Check In

[SandyinMonterey]

I know there's on line check in and can go straight the room. But wondering, as a DVC Member, when you arrive to resort do you get asked for assistance with luggage? Going back a couple of years during our last 3 visits, we have been helped once and that time we were waiting and waiting for our luggage only to find it on the main floor by the elevator with no one there. CM's come up to the car when we first arrive and then become disinterested, they go away/check something and don't come back. Does this happen to you?

 

[Best Aunt]

I know there's on line check in and can go straight the room. But wondering, as a DVC Member, when you arrive to resort do you get asked for assistance with luggage? Going back a couple of years during our last 3 visits, we have been helped once and that time we were waiting and waiting for our luggage only to find it on the main floor by the elevator with no one there. CM's come up to the car when we first arrive and then become disinterested, they go away/check something and don't come back. Does this happen to you?

I don't think that's a DVC-specific issue. Were you staying at a DVC-only resort, such as OKW or SSR?

If I arrive at BoardWalk, as far as I know the people out front don't know if I'm staying at BoardWalk Inn or BoardWalk Villas, and even if they know BWV, they don't know if I'm paying with cash or points.

I think that happen at any hotel anywhere. Busy day or bad day for a particular employee or for many employees.

 

[DonMacGregor]

Never had that happen to us at any resort, DVC stay or cash. How would bell services or valet know whether you are on a DVC or cash stay anyway?

 

[SandyinMonterey]

I don't think that's a DVC-specific issue. Were you staying at a DVC-only resort, such as OKW or SSR?

If I arrive at BoardWalk, as far as I know the people out front don't know if I'm staying at BoardWalk Inn or BoardWalk Villas, and even if they know BWV, they don't know if I'm paying with cash or points.

I think that happen at any hotel anywhere. Busy day or bad day for a particular employee or for many employees.

All those stays are our home resort, Boulder Ridge. I didn't think the people out front knew if we are DVC or not. We don't have a lot of luggage. We travel light. It's just that it always happens. They come to the car, ask if we're checking in, walk away (usually just to that valet stand and don't come back. We're staying at the Riveria next time. I will be paying attention if it happens there.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

Never had that happen to us at any resort, DVC stay or cash. How would bell services or valet know whether you are on a DVC or cash stay anyway?

The one time we had help with luggage, it never got delivered to our room. Waited and waited, about 30 - 40 minutes. I finally went to look for it and when I got to the bottom floor, there it was, sitting there unattended. When we arrive at resort, someone does come and ask if we're checking in. WE say yes, they step away to that valet stand and don't come back. We unload what we can, no one returns and bring it in little by little by ourselves. Strange, right?

 

[DonMacGregor]

The one time we had help with luggage, it never got delivered to our room. Waited and waited, about 30 - 40 minutes. I finally went to look for it and when I got to the bottom floor, there it was, sitting there unattended. When we arrive at resort, someone does come and ask if we're checking in. WE say yes, they step away to that valet stand and don't come back. We unload what we can, no one returns and bring it in little by little by ourselves. Strange, right?

I'm not saying it didn't happen. Just saying in the dozen or so times we've stayed at the Lodge (we also own at BRV and have stayed on the CCV side 4 or 5 times too), we've never encountered a problem with luggage either being delivered (or at least being offered the service when we don't take advantage of it) or picked up. We always rent a car, and when we pull up to the porte cochere to unload and drop off the fam before heading to self-park, we're always asked "are we checking in" and "do we need luggage assistance". Same goes for our Owner's Lockers.

I will say that it does take a good bit of time sometimes to get someone over to BRV to pick up your stuff, but I've just got into the habit of calling before we've even finished packing stuff up.

 

[CarolynFH]

We've never had a problem such as you describe. Bell Services approaches as we pull up, and we tell them that we do need assistance, and they bring a cart around and load it up. Then I go with them while DH parks the car - either to the Bell Services stand in the lobby, if our room isn't ready yet, or to our room if we have the number. I'm sorry you've had such bad service!

 

[zackiedawg]

I drive up to Disney 4-5 times a year usually for 4-5 day stays, and use valet/bell services most times (I don't bother with bell services at Saratoga or OKW). I've never experienced anything like that. As soon as I pull up, valets ask if I want to valet the car and ask if I need luggage assistance. Yes to both - the valet takes the keys and gives me the receipt slip, and a bellhop brings the cart over to unload the luggage. I leave the luggage with them and don't bother to escort it - I just go to the front desk, check in, and when I get to my room, call bell services to bring up my luggage - depending on the hotel it usually gets there within 5-10 minutes (Boardwalk can be longer if in a room far from the desk). This is consistent and I probably test it more than most with that many visits a year...never had any issues, whether my room was ready immediately, or wasn't ready until later in the day. I usually have a cooler and request it be cold-stored if there's a long wait. They're always very friendly and accommodating and timely...maybe it helps having an attention-getting car (not exotic or anything...just that it's golden yellow colored so it stands out a bit - I often end up chatting with the valets for a bit when I pull up).

 

[Genie+]

I’m about 50/50 with good luggage experiences. A few odd ones. Last time was Dec at BW. We had luggage for 3 people plus cases of drinks and whatnot to go up. We were transferring resorts that day (room was ready) and planned on taking 2 hour rest. Attendant came and asked if we’d like help and I asked how long until the luggage would arrive in our room. He said 5-10 minutes and even though that seemed too small an estimate, I figured even an hour would be OK for us. So I give him our cart and a nice tip and we go up to the room. 2 hours later I come back down and ask the same attendant about our luggage. It’s locked in bell services waiting in line to be brought up. I went and got it myself.

The only reason I didn’t take it up myself is because we were using ‘bell services’ cart and figured the kind thing is to use their services and pay. I think this is a grey area though - can/should guests use luggage carts? I’d prefer just to take our stuff to the room myself because we need it, and understandably bell services cannot guarantee it gets there in a timely manner. So what is the better option: park in front and make a few trips taking our stuff up or put it on a cart and be finished quicker?

 

[eandt]

I know there's on line check in and can go straight the room. But wondering, as a DVC Member, when you arrive to resort do you get asked for assistance with luggage? Going back a couple of years during our last 3 visits, we have been helped once and that time we were waiting and waiting for our luggage only to find it on the main floor by the elevator with no one there. CM's come up to the car when we first arrive and then become disinterested, they go away/check something and don't come back. Does this happen to you?

For the times we have used bell services they have always taken our bags right away and pretty much delivered them shortly after we arrive at the room ourselves. We check in at the desk because we still like to hear ‘Welcome Home’

 

[jekjones1558]

We've never had a problem such as you describe. Bell Services approaches as we pull up, and we tell them that we do need assistance, and they bring a cart around and load it up. Then I go with them while DH parks the car - either to the Bell Services stand in the lobby, if our room isn't ready yet, or to our room if we have the number. I'm sorry you've had such bad service!

So you have had the person who unloads your luggage from your car actually deliver your luggage to your room, if your room is ready? At BWV, it has been our experience that the people who unload the luggage are from valet services and they never deliver to the room--the luggage is handed off to bell services to deliver, even if the room is ready.

 

[CarolynFH]

So you have had the person who unloads your luggage from your car actually deliver your luggage to your room, if your room is ready? At BWV, it has been our experience that the people who unload the luggage are from valet services and they never deliver to the room--the luggage is handed off to bell services to deliver, even if the room is ready.

Yes, now I remember, the person who unloads the car hands off to someone else if our room is ready. But most of the time our things have been delivered to Bell Services because our room isn’t ready yet, and we call for them to be delivered once we’re in the room.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

I drive up to Disney 4-5 times a year usually for 4-5 day stays, and use valet/bell services most times (I don't bother with bell services at Saratoga or OKW). I've never experienced anything like that. As soon as I pull up, valets ask if I want to valet the car and ask if I need luggage assistance. Yes to both - the valet takes the keys and gives me the receipt slip, and a bellhop brings the cart over to unload the luggage. I leave the luggage with them and don't bother to escort it - I just go to the front desk, check in, and when I get to my room, call bell services to bring up my luggage - depending on the hotel it usually gets there within 5-10 minutes (Boardwalk can be longer if in a room far from the desk). This is consistent and I probably test it more than most with that many visits a year...never had any issues, whether my room was ready immediately, or wasn't ready until later in the day. I usually have a cooler and request it be cold-stored if there's a long wait. They're always very friendly and accommodating and timely...maybe it helps having an attention-getting car (not exotic or anything...just that it's golden yellow colored so it stands out a bit - I often end up chatting with the valets for a bit when I pull up).

We usually drive husband's truck to Disney. It's a large Tundra, bright blue. Can't miss it. Never gets lost in a parking lot.

 

[Akck]

Our experience has been that they ask if we’re checking in and if we need assistance with our luggage or we let them know we want to leave them with bell services. They inventory our bags and hand us a receipt, which half of the time I leave in the car. Once our room is ready, we either stop by bell desk or call down and the bags are brought up within the timeframe they give us. On checking out, if we need to store our bags (wife doesn’t like storing them in car), we take our bags to the bell desk instead of calling and having them pick it up. When leaving later that day, we drive up, hand the receipt to a CM and they’re brought out shortly.

 

[eandt]

So you have had the person who unloads your luggage from your car actually deliver your luggage to your room, if your room is ready? At BWV, it has been our experience that the people who unload the luggage are from valet services and they never deliver to the room--the luggage is handed off to bell services to deliver, even if the room is ready.

I’m not sure it is the same person or not can’t recall but I should have mentioned that we drive so we do not unload until our room is ready ..

 

[MICKIMINI]

Have your tip discreetly in your hand. They will help you. Works every time.

 

[DonMacGregor]

Have your tip discreetly in your hand. They will help you. Works every time.

Indiscreetly would probably work even better...

 

[bakerworld]

We've always been asked if we need assistance. If you've carry-on only maybe BS is thinking you don't need them. Unless we have a food order waiting for us, we usually don't use BS. The one part of BS is that they do not seem to communicate well. Our last time a Saratoga they didn't have an available cart to give us a ride to our room so we decided to walk and BS said they deliver our groceries in 20 minutes. We waited 40 minutes and I called to hear we were suppose to call them when we arrived at our room. So I am going to assume I misunderstood what was said. The one aspect of BS that has always been different than other places we have stayed is BS must accompany their luggage cart versus giving you a cart and letting you leave it outside your room when you are done.

 

[Chuck S]

Well, I usually always stay at OKW. When I drive, the luggage just seats in the car. When I take an airport shuttle they drop you right in front of the bell stand, so no issues there. If I’m in the back part if the resort, I just get them to deliver me and luggage to the room. If my room is nearby, and my room isn’t ready, I just drop it with bell services, and call them when I get into the room. Never had a problem.

 

[bababear_50]

I've never had issues while staying at OKW,,, but a couple of years ago I checked my bags into AKV Jambo House

and when they were delivered a few hours later someone had dumped a whole cup of coffee all over one of my

suitcases ,,,not the way you wat to start your holidays. Bell services did apologize and offered to dry clean everything.

They suitcase it's self had to wait for me to clean when I got home.

Now I guard my suitcases a bit more.