DVC resort Bell Service, use them or not?

[Sandisw]

Then I would ask how they had plenty of them back in the day? Disney could well afford some luggage carts, especially since Bell Services at SSR doesn’t even use the luggage carts, they being a large golf cart, then carry the luggage in a modified hand truck.

I get it at an all in one building like CCV or Jambo, but they really should have them at OKW and SSR. I would ask why it seems to be fine at HHI and VB, but not at WDW?

Theft? People not putting them back and leaving outside their doors, or just in a corner? CM's having to put them back? People complaining they were gone when they arrived? I can think of a lot of reasons why it makes sense to not have them there on a regular basis.

 

[tidefan]

Theft? People not putting them back and leaving outside their doors, or just in a corner? CM's having to put them back? People complaining they were gone when they arrived? I can think of a lot of reasons why it makes sense to not have them there on a regular basis.

These are no reasons not to have them. Again, I would ask how does it seem to work just fine at VB and HHI?

The reason is because it was negotiated with the union to take them out (and force tips).

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Sorry, but I find it interesting for folks who are spending hundreds and thousands of dollars to have a magical vacation, but balk at $10-$15 tip to have someone ease the burden of getting luggage into your resort room. And since tipping is essentially optional for the service, they aren't preventing guests from taking luggage carts as self-service because of tipping. They just have a lot of people who store their luggage with BS (often put on one of the luggage carts in storage) or have BS doing the work. BS needs the carts, too!

 

[tidefan]

Sorry, but I find it interesting for folks who are spending hundreds and thousands of dollars to have a magical vacation, but balk at $10-$15 tip to have someone ease the burden of getting luggage into your resort room. And since tipping is essentially optional for the service, they aren't preventing guests from taking luggage carts as self-service because of tipping. They just have a lot of people who store their luggage with BS (often put on one of the luggage carts in storage) or have BS doing the work. BS needs the carts, too!

I would ask, though, if I’m driving and parking in front of my building at say. The Paddock, why would I want to go all the way to the front of SSR to unload? That make no sense.

Also, why shouldn’t people be allowed to take their own luggage to their room?

 

[dioxide45]

We always drive since we are semi local. I would prefer to just DIY every time myself. That has worked all but one time when we were trying to leave Boulder Ridge and there were no carts to be found. I had to call bell services. Since driving, we have a lot of stuff. I told them to bring two carts. I don't like when we get to the car they think they are actually going to try and load it. It goes in a special way. I have to tell them I am good. Then I have to sweat my nuts off in the main registration pullup area to get it all packed. I would prefer to do it myself so I can sweat my nuts off in the parking lot without everyone looking.

DVC resorts that are integrated with their regular resort properties are a pain. VGF, Poly, CCV are ones I don't prefer. If we need bell services to help they are always so rough with our bags. We had an issue at a non Disney resort where we can tell they clearly scraped a case along a wall and took off a good layer of the coating. They don't care about our stuff, so I would much prefer if I can just do it myself.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

I would ask, though, if I’m driving and parking in front of my building at say. The Paddock, why would I want to go all the way to the front of SSR to unload? That make no sense.

Also, why shouldn’t people be allowed to take their own luggage to their room?

No issue with taking your own luggage to your room. We often walk ours up. We just don't feel the need for a cart.

I know this is going to come out wrong, so I apologize! When we go to Disney, especially DVC, we like to view them as deluxe resorts for the stay. Deluxe resorts don't have luggage carts sitting around in the halls or by the elevator or the outside walkway. Holiday Inn Expresses and Best Westerns do that. Just my opinion.

As for having them around the buildings at SSR? That sounds very reasonable to me. They would work well there. I saw someone mention OKW, but since 80% of the buildings don't have elevators, they won't help much there.

 

[dioxide45]

Sorry, but I find it interesting for folks who are spending hundreds and thousands of dollars to have a magical vacation, but balk at $10-$15 tip to have someone ease the burden of getting luggage into your resort room.

Everyone sees different value in a specific product or service. If I can DIY, why not DIY and save the $10-$15. It doesn't matter how much I spent on that trip. Why doesn't everyone buy the $85 Mickey Loungefly? After all, they already spent thousand on the trip. What is another $85? Different people see value in different things. No need to judge others on how they spend their money.

 

[dioxide45]

As for having them around the buildings at SSR? That sounds very reasonable to me. They would work well there. I saw someone mention OKW, but since 80% of the buildings don't have elevators, they won't help much there.

My experience with other timeshare resorts like OKW where the buildings are spread out and only two or three stories is that luggage carts are not provided. I have seen this at resorts like Sheraton Vistana Resort, Westgate Vacation Villas and even Marriott's Sabal Palms (though Sabal does have them at the front desk). Luggage carts just aren't conducive to the style of the resort. We will be at OKW in August and may pack a foldable wagon with us (we drive).

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

No issue with taking your own luggage to your room. We often walk ours up. We just don't feel the need for a cart.

I know this is going to come out wrong, so I apologize! When we go to Disney, especially DVC, we like to view them as deluxe resorts for the stay. Deluxe resorts don't have luggage carts sitting around in the halls or by the elevator or the outside walkway. Holiday Inn Expresses and Best Westerns do that. Just my opinion.

As for having them around the buildings at SSR? That sounds very reasonable to me. They would work well there. I saw someone mention OKW, but since 80% of the buildings don't have elevators, they won't help much there.

HHI doesn't have elevators in most of their buildings, but the luggage carts are very helpful in getting the luggage to the building. From there, it's (fairly) easy to carry the luggage up the steps. So I think OKW needs them as well as SSR.

We almost exclusively visit HHI now, but when we went to WDW, we would just DIY it.

 

[Sandisw]

These are no reasons not to have them. Again, I would ask how does it seem to work just fine at VB and HHI?

The reason is because it was negotiated with the union to take them out (and force tips).

I think they are great reasons to have made the change…but, the resorts have decided that having that many, at every single building was no longer an expense they wanted to include in the operational budget.

I personally like bell services so maybe I am biased and would never want them to cut back staffing and the service.

 

[Micca]

Bell services every time. We have an Owner's Locker we don't want to schlep to the room, and we often have groceries.

 

[Micca]

Bell services every time. We have an Owner's Locker we don't want to schlep to the room, and we often have groceries.

 

[BeachClub2014]

Bell services for us. With two owners lockers. suitcases, cases of water, beer, groceries, etc. lugging all that crap in the blistering Florida heat is no way to start a vacation! Best tip money we ever spend.

 

[dioxide45]

I think they are great reasons to have made the change…but, the resorts have decided that having that many, at every single building was no longer an expense they wanted to include in the operational budget.

I personally like bell services so maybe I am biased and would never want them to cut back staffing and the service.

But wouldn't staffing bell services be a bigger expense for the HOAs than providing luggage carts for owners to use themselves? Certainly if they offered luggage carts it would cut down, but not eliminate, the need for as many bell service employees.

My biggest issue is with resorts that have a huge building and two carts when there may be 20 check ins/check outs in a given day. If 50% of those don't need carts or bell services, then that leaves 10 that might. Perhaps 50% of those want bell services then they should have at least three to four luggage carts for each building. Not everyone shows up at once. Though getting a cart for departure is often the bigger problem as everyone has to be out at 11am.

The logistics of bell services at places like OKW and SSR also mean the HOA has to cover other expenses like golf carts to haul the bags around in. It also takes staff longer to deliver the bags at checkin resulting in the need for more bell staff.

 

[Sandisw]

But wouldn't staffing bell services be a bigger expense for the HOAs than providing luggage carts for owners to use themselves? Certainly if they offered luggage carts it would cut down, but not eliminate, the need for as many bell service employees.

My biggest issue is with resorts that have a huge building and two carts when there may be 20 check ins/check outs in a given day. If 50% of those don't need carts or bell services, then that leaves 10 that might. Perhaps 50% of those want bell services then they should have at least three to four luggage carts for each building. Not everyone shows up at once. Though getting a cart for departure is often the bigger problem as everyone has to be out at 11am.

The logistics of bell services at places like OKW and SSR also mean the HOA has to cover other expenses like golf carts to haul the bags around in. It also takes staff longer to deliver the bags at checkin resulting in the need for more bell staff.

I am sure that bell services is part of our dues. But that is my point. I don’t want to pay less and have them reduce bell services in exchange for a more DIY approach.

 

[DonMacGregor]

I would ask, though, if I’m driving and parking in front of my building at say. The Paddock, why would I want to go all the way to the front of SSR to unload? That make no sense.

Also, why shouldn’t people be allowed to take their own luggage to their room?

The reason is because it was negotiated with the union to take them out (and force tips).

Again (and no offense), but I really struggle to see how these two thoughts can co-exist. Anyone who is driving to SSR isn't going to stop by the Carriage House just to drop off their luggage to be taken to the room they are then going to drive to themselves, no matter where the luggage carts are. They are just going to go straight to the building their room is in. Anyone who doesn't drive to SSR will be dropped off at the Carriage House and Bell Services will take their luggage to their room for them (using golf carts).

How is removing luggage carts going to get bellmen more tips? Do you really think someone is going to say "Darn, there's no luggage cart here at the building so I'd better turn around and go all the way back to Carriage House to drop off my bags (that likely all have wheel anyway) so Bell Services can bring it back here"? Not buying it.

My guess is they realized that the bellmen don't need luggage carts, and the guests really don't either, so they've just eliminated them. We live in an area where you can't even find luggage that doesn't have its own wheels anymore.

 

[Disdreaming479]

I always use bell service. If I arrive after my room is ready, I ask at the desk inside if they can lead me to my room. I don’t mind waiting a few. This was very helpful at Jambo and Poly this year. Last year I arrived very late at BRV with 3 teenagers and an embarrassing amount of luggage, blankets, backpacks. We were all exhausted but bell service provided excellent service and showed us to our room. When we’re checking out, sometimes we’re leaving early and it’s less stressful to just take our own luggage instead of waiting.

 

[dioxide45]

I am sure that bell services is part of our dues. But that is my point. I don’t want to pay less and have them reduce bell services in exchange for a more DIY approach.

But they wouldn't be forcing DIY on you. Bell services would still be there. Options, we all like options. If it saves money to have those additional options, then that is great too. I don't really like bell services forced upon me because I can't find a luggage cart like we had one time at Boulder Ridge.

IMO, timeshare is already inherently all about DIY. They have kitchens so we can cook our own meals. They lack daily housekeeping as we have to make our own beds. Just the nature of timeshare stays.

 

[dioxide45]

"Darn, there's no luggage cart here at the building so I'd better turn around and go all the way back to Carriage House to drop off my bags (that likely all have wheel anyway) so Bell Services can bring it back here"? Not buying it.

I know I wouldn't do that. I would just sweat it out and lug all my crap into the room over many different trips back and forth between room and car. I know I shouldn't bring so much crap, but we drive and I find the crap useful. I even pack a big tub we got at Costco with an airfryer and a countertop reverse osmosis water filtration system. I need luggage carts and I don't trust bell services not to break my stuff.

 

[Sandisw]

But they wouldn't be forcing DIY on you. Bell services would still be there. Options, we all like options. If it saves money to have those additional options, then that is great too. I don't really like bell services forced upon me because I can't find a luggage cart like we had one time at Boulder Ridge.

IMO, timeshare is already inherently all about DIY. They have kitchens so we can cook our own meals. They lack daily housekeeping as we have to make our own beds. Just the nature of timeshare stays.

But if they decide to reduce bell services in order to provide more carts around the resort, I am not a fan.

No one has to use bell services and from what I understand you can get a cart at most resorts if they have extra ones to use.

My point is still that I want a fully functional bell serviced at all the resorts I stay at and if they can do that and have a few carts at buildings great. If not, then bell services should have priority to have the carts.

As I shared, I couldn’t get bell services to get my luggage at CCV because guests had taken the carts and they had to search for one. Didn’t want to do it ourselves and ended up having to anyway.