News WDW Resorts to add fees for parking

[deeevo]

I am DVC.

This is a simple one. They add the resort fee, type up an official list of included amenities, and they are done. No announcement on the parks blog or anything. Maybe they start handing out the USA Today again.

The last thing I want to do is read about the news while I am at WDW. I go there to get away from all of that BS. Giving me a newspaper is not going to justify an added resort fee.

 

[RobidaFlats]

Perfect example.

I didn't even mention the $5 package handling fee that was recently added to resorts. That used to be free too.

But I figured I'd leave that one out since I believe that there is a legitimate interest at play that to some degree could warrant a fee. I went for the easy one that no one could argue wasn't a sudden fee for something that was always free. And yet...

 

[disneyflush]

Yes, I knew about the fees, and I don't really need to go to Disney, but they knew $30 was not going to stop me. .

If this is the mentality of the average guest then Disney has zero cares in the world about raising rates or adding new ones.

 

[rael ramone]

Itemizing the MAGIC.

This fee goes for this. That fee goes for that.

What does the inflated initial price then cover?...

Sometimes a business shouldn't want want it's customers to see what they are really paying for...

 

[larryz]

I'd like to think they're a little more aware than to do something so stupid.

Something like paying $2 billion plus for a ticket media/ride rationing system like MB/MDE/FP+?

 

[fngoofy]

I could see guests swallowing the resort fee(assuming it's not a crazy daily price), but IMO, the daily parking fee, especially at the value and moderate, could be the straw that broke the camels back when considering on-site versus off-site.

A 10 day stay with a $300 parking charge? Never paying that. Never ever.

I hear you. That would be more than I pay for a rental SUV for 10 days! We were down in Sept. and had a Jeep Grand Cherokee for 9 days and it was $260 total.

 

[larryz]

Perfect example.

Park hopping, too...

 

[xdan0920]

The last thing I want to do is read about the news while I am at WDW. I go there to get away from all of that BS. Giving me a newspaper is not going to justify an added resort fee.

It was sarcasm.

 

[21stamps]

Only those hotels where parking is already a monetized commodity (downtown, airports, resort areas). Your average suburban Marriott or Garden Inn doesn't usually charge for parking. I'd say the vast majority of hotels in the US do NOT charge for parking on that basis.

Agree. It's mostly resorts, or large hotels, or small hotels in a heavy tourist area. So most vacation spots unless you're willing to go a little farther away from whatever main attraction is nearby (beach, city center etc).

I don't think we will see resort fees. The Federal Trade Commision has said that separate resort fees harm consumers. It is hoped that this practice will be banned, but I am not sure if the current administration is on board. $30 a night to park seems excessive, I think Uni only charges $25 at the Pacific. I can not imagine paying an extra $30 a night to stay at POP, this would make a 4 night stay cost as much as 5 nights now and some guests will cut a trip a day short.

The day I have to pay to park at a Disney resorts, I will be mad and feel like I was taken advantage of. Yes, I knew about the fees, and I don't really need to go to Disney, but they knew $30 was not going to stop me. What they don't know is, I don't like to feel like a sucker, it makes mad and I am they type that will retaliate. Cheat me for $30 and I will make sure to spend $60 less, I won't buy beer, I will bring a flask.

They really should be able to find some way to separate me from $30 where I feel like I am at least getting something new instead of paying for something that has been free for the last 20 years.

Same. Minus the flask.lol. I'll pay the ridic fees at Casa Marina bc they've always been there.. raise room prices a bit, I'll still go. Add an entirely new charge for absolutely nothing new...Peace out, I'm going to the Southernmost...Mojito in hand .You just lost a loyal customer of the past 18 years..and I'm sure I wouldn't be the only one.
Disney hotels would face the same problem. It wouldn't go over well.

What if they gave you a cupcake at the toll booth? Cupcakes are WDW's go to when they need an excuse to charge $$$ to watch parades or fireworks that are otherwise included with admission.

No, you're paying to not stake out and deal with crowds to get a great viewing spot. There's a value in that for some.. and it's optional. Non expiring tickets were optional. Packages are also optional. Resort fees are not optional and would definitely not go unnoticed if nothing else was added. A previous poster mentioned a survey talking about additional FPs, that's a lot more logical to me...it wouldn't create the same kind of backlash.

 

[beertiki]

Some new ways you could get $30 from me at Disney. Beer carts in MK, $30 for 1 hour after park closes for photos, a decent pizza at MK, more FPs, pint glasses, and Disney Hot Sauce.

 

[larryz]

It was sarcasm.

You forgot to use the <sarc> tags...

 

[deeevo]

It was sarcasm.

Ahhh.... ok... hard to tell sometimes.

 

[wdwfan22]

I'm really surprised it's taken as long as it has for them to charge for parking. Almost every 4 star hotel/resort around Disney charges at least $25 dollars to park the car per night. This includes the Waldorf, Ritz Carlton, Marriott and the hotels on hotel plaza blvd. It won't hurt Disney one bit to start charging. It also might keep those abusing the system by parking at the resorts away. I think they will keep Disney Vacation Club Members free as long as they are using points, but not Annual Passholders.

 

[larryz]

And here's the elephant nobody wants to mention -- you know darn well that Disney will be comping the resort fee to everybody but you.

 

[Grimley1968]

I'm old enough to remember ticket books in the parks. My siblings and I would be having so much fun that, when we inevitably used up all the initial tickets, we'd beg our parents to get us more. Our parents usually did so, but felt a little peeved about it (from conversations about it I've had with them since then). It was a bit carny-esque to them, but at least Disney was not making them pay for something that had been included before then.

It seems like Disney is reverting to that style of guest interaction outside of the parks. If this happens, this would just be another example. I hope it doesn't happen, but it seems par for the course with their recent actions.

The biggest difference here is that they would take something that has been included with resort prices, and that would really burn.

 

[larryz]

It seems like Disney is reverting to that style of guest interaction outside of the parks. If this happens, this would just be another example. I hope it doesn't happen, but it seems par for the course with their recent actions.

The biggest difference here is that they would take something that has been included with resort prices, and that would really burn.

And that would take them from the realm of "Disney Special" to "SIx-Flags Ordinary"...

 

[drizgirl]

And here's the elephant nobody wants to mention -- you know darn well that Disney will be comping the resort fee to everybody but you.

No joke. But I imagine the internet will help with that. If I hear about others who complain and get it removed, I would do the same.

How about this other elephant: If they try to tell me my resort fee is to cover the internal bus system but offsite guests paying no resort fee get to use it for free. That's a big non starter for me.

 

[IanDLBZF]

The thinking here is that Disneyland has charged for parking at the hotels for a long while now, and many other hotels around WDW also charge for parking.

Universal Orlando's hotels already charge for parking as well, no surprise there.

 

[Grimley1968]

No joke. But I imagine the internet will help with that. If I hear about others who complain and get it removed, I would do the same.

How about this other elephant: If they try to tell me my resort fee is to cover the internal bus system but offsite guests paying no resort fee get to use it for free. That's a big non starter for me.

The bolded is part of what makes me skeptical this is happening anytime soon, or at least blindly hopeful it won't. They have a commercial airing now that says you can get xx% discounts on WDW resort stays, and there is a specific mention of "complimentary park transportation." It could be that they're waiting for those bookings to be completed and their stays completed before implementing something so stupid.

 

[King Racoon 77]

The bolded is part of what makes me skeptical this is happening anytime soon, or at least blindly hopeful it won't. They have a commercial airing now that says you can get xx% discounts on WDW resort stays, and there is a specific mention of "complimentary park transportation." It could be that they're waiting for those bookings to be completed and their stays completed before implementing something so stupid.

They are pushing hard with commercials here in the UK and i don't see how they could suddenly tack this on for international visitors easily. Upping the price by this much would deter a large percentage of people from staying onsite.