no more Bell Service for stroller rental?

[Figaro928]

I was going to make our reservation for our stroller rental with Baby Wheels and saw this:

**New Policy For Disney Resort Guests** - **Starting September 1st, Disney is no longer allowing us to utilize their bell desk/luggage rooms. We must meet the guests directly for delivery and pickup. Please enter your estimated time of arrival and departure. A Baby Wheels Orlando representative will contact you to confirm your scheduled times**
**$75.00 charge will incur if left with the resorts bell desk/luggage room**.

This new policy sure does stink! I don't know if this was posted already, but does anyone have any idea as to why Disney had a policy change? Seems to be a minor inconvenience put on new families, but what choice do I have but to wait for my stroller to be dropped off and picked up now? Thoughts?

 

[DznyGrlSD]

Probably because Disney wants you to use THEIR strollers? *shrugs*

Reason #32168789453 why I don't recommend taking kids to Disney 'til they're old enough to walk, pee & poop on their own.

 

[wdwmagic]

I am actually surprised they ever let this go on. You have non-Disney employees in potentially sensitive areas.

I also wonder how many times Disney CMs get to deal with guest issues with those rentals when they really don't have anything to do with it.

 

[DisneyJoe]

Just like the ECV's, there will be Preferred company list that will be allowed to use Bell Services. The others will need to have meet and greet times.

 

[DisneyJoe]

I am actually surprised they ever let this go on. You have non-Disney employees in potentially sensitive areas.

It's my understanding that Non-Disney employees never entered those areas - they would drop off the ECV's and strollers to Bell services for storage and then retrieve them later.

 

[Master Yoda]

While I am sure that Disney wanting you to rent their stuff has something to do with it, space is probably another factor as well. The bell service storage rooms are not that big. When you have a good number of guests checking in early and storing their luggage there, they run out of room very quickly.

 

[DisneyJoe]

Here is the info from All Ears regarding the ECV Preferred Vendor list. Now Disney is doing the same for strollers.

From http://allears.net/pl/ecv_faq.htm

"Effective November 1, 2012, Walt Disney World will implement a new ECV rental policy. Disney has selected five scooter/wheelchair/ECV rental companies as approved vendors. This means these companies are the ONLY companies allowed to drop off rentals at the front desk/bell stand of a Disney resort for them to be held for guests. Guests using these approved companies will also be allowed to return their rentals to their resort's front desk when they check out. Vendors that are not on the approved list will now have to arrange specific meeting times with their customers and deliver the rental in person. Likewise, when the rental is completed, the guest must make arrangements to deliver the scooter to the company. Disney will no longer provide a courtesy hold/storage for vendors not on the approved list."

 

[Figaro928]

I understand the policy. I guess I just wish my trip would have made the cut off!! Hopefully the stroller companies will be organized and on time so that it will take minimal time and frustration

 

[DisneyJoe]

I haven't been able to actually find a confirmed Preferred Stroller vendor list yet, I would ask when you email or talk to them.

If me or one of my team find a list, I will share it.

 

[WDWFan_Boston]

Probably because Disney wants you to use THEIR strollers? *shrugs*

Reason #32168789453 why I don't recommend taking kids to Disney 'til they're old enough to walk, pee & poop on their own.

For the most part, Disney makes it pretty easy to bring young ones. My wife and I have brought three of our babies over the years and found it to be a good experience.

For the record, why does Disney owe preferential treatment to these companies who are providing the same services they do? I know Disney can act like an evil empire sometimes, but I think they are totally within their rights here.

 

[Figaro928]

Does anyone know if this will be the same policy with grocery delivery companies? If so, I'm going to have to rethink my gallon of milk!!

 

[DisneyJoe]

For the record, why does Disney owe preferential treatment to these companies who are providing the same services they do? I know Disney can act like an evil empire sometimes, but I think they are totally within their rights here.

First of all, Disney doesn't provide ECV rentals (or stroller rentals) at the resorts - only at the theme parks. Outside companies have filled this gap. This allows a guest to have the equipment from resort arrival to resort departure.

Disney doesn't owe these companies preferential treatment. Bear with me. I believe there were 2 factors involved:

- Disney wanted to limit those who took up their space within the Bell Services storage area as well as their liability for 3rd party equipment

- Disney created a bidding process so that all could be considered for 5 spots, they had to meet standards etc - and possibly pay a fee to Disney for this preference. I heard of at least one that didn't want to modify it's current ECV equipment to meet Disney's standards so they didn't enter the bidding process. I've also heard rumor that some of the newly preferred stroller companies may need to raise their fees slightly...my assumption is so they can pass on some of this to Disney, but I do not know that to be fact.

 

[Figaro928]

FYI - doing a little more research, both kingdom strollers and magic strollers still do a drop off at bell service. I'm guessing it was just that one company...

 

[tare]

I don't know why disney ever did thus anyway. Very nice but they don't employ workers to take care of other companies money making. They already rent strollers to begin with.

 

[Figaro928]

. They already rent strollers to begin with.

I'm actually surprised that Disney doesn't rent quality strollers to resort guests for the duration of their stay. I would think they would make a killing. And it would be a nice on-site perk. Keep the hard plastic ones in the parks for the one-day'ers and offer something more family friendly within the resorts.

In the meantime - I just forked over $90 to magic strollers.....

 

[lazyboy97o]

I'm actually surprised that Disney doesn't rent quality strollers to resort guests for the duration of their stay. I would think they would make a killing. And it would be a nice on-site perk. Keep the hard plastic ones in the parks for the one-day'ers and offer something more family friendly within the resorts.

In the meantime - I just forked over $90 to magic strollers.....

I cannot imagine the nightmare this would cause on the buses.

 

[Figaro928]

I cannot imagine the nightmare this would cause on the buses.

I would assume the same nightmare it is already? is it safe to assume young families are going to need to utilize strollers regardless of who provides them? My family needs a stroller for our vacation, and if Disney would have provided one that was comfortable and we were able to take it out of the parks, I would have gladly paid Disney for that service rather than finding an outside business.

 

[IWantMyMagicBand]

We used a stroller company when we stayed at OKW last year. I think it was Orlando Strollers. It was a godsend, exactly what we had at home but without the need to lug yet another piece of luggage overseas, as we already had 2 suitcases and our quinny zapp in tow. And the fact that we arrived and then the stroller was waiting was even better. For those that talk about renting strollers in park from WDW, kids can't nap in those. It would be like trying to take a nap on a Doom Buggy..... We're coming back Oct '14. It will be interesting to see how this policy evolves as although my two youngest will be 4 and 5, we will still need to hire one for onsite. Even though we do a downtime break during the day, the kids still like to watch fireworks etc from the comfort of a stroller rather than a kerb, and if they fall asleep we get to do single rider grown up stuff

 

[HouCuseChickie]

I'm actually surprised that Disney doesn't rent quality strollers to resort guests for the duration of their stay. I would think they would make a killing. And it would be a nice on-site perk. Keep the hard plastic ones in the parks for the one-day'ers and offer something more family friendly within the resorts.

In the meantime - I just forked over $90 to magic strollers.....

Agreed. We've used Magic Strollers a couple of times and been very happy...but a big part of that happy is having a quality stroller that I can also bring back to my resort.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I would assume the same nightmare it is already? is it safe to assume young families are going to need to utilize strollers regardless of who provides them? My family needs a stroller for our vacation, and if Disney would have provided one that was comfortable and we were able to take it out of the parks, I would have gladly paid Disney for that service rather than finding an outside business.

I think a good number of people are unaware that they can hire these types of services.