DVC free valet parking

[lundve]

When a dvc resort states that you get free valet parking what exactly does that mean? No charge and no tip? No charge and you should tip? For someone who never pays for parking hardly anywhere I am confused.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

No charge and should tip... Although I used to tip more when the employees were Disney CMs.

MG

 

[ead79]

There is no charge, but you should still tip. The valet CMs rely on those tips as income.

 

[drusba]

You get free valet only at DVC resorts (not other Disney resorts). Tipping is extra. Some tip both dropping off and picking up but the traditional tipping of valet is when you pick up the car; how much is personal choice and prior posts have mentioned members tipping anywhere from $2 to $5 with an average of $3.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

There is no charge, but you should still tip. The valet CMs rely on those tips as income.

True, they still need to make a living, but don't forget... They are not Cast Members any longer.

MG

 

[jlewisinsyr]

True, they still need to make a living, but don't forget... They are not Cast Members any longer.

MG

What does them being castmembers or not have anything to do with it?

 

[Maistre Gracey]

What does them being castmembers or not have anything to do with it?

I've been using valet parking for many years.. When they were CMs they would recognize me, and call me by name on return visits. Service was always courteous and prompt.

Now, the valet people are dressed in semi-baggy pants, I've seen baseball hats, and sneakers untied.
Service?? I sit for several minutes without being acknowledged, let alone called by name. My car is often late being pulled to the front, and quite frankly the person at the valet podium doesn't give a hoot.

Maybe coincidence in the timing, but this changed happened simultaneously with the change from CMs.

So yes, I tip less because the service is not there. I want my CMs back!

MG

 

[disneynutz]

I've been using valet parking for many years.. When they were CMs they would recognize me, and call me by name on return visits. Service was always courteous and prompt.

Now, the valet people are dressed in semi-baggy pants, I've seen baseball hats, and sneakers untied.
Service?? I sit for several minutes without being acknowledged, let alone called by name. My car is often late being pulled to the front, and quite frankly the person at the valet podium doesn't give a hoot.

Maybe coincidence in the timing, but this changed happened simultaneously with the change from CMs.

So yes, I tip less because the service is not there. I want my CMs back!

MG

I think that we would be really surprised if we really knew how many positions Disney contracts out to save money. Even the funnel cake Kiosks are contracted out.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

I've been using valet parking for many years.. When they were CMs they would recognize me, and call me by name on return visits. Service was always courteous and prompt.

Now, the valet people are dressed in semi-baggy pants, I've seen baseball hats, and sneakers untied.
Service?? I sit for several minutes without being acknowledged, let alone called by name. My car is often late being pulled to the front, and quite frankly the person at the valet podium doesn't give a hoot.

Maybe coincidence in the timing, but this changed happened simultaneously with the change from CMs.

So yes, I tip less because the service is not there. I want my CMs back!

MG

Correlation is not causation. You are brushing outsourced positions in poor light when the problem is more around just poor service (root cause analysis). Saying you tip less because of poor service which seems to coincide with the transition between CMs and outsourced positions is fine, but saying you tip less because the position is outsourced is an unfair response.

As for service, I find it spotty, but I've NEVER seen unprofessionally dressed valets (always dressed in appropriate Disney attire based on the resort).

 

[DebbieB]

I tip based on the service, not the employer and not the dress. If I pullup and am waiting for someone to come and give me the claim check and I see them just standing there, no tip. If someone runs right over, then I'll tip $2, more if they help with luggage. Same with pickup, although I will cut some slack considering they may be backed up (other people are waiting).

If you use valet in the resort you are staying at, call from your room before you leave and give them your claim #, they will go get the car and it maybe there when you get to the front.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

I tip based on the service, not the employer and not the dress. If I pullup and am waiting for someone to come and give me the claim check and I see them just standing there, no tip. If someone runs right over, then I'll tip $2, more if they help with luggage. Same with pickup, although I will cut some slack considering they may be backed up (other people are waiting).

Exactly.

If you use valet in the resort you are staying at, call from your room before you leave and give them your claim #, they will go get the car and it maybe there when you get to the front.

Unless you're at the Grand Floridian and you call every day before you leave to have your vehicle brought around at various times (sometimes multiple time during the day) and you still have to wait 15 minutes when you get down there often requiring you reminding them you're waiting for your vehicle while 2 or 3 guys are standing around.

 

[Tara]

As for service, I find it spotty, but I've NEVER seen unprofessionally dressed valets (always dressed in appropriate Disney attire based on the resort).

Every once in a while i arrive when there are a ton of other people arriving and the service is slower. Equal in frequency to that is when I arrive and there aren't many (or any) valets around, so I have to wait. Both of these instances are infrequent - and I valet park a LOT. I've never seen inappropriately dressed valets, either.

I really don't get the "I tip less because they aren't CMs" attitude - if it weren't for reading about it here, I would have NEVER known that valet had been outsourced. In fact, I still don't know when the change happened. My experience in using valet heavily for 5-6 years now has been completely consistent.

Unless you're at the Grand Floridian and you call every day before you leave to have your vehicle brought around at various times (sometimes multiple time during the day) and you still have to wait 15 minutes when you get down there often requiring you reminding them you're waiting for your vehicle while 2 or 3 guys are standing around.

I feel like I'm either misreading this comment or there's a critical word missing.

But for the sake of the OP who hasn't used valet, I'll say this (not refuting your comment above because I'm not sure what you're saying but the mention of 15 minutes got me thinking)...

I've very occasionally had a 15 minute wait when wires got crossed or the queue was exceptionally long. I almost never call down yet I rarely end up waiting what I feel is an unreasonable amount of time. Or even 15 minutes. And believe me, I don't like waiting around for no good reason. And yes, I tip. In fact, I always tip $1-2 both on drop-off and pick-up. Most people only tip 1x on pick-up and I guess that's the "norm" but that's not what I do - no biggie.

Compare my experience with wait times at Disney wwith my brief valet experience at the Gaylord Palms where I needed my car 3 times... on one occasion it took them 30 minutes to get it, on another occasion it took them 20 minutes. (The 3rd was about what I'd expect given the traffic at the time - about 5 minutes.)

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Correlation is not causation. You are brushing outsourced positions in poor light when the problem is more around just poor service (root cause analysis). Saying you tip less because of poor service which seems to coincide with the transition between CMs and outsourced positions is fine, but saying you tip less because the position is outsourced is an unfair response.

As for service, I find it spotty, but I've NEVER seen unprofessionally dressed valets (always dressed in appropriate Disney attire based on the resort).

Well, that's your opinion. I have talked extensively with the bell people at WL, AKL, and the GF. The bell people used to work at the valet, but they lost their positions. I have heard all the stories about lack of training, and caring about the guest. I didn't take it lightly when valet was outsourced. Does Disney deserve some of the blame? Absolutely, and I have written my letters.
Bottom line is there is a noticeable difference between the CMs and the outsourced company. If you don't see a connection, so be it. I do.

One other thing.. My wife fell getting out of the car at WL this past May. The valet people just looked at her. Nobody came over or said a word.
I just can't imagine a Disney CM doing the same.

Now, do I still tip valet?? Of course, just not as much as before (unless it's one particular guy that recognizes me and takes care of us).
I now give $3 at drop, and $5 for retrieve. I would bet that's still above the average, but it used to be $5 and up to $10 respectively.

MG

 

[Maistre Gracey]

If you use valet in the resort you are staying at, call from your room before you leave and give them your claim #, they will go get the car and it maybe there when you get to the front.

Yup.. Common practice with us. We do this usually twice a day, once for our daytime activities, and once when we go to dinner (if we're not taking a cab).

About 1 out of 3 times the car is late. I should note that we don't call then race down to the valet. It's always 15 minutes or so.
I can certainly understand if they are busy, but sometimes I get a blank stare when I ask about my car.

MG

 

[RandFamily]

There's a definite decline in service quality since the outsourcing. I was staying at the BCV and the valet LOST MY KEY!!! Okay, anyone can make a mistake and I was very understanding while they tried to find the key (we were on our way to the Pirate and Princess part at MK). But then they just seemed to stop looking and when I asked for a manager to help solve the problem they said he wasn't there right now. They also had no suggestion for how to help me, except to say that they'd call me a cab or I could walk over to the bus stop! After waiting more than an hour, I went inside and spoke the BC manager. She was extremely apologetic and said they'd had many problems with the valet company since it was outsourced. She immediately drove us to MK in a van and dropped us off right by the busses and gave us a phone number to call to be picked up later. When we got back that evening, the valets had still not found my keys. When I woke up the next morning there was a phone message waiting that said they'd fixed the problem. They got a locksmith to make another key - WITHOUT MY PERMISSION! Which has screwed up the anti-theft settings for the keys in my car. Anyway, to end this long story - I always take an extra key now, and I use the valets much less often (only when exhausted!). I'm very sorry to see such outsourcing and I hope it does not increase.

 

[palhockeymomof2]

We visit 1 or 2 times a year..usually staying at the BWV's...we always tip upon drop off and pick up...not sure when the disney cm's were replaced...we were last there in April of this year...and didn't notice a difference in service....we always call from our room before going to pick up the car too.......the only time we had a problem with valet parking as back in 2005 at the Poly....same situation as the pp...they could not find the keys to our rental car.....after almost an hour of searching they drove us back to the BWV and delivered the rental car the next day....for our trip in August we are staying at the BCV so we will not valet there

 

[LUVMICKEY]

I guess it's been longer than I thought that we have not driven to Disney. We have been flying for the past several years. When did they start using an outside source for the valet parking? Is Bell Services also outside sourced? I feel so uninformed now.

 

[anna08]

There's a definite decline in service quality since the outsourcing. I was staying at the BCV and the valet LOST MY KEY!!! Okay, anyone can make a mistake and I was very understanding while they tried to find the key (we were on our way to the Pirate and Princess part at MK). But then they just seemed to stop looking and when I asked for a manager to help solve the problem they said he wasn't there right now. They also had no suggestion for how to help me, except to say that they'd call me a cab or I could walk over to the bus stop! After waiting more than an hour, I went inside and spoke the BC manager. She was extremely apologetic and said they'd had many problems with the valet company since it was outsourced. She immediately drove us to MK in a van and dropped us off right by the busses and gave us a phone number to call to be picked up later. When we got back that evening, the valets had still not found my keys. When I woke up the next morning there was a phone message waiting that said they'd fixed the problem. They got a locksmith to make another key - WITHOUT MY PERMISSION! Which has screwed up the anti-theft settings for the keys in my car. Anyway, to end this long story - I always take an extra key now, and I use the valets much less often (only when exhausted!). I'm very sorry to see such outsourcing and I hope it does not increase.

Yikes! That is good reason to only give them the valet key for a car! I think to replace one of my regular keys is around $350!

 

[jenharring]

ok I am new to the whole dvc and valet parking at disney. How does it work? Do you show them something that shows you are a dvc member or just ur room key? Which resorts have the dvc valet or valet that you can use free?

 

[Deb & Bill]

ok I am new to the whole dvc and valet parking at disney. How does it work? Do you show them something that shows you are a dvc member or just ur room key? Which resorts have the dvc valet or valet that you can use free?

You'll need your blue member ID card. You can valet park for free at BC, WL, BW, AKL/AKV and beginning Aug 4, CR.