Valet/Bell Services at BWV

[TampaDisneyFreaks]

Last year we went "home" to BWV this time last year for or annual anniversary trip and we self parked and lugged all of our luggage/groceries/etc. ourselves to our room. However, within a few hours after we checked in, someone who needs to get a life stole the Mickey head off of our car antenna. This was not a very good start to an otherwise very wonderful first trip "home". We valet parked the car the rest of the trip. We have not had any other problems like that since then on any of our subsequent Disney trips. Now to get to my point after rambling on. We are leaving in a few days for a 10 day stay at BWV to celebrate our 5th anniversary. We decided that this year we will valet park at BWV from the get go and use the Bell Services as well. Here is the problem, I have never ever used bell services before and rarely use valet (and never at check-in). Therefore I am not sure how this works. When we pull up to check-in, do we need to get a valet and bellman right away to handle the car and luggage and then check-in, or do we need to go check-in and get our parking pass (we plan on possibly using the car once or twice during our stay) and then go get a valet and bellman? I have no clue how this works and am also concerned because we will probably be arriving on Thursday around 2, which is before check-in is supposed to start. I have read a few horror stories here on the DIS where DVC members had terrible problems getting their room at BWV (even once check-in has started) and I worried what happens with our luggage and car if we go to Bell and Valet first and then our room isn't ready. We have stayed at Disney many times and at DVC resorts many times, but as I said before, we have never used bell services or valet parked at check-in, so I don't know how the process is supposed to work. ANy help/advice would be greatly appreciated. Also, I usually tip the valet around $2 (even after the recent change to valet charges), but how much is appropriate for the bellman?
Thanks!!

 

[Cap]

You shouldn't have any problem. Pull up and tell them you are checking in and are a DVC member. They will unload the luggage and give you a luggage check. They will also give you a car check. I suggest you tip both bellman and valet appropriately. When you go to the desk, if your room is ready they will send the bellman up with your luggage. If it's not ready, they'll store your luggage for later delivery.

I would hang on to anything valuable (e.g. a laptop computer), anything you might want to use while waiting for you room to become available (e.g. swimsuits, hats if you want to go change and use the pool), and anything you couldn't do without (e.g. daily medicines, diapers, etc.).

If you plan to go back out in your car quickly if your room is not immediately available, tell the valet so they won't bury it. They may just leave it at the checkin circle if you may be back to use it in 10 - 15 minutes.

Have a great time at home.

 

[Ralph&Pam]

In addition to Cap's comments, you can also keep in mind that you could take valuables like a laptop directly to the bell station after you check in and have them store it in the secure area. You will have to pick it up there (and there goes another tip).

In my experience, the valet parker has removed the luggage and placed it on a luggage cart which is then delivered to bell services, so I don't think you actually have contact with both a valet and a bellperson at arrival. I tip the valet for parking (this is usually $2 for me (and $2 again at both drop off and pick up of the car during our stay) unless there has been a lot of luggage and/or groceries to unload). I then tip the bellperson who delivers the luggage to our room at time of delivery (usually $1 per suitcase plus a few extra $ for the groceries, since we usually have a 12-pack of water, 12-pack of cola, and 6-pack of beer plus a couple of bags of foodstuffs; this might be $6 total if we have our usual one suitcase each).

On departure, I tip the bellperson who brings our luggage to the car (again at least $1 per bag which now includes my DW's fold-up suitcase containing her purchases along with the one suitcase each we arrived with) and tip the valet who delivers the car from the parking lot the usual $2. I'm usually scrambling on the morning of departure to get extra dollar bills in anticipation of these tips.

Cash management for tips needs to be attended to as well. I make sure I have an appropriate number of small bills on arrival so I can tip the valet parking attendant who takes the car; nothing worse than stiffing a service person who provides a valued service. Any other time, you can always stop at Guest Services to change a $20 or whatever so you have tip money; that's after the stop at the ATM of get some more of those . With the ready availability of ATMs, I don't carry excessive amounts of cash, although I like to get enough money at a time so that the ATM fees don't seem so outrageous. I figure the fee is the price of convenience and no worse than the fees associated with traveler's checks (although these are sometimes free at your credit union and such). I remember spending about 15 minutes waiting in line to use an ATM to get British Pounds at Heathrow when we were in London last March, so I'd have appropriate cash to tip the shuttle driver. I then had to purchase an overpriced bottle of water at a concession stand to get smaller change.

Ralph

 

[prplcrzy]

TampaDisneyFreaks,

I am glad that you discovered the wonderful world of valet. The Boardwalk Staff, Bell Services, Valet et al, are wonderful. They will take care of you and your belongings.

Just pull right up, tell them what the deal is, and they will take care of the rest. Make sure you take care of them and they will make your experience great. Valet services at the Boardwalk has been so great that I tip them every time they touch my car, and the really good valets get a little extra towards the end of my week. They really know what to do and you should feel at home knowing that they will take care of you. They are what service is all about, and you should enjoy the simplification of your vacation that valet provides.

We go shopping after we get our room so that if there are delays
it doesn't affect any perishables we might buy.

We usually pull up, tell them we are checking in and they get bell services and help us unload the car. They give us a check ticket for the luggage and another for the car and then go in to check in at the desk. If our room is not ready, we either go to the parks or the pool and wait. When the room is ready, we go upstairs to our room, check it out and then call bell services and they will bring up our luggage in short order. They really make it simple for you, tip them well.

The other posters are right, keep valuables and things that you may need with you like bathing suits etc, and wait and enjoy yourself while doing so.

Hope this helps.

 

[TampaDisneyFreaks]

Thank you for all of your great advice. This certainly puts my mind at ease. We have been frazzled lately and are SOOOOOO ready for this trip. Less than 20 hours to go until we make that short drive from Tampa to our "home" at WDW. Yea!!!!!!!!!!!