Any downside to Owner's Locker?

[anonymousegirl]

Hi all! I'm a new DVC owner and am going down to WDW 3-4 times next year. I see that OL is offering a special price for DISers with one extra free visit included.

2 questions-- Is the inital drop-off/return counted as a visit, and secondly, is there any downside to OL?

I can forsee leaving lots of stuff down there, including ponchos, a Brita filter system, booze, games, toiletries, etc. In fact, I wonder if I will need two lockers!

 

[poohbear158]

We just used ours for the first time last week and I love it already. We shipped our stuff down via Fedex and it was great not having to lug that stuff down with us. Your drop-off and pick-up are considered one visit. I can't see a downside except for wanting a second one now that my first one is completely filled... lol.

 

[bwvBound]

Potential downsides to OL:

• Forgetting where you've left certain stuff. Example: Weeks after you've returned home from your last WDW visit, you rifle through your purse, bags, laundry and clothing pockets looking for your favorite travel mirror. Not finding it ... you replace it ... but spend a few more weeks wondering, "Did I leave it in my OL?"
• There's work involved! Updating your OL's Inventory List is an important aid for packing future visits. Many have good intentions to keep lists current ... but how many are willing to put in the effort??
• Someday you'll have to pay a bundle to ship all that stuff home! (But let's not worry about that today.)
• The last thing you tuck into the OL ... is the first thing you'll need when you get home. (The last thing is never a normal item ... it is something that you suddenly couldn't fit into your suitcase or carry-on bag and figured, "Ok, we'll leave it here for our next visit.")

Edited to add: All the above is intended tongue-in-cheek ... just in case any reader was uncertain. We really enjoy the OL service!

 

[anonymousegirl]

ooh, good idea about FedExing the stuff.

 

[jdvm]

I'll answer the first question and let others more capable handle the second!!

Your Membership Fee includes the initial delivery of your Locker and its pickup full of your stuff at the end of your first Visit. Under the DIS deal, the membership Fee is $45 instead of the usual $75 AND you get an extra free Visit (that's what we call a delivery and pickup) for three years.....so your first year, you can actually come to WDW three times with no extra Visit charge.

John

 

[shellbelle1971]

We love our OL! John and Brian are absolutely the best--their custormer service is absolutley unreal. The only downsides...

1. You may discover you want (need? ) a second locker when you're in WDW, as you start thinking, "Hey, I'd really like to keep some extra-comfy pillows...and a duvet...and..."

2. You may find that you want to go to WDW even more often, now that you have all the comforts of home available and waiting for you when you get there.

 

[anonymousegirl]

Potential downsides to OL:

• Forgetting where you've left certain stuff. Example: Weeks after you've returned home from your last WDW visit, you rifle through your purse, bags, laundry and clothing pockets looking for your favorite travel mirror. Not finding it ... you replace it ... but spend a few more weeks wondering, "Did I leave it in my OL?"
  I can see myself doing this
• There's work involved! Updating your OL's Inventory List is an important aid for packing future visits. Many have good intentions to keep lists current ... but how many are willing to put in the effort??
  I am a huge planner and love making lists. This is not a problem
• Someday you'll have to pay a bundle to ship all that stuff home! (But let's not worry about that today.) I'm hoping to use this locker for the next 20 years so I'll probably just finish that huge Costco size mouthwash!
• The last thing you tuck into the OL ... is the first thing you'll need when you get home. (The last thing is never a normal item ... it is something that you suddenly couldn't fit into your suitcase or carry-on bag and figured, "Ok, we'll leave it here for our next visit.") I'm a packing expert. I rarely run out of room in my bag, but then I'm not a big shopper.

It looks like OL could be for me

 

[anonymousegirl]

We love our OL! John and Brian are absolutely the best--their custormer service is absolutley unreal. The only downsides...

1. You may discover you want (need? ) a second locker when you're in WDW, as you start thinking, "Hey, I'd really like to keep some extra-comfy pillows...and a duvet...and..."

2. You may find that you want to go to WDW even more often, now that you have all the comforts of home available and waiting for you when you get there.

I would LOVE to have my own pillows and duvet/sheets with me. My DH is British and we are used to the bottom sheet and duvet with a washable cover rather than a traditional bottom and top sheet with blankets. I shudder to think about the bedspreads at hotels and timeshares.

Oh and I don't think I could ever want to come more often. I already want to live at WDW

 

[fishermouse]

IMO no there is no downside,, this was a great idea, good ole american capitalism at work... We use it more for items that we used to buy everytrip in small (more expensive) sizes. Another big plus especially in the warm months is we can pack all we now need in carry-on luggage. don't have to carry all the toiletries shampoo etc. that with the no liquids policy had to go into checked bags, we can leave a jacket, poncho even swimsuit, flip-flops and sunscreen. OL is great....

 

[anonymousegirl]

Just ordered OL!!!!

I am really excited about the prospect of filling my locker. I have already begun a list!

 

[jdvm]

welcome aboard!! You do know how to make a boy smile.
john

 

[Disney Legend]

welcome aboard!! You do know how to make a boy smile.
john

I heard that competition maybe headed your way.....

 

[Tara]

Just ordered OL!!!!

I am really excited about the prospect of filling my locker. I have already begun a list!

We used (and completely filled up) our OL on a trip last month and I am a total addict now! I found the easiest way to keep track of what was there was to make a list of what I took down with me, and then make any corrections necessary as I packed it up before leaving. That way the packing and inventory went much more quickly. Plus I took some pictures as I filled it up, although I forgot to take pictures of the last few top "layers." My pictures are in my Flickr photostream here.

I bought a bunch of things at WDW to put in it - Mickey themed kitchen stuff, mostly. But I also got the holiday castle fleece throw (the one that was $15 with any $30 purchase at MK shops) specifically to keep in our OL for those nights chillin' on the couch when everyone wants the a/c colder than I do.

I would love to get an extra OL to store some things like a cast iron skillet, a digital photo frame, extra Crocs (at least for me and DH since DS's foot size will change too often for a while), a small speaker/charger dock for my iPhone so I can charge it bedside and enjoy music easily, etc. I actually have a list I started, but it's on my iPhone, and I'm too lazy to get up and get that out of my purse.

John - I think I'm the first person on Flickr to add "Owner's Locker" tags to a photo!

 

[jdvm]

well, Disney Legend....tell me, tell me
john

 

[SamSam]

Love my OL, I resisted for a long time because I am definitely Queen of frugal, and just had trouble justifying the cost. Now that I have one and have used it several times, I cannot imagine being without it. It makes my 'going home' experience so much easier/and better.

I pack things in my OL that I would never have used up suitcase space before....like:
framed photos of my grandkids and kids
brita faucet filter
my feather pillow

AND of course all the usual OL stuff, like umbrellas, poncho's, medicine kit, and on, and on, and on.

 

[jekjones1558]

Owners Locker is addictive. Our second locker is filled with Christmas decorations and winter WDW clothes. We still have free luggage on our trip next week, so I am tweaking the contents of our lockers and hope to only do carry-ons starting with our March trip. After my trip at the beginning of Dec., I was able to unpack in less than 10 minutes. Sweet.

 

[Pinnie]

The only dowside I see is the potential for another OL. That's what happened to us. We now have a dedicated locker for our Christmas stuff. We have a small fiber optic tree, ornaments, leg lamp lights, regular lights along with other holiday stuff like mugs. Since we always make a trip down there in early December, it made sense to just leave it there.

We were there Dec 3 - 7 and brought down light weight jackets and brought home Christmas gifts. We ended up leaving the jackets in our original OL since we won't need them up here in MI and we are going back down in Feb.

I can't say enough about the service. It's superior, top notch and 5 star! I keep a running inventory when we pack up the OL the night before we leave.

pinnie

 

[Princess_Melanie]

Thanks to this thread we will be looking into sorting one of these out for our next trip early next year we love the idea and regret not getting it in place for the trip we just got home from!!

 

[SamSam]

Thanks to this thread we will be looking into sorting one of these out for our next trip early next year we love the idea and regret not getting it in place for the trip we just got home from!!

I think you will love having an OL!

 

[tiggerrr]

We live in Canada and love our OL! We can go with carry on luggage and don't have to worry about the checked baggage hassle anymore. We bought DVC in May 2007 and have gone on 3 trips in 18 months and have had our OL since our second trip. We haven't been as diligent on the list as we should be but that will change this trip. We found these great bags that take the air out of items so they make them really compact and we have 1 king sheet, 3 queens and 2 doubles along with a blender and alcohol in our OL. Oh yeah the tackle box is great for all the little stuff. To us its worth it to have the OL!

Getting ready to do the single digit dance starting tomorrow.

Another family vacation with DW, DS18, DS15, DB and DSIL. Happy New Year we arrive in WDW on January 1st. Is there any better way to celebrate????