Is this normal for check-in parking at BCV?

[HsvTeacher]

We checked in to BCV on Sunday morning and followed the signs to the guest check-in area. When we pulled through the portico, we were stopped by the head valet guy. We told him we were checking in, and he said they would park our car for us. I told him again that we were only checking in and did not want to valet park. He told us they would take our bags and deliver them to our room and again said that they would park our car for us.

Being that we only had a couple of bags, we told him again that we were not going to valet park and would take our own bags to our room. He then got very angry and told us to park in self-parking. (BTW, the portico area was empty.) We pulled around to self-parking near the villas and walked back to the check-in area.

All the other times we have checked-in at other Disney resorts, we have been able to park near the lobby for the few minutes it takes to check-in. Is this normal for BCV, or are they trying to push valet parking?

 

[Disney Princess]

That seems odd. We've never stayed at BCV with a car, but at BWV, we always pull under the portico, explain that we are checking in, and then leave the car. They make us leave the keys in case they need to move the car forward, but never FORCE us to valet park. We usually let bell services have our bags for storage, so that is the only difference.

Even so, you have every right to check in, carry your own bags, and park your own car. It does not seem "correct" to me.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

We have been able to park close to the BC lobby in the past and check in. The keys needed to be left with valet so they could move if necessary but we weren't hassled at all.

 

[JimMIA]

Did you express your concern to anyone in authority at the resort? If not, and you're still at BCV, I would go to the front desk and make a complaint to the front desk manager.

I assume the valet dude was not within resort policy, but if nobody complains, how is the resort supposed to correct the problem?

 

[newyorkmike]

That is a very strange experience.

When we checked in at BCV on May 21, it was moderately busy. I told the valet we were self-parking and only checking in. He asked us to move the car just outside the portico and we kept it parked there for the 5 minutes or so it took us to check in.

 

[HsvTeacher]

Thanks for the responses. Now that I know it was not normal for BCV, I will be reporting it. I just wanted to check, because I know there have been parking issues before at BCV and BWV. I have a feeling that they are pushing people to valet, even going as far as tricking them, because the valet company is losing money.

 

[Sammie]

If you were going to leave your car there, then yes you were wrong and the car needed to be moved.

As long as someone was going to move the car as soon as you got out, then he was wrong.

Cars can not be left out front unattended while guests check in. You have two options, someone moves the car after the luggage is removed, or you valet.

And yes he was doing his job and it would be wrong to complain about him. If he was rude, that was wrong, but if you were going to leave your car unattended you were wrong.

With Disney Magical Express unloading and coming and going, taxis, cars, it is simply too congested for guests to leave cars unattended and then there is always the safety factor, fire trucks etc. If everyone checking in did this, it would be a nightmare.

At some of the resorts there is parking close to the lobby to use for the period to check in, BW has a few spots, OKW has parking and so does SSR. But at the Beach Club, no there is no parking except in the lots across the canal.

 

[disneynutz]

Here's the low down. The head Valet dude, the unloader and the Valet, all work for a outside contractor. They work for tips and Valet fees. If you don't Valet park, no income for their company. The unloader passes your luggage off to the Bell Services CM's who all work for Disney (except at the value resorts). They will bring your luggage to your room if you are there, for another tip.

So Head Valet dude, tip, unloader, tip, Bell Services, tip, and Valet when you pick up your car, tip.

Bill

 

[daisyduck123]

We always valet, so I can't say that this could have ever possibly happened to us, but I can totally see the why what you wanted to do wouldn't be possible.

There is very little room for people to just "park their cars there" for 5 minutes. What if half a dozen people wanted to do that at the same time?

I don't think the valet guy should've been so unkind in his tone of voice. Not good.

 

[twinklebug]

We always valet, so I can't say that this could have ever possibly happened to us, but I can totally see the why what you wanted to do wouldn't be possible.

There is very little room for people to just "park their cars there" for 5 minutes. What if half a dozen people wanted to do that at the same time?

I don't think the valet guy should've been so unkind in his tone of voice. Not good.

Like they say with airport parking: "This area is for loading and unloading only." If you were trying to leave your car out there for even just 2 minutes unattended, that would have been wrong. Someone needs to stay with the car unless you plan on using Valet. It sounds however like the Valet manager was trying to stress you can't even drive up through the breezeway to drop off your luggage. If so, he was wrong.

IMHO - there is never any call for an employee, Disney or contractor, to be rude to a guest (or another employee)

 

[Dean]

I think the aggression and attitude is strange. However, they should not allow one to leave an unattended car while checking in and when things are busy, shouldn't allow a car to be left at all in your situation. Since none of us were there, it's hard to judge the circumstance you've noted. IF you were insistent on leaving your car during the check in process, I can understand their attitude though I'd say it's not usual unless the car is unattended in which case they would be totally justified.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

It's normal for the hotel industry. If everyone "just leaves their car for a minute" (which is NEVER a minute at Disney's check in speed) pretty soon the area is PACKED! So if you don't want to hand over the car don't drive up there! I never do, it would never occur to me to expect them to let me just "abandon" my car there. Just last week I had to do this at another hotel, but I gave them the keys so they could move it if they needed to (and I tipped) It was a city hotel without a close parking garage and I really was in and out in 3 minutes, Valet goet $5 for allowing me to do this!

 

[DVC Grandpa]

We always drive and when we check in we drive past the valet stand before stopping. We get the same questions about check-in and the bags but never been told to park in the DVC lot or even to move our car. If they ever do make a fuss then I would make an issue of it when I checked in.

 

[HsvTeacher]

The only reason that I repeated that we were checking in was that in all the other DVC resorts we've been to, no matter how busy they were, we were able to park out of the way to step inside to get our room keys. I was in no way rude or demanding to the valet guy. He was really insistent on our using valet to park our car and became quite agitated and angry when we refused.

Since there were two of us in the car, one of us would have gladly stayed with the car while the other was checking in. Since we weren't given the option, we did as told and parked in the DVC lot.

 

[Sammie]

The only reason that I repeated that we were checking in was that in all the other DVC resorts we've been to, no matter how busy they were, we were able to park out of the way to step inside to get our room keys. I was in no way rude or demanding to the valet guy. He was really insistent on our using valet to park our car and became quite agitated and angry when we refused.

Since there were two of us in the car, one of us would have gladly stayed with the car while the other was checking in. Since we weren't given the option, we did as told and parked in the DVC lot.

Then I would let them know about his tone with you and behavior but he was right to ask you to park and not use the front as a parking area, as it is truly an unloading area only.

I am really surprised anyone has been allowed to do it in the past, but then it it is not something I would ever consider appropriate.

You should have been allowed to get your bags out if you wished too and given them to bellmen to hold for you, or left your bags in the car and one of you go in, the other park the car.

 

[disprincessatheart]

Sounds off to me. When we checked in at blt last month, we pulled up to the valet area, told them we were checking in but not valet parking, and they directed us to the area that we could park just for check in. No big production. Ssr has a check in parking area too.

 

[Dean]

The only reason that I repeated that we were checking in was that in all the other DVC resorts we've been to, no matter how busy they were, we were able to park out of the way to step inside to get our room keys. I was in no way rude or demanding to the valet guy. He was really insistent on our using valet to park our car and became quite agitated and angry when we refused.

Since there were two of us in the car, one of us would have gladly stayed with the car while the other was checking in. Since we weren't given the option, we did as told and parked in the DVC lot.

You must have just gotten an aggressive and frustrated valet. I think I'd have parked the car to the side and asked to speak to a manager at that point. While I know the Valets themselves don't work for Disney, they come under their umbrella. Plus Disney is still somewhat responsible for them in a "Captain of the Ship" way.

 

[jodifla]

You are right OP. We often have just pulled in BCV and BWV to check in. They create this problem frankly by having any parking so far from the front door. At OKW or SSR, there's plenty of parking near the front, so we just park.

Now because we are rarely alone, I go in to check in while DH waits with the car. He does normally have bell services take our luggage, though.

 

[HsvTeacher]

You are right OP. We often have just pulled in BCV and BWV to check in. They create this problem frankly by having any parking so far from the front door. At OKW or SSR, there's plenty of parking near the front, so we just park.

Now because we are rarely alone, I go in to check in while DH waits with the car. He does normally have bell services take our luggage, though.

We've stayed at AKV-Kidani, AKV-Jambo, SSR, VWL, BLT, BCV, and Vero Beach. The only place we've ever had this issue was at BCV. I thought maybe it had to do with the parking problems they've had in the past.

Then I would let them know about his tone with you and behavior but he was right to ask you to park and not use the front as a parking area, as it is truly an unloading area only.

I am really surprised anyone has been allowed to do it in the past, but then it it is not something I would ever consider appropriate.

You should have been allowed to get your bags out if you wished too and given them to bellmen to hold for you, or left your bags in the car and one of you go in, the other park the car.

It could have something to do with the fact that the gate attendant tells you to follow the "Guest Check-In" signs and to pull up front through the portico to park. Seems like if it was inappropriate, they wouldn't tell you to do it.

 

[cemeb4dk]

our home resort is BCV, and most times we drive down. In the past we used the valet when it was free. SInce the change we still pull up, tell them we will be self parking and just checking in, they ask us to leave keys in car and usually have us pull up there by the Solarium just past bell services. This has been on a few occasions and the same everytime. Also last trip when we stayed at Baylake we also just parked our car outside of the contemporary with no issues.

Sorry it sounds like you had a bad valet, even if the policy changed there are politer ways of telling people. I understand they work for tips and not actual Disney employees, but at the same time they are sub contracted out and are for people that drive sometimes the first person they talk to when they arrive. So I think they should be held to some sort of Disney professionalism. In my experience I have always had pleasant ones. Don't let it ruin the rest of your trip.