News Return of the Walt Disney World tram fleet tracker

[MrPromey]

I did say in the short term the parks would be busier than normal solely due to 1) Parks shutdown last year culling many holidays, so in effect MORE people going this year instead and 2) on 8th November Europe is being let in and expect MASSIVE crowds for the first 6 - 12 months as we have been stopped from visit for 2 years almost so soon you will have hundred of flights a day coming to Florida.

The only true test of the additional costs will be in 18 months the time when things are back to normal and the novelty of going back to Theme parks has died down...it is THEN that I think we will see slightly smaller numbers....with Disney off setting this against extra charges and it not affecting their bottom line.

A lot of this depends on how they're running the parks in 18 months, too, though.

It takes time for the general public to get wind of things and if they're still trying to get away with what they are now, by that point, we may start seeing people who make their once every 2, 3, 5 year trips returning and being unhappy and that starting to impact things going forward...

But for now, I think they'll be able to continue to rake customers for a while before what they're doing becomes obvious to the Super Bowl commercial watchers.

 

[ImperfectPixie]

I think it is poor taste to fork up 25 bucks each day to park. I applaud folks who figure out how to beat Disney's greedy system.

Go park yourself at a resort or Disney Springs. You're not disrupting any system except for the money you're not giving to Disney. lol

Not at the resorts. Because then you're making it far more difficult for those who are staying there or who have dining reservations to find a parking spot.

 

[Chi84]

It was done off and on throughout the 2000’s at all deluxe resorts except AKL. I still have one from WL and the Poly somewhere

We’ve taken 2 or 3 trips every year throughout the 2000’s, stayed at OKW, SSR and Kidani. We’ve also gone to dinner at the Contemporary, Polynesian, GF, Boardwalk and Yacht and Beach Clubs and we’ve never seen a 3-hour parking pass. Maybe this is something that was done during busy times like Christmas or Easter?

I obviously can’t say it never happened, but it seems strange that we could have visited so many times and places without ever once being given a time limit on parking for dinner. But of all the resorts, we visited the Poly least often and WL only once or twice.

 

[peter11435]

We’ve taken 2 or 3 trips every year throughout the 2000’s, stayed at OKW, SSR and Kidani. We’ve also gone to dinner at the Contemporary, Polynesian, GF, Boardwalk and Yacht and Beach Clubs and we’ve never seen a 3-hour parking pass. Maybe this is something that was done during busy times like Christmas or Easter?

I obviously can’t say it never happened, but it seems strange that we could have visited so many times and places without ever once being given a time limit on parking for dinner.

My experience with them was definitely not during peak holiday times but it was generally weekend days. I don’t know if that made a difference. The resorts all had significant parking capacity shortages in the years following 9/11 due to decreased air travel so that may have been the catalyst. I know I received one at WL, Poly, CR, BW, and YC.

 

[peter11435]

Go park yourself at a resort or Disney Springs. You're not disrupting any system except for the money you're not giving to Disney. lol

Clearly you’ve never seen people circling endlessly looking for parking at Yacht Club and the Contemporary.

 

[MrPromey]

I mean I get that, but they've done a LOT of ****ty things since reopening. What's the excuse for not having a parade? Fireworks at Hollywood studios? A dirt pit with no progress in the center of Epcot?

None that I can think of.

We're really talking about two totally different things, though.

One is the reduction of benefits/feature and the other is the reduction of services/utilities.

No fireworks or parades suck and it can definitely make the experience less memorable but the no tram operation is closer to them reducing the number of open restrooms to save on janitorial or to raising the thermostat for indoor public guest areas across property by 4 degrees to save some money on electricity.

Neither is good. Neither should be tolerated by guests spending full price but one is particularly -y since many are less likely to be aware before getting there and rather than making your day "less magical", it can actively make it bad.

I mean - and I know this isn't you - there are some people here who are trying to frame this as a benefit for lazy people that most don't use but lets be real; People have been using this since the first park opened back in 1972 back when everyone was fit and not lazy,. (right?)

It didn't get cut during the energy crisis of the 70's (the trams used a different fuel but that crisis created inflation that impacted all parts of the economy).

It didn't get cut after 9/11.

It didn't get cut after the economy tanked a decade ago.

Financially, by comparison, Disney's doing way better than it was through those truly tough times and I'm fairly certain that if this were just a financial downturn, they wouldn't have been able to get away with this because people would have cried foul the moment they tried to stop running them while charging full price.

They're just taking advantage of a situation because the longer they can delay bringing them back, the more easy profit they can pocket. COVID was the easy excuse (and possibly legit reason) initially but silence on the matter is their only "excuse", today.

They'll have to bring them back. It's just a matter of how long they can get away with the current situation and the truly aggravating part is, when they do finally do it, I'm sure there will be a celebratory blog post about it like there was some actual invisible force preventing it all this time that has "magically" lifted.

 

[Chi84]

My experience with them was definitely not during peak holiday times but it was generally weekend days. I don’t know if that made a difference. The resorts all had significant parking capacity shortages in the years following 9/11 due to decreased air travel so that may have been the catalyst. I know I received one at WL, Poly, CR, BW, and YC.

The ones with easiest access to the parks and smaller lots. Makes sense.

 

[MrPromey]

We’ve taken 2 or 3 trips every year throughout the 2000’s, stayed at OKW, SSR and Kidani. We’ve also gone to dinner at the Contemporary, Polynesian, GF, Boardwalk and Yacht and Beach Clubs and we’ve never seen a 3-hour parking pass. Maybe this is something that was done during busy times like Christmas or Easter?

I obviously can’t say it never happened, but it seems strange that we could have visited so many times and places without ever once being given a time limit on parking for dinner. But of all the resorts, we visited the Poly least often and WL only once or twice.

Over the years, I've both gotten them and not.

Offhand, I'll say where I specifically remember getting them was at the Monorail resorts. They were on bright paper you were supposed to put on your dash.

I recall going to YC to go to Beaches and Cream and was initially told at the gate that no non-resort staying parking was available due to them being busy. Then they asked if we were AP holders. I said yes and they waved us through with no parking pass for our dash.

I'm pretty sure, the thought there was to prevent their resort guest parking from filling up during a holiday season with people trying to avoid paying for parking at Epcot but we already got the parking so they knew we weren't trying to take advantage.

I imagine they were/are probably used more as a deterrent than an actual system to work off of, though.

 

[bcoachable]

I’ve never jumped on a tram- not once…
My beef is with the decision to not do things right (any longer) for the sake of saving a dime. It is the opposite strategy to what made the place so awesome for years…
Remember the stories of Kalogridis drying off the grass for the party after a rain shower?? Show me these moments today…
This is example “739” in the list of Chap-enomics that is so disturbing to the old guard.
(Edit to say ewww- I just called myself old Gaurd…)

 

[castlecake2.0]

I’ve never jumped on a tram- not once…
My beef is with the decision to not do things right (any longer) for the sake of saving a dime. It is the opposite strategy to what made the place so awesome for years…
Remember the stories of Kalogridis drying off the grass for the party after a rain shower?? Show me these moments today…
This is example “739” in the list of Chap-enomics that is so disturbing to the old guard.
(Edit to say ewww- I just called myself old Gaurd…)

The sad thing is that at park level I’m sure they still want to do these things, but corporate level isn’t giving them the money to.

 

[EeyoreFan#24]

Not "Disney" technically, but I remember the guard asking and issuing 3 hour passes at the Swan and Dolphin in the 90's. If I remember correctly, it was a (yellow?) paper for your dashboard.

No knowledge on this one, but I'd be shocked if Disney tows any cars from resorts for just a violation of resort parking rules. I would think they would need to pose some sort of hazard or major violation/issue.

 

[doctornick]

I haven’t read through the thread fully but I’ve kinda assumed that the issue with running the trams is being able to find/hire qualified drivers. Don’t you need a CDL to drive a tram? And haven’t they had issues with hiring drivers to the extent that they’ve had to contract outside bus arrives to try to achieve the level of bus service needed?

If that’s the case - and I’m not saying it is because I don’t know - then I could understand prioritizing adequate bus service over running the trams.

 

[Chi84]

I haven’t read through the thread fully but I’ve kinda assumed that the issue with running the teams is being able to find/hire qualified drivers. Don’t you need a CDL to drive and haven’t they had issues with hiring drivers to the extent that they’ve had to contract outside bus arrives to try to achieve the level of bus service needed.

If that’s the case - and I’m not saying it is because I don’t know - then I could understand prioritizing adequate bus service over running the trams.

You haven’t been keeping up. There are nationwide labor shortages everywhere except at WDW. There, all the issues are attributable to greed. There are plenty of union workers ready to go back to work. Why worry about that piddling CDL thing?

 

[RoadiJeff]

Little extra try twice the regular rate 50 bucks

My point is they are not forcing anyone to have to walk a long way. There are other options if someone wants to pay for it. Plus, that $50 is reduced to $25 if they are staying on Disney property. Normally free parking, just have to pay the upcharge for premium.

 

[RoadiJeff]

I have never been given any parking pass of any sort while dining at a resort I was not staying at including this year. What resort and year was this?

I had a dinner reservation at Shula's in the Dolphin earlier this month. I was not staying there but they gave me a paper to scan as I exited the lot so I would not be charged for parking. The posted charge for a non-guest parking at the Dolphin is $29.

 

[Bullseye1967]

It was done off and on throughout the 2000’s at all deluxe resorts except AKL. I still have one from WL and the Poly somewhere

Maybe early 2000s at select times. It was never a regular thing.

 

[matt9112]

Not at the resorts. Because then you're making it far more difficult for those who are staying there or who have dining reservations to find a parking spot.

Maybe for deluxe....how many tines is the port Orleans lot full? Or all stars? Etc your charging for something that was free for longer than i have been alive. Besides they can afford to have secure lots while still not charging guests with rooms. Heck its free to park if you are just popping in for dinner etc. Thats who you should be charging. Not the people spending thousands already.

 

[peter11435]

Maybe early 2000s at select times. It was never a regular thing.

Regular enough that I received one nearly a dozen times.

But it’s irrelevant now because they no longer give them out anyway. However, if you ask the security guard if you can park and go to a park I assure you they will say no.

 

[ImperfectPixie]

Maybe for deluxe....how maby tines is the port irleans lot full? Or all stars? Etc your charging for something that was free for longer than i have been alive. Besides they can afford to have secure lots while still not charging guests with rooms. Heck its free to park if you are just popping in for dinner etc. Thats who you should be charging. Not the people soending thousands already.

That's ridiculous. They'd lose too much dining revenue.

 

[matt9112]

That's ridiculous. They'd lose too much dining revenue.

The point is theres no need to charge people staying there.....at all. Dining revenue also shouldn't be some holt spirit the entire
resort is run around. It should be a component of a much larger strategy. Your point is only valid because of industry norms....the same reason they decided they can charge for hotel parking. Society has determined its ok to park for free if your eating but not if your renting a room. In places where parking is a Commodity i can get behind it. Where not in that place....its simply a case of money being left on the table....for decades...