Talk to me about parking at GCH...

[tlovesdis]

Did the prices change for valet? I remember that we paid a huge uptick for it when we went with my mom, but that was several years ago. I haven't used valet since then.

But you also have to figure in the tip. Here is where I'm a bit unschooled. You tip them when they bring you the car and when you bring it back, right? How much is that? Maybe I tipped too much. I was giving them $5 each way. If you take your car out much, the tips would add up. Then you also have to tip the bellhop and the guys who take your bags to hold them and then again when you get them out? I try not to 'short' anyone but I'm not too sure on the proper tipping protocol.

LOL on Andree's! That's my kind of run

Self parking is $17 and valet is $25 per night. We only give $2 for tip when we get the car, not when we drop it off. We did, of course, tip the bell guy who took our 15+ bags, blankets, school books (yes my niece brought her huge History book to do homework), etc...

 

[Malcon10t]

I didn't even know there was self-parking for years. Valet is great. You pull up and they unload everything for you onto a bell cart and take it in. If your room is ready they'll just bring the cart up with you. If not, you call down and they'll bring it when you get checked into the room. For us, it's a hassle to self-park so far away. if we stay 5 nights it's only $40 more for the convenience of not dragging a ton of things across to the hotel.

And we don't use the car usually on our trips but I have been known to get the car from valet sneak off to Andree's Patisserie in the morning and it's nice to have the car come quickly

They will do the same thing as far as unloading your car and storing the bags if you self-park. They unload everything, then you move the car to the self park lot.

We don't go out much, but maybe once or twice a trip, and it is nice to call from your room and have the car there when you arrive at the drive.

Did the prices change for valet? I remember that we paid a huge uptick for it when we went with my mom, but that was several years ago. I haven't used valet since then.

But you also have to figure in the tip. Here is where I'm a bit unschooled. You tip them when they bring you the car and when you bring it back, right? How much is that? Maybe I tipped too much. I was giving them $5 each way. If you take your car out much, the tips would add up. Then you also have to tip the bellhop and the guys who take your bags to hold them and then again when you get them out? I try not to 'short' anyone but I'm not too sure on the proper tipping protocol.

LOL on Andree's! That's my kind of run

Valet is generally $5-7 more than self park. I like it because not only do they move the car for you, but it is generally in a more secure area. I generally tip $5 for pick up (not drop off). If I forget something in the car and they run out and get it for me, I tip $5. I tip the guy who brings our bags up $20, and the guy who loads our car $20.

 

[MommyJKM]

Did the prices change for valet? I remember that we paid a huge uptick for it when we went with my mom, but that was several years ago. I haven't used valet since then.

But you also have to figure in the tip. Here is where I'm a bit unschooled. You tip them when they bring you the car and when you bring it back, right? How much is that? Maybe I tipped too much. I was giving them $5 each way. If you take your car out much, the tips would add up. Then you also have to tip the bellhop and the guys who take your bags to hold them and then again when you get them out? I try not to 'short' anyone but I'm not too sure on the proper tipping protocol.

LOL on Andree's! That's my kind of run

I think it's $17 for self parking and $25 for valet.

We only tip when they bring the car. I used to live in Las Vegas and a valet told me it's standard to only tip when your car is BROUGHT to you- they also pool tips.

We tip the bellman when he brings the bags. If we are having them held, we tip $2 for his effort of storing them, and when they bring it to the room $1 each bag/item. If it's the same bellman bringing it straight from the car to the room just $1 per bag but a $5 min if it's just me and DH.

When we have bags held after checking out and putting them in the car we do the same $1 per bag (again $5 min).

BTW: Andree's doesn't open until 7:30 am so if we have EMH at 8am I go to Boulangerie Pierre in Garden Grove. They're both great but Andree's has savory croissants in the morning which I love

 

[Malcon10t]

they also pool tips.

Just a heads up, Disney Valet and Bell do not pool tips. I specifically asked as a valet we liked had gone above and beyond for us, then had darted off. So I asked another if the pooled tips (if they did, was going to just drop off a tip) but they don't, so we waited til we saw him again.

 

[meggles]

Thanks for all the tips! It sounds like valet is the way to go for the convenience factor but if you want to save a little money, self-parking is an option as well. It sounds like bell services is used to dealing with a bunch of items and will take care of us.