BELL SERVICES Poll and Discussion

[DebbieB]

We stayed at BWV in early December, they were good. We picked up our own luggage at the airport, arrived around 2:00 but our room was not ready, so we had to check it. When we got to the room after 4:00, I called for delivery and they were pretty quick. Checked our carryon's when we were leaving, they were quick pickup and delivery.

 

[DisneynBison]

Bell service at Jambo was great for us. We had instacart groceries delivered on arrival day. Stopped after we got back from the park and asked them if they could bring them up. The told us we could take them or if we had them delivered it would be the $6 fee. I said that was fine and had it delivered and they brought them up within the next hour. We also left our carry on baggage and back packs with them on or departure day as we hung out at the resort. Asked for them for our luggage before ME came and he went and got it and was adamant that he could take it over to were the ME picks up but we told him we could carry it that was fine. They did everything we asked and were timely and they were tipped for it.

 

[GGGT]

................I was not as impressed at Boardwalk, where the guy stood there, whilst I loaded up the car trunk myself- took his tip of course!

Bell Services at BW have proven to be very poor for us over the years.

 

[Murron]

Back when we needed to use magical express, I was less than amused that the luggage took as long as it did to reach the room. It was erratic enough from trip to trip to realize it was not necessarily an airport to resort issue. In fact, many times the luggage was at the resort and simply not delivered to the room. Overall SSR always gave best service and a cart ride to the room if you didn't want to walk. Today, we drive and just handle our own luggage.

 

[Ikaikalani]

We've always had stellar service with the Bell Desk.

One a previous visit, we preceeded our WDW stay with a DCL trip. At the end of the cruise, we claimed our luggage and headed to the resort; checked in, dropped our bags and headed to the parks. Standing in line for the Safari ride in AK, we got a text stating that we'd grabbed the wrong bag from DCL claim area!!! I swear, "they looked identical except for the little skull and crossbones."...lol. We apologized profusely and said we'd head over right away to do damage control. No need, they said, we'll take care of it. Later, when we returned to our room, the 'skull and crossbones' bag was gone, having been replaced with ours. Not only does Disney Bell service step up to correct their own mistakes, but apparently they step up to correct ours as well!

 

[twinklebug]

We've always had stellar service with the Bell Desk.

One a previous visit, we preceeded our WDW stay with a DCL trip. At the end of the cruise, we claimed our luggage and headed to the resort; checked in, dropped our bags and headed to the parks. Standing in line for the Safari ride in AK, we got a text stating that we'd grabbed the wrong bag from DCL claim area!!! I swear, "they looked identical except for the little skull and crossbones."...lol. We apologized profusely and said we'd head over right away to do damage control. No need, they said, we'll take care of it. Later, when we returned to our room, the 'skull and crossbones' bag was gone, having been replaced with ours. Not only does Disney Bell service step up to correct their own mistakes, but apparently they step up to correct ours as well!

That's very interesting as I didn't think Bell services was permitted in the rooms without us present. Perhaps DCL uses the same folk as ME, who are permitted to enter the room.
Which resort was this at?

 

[Ikaikalani]

That's very interesting as I didn't think Bell services was permitted in the rooms without us present. Perhaps DCL uses the same folk as ME, who are permitted to enter the room.
Which resort was this at?

It was at SSR, and it must have been about 8-10 years ago. I never got much more info about the bag swap since the issue was 'magically' corrected. And to be honest, they may have asked my permission to enter the room, but so long ago I can't recall. Maybe a supervisor accompanied the swap out?!? It was an unusual situation and I'd hate myself if the 'skull and crossbones' bag had some desperately needed medication in it or some such. Your comment makes me wonder about the 'room security' checks they do now. I suppose that since it is for security purposes the 'no entry' policy is exempt?

 

[twinklebug]

It was at SSR, and it must have been about 8-10 years ago. I never got much more info about the bag swap since the issue was 'magically' corrected. And to be honest, they may have asked my permission to enter the room, but so long ago I can't recall. Maybe a supervisor accompanied the swap out?!? It was an unusual situation and I'd hate myself if the 'skull and crossbones' bag had some desperately needed medication in it or some such. Your comment makes me wonder about the 'room security' checks they do now. I suppose that since it is for security purposes the 'no entry' policy is exempt?

Housekeeping has always had the ability to enter our rooms without us present, and they're the ones trained to do the room checks. Occasionally we will see security folk and a canine working them. Bell services is never supposed to enter an unattended room, but you're right, perhaps with advance permission it's okay.

Why the difference between the two groups? I can only imagine that it is in training. I like that the electronic key system keeps a record of who entered the room and when. If anything goes missing it's easy enough for them to track down who may have been the last one there.

 

[clayfolks]

We stay at Kidani frequently and have always had prompt, exceptional service from bell services. We often do split stays, most recently a few weeks ago at BLT and RIV. The RIV bell services was excellent. BLT was slow.

 

[Lakegirl]

We had a great experience at OKW our last stay. Both going to the room and pick up day. I believe at Poly we had a little bit of a wait and BLT. We are going in 61 days so I will report back.

 

[minthorne]

Last Dec checking into BWV with luggage and groceries. Pulled up in rental car with no acknowledgement. Finally pulled over by ourselves and got out and we unloaded all our luggage and shopping. Still no one from bell services. I went and parked the car and walked back and my friend was still standing with our stuff. He had grabbed a cart and had started loading it. Wouldn't you know that bell services showed up just in time to waylay our cart and hold it at the desk and bring it up when they were ready. We had our room ready text and had hoped to just get to the room with our stuff. It took them an hour to bring the cart up when we could have rolled it with us and brought it back in 10 minutes (well maybe 15 - we were waaaay down the hallway).

I wish I could have the choice to just rent a luggage cart when I arrive...

 

[Ralph&Pam]

Last Dec checking into BWV with luggage and groceries. Pulled up in rental car with no acknowledgement. Finally pulled over by ourselves and got out and we unloaded all our luggage and shopping. Still no one from bell services. I went and parked the car and walked back and my friend was still standing with our stuff. He had grabbed a cart and had started loading it. Wouldn't you know that bell services showed up just in time to waylay our cart and hold it at the desk and bring it up when they were ready. We had our room ready text and had hoped to just get to the room with our stuff. It took them an hour to bring the cart up when we could have rolled it with us and brought it back in 10 minutes (well maybe 15 - we were waaaay down the hallway).

I wish I could have the choice to just rent a luggage cart when I arrive...

Sounds consistent with our experience with bell services at BWV (our home resort, so many chances to observe). Valets will help unload the car onto a cart (and get tipped for the service), but bell services has been hit or miss, with more misses than hits. They usually manage the check out trip from the room to the front of the resort okay to either load the rental car or drop luggage at RAC.

 

[sleepydog25]

At the end of a couple of weeks, the poll hasn't changed much. Over 80% thinks bell services are good to solid, while about 12% do not. Not bad percentage, I guess. I probably should have narrowed my question specifically to bell services helping you at the moment you arrive: greeting you, helping with bags, timeliness. We had our bags delivered fairly quickly once they were gathered, again by the valet and not bell services. My issue is that they seem to poorly staffed more often than not (based on comments above).

 

[Chuck S]

At the end of a couple of weeks, the poll hasn't changed much. Over 80% thinks bell services are good to solid, while about 12% do not. Not bad percentage, I guess. I probably should have narrowed my question specifically to bell services helping you at the moment you arrive: greeting you, helping with bags, timeliness. We had our bags delivered fairly quickly once they were gathered, again by the valet and not bell services. My issue is that they seem to poorly staffed more often than not (based on comments above).

Yes, but that would also basically apply only to folks driving, since those arriving by Magical Express usually don't have luggage with them on the bus. I do carry my laptop on the plane, and on the bus, and check it with bell services if my room isn't ready. And as far as greeting, if you're on Magical Express, it isn't Bell Services that does it, it is a person from the front desk, as the airport check-in lets the resort know you are on the bus.