Storage Alternatives?

[who's ur daddy?]

I think Ownerslocker.com is a great service. Except for the price point. If it were something like $80, I'd be all over it. But at $180/yr plus the initial $75 set up fee, it's kinda on the expensive side on my mind.

Are there any other reasonably priced options for storage?

 

[mikesmom]

Where did you get the $180 price? Last I checked, it's $99.

 

[bavaria]

Think about it this way - if you store your items offsite, you will need to retrieve them and drop them off again before your flight. Owner's Locker takes care of all of that for you.

Well worth the cost to me - sometimes saving a few pennies isn't worth the additional hassle.

 

[who's ur daddy?]

Where did you get the $180 price? Last I checked, it's $99.

Sorry, my bad. I guess it's not fair to state the $180 price, which is for the Premium Plan with unlimited access.

We are going at least two more times in the next year, so it'd be $99 base price plus $25 for the additional visit, so $125.

I love the concept, but I could rebuy each year a lot of the junk I wanna store for $125.

 

[mikesmom]

Ya think? That was my problem. I HATE buying the same thing over and over. It's not just the cost, it's the waste of throwing away what we don't use and don't want to lug back and forth. That list included: coffee filters, tea bags, salt & pepper, throat lozenges, bandaids, cooking spray, moleskin, plastic wrap or baggies, Excedrin, antibiotic ointment, hydrocortisone cream, etc.

We also put a phone charger in the locker - according to the travel industry, THE most often forgotten item in a hotel room.

Also, the message from DH is: the first time you DON'T have to march down to the Gift shop at midnight (or go find a Walgreens) and get overcharged for "feminine hygiene products" because one of the girls got surprised and forgot to bring emergency supplies, you will be grateful for Owners Locker.

 

[jekjones1558]

I am the coupon, cheapskate queen and originally balked somewhat at the thought of paying for storage. Having now used this service, I am 100% sold on it. The convenience has so simplified and enhanced my vacation that I find it a great value. I feel as though the cost of DVC and the cost of Owner's Locker are both about changing from a vacation-in-a-hotel mentality to a vacation home mentality.

 

[LIFERBABE]

I could and have spent over $100 at the Dollar store for those little items that I packed in our Owners Locker. It normally takes going up and down every aisle to acquire those items and I was alway buying them to have them handy for the 2-3 trips we take each year.

Now my mind is free of what I need to pack or buy for our next trip. It is already there waiting for me.

My boys tease me because whenever we go out for a treat or putt putt, I use a coupon. I tell them if it were not for the coupon, we would have 1/2 the fun, so I do watch my pennies, but I know I easily save the cost of the OL by not impulse shopping at the stores or worse, having to go to any Wal-Mart within 20 miles of WDW

 

[MinnieGirl33]

I originally was of the same mindset as the OP.

Not anymore.

One visit is included with the cost of your locker (one time fee for locker).

One visit is included with the $99 annual fee (every year).

You wouldn't pay the $25 fee until visit #3.

We are saving money by not buying new products every time we head down, all I have to pack now is clothes & the service is wonderful!

Don't forget they are now offering a risk free trial.

 

[LIFERBABE]

Storage Alternatives............

And sorry not to have answered your original question, but the alternatives are there are some storage places located outside of WDW. The cheapest I found was $30 a month for the smallest unit before OL.

We have a friend that allowed us to leave some things at their home in Orlando because we couldnt fly with them and we picked up 5 months later when we drove. It was really nice, but I did feel like I was imposing.

You can ship boxes, which I had to do for our Family reunion stuff this year, and I can tell you, if we were flying instead of driving, would have left most of what we returned with in the trash because I would not have had time to get to Fedex and make a flight. We ended up staying another night because I was tired from the last day running around I had to do and didnt feel like getting on the road after that.

The OL was back in storage, by time we left BCV the next morning.

Their service is excellent and It takes me out of the equation which is really nice when Me=work

 

[who's ur daddy?]

Sigh, you all make perfect sense.

I'm just a penny-wise, pound foolish kinda guy. I know I will love the service and maybe should just bite the bullet for our Nov. trip.

Thanks all.

 

[3DisneyKids]

I have been using the same arguments as the OP. Great idea, but seems fairly pricey, etc.

Well, we took a trip in May...and when we got back I unpacked and put all the clothes away right away (did laundry before leaving, so everything was clean and easy to unpack). Then I had that "other bag" -- the one with all of the random "stuff" in it. This is a lot of the stuff that I would have put in OL. Well, that darn bag sat here for three weeks before I got all of those little items put away.

So that made me think...hmmmm....maybe OL IS worth it. I then talked about it to DH and he said..."you must just have an extra $100 burning a hole in your pocket. That extra bag is not the big of a deal...save the money."

Well, we just got back from our August trip. We returned one week ago. And as I am typing this, I am staring at....yup, the "stuff bag" which is still sitting here. Haven't even attempted to unpack it yet.

So when I finally get around to unpacking the "stuff" - I am really going to look at it and see how much of it would stay at WDW if we had OL. I read the posts like Jean's, where she is packing just clothes, etc. and think---yeah, that would be heaven! But then again, I have three kids, so I wonder how much "stuff" we would actually leave there.

My guess is that I will soon cave and join OL.

 

[MrsNick]

I'm the cheapskate in the family, and I will use OL for as long as they offer the service.

I work full time. I am trying to start a family right now. So, eventually (hopefully sooner rather than later) I will be a full time working mom.

My time is so much more valuable than the few extra dollars it costs for OL. When preparing for a vacation, not having to make a special trip to buy all those items needed for vacation will save me so much time and energy. Especially since I tend to work right up until the day I go on vacation. I will love not rushing around trying to get everything done, and will be able to make sure that everything else is in order before we leave.

If I didn't manage to get shopping done before I left on vacation, guess when it would have to get done? That's right, when I'm already on vacation. Who wants to waste valuable vacation time doing mundane shopping? Additionally, when shopping on vacation, you don't necessarily have the luxury of doing comparison shopping, so those sundries can end up costing you a great deal of money.

Just my $.02.

 

[sean-1966]

I love the idea of OL but I'm just not sold on it, neither is DW. I'm not sure we would have enough to put in it to justify it.

 

[mikesmom]

So that made me think...hmmmm....maybe OL IS worth it. I then talked about it to DH and he said..."you must just have an extra $100 burning a hole in your pocket. That extra bag is not the big of a deal...save the money."

Spoken like a husband who does NOT have to pack, unpack or drag the thing around. Let him be in charge of the things that need to be in that bag - his point of view could change.

 

[WebmasterCricket]

My liquor remnant storage alone will be a break even (pretty much) all the rest is gravy. Don't ask why we keep gravy in there, we just do

 

[kmermaid]

Spoken like a husband who does NOT have to pack, unpack or drag the thing around. Let him be in charge of the things that need to be in that bag - his point of view could change.

ITA!!!

 

[LIFERBABE]

My liquor remnant storage alone will be a break even (pretty much) all the rest is gravy. Don't ask why we keep gravy in there, we just do

Exactly! Nice place to keep a bottle and not have to go to the liquor store. We keep bartender quality powdered margarita mix and all the fixins

 

[jdvm]

Have a look at some of the packing lists on these boards and in the Community section of the OL site. Put a pencil to the items and you'll be very surprised at how quickly the cost of the contents adds up. The Locker shown on the OL site (which is only about 3/4 full) has over $350 in stuff in it.

Also, make sure you notice the items people are storing that you would NEVER pack, ship or buy and throw away. A Brita water filter? A full size computer keyboard? Sentimental champagne glasses? Liquor and full sized bottles of toiletries? These are things people store to make their stay feel more like home. Totally different concept.

John

 

[MinnieGirl33]

My liquor remnant storage alone will be a break even (pretty much)

Have you been peeking in my locker?

 

[goofydad99]

My dh thought I was crazy signing up for OL. Our first trip we went without the children. We managed to pack a few items that would be useful for our upcoming family trip. When we left from our family trip the OL was full! I am looking forward to using it again next month. It will be our first time flying as a family so less luggage as well!