Mailing "Stuff"

[Jamie]

We will be going home for the first time the end of July. We'll be staying 2 nights at BCV's and then moving to WLV's. We want to mail some food and a small air mattress ahead. First, how far ahead should we mail it? Anyone have a preferred shipper (USPS or UPS)? What address do we use for BCV (just their regular mailing address?). Finally, where is the best place to mail it back from near WLV (along with all those souviers). Thanks!

 

[KathyR]

I can help with some of your questions

My shippers of choice are either UPS or FedEx. USPS is my LAST choice.

Mail your items to the BCV address on your confirmation sheet. Make sure to have your name and date of arrival on the package.
Beach Club Villas
C/O Your name, guest checking in (Date)
Address

I would use a guaranteed date of arrival service such as 3 day, so you know exactly when it will get there. Plus, you will have a tracking number to make sure it arrives, and of course, make sure you set it up that it requires a signature to be delivered. That way you have recourse if the package comes up missing. I would shedule it to arrive the day before you do. If you are arrving on a Sat or Sun schedule it for Fri. I would track your package online to make sure it got there and print out the detailed tracking page, so that you have a copy of it with you when you check in just in case. It will have the persons name who signed for the package on there as well as the time/date of delivery.

As to where to mail the stuff back, I don't have a clue. We have only sent food down which is eaten while we are there, so no need to send it back

 

[Peter Johnson]

We always bring an empty box or two with us and mail souvenirs home. I use USPS and send it to work. The PO we go to is down the street from Crossroads. At the Crossroads end of Hotel Boulevard, take a left. There's a plaza on the right (called something-or-other Pointe) not too far down with a small PO in it. It has a sign on the road before you get there. If you get there early it's very crowded, but seems better after lunch.

We send the boxes Priority with insurance and delivery confirmation.

 

[Scott H]

PMFJI, I think Peter is referring to a Mail Boxes Ect. that is located in a strip mall. I also can not remember the name of the strip mall. It is located across the street from a resturant called Joe's Crab Shack.

I found direction to the Mail Boxes Etc on their web site.

We use MBE to ship home our formal stuff from a DCL cruises, so as to give us room for stuff in our cases on the way home.

MBE will also sell you a box and tape. The only bummer is they will not let you pack your box in their store. I usually just do it in the parking lot or the trunk of the rental car.

Hope this helps

 

[Peter Johnson]

Originally posted by Scott H
PMFJI, I think Peter is referring to a Mail Boxes Ect. that is located in a strip mall.

No, it's a "real" USPS Post Office located in the strip mall just after the one with MBE.

 

[Scott H]

Peter, Thanks for the info, this is good to know.

 

[mikek]

UPS definately.

THey garuantee a delivery date- even for ground shipments as long as they are going to commercial addresses, which i would assume a hotel to be (and frankly I can count on one hand the number of times they havent hit their expected delivery date- check their website they have a transit time calculator to figure it out). and you can track the package without paying extra. For really small packages usps might be cheaper, but for bigger I think ups is best (could be wrong though so double check the prices if it matters to you). Also UPS is automatically insured to $100 for free- USPS you pay for any insurance- even the first $100.

Whenever we go, I plan to have the package arrive the day before we arrive, and bell services has always kept them for us, no problems (sometimes it takes them an hour or so to dig it out but you just tell them theres a package for you when you arrrive and they get it).

Also if you want overnight or 2 day shipping home you can get slips from ups and charge it to a ups account or to a crediet card. Than you just give it to the bellhop when you leave and they get it to the UPS driver for you.

Your beat for the air mattress- you'll need to pay for that somehow. But for shipping souveniers back- disney will take care of that for you. You pay shipping but no sales tax so if you bunch up your shopping to make each purchase a decent size dollar wise it works out to be almost free shipping home (UPS ground I believe).