What I said in my original post is:
Don't take snake shipments to anywhere other than a FedEx Staffed location (use the search on the FedEx site) unless you get it approved with the store. Most Kinkos and other FedEx locations like pack and ship stores will not accept reptile shipments. Just because FedEx has to doesn't mean they do.
I stand by this due to MY experience. I've done quite a bit of shipping and this is what I have found. Also, whether this is true or not, I believe that boxes brought directly to a World Service Center spend less time on a truck before going to the airport. The people at the World Service Centers seem better trained and are not surprised to see a box w/ live animals inside being dropped off for shipment.