Bringing Own Groceries

[nw6675]

My apologies if this has been asked, but all I come up in search is having groceries delivered which I'm familiar with - in our case, we may pick up a week's worth of groceries at a local store once we are switching from the Riviera to the VGF. We would plan it for a time we knew our room would be ready. What is the process for bell services in that scenario? They wouldn't need to store it in fridge because we would be heading straight to the room. Would they just leave on the cart and bring it to us as soon as we call down? My understanding is that bell services doesn't automatically go to your room - that you have to call down even if room is ready and you head straight there (hopefully, I'm wrong). Thanks!

ETA: it just dawned on me that this may need to be in the DVC forum.

 

[robinb]

Just to be clear, you want to go to a grocery store the day that you change resorts from RIV to VGF? You could do one of 2 things: you can arrange to go shopping later in the day and plan to return when your room is probably ready. In that case, you can just borrow a cart (or have bell services take it) right up to your room. If your room is not ready, you can leave the groceries with bell services and they will refrigerate as needed and deliver the groceries once you have a room.

What they will no longer do, is transfer your refrigerated groceries from RIV to VGF . You'll need to transport groceries yourself if you have anything that needs to be refrigerated when leaving RIV.

 

[sticker231]

My apologies if this has been asked, but all I come up in search is having groceries delivered which I'm familiar with - in our case, we may pick up a week's worth of groceries at a local store once we are switching from the Riviera to the VGF. We would plan it for a time we knew our room would be ready. What is the process for bell services in that scenario? They wouldn't need to store it in fridge because we would be heading straight to the room. Would they just leave on the cart and bring it to us as soon as we call down? My understanding is that bell services doesn't automatically go to your room - that you have to call down even if room is ready and you head straight there (hopefully, I'm wrong). Thanks!

ETA: it just dawned on me that this may need to be in the DVC forum.

If you are picking up your own groceries and know that your room is ready, why would you need Bell Serivices to bring them to your room? You can put them on a luggage cart and bring them to your room. If the room isn't ready they would store them and you would have to call when you are in your room to have them delivered.

 

[nw6675]

If you are picking up your own groceries and know that your room is ready, why would you need Bell Serivices to bring them to your room? You can put them on a luggage cart and bring them to your room. If the room isn't ready they would store them and you would have to call when you are in your room to have them delivered.

Thanks. I thought using the luggage cart on your own was generally not acceptable. We would definitely do that if that's the case.

 

[sticker231]

Thanks. I thought using the luggage cart on your own was generally not acceptable. We would definitely do that if that's the case.

We've never had a problem.

 

[robinb]

Thanks. I thought using the luggage cart on your own was generally not acceptable. We would definitely do that if that's the case.

Depending on the resort, it can be a bit awkward asking to borrow a cart.

 

[nw6675]

Depending on the resort, it can be a bit awkward asking to borrow a cart.

It will be the the villas at GF. That's what we have always experienced. We used one at BLT during the pandemic because they were short staffed and even that felt awkward. Plus, the more I think of it, we will have two cart loads between groceries and luggage so honestly we'd like bell services to help.

 

[elvispursley]

Are you dropping your groceries off with Bell Services? Or unloading and having Bell Services bring up to your room right away? Either way, they will accommodate. Just be sure to tip.

 

[nw6675]

Are you dropping your groceries off with Bell Services? Or unloading and having Bell Services bring up to your room right away? Either way, they will accommodate. Just be sure to tip.

Bring up right away and yes, we always tip well.

 

[Best Aunt]

My apologies if this has been asked, but all I come up in search is having groceries delivered which I'm familiar with - in our case, we may pick up a week's worth of groceries at a local store once we are switching from the Riviera to the VGF. We would plan it for a time we knew our room would be ready.

Maybe I'm missing something, but you don't know in advance when your room would be ready. The DVC member website says, "Check-In is after 4:00 PM" but that doesn't mean your room will be ready at 4:00 pm. Or even at 5:00 pm.

Maybe you meant you would wait until after you got your room number assigned.

As others have said, if your room is not ready, you can leave groceries at Bell Services of hotel # 2.

 

[nw6675]

Maybe I'm missing something, but you don't know in advance when your room would be ready. The DVC member website says, "Check-In is after 4:00 PM" but that doesn't mean your room will be ready at 4:00 pm. Or even at 5:00 pm.

Maybe you meant you would wait until after you got your room number assigned.

As others have said, if your room is not ready, you can leave groceries at Bell Services of hotel # 2.

Yes, waiting until we receive our text before we pick up anything. Unfortunately, we are very used to our room being ready well past 4

Eta: for clarity, our pickup would be shopping ourselves at that time in this scenario. We will prob just end up doing delivery

 

[_19disnA]

If doing your own shopping assume you have a car. Why not just wait until you have moved into the new room and then go shopping?

 

[Her Dotness]

Yes, you can definitely ask to use a luggage cart at VGF1. I've seen people ask for and load one themselves.

If you arrive when a number of others have, the CM at VGF1's curbside desk may call over to bell services at the GF for assistance. As a result, you might have to wait a bit to get a cart. In that case, it'd probably be more gracious to have the bell services CM load and transport the cart.

I don't know how this would be handled at the resort studios aka VGF2. I presume bell services in the GF main building would handle bringing your bags and groceries to your room.

 

[CarolynFH]

Thanks. I thought using the luggage cart on your own was generally not acceptable. We would definitely do that if that's the case.

At the DVC resorts, we have Bell Services load our groceries on a cart with our luggage, and they bring it up all together. If nothing needs refrigeration, they just keep it with our regular luggage. I'm sure they'd do the same thing if you didn't have any luggage.

In January we did already know our room number, so we wanted everything brought up right away with me while DH parked the car. The CM who greeted us at the BW entrance and loaded the cart did have to bring it inside to Bell Services and turn it over to them. I just waited at the BS desk a few minutes until the BS CM was ready to go upstairs with me.

 

[nw6675]

@CarolynFH Thank you so much! Exactly what I needed.