NO MORE free valet parking for DVC members.

[Dean]

By the same token, why should I have any portion of my dues cover ME when I NEVER, NEVER, NEVER use it? I could say "I don't want to see my dues go up for someone who is too freaking cheap to rent a car." But that wouldn't be very fair, would it? Yet it's basically the same argument you are making.

I don't think dues should cover valet parking, either, for the record.

IMO it's inappropriate to ask others to cover my fees, period. For something to be covered I should be able to make a case for inclusion of that option that makes sense to most people that don't use the option and/or establish that most people do use a given options and see it as a valuable component of their resort. Or I should be able to establish that there is a substantial economy of scale and that enough people use a given option to justify it at that cost level. The other area includes things that most people would consider part of a resort and things that cost more trouble than it would be worth to worry about. I can't imagine being selfish enough to say others should pay more simply because I want to pay less for anything. ME may or may not meet the test in this context but valet parking certainly doesn't at this time. Internet does both on the volume and economy of scale front. Pools meet the test on both the usual component of a resort and cost to police fronts.

 

[disneynutz]

We are at BWV's and I decided to try and find out more info about the Valet changes.

Based on talking to employees at BWI and the DVC here is what I have put together.

Prior to out sourcing the Valet service, There was an agreement between the DVC and the Disney Valets not to charge DVC Members. It is unclear if our dues paying for transportation subsidized the Valets for members but I suspect that they did receive some type of compensation.

Disney decided to out source the Valet service to Bags Inc. due to increasing wage costs and liability exposure. The Bags contract included free DVC Valet service but the DVC funds stopped because Bags is a outside company and not a Disney company.

The Bags employees who park your car and unload your car don't receive many tips, published tipping etiquette dictates that tips are paid when you pick up your car, not when you drop it off. The Bags employees put your luggage in the luggage room where a Disney Bell Services person picks up your luggage and delivers it to your room. The reason that you need to be present in your room is for tipping purposes.

When the new contract came due between Disney and Bags, Bags needed to remove the free DVC Valet clause because their employees weren't receiving many tips and they needed to increase their salaries to reduce employee turn over.

Disney was aware of the change months in advance, but decided to play dumb and remove the perk. I don't fault them for removing the perk but their no notice policy for DVC changes is getting old.

Bill

 

[dmoore22]

Berate: To rebuke or scold harshly.

Scold: To reprimand or criticize harshly.

I really don't think I did either of those. I didn't scold you. All I said initally was that I can't believe this thread is still going - since OCTOBER no less!! Good grief. Over parking for crying out loud. It's a done deal. Can't we all move on? It just amazes me that it's THAT big of deal to SOOOOOO many people. I don't get it that's all. It's parking. I just don't see the fuss - it's a luxury and and I personally don't feel that all members should subsidize the cost if not all members USE it and am not bothered by the idea that my dues won't have to go up to pay for someone else to let someone park their car for them.

Maybe they should've made it an option to go with certain ressies...like the extra benefits concierge guests get. I'm OK with that if somebody wants to use an extra 2 more points per day to have it available or something. I mean it's their points if they want to use them that way. So to review MY opinion. Dues for valet parking = no. Cash for valet parking = yes and Points to valet park = yes.

Oh, and please don't respond to me again. This is just my little 'ole opinion. I don't think it's worth getting my panties in wad or my blood pressure up. I am OVER it. I am moving on. Adios. Ya'll enjoy the indigestion you're getting over it.. I'm gonna go find something else to fret over.

I like the way you think. We've never used the valet parking since we purchased DVC nearly 10 years ago. On the whole the DVC perks are still much better than they were when we purchased our points. Like you I feel this thread has outlived its use life.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

The Bags employees who park your car and unload your car don't receive many tips, published tipping etiquette dictates that tips are paid when you pick up your car, not when you drop it off. The Bags employees put your luggage in the luggage room where a Disney Bell Services person picks up your luggage and delivers it to your room. The reason that you need to be present in your room is for tipping purposes.

When the new contract came due between Disney and Bags, Bags needed to remove the free DVC Valet clause because their employees weren't receiving many tips and they needed to increase their salaries to reduce employee turn over.

I'm a little confused by this Bill - isn't it the Bags company that always deal with the valet - ie, they are the one's that go and get your car also so they would be getting the standard accepted tip at time of car retrieval?

And anything dealing with luggage will be remaining the same so it doesn't seem applicable to valet. The Bags people still won't be getting tips from that - whether that's right or wrong that needed to be worked about between Bags and Disney. The problem would be that I don't think Disney could legally have any say in how tips are divided.

What you were told seems like a story that was told to place blame upon DVC and/or Disney. It still seems like Bags wanted to cut costs which would most likely mean reduced employees. The only way they could do that was to cut out the free valet useage that probably required some additional employees. Reducing the opportunity for tips seems counter intuitive to increasing an employees salary.

 

[jekjones1558]

Am I misunderstanding or have people not been tipping extra when the Bags valets unload baggage? Although I dislike the new system because it means tipping twice for luggage handling (once to Bags valets, then again to Bell Services), I wouldn't dream of not tipping the valets who unload luggage.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Am I misunderstanding or have people not been tipping extra when the Bags valets unload baggage? Although I dislike the new system because it means tipping twice for luggage handling (once to Bags valets, then again to Bell Services), I wouldn't dream of not tipping the valets who unload luggage.

I also tip both. Sometimes three times...
If my room isn't ready I end up tipping the valet, bell services when my stuff goes to storage, and then bell services again when they bring my stuff to the room. I could leave my stuff in the car so bell only has to handle things once, but the wife doesn't want stuff (such as her make-up) baking in the hot car. I must admit, I usually have my Sam Adams I don't want left in the car either.

MG

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Am I misunderstanding or have people not been tipping extra when the Bags valets unload baggage? Although I dislike the new system because it means tipping twice for luggage handling (once to Bags valets, then again to Bell Services), I wouldn't dream of not tipping the valets who unload luggage.

Just reread your post.. I think we are saying the same thing.

MG

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Am I misunderstanding or have people not been tipping extra when the Bags valets unload baggage? Although I dislike the new system because it means tipping twice for luggage handling (once to Bags valets, then again to Bell Services), I wouldn't dream of not tipping the valets who unload luggage.

I don't understand why a guest would feel that they have to other than the fact that a tip is discretionary so you should always feel comfortable in doing as you wish.

We do not unless there's a special situation or some extraordinary measure taken- although DH did once at VWL b/c of an extra beer or two. First, that is not industry standard to tip twice for having your luggage taken to your room and I don't think it should be any different at Disney. Second, it's not appropriate for a guest to even know that the business is outsourced and have to learn whether or not one group of people is receiving tips or if one is keeping it all to themselves. To a guest everything should be seemless.

IF Bags has a problem with the agreement they have worked out then it is their responsibility to look out for their employees - not to have the guests compensate. Frankly I wouldn't even know it was outsourced except for these boards and it wouldn't even cross my mind to tip differently anyway.

 

[Dean]

WDisney was aware of the change months in advance, but decided to play dumb and remove the perk. I don't fault them for removing the perk but their no notice policy for DVC changes is getting old.

That Disney knew doesn't automatically mean that DVC was appropriately aware of what was going to happen. They may have known but it's just as likely that the people you were talking to aren't up to speed on the specifics either.

 

[Paging Tom Morrow]

 

[crisi]

Am I misunderstanding or have people not been tipping extra when the Bags valets unload baggage? Although I dislike the new system because it means tipping twice for luggage handling (once to Bags valets, then again to Bell Services), I wouldn't dream of not tipping the valets who unload luggage.

As much as almost everyone on the DISBoards confesses to a pathological need to overtip (at least when talking about tipping on the internet) the sad reality is that a LOT of people don't tip at all. Or certainly don't tip sufficiently to create a living wage. And when Disney is handing off the luggage several times, a reasonable assumption by many guests is that they tip once, and that tips for the shift are pooled. I shouldn't have to get out my stack of ones three times to get my luggage to my room.

Also, everyone should take the rumors they hear from the staff with a generous grain of salt. I'm currently in a project at work where I'm working with our senior executive staff, then moving to implement about eight levels down in the organizational structure. Eight levels down they don't have any clue what we knew when, why decisions were make, what the legal ramifications are. Its funny to listen to the guys at the bottom talk about the whys, when I've been involved in the whys. They are so far off is sad, and you can watch the growth of the rumors - but "need to know" keeps me from being able to correct them. Hearing about the change from the valet - or even the hotel manager - is going to be about as accurate as the guesses on here.

 

[MELSMICE]

Hearing about the change from the valet - or even the hotel manager - is going to be about as accurate as the guesses on here.

Probably the most intelligent thing said on this thread!!!!

 

[BWV Dreamin]

We usually always just take our bags up to the room ourselves.We travel mostly with carry-ons. If you really want to see a situation where you are tipping everytime you turn around, try going to NYC!!!!!!

 

[linney94]

We usually always just take our bags up to the room ourselves.We travel mostly with carry-ons. If you really want to see a situation where you are tipping everytime you turn around, try going to NYC!!!!!!

This made me smile! We stayed at the Waldorf Astoria many years ago and my FIRST introduction to being asked on the check to tip the restaurant manager as well as the server and his assistant!! We didn't!! I think we were much more brave back then!!! The servers 20% was enough.

 

[Glamis]

I just don't see the fuss - it's a luxury and and I personally don't feel that all members should subsidize the cost if not all members USE it and am not bothered by the idea that my dues won't have to go up to pay for someone else to let someone park their car for them.

Then get rid of free Magical Express and lower my dues. I never use that perk, and I know it is expensive as heck. Then all you folks who fly rather than drive can spend $100 on your nice free trip from the airport and back.

Don't like it so much when its "your" perk, eh?

Oh, and please don't respond to me again. This is just my little 'ole opinion.

While this wasn't said to me, I have to say this: If you don't want people to respond, don't post your "little 'ole opinion" on a message board.

Of course, I have a feeling - given your choice of username - you must be really new to the internet. I dare you to plug your username into a google image search.

One of the MANY problems with this is that some of the resorts were clearly made with the free valet parking for DVC members in mind. Some of the parking lots are really far from the resort.

The lack of valet parking is obviously not a big deal at all at places like OKW or SSR. But it is a pretty big deal at the Wilderness Lodge, Beach Club, and places like that.

This is a really lame change, and frankly, it disturbs me to see perks erode slowly over time.

 

[Dean]

Then get rid of free Magical Express and lower my dues. I never use that perk, and I know it is expensive as heck. Then all you folks who fly rather than drive can spend $100 on your nice free trip from the airport and back.

Don't like it so much when its "your" perk, eh?

This is not an issue of which perk one uses but one of reasonable and cost. It would be unreasonable to spread the cost of such a program across the membership at a given resort given the current specifics (full price, limited overall usage, easy to define who & easy to convey those charges). And it is unreasonable to expect others to pay for one's personal usage of ANY type, for anything, unless one can also make the case that there is a sufficient benefit to the group at large, significant cost to enforcement that outweighs pay to pay, significant difficulty in defining those who use it or a sufficient economy of scale such as occurs with the internet option.

 

[tgropp]

I put in a suggestion to member services that instead of a discount on AP's, discounts at certain restaurants, free movie rentals, magical express, free internet and other perks, just give DVC members a credit of $50-100.00 and let people spend it on whatever perk they want, including valet parking. Still no answer yet.

 

[Tara]

I put in a suggestion to member services that instead of a discount on AP's, discounts at certain restaurants, free movie rentals, magical express, free internet and other perks, just give DVC members a credit of $50-100.00 and let people spend it on whatever perk they want, including valet parking. Still no answer yet.

Are you kidding? My family saves $300 on APs a year, $10 per night on internet, and who knows what on food...$50-$100 is chump change! I sure hope they don't get any ideas like that.

 

[wendypooh]

I put in a suggestion to member services that instead of a discount on AP's, discounts at certain restaurants, free movie rentals, magical express, free internet and other perks, just give DVC members a credit of $50-100.00 and let people spend it on whatever perk they want, including valet parking. Still no answer yet.

?? Is this a joke? I sure hope so!

Are you kidding? My family saves $300 on APs a year, $10 per night on internet, and who knows what on food...$50-$100 is chump change! I sure hope they don't get any ideas like that.

I agree............. we save a LOT more on AP's than the OP's idea......... I don't get it?

 

[Dean]

I put in a suggestion to member services that instead of a discount on AP's, discounts at certain restaurants, free movie rentals, magical express, free internet and other perks, just give DVC members a credit of $50-100.00 and let people spend it on whatever perk they want, including valet parking. Still no answer yet.

I think you're making the incorrect assumption that those perks cost DVC, they don't. The discounts cost nothing, the internet almost nothing, the movies have a small cost but more in terms of personnel than anything else. If you did away with ALL current perks you'd likely have no more than $15-20 per member savings. It certainly wouldn't compensate for the costs of the valet parking at $12 per car per day. Also, only the members who owned at a given resort would pay for it rather than the membership as a whole.