Disney Testing Paid Parking at Walt Disney World Resort Hotels

[Tony the Tigger]

My point is without paid parking you cannot have validated parking.

You guys are so up in arms about Disney wanting to charge you MONEY for something that you use to get for free, that you are overlooking the bigger problem here.

So, O learned one, what is the bigger problem here?

Disney is not "wanting" to do anything yet - this is all speculation.

I think you think you are making a point re: paid/validated parking that, with all due respect is not really a point of contention at all.

 

[Andrew C]

To me, WDW is missing on a revenue opportunity here by not charging non-resort guests for parking at the resorts. Really, it is a no-brainer. It would be very easy for them to set up a validation system as well if they want to waive the parking charge for non-resort guests who have a dining reservation. And it could also assist in stopping those who take advantage of the "free" resort parking as a non-guest.

Doing something like this to bring in some additional revenue is not about greed, it is not about trying to screw non-resort guests, it is just a smart decision that WDW may want to consider taking advantage of.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

To me, WDW is missing on a revenue opportunity here by not charging non-resort guests for parking at the resorts. Really, it is a no-brainer. It would be very easy for them to set up a validation system as well if they want to waive the parking charge for non-resort guests who have a dining reservation. And it could also assist in stopping those who take advantage of the "free" resort parking as a non-guest.

Doing something like this to bring in some additional revenue is not about greed, it is not about trying to screw non-resort guests, it is just a smart decision that WDW may want to consider taking advantage of.

I don't think anyone is arguing those points.

 

[Andrew C]

I don't think anyone is arguing those points.

well...i am...so you can close this thread now!

 

[unkadug]

So, O learned one, what is the bigger problem here?

Disney is not "wanting" to do anything yet - this is all speculation.

I think you think you are making a point re: paid/validated parking that, with all due respect is not really a point of contention at all.

Do you really not see the problem? Wow...just wow.

I'm out of here... as this is going nowhere fast.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

well...i am...so you can close this thread now!

I meant I don't think anyone is arguing against the points you made LOL.

 

[IMFearless]

What about having validated parking? That's impossible to do without PAID parking to begin with.

Easy option:

Magic bands or RFID cards are scanned upon entry and exit into parking lots at all resort hotels. This allows free parking for all guests. However, the same RFID card / band cannot be used to allow theme park admission at the same time that car parking is being used at a non-resident hotel spot. Scan your band back out to leave the car parking and the park admission is re-activated.

 

[Tony the Tigger]

Do you really not see the problem? Wow...just wow.

I'm out of here... as this is going nowhere fast.

ah, the classic "I don't have an answer."

 

[unkadug]

ah, the classic "I don't have an answer."

I don't have an answer for YOU and I prefer not to have a circular conversation with anyone.

 

[Andrew C]

This is all speculation...getting worked up over something based on a silly article on page 1 is fun for a bit...until it isn't fun anymore...

 

[s8film40]

Easy option:

Magic bands or RFID cards are scanned upon entry and exit into parking lots at all resort hotels. This allows free parking for all guests. However, the same RFID card / band cannot be used to allow theme park admission at the same time that car parking is being used at a non-resident hotel spot. Scan your band back out to leave the car parking and the park admission is re-activated.

That's a genius solution. I doubt they would get it to work correctly though. I also do think there are some somewhat acceptable situations where you can park at a resort and go to a park. For example if you have dinner at the Polynesian and want to head over to MK for an hour afterwards it's not that bad and would certainly be inconvenient to go move your car.

 

[IMFearless]

That's a genius solution. I doubt they would get it to work correctly though. I also do think there are some somewhat acceptable situations where you can park at a resort and go to a park. For example if you have dinner at the Polynesian and want to head over to MK for an hour afterwards it's not that bad and would certainly be inconvenient to go move your car.

I think the magic bands have the technology to track people as it is, so presumably Disney see this as a big enough problem that they have to try and take action. I think it is fair as it is reducing guest experience, we struggled to park at the Poly when heading to a Kona reservation during a thunder storm, ended up having to park a long way away and got soaked!

 

[Mr. Tickle]

I think charging for resort parking would cost Disney revenue long term. The resorts make a lot of money from locals with dining, bars, and shopping. If they add parking fees on top, then locals will just go elsewhere. Even Universal doesn't charge locals parking after 6:00 for CityWalk.

 

[s8film40]

Just thought I would compile some parking charges from a selection of comparable hotels, seems very consistently around $15-$20

WDW Resorts
Guests - FREE
Non-Guests - FREE
Disneyland Resorts
Guests - $18 / DVC FREE
Non-Guests - $18 + $9/hr Max $58 Validation FREE for 5 hours
Aulani Resort
Guests - $37 / DVC FREE
Non-Guests - $12/hr Max $37 Validation FREE for 4 hours
Disney’s Vero Beach
Guests - FREE
Non-Guests - FREE
Disney’s Hilton Head
Guests - FREE
Non-Guests - FREE
Swan & Dolphin
Guests - $18
Non-Guests - $18
Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek
Guests - $18
Non-Guests - $18
Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress
Guests - $17
Non-Guests - $17
Universal Orlando Resorts
Guests - $20
Non-Guests - $22
Hyatt Regency Orlando
Guests - $18
Non-Guests - $18

 

[s8film40]

I think the magic bands have the technology to track people as it is, so presumably Disney see this as a big enough problem that they have to try and take action. I think it is fair as it is reducing guest experience, we struggled to park at the Poly when heading to a Kona reservation during a thunder storm, ended up having to park a long way away and got soaked!

Yeah I think it's a great idea, I've seen a lot of issues with Magic Bands though and I'm just imagining the family that parked at a resort scanned it in and out but it didn't read on the way out then getting turned away from the entrance. Disney just needs to get their stuff to work and something like this could be perfect!

 

[IMFearless]

I think the answer is to keep the parking free but stop guests parking there and then leaving the resorts and going elsewhere. By deactivating a guests theme park ticket while they are visiting a resort it's easy to prevent guests doing this.

 

[flynnibus]

I don't have a huge problem with validation, although that means there would need to be some baseline of either time or $$ spent in the resort. So, saying there is a 2-3 hour free window and after that X number of $$$s per hour unless validated by a store or restaurant. What would be a fair price of money spent to get free parking. Is buying a fountain soda enough? Is it a $5 minumum, we could go back and forth forever on that point.

If the point is simply to keep the audience to those genuinely visiting the resort.. and not avoiding theme park parking... there is no need to have a validation amount for the 'free' parking, only reasonable guages of actual need for longer stays. People are not going to tour the grounds for 3hrs.. people are unlikely to deal with transportation to just be in the parks for 60-90mins. So a simple model is

- free for stays less than 90mins
- free 3hr validation with $30 purchase of food or merch
- free exit validation offered at discretion of F&B manager for parties that stay longer

But I think it's very important to keep access to the resorts for non guests. The resorts themselves are their own best advertisement. I recently took some family members with us to the world. and they and no idea they could visit the resorts. We popped over to the CBR and my family member loved the experience so much they decided to book a stay there instead of staying offsite as ususal. I know this is a solitary experience but I'm sure it happens...This quick stop to have a coffee and read a newpaper on the water turned into a several thousand dollar vacation stay.

Its important - the properties SHOULD be welcoming and people should be encouraged to tour and soak in the atmospheres. The hotels are part of the resort, not little fiefdoms.

 

[s8film40]

I thought I would repost and modify based on this conversation my suggestion from earlier.

Parking for resort guests-
Self Park - $20 per day includes all day unlimited access to all resorts and theme parks
Valet Park - $30 per day same as above (I would also add valet to theme parks)

Parking for DVC members staying on points-
Self Park - FREE includes all day unlimited access to all resorts and theme parks
Valet Park - $10 per day includes all day unlimited access to all resorts and theme parks

Parking for day guests-
Self Park -
30 minutes or less - FREE
1 hour or less - $20 (FREE with validation from table service, quick service or gift shop purchase of $30 or more)
2 hours or less - $20 (FREE with validation from table service or gift shop purchase of $30 or more)
Each additional hour $10 up to $70 for full day

Valet-
2 hours or less $30 ($15 with validation from table service, quick service or gift shop purchase of $30 or more)
Each additional hour $10 up to $60 for full day

Parking for AP holders & DVC members not staying at a resort-
Self Park-
2 hours or less - FREE
Each additional hour $10 up to $70 for full day

Valet-
2 hours or less $20 ($10 with validation from table service, quick service or gift shop purchase of $30 or more)
Each additional hour $10 up to $60 for full day

 

[Biff215]

I don't know what you mean about them being hardcore about scanning bands and monitoring parking.

My experience in all of 2015 has been exactly the experience I've had in all previous years. Extend ID, say "Just visiting", security says "Welcome home. Valet is straight ahead, self parking is on the left."

That's it. End of story.

We visited three times in 2015 and they scanned my Magicband at resorts we were dining at most of the time. Last month it was every time, at Poly, GF, and YC. It appears to be the fastest way for them to verify a resort guest or dining reservation, I'm sure it's not the only way.

 

[s8film40]

We visited three times in 2015 and they scanned my Magicband at resorts we were dining at most of the time. Last month it was every time, at Poly, GF, and YC. It appears to be the fastest way for them to verify a resort guest or dining reservation, I'm sure it's not the only way.

My understanding was that that only confirms your a resort guest but not dining reservations. Has anyone tried to go to a resort without a dining reservation and scan your band to get in?