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RUMOR: Free parking coming to WDW
- Thread starter Skyway
- Start date
I do not think park attendance would rise that drastically due to free parking. Parking lot capacity most surely would rise but it might also be believed in other places (ie DTD and the resorts)
Your point of the resorts attendance is however completely valid. This is shaving off a perk of being a resort guest. Disney would definitely need to look into how this would effect resort attendance.
If I had to guess the effect would be fairly minimal. Personally the $11 per day parking has never been a make or break factor on deciding on weather I stay on property or not. Now if the dynamic switched the other way (resort guest no longer get free parking) then I might think a bit differently.
slappy magoo
Well-Known Member
If it looked like I was arguing that free parking would increase attendance, then I'm sorry; it was not my intent. I was only arguing that it may result in more cars entering the lots. Fewer people jamming themselves into one car, being uncomfotable and unsafe for however long it takes them to get to WDW from where they are. Fewer off-site visitors taking advantage of their hotel's shuttle service. Stuff like that.
However, the more I think about it, the more it's possible...POSSIBLE, that free parking might increase revenue elsewhere. People staying off-property probably factor in the cost of parking when determining where to stay. Paying for parking is worth it, for these people, when you consider what you're saving by not staying at a WDW resort. But if, on top of that, they're saving $11/day, that might be an incentive for ONE more day in the parks (and one more potential day of meals, drinks, soveneirs, etc.), or maybe even adding a previously unplanned day at one of the water parks or Pleasure Island.
However, considering that people are saving 11 bucks a carload, NOT a bucks a head, I don't think there would be enough people opting to spend that money in the parks or extending their stay to warrant the money lost elsewhere, like people not opting to stay onsite.
In regards to your last point, while it's a similar rob-Peter-to-pay-Paul scenario, I'd suspect that the cost of parking is essentially "rolled in" to the WDW resort fees. If they wanted to start charging resort guests to pay for parking at the theme parks, they'd probably hide it in an increase of the room rate so they could still advertise "stay at a WDW resort and never pay for parking at any of the theme parks!"
And in closing, please remember, a: there's no verfication for this rumor, and b: April 1st is a week away.
LudwigVonDrake
Well-Known Member
Can I ask where the initial info came from? Any of us can say "Free Parking..." and move on. Where did the OP hear this information from?
slappy magoo
Well-Known Member
From a new guy! As an impeccable a source of info as monorail drivers & Disney Store employees! :lol:
LudwigVonDrake
Well-Known Member
It must be so... :ROFLOL:
MIDisneyFamily
Member
.....and real aliens are going to visit Space Mountain too............
I heard this rumor from several upper-level cast members. Not bus drivers, but not Team Disney execs, either. I, too, take it with a grain of salt, but I knew it would be an interesting subject to debate.
I really don't think eliminating parking fees will greatly impact the number of cars in a lot. My guess is that it might increase slightly, only because there is less incentive to "cheat" and park in hotel lots (you know it happens!) Most Disney visitors arrive by airline, and the Magical Express bus service has reduced the number of rental cars on property. Off-property hotel guests will likely continue to use their hotel's free shuttle out of convenience (I doubt many take those shuttles simply to save eleven bucks. They like having a chauffeur who knows where to go!) On-property hotel guests already have the option of free theme park parking, but most use Disney transportation for that same convenience. I also doubt there are many visitors stuffing friends in the trunk amd jamming 50 people in a car to minimize parking fees. (after all, there are plenty of other ways to "cheat" and park free in the main lots. That very big breech on the west side of the MK lot comes to mind, for those who know about it!)
I disagree with those who think the parking price keeps the lots under control. The parking price does not deter visitors--the admission price does. XX-thousand visitors are coming to the parks on any given day regardless of parking price. They must leave their cars SOMEWHERE. Plus, eleven bucks is such a small amount of money compared to what they will spend in tickets, food, lodging, and souvenirs. (Thats why it would be so easy to bury that fee in an higher-priced admission ticket).
I also don't think eliminating parking fees will disrupt traffic flow. Disney is the world experts in crowd control. Assuming that the number of cars remains about the same, those cars still have to drive down the entrance road, and they still have to pull into an individual parking spot. Today you must wait in line at the parking plaza, and then wait again to get into a spot. With the parking plaza gone, you'll still have to wait for the same number of cars to get their spots before you get yours.
And of course, Disney thrives on customer service. I assume they'd still have CM's directing traffic and answering questions. They just won't be taking money-and not as many will be needed.
I really don't think eliminating parking fees will greatly impact the number of cars in a lot. My guess is that it might increase slightly, only because there is less incentive to "cheat" and park in hotel lots (you know it happens!) Most Disney visitors arrive by airline, and the Magical Express bus service has reduced the number of rental cars on property. Off-property hotel guests will likely continue to use their hotel's free shuttle out of convenience (I doubt many take those shuttles simply to save eleven bucks. They like having a chauffeur who knows where to go!) On-property hotel guests already have the option of free theme park parking, but most use Disney transportation for that same convenience. I also doubt there are many visitors stuffing friends in the trunk amd jamming 50 people in a car to minimize parking fees. (after all, there are plenty of other ways to "cheat" and park free in the main lots. That very big breech on the west side of the MK lot comes to mind, for those who know about it!)
I disagree with those who think the parking price keeps the lots under control. The parking price does not deter visitors--the admission price does. XX-thousand visitors are coming to the parks on any given day regardless of parking price. They must leave their cars SOMEWHERE. Plus, eleven bucks is such a small amount of money compared to what they will spend in tickets, food, lodging, and souvenirs. (Thats why it would be so easy to bury that fee in an higher-priced admission ticket).
I also don't think eliminating parking fees will disrupt traffic flow. Disney is the world experts in crowd control. Assuming that the number of cars remains about the same, those cars still have to drive down the entrance road, and they still have to pull into an individual parking spot. Today you must wait in line at the parking plaza, and then wait again to get into a spot. With the parking plaza gone, you'll still have to wait for the same number of cars to get their spots before you get yours.
And of course, Disney thrives on customer service. I assume they'd still have CM's directing traffic and answering questions. They just won't be taking money-and not as many will be needed.
bgraham34
Well-Known Member
They have and I have seen them....:drevil:
Oh yeah, and is free parking really considered a "perk" for current resort guests? To me, that is like saying the free soap bars and shampoo are also "perks" for staying at a Disney resort. I don't recall Disney ever advertising "free parking" for hotel guests. They do promote free Disney transportation, which to me is a "perk" since they're giving you a unique service other hotels can't provide.
I doubt Disney resort guests choose a 200-dollar-a-night room just to avoid $11 in parking. Likewise, I doubt many will say "No fair! How come he gets to park for free? That's MY privledge! (of couse, hotel guests might not like knowing that the parking fee is "rolled in" to their admission ticket. But Im sure Disney would never publicly admit that! They'll say they want to help visitors in these tough economic times by eliminating parking--while simultaneously raising prices!)
I doubt Disney resort guests choose a 200-dollar-a-night room just to avoid $11 in parking. Likewise, I doubt many will say "No fair! How come he gets to park for free? That's MY privledge! (of couse, hotel guests might not like knowing that the parking fee is "rolled in" to their admission ticket. But Im sure Disney would never publicly admit that! They'll say they want to help visitors in these tough economic times by eliminating parking--while simultaneously raising prices!)
monorailguy01
New Member
I really do not understand why people complain about paying what is it 10 doller to park.. I mean If you drive to every park yeah its a waste of money but if you park at the TTC and take the buses and monorail everywhere I would say the 10 dollers is well worth it.
Disneys park ticket prices are crazy to begin with there is no need to jack them up if free parking comes into effect.
Disneys park ticket prices are crazy to begin with there is no need to jack them up if free parking comes into effect.
Rufus T Firefly
Well-Known Member
I think it even more likely that they'll raise both ticket prices and parking fees. :animwink:
phenom1307
New Member
they do that anyway...i work in parking and we're told to tell them that they are allowed to use them
GrimGhost
Member
Just off the top of my head here, but I'm thinking that Disney has been monitoring/controlling parking to some extent for quite a while as a resort guest. Why else am I offered a parking permit every time I check in and explained the benefits of such?
raven
Well-Known Member
You'd be surprised at the info us employees of The Disney Store come across. Most of us don't take what we hear from guests as official news but we look into the rumors to see if there is any truth to it. People always think we are "in the know" so we try to find out everything. That's why there are so many of us on these boards.
hrcollectibles
Active Member
It doesn't really matter to me if they do not charge for parking. Being an annual pass holder that is one of the perks. I just don't see them not charging for parking. I mean could you imagain a packed park at christmas time with no attendants there would be madness I tell ya madness .. traffic backed up for miles
Disney would get two things out of ending the parking fee...1) publicity, and 2) eliminate the cost of manning the toll booths. Both are probably substantive, but not huge.
What they would lose is the parking revenue (which, of course, they could attempt to recoup through a MYW pass increase), one of the ways in which they reduce the necessary size of parking lots, and one of the benefits of staying on site.
While I doubt anybody chooses the Poly to avoid an $11 parking fee, there are some who would factor the parking savings into their choice of the $80 ASM room vs. off-site, so it seems to me the impact here will be at the Values. As for the parking revenue, it seems to me that this would be a substantial amount of money, far more than the cost of manning the toll booths. Unless Disney believe the publicity is worth a heckuva lot in increased attendance overall, I just don't see them doing this. But I've been wrong before.
What they would lose is the parking revenue (which, of course, they could attempt to recoup through a MYW pass increase), one of the ways in which they reduce the necessary size of parking lots, and one of the benefits of staying on site.
While I doubt anybody chooses the Poly to avoid an $11 parking fee, there are some who would factor the parking savings into their choice of the $80 ASM room vs. off-site, so it seems to me the impact here will be at the Values. As for the parking revenue, it seems to me that this would be a substantial amount of money, far more than the cost of manning the toll booths. Unless Disney believe the publicity is worth a heckuva lot in increased attendance overall, I just don't see them doing this. But I've been wrong before.
MonkeyHeadCup
New Member
I think you may have heard the rumor wrong. The way I heard it, they're not eliminating parking fees - they're eliminating Parking... you will no longer be permitted to park anywhere on Disney property.