WDW to Charge Delivery Fee

[Timon]

I read on DVCNews.com that WDW is contemplating charging a delivery fee based on the size of the package ranging from $3.00 to $10.00. If the airlines are going to charge for additional luggage it only makes sense for Disney (a profit making enterprise) to charge for delivering packages that people send in advance of their arrival. Follow this link for the dvcnews.com story.
http://dvcnews.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=767&Itemid=90

[Tagrel]

So, they will pick people up at the airport, transport them and ALL their luggage for free to the resorts, but something delivered TO the resorts will cost extra to be delivered to the guest? :roll:

Can't pretend to understand that one... but I never doubt that the bean counters will keep trying to extract every cent they can... And I of course have to wonder if this will include our Purple Lockers as well. And you just know that many people will reduce the tip to the bellman to help bring down this added cost... :(

[Belle]

When it was just a small number of us "in the know" shipping things down, it probably wasn't a big deal for Disney to handle it, but I hadn't thought about all the people shipping ahead to avoid the airline bag fees now :blink: I'll bet they spend a few man hours a day sorting packages for guests now because of this. If that truely be the case, I suppose I shouldn't gripe about the $3-5 charge (my packages are typically small)... yes, they will still make seriously $$ in the end, but the cost is worth avoiding the hassle at the airport.

[EpcotBill]

Now that it's spread all over a certain gigantic fan message board Disney is being bombarded with people shipping cases of water, soda, and a weeks worth of groceries a few days before their arrival. I'm sure it's just become too much for them to store and deliver all this stuff.

I don't think it's about the money as much as they'd like to discourage some people from doing it. Especially the ones who go nuts and ship 200 lbs of stuff.

[Lou-Ann]

200 lbs of stuff is cetainliy excessive. ;)

I can see both sides. Storage could get to be a problem.

I can also see, however, that some families will cut back on their tips to offset this fee. I do not know if there is a correct answer to this one. :confused:

[Tagrel]

Yes, I hadn't really thought about those that abuse the service. It would be nice if they only did this for those that go crazy. But if many, many people are now doing this I guess it was inevitable.

[Robin]

I wonder where packages are delivered. I always presumed it was the front desk or the resort's office. If they are getting a lot of bulky packages each day, someone needs to keep bringing them over to bell services.

Aren't the Purple Lockers delivered to bell services? And only a day prior to the expected arrival?

I can imagine Disney being annoyed if people are shipping cases of water down, to avoid buying them from Disney.

[Robin]

I noticed this article in a link on the same page as the 'handling' fee.

I wonder if this means all package shipped to convention hotels will need to go through the business center?

http://wdwnewsletter.com/2009/01/20/ikon-to-handle-some-disney-services-for-disney-resorts/

[tdelaney]

Well, I don't know if I abuse the system, but I certainly use the system. I had 2 pkgs sent down this time. One was all the stuff that was going to go in the Owner's Locker (meaning a one time thing) and one was all of my Christmas presents. I also had Garden Grocer delivered, so that must certainly impact their deliveries/storage. Then the OL (empty) was there. So yes, I guess I really impacted them.

The boxes were brought to me at the front desk (one of the boxes was TOTALLY smashed, but there's no way to know if it arrived that way or it happened there). I had bell services bring up the boxes as well as my luggage and the groceries (and the OL) to the room. I tipped well.

So, if they charge me will I continue to do it? Probably, but I will certainly think twice if I really need it.....

[Timon]

I wonder where packages are delivered. I always presumed it was the front desk or the resort's office. If they are getting a lot of bulky packages each day, someone needs to keep bringing them over to bell services.
Robin,

I see where you've kinda answered you're own question in your next post. Packages are delivered to Delivery Services and from there go to the resorts. I know this because Delivery Services lost a package (an overnight envelope) that was sent to me while staying at BCV. It was finally found and sent to my house 7 months later. That's why I've always been hesitant to send anything in advance. I hope Ikon can do a better job. Fool me once...

[Robin]

I wasn't sure how non-convention resorts handled it.

In the past, if I handed a pre-paid Fed Ex package to the front desk, they mailed it for me for gratis. But if I sended that same package at a convention hotel, I was suppose to get hit will a handling fee. (If the Fed Ex guys were there processing packages, they usually just let me give it to them.)