Valet Parking

[JohnnySharp2]

Hi all,

Our next Florida holiday is August 2006, part of it we are staying in Fort Lauderdale at a brilliant hotel right on the beach but the only car parking is 'valet parking'.

Are there any risks associated with our rental car being driven by someone other than myself? (Cue puns about the car being crashed etc )

Must admit it is something I have never thought about before.

Anyone had any similar experiences , good or bad?

 

[Frances999]

I've never considered the "risks" involved with valet parking, but we always use it when on holiday and have never had any problems. It's so nice to be able to drop the car off right at the entrance instead of searching for a car parking place (which is a particular problem at WDW resorts).

 

[JohnnySharp2]

I've never considered the "risks" involved with valet parking, but we always use it when on holiday and have never had any problems. It's so nice to be able to drop the car off right at the entrance instead of searching for a car parking place (which is a particular problem at WDW resorts).

Thanks Frances, we actually have a disabled badge so have never used valet parking before and always stay off-site , usually in a villa anyway - I am sure we will be fine.

 

[Miffy2003]

We have used it too Johnny and been fine

I must admit though I never would have thought about the risks, possibly because it is not my own car

 

[JohnnySharp2]

We have used it too Johnny and been fine

I must admit though I never would have thought about the risks, possibly because it is not my own car

Probably just me trying as usual to cover every possible problem, have this vision of it appearing with a dinted bumper and smashed headlights

 

[SammieG]

I suspect they have their own insurance dont they? I have always assumed that.

We use Valet parking all the time at Disney.. Anywhere they have it! And as DD Club members you dont pay for it! (just the tip!)

 

[gilld]

We use it most of the time and have never had a problem. It's really nice to get into a cool car instead of one that is boiling hot.

 

[dean colly]

I would think (hope) that Valet parkers would be covered by their own insurance.

 

[disneyholic family]

Probably just me trying as usual to cover every possible problem, have this vision of it appearing with a dinted bumper and smashed headlights

i always get full coverage on our rental so it doesn't matter if i bring it back with a dented bumper and smashed headlights (though we never have)...

and yes, of course the hotel has insurance for this sort of thing..

we often use valet at WDW (especially during those torrential downpours)...we've never had any problems....

 

[JohnnySharp2]

We always get full cover too , LDW/SLI etc

Like a lot of the hotels on Fort Lauderdale beach the car park is underground.

I have checked out a few in the area and Miami too and nearly all charge between $8 and $20 a day for parking.

Not sure if I really fancy tipping the driver every time I need the car though, it could end up costing me a fortune in $.

We haven't actually booked it yet though and are still considering our options.
It is having to pay for parking that is putting me off , I know it's only a few $ but with tip's etc also...I am awaiting a response from another query where parking is free so hopefully they will respond.

 

[bicker]

The biggest concern would be with regard to the "limitation of liability language" that is on the valet parking slip. In the United States, companies are allowed to explicitly state the limit of their liability in case of an accident. As long as the valet parking service exercises reasonable care when taking custody of the car (locked the car, parked it in a well-lit area, secured the keys properly), that is often sufficient to justify the limit on the liability.

 

[alisonbestford]

We used valet parking, last year, when we were staying at the Rosen Plaza (delayed flights, long story )
There was a charge for the service unless you had a disabled badge (which I know you do)
We have a badge too but I did have to remind the reception staff on our checkout as they wanted to charge us around $8 a day so be careful.
In a way I felt mean saying that we didn't have to pay but stood my ground as we didn't have any cash on us anyway as we were due to travel home two days previous.......

 

[disneyholic family]

I have checked out a few in the area and Miami too and nearly all charge between $8 and $20 a day for parking.

Not sure if I really fancy tipping the driver every time I need the car though, it could end up costing me a fortune in $.

We haven't actually booked it yet though and are still considering our options.
It is having to pay for parking that is putting me off , I know it's only a few $ but with tip's etc also...I am awaiting a response from another query where parking is free so hopefully they will respond.

I find the tipping part of it annoying as well, especially on days when we pop in and out of the hotel. And I always tip both directions (when i drop off and when i pick up). So that really starts to add up.

 

[JohnnySharp2]

I find the tipping part of it annoying as well, especially on days when we pop in and out of the hotel. And I always tip both directions (when i drop off and when i pick up). So that really starts to add up.

Yes Beth, it was what I was thinking of too, we are planning on touring Miami/Palm Beach etc and do feel we will be popping in and out of the hotel quite a bit - especially as Joshua is a fussy eater (cooking facilities was one of the reasons we liked the hotel)...hopefully I will get a positive response back from my other on-going query.

As I said a lot of the hotels we looked at have underground car parks.

Blimey, I don't half sometimes make hard work of things, we are only staying there 4 nights before our villa stay in Kissimmee.

 

[Pootle]

... We use Valet parking all the time at Disney.. Anywhere they have it! And as DD Club members you dont pay for it! (just the tip!)

Do you mean DVC or is there something else? If it's DVC then the free valet parking is limited to DVC resorts only I believe. Plus the tip as you say

Edited to add: Ah, the Disney Dining Experience maybe? Sorry, have only just thought of that .

 

[disneyholic family]

Do you mean DVC or is there something else? If it's DVC then the free valet parking is limited to DVC resorts only I believe. Plus the tip as you say

Edited to add: Ah, the Disney Dining Experience maybe? Sorry, have only just thought of that .

you also get free valet parking at the Disney resorts (those that have valet parking) if you are entitled to handicapped parking (if you have that little sign thingie)...
when my mom flew down to be with us for a few days during her birthday, she brought her little handicapped sign with her....when we parked in valet (as we would have anyway with my mom with us) they told us it was free with the little sign (we just had to tip)....that was a nice surprise..

 

[JohnnySharp2]

We used valet parking, last year, when we were staying at the Rosen Plaza (delayed flights, long story )
There was a charge for the service unless you had a disabled badge (which I know you do)
We have a badge too but I did have to remind the reception staff on our checkout as they wanted to charge us around $8 a day so be careful.
In a way I felt mean saying that we didn't have to pay but stood my ground as we didn't have any cash on us anyway as we were due to travel home two days previous.......

Thanks Alison - glad you 'stood your ground'.

 

[KayleeUK]

We have used it at WDW before Johnny with no problems

 

[alisonbestford]

Thanks Alison - glad you 'stood your ground'.

Did make me feel a big 'meanie' though

 

[JohnnySharp2]

Thanks for the replies everyone