New charge for Bell Service Delivery

[Farro]

If Disney can drive people to eat the $$ food on their restaurants, they will.

Quoting myself from another thread (again, not saying anyone is doing anything wrong by ordering groceries)-

I don't blame the money-grabbiness of this because it's a resort, as a whole. Part of the money they make is us purchasing their food to eat. The parks, the hotels, Disney Springs, all of it. If you are buying (large) grocery orders to substitute buying Disney food, and Disney has to store/deliver it to you, I don't begrudge them making some money off of it since they are losing money by the customer doing this.

 

[carolina_yankee]

For me, the $6 is more of an annoyance and a sign. For convenience sake, I'd pay it but I do think any justification for it is just spin. Bell services isn't getting the money. Disney isn't using it increase storage capacity or staffing. It's going into Mickey's pocket. So, for those who think they don't have to tip, please do. Your out-sourced CM won't see any of it.

What annoys me is that Disney is now trying to limit or profit from (or both) a behavior they have created.

• Magical Express discourages having a car.
• Parking Fees discourage having a car.
• The DME pitch of "faster to the fun" discourages waiting around in your room (which may not be ready yet) for a grocery delivery to avoid fees.
• In-room fridges encourage ordering basic supplies.
• $4 sodas/waters and $7 pretzels encourage ordering basic supplies.
• Dining Plans that don't account for 3 meals, or that do but for the daily price of a week's worth of groceries encourages ordering basic supplies.
• Airline fees for luggage encourages ordering basic supplies (especially bulky items like diapers or heavy items like baby food).

Now, in addition to paying the vendor a service fee, tipping the driver, and tipping bell services, the guest has to give Scrooge McDuck another $6.

It's especially annoying for DVC members where the whole DVC pitch is "home away home" and "full kitchens to prepare your own meals," but don't forget to budget paying us for the privilege of having groceries delivered to your room for your kitchen!!

It's also annoying because if I drive myself, bell services is going handle the same amount of groceries without the charge. They'll just come from my trunk instead of via another delivery vehicle. For a premium vacation, this kind of nickel and diming is cheap. It's like cruising with NCL or Carnival instead of DCL.

Can I afford the fee? Sure. But in the past year, the whole character of a Disney Resort stay has changed since my last visit:

• Security checks that will ignore whether or not you are sleeping, dressing, bathing, or doing anything else private.
• Parking fees that used to be free (and still are for DVC members)
• And now, pay for delivery from bell services of items that you, yourself did not bring in your vehicle that Disney doesn't want you to have in the first place.

Very annoying.

Dirk

 

[pattyw]

For me, the $6 is more of an annoyance and a sign. For convenience sake, I'd pay it but I do think any justification for it is just spin. Bell services isn't getting the money. Disney isn't using it increase storage capacity or staffing. It's going into Mickey's pocket. So, for those who think they don't have to tip, please do. Your out-sourced CM won't see any of it.

What annoys me is that Disney is now trying to limit or profit from (or both) a behavior they have created.

• Magical Express discourages having a car.
• Parking Fees discourage having a car.
• The DME pitch of "faster to the fun" discourages waiting around in your room (which may not be ready yet) for a grocery delivery to avoid fees.
• In-room fridges encourage ordering basic supplies.
• $4 sodas/waters and $7 pretzels encourage ordering basic supplies.
• Dining Plans that don't account for 3 meals, or that do but for the daily price of a week's worth of groceries encourages ordering basic supplies.
• Airline fees for luggage encourages ordering basic supplies (especially bulky items like diapers or heavy items like baby food).

Now, in addition to paying the vendor a service fee, tipping the driver, and tipping bell services, the guest has to give Scrooge McDuck another $6.

It's especially annoying for DVC members where the whole DVC pitch is "home away home" and "full kitchens to prepare your own meals," but don't forget to budget paying us for the privilege of having groceries delivered to your room for your kitchen!!

It's also annoying because if I drive myself, bell services is going handle the same amount of groceries without the charge. They'll just come from my trunk instead of via another delivery vehicle. For a premium vacation, this kind of nickel and diming is cheap. It's like cruising with NCL or Carnival instead of DCL.

Can I afford the fee? Sure. But in the past year, the whole character of a Disney Resort stay has changed since my last visit:

• Security checks that will ignore whether or not you are sleeping, dressing, bathing, or doing anything else private.
• Parking fees that used to be free (and still are for DVC members)
• And now, pay for delivery from bell services of items that you, yourself did not bring in your vehicle that Disney doesn't want you to have in the first place.

Very annoying.

Dirk

Very good post! Sums it up very eloquently!

 

[snappy]

For me, the $6 is more of an annoyance and a sign. For convenience sake, I'd pay it but I do think any justification for it is just spin. Bell services isn't getting the money. Disney isn't using it increase storage capacity or staffing. It's going into Mickey's pocket. So, for those who think they don't have to tip, please do. Your out-sourced CM won't see any of it.

What annoys me is that Disney is now trying to limit or profit from (or both) a behavior they have created.

• Magical Express discourages having a car.
• Parking Fees discourage having a car.
• The DME pitch of "faster to the fun" discourages waiting around in your room (which may not be ready yet) for a grocery delivery to avoid fees.
• In-room fridges encourage ordering basic supplies.
• $4 sodas/waters and $7 pretzels encourage ordering basic supplies.
• Dining Plans that don't account for 3 meals, or that do but for the daily price of a week's worth of groceries encourages ordering basic supplies.
• Airline fees for luggage encourages ordering basic supplies (especially bulky items like diapers or heavy items like baby food).

Now, in addition to paying the vendor a service fee, tipping the driver, and tipping bell services, the guest has to give Scrooge McDuck another $6.

It's especially annoying for DVC members where the whole DVC pitch is "home away home" and "full kitchens to prepare your own meals," but don't forget to budget paying us for the privilege of having groceries delivered to your room for your kitchen!!

It's also annoying because if I drive myself, bell services is going handle the same amount of groceries without the charge. They'll just come from my trunk instead of via another delivery vehicle. For a premium vacation, this kind of nickel and diming is cheap. It's like cruising with NCL or Carnival instead of DCL.

Can I afford the fee? Sure. But in the past year, the whole character of a Disney Resort stay has changed since my last visit:

• Security checks that will ignore whether or not you are sleeping, dressing, bathing, or doing anything else private.
• Parking fees that used to be free (and still are for DVC members)
• And now, pay for delivery from bell services of items that you, yourself did not bring in your vehicle that Disney doesn't want you to have in the first place.

Very annoying.

Dirk

A sign is a good description. I wonder what’s next.

 

[pattyw]

A sign is a good description. I wonder what’s next.

Yep- always something new. You know- the worst part is they are NEVER consistent with the implementation of ANY policy. I can adhere to rules just fine- if the rules are communicated clearly and they are implemented consistently.

 

[Farro]

For me, the $6 is more of an annoyance and a sign. For convenience sake, I'd pay it but I do think any justification for it is just spin. Bell services isn't getting the money. Disney isn't using it increase storage capacity or staffing. It's going into Mickey's pocket. So, for those who think they don't have to tip, please do. Your out-sourced CM won't see any of it.

What annoys me is that Disney is now trying to limit or profit from (or both) a behavior they have created.

• Magical Express discourages having a car.
• Parking Fees discourage having a car.
• The DME pitch of "faster to the fun" discourages waiting around in your room (which may not be ready yet) for a grocery delivery to avoid fees.
• In-room fridges encourage ordering basic supplies.
• $4 sodas/waters and $7 pretzels encourage ordering basic supplies.
• Dining Plans that don't account for 3 meals, or that do but for the daily price of a week's worth of groceries encourages ordering basic supplies.
• Airline fees for luggage encourages ordering basic supplies (especially bulky items like diapers or heavy items like baby food).

Now, in addition to paying the vendor a service fee, tipping the driver, and tipping bell services, the guest has to give Scrooge McDuck another $6.

It's especially annoying for DVC members where the whole DVC pitch is "home away home" and "full kitchens to prepare your own meals," but don't forget to budget paying us for the privilege of having groceries delivered to your room for your kitchen!!

It's also annoying because if I drive myself, bell services is going handle the same amount of groceries without the charge. They'll just come from my trunk instead of via another delivery vehicle. For a premium vacation, this kind of nickel and diming is cheap. It's like cruising with NCL or Carnival instead of DCL.

Can I afford the fee? Sure. But in the past year, the whole character of a Disney Resort stay has changed since my last visit:

• Security checks that will ignore whether or not you are sleeping, dressing, bathing, or doing anything else private.
• Parking fees that used to be free (and still are for DVC members)
• And now, pay for delivery from bell services of items that you, yourself did not bring in your vehicle that Disney doesn't want you to have in the first place.

Very annoying.

Dirk

DVC, yes, they encourage eating in room, I agree, shouldn't be penalized.

The issue I'm betting is the amount of regular resort stays that are now ordering groceries.

Sorry, but the in room fridge was never meant for people to buy a week's worth of food for their hotel room!
Disney isn't trying to encourage you to make a delivery order because you feel the food prices are too high.
Nor did Disney mean that because they want you to use their transportation, that meant you would need to be getting food delivery orders. That's quite a stretch.
Airline fees? Nothing to do with Disney.

Disney didn't create these behaviors, the guests did.

Again, they expect/want you to buy their food. People are now avoiding that by making these grocery delivery orders. Of course they are going to try and recoup the loss of food purchases - they don't want you getting a grocery delivery instead of purchasing their food. This wasn't some perk that they offered, but now are making you pay for.

I will edit to add- if this $6 fee also includes just regular luggage storage delivery, then I will also be yelling about it from the rooftops! That would be a money-grab.

 

[quandrea]

For me, the $6 is more of an annoyance and a sign. For convenience sake, I'd pay it but I do think any justification for it is just spin. Bell services isn't getting the money. Disney isn't using it increase storage capacity or staffing. It's going into Mickey's pocket. So, for those who think they don't have to tip, please do. Your out-sourced CM won't see any of it.

What annoys me is that Disney is now trying to limit or profit from (or both) a behavior they have created.

• Magical Express discourages having a car.
• Parking Fees discourage having a car.
• The DME pitch of "faster to the fun" discourages waiting around in your room (which may not be ready yet) for a grocery delivery to avoid fees.
• In-room fridges encourage ordering basic supplies.
• $4 sodas/waters and $7 pretzels encourage ordering basic supplies.
• Dining Plans that don't account for 3 meals, or that do but for the daily price of a week's worth of groceries encourages ordering basic supplies.
• Airline fees for luggage encourages ordering basic supplies (especially bulky items like diapers or heavy items like baby food).

Now, in addition to paying the vendor a service fee, tipping the driver, and tipping bell services, the guest has to give Scrooge McDuck another $6.

It's especially annoying for DVC members where the whole DVC pitch is "home away home" and "full kitchens to prepare your own meals," but don't forget to budget paying us for the privilege of having groceries delivered to your room for your kitchen!!

It's also annoying because if I drive myself, bell services is going handle the same amount of groceries without the charge. They'll just come from my trunk instead of via another delivery vehicle. For a premium vacation, this kind of nickel and diming is cheap. It's like cruising with NCL or Carnival instead of DCL.

Can I afford the fee? Sure. But in the past year, the whole character of a Disney Resort stay has changed since my last visit:

• Security checks that will ignore whether or not you are sleeping, dressing, bathing, or doing anything else private.
• Parking fees that used to be free (and still are for DVC members)
• And now, pay for delivery from bell services of items that you, yourself did not bring in your vehicle that Disney doesn't want you to have in the first place.

Very annoying.

Dirk

Like! Like! Like! You’ve nailed it with this post.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Maybe I over tip, but a few years ago I used WEGOSHOP (no issues with them), but we paid about $150 in real grocery prices, then the shopping fee, then shopper tip, then bell service to deliver. I think it was about an added $70 in fees/tip to the $150 cost.

When it's just DH and I, we just grab a few things from gift shop or perhaps a few things from amazon prime now, just meeting the person and skipping the bell service tipping.

So, rent a car or Uber if you don't have your own vehicle and head to the grocery store. Save all the tipping fees and do it yourself. You won't pay the surcharge on the groceries, you'll get to pick out what you want and you'll save all those delivery fees and tips, other than getting to and from Publix.

 

[Traveling on cc points]

DVC, yes, they encourage eating in room, I agree, shouldn't be penalized.

The issue I'm betting is the amount of regular resort stays that are now ordering groceries.

Sorry, but the in room fridge was never meant for people to buy a week's worth of food for their hotel room!
Disney isn't trying to encourage you to make a delivery order because you feel the food prices are too high.
Nor did Disney mean that because they want you to use their transportation, that meant you would need to be getting food delivery orders. That's quite a stretch.
Airline fees? Nothing to do with Disney.

Disney didn't create these behaviors, the guests did.

Again, they expect/want you to buy their food. People are now avoiding that by making these grocery delivery orders. Of course they are going to try and recoup the loss of food purchases - they don't want you getting a grocery delivery instead of purchasing their food. This wasn't some perk that they offered, but now are making you pay for.

I will edit to add- if this $6 fee also includes just regular luggage storage delivery, then I will also be yelling about it from the rooftops! That would be a money-grab.

Disney did create these behaviors by charging $4.50 for a 20oz bottle of Diet Coke & $3.50 for a bottle of water.
I don't begrudge Disney a profit but come on!!! Marking up a product 500+% is what makes people resort to having groceries delivered.

 

[quandrea]

So, rent a car or Uber if you don't have your own vehicle and head to the grocery store. Save all the tipping fees and do it yourself. You won't pay the surcharge on the groceries, you'll get to pick out what you want and you'll save all those delivery fees and tips, other than getting to and from Publix.

Just booked the rental car for a day. Will grab the car at the airport and drop it at the Dolphin—we are staying at Boardwalk Villas. Saves waiting for the slow Magical Express at midnight, I’ll avoid Garden Grocer’s sky high prices and the $6 “delivery” fee. While we shop, I’ll buy something fun for lunch that day where I would have booked a sit down meal at Disney. I figure even with the rental, I’ll save money. I feel Disney needs to watch themselves with all this nickel and diming. There are many guests who will resent it and find a way to cut costs where they can. I love Disney, but there is a limit to how often I will open my wallet.

 

[Farro]

Disney did create these behaviors by charging $4.50 for a 20oz bottle of Diet Coke & $3.50 for a bottle of water.
I don't begrudge Disney a profit but come on!!! Marking up a product 500+% is what makes people resort to having groceries delivered.

No, not in my opinion. Is it expensive? Yep - that's why we can only visit Disney every few years.

But in the end it's still your choice to have all these groceries delivered.

You have options -
Bring a re-usable water bottle from home. I'm bringing mine with my crystal light packets - add ice from the ice machine in morning and go! From what I understand you can get free cups of ice water at the counter service places when I need a refill.
Get an Uber and go to store when you arrive.
Rent a town-car and make a stop from airport before hotel.
Or have it delivered and pay the $6.

Sorry, Disney does a lot of things wrong, but in my opinion this isn't one of them.

 

[saskdw]

I don't think it is a money grab as much as it is Disney trying to deter people from ordering things. More focus on people and their bags and less time spent running to rooms with grocery deliveries.

I know at CSR a few years ago when I request my groceries be brought to my room they told me it would be a while, as their first priority was to deliver luggage. It took them until around 9 am ( I checked in after Midnight) to get my groceries delivered.

What I do at CSR is carry my bags to Bell services and than have them bring us, our bags, and our groceries to our room. They pile everything onto the cart and away we go. I find standing there waiting for them to help gets it done quicker....lol. Works everytime. I usually tip the guy $20 so they are happy in the end.

 

[Disneypro1]

Who pays for water in the parks? And why. It’s all over for free. We just take an empty water bottle in. Fill it up at a fountain. I have seen posts on here about certain behaviours that some credit Disney creating. But we are all responsible for what we do. No one had to pay for water for example. People choose to pay for it. Same as a deliver fee. It’s not necessary to have anything delivered to your room. You could just eat at Wdw restaurants or food courts.
But if you do have it delivered. Why shouldn’t Disney charge you? It was a choice to do that.

 

[saskdw]

Quoting myself from another thread (again, not saying anyone is doing anything wrong by ordering groceries)-

I don't blame the money-grabbiness of this because it's a resort, as a whole. Part of the money they make is us purchasing their food to eat. The parks, the hotels, Disney Springs, all of it. If you are buying (large) grocery orders to substitute buying Disney food, and Disney has to store/deliver it to you, I don't begrudge them making some money off of it since they are losing money by the customer doing this.

We order breakfast supplies, bottled water, and a few snacks.

Having breakfast in the room is so much more convenient and quicker in the morning. We drink a ton of bottled water. The snacks aren't really to replace buying Disney snacks, there's nothing worse than when your starving at 1am and there's no food in the room....LOL. Over the course of 2 weeks we still spend about $2000 on Disney food, so it's not costing Disney any profits,

 

[carolina_yankee]

DVC, yes, they encourage eating in room, I agree, shouldn't be penalized.

The issue I'm betting is the amount of regular resort stays that are now ordering groceries.

Sorry, but the in room fridge was never meant for people to buy a week's worth of food for their hotel room!
Disney isn't trying to encourage you to make a delivery order because you feel the food prices are too high.
Nor did Disney mean that because they want you to use their transportation, that meant you would need to be getting food delivery orders. That's quite a stretch.
Airline fees? Nothing to do with Disney.

Disney didn't create these behaviors, the guests did.

Again, they expect/want you to buy their food. People are now avoiding that by making these grocery delivery orders. Of course they are going to try and recoup the loss of food purchases - they don't want you getting a grocery delivery instead of purchasing their food. This wasn't some perk that they offered, but now are making you pay for.

I will edit to add- if this $6 fee also includes just regular luggage storage delivery, then I will also be yelling about it from the rooftops! That would be a money-grab.

While we’ve been DVC since 2006, before then, we always brought in breakfast stuff and sodas/waters for the evening. AllEars, RADP, and DIS were filled with advice on which town car services to use from the airport that included a 30 minute grocery stop. Buying groceries was hardly unheard of.

I budgeted $150 a day for the two of us for food, alcohol and incidentals (including souvenirs), Disney isn’t losing money off of my grocery habits.

Disney did create this habit by doing everything possible to reduce the guest’s desire to have their own vehicle. Now, with the delivery culture in high gear and the desire to minimize chores on vacation time, Disney is saying, “Nope, pay me $6 for the privilege.”

So, rent a car or Uber if you don't have your own vehicle and head to the grocery store. Save all the tipping fees and do it yourself. You won't pay the surcharge on the groceries, you'll get to pick out what you want and you'll save all those delivery fees and tips, other than getting to and from Publix.

You’re missing the point. The advantage of resort delivery is that you don’t have to give up your vacation time to take care of incidentals that modern technology makes very easy to take care of other ways. That’s the whole point of living in the 21st Century - a gig culture that allows you to spend your time doing what you want to do. The last thing I want to do is to shop for groceries on vacation.

Besides, when I show up, there is not guarantee my room is ready (and I don’t expect it be) so those same groceries are going to bell services to be delivered later (free of charge) when my room is ready. It’s a cash grab.

No, not in my opinion. Is it expensive? Yep - that's why we can only visit Disney every few years.

But in the end it's still your choice to have all these groceries delivered.

You have options -
Bring a re-usable water bottle from home. I'm bringing mine with my crystal light packets - add ice from the ice machine in morning and go! From what I understand you can get free cups of ice water at the counter service places when I need a refill.
Get an Uber and go to store when you arrive.
Rent a town-car and make a stop from airport before hotel.
Or have it delivered and pay the $6.

Sorry, Disney does a lot of things wrong, but in my opinion this isn't one of them.

It’s been my choice to have groceries delivered for 17 years of 25 trips to Disney at all levels of resorts. Now, Scrooge McDuck has jumped in to say, “Pay up, buster.” It’s cheap, and it’s a step backward from what Disney used to offer.

As I pointed out - in the last year or so guests have lost:

- the privacy of the Do Not Disturb sign for security checks that can and will interrupt one’s sleep and other private activities;
- the ability to park at your resort for free (unless DVC on points)
- the ability to have groceries delivered to your resort so you can go to the parks and then have them brought to your room for a tip.
- Credit limits for room charges that didn’t screw up your credit card’s available balance.

This isn’t the last charge they are going to implement. So, what’s next? And what is the guest getting in return for these changes?

Dirk

 

[kaytieeldr]

If Disney can drive people to eat the $$ food on their restaurants, they will.

In other words, if Disney the ultra successful publicly-traded can bring even more revenue for its shareholders, they will.

It's being reported as a grocery delivery fee. People who don't wish to pay said fee have options, among them: doing one's own shopping; picking up one's own grocery order from Bell Services; paying the (in the scope of the cost of the entire trp, extremely minimal) delivery fee; yes, eating only in onsite restaurants.

 

[Farro]

I can't quote @saskdw @carolina_yankee for some reason (sorry about that), but basically everyone is telling me the same thing.

I get why people are ordering some supplies. I don't do it, but whatever.

You can keep comparing to what you've done for years for as long as you want, but read the boards, facebook, whatever. See what people are having delivered at this point. We aren't talking bagels and some water. They are having food, for the week, delivered and stored at Bell Services until they arrive to have delivered to room.

I'm willing to bet it's the sheer amount of people doing this now that is driving the $6 fee. Disney's resources are now being used to store/deliver the growing amount of people ordering their groceries before they even arrive at the hotel. Non- DVC rooms.

Bell Services was never meant to be your grocery storage and delivery service.

In the end, it's still your choice to get delivery. And in the end, you will think fee is a money grab and I will think differently.

No big deal.

 

[kaytieeldr]

It's especially annoying for DVC members where the whole DVC pitch is "home away home" and "full kitchens to prepare your own meals," but don't forget to budget paying us for the privilege of having groceries delivered to your room for your kitchen!!

Simple, free option: pick up the groceries at Bell Services. Until/unless this morphs into a grocery storage fee, no worries.

Disney didn't create these behaviors, the guests did.

EXactly. Guests caused Le Cellier to be transitioned to Signature Dining. Guests caused the creation and expansion of Preferred room locations.

While we’ve been DVC since 2006, before then, we always brought in breakfast stuff and sodas/waters for the evening. AllEars, RADP, and DIS were filled with advice on which town car services to use from the airport that included a 30 minute grocery stop. Buying groceries was hardly unheard of

Stopping for groceries on the way to the hotel is different from having groceries delivered to then by Bell Services.

You’re missing the point. The advantage of resort delivery is that you don’t have to give up your vacation time to take care of incidentals that modern technology makes very easy to take care of other ways. That’s the whole point of living in the 21st Century - a gig culture that allows you to spend your time doing what you want to do. The last thing I want to do is to shop for groceries on vacation.

- the ability to have groceries delivered to your resort so you can go to the parks and then have them brought to your room for a tip.

These are choices. Sometimes choices come at a cost.

 

[kaytieeldr]

It’s been my choice to have groceries delivered for 17 years of 25 trips to Disney at all levels of resorts.

Sorry, I'm confused. What company was delivering groceries to Determine deny resorts in 2002?

 

[saskdw]

I can't quote @saskdw @carolina_yankee for some reason (sorry about that), but basically everyone is telling me the same thing.

I get why people are ordering some supplies. I don't do it, but whatever.

You can keep comparing to what you've done for years for as long as you want, but read the boards, facebook, whatever. See what people are having delivered at this point. We aren't talking bagels and some water. They are having food, for the week, delivered and stored at Bell Services until they arrive to have delivered to room.

I'm willing to bet it's the sheer amount of people doing this now that is driving the $6 fee.

Bell Services was never meant to be your grocery storage and delivery service.

In the end, it's still your choice to get delivery. And in the end, you will think fee is a money grab and I will think differently.

No big deal.

You could very well be right.

However Disney could have been smarter about this. Most people already feel like they are paying $400/night for a hotel room that's worth $200 everywhere else. So they feel like all these services should be included in the premium they are paying to stay at Disney. Honestly they raise the room prices every year, they should have just included this $6 in a room hike. Yes the $6 is fair for that service, but include it with the room. Just raise the room price $6 and avoid the complaining.

I firmly believe this will affect the CM's tips. There are already people here stating they will no longer tip and some indicating they will tip less to reflect the delivery charge. Keep in mind most people who feel this way won't comment here because they don't want to be attacked. They will just do it. The bell services staff will feel the brunt of this and Disney obviously doesn't care.