Hotel Parking Fees Realization / Tip

Smiley/OCD

Smiley/OCD

Well-Known Member
Ricky Spanish said:
We always drive to WDW.
We don’t pay for parking.
We don’t put a CC on file at our hotel (usually the all stars)
We don’t use magic bands for any charges.
As I’ve said in the past, I’d love to share how we don’t pay for parking but I’m not ruining it for me.
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I know I would gladly pay for parking (for now) if I could give up my handicapped placard. Maybe for one trip, then I too would join the chorus of guests complaining about having to pay…Disney does it because they can…it’s not like they’d have to file for chapter 11 or Chappy would get a few dollars less in his next bonus…
 
Smiley/OCD

Smiley/OCD

Well-Known Member
JIMINYCR said:
The majority of guests may be able to bring some snacks or some drinks with them but it’s unrealistic to think you’re going to bring enough groceries and drinks to last you on a week long or more trip. The refrig in the resort rooms aren’t all that large so you’re limited in refrig space as well. Unless you’re going to have a dvc with a normal fridge and cooking space available you are better off doing meals they you’ve budgeted for.
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Speaking just for US, the whole reason to go on vacation is NOT to cook or shop for groceries, etc… if it takes another 6 months or a year of saving to not do those things, we wait…but I understand that not everyone is that same position.
 
R

Raxel7851

Well-Known Member
JIMINYCR said:
The majority of guests may be able to bring some snacks or some drinks with them but it’s unrealistic to think you’re going to bring enough groceries and drinks to last you on a week long or more trip. The refrig in the resort rooms aren’t all that large so you’re limited in refrig space as well. Unless you’re going to have a dvc with a normal fridge and cooking space available you are better off doing meals they you’ve budgeted for.
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Those small refrigerators, like the ones at the Mods, sometimes don’t even cool a bottle of water. And the freezer is basically just for a small ice cream bar. We had one in a small RV, and the more food you put in it, the less it cooled.
 
Bpmorley

Bpmorley

Well-Known Member
Raxel7851 said:
Those small refrigerators, like the ones at the Mods, sometimes don’t even cool a bottle of water. And the freezer is basically just for a small ice cream bar. We had one in a small RV, and the more food you put in it, the less it cooled.
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Even the small fridge in a DVC studio isn't great. We just buy one of the 2.99 styrofoam coolers to keep stuff cold. And works great to bring my own beers to the pool
 
Nottamus

Nottamus

Well-Known Member
Smiley/OCD said:
Speaking just for US, the whole reason to go on vacation is NOT to cook or shop for groceries, etc… if it takes another 6 months or a year of saving to not do those things, we wait…but I understand that not everyone is that same position.
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We have shopped for one meal when we have a room with full size fridge. Usually breakfast. Waffles, or eggs, or something easy peasy that doesn’t cost arms and legs, or much time

But we agree, vacations are not for cooking if we can help it!
 
Tony the Tigger

Tony the Tigger

Well-Known Member
jasminethecat said:
So here's my tip: When you book your driving-to-WDW reservation and you think about parking fees and you start getting angry, just remember to bring enough food and drinks of your own to offset more than what you'll spend parking. Especially if you mix up your own adult drinks in an aluminum/reusable water bottle!
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I don’t hate it. It’s kind of spiteful, but if the goal is just to offset the parking fees, that’s easy to do with drinks alone (and I’ll still get drinks at the bars lol.)
 
Goofyernmost

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
ppete1975 said:
Its simpler than that.
Disney exec: you know we can charge people for parking and they can do nothing about it, and will just pay it.
VPs: WHY THE **@#%$ DIDNT I KNOW THIS!!!

Next day announcement goes out: Disney to start charging for parking

Its not more difficult than that.

And its not just Disney, I think Vegas started it, but most cities a good portion of the middle and up hotels charge now.
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Initially I would maybe think that is how it worked because it happened when other hotels started to charge for parking. BTW, I have never paid for parking offsite but had to pay for parking at the parks. However, if they didn't have the parking fee in place already they might not have been able to stop the magical prison bus from the airport. Now not only do they not have to pay for that very costly service, but if a number of guest opt to rent a car, they will get a tidy sum for a weeks parking costs from them. It was a perfect win, win for them even if it wasn't part of the original plan.
 
ppete1975

ppete1975

Well-Known Member
jasminethecat said:
I wonder if people shifting jobs and moving away from some industries like bus drivers (public schools have a huge issue with this across the USA) along with the idea that there would be a high speed rail system from the airport to disney springs made them just say "screw it". One of the many reasons Iger says he now regrets putting Chapek in charge, for sure.

I really wonder how much DME actually cost to run at scale, and how they could have covered those expenses in park tickets or resort fees. Like if they said "all resort hotels are going up $5 per day to keep DME" I don't think people would have noticed or cared if a week long stay cost them an extra $35. But taking it away was just another crappy short-term gain with the possibility of long term loss if attendance ever goes down.

EDIT: By the way, i have driven for over half of my family's visits (driven for 4 out of 7) and I would still rather pay for DME or an equivalent with resort fees or something even when i drive, because I don't want to be in the parks with a bunch of gloomy a-holes who are still upset about their uber trip or other hassles getting to the happiest place on earth. And if I decide to fly again myself, I'd rather have better options available.

2nd EDIT: I wasn't calling anyone here a gloomy a-hole! If people here are upset by the travel situation, i am sure general patrons are too. So I mean in general, stressed families in the parks detract from my happiness.
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you were always paying for it, and the magic bands. Disney never lost money on any of the freebies (including soap and shampoo). Now they have taken away ME and magic bands yet you are still paying the same or more....
They added parking fees... you didnt get anything in return

All of this is people in a boardroom trying to make profits as large as possible, and not raising prices to make people say no thanks and stay somewhere else.
 
Goofyernmost

Goofyernmost

Well-Known Member
ppete1975 said:
you were always paying for it, and the magic bands. Disney never lost money on any of the freebies (including soap and shampoo). Now they have taken away ME and magic bands yet you are still paying the same or more....
They added parking fees... you didnt get anything in return

All of this is people in a boardroom trying to make profits as large as possible, and not raising prices to make people say no thanks and stay somewhere else.
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For me they did that years ago.
 
Bpmorley

Bpmorley

Well-Known Member
Smiley/OCD said:
Speaking just for US, the whole reason to go on vacation is NOT to cook or shop for groceries, etc… if it takes another 6 months or a year of saving to not do those things, we wait…but I understand that not everyone is that same position.
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I don't know as DVC members and AP holders we don't do the park commando trips anymore. At some point we go off property to eat/drink and swing by a market. Grab some charcoal and look for stuff to BBQ. I love bbqing by a quiet pool with a cold beer.
 
Smiley/OCD

Smiley/OCD

Well-Known Member
Bpmorley said:
I don't know as DVC members and AP holders we don't do the park commando trips anymore. At some point we go off property to eat/drink and swing by a market. Grab some charcoal and look for stuff to BBQ. I love bbqing by a quiet pool with a cold beer.
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That’s awesome…just speaking for my wife and I, (mostly my wife) lol, no one wants to cook, she just wants to be waited on and she absolutely deserves it!
 
Ricky Spanish

Ricky Spanish

Well-Known Member
Just got back from 6 nights at WDW.
Drove there and stayed at All Star Movies.
When we checked in, the CM mentioned the parking fee.
Checked out Saturday and……we did not pay for parking!
No arguing, no problem.
 

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