DVC resort Bell Service, use them or not?

[Dis507]

In a recent trip to WDW and staying at RIV I noticed a mix of guest using bell services and others just grabbing a bell cart and doing it themselves. So it made me wonder, how many take advantage of the service vs preferring to move their luggage by themselves.

I personally prefer to take advantage of the service. I've never had to wait very long once I go to my room and after a long trip getting in, I just have no interest or energy to haul the luggage. When I'm ready to check out, I tend to haul my luggage to the car as I want to get moving. So I'd say I'm a mix myself.

What's everyone else's preference?

 

[Cfabar1]

I prefer to DIY... Easier, I can think about how I want to store things, can move at my own pace, etc.

But I also prefer to park my own car - know where it is, have my car keys, and not have to call down, wonder when it's ready, etc. and I know a lot of people love valet parking.

 

[lorimt]

I just do it myself. I’m always anxious to get in the room and don’t want to wait.

 

[jo-jo]

We travel with two medium suitcases, a large grocery size tote for DH medical stuff, a backpack and a gym roll bag. I can handle all that myself.

The 800 walmart grocery bags with 20 gallons of water is the hard part. I'd be afraid whacking people and walls all the way to our room.

I usually get groceries after we are in the room, but I think this trip I will order groceries to be delivered mid afternoon before we check in. I'm old and cranky but polite. When I would get the text "I'm on my way", I would head down to lobby and then watch on my phone as the driver travels from walmart to disney via Georgia. Now I'd rather tip and pay a fee, than to sit outside waiting.

 

[Grumpy by Birth]

We usually drive, so if we're staying someplace like Saratoga or Old Key West, we just park near the room and unload ourselves.

At other resorts, I like to use bell services to unload the car and bring all our stuff to the room. There's rarely a luggage cart available and I'd rather just budget tips in for bell services instead of having to make multiple trips lugging things to the room.

I've found it to be a much more relaxing start to our trip when my first activity isn't dragging heavy suitcases around and sweating to death right out of the gate.

 

[Dano1182]

If you take a luggage cart and diy.
Make sure you bring some t back!!

 

[CarolynFH]

We've always used Bell Services. If we've received the Room Ready notice, we usually stop at the grocery on the way in, so we have all of that as well as luggage, and if our room isn't ready yet, we want to check our luggage. Also, it means that I can go into the lobby with our stuff while DH parks the car. (Oh how we miss free valet parking!)

 

[LadybugsMum]

We often show up before the room is ready; so I use BS to store our luggage and we go to the pool or a park. Once we can get into the room then have BS bring our stuff up as I have an Owner's Locker that's been delivered to the resort. It's so much easier for me to have BS bring our stuff to our room.

 

[Sandisw]

We always use them…unless we only have a carry on bag and don’t need a cart.

 

[starfrenzy]

We do it ourselves to save on the tip.

The exception is on checkout-day, because I’m likely storing the bags with Bell anyway until we leave for the airport in the late afternoon.

 

[s.r.disney nut]

Question. Does Bell Services frown upon using their luggage carts or is it now acceptable to do so?

 

[tidefan]

The only place we tend use Bell Services is at Aulani with groceries. Everywhere else is usually DIY.

 

[DonMacGregor]

We always rent a car and usually don't head to the resort until we get the room ready text. Because of that, we almost always take our own luggage to our room, just because it takes less time and we tend to travel with only one suitcase and a backpack each. We will stop by the bell desk and ask them to bring our Owner's Lockers to the room though. When we check out, it's the opposite: we'll take our own bags to the car, and just call to have a bellman come pick up the two lockers.

 

[RanDIZ]

I like handling my own luggage.

 

[Dis507]

Question. Does Bell Services frown upon using their luggage carts or is it now acceptable to do so?

I think it depends on the resort, at VGF they seem to keep tight reigns on them at the main hotel the DVC villas it depends on the staff, but at others, not so much. At CCV, RIV, SSR they seem to not care.

 

[CWTC]

We always use bell services but in addition to luggage we have the groceries (delivered to bell services) and 2 owners lockers (also delivered to bell services) to contend with.

 

[Judique]

I go both ways.

I drive.

When I'm alone, I tend to leave many things in the car until I need them, or if it's a shorter trip, and I'm traveling light, I'll park and just take a small backpack with me so my electronics are not left in a hotter car. If room is ready I'll have one rolling suitcase and do it myself.

When DD and grands are with me, it's bell services to the rescue. The car is now a shambles and there's stuff everywhere including that case of water and a bunch of stuffies plus the needed items. It's embarrassing to open the back! They almost always manage it nicely and we make sure we are going straight to the room with this mess. Otherwise it's park until the room is ready and then get it unloaded. They never get to drive my car. Not that it's special, I just am a control freak, want to know where it's parked, and will walk half a mile to get to a space. No keys for you!

 

[Judique]

Question. Does Bell Services frown upon using their luggage carts or is it now acceptable to do so?

It seems to be an option now, at least in some resorts.

When I first joined in 2000, I never saw anyone other than BS using the carts. That seems to have loosened up.

 

[Nabas]

Generally, bell services upon arrival, do-it-ourselves upon departure.

We arrive with food and drinks. Those are consumed by the time we leave, so the load is lighter. Plus, I typically do one or two runs to the car in the morning of departure before I shower, so that our final load is pretty light.

 

[kanerf]

Since I fly in I take my own luggage to the room, but I have an Owner's Locker and groceries delivered, so the Bell service brings those to the room. I always stay at multiple resorts during a visit, so I use Bell service to transfer my things between resorts. I do have to carry my chilled items to the next resort since the Bell service will not do that.