Disney Survey on implementing a $15 resort fee

[Andrew C]

I'm not reading anyone here saying that this is about Disney room prices going up by $15 (although, it will add up) What it is, is about how Disney is presenting it to us. It has all the grace and tact of an ambulance chasing lawyer.

Decades of expensive, and successful Disney marketing indicating all the services that are included in the cost of your room on Disney property all undone in one little fee line on the receipt. Why would Disney shoot themselves in the foot like that?

hopefully they won't.

 

[MrPromey]

I never understood why the lower cost hotels offer free breakfast but the ones that we pay double or even triple can not bring themselves to throw us a bagel in the morning.

Same reason Wifi is usually free at the cheap places and exorbitant in the expensive ones and why the cheapest places which give you all of this don't usually charge resort fees. The value priced ones (real-world value priced - not what Disney considers it) understand that their clients are looking at who offers them the most bang for their buck so they tack things like this on to be competitive. Higher priced places have already established that their clients are not price sensitive, or at least consider price second to other things they feel are more important. As a result, they can and do get away with it.

It runs against everything you'd intuitively expect but there you go.

 

[BrianV]

Same reason Wifi is usually free and the cheap places and exorbitant in the expensive ones and why the cheapest places which give you all of this don't usually charge resort fees. The value priced ones (real-world value priced - not what Disney considers it) understand that their clients are looking at who offers them the most bang for their buck so they tack things like this on to be competitive. Higher priced places have already established that their clients are not price sensitive, or are at least considering price second to other things they consider more important and therefore, they can and do get away with it.

It runs intuitively against everything you'd expect but there you go.

You also get more food at olive garden than tavern on the green. I think the effect make sense.

 

[betty rose]

You brought up an interesting example. I never used the "free" valet parking perk - I was too cheap to give a tip each time, so I just parked and retrieved the car myself. Apparently other DVC members felt the same, because the perk was eliminated instead of increasing the maintenance fee.

Hubby doesn't trust valet personnel, saw too many horror stories on the news. We rent a car and try very hard to return it in the same condition.

 

[willtravel]

I am surprised the media has not done an article on this subject by now.

 

[betty rose]

Exactly. That is why they are doing this. They are permitted to add a fee for these NON hotel features (Wfi cost b4). No where in your contract does it say they have to give you EMH or wifi.

Stinks.

 

[betty rose]

Hey - I have an idea for Disney: On top of the park pass price, charge a daily convenience fee on top of it for wi-fi in the parks and clean bathrooms with TP! Everyone with a pass has the surcharge, even if they're 4 or 94.

What clean bathrooms? The women's are disgusting, with unspeakable stuff everywhere. A couple are clean, but they are the exception, especially during the summer month's.

 

[betty rose]

So does anyone have an issue with most of the non-Disney resort hotels already charging a resort fee? Or is the problem specifically with WDW charging this, as you see them as already having rates higher than the non-Disney properties in the area and don't want to pay more beyond that?

You summed it up perfectly.

 

[Andy_0410]

Just disappointed!
We rarely use all these 'services' so being charged more just pushes us off site and would spend less money in the world as wouldn't spend as much time on site as we do when staying there. Actually Disney doing this could make my Orlando vacations a lot cheaper
I would be better off and Disney would be getting a lot less of my money

 

[BrowncatP]

I heard that Spirit Airlines will now be the official airline for WDW. The fees for everything will begin before you arrive!!

 

[GoofGoof]

I'm in favor of this. I think it's a great idea. Disney really makes an effort to keep costs down for us returning guests so it's about time we paid a little more. If anything we should be paying them back for all those years we got this stuff for free

 

[Nick Pappagiorgio]

So does anyone have an issue with most of the non-Disney resort hotels already charging a resort fee? Or is the problem specifically with WDW charging this, as you see them as already having rates higher than the non-Disney properties in the area and don't want to pay more beyond that?

I hate it all around. To me it is one of the most annoying aspect of the Swan and Dolphin (along with parking fees). While someone pointed out the tax advantages when it comes down to it, it is clear that hotels primarily do this to appear cheaper on travel searches and they get customers invested put in all their info and then slap them with a fee right before you submit your reservation.

Airlines used to be terrible with this, where they would advertise fares that excluded mandatory fees. And that only changed because Congress forced them to advertise the full "get your butt in a seat price". When I comparison shop Disney resorts I know what I am paying. For every other hotel you have to go through their site and look for fees.

 

[GoofGoof]

So does anyone have an issue with most of the non-Disney resort hotels already charging a resort fee? Or is the problem specifically with WDW charging this, as you see them as already having rates higher than the non-Disney properties in the area and don't want to pay more beyond that?

I only have an issue with Disney doing it. I don't stay at those other hotels

 

[GoofGoof]

I'm not reading anyone here saying that this is about Disney room prices going up by $15 (although, it would add up) What it is, is about how Disney would present it to us. In the form of a fee, it has all the grace and tact of an ambulance chasing lawyer.

Decades of expensive, and successful Disney marketing indicating all the services that are included in the cost of your room on Disney property all undone in one little fee line on the receipt. Why would Disney shoot themselves in the foot like that?

It's because people search and compare room rates and a lot of other hotels are already charging this. Disney's rooms are already priced higher than the competition, this makes it worse.

I'm with @Nick Pappagiorgio on this. We need an act of Congress to ban all hotels from doing this. You should only be allowed to charge an additional "fee" if the guest can opt out and then not receive the services. If everyone has to pay the fee in order to stay there then it's just dishonest.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

I don't think it so much the actual cost of the Resort Fee. Whether it be $1 a night, $10 a night, or $15. It's a behavioral change. Once you accept the fee the $ amount is immaterial. Once the Resort Fee becomes an accepted behavior then it is subject to increases. I'm completely speculating here, but the fee would probably differ between value, moderate, and deluxe resort - and would ultimately fall victim to the tiered structure based on demand, just introduced with the single day ticket.

I'm surprised to see the comments on some of the earlier posts about a reduction in EMH. I think it will be the opposite and you will see an increase in EMH. I think it will be conducive to a justification of the increase in $ amount of the Resort Fee (and possibly to the room rate itself). You may see a scenario whereby Disney's over-inflated one day pass grants you access to the park between 10am-9pm....but...if you're staying "on property" and are subjecting yourself to the over inflated room rate, and the Resort Fee (and possibly parking charge..remember they ran a "test" on that too), well.... then you can stay at the park from 8am to midnight.

 

[drp4video]

I don't stay at hotels that have resort fees or fees to park my car. It is a money grab. Raise the hotel rate and that for some reason doesn't irk me...but tell me I have to pay for wifi or park my car...take a hike. It's psychological I know but as I don't go to the parks every day during my stay, it would be much cheaper for me to stay off site and pay to park my car at the park, on the days I visit a park rather than pay a resort fee every day. Disney rooms are not the highest caliber for the price you pay. I have stayed at various resorts, from value to delux over 30 times in the past 15 years , but a resort fee might be the last straw. My brother was just down there last month and for much less than one room at the Grand Floridian, he had a three bedroom suite, with breakfast, off-site not far from the parks. I was there last May and stayed at the Animal Kingdom Lodge, and while it was pretty and the animals were neat to see, it was NOT worth what I paid, Disney ambiance or not. Yes, I like being on site as it is close to everything, but there is a limit as to what I will agree to pay.

With all the changes that have been happening, and the requirement to now "plan" my vacation like a business venture, I am getting a little fed up with the whole Disney nickel and diming aspect that has taken over the company. If they institute the $15 a day resort fee, I probably will stay off-site. Because of all the price increases I have already cut my two-three trips a year down to one every two -three years. Lots of other places to see in the world (went to Paris and London instead two years ago for pretty much the same price). I love Disney, I truly do, but an getting fed up with the greed. You don't charge people for what you have been giving them for no charge. It's like giving someone a raise, then taking it away. Same feeling.

 

[OneDNP]

Generally when we stay at resorts where they have a resort fee, they add it on along with all the taxes and stuff so the price you're looking at goes up significantly. So frustrating if they start this, because you know it'll start out at $15 and then creep up to $30 to compete with other hotels (we generally something along those lines when we go to Vegas)!

Vegas was the first thing that came to mind. I remember when they started instituting them down the strip and CETs big ad campaign was "no resort fees!" ....for a year or so, until they followed suit. Much like the Vegas properties, I imagine Disney will do resort fee waivers for certain people/promos and have different rates per hotel class and/or room type.

 

[Andrew C]

It's because people search and compare room rates and a lot of other hotels are already charging this. Disney's rooms are already priced higher than the competition, this makes it worse.

I'm with @Nick Pappagiorgio on this. We need an act of Congress to ban all hotels from doing this. You should only be allowed to charge an additional "fee" if the guest can opt out and then not receive the services. If everyone has to pay the fee in order to stay there then it's just dishonest.

An act of congress would be darn near impossible. The major hotel companies bring in way too much money on resort fees.

 

[Pumbas Nakasak]

I feel badly for DVC "owners". Much more of a captive audience. They can raise prices at restaurants and parks and the owners cannot vote with their feet as well as the rest of us. (That said, they get to go to wdw mucj more often than the rest of us!!)

Yes you can, sure you still pay the spiralling maintenance fee toward the deteriorating resort, but with careful management you can bank points and just take a bigger better accommodation every two or three years. Or even waste the points by staying at a DL resort should you travel to the other coast. The annual charge is a fraction what we would give the rodent on food and drink and tickets, so yes it gets my fees but it gets all else.

 

[GoofGoof]

An act of congress would be darn near impossible. The major hotel companies bring in way too much money on resort fees.

This congress...sadly you are right. Maybe in the future once America is made great again