News WDW Resorts to add fees for parking

[The Visionary Soul]

Well, I know it's been a while, but now I'm back with some new news. I wish I could say it was good news, but I don't know how to see this as anything but bad.

WDW, by leadership of Bob Chapek, is planning to start charging resort fees and parking fees at all WDW resorts. They should begin as soon as new parking gate systems are installed. The thinking here is that Disneyland has charged for parking at the hotels for a long while now, and many other hotels around WDW also charge for parking. The resort fees are also the "industry standard" so the management believes that they will be able to get away with those with no worries.

From what I understand as far as resort parking:
The first 30 minutes will be free. $5/hr after that up to a max of $30.
Daily overnight self-parking will be $30 at the resorts. Valet will be raised to $50.
Although there is no validation planned currently for eating or shopping at the resort, evidently Tables in Wonderland members will still receive free valet parking, though that isn't set in stone.

The resort fees have not been decided upon yet, or if they have, the prices haven't leaked to me. If you have information about the fees or anything else, please drop me a message. I'm sure this thrills all of you as much as it does me.

UPDATE MARCH 14 2018
Disney to begin charging for overnight self-parking at its Walt Disney World Resort hotels

 

[Hakunamatata]

 

[Siren]

Well, I know it's been a while, but now I'm back with some new news. I wish I could say it was good news, but I don't know how to see this as anything but bad.

WDW, by leadership of Bob Chapek, is planning to start charging resort fees and parking fees at all WDW resorts. They should begin as soon as new parking gate systems are installed. The thinking here is that Disneyland has charged for parking at the hotels for a long while now, and many other hotels around WDW also charge for parking. The resort fees are also the "industry standard" so the management believes that they will be able to get away with those with no worries.

From what I understand as far as resort parking:
The first 30 minutes will be free. $5/hr after that up to a max of $30.
Daily overnight self-parking will be $30 at the resorts. Valet will be raised to $50.
Although there is no validation planned currently for eating or shopping at the resort, evidently Tables in Wonderland members will still receive free valet parking, though that isn't set in stone.

The resort fees have not been decided upon yet, or if they have, the prices haven't leaked to me. If you have information about the fees or anything else, please drop me a message. I'm sure this thrills all of you as much as it does me.

Oh, the horror of it all. I just hate having to pay money for things on my luxury vacation. Seriously, I could have sworn that Disney already charged resort fees.

I don't see the big deal and the other resorts do this for a reason. So, why not Disney?

 

[JenniferS]

Oh, the horror of it all. I just hate having to pay money for things on my luxury vacation. Seriously, I could have sworn that Disney already charged resort fees.

I don't see the big deal and the other resorts do this for a reason. So, why not Disney?

Seriously Siren? That is an incredibly lame response - even for you.

 

[rob0519]

Since we're not paying resort fees now, what additional amenities will be added to suddenly justify a resort fee? Adding $50-$100 a day to the already outrageous resort prices may just be enough for me to call it quits for another year or two.

 

[The Visionary Soul]

Since we're not paying resort fees now, what additional amenities will be added to suddenly justify a resort fee? Adding $50-$100 a day to the already outrageous resort prices may just be enough for me to call it quits for another year or two.

I didn't say anything about additional amenities.

 

[rob0519]

I didn't say anything about additional amenities.

I know you didn't. The point of my comment is what does the customer get for the new fee that we're not getting now? My guess is nothing. Which is why I think it's time for my family to stay away for another few years. When we go, we get two rooms at a monorail resort. Resort fees on top of already insane room rates would just add anywhere from $400 to $1,000 a week for absolutely no more than I get now. Plus jacking valet to $50 a day is just an added insult.

 

[Mike S]

Of course they are.

 

[Creathir]

Just raise the damn ticket price if ya need to make more money. This nickel and diming business is for the birds.

It's just like bag fees on an airline. Just charge more for the stinking seat.

At least the airlines have a valid excuse: competition drove them to it keep the fare low.

A Disney vacation is not exactly in competition with much else...

 

[ExtraTERRORestrial]

Apologies if I misread the OP, but does this mean people staying at WDW resorts have to pay parking now as well? As in, they will no longer offer those printed parking passes to put on your dash when you check in?

 

[Cosmic Commando]

Resort fees should be illegal. Any mandatory fees should be included in the room rate. I was starting to get the itch for another trip, but this will nip that in the bud. The parking fee alone is outrageous.

 

[sxeensweet]

Apologies if I misread the OP, but does this mean people staying at WDW resorts have to pay parking now as well? As in, they will no longer offer those printed parking passes to put on your dash when you check in?

The printed parking pass is for the parks to get free parking and to know you are a resort guest, and this new possible fee is for parking at the resorts not the parks. Parking at parks will probably stay free if staying onsite but now if you have a car though you will possibly pay the nightly fee at your resort. Most non Disney hotels across the US charge parking fees at the hotels nightly if you have a car so this would not surprise me and it is probably to crack down on people parking at resorts they are not staying at to avoid paying parking at the parks etc that stay offsite. The good have to suffer for the bad. We always drive but are DVC members and would be nice if they allow us to park for free still at the resorts if this happens and avoid resort fees too. We shall see.

 

[Bolna]

I think would also be a great argument for selling DVC. At DL and Aulani, DVC members staying on points don't pay for parking. I see no way how they would justify charging DVC members parking and resort fees at WDW considering that they pay for the use of amenities and their upkeep through their annual dues. So, the "savings" for DVC members will be even better.

 

[djlaosc]

Guess this means that we will no longer be hiring a car - we are not paying $300-$420 to park a car in the middle of our holidays. The parking will be more than the cost to hire the car in the first place!

However, it will not stop us going off-site - we will just start using taxis instead.

As for the resort fee, that could push us to stay off-site.

 

[Siren]

Seriously Siren? That is an incredibly lame response - even for you.

Fine. I'll take this as a compliment.

The OP has stated that resort fees are the industry standard. Disney finally seems to want their resorts to meet the standards of the Four Seasons, so we can expect to pay the fees associated with that.

However, I can't recall ever paying resort fees at the Four Seasons unless this is something very new.

No one wants to pay more for anything, myself included. But, it has already been stated that Disney plans to improve mousekeeping and upgrade the overall service and quality at their resorts. This is a good thing -- but, unfortunately it takes money.

Just raise the damn ticket price if ya need to make more money. This nickel and diming business is for the birds.

It's just like bag fees on an airline. Just charge more for the stinking seat.

At least the airlines have a valid excuse: competition drove them to it keep the fare low.

A Disney vacation is not exactly in competition with much else...

Very well said. I totally agree.

Resort fees should be illegal. Any mandatory fees should be included in the room rate. I was starting to get the itch for another trip, but this will nip that in the bud. The parking fee alone is outrageous.

I agree that the fees should be included in the room rate. But, please don't cancel your trip over parking fees.

It costs $50 to park just for a couple of hours at the ball park.

I think Disney will have to justify the resort fees with added amenities like bottled water, morning paper and mini bar goodies or some kind of voucher. I think.

 

[Stitchon]

I think Disney will have to justify the resort fees with added amenities like bottled water, morning paper and mini bar goodies or some kind of voucher. I think.

They won't.

 

[Spectro]

That would add $300 to our stay. I wonder if ap holders will continue to get free parking or package stays will include this.

 

[Siren]

They won't.

Sigh. Well, we should prepare for the torches and pitchforks. LOL.

Maybe, Disney will make an event of it. $$$

 

[ElreTigo]

Resort fees should be illegal. Any mandatory fees should be included in the room rate.

Agreed.

 

[deeevo]

Not all hotels on Disney property are resorts. They can't possibility charge a resort fee for Pop and All-Star. It's not a resort! Hell you can get those rooms for $80 a night during off peak months. Then they are going to tack on a $20 a night fee (industry standard) and a $30 a day to parking? That sounds a little extreme even for Disney.