NO MORE free valet parking for DVC members.

[KAT4DISNEY]

I never even knew we got free valet with DVC, I have been staying at the Grand all this time and they never told me, just let me pay it each visit!

Free valet was only at DVC resorts. DVC is brand new to CA and free valet never was available there - even after the Villas opened so don't feel like you missed out on a perk.

 

[PKS44]

There are at least 2 very large threads touching on the Valet parking situation no longer being offered as a free perk. I have tried to find this question and since one of the threads is 100 pages, maybe I missed it. Here it is.

We are told this is Budget neutral -ie no savings- because the vendor was giving this perk for free. I realize it is unseemly to question anyone's veracity, but that requires a little more explanation. I always assumed valet parking was "free" the same way Disney transportation is "free." That is that we pay for it some other way in room rates or dues, whatever. This does not add up.

Since when does any business give something away for free? Apparently the vendor has changed his mind and decided not to do it anymore, for now anyway. I can understand that part. What I want to know is whether any one has officially explained why on earth it was ever given away by the vendor in the first place? What was the advantage? Was it thrown in to get the contract in the first place? Did they hope the extra tips would help their salaried staff stay happy? There had to be a calculation on the vendor's part to ever have "given it away." What was it?

 

[Chuck S]

There are at least 2 very large threads touching on the Valet parking situation no longer being offered as a free perk. I have tried to find this question and since one of the threads is 100 pages, maybe I missed it. Here it is.

We are told this is Budget neutral -ie no savings- because the vendor was giving this perk for free. I realize it is unseemly to question anyone's veracity, but that requires a little more explanation. I always assumed valet parking was "free" the same way Disney transportation is "free." That is that we pay for it some other way in room rates or dues, whatever. This does not add up.

Since when does any business give something away for free? Apparently the vendor has changed his mind and decided not to do it anymore, for now anyway. I can understand that part. What I want to know is whether any one has officially explained why on earth it was ever given away by the vendor in the first place? What was the advantage? Was it thrown in to get the contract in the first place? Did they hope the extra tips would help their salaried staff stay happy? There had to be a calculation on the vendor's part to ever have "given it away." What was it?

Remember that originally the valets were Disney employees, and the outside vendor came into the picture after "free valet" had already been established as a perk. Likely for the initial contract, the vendor assumed the service "as is" accepting all the perks, including DVC and TiW, that had gone along with it.

When the contract came up for renewal, the vendor likely wated the DVC perk removed, as it was a substantial portion of the free parkers.

 

[PKS44]

Chuck S-
Your answer makes total sense... But has anyone heard that from DVC? I would like to actually hear the official explanation for what has sort of just gone apparently unchallenged and unexplained except by our own conjectures.

 

[DebbieB]

Chuck S-
Your answer makes total sense... But has anyone heard that from DVC? I would like to actually hear the official explanation for what has sort of just gone apparently unchallenged and unexplained except by our own conjectures.

This is what was reported from the annual meeting:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2347666

He added comments about the discontinued Valet perk for DVC members. Valet service was "owned" by a third party (not resorrts) who provided the free service to DVC members. When that contract was renegotiated this year, the 3rd party is no longer willing to offer than. Lewis stated that DVC will negotiate with the 3rd party for a possible discount. (It sounds like some discount will be forthcoming - but not a return to "free" in the near future.)

 

[PKS44]

I read that Debbie B, that is what prompted my question. I realize he said it was not part of the dues, but that is too extraordinary to just accept without my asking for a little explanation. No business gives something out for "nothing." I would like to know how that is possible that it was ever "free." It may be exactly as ChuckS has proposed above...but I don't see why that has never -in all the hair pulling out and pages and pages of discussions of this- ever been confirmed by Disney. or DVC. It is not a proprietary thing.

 

[Chuck S]

I read that Debbie B, that is what prompted my question. I realize he said it was not part of the dues, but that is too extraordinary to just accept without my asking for a little explanation. No business gives something out for "nothing." I would like to know how that is possible that it was ever "free." It may be exactly as ChuckS has proposed above...but I don't see why that has never -in all the hair pulling out and pages and pages of discussions of this- ever been confirmed by Disney. or DVC. It is not a proprietary thing.

It may not be a propietary thing, but we do have to rely upon the info as passed onto us by the DVC Management. No company makes all of their contract negotiations and clauses known to their customers or stockholders.

 

[PKS44]

I am sorry to be so skeptical/mistrusting...but a few years back I noticed a large discrepancy in the dues charges per point between BCV and BWV that initially was just blown off as the way it was...only after I asked for a more full explanation did DVC discover they had made an accounting error and had not been including the cost of boats in the dues for BCV, only for BWV. So my skepticism and desire for an official review is not without reasonable precedence.

 

[DebbieB]

I really don't understand what the difference is at this point. We're not paying for it now. Dues for 2010 are about a 2% increase, so maybe there was a charge before and there isn't now, that's a lower increase than some previous years. Even if DVC did kick in a subsidy before, the total was probably low compared to the other items in the budget. I don't know who you would contact to challenge Jim Lewis' explanation. They could have offered the service "free" because the valets would benefit from extra tips. They have to be hurting now, not only from decreased business but I bet the people who are paying the $12 are not as generous with tip amounts.

 

[Dean]

I read that Debbie B, that is what prompted my question. I realize he said it was not part of the dues, but that is too extraordinary to just accept without my asking for a little explanation. No business gives something out for "nothing." I would like to know how that is possible that it was ever "free." It may be exactly as ChuckS has proposed above...but I don't see why that has never -in all the hair pulling out and pages and pages of discussions of this- ever been confirmed by Disney. or DVC. It is not a proprietary thing.

It has been reported by several that DVC management verbally confirmed that there was no charge for the free valet parking previously. No one has posted anything at all to contradict that assertion. Given that the current contract is not with DVC, the contract itself would not be available for inspection. However, the DVC books themselves would be available for inspection. It is possible to make an appt with DVC and spend the day with them going over such, to my knowledge, no one has done that or planned that related to this issue. ASAMOF, I'm only aware of anyone ever doing that in any capacity exactly once. I don't think there's any reason to truly question the assertion that the re was truly no charge prior and is a charge now. DVCMC's choice would have been to raise fees consistent with a charge of $12 per day per car, a fee that would have been passed on to each resort independently according to it's own costs in all likelihood. I don't see any legitimate way to spread it out over the entire membership.

 

[snappy]

You are right, accounting errors are made all the time, believe me I know.

Good for you, PKS44, for scrutinizing the dues computations. Talk about due diligence!!

Which CPA firm audits DVC anyway?

You need to direct your inquiry to the right source though, emails on this subject so far are going nowhere.

 

[Sammie]

Chuck S-
Your answer makes total sense... But has anyone heard that from DVC? I would like to actually hear the official explanation for what has sort of just gone apparently unchallenged and unexplained except by our own conjectures.

I heard from them and it was exactly as Chuck described. The cost if the free valet was to be continued would have to be passed onto all members and DVC felt that there were not enough members using it, to warrant all paying for it.

 

[MELSMICE]

You are right, accounting errors are made all the time, believe me I know.

Good for you, PKS44, for scrutinizing the dues computations. Talk about due diligence!!

Which CPA firm audits DVC anyway?

You need to direct your inquiry to the right source though, emails on this subject so far are going nowhere.

I agree. If something doesn't seem right then it should definitely be questioned. Errors are made all the time.

I heard from them and it was exactly as Chuck described. The cost if the free valet was to be continued would have to be passed onto all members and DVC felt that there were not enough members using it, to warrant all paying for it.

I have to wonder if they believe that now.........considering the decrease in guests that are using the valet service.

 

[Dean]

Which CPA firm audits DVC anyway?

I'm not sure who they use for these purposes, they use Myers, Brettholtz & Co for some things.

 

[Dean]

I have to wonder if they believe that now.........considering the decrease in guests that are using the valet service.

I don't think the numbers were an issue, though it really didn't matter how many were using it as it's still a minority of the membership at any given time or for the year in aggregate. While Sammie may have been told or hinted at that the number using it came into play, that is not my understanding and doesn't really make sense that it would come into play.

 

[hakepb]

I am sorry to be so skeptical/mistrusting...but a few years back I noticed a large discrepancy in the dues charges per point between BCV and BWV that initially was just blown off as the way it was...only after I asked for a more full explanation did DVC discover they had made an accounting error and had not been including the cost of boats in the dues for BCV, only for BWV. So my skepticism and desire for an official review is not without reasonable precedence.

I'd assume BWV would remain a little higher than BCV, the lower points standard view result in lower dues recieved per room

 

[DESTTVL]

We live in Celebration and visit the parks/resorts frequently.

This is what we have been told:

1. If you are staying at a DVC resort using a reservation made by member services your valet parking is included, tips are not.
2. Valet parking is free for those who have a handicapped tag from any state.
3. Valet parking is free to those who are visiting the resort for dining at a table service restaurant if you are a Tables in Wonderland participant.

So the obvious is........use self park at Contemporary or Beach Club or visit a table service restaurant with the TIW card and present your receipt when you pick up your car.

We have found that we may stop for a bite at a resort before or after an park activity allowing us to dine in a less crowded enviroment, enjoy the park activities without having to stop for a meal and the food tends to be better at the resorts.

 

[disneynutz]

We live in Celebration and visit the parks/resorts frequently.

This is what we have been told:

1. If you are staying at a DVC resort using a reservation made by member services your valet parking is included, tips are not.
2. Valet parking is free for those who have a handicapped tag from any state.
3. Valet parking is free to those who are visiting the resort for dining at a table service restaurant if you are a Tables in Wonderland participant.

So the obvious is........use self park at Contemporary or Beach Club or visit a table service restaurant with the TIW card and present your receipt when you pick up your car.

We have found that we may stop for a bite at a resort before or after an park activity allowing us to dine in a less crowded enviroment, enjoy the park activities without having to stop for a meal and the food tends to be better at the resorts.

Some of your information is incorrect.

Item #1 is completely incorrect. Valet parking is not included.

Item #3 has a 3 hour limit.

I expect that Disney will start to enforce their parking policies. A week ago while staying at BLT, Security was taking down vehicle license numbers if a parking permit wasn't displayed. I don't know what they did with the info but they spent many hours walking the parking lot.

Bill

 

[Sammie]

I don't think the numbers were an issue, though it really didn't matter how many were using it as it's still a minority of the membership at any given time or for the year in aggregate. While Sammie may have been told or hinted at that the number using it came into play, that is not my understanding and doesn't really make sense that it would come into play.

I may be confused by what you are saying, do you mean that you don't think members who did not use the free valet would care if their fees were increased to cover the cost of valet parking for others.

 

[Sammie]

Some of your information is incorrect.

Item #1 is completely incorrect. Valet parking is not included.

Item #3 has a 3 hour limit.

I expect that Disney will start to enforce their parking policies. A week ago while staying at BLT, Security was taking down vehicle license numbers if a parking permit wasn't displayed. I don't know what they did with the info but they spent many hours walking the parking lot.
Bill

I think they are gathering info as to how many cars are using the lots that are not resort guests. Gaylord Palms charges you to park in their lots. If you dine, see ICE, shop, you get a voucher for a discount on the parking. I truly think eventually Disney will go to something like this.