How Does Somebody Get an EV Parking Space at Disney World?

[mkt]

This was my only concern, and it looks like they have it covered so that's good.

Am I bummed the take the absolute best spots for charge spaces, yup.

I know, I know Disney "can't afford" the expense to put them anywhere else.

Disney can afford it absolutely. And if they were to put in full rows, then they should absolutely be elsewhere. But it’s two single spots close to where there’s existing electric infrastructure.

 

[jloucks]

That's fair, they do tend to cost more than comparable ICE cars (although to be fair, ALL cars are expensive now).

As far as northern climates go, yeah, they are mostly negatively impacted. However, if the car's mainly a commuter car and you charge at home, it's not a concern for most drivers.

Remember, that's the biggest thing people need to understand: you effectively the need for a gas station/gas station equivalent, since the idea is to charge overnight at home.

When someone asks: "Where do I charge?", I answer: "Where do you charge your phone?"

Anyway, best of luck.

They used to cost more, but just like you said, all cars are expensive now. For my daily driver, I was shopping the Malibu -vs- the Bolt EUV. I ultimately went with the Bolt because the cost was about the same and to replace the engine in 15-20 years was in the ballpark of the battery. Sorta. Anywho, the point is, all the gas savings and convenience make it worth it. It helped that I already had the home charging station left over from our Ford Focus Electric several years ago.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Disney can afford it absolutely. And if they were to put in full rows, then they should absolutely be elsewhere. But it’s two single spots close to where there’s existing electric infrastructure.

Yes, I understand. "Close to where there’s existing electric infrastructure" translates to Disney does not want to spend the money to put in proper charging spots properly in its own area with many rows of charging stations.

Maybe they put the two (soon to be four probably) up front, close to where there’s existing electric infrastructure, (the cheapest way to do it) just to say they did it, so they can show how green they are.

Let's be honest, TWDC has other more important expenses:
Completing the hugely successful EPCOT renovation inspired by Moana.
Changing racist attritions like Splash, and soon others.
Pouring money into failing Disney+ and Box office content.
And now fighting the Gov. of Florida in the name of social justice.

All this is costly. It's a good thing there is a steady flow of cash coming in from the theme parks from the highly popular Genie+ and Individual Lighting lane.

 

[mkt]

They used to cost more, but just like you said, all cars are expensive now. For my daily driver, I was shopping the Malibu -vs- the Bolt EUV. I ultimately went with the Bolt because the cost was about the same and to replace the engine in 15-20 years was in the ballpark of the battery. Sorta. Anywho, the point is, all the gas savings and convenience make it worth it. It helped that I already had the home charging station left over from our Ford Focus Electric several years ago.

Hello fellow EUV owner.

 

[mkt]

Yes, I understand. "Close to where there’s existing electric infrastructure" translates to Disney does not want to spend the money to put in proper charging spots properly in its own area with many rows of charging stations.

We're entirely in agreement on this.

Maybe they put the two (soon to be four probably) up front, close to where there’s existing electric infrastructure, (the cheapest way to do it) just to say they did it, so they can show how green they are.

While it a bit of greenwashing, they did it to charge for a service - which if you scroll up, you've seen I've done the math on how long it takes Disney to break even and make these profitable.

And they could have done it even cheaper. They could've just put in a row of 110 or 240 plugs connected to a card reader and tell EV drivers to bring their own chargers. Coincidentally, except for the card reader, that's how I've charged at Universal.

 

[Disstevefan1]

We're entirely in agreement on this.


While it a bit of greenwashing, they did it to charge for a service - which if you scroll up, you've seen I've done the math on how long it takes Disney to break even and make these profitable.

And they could have done it even cheaper. They could've just put in a row of 110 or 240 plugs connected to a card reader and tell EV drivers to bring their own chargers. Coincidentally, except for the card reader, that's how I've charged at Universal.

Thats a good idea. Put the slow chargers in the theme park parking lot. Lower cost to install and folks will be in the park for many hours while their EVs are on slow charge.

 

[mkt]

Thats a good idea. Put the slow chargers in the theme park parking lot. Lower cost to install and folks will be in the park for many hours while their EVs are on slow charge.

Just like the existing chargers. The ones at the parks are not fast chargers at all.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Just like the existing chargers. The ones at the parks are not fast chargers at all.

I did not know.

 

[mkt]

I did not know.

Most don’t. The ones there are L2 chargers, which are comparable to being plugged into a 220-240v dryer outlet. However the current is shared on those units, so if there’s another car plugged in, at most you’re getting 110-120v - like a regular wall outlet, so super slow charging.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Most don’t. The ones there are L2 chargers, which are comparable to being plugged into a 220-240v dryer outlet. However the current is shared on those units, so if there’s another car plugged in, at most you’re getting 110-120v - like a regular wall outlet, so super slow charging.

Wow, shared current. They literally did this the cheapest way possible.

 

[mkt]

Wow, shared current. They literally did this the cheapest way possible.

Eh, it's pretty common on L2 chargers with two plugs. These are the same ones that appear in countless parking garages and Ikea parking lots across the US.

 

[jloucks]

Most don’t. The ones there are L2 chargers, which are comparable to being plugged into a 220-240v dryer outlet. However the current is shared on those units, so if there’s another car plugged in, at most you’re getting 110-120v - like a regular wall outlet, so super slow charging.

I did not know this! That stinks.

 

[mkt]

I did not know this! That stinks.

It's not horrible. If you're going to be at the park for a long time, there's a chance the car next to you fills up, bringing you back up to full speed, or that you're even there long enough to charge up entirely.

Both have happened to me.

 

[jloucks]

It's not horrible. If you're going to be at the park for a long time, there's a chance the car next to you fills up, bringing you back up to full speed, or that you're even there long enough to charge up entirely.

Both have happened to me.

Ok, yea, true, we are not talking about a mid-trip fill-up that you are actively waiting on. A 12-hour stop at 110v will get you a pretty good charge.

 

[mkt]

Ok, yea, true, we are not talking about a mid-trip fill-up that you are actively waiting on. A 12-hour stop at 110v will get you a pretty good charge.

Yep.

At split L2 situation, I'll usually leave the park with a bit more charge than when I left to the park.

The Disney Springs chargers are much nicer though in this regard. They may require an obscure app, but they charge at full L2 the whole time.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

When charging at home, especially in Northern/colder climates, are you charging in an exposed parking area, or do you have a garage? I have been told (anecdotal evidence only) that especially in the winter, that not having an indoor garage is prohibitive for EV's.

Was not an issue for me.

Also, just a standard electrical outlet and the charging cable that came with the car. (I sometimes used public chargers too.) Some utilities offer a lower rate if you install/use a dedicated charger. Mine did not, so there was little incentive to get one. The outlet is slightly protected by a roof, but the car was not covered at all.

I should also add, over 7+ years of daily charging, I had to replace the outlet. If you use the cable daily as I did then, they can wear out, but replacements are now available online (for about $175).

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

They used to cost more, but just like you said, all cars are expensive now. For my daily driver, I was shopping the Malibu -vs- the Bolt EUV. I ultimately went with the Bolt because the cost was about the same and to replace the engine in 15-20 years was in the ballpark of the battery. Sorta. Anywho, the point is, all the gas savings and convenience make it worth it. It helped that I already had the home charging station left over from our Ford Focus Electric several years ago.

Just this week, on the news I heard that 2 Tesla models are now below the average price of a new car.

When I got my 1st EV, it worked pretty well to lease it, but that was under the old tax incentives.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

For me, the cost is prohibitive. I Don't know firsthand but reading about how much the batteries cost and will they perform well in our northern climate. Where to charge and will there be a spot available and how much time will it take.... Too many "what ifs" for me.

This was, admittedly, a limitation of my first (older) EV. Most of the time it was fine, but one very cold January night drive was a bit stressful.

An unexpected snow burst that fell right at rush hour caused numerous traffic problems that night. I made it home with range to spare, but some gas-powered cars got caught in traffic jams and ran into problems when they ran out of gas that night.

 

[mkt]

Just this week, on the news I heard that 2 Tesla models are now below the average price of a new car.

Yup. Plus the Bolt EV/EUV, are still for sale this year and depending on the combination of incentives you qualify for, can be acquired for $20kish OTD - WELL under the average price of the new car.

 

[mkt]

I'm surprised Disney hasn't put a larger focus on EV charging.

While it would be great to have them at the parks, the fact that people will stay in them all day makes them unusable but for effectively 1 car a day, making their ROI lesser than what it could be.

ROI isn't really an issue if Disney puts in high idle fees.

The best approach would be to put Electrify America Chargers and Tesla Superchargers at the two existing Speedway Gas Stations on property, giving you the ability to reliably charge your BEV in the resort itself.

I'd be happy with Superchargers with Magic Docks if just for reliability, plus a pair of Chademo units from another company so Nissan drivers aren't out of luck.

Until then, if you have a Tesla, the Tesla Superchargers near Animal Kingdom, Disney Springs, and Universal are excellent when visiting Orlando's theme parks and make a trip to WDW hassle-free.

For non Teslas, there are a few DC Fast Chargers at Disney Springs close to Cirque de Soleil.