NO MORE free valet parking for DVC members.

[LisaS]

Yesterday I went to Boardwalk to have lunch with my daughter who was in town for a conference. I showed my DVC card at the gate and the guard told me that I would have to self-park ACROSS THE STREET and if I wanted to use the valet it was $12.

Just an FYI: If you have a TIW card you still get free valet parking when you are dining at a resort that offers valet service. You need to show the valet your restaurant receipt and TIW card when you pick up your car.

 

[scooter14]

We just got back from a nice stay at the Beach Club Villas.

I can say, with all certainty, that there is no more free valet parking at the resorts for DVC Members.

If you're staying at the resort you have to self park or pay $12.00 a day for Valet.

If you visit another resort to poolhop, eat at a restaurant, etc, you have to pay for valet parking.

If you have the Tables in Wonderland card and you are visiting a resort for a dining reservation your valet parking is free.

Regular parking at a theme park is also still free for DVC members.

The valet person at the front desk of Wilderness Lodge and the DVC rep inside confirmed "no more free valet for DVC". They cited that Disney has now renegotiated the valet service contract and free parking for DVC members was not included in that contract.

(Wired internet in DVC rooms is free for DVC members, and free wireless is offered in most hotal lobbies though).

 

[CarolMN]

....(snip)........Regular parking at a theme park is also still free for DVC members........

This isn't true, but it is a common misconception. Annual pass-holders get free parking at the theme parks, even if they are not staying on site. DVC members do not.

Anyone who stays at an on-site WDW resort, including the on site DVC resorts, gets free parking at the theme parks.

If you are not staying at one of the on site resorts, you pay to park at the theme parks. Your DVC membership by itself, does not entitle you to free parking at the theme parks.

 

[TravelinGal]

If you visit another resort to poolhop, eat at a restaurant, etc, you have to pay for valet parking.

Are you saying that if you already paid to valet at one resort they no longer use that same amount toward any other resort ON THE SAME DAY? That has always been the case with valet - for anyone not just DVC related.

We have done that quite a few times -

example:
*valet parked @ Contemporary for breakfast - paid the $
*valet parked @ the Grand Floridan for dinner - showed the receipt from that morning - no charge for parking that night.
*valet parked @ Boardwalk to go to Jellyrolls after the GF dinner - showed same receipt from the morning - no charge for parking then either.

 

[Pattiwig]

... neither option of parking across the street or paying $12/night is acceptable to me.

Mary Lou[/QUOTE]

I agree and see it as another way Disney is nickle and diming those of us who believe in their product enough to buy into it. It is happening more and more, the longer you have owned, the more you see the perks you are loosing. It really is disappointing.

 

[DeeDeeDis]

I think its sad they dont allow dvc members to valet park, that was one perk we took advantage of. I do have the ToW Card and we used that last October.

I hope next time DVC (Disney) renegotiates their Valet Parking Contract they consider reinstating this perk

 

[Chuck S]

I think its sad they dont allow dvc members to valet park, that was one perk we took advantage of. I do have the ToW Card and we used that last October.

I hope next time DVC (Disney) renegotiates their Valet Parking Contract they consider reinstating this perk

DVC does not directly negotiate the valet contract. It is negotiated between Disney Resorts and the contractor. And apparently, the contractor no longer wanted to give DVC free parking...simple as that. Perhaps the contractor did not feel it was in their best interest to give away their product without compensation from DVC. And such compensation would come from dues.

 

[Paging Tom Morrow]

 

[Dean]

... neither option of parking across the street or paying $12/night is acceptable to me.

Mary Lou

I agree and see it as another way Disney is nickle and diming those of us who believe in their product enough to buy into it. It is happening more and more, the longer you have owned, the more you see the perks you are loosing. It really is disappointing.[/QUOTE]Then don't visit the resorts that use this system like BWV and GF unless staying there. I feel they can better fine tune the self parking but to me, that means directing people across the street that are not staying there and are not valet parking.

I think its sad they dont allow dvc members to valet park, that was one perk we took advantage of. I do have the ToW Card and we used that last October.

I hope next time DVC (Disney) renegotiates their Valet Parking Contract they consider reinstating this perk

They do allow it, you just have to pay the costs that are incurred to do this.

 

[CMOORE185]

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I thought I would post my recent parking experience at BWV this past week. It was a very last minute (ie, called 3 hours before I checked in) for a 1 night stay. I'm not terribly familiar with BWV having stayed there once and used valet at that time since we had my mother along who uses a wheelchair. I was arriving around 5PM on a Wednesday.

Since I didn't quite understand the parking lots I decided to pull up to the entrance to see where my room ended up being and check in before parking . The valet personnel allowed me to leave my car there but they wanted the keys while I ran in. When I came out they retrieved the keys for me. My impression (by the palm held out) is that they also were waiting for a tip. Parking was no problem - plenty of spots but wow - that's a bit of a hike!

I was able to compare the experience to CR/BLT just the next day when I moved over there. The gate guard directed me to the front lobby of the CR. Valet personnel immediately directed me to a spot right by the door and did not require my keys. Very friendly about it while BWV had been much more begrudging the parking during check-in. Perhaps b/c CR had a very short time with DVC free valet and thus isn't feeling the difference to the same degree. Seems a little odd though since the valet is contracted by the same company. Parking at BLT was a better experience.

 

[Chuck S]

I thought I would post my recent parking experience at BWV this past week. It was a very last minute (ie, called 3 hours before I checked in) for a 1 night stay. I'm not terribly familiar with BWV having stayed there once and used valet at that time since we had my mother along who uses a wheelchair. I was arriving around 5PM on a Wednesday.

Since I didn't quite understand the parking lots I decided to pull up to the entrance to see where my room ended up being and check in before parking . The valet personnel allowed me to leave my car there but they wanted the keys while I ran in. When I came out they retrieved the keys for me. My impression (by the palm held out) is that they also were waiting for a tip. Parking was no problem - plenty of spots but wow - that's a bit of a hike!

I was able to compare the experience to CR/BLT just the next day when I moved over there. The gate guard directed me to the front lobby of the CR. Valet personnel immediately directed me to a spot right by the door and did not require my keys. Very friendly about it while BWV had been much more begrudging the parking during check-in. Perhaps b/c CR had a very short time with DVC free valet and thus isn't feeling the difference to the same degree. Seems a little odd though since the valet is contracted by the same company. Parking at BLT was a better experience.

From you post, I am assuming you left your car parked along, or near, the main drive area at BWV and BLT. I'm actually surprised they allowed you to leave your car at all without valet parking it. At OKW you can not leave your car in that area, you have to park it in the lot prior to checking in, and OKW doesn't even offer valet.

But the area at BWV should remain clear for taxis, limos, DME and those that do choose to valet park.

 

[DVCPAT]

I was able to compare the experience to CR/BLT just the next day when I moved over there. The gate guard directed me to the front lobby of the CR. Valet personnel immediately directed me to a spot right by the door and did not require my keys. Very friendly about it while BWV had been much more begrudging the parking during check-in. Perhaps b/c CR had a very short time with DVC free valet and thus isn't feeling the difference to the same degree. Seems a little odd though since the valet is contracted by the same company. Parking at BLT was a better experience.

BLT parking is the best. The resorts small foot print and the designated loading/unloading area is perfect for handling your own bags. I used the free valet so often, I would borrow one dollar bills from my wife and kids for tips. Since DVC eliminated free valet, I don’t use any Disney services and save a lot of money.

Looking back at all the DVC vacations our family has taken since 1998, I wasted a lot of money on services I didn’t really need.

 

[LisaS]

They did a nice job at Kidani also. They created a short-term parking area that you can use while checking in and the under-building parking is very handy.

On our stay there last week, I noticed there were never more than 10 cars in the valet lot any time we passed by. Given the ease of parking near your room in the under-building lot, I wondered if maybe valet wasn't used much at Kidani even before the policy change but a CM told me that since the change the number of cars being valet parked has dropped by more than 75%.

 

[jagson]

As stated above Disney Resorts (DR) negotiate with the contractor re: valet parking. Maybe, just maybe, they could open negotiations with other contractors that might be more favorable towards free valet parking for DVC members. DVC should standup for its members' perks, and intervene with DR on our behalf.

 

[Dean]

DVC should standup for its members' perks, and intervene with DR on our behalf.

I've said this many times but I don't expect it would change anything in this instance. IF they get a backbone in the area of perks realize that standing up means taking a stand. That includes being willing to walk away from options that are truly overpriced. Members would likely get better value on exchange options but lose some of the options which might include DCL, some non DVC disney resorts, etc. Just yelling and screaming isn't going to get it done, there has to be a real potential loss to the other side to actually make this work.

 

[toocherie]

I thought I would post my recent parking experience at BWV this past week. It was a very last minute (ie, called 3 hours before I checked in) for a 1 night stay. I'm not terribly familiar with BWV having stayed there once and used valet at that time since we had my mother along who uses a wheelchair. I was arriving around 5PM on a Wednesday.

Since I didn't quite understand the parking lots I decided to pull up to the entrance to see where my room ended up being and check in before parking . The valet personnel allowed me to leave my car there but they wanted the keys while I ran in. When I came out they retrieved the keys for me. My impression (by the palm held out) is that they also were waiting for a tip. Parking was no problem - plenty of spots but wow - that's a bit of a hike!

I was able to compare the experience to CR/BLT just the next day when I moved over there. The gate guard directed me to the front lobby of the CR. Valet personnel immediately directed me to a spot right by the door and did not require my keys. Very friendly about it while BWV had been much more begrudging the parking during check-in. Perhaps b/c CR had a very short time with DVC free valet and thus isn't feeling the difference to the same degree. Seems a little odd though since the valet is contracted by the same company. Parking at BLT was a better experience.

Kathy: just a note--if you had had your mother in the wheelchair with you then valet parking is supposed to be 'free' (other than tips of course).

From you post, I am assuming you left your car parked along, or near, the main drive area at BWV and BLT. I'm actually surprised they allowed you to leave your car at all without valet parking it. At OKW you can not leave your car in that area, you have to park it in the lot prior to checking in, and OKW doesn't even offer valet.

But the area at BWV should remain clear for taxis, limos, DME and those that do choose to valet park.

When I was there in November they would let people park at the front to check-in. It also "appeared" to me that cars were being pulled around and left for people who had valet'd and had called to have their cars brought around.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

From you post, I am assuming you left your car parked along, or near, the main drive area at BWV and BLT. I'm actually surprised they allowed you to leave your car at all without valet parking it. At OKW you can not leave your car in that area, you have to park it in the lot prior to checking in, and OKW doesn't even offer valet.

But the area at BWV should remain clear for taxis, limos, DME and those that do choose to valet park.

They had me park the car in the wider area that is just before the porte cochere starts. Plenty of room to do so without interfering with anything at both resorts. At BLT they had those of us checking in park vertically just past the porte cochere. Pretty standard fare for checking in at most hotels and was handled by both resorts. BWV just kept encouraging valet for me while CR did not.

Also isn't the front of a hotel available for anyone who is arriving and leaving the resort - not designated only for those arriving by a certain method? I'm afraid I don't understand why one method would be treated differently although a hotel has the right to do as they wish. It would be one of the poorest first impressions though.

I know that OKW has parking spaces that are much closer to check-in than BWV or BLT would be. Are no spaces designated for check-in? That would make complete sense IMO in a set-up like OKW and SSR where you are going to park by your room and need to get your key before doing so.

Kathy: just a note--if you had had your mother in the wheelchair with you then valet parking is supposed to be 'free' (other than tips of course).

Thanks Cheryl - yes, we were provided free valet in Nov.

Regarding BWV parking. Is the lot to the left as you are driving up to BWV for valet only? I glanced at that lot and saw some blocked off but didn't pull in to see if everything was. It certainly was empty though.

 

[toocherie]

Thanks Cheryl - yes, we were provided free valet in Nov.

Regarding BWV parking. Is the lot to the left as you are driving up to BWV for valet only? I glanced at that lot and saw some blocked off but didn't pull in to see if everything was. It certainly was empty though.

I thought some of it was available for self-parking--I know I saw people walking from there (at least the part on the other side of the "bridge")

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

I thought some of it was available for self-parking--I know I saw people walking from there (at least the part on the other side of the "bridge")

OK - that's what it looked like but I wasn't certain. There were plenty of spots in the lot on the right so I didn't have to look over there but I was wondering for future reference. Thanks!