New charge for Bell Service Delivery

[sponica]

My grocery orders are usually fairly small so $6 does actually start cutting into the savings a little BUT even with the $6 fee I'm still coming out ahead by not paying $4 per Uncrustable that my DS2 will eat maybe half of. I'm wondering the same about multiple deliveries- we usually just have 1 delivery so it's more of a curiosity on my part. If someone waits until the crib/ gift basket/ stroller/ grocery order have all arrived and then calls (so 1 trip over), is that $6 or $24?

I'm curious about the deliveries TO bell services like strollers.
Of course this could just be another example of Disney being Disney and putting out information with a complete lack of clarity/specificity. The mail services information only discusses the front desk.

 

[Starwind]

That is exactly the matter under disagreement. Google "Do I still tip if there is a delivery fee?" and you'll see loads of arguments about it. I've only rarely seen companies state, "This delivery fee covers all aspects of the delivery service, including the full cost of the work of the delivery person." That's just not the way American society works. Companies often do make the point that the delivery fee covers either mostly or only the company's costs of providing delivery service, such as the cost of packaging and the cost of paying delivery staff to sit around waiting for an order to come in. In Disney's case, they can also talk about the cost of storage.

This is all based on second or third hand information, paraphrased and reparaphrased. It was referred to as a "service fee" and it isn't clear whether it covers some versus all of the delivery person's work. Disney could officially say very clearly whether or not tipping is still appropriate. If they do, then that is what determines whether there is "need to tip". But of course, people will believe whatever they want to believe regardless.

I've written to Disney and asked if one is expected to tip on top of the delivery fee. Also for them to confirm the fee. Will see if they reply.

SW

 

[SharonZ]

Disney has given you an option, if you don't want to pay the fee. Pick it up yourself.

 

[EdnaMarieMode]

The thing is, I'm sure the amount of stuff being delivered to Disney hotels at this point is probably getting excessive. The storage involved alone - aside from actual luggage- probably presents a challenge.

Do I welcome a fee? Of course not. Do I understand it? Maybe?

At this point, if people don't want to pay the service fee and/or tip too, I suppose your best bet is to get in an Uber and go to a grocery store near your hotel. I get people don't want to pay Disney prices for food, but I don't think the hotel was set up for some of the descriptions of groceries I read about, so a fee was bound to come eventually. I'm not speaking of DVC where it is expected you will "cook" in your unit.

My point wasn't that I am anti-fee (because I'm not- as I've already said in this thread, some of these deliveries are excessive and it does require more resources on Disney's part than luggage coming in from DME). My point is that we shouldn't assume everyone is capable of picking up the delivery.

It's a non-issue anyhow because it seems the only way to avoid the fee and have items delivered according to the article linked above, would be to meet the delivery person in the lobby and not have Bell Services handle your items at all. The charge is not actually for the delivery, the fee is for them accepting the delivery in the first place (which would then include delivering them).

 

[EdnaMarieMode]

I'm curious about the deliveries TO bell services like strollers.
Of course this could just be another example of Disney being Disney and putting out information with a complete lack of clarity/specificity. The mail services information only discusses the front desk.

Disney has given you an option, if you don't want to pay the fee. Pick it up yourself.

The article linked above by @rteetz suggests that having the items delivered is what will incur the charge. If you meet the delivery person and bell services does NOT handle your items at all, no charge. If the groceries are delivered while you're at the park and you pick them up on your way to the room, then yes, a charge (because bell services took delivery of the items, regardless of who took them to the room).

Like anything else at Disney the information is inconsistent and I suppose no one will know until they're there.

I don't think $6 is unreasonable, I just really hope this doesn't mean that those who have the items delivered to the room fail to tip the CM who delivers them because the CM is not the one getting this $6.

 

[sponica]

@EdnaMarieMode I don't think the fee is unreasonable for delivering to the room (my orders last year were pretty huge and took at least one luggage cart). But I think all the stroller companies deliver to bell services. I would think that those companies would build in those fees to their contracts to be preferred vendors.

 

[cmwade77]

Disney has given you an option, if you don't want to pay the fee. Pick it up yourself.

Except, even picking it up, Bell Services still would be involved, so a fee would still be charged I believe.

 

[cmwade77]

My point wasn't that I am anti-fee (because I'm not- as I've already said in this thread, some of these deliveries are excessive and it does require more resources on Disney's part than luggage coming in from DME). My point is that we shouldn't assume everyone is capable of picking up the delivery.

It's a non-issue anyhow because it seems the only way to avoid the fee and have items delivered according to the article linked above, would be to meet the delivery person in the lobby and not have Bell Services handle your items at all. The charge is not actually for the delivery, the fee is for them accepting the delivery in the first place (which would then include delivering them).

Except when we were there in January, they didn't allow you to meet the delivery person in the lobby (except restaurant deliveries, those you have to meet them in the lobby) because the deliveries actually go to a backdoor at most resorts and not through the lobby.

 

[DLgal]

Except, even picking it up, Bell Services still would be involved, so a fee would still be charged I believe.

Maybe they meant, go to the grocery store and pick up your groceries yourself.

 

[cmwade77]

The hotel does not charge to receive grocery orders from grocery delivery services such as instacart, amazon prime now, garden drocery or dizzy dolphin.

They have just started to charge a DELIVERY fee if you have Bell Services deliver your grocery order to your room. That fee is $6 per order. If you choose to go to Bell Services and pick up your order and take it to your room yourself, there is no fee.

Note that for packages delivered through parcel services such as USPS, UPS, FedEx, DHL, so things from places like Amazon.com, Amazon Prime, Amazon Pantry, and other online stores, which go via the resort front desk, the resort charges a $6 fee per package [formerly $5] to receive the package.

SW

I am assuming that this fee still does not apply to DVC resorts then? I mean in January, they didn't charge us anything for package delivery to our room or for receiving the packages.

 

[cmwade77]

The article linked above by @rteetz suggests that having the items delivered is what will incur the charge. If you meet the delivery person and bell services does NOT handle your items at all, no charge. If the groceries are delivered while you're at the park and you pick them up on your way to the room, then yes, a charge (because bell services took delivery of the items, regardless of who took them to the room).

Like anything else at Disney the information is inconsistent and I suppose no one will know until they're there.

I don't think $6 is unreasonable, I just really hope this doesn't mean that those who have the items delivered to the room fail to tip the CM who delivers them because the CM is not the one getting this $6.

If there is a delivery fee, then no tip is needed, sorry that is what the delivery fee is there to cover, the cost of the item being delivered, including all labor costs. So, no the CM will not be getting a tip, other than their cut of this fee.

 

[EdnaMarieMode]

Except when we were there in January, they didn't allow you to meet the delivery person in the lobby (except restaurant deliveries, those you have to meet them in the lobby) because the deliveries actually go to a backdoor at most resorts and not through the lobby.

That does happen, but grocery delivery people do go to bell services as well. I've had to meet them there more than once to show ID for alcohol. I've used Instacart and Amazon Prime Now so I can't speak for where other delivery services take deliveries.

I am assuming that this fee still does not apply to DVC resorts then? I mean in January, they didn't charge us anything for package delivery to our room or for receiving the packages.

Policy allegedly started today, so it wouldn't apply to your January visit. No word on what they plan to do differently (if anything) for DVC members.

 

[Starwind]

My point wasn't that I am anti-fee (because I'm not- as I've already said in this thread, some of these deliveries are excessive and it does require more resources on Disney's part than luggage coming in from DME). My point is that we shouldn't assume everyone is capable of picking up the delivery.

It's a non-issue anyhow because it seems the only way to avoid the fee and have items delivered according to the article linked above, would be to meet the delivery person in the lobby and not have Bell Services handle your items at all. The charge is not actually for the delivery, the fee is for them accepting the delivery in the first place (which would then include delivering them).

The fee is for delivery of packages to your room, per the US WDW site [note: the Canadian site still has the fee at $5]:



Unless they change how things are handled as well, grocery orders delivered by a direct delivery service [i.e. from Garden Grocer, Dizzy Dolphin, Amazon Prime Now, Instacart and other similar services] deliver to Bell Services, not the front desk. There is therefore no fee for the hotel to *receive* the order, but there is a fee if Bell Services *delivers* the order to your room.

If you order from one of those grocery services and they deliver to Bell Services and then you go to Bell Services and have them retrieve your order from storage and then YOU take your order to your room yourself, the understanding is there is NO FEE. Likewise if you were to just meet the grocery service in the lobby directly.

Hence part of the problem: the fee is a delivery fee and some guests will/may interpret that to mean that no tip is required.

As to your point about not assuming everyone can pick up the delivery, this is quite true. I have mobility and medical issues that mean while I could handle a small order [a couple lightweight bags], anything more becomes a challenge and at a certain point not possible for me to do myself. I could do it myself if allowed to borrow a cart, as other hotels I stay at allow, but historically when we have visited Disney doesn't allow that. We don't have young kids, so no stroller available to load.

SW

 

[EdnaMarieMode]

If there is a delivery fee, then no tip is needed, sorry that is what the delivery fee is there to cover, the cost of the item being delivered, including all labor costs. So, no the CM will not be getting a tip, other than their cut of this fee.

As indicated earlier in the post, the delivery fee is not being paid to the CM who delivers the items to your room. So, not tipping only hurts the CM who delivers the items.

 

[dansdad]

I am assuming that this fee still does not apply to DVC resorts then? I mean in January, they didn't charge us anything for package delivery to our room or for receiving the packages.

As of April 1st the new fee will be for all WDW resorts, DVC included.

 

[Starwind]

Except when we were there in January, they didn't allow you to meet the delivery person in the lobby (except restaurant deliveries, those you have to meet them in the lobby) because the deliveries actually go to a backdoor at most resorts and not through the lobby.

This would explain why I never saw the Amazon Prime Now delivery person that I TRIED to meet outside the front doors at two resorts on three occasions. I tracked them on the app, had asked for them to call so I could meet them, but they delivered to Bell Services and the app showed me them arriving and then a few minutes later that the delivery was made. So I went inside to Bell Services and they fetched the order. We gave up trying to meet them for the last order.

SW

 

[Starwind]

I am assuming that this fee still does not apply to DVC resorts then? I mean in January, they didn't charge us anything for package delivery to our room or for receiving the packages.

For groceries it started April 4 or thereabouts.

 

[cmwade77]

That is exactly the matter under disagreement. Google "Do I still tip if there is a delivery fee?" and you'll see loads of arguments about it. I've only rarely seen companies state, "This delivery fee covers all aspects of the delivery service, including the full cost of the work of the delivery person." That's just not the way American society works. Companies often do make the point that the delivery fee covers either mostly or only the company's costs of providing delivery service, such as the cost of packaging and the cost of paying delivery staff to sit around waiting for an order to come in. In Disney's case, they can also talk about the cost of storage.

This is all based on second or third hand information, paraphrased and reparaphrased. It was referred to as a "service fee" and it isn't clear whether it covers some versus all of the delivery person's work. Disney could officially say very clearly whether or not tipping is still appropriate. If they do, then that is what determines whether there is "need to tip". But of course, people will believe whatever they want to believe regardless.

Except, it does not cost $6 to store stuff for a couple of hours, the bottom line is anywhere that charges a delivery fee should expect that their workers will not receive any additional tip, period and should pay accordingly.

 

[cmwade77]

For groceries it started April 4 or thereabouts.

Packages were quite some time ago though and we ordered packages, not groceries and we were told that package fees were waived for DVC members staying on points, so is it the same for grocery delivery fees?

 

[dansdad]

Packages were quite some time ago though and we ordered packages, not groceries and we were told that package fees were waived for DVC members staying on points, so is it the same for grocery delivery fees?

DVC resorts are also charging the fee now.