So much for "Welcome Home"

[Travel60]

I had a small package (about letter size) delivered today. A note stuck to it says there is a $6 handling fee. Never seen that before even at a hotel.

 

[vicarrieous]

I believe Disney implemented this in 2019. I know that if you have groceries delivered and you have them bring it to your room, they also charge a $6 fee as well.

 

[LadybugsMum]

That isn't new. They started charging for package delivery almost 3 years ago: https://www.wdwinfo.com/news-stories/walt-disney-world-begins-charging-6-bell-services-delivery-fee/

 

[nuhusky123]

A lot of hotels now charge. Even the swan charges. Honestly I get why they do charge. Someone has to accept the package (that costs money), someone has to either find and hand you the package (that costs money) or deliver to your room (that costs money). your dues don’t pay salary for these costs as while that employee is dealing with your package they are not doing their paid job. So to cover the costs I think it’s fair to charge you

https://swandolphin.com/wp-pdf/other/11thHourHandlingFees.pdf

 

[bakerworld]

Our last visit in September we forgot DH's phone charger. My eldest had one delivered by Amazon and Instacart. We knew about the delivery charge but she was doing us a favor so we didn't say anything. The instacart delivered to BS the next day and we received a text. We picked it up and they didn't charge us. Amazon Prime was suppose to deliver in 2 days but delivered in 3 days. We were in a park when we received delivery notice. It was delivered to the Front Desk instead of BS and by the time we asked for it nobody could really locate it. Finally, it was found in the business center and delivered to us as were were walking out the door to wait for the ME. The CM wouldn't take a tip and wiped all delivery charges from the bill.

 

[cvjw]

I think members are lucky that the resorts will accept packages for you and just charge a small fee. Look what happened with scooter deliveries. Once a service is used too much, it seems to go away. I would pay the $6 fee and be happy that the service even exists.

 

[Travel60]

I expect "luxury" accomodations to provide occasional extra services. A few months ago I left some medication at a very nice resort on the Oregon coast. I called, they found it and express mailed it to my next location. All at no cost, despite my offer. You better believe I will stay there again and recommend to anyone I know going to the area.
I get charging for accepting and storing big packages of groceries or luggage that require moving and space and sometimes refrigeration. This was an envelope.
We did call today and the charge was removed.

 

[accm]

I wonder if it’s up to the discretion of whoever receives it/delivers it to the guest. We had a package shipped to BC for our November trip (cheaper for a friend to send me something there vs to Canada) and they didn’t charge me anything.

 

[DonMacGregor]

I expect "luxury" accomodations to provide occasional extra services. A few months ago I left some medication at a very nice resort on the Oregon coast. I called, they found it and express mailed it to my next location. All at no cost, despite my offer. You better believe I will stay there again and recommend to anyone I know going to the area.
I get charging for accepting and storing big packages of groceries or luggage that require moving and space and sometimes refrigeration. This was an envelope.
We did call today and the charge was removed.

I stayed at the Ritz Carlton Grande Lakes last year, while attending a conference. One box, maybe 4x6x6, containing a business card order that my office forwarded on to me. $25 handling charge because they considered it a "package". The year before, I managed to drop my car remote in my room at the San Francisco Hilton (didn't realize it until after I had flown home and got back to my car at the airport). Not only did they charge me to mail it back, the outside vendor they used got the packing labels switched and the key was sent to the wrong recipient.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

The locations with convention centers have been doing the fee charge for letters and packages even longer than 3 years.

 

[Best Aunt]

In the past: If you were staying in a Disney-owned hotel which had a convention center (such as Beach Club, BoardWalk, Contemporary, Coronado Springs or Grand Floridian), packages shipped to you via UPS or FedEx were delivered to the Convention Center's business office. The business office charged you a package handling fee. If you were staying in a Disney-owned hotel which had a business center but the package was shipped to you via USPS, it went to the front desk and there was no package handling fee. If you were staying in a Disney-owned hotel which did not have a business center, the package went to the front desk whether it came UPS, FedEx, or USPS, and there was no package handling fee.

Then Disney added a fee if the package came to the front desk. And Disney added a fee if groceries were delivered to Bell Services and you had Bell Services bring the groceries to your room; no fee if groceries were delivered to Bell Services but you picked them up yourself at Bell Services.

There have always been occasional reports of people not being charged by Disney even if the policy said that they should have been charged.

Here is the current information from, and links to, Disney's website on the subject of mail, packages and grocery delivery:

RECEIVING PACKAGES (from the Business Center page):
Send and receive packages of all sizes during your stay at Walt Disney World Resort.
Parcel Handling (Incoming and Outgoing)

• Your package can be picked up from or delivered to most locations at Walt Disney World Resort. You must be present to accept delivery. Handling fee covers one pickup or delivery only. (Contact the Front Desk if your Resort hotel does not have a Business Center.)
• For same-day shipping, outbound parcels must be received in the package room by 4:30 PM Monday – Friday. Items received after 4:30 PM on Friday will be shipped on Monday unless special handling has been requested. Saturday shipping services are available until 11:30 AM with advance notice. Special rates apply.
• Guests may drop off their completed/called-in packages at the Front Desk or Concierge. The Front Desk/Concierge will deliver them to the Business Center for shipping. Or if you prefer, you may bring your packages to the Business Center yourself.
• Unless specified, all items sent from Walt Disney World Resort will be sent by air courier service, unless otherwise specified by the Guest.

Parcel Handling Fees
Handling fee includes receipt of item from carrier, storage for up to 3 days, onetime Guest package delivery or pickup, placing item with carrier for shipment, and tracking. Postage is not included.

Package Weight	Package Handling Fee
0 to 5 lbs	$5
6 to 20 lbs	$10
21 to 40 lbs	$15
41 to 69 lbs	$20
Display Cases 0-69 lbs	$25
70 to 134 lbs	$100
Over 135 lbs	$0.75 per lb

Prices are subject to change.

RECEIVING MAIL (from the Mail Services page):
Please note that a $6 per package handling fee will apply to all packages that are received through the Front Desk or are delivered to your Disney Resort hotel room.

GETTING GROCERIES DELIVERED (from the Mail Services page):
Grocery deliveries are subject to the Disney Resort hotel’s policies and may be unavailable, limited or restricted. If the delivery service vendor requires age or ID verification, Guests are required to meet and accept delivery directly from the vendor; Disney Resort hotels will not accept delivery of such orders on behalf of any Guest.
For other grocery orders delivered to the Disney Resort hotel during your vacation, a $6 fee will be charged to your room account for each grocery delivery order brought to your room by Bell Services or Luggage Assistance. Alternatively, these deliveries may be picked up in the Resort Lobby from Bell Services or Luggage Assistance at no charge.

Business Center page:
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/business-centers/
Mail Services page:
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/mail-services/

 

[miTnosnhoJ]

We had to ship some expensive medicine to VGF due to some insurance delays. The pharmacy couldn't figure out the right address to get it to us. We called the Grand Floridian, and the cast member we spoke to got on the phone with the pharmacy, told them exactly how to address the shipment, and all was well. We got the shipment. It had been kept properly refrigerated after it arrived. There was no charge to us, although we tipped the Bell Services cast member who brought it to our room.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

DVC is not a luxury accommodation. I know they are priced like them, as are Disney "deluxes." But when compared to market, none of them are luxury.

 

[New Mouse]

If the intention is to sell villas with Kitchens, grocery deliveries/holding should be a complimentary service.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

If the intention is to sell villas with Kitchens, grocery deliveries/holding should be a complimentary service.

I don't necessarily disagree as I liked the more inclusive model that DVC used to have but it's also difficult to argue that everyone pay for the staffing when not everyone uses the kitchens or have groceries delivered when they stay in the villas with the kitchens and even less so when booking studios. This way the fee is apportioned to those using it.

 

[Dizzydizney]

If the intention is to sell villas with Kitchens, grocery deliveries/holding should be a complimentary service.

Grocery delivery was really non existent when DVC was in its early stages. Not sure when it became more popular....never had the need for it. When grocery delivery started, there were only a couple of companies that did it. More recently....last 12 years or so.....there are several to choose from. I think maybe a lot had to do with the free magical express and people could place their orders from the airport. I think it probably got too overwhelming for bell services to store and/or refrigerate so many orders. Or being blamed if something disappeared.
Does anyone remember when more grocery delivery services started? There used to be one or two (GG and DD) then Insta, then all the others got on the bandwagon.

 

[New Mouse]

I don't necessarily disagree as I liked the more inclusive model that DVC used to have but it's also difficult to argue that everyone pay for the staffing when not everyone uses the kitchens or have groceries delivered when they stay in the villas with the kitchens and even less so when booking studios. This way the fee is apportioned to those using it.

We could audit the use of all cast members at the shared DVC resorts and I'm sure you'd find that $6 per guest somewhere. Ie. Dvc is already paying for stuff they sent use.

 

[TimmyP]

We had 2 Amazon deliveries made this past week at BWV, no charge appeared on our folio and they were in our room after a day at the parks, without me having to call bell.....

 

[suebeelin]

I had a small package (about letter size) delivered today. A note stuck to it says there is a $6 handling fee. Never seen that before even at a hotel.

i had that happen to me once too; they claimed it was standard bc they are a conference hotel.
I never sent myself a package while at did tt ever again

;(

 

[Lilsia]

I expect "luxury" accomodations to provide occasional extra services. A few months ago I left some medication at a very nice resort on the Oregon coast. I called, they found it and express mailed it to my next location. All at no cost, despite my offer. You better believe I will stay there again and recommend to anyone I know going to the area.
I get charging for accepting and storing big packages of groceries or luggage that require moving and space and sometimes refrigeration. This was an envelope.
We did call today and the charge was removed.

Not all resorts are the same. Disney is a completely different bag of apples then most every other tourist destination. They have over 36,000 rooms and people tend to stay at least a week. A much higher percentage of guest order food and other items to be delivered for a WDW trip then do anyplace else. You can see how that puts a much, much greater burden on bell service at WDW, can't you? No one should have to wait an half an hour for bell service to take you to your room because they are all busy delivering your shopping to your room. You are more then capable of stopping by and picking it up and they won't charge you. And it doesn't matter what the item is that is delivered, it still takes up their time to do so.