Disney World eliminates outside vendor drop off services

[TheMaxRebo]

My main concern is mobility devices like wheelchairs. For guest like my fiance, he can't get around the resort without it. If its not already at the resort when we arrive, its going to be a huge issue for us.

I think that is a big concern area.

Well, not to cross promote too much, but the Dreams Unlimited Podcast just posted an episode about mobility device and about buying your own and how to travel with it and how going through the airports and stuff is

Spoiler: it is apparently very easy and a good solid scoter seemed like a reasonable price (would pay for itself in like 4-5 rentals) ... might be an option

 

[Brianstl]

That is certainly going to add a layer of complexity for those who rent ECVs.

We have always brought our own strollers because we use them in the airport.

Why are there so many stroller rentals at WDW?

My guess is because so many people use them for when their older kids get tired. It was crazy the number of healthy 6 to some that looked over 10 year olds that I saw climb in strollers after a ride because they were too tired to walk. When your kid is too tired to walk, it is time to leave the park. You shouldn't be bringing a stroller along so you can jam a few more rides into the day. 9 year olds sitting in strollers that are built for toddlers with legs dragging on the ground. It was nuts.

 

[Anchored]

My guess is because so many people use them for when their older kids get tired. It was crazy the number of healthy 6 to some that looked over 10 year olds that I saw climb in strollers after a ride because they were too tired to walk. When your kid is too tired to walk, it is time to leave the park. You shouldn't be bringing a stroller along so you can jam a few more rides into the day. 9 year olds sitting in strollers that are built for toddlers with legs dragging on the ground. It was nuts.

Don't underestimate the number of special needs children, who just need a space to sit and separate from the crowds. I used a stroller as a wheelchair with my daughter until almost 9. Otherwise she'd meltdown in an hour.

 

[Brianstl]

Don't underestimate the number of special needs children, who just need a space to sit and separate from the crowds. I used a stroller as a wheelchair with my daughter until almost 9. Otherwise she'd meltdown in an hour.

Good point.

 

[MDIME]

I’ve never needed a mobility device (knock on wood) — can people who require wheelchairs bring them on their flight? Just wondering bc I think that is what I would do if I couldn’t enjoy my vacation without it. When we used a stroller for our daughter, we always brought our own and checked it gate-side with the flight attendants.

 

[TheMick424]

Maybe is Disney looking at new add-on to provide their own Stroller or Scooter services.

I mean .. I felt it was always really "nice" for Disney to allow off-site vendors to come onto their properties, (clogging their roads and parking lots) and fill up their lobby/entrance with all these things for their guests.

"Nice" doesn't make money and the accountants running the business have that philosophy.

Another guess is that this is maybe:
1) Security issue - hoping to lock down their resorts to ONLY resort guests (via magic bands)? But then that would mean they would block Ubers and grocery store dropoffs too.

2) Maybe this is their way to discourage ECV and Stroller use? If it is harder to get them, maybe some people will think twice before renting one and clogging up the park pathways. I mean .. if I had a kid on the "cusp" of needing a stroller and I couldn't get it easily dropped off at my hotel -- I may just NOT get one .. or rent one of Disney's out of sheer convenience.

3) Cost savings? (less bell services/front desk people needed to manage this)

4) Space? It seems at the Values they just sit these outside (near the Magic Express dropoff). It does look kind of junky.

5) Liability?

I think 2 through 5 are all relevant

 

[DGsAtBLT]

That is certainly going to add a layer of complexity for those who rent ECVs.

We have always brought our own strollers because we use them in the airport.

Why are there so many stroller rentals at WDW?

We don’t bring ours from home. We bring a car seat attached to a folding cart for pulling kids through the airport and sitting in it on the plane.

I’d rather the peace of mind of a rentals the parks not our own, and it’s just one more thing to transport in the airport.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

Why not just add a charge to guests who do this? Yes that’s an inconvenience but that’s better in my opinion than not allowing it at all.

I wish they would instead. I would gladly pay a fee instead of trying to coordinate a delivery.

I called Kingdom to confirm, and reserving our stroller before October 1 will (for now at least) allow us to use Bell Services in the spring.

 

[DirectGirl]

On FB, Orlando Strollers now says Nov 2nd?

 

[TheMaxRebo]

On FB, Orlando Strollers now says Nov 2nd? View attachment 439421

my guess is that is incorrect or before the confirmed things as the release from Orlando Stroller said Oct 1st:

 

[Rschall]

My guess is because so many people use them for when their older kids get tired. It was crazy the number of healthy 6 to some that looked over 10 year olds that I saw climb in strollers after a ride because they were too tired to walk. When your kid is too tired to walk, it is time to leave the park. You shouldn't be bringing a stroller along so you can jam a few more rides into the day. 9 year olds sitting in strollers that are built for toddlers with legs dragging on the ground. It was nuts.

Ah ok. We bring them because we need them to navigate the airport. Oh so people are renting them for older children perhaps.

Don't underestimate the number of special needs children, who just need a space to sit and separate from the crowds. I used a stroller as a wheelchair with my daughter until almost 9. Otherwise she'd meltdown in an hour.

Oh good point. But she is ok in the airport that’s good.

 

[mshanson3121]

And they just lost any chance of us ever staying on site again. It was incredibly convenient to have everything there when I arrived. I was more than willing to pay my fee to have them deliver the groceries to my room. I have 0 interest in trying to lug bags of groceries through their large properties and up to my room. So, that's fine, off site it is. Groceries delivered to my door. Done.

 

[DirectGirl]

And they just lost any chance of us ever staying on site again. It was incredibly convenient to have everything there when I arrived. I was more than willing to pay my fee to have them deliver the groceries to my room. I have 0 interest in trying to lug bags of groceries through their large properties and up to my room. So, that's fine, off site it is. Groceries delivered to my door. Done.

I don't think groceries are affected.

 

[toocherie]

I'm upset about this... I get it and I could totally see no longer allowing strollers or groceries. I feel like mobility devices or strollers needed for medical reasons should be an exception.

For example, we were originally scheduled to arrive at 4pm but due to a flight delay, we didn't arrive until 12:30am the next day. My fiance was recovering from foot surgery and unable to walk or stand. If his wheelchair was not available when we arrived, it would have been a major problem for us. He would not have been able to get to our room at all with out it.

Yes this is my concern. Especially if staying at Kidani or YC---where the walk to a room can be very far--this is going to be an issue for me as I'm coming from the West Coast and usually arrive really late or super early (after a redeye).

 

[Summer2018]

The problem is, guest arrive all day and night. This could make it difficult for the vendors and the guest to coordinate a scheduled time.

Exactly. I rented a wheelchair from Cloud of Goods July 2018 following a knee injury. They met up with me minutes after we arrived at the Polynesian. However, pick-up didn’t go as smoothly. We left early afternoon and they didn’t pick up the wheelchair for another six hours. The Polynesian held it for them until they got there.

If they don’t pick up before I need to get to the airport, am I supposed to miss my flight home because the Polynesian refuses to store it for me?

 

[toocherie]

We have no need for strollers at this point in our lives, but we did rent an ECV from Gold during this last trip. It was just a matter of coordinating with their driver on the day of arrival. They were very good at keeping in contact so that the exchanges could be made with a minimal wait time.

I looked into Gold a few weeks ago for my trip--at the time my flight in was not arriving until after 10 p.m. and my departure was at 7 a.m. Gold doesn't deliver at those hours--I don't know if any vendor does. If I'm staying somewhere and there is a very far walk to my room it is going to really suck to get over there with a cane. (Although I know at SSR bell services can transport you to your building in an electric golf cart--don't know if there is that option at the two resorts that I am staying at on upcoming trips (POFQ and Beach Club)--I think POFQ would be more likely than BC). It really puts a crimp in the ability to be independent while disabled and escalates the amount of planning that must be done.

 

[toocherie]

Exactly. I rented a wheelchair from Cloud of Goods July 2018 following a knee injury. They met up with me minutes after we arrived at the Polynesian. However, pick-up didn’t go as smoothly. We left early afternoon and they didn’t pick up the wheelchair for another six hours. The Polynesian held it for them until they got there.

If they don’t pick up before I need to get to the airport, am I supposed to miss my flight home because the Polynesian refuses to store it for me?

Good question! Once disability services responds to me I'll try to remember to ask--given past experiences they will call instead of email.

 

[toocherie]

While I understand there are a lot of scooter rentals--I have to think that grocery deliveries are more time and space consuming. Bell services has to accept the groceries--store them in two different areas (refrigerated and non-refrigerated) and I suspect that there are many more rooms/villas with grocery deliveries than scooter deliveries (or medical strollers). Then they have to retrieve them from two different areas and deliver either to the guest or to the guest's room. I also suspect that the preferred vendors drop their scooters/strollers all at one time--like Buena Vista may make a delivery of 10 scooters to a particular resort at 7 a.m. --instead of having vendors coming and going from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. to meet guests--which means a lot more comings and goings on the roads around the resort. Grocery deliveries will be coming continuously throughout the day. The "logic" of saying its a time and space issue doesn't hold water with me if they are still accepting grocery deliveries.

 

[Rschall]

And they just lost any chance of us ever staying on site again. It was incredibly convenient to have everything there when I arrived. I was more than willing to pay my fee to have them deliver the groceries to my room. I have 0 interest in trying to lug bags of groceries through their large properties and up to my room. So, that's fine, off site it is. Groceries delivered to my door. Done.

That is hard to bring the groceries to your unit. Do you cook a lot? I found the cooking to be more of a pain when we rented a DVC unit!

 

[MouseOfCards]

Yes this is my concern. Especially if staying at Kidani or YC---where the walk to a room can be very far--this is going to be an issue for me as I'm coming from the West Coast and usually arrive really late or super early (after a redeye).

Such disappointing news. We've rented ECV's and strollers many times. It was so convenient having them waiting for us in the hotel lobby upon arrival or in the morning after arrival. And granny would never have survived those endless hallways at AKL without the ECV. Just so sad.