resort before heading to the airport.
There are definite size limits, though, so don't try showing up to the parks with a giant rolling suitcase; this option is more for people with backpacks and large purses, not giant pieces of luggage:
- Standard/Small (12.5″ x 10″ x 17″) --> $10/day
- Large: (15.5″ x 13″ x 17″) --> $12/day
- Extra Large/Jumbo: (17” x 22” x 26”) only available at Magic Kingdom and Epcot --> $15/day
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Any questions on what to do with your luggage on travel days? Let us know in the comments!
