NO MORE free valet parking for DVC members.

[Sammie]

This is almost word for word what I told a manager Friday night when we had to park across the street in the overflow lot.

Be sure to let MS know also. They are not going to be aware of the situation unless those that experience problems let them know.

 

[photobob]

I've stayed at BWV twice and used valet parking both times, so I have no experience in the self park situation. I do have a question in regards to parking if you drive over to have dinner. I totally agree that anyone staying there should have a place to park in the resort parking.

I am planning on going to Vero Beach this summer but we are going to stay somewhere offsite the night before in Orlando. If I want to come to the Boardwalk for dinner and just hanging around where do I park? Last year we did the same thing and just told the man at the gate we were coming for dinner and he let us in and we got complimentary valet with our DVC card. If they are not allowing non-resort guests to park in the resort's parking area, where do I park? I don't want to take a resort guests space, but at the same time I am planning to have dinner at BW. Is there any area anywhere in the Epcot resort area that has parking available to non-resort guests? Just trying to plan ahead and do what is right.

 

[Sammie]

I've stayed at BWV twice and used valet parking both times, so I have no experience in the self park situation. I do have a question in regards to parking if you drive over to have dinner. I totally agree that anyone staying there should have a place to park in the resort parking.

I am planning on going to Vero Beach this summer but we are going to stay somewhere offsite the night before in Orlando. If I want to come to the Boardwalk for dinner and just hanging around where do I park? Last year we did the same thing and just told the man at the gate we were coming for dinner and he let us in and we got complimentary valet with our DVC card. If they are not allowing non-resort guests to park in the resort's parking area, where do I park? I don't want to take a resort guests space, but at the same time I am planning to have dinner at BW. Is there any area anywhere in the Epcot resort area that has parking available to non-resort guests? Just trying to plan ahead and do what is right.

There is a parking lot behind the Hess gas station just as you turn in, unless the other lots are completely full, you should be able to park there. If it is full and then you may have to valet.

 

[LIFERBABE]

I want to add for those looking for dining and entertainment options and valet parking, we spent 2 of our evenings last week at Swan and Dolphin. Their lots are paid but they validate for self park and valet.

We valet parked there twice, went for drinks and karaoke at Kimonos, (had DDriver) got our tix validated by the restaurant and had a blast with the other couple we travelled with!!

SD Valet was awesome!! Kept our car right up front and ready to go. S&D has some great dining and clubs and we will definitely return.
We didnt have to travel offsite and we had no trouble parking.

And one of the reasons we rarely stay at BWV is the parking situation. Never liked it.

I think the Valet lot should be moved behind Hess. Why should they get prime location for parking when the membership is forced to overflow park? They could use golf carts to drive to the lot or run for it. They are contracted out and not part of the resort or DVC so let them fend for themselves. I know it affects the customer, but that's not our business either. They want the $12 bucks, let them earn it!

 

[manning]

You realize that we could be restricted to only our home resort, and even so, they could institure minimum stays. I would expect to see either, or both, instituted for the last year or so, along with banking/borrowing restrictions in the last 2 to 3 years of the ownership.



.

As I said I will vote with my feet and sell. If you don't like what is being done and don't have a say in it why stick around and be unhappy. Disney has set it up so they can control things. If you are agreeable you buy in and live with it. If you are not agreeable you either don't buy in or sell and move on.

As for perks, they are upfront and state that they can come and go at anytime. You are not entitled to them. They are not contractually promised.

 

[SCFIREMAN]

And I meant no disrespect to you.

However, my point is still the same. If Disney is going to have ANY perks that are taken from members dues, at what point is it decided what's worth "all of us" paying for and what's not?

I was under the impression Valet came out of our dues as well. Acccording to the Member Satisfaction person I spoke with today that was not the case. She said it was a complimentary service we recieved. Although I did ask what the dues increase would have been to keep free valet, and she said those #'s were not given to her.

 

[Maxwell]

I was under the impression Valet came out of our dues as well. Acccording to the Member Satisfaction person I spoke with today that was not the case. She said it was a complimentary service we recieved. Although I did ask what the dues increase would have been to keep free valet, and she said those #'s were not given to her.

They probably don't know what the cost would be. They just want to give an excuse for taking away a perk.

 

[Sammie]

They probably don't know what the cost would be. They just want to give an excuse for taking away a perk.

I have been against the change as much as anyone but MS does not know everything that happens at DVC. For one thing they found out when we did, the day it happened.

Dues did not pay for the valet parking prior to the change but would have. Leadership and that is not the person answering the phone, made the decision to not charge the entire membership for something they felt was not widely used by the membership.

Please do not blame those answering the phones for things they had no part in. I am not happy with some of the leadership decisions but MS has always been very courteous to me when talking to them.

 

[DebbieB]

I think the Valet lot should be moved behind Hess. Why should they get prime location for parking when the membership is forced to overflow park? They could use golf carts to drive to the lot or run for it. They are contracted out and not part of the resort or DVC so let them fend for themselves. I know it affects the customer, but that's not our business either. They want the $12 bucks, let them earn it!

That's a busy street, it would not be practical to have golf carts going back and forth. Plus the bus stop is in between. It's too far for them to run back and forth, it would take forever to get your car.

The space that the valet lot takes up is small, no more than 25% of the 2 lots on the same side as the hotel. It will probably be smaller now.

 

[Deemarch]

We ALWAYS rent a car but have only used valet parking 2 or 3 times...I don't trust them to bring my car in a reasonable amount of time! We always seem to be on a schedule, I guess that's because I can't just relax and enjoy the trip...I need a schedule! I would rather walk to my car than stand and wait for a valet to bring it to me.

As for DVC taking perks away...They give and they take...All perk are not equal for all members. And that's the way it will always be.

 

[DVCBELLE]

For those who complain about Valet taking too long to get your car -

you can call from your room and ask them to bring your car around - we always do this and by the time we reach the lobby - it is there waiting for us!

 

[waltfan1957]

It's no wonder DVC doesn't ask for input or give much explanation regarding decisions with statements like these. If I felt this way about a system, I'd sell and move on even if I had to take a loss. This change is reasonable (though not implemented well), the reallocation was necessary, the reservation system change (1 week at a time) was reasonable. I can't think of a given system change that was not reasonable given the circumstances. I can think of a few method issues I disagree with but no policy issues that were inappropriate. And to date I haven't seen anyone upset that has actually taken their concerns to a level they could actually be addressed with real information.

I dont actually care for myself about the valet change as we always use ME, but I understand why some are unhappy, its the implementation that bothers me, thats why the "enhance our membership quote" as that seems to be reason for every change, DVC doesn't ask for input not because of statements like this but because they don't want to.

the minute we feel like we are not getting value for our ownership we will sell, but not because someone on Disboards says we should.

 

[Dean]

Dean: if someone were that upset at what level should those concerns be addressed? I admit I have not gone back to look at the docs to see what information--if any--we are entitled to receive to try to ferret out just how much the valet perk was costing DVC. (I've been at Disneyland and am getting ready to go again, followed by a trip to WDW. (too bad there's not a "guilty" smilie))

ETA: I found the "guilty" smilie but it's too late to add it!

I've posted suggestions in two different posts in this thread about the issue. IMO, complaining to MS or the member satisfaction team is not a productive approach if you want real information and/or want you voice to be specifically heard. This isn't going to change and it really shouldn't but the place to go with this type of concern is higher than where anyone has posted unless I missed any applicable posts. You have a voting rep, there are a number of VP types, there is a president of the BOD. And better, one can do so in person if you make the appt. It is also possible to talk to legal if one questions the legality of the change. I don't know how much specific info they'll give out, they aren't normally too free with a lot of numbers they don't have to be, but complaining to MS and member satisfaction is simply an invitation to be patronized, IMO.

 

[Dean]

I dont actually care for myself about the valet change as we always use ME, but I understand why some are unhappy, its the implementation that bothers me, thats why the "enhance our membership quote" as that seems to be reason for every change, DVC doesn't ask for input not because of statements like this but because they don't want to.

the minute we feel like we are not getting value for our ownership we will sell, but not because someone on Disboards says we should.

I didn't suggest anyone sell other than if "I" felt the way some do and enough to make such sarcastic remarks that I would sell. No argument on the implementation but the overall decision was appropriate, they are related but really separate issues. I'm sure there are many reasons they don't seek input but attitudes and sarcasm as expressed in the two quotes I responded to would certainly make them think twice if they were so inclined to do so. BTW, what change did they make where there was no enhancement for some where this terminology was used? With very few exceptions, every change will have winners and losers and that included the Valet parking, re-allocation, and reservation system change.

 

[NJmouse]

maybe a parking garage should be built more spaces would be available.

 

[SCFIREMAN]

maybe a parking garage should be built more spaces would be available.

I heard they were doing that once at the CR and then all of a sudden it became BLT, must have been Magic .

 

[TDC Nala]

I am not really interested in paying dues for free valet parking as I've used it twice since 2002.

 

[crisi]

I didn't suggest anyone sell other than if "I" felt the way some do and enough to make such sarcastic remarks that I would sell. No argument on the implementation but the overall decision was appropriate, they are related but really separate issues. I'm sure there are many reasons they don't seek input but attitudes and sarcasm as expressed in the two quotes I responded to would certainly make them think twice if they were so inclined to do so. BTW, what change did they make where there was no enhancement for some where this terminology was used? With very few exceptions, every change will have winners and losers and that included the Valet parking, re-allocation, and reservation system change.

The strange thing is that we DO ask for this....we ask that our dues remain low. I'm willing to bet that of all the complaints DVC gets over the course of the year, the calls and emails they get when dues are released make any other single complain (except maybe housekeeping) pale in comparison.

DVC management has a difficult task. They have to give members the quality they are looking for at a value. This economy has to be particularly difficult - they have to be aware that a lot of their members are struggling with lower business volume, smaller bonuses, lost jobs, income cuts - just the threads on this board in the past year indicate that this is a tough time. They don't want to devalue their product by having even more resales hit the market because people can't afford dues - and some of the management probably even has human feelings and empathy.

 

[toocherie]

I am not really interested in paying dues for free valet parking as I've used it twice since 2002.

There are always going to be services that cater to some owners and not others. I don't have kids, but understand the desire to have the tot lots and such. My issue is not so much that "free" valet went away, but that there was no middle ground--it didn't go from "no free valet" to "partial cost valet"--it went from zero to full price. Overnight. With no notice.

Of course, recall too that it was an overnight "stealth" change that introduced plastic cups to the studios--and an outcry from the membership got that changed back. I recall some folks that exclusively stay in 1 bedrooms and up not being bothered by the change--because it didn't affect THEM.

Like I said before--at some point something will change that will affect those who think this latest change is "no big deal" and we will see what tune gets sung then.

 

[crisi]

But a tot lot costs very little to maintain - its a non-material expense in accounting terms.

Mears wants to charge Disney $12 to park my car. For someone who has dues that come to about $47 a night - that's a huge proportion of my dues going to parking my car.