delivery Fee Question

[KyleAfterAWhile]

By the way, I wrote dvcmembersatisfactionteam@disneyvacationclub.com about it. No replies so far.

 

[KyleAfterAWhile]

That’s unacceptable.

I agree, because it is not a fee for a service, but instead a forced charge. This year it is $6, next year it will be $12, then $15, etc.

 

[Madame]

So just got off the phone. I tried to take notes as the conversation unraveled:

1. I was insistent on where the 5$ fee was going and did NOT get an answer. I related I knew the 1$ was going to CM, but the rep on the phone was reading a script of “it’s just a fee”. IE they don’t know where it’s going either...

2. I asked how in the world this worked at resorts like SSR where BS is paid exclusively by membership.
Answer: there are cash guests there.
My answer: they are renting Disney’s points offered via CRO or traded into RCI to cover concierge collection trade outs.

Answer: DVC does not own 100% of the resorts. Legally cannot. Our MF only cover luggage delivery.

My reaction: huh?

I skipped ahead to the issues at BCV specifically. Refusal to hand over our groceries & how I don’t want to argue with BS on my vacation for the groceries I ordered in order to use my full kitchen to its greatest advantage.

Answer: if BS offers to bring it up or refuses to give us our groceries then they are not to be charging us....

My response: you know that is not what will happen. I asked if an internal memo could be sent specifically to BC BS to instruct them to give owners their groceries upon request. Answer was that my feedback will be sent to a lead team.

I ended by saying that this seems a blatant money grab. If they want to charge CRO guests, by all means, but members are already paying for BS. I also added that it would be CMs that take the hit here rightly or wrongly. Some will not tip as they considered the service paid for with the charge. Others like me who would have tipped 10-20$ are, on principal, now going to bypass BS all together.

This reeks to be honest. I asked if our MF for BS would be going down now that we are paying oop for services. Again, apparently our MF covering BS only covers luggage delivery & the 5$ is evaporating into the deep pockets of the mouse. Nickel & diming indeed...

 

[Chuck S]

What's next? Fees to fix issues with magic bands, as the front desk people are only there to check people in and out?

No where in all the years of DVC have they said that Bell Services is only for luggage.

 

[Madame]

For anyone looking to protest this new level of ridiculousness, I plan on picking up luggage & grocery orders myself & tipping the BS staff anyway. While refusing to pay the ridiculous charge and allow Disney to double dip, I do not want CMs to suffer - and I don’t want them doing anything against policy like taking my groceries up anyway. We rarely use BS, but I always tipped well & I love sticking it to the man

Now I just need to find a way to get some 5s & 10s in USD. 20s are the lowest denomination that are easy to exchange for here.

 

[Chuck S]

For anyone looking to protest this new level of ridiculousness, I plan on picking up luggage & grocery orders myself & tipping the BS staff anyway. While refusing to pay the ridiculous charge and allow Disney to double dip, I do not want CMs to suffer - and I don’t want them doing anything against policy like taking my groceries up anyway. We rarely use BS, but I always tipped well & I love sticking it to the man

Now I just need to find a way to get some 5s & 10s in USD. 20s are the lowest denomination that are easy to exchange for here.

The front desk should be able to make change for you.

That said, I may have found their justification for the charge...I just pulled up the OKW grocery order form. Apparently, if you order groceries directly from the resort shop, they charge a $10 fee.

"DISNEY'S OLD KEY WEST RESORT-GROCERY ORDER FORM A $10.00 service charge will be added to all orders. Groceries will be delivered on date of check-in after 5:00 p.m."

Since it specifically states it is a "service charge" I wonder how many people would tip in addition to that?

 

[Madame]

The front desk should be able to make change for you.

That said, I may have found their justification for the charge...I just pulled up the OKW grocery order form. Apparently, if you order groceries directly from the resort shop, they charge a $10 fee.

"DISNEY'S OLD KEY WEST RESORT-GROCERY ORDER FORM A $10.00 service charge will be added to all orders. Groceries will be delivered on date of check-in after 5:00 p.m."

Since it specifically states it is a "service charge" I wonder how many people would tip in addition to that?

Thx!
No, I only see that as a service charge, not specific to the delivery aspect. Besides most of us are already paying a service charge to Instacart etc.

 

[Chuck S]

Yeah, I was not happy with the $6 charge that has never been there before. But when you compare it to the $10 service charge for ordering it from the resort store, and the limited items available, I feel a little better about it. Considering what is on the list and what is actually in the store at the resorts is often quite different. Usually Prime Now updates in pretty much real time, so it is rare for them to show an item that is not in stock. I've ordered from them twice, and the only item that wasn't in stock, even though it showed on the app, was bread. And we got that at the resort store. SInce we have a gluten free traveler on our next trip, I'm sure we'll be ordering groceries off site for breakfast and snacks. I wouldn't even mind doing a dining plan, if it wasn't so overpriced compared to what I normally spend out of pocket, and I eat pretty hearty table service once a day.

 

[KyleAfterAWhile]

If you/we are unhappy about this, write in. That is the best way to be heard. That is the only way they will rethink it.

 

[disneynutz]

What's next? Fees to fix issues with magic bands, as the front desk people are only there to check people in and out?

No where in all the years of DVC have they said that Bell Services is only for luggage.

I expected a fee long ago if you don't use online check-in.

Bill

 

[cmwade77]

Yeah, I was not happy with the $6 charge that has never been there before. But when you compare it to the $10 service charge for ordering it from the resort store, and the limited items available, I feel a little better about it. Considering what is on the list and what is actually in the store at the resorts is often quite different. Usually Prime Now updates in pretty much real time, so it is rare for them to show an item that is not in stock. I've ordered from them twice, and the only item that wasn't in stock, even though it showed on the app, was bread. And we got that at the resort store. SInce we have a gluten free traveler on our next trip, I'm sure we'll be ordering groceries off site for breakfast and snacks. I wouldn't even mind doing a dining plan, if it wasn't so overpriced compared to what I normally spend out of pocket, and I eat pretty hearty table service once a day.

The difference is for that $10 fee, they put your groceries away for you, even if you aren't in the room or at least they used to.

 

[disprincess2213]

I just wanted to share some experiences Ive had constantly with BS. No matter what, they will not let us take the rolling cart. We have arrived via car with luggage and ask nicely to please let us take up our luggage and they insist on them doing it. We always have groceries/ other items delivered to BS (GG, Amazon, walmart, etc) using and not using refrigeration and they refuse to give us a cart to bring the items up ourselves. We almost always go to BS upon arrival to bring the items up ourselves and they literally will not give us the items! I never want to argue with them so I just let them bring them up, no matter how little amount of bags I have. The issue here is that they have not allowed us to use their cart or do it ourselves in the past and I am unsure if this will change. If we have 2 cases of water and 2 cases of soda, we would need a cart because no one could carry heavy stuff like that alone. Does anyone here think that they will let guests do this on their own in the future?

THe one time we were able to use the cart ourselves was at Vero Beach- there were several carts available at the elevators in the outer buildings to use and bring back at your convenience.

 

[cmwade77]

I just wanted to share some experiences Ive had constantly with BS. No matter what, they will not let us take the rolling cart. We have arrived via car with luggage and ask nicely to please let us take up our luggage and they insist on them doing it. We always have groceries/ other items delivered to BS (GG, Amazon, walmart, etc) using and not using refrigeration and they refuse to give us a cart to bring the items up ourselves. We almost always go to BS upon arrival to bring the items up ourselves and they literally will not give us the items! I never want to argue with them so I just let them bring them up, no matter how little amount of bags I have. The issue here is that they have not allowed us to use their cart or do it ourselves in the past and I am unsure if this will change. If we have 2 cases of water and 2 cases of soda, we would need a cart because no one could carry heavy stuff like that alone. Does anyone here think that they will let guests do this on their own in the future?

THe one time we were able to use the cart ourselves was at Vero Beach- there were several carts available at the elevators in the outer buildings to use and bring back at your convenience.

Those carts are BS's tools, would you go to your local automotive repair shop and ask you use their tools for free? Would you bring your own food to a restaurant and ask if you could use their kitchen to cook it? Of course not, but that is exactly what you are doing when asking to use BS's carts.

Vero Beach may handle things differently, I don't know, i know some hotels outside of Disney do keep a few carts for guest use, but usually once you get to Disney priced hotels they don't.

 

[disprincess2213]

Those carts are BS's tools, would you go to your local automotive repair shop and ask you use their tools for free? Would you bring your own food to a restaurant and ask if you could use their kitchen to cook it? Of course not, but that is exactly what you are doing when asking to use BS's carts.

Vero Beach may handle things differently, I don't know, i know some hotels outside of Disney do keep a few carts for guest use, but usually once you get to Disney priced hotels they don't.

That's a bit extreme don't you think? Its a luggage cart.

 

[disneynutz]

Last I knew, VB and BRV would let you use the carts. Bell Services expects to make their money in tips so they will protect their income. They will not deliver your luggage to your room without an adult being present because they want a tip. DME luggage gets delivered because BS gets a tip through DME. The people who unpack your car at the resort are not Disney cast members, they are a contracted provider same as valet parking. Bell Services stopped unpacking cars because they were not making enough tips and they like to stay inside the air conditioned resort if they can. This info came from a Bell Services CM.

Bill

 

[disprincess2213]

Last I knew, VB and BRV would let you use the carts. Bell Services expects to make their money in tips so they will protect their income. They will not deliver your luggage to your room without an adult being present because they want a tip. DME luggage gets delivered because BS gets a tip through DME. The people who unpack your car at the resort are not Disney cast members, they are a contracted provider same as valet parking. Bell Services stopped unpacking cars because they were not making enough tips and they like to stay inside the air conditioned resort if they can. This info came from a Bell Services CM.

Bill
why

Thank you! We always tip no matter what....We tip when they help unload the car to the cart and also when the items are delivered to the room.. We do this in case it is a different CM. We also tip when we drop off bags or if we physically pick them up when leaving for DME. This does make sense as to why they don't want people to use it...but as for us personally, we always tip once a CM has handled our bag at all!

 

[cmwade77]

That's a bit extreme don't you think? Its a luggage cart.

Not at all, BS is dependent on tips, they need those luggage carts to earn tips, also people need to have luggage picked up from their rooms at all times of the day, can you imagine them having to say "I'm sorry, we can't pick up your luggage because a guest used our cart and didn't return it."?

 

[cmwade77]

Last I knew, VB and BRV would let you use the carts. Bell Services expects to make their money in tips so they will protect their income. They will not deliver your luggage to your room without an adult being present because they want a tip. DME luggage gets delivered because BS gets a tip through DME. The people who unpack your car at the resort are not Disney cast members, they are a contracted provider same as valet parking. Bell Services stopped unpacking cars because they were not making enough tips and they like to stay inside the air conditioned resort if they can. This info came from a Bell Services CM.

Bill

Actually, the adult being present is more than just because of a tip, it is because they don't want to risk any situation that could be legally questionable involving a minor.

 

[EdnaMarieMode]

Actually, the adult being present is more than just because of a tip, it is because they don't want to risk any situation that could be legally questionable involving a minor.

Considering room checks and the fact that BS will deliver your DME luggage without you having to call for it (meaning a minor could be alone in the room when BS arrives with your DME luggage just the same as they could any other time), I'll have to disagree with that.

 

[Chuck S]

It has been standard practice for any onsite or offsite upper tier hotels, with bell services, to not allow guests to use luggage carts for a long time. Mid range hotels, where you usually stop for a night or two while driving, like Hampton, Holiday Inn, etc., don't usually have any bell services, and do often have carts for guest use.