| PassPorter.com Feature Article Original article at: http://www.passporter.com/articles/making-the-most-of-bell-services-at-disneys-deluxeresorts.html Disney's Deluxe Resorts: Making The Most of Bell Servicesby Leah Rollins, PassPorter Featured ColumnistLast modified 4/12/2007 Imagine: As you arrive for your long-awaited (and much deserved) Walt Disney World vacation, a uniformed gentleman opens your car door, assists you with your luggage, offers to park your car, and answers your questions in a friendly, courteous manner. He even accompanies you to the resort front desk to help you with your room request. Then another uniformed gentleman takes you and your luggage through the winding corridors of your resort to your room, giving you insider’s tips about the theme parks and interesting facts about your chosen resort. Once inside your room, he stows your luggage away with ease, and even offers to get ice for you from the hallway machine. A fantasy? No. This is Bell Service, Walt Disney World style. I always thought valet parking and bellmen at hotels, referred to in the hospitality industry as Bell Services, were only for the rich and famous. But as I'm about to share with you, these services are available for every guest at a Walt Disney World Deluxe Resort, and they're well worth using. Let's start with arriving for your vacation. Walt Disney World Deluxe Resorts offer valet parking services for overnight guests for a fee of $10, which is charged to your room each night that you leave your vehicle in valet parking. Disney Vacation Club members and handicapped guests enjoy free valet parking. When you arrive at your deluxe resort to check in, a Disney Security host/hostess will direct you to the valet parking area, where you will be greeted by a Disney Bell Services valet host/hostess. He/she will ask for your name and unload your luggage from the vehicle. You will receive a claim ticket for your car and another for your luggage. The valet will give you instructions for retrieving your car during your stay -- present your claim ticket at the valet desk, or call ahead from your room to have it waiting for you -- and will direct you to the Front Desk to check in. He/she will then park your car in the secure valet parking lot. At this time, the valet will note any existing damage to your vehicle, as well as any operating problems (rear bumper dented, automatic locks don't work, etc). The valet records the parking space number and returns your car keys to the valet desk, where they are secured until needed. As you are checking in, the valet transfers your luggage to the Bell Services bellman on duty. After the Front Desk cast member gives you your room number, he/she will ask for your luggage claim ticket and will notify the bellman to accompany you to your room, bringing your luggage with him. He will unload your luggage and make sure that everything is in working order in your room. If there is a problem with your room upon check in, the bellman will call the Front Desk and have the situation rectified immediately. If you arrive before check-in time, Bell Services will store your luggage in a temperature-controlled storage room. They have a refrigerator for medications, and for groceries you picked up on your way. They even have a locked area to store valuables (jewelry boxes, laptop computers, etc.). When you receive your room number, you may call Bell Services from your room phone - there's a button on the phone that dials directly to the Bell Stand - and a bellman will deliver your luggage promptly. Note, however, that the bellman is not allowed to leave luggage in your room unless someone in your party is present to accept it. Check-out works in a similar fashion. When you are ready to depart your room, use the button on your phone to dial the bell stand. A bellman will be dispatched to your room, where he'll load your luggage and bring it down to the luggage storage room. If you're departing later in the day, he will store your bags until it's time to go. If you're ready to leave right away, a valet will retrieve your car from the parking lot and have it waiting for you. The bellman will load your luggage into your car, help you with directions, and you're on your way. That's it! Disney knows it's hard enough to leave, so they made their part as easy as possible. Now let me offer some "tips" on tipping. Walt Disney World valets and bellmen do not receive any part of the valet parking charge collected by the resort. Because of their status as tipped cast members, they receive a reduced hourly wage, the same as servers in restaurants. Therefore they rely heavily on guest tips to pay the bills. I always advise guests to tip according to what the valet or bellman service is worth to them; rule of thumb is $3 for parking a vehicle, and $1 per piece of luggage handled. For example, if I have my car valet parked, and the valet unloads 5 pieces of luggage from my car, I will tip her $8. Then when the bellman delivers the luggage to my room, I will tip him $5-7, depending on the distance from the front desk to my room. Please keep in mind that tipping is never required, but it is greatly appreciated, especially if the Bell Services cast member has gone out of their way to accommodate your needs. Other neat things about Walt Disney World Bell Services:
About the Author: Leah Rollins loves all things Disney, and has worked for the Walt Disney Company in some capacity since 1993. She loves to plan Walt Disney World vacations for guests, and is especially excited about planning her next family vacation to Walt Disney World in September. Leah currently lives near Savannah, Georgia, is married and has a two-year-old son who can sing "It's A Small World" in its entirety. This article originally appeared in the PassPorter newsletter -- subscribe to our popular newsletter today for free at http://www.passporter.com/news.htm Updated 4/12/2007 Check for a more updated version at http://www.passporter.com/articles/making-the-most-of-bell-services-at-disneys-deluxeresorts.html |