Since when is this acceptable?

[AprilsZoo]

I was told the exact same thing by Bell Services at BWV, AKV, RIV, and BLT. I'm not refuting that there may be some written policy to the contrary somewhere. But when I'm told something by employees in multiple resorts (and on multiple separate occasions at each) what I should be doing, that's who I'm going to listen.

It’s also against the terms of the contract you signed when you rented the scooter. I’m not sure if it was disBoards or another forum, but I know that there was a person who reported that there was noticeable damage that occurred to their scooter when it was parked outside their room… they had even gotten ‘insurance’ when they rented the thing (because it was either included or very inexpensive). Anyway, the rental place told them that because the damage occurred while parked in the hall, that the renter had allowed the scooter to be outside their “care & control” (I think is how it was worded)… therefore the insurance wouldn’t cover it. I recall they came online trying to see if something similar had happened to anyone else. Iirc, the seat was torn or broken or something, and they had wanted it swapped out by the rental company.

Another consideration, should you decide to park in the hallway… several posters on our very own disABILITIES subforum have reported that they dutifully plugged their ECV in at night in the hall and in the morning were surprised to discover that their battery had not charged. They were told by (presumably a manager) at the front desk, that the hallway outlets are disabled after a certain time of night, so their charger would not have been receiving power throughout the night. They were specifically told this was to discourage guests from parking in the hall. Again, this has been several people, at various resorts.

I think it’s likely that bell services & housekeeping staff are simply giving ‘advice’ based on their own observations, and it’s likely that they’ve never received any training to the contrary, since where scooters should be parked is not their primary job concern. If those staff have seen many ecv’s parked in the hall, they may have thought it was acceptable to do so. If you were to ask the front desk, or facilities & maintenance whether you could park in the hall (in opposition to the published rules) there’s a good chance you’d get a different answer.

Of course, this does assume that Disney is training their staff adequately and not just expecting them to “pick it up as they go”, which I’ll admit, does seem to be the default training method most places in the last few years.

In the end, it is ultimately the guests’ responsibility to read & understand—and indeed, even follow—the rules. Resort rules & expectations used to be in a folder or binder right in the rooms. I suppose that could’ve changed with Covid. But in lieu of the binder, everywhere I’ve stayed since 2020 has had a page they hand you at check-in (admittedly, usually in much too small of type) along with your other receipts, etc. that states all the rules. Or for contactless check-in there’s been an acknowlegement page you must agree to during the process. I’m sure most people just click ‘ok’ or ‘agree’ and never even read most of it. If a guest doesn’t read it (or insist on one they can read) that is on the guest. Just as with the towels, it is the guest who should know and follow the rules of their rented lodging. If what you are told is contrary to rules you’ve agreed to, then you should question what you’re being told to do.

 

[Best Aunt]

Another consideration, should you decide to park in the hallway… several posters on our very own disABILITIES subforum have reported that they dutifully plugged their ECV in at night in the hall and in the morning were surprised to discover that their battery had not charged. They were told by (presumably a manager) at the front desk, that the hallway outlets are disabled after a certain time of night, so their charger would not have been receiving power throughout the night. They were specifically told this was to discourage guests from parking in the hall. Again, this has been several people, at various resorts.

I thought I read that sometimes housekeeping unplugged scooters so that they could plug in vacuum cleaners to use in the halls, and didn't plug the scooters back in when they were done. But I could be wrong. That wouldn't be an overnight thing, though.

 

[TiggerBouncy]

It’s also against the terms of the contract you signed when you rented the scooter. I’m not sure if it was disBoards or another forum, but I know that there was a person who reported that there was noticeable damage that occurred to their scooter when it was parked outside their room… they had even gotten ‘insurance’ when they rented the thing (because it was either included or very inexpensive). Anyway, the rental place told them that because the damage occurred while parked in the hall, that the renter had allowed the scooter to be outside their “care & control” (I think is how it was worded)… therefore the insurance wouldn’t cover it. I recall they came online trying to see if something similar had happened to anyone else. Iirc, the seat was torn or broken or something, and they had wanted it swapped out by the rental company.

Another consideration, should you decide to park in the hallway… several posters on our very own disABILITIES subforum have reported that they dutifully plugged their ECV in at night in the hall and in the morning were surprised to discover that their battery had not charged. They were told by (presumably a manager) at the front desk, that the hallway outlets are disabled after a certain time of night, so their charger would not have been receiving power throughout the night. They were specifically told this was to discourage guests from parking in the hall. Again, this has been several people, at various resorts.

I think it’s likely that bell services & housekeeping staff are simply giving ‘advice’ based on their own observations, and it’s likely that they’ve never received any training to the contrary, since where scooters should be parked is not their primary job concern. If those staff have seen many ecv’s parked in the hall, they may have thought it was acceptable to do so. If you were to ask the front desk, or facilities & maintenance whether you could park in the hall (in opposition to the published rules) there’s a good chance you’d get a different answer.

Of course, this does assume that Disney is training their staff adequately and not just expecting them to “pick it up as they go”, which I’ll admit, does seem to be the default training method most places in the last few years.

In the end, it is ultimately the guests’ responsibility to read & understand—and indeed, even follow—the rules. Resort rules & expectations used to be in a folder or binder right in the rooms. I suppose that could’ve changed with Covid. But in lieu of the binder, everywhere I’ve stayed since 2020 has had a page they hand you at check-in (admittedly, usually in much too small of type) along with your other receipts, etc. that states all the rules. Or for contactless check-in there’s been an acknowlegement page you must agree to during the process. I’m sure most people just click ‘ok’ or ‘agree’ and never even read most of it. If a guest doesn’t read it (or insist on one they can read) that is on the guest. Just as with the towels, it is the guest who should know and follow the rules of their rented lodging. If what you are told is contrary to rules you’ve agreed to, then you should question what you’re being told to do.

So there is a minor concern there, and I admit that when a Disney CM told me to leave mine in the hallways and showed me the plug between the room, my first thought was "what if someone steals the charger? I will have to pay for that". I even asked. The helpful CM told me that he had not heard of them having that problem before (of course, I would be responsible for it though). This falls under the same category as ECV's and strollers left unattended at the parks. There is always risk, and there are always times these things will be left unattended (there are ECV and Stroller parking lots around the parks, so I assume it's expected that these things will be outside your attendance at some point).

But again, I do not memorize or expect any guest to memorize every rule and know when and how it changed. I expect the CM's to tell me when something has changed. For example, when we were told we didn't have to wear masks, I did not check these boards or what I read even on the Disney site. I went based on guidance from the official Disney Cast Members on site.

I suspect the reason Disney puts that on there is strictly from a liability standpoint.

If Disney has a problem with ECV's parked in the hallways, they should be communicating that to the CM's. If ECV's parked in the hallway is an inconvenience for you, then you should email Disney about your gripe and they can pass around the word to stop telling guests to leave their ECV's in the hallway if that truly is something they want.

But based purely on observation, I think this falls under "official policy is not to leave them in the hallway for insurance reasons, but unofficially, we are not only cool with it, but recommend it because we don't want guests being trapped in their rooms and blocked by an ECV for fire code reasons, nor do we want them killing themselves because they can not one handed open the door and drive the ECV". There are a lot of rules that fall under that category (our Lawyers make us say it, but we will never do it in practice).

 

[Phatscott25]

I didn't mean to start an ECV debate here. And I should clarify that I have no problem keeping it in my room. In fact, it would actually be easier for my mom (I only get ECV's on trips with her) because she wouldn't have to walk as far. But when I've done so and that action has been "corrected" by employees at four different resorts, I stopped. I want to reiterate that I did not ask if I could park in the hall, I was told to take it out of the room on all the aforementioned occasions. Now, I just park in the hall. Perhaps I've just been "lucky" but my scooter, charger, etc. has never been tampered with and is always fully charged the next day.

 

[bakerworld]

Back in '09 we joined DVC. We were thrilled to have Bay Lake Towers as our Home. We drove on to Disney property, proceeding under the waterway (Big Excitement), verified to security that we were DVC and belonged (!!), park the car, check-in to receive our Theme Park View room assignment. With big smiles we enter our 'villa' and DH races for the slider to see our view. He's thrilled we have swapped our moderate hotel for deluxe. I enter the room and my smile dies as I notice worn carpet, nicked furniture and stained couch cushions. This is suppose to be our Home Away from Home. My couch cushions are not stained because I wash them. If furniture has water stains and big gouges out of them I can't fix they go on the curb for the trash. BLT was just built in '08 so how could the carpet already be threadbare? Also who lives like this?

Needless to say, there is a LOT that happens within DVC villas that people do not see in the hotel areas. We often past food trays sitting in the halls for days, many EVCs, once at AK 4 different rooms tossed they toaster out in the hallway. I've seen people raiding baskets of fresh linens that are sitting outside of rooms. It's been a learning experience being a member of DVC. Is this acceptable is a good question.

 

[fixerupper]

I skipped several pages of replies to report that when we stayed at Boardwalk with my mom on a scooter we were specifically told by the bell hop to charge the scooter in the hall so that is what we did, as were many others.

 

[yensid's offspring]

Karen, is that you?

 

[yensid's offspring]

As long as your room is how you like it and meets your standards than you should be happy. You don't hang out in or sleep in the hallways. Complaining about the actions of others, over which you have no control, is kind of unproductive. I have DVC at Kidani and housekeeping comes every 4 days, if you want it. However, according to my wife, we were told it is acceptable to place linens and towels you wish to have replaced, in the hallway. As others have stated, those with scooters are told to charge them in the hallways.

 

[ParkHoppers]

People are not born civilized. It is something that has to be taught, nurtured and reinforced throughout life. Otherwise humans just naturally gravitate toward survival of the fittest, selfishness and chaos. A bit dramatic. I know.

 

[wdw4rfam]

While I totally agree with you, we were at Polynesian just a few months ago and requested new towels and they brought us some in the evening. I asked her what she wanted me to do with the old ones since she didn’t have a cart with her and she told me to put them outside the door and someone would get them probably in the morning. We just waited until we left in the morning and then put them out there. So that is what they instruct you to do. So may not be their fault.

 

[RoseGold]

when we stayed at Boardwalk with my mom on a scooter we were specifically told by the bell hop to charge the scooter in the hall

Wow. We wouldn't have been able to get the powerchair past that, probably. Those hallways are narrow! I'm surprised to hear that from Boardwalk, one of the only places there usually aren't ECVs everywhere.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

While I totally agree with you, we were at Polynesian just a few months ago and requested new towels and they brought us some in the evening. I asked her what she wanted me to do with the old ones since she didn’t have a cart with her and she told me to put them outside the door and someone would get them probably in the morning. We just waited until we left in the morning and then put them out there. So that is what they instruct you to do. So may not be their fault.

That's sorta why I made the comment about traveling right now. A lot of places may be adopting interim protocols that are a certain way for a time, could even be manager on duty sort of stuff but maybe more prevalent these days with travel being so up and down.

 

[Boopuff]

Call me crazy, but I'll throw the towels in the wash before I leave for the day, dry when I get home.

 

[karen4546]

Karen, is that you?

Is this a supposed to be funny? I would like to encourage you to either
a) get a thesaurus
b) refrain from using a name as an Adjective
c) make useful comments
d) all of the above


i choose d)

and OP no this should not be acceptable at any resort.

as far as scooter charging, as long as plugs are located are on ONE wall in the hall then there won’t be an issue with fire codes because there will be plenty of space as long as the scooter is close to the plug.

I don’t like seeing room service trays in the hall, it I would like room service to return ASAP.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

What are people's thoughts about putting smelly workout shoes in the hallway (to dry? because they stank too much for them to put it inside? ick). I am staying at Home2Suites near Salt Lake City Utah - I did have smelly shoes of my own but the rooms are huge and I was able to tuck it into a corner of the room without any issues. Is this acceptable to put stinky shoes or clothes in the hallway when staying at a hotel?

It could be the custom of the country that person lives it that they leave their shoes outside.

 

[Ms.Minnie]

Wow. We wouldn't have been able to get the powerchair past that, probably. Those hallways are narrow! I'm surprised to hear that from Boardwalk, one of the only places there usually aren't ECVs everywhere.

First, I don't find the hallways at BWV to be narrow. Not sure how wide you think they should be. If ECVs are parked in the hallway they are usually parked close to the wall. How wide is your powerchair?

Second, BWV is my home resort and has been the place we stay on almost every trip for the past 22 years. We ALWAYS see ECVs parked in the hallways. It has never been a problem during that time. I will say that if I had an ECV I would prefer to park it in my room to ensure that there would be no tampering with the unit.

 

[DeeBee3]

I just want to give a round of applause to this thread for actually going on this long.

 

[jennypenny]

Those scooters are considered a fire hazard (because of the batteries) and that's why many hotels request they be placed in hallways. I imagine that's why disney also requests they be charged there.

We've been told several times at different DVC resorts to place our towels/room service tray/trash outside of our rooms for pickup (pre and post covid). We refrain from doing so, but I can't get mad at people for following Disney's instructions.

 

[PatMcDuck]

My pet peeve was dirty room service trays with food sitting in hallways for a day. (pre covid, not sure if room service is even back yet?)

Those dirty towels would bug me too. I always wanted a towel exchange area on each floor or in each building. Like at the pools, bins to dump dirty ones, carts with shelves to take new ones.

 

[The Prophet]

Is it possible to modify a car boot to immobilize a ECV?