Shades of Green charging for Parking

[penni4963]

Dear Future Guest:

We know you are looking forward to your upcoming visit to Shades of Green. This letter is to notify you of a recent change to a Shades of Green policy. It is our responsibility to ensure the safety and security of our guests and the vehicles parked on our property.

Shades of Green will implement a nominal parking fee for our guests and visitors. Effective April 1, 2005, the following parking fees will apply:

Self Parking

$3.00 per day

Valet Service

$3.00 per day (parking fee) plus $5.00 usage fee*

* Valet usage fee allows unlimited valet (in and out) for 1 calendar day.

If you will be parking a vehicle at Shades of Green during your stay, you will be charged a fee per day to do so. Please understand, providing the best possible service and maintaining the highest standards of security for our guests is our main objective.

We hope you enjoy your stay at Shades of Green and we look forward to seeing you soon.

Kindest regards,

The Shades of Green Staff<!-- / message --><!-- sig -->
​

 

[sophiesmom]

Yes, those that patronize SoG do support it since it is self sustaining. The renovations need to be paid for somehow. Military members and their families have no problems paying their own way and do expect to pay for recreation. They have all chosen the life style as have their families. For officer and sr enlisted families the change is small enough to not really show up on the radar for them. Those families quite often stay at value and or moderates for the same price or less. Young enlisted families are another story. It is often hard for them to survive on what they are paid and every extra dollar that goes into the hotel bill makes it harder for them to have fun in the parks...one less Mickey ice cream for their child. And they can usually stay at SoG for less then a value.
They are the ones that concern me.

All I am saying is that it is a big jump all at once and especially when you do not have to pay at any Disney owned resorts to self park. Valet parking is not needed but if you drive in you have to park. And the parking there is very inconveient from one half of the hotel. Not an easy feat with small ones.

This would not be an issue really if the management of SoG was improving areas of service. It has been declining steadily and many service members have not been happy with their stay. Its a shame all the way around. A Disney vacation is suppossed to be fun!

I could not agree with you more. My husband is an officer and having to pay an extra 30 for us to park is no big isue but it could be a for a lower enlisted solider. I think some of the comments from a few of you were rude and a little insensative. My husband is deployed right now and it his job and I will never complain about it. I did not really realize that the military was such a burden on the tax payers.

 

[ACE]

I don't believe it.

There are no "deals" at Shades of Green. You pay a certain rate based on rank. $76 per night for a standard room for E-1 through E-5. Shades of Green is comparable to a Deluxe Disney resort, but at the cost of a value resort.

So what's the better deal - paying $70 something a night to squeeze like sardines into a value resort or paying $70 something a night to get a gigantic room at Shades of Green? I don't see how a value resort could possibly be a better deal.

I also wanted to comment on this statement


A little off topic, but I don't think that statement applies to much of the military anymore. They've raised pay rates quite a bit in the last few years. When I got married in 1999 my husband was an E-3, we lived in base housing and hardly made any money. We lived on Ramen Noodles for the most part, once we had to take out a $100 loan from Navy Relief to buy groceries. But things have changed a lot since then. An E-1 out of boot camp living in base housing is now making over $1,500 a month (keep in mind - no rent, no electric, no water bills). If that person is deployed to Iraq they are making over $2,000 a month tax free (without having to pay water, electric, or rent). Remember an E-1 is usually a 17 or 18 year old kid. Most guys are not E-1's for very long, after leaving boot camp most have made it to E-3 within a couple years. An E-3 living in base housing makes about $1814 per month, living out of base housing makes about $2,400 per month. Add another $625 and make his income tax free if he's in Iraq. My husband will be an E-6 this Fall, if he were to get sent to Iraq we'd make about $4,300 a month tax free.

I think 6 years ago I would agree that the military gets paid crap for what they do, but things have improved a TON in the last several years. If a guy gets deployed to Iraq for 6 months and the wife sets aside all the danger pay, hazardous duty pay, and seperation pay while he's gone, that will be enough to fund a pretty awesome Disney vacation when he gets back! I am so glad that those putting their lives on the line are finally getting paid decently for it!

Are you sure about the money being tax free? The only Combat Zone Tax Exclusion I could find was for Officers not Enlisted.

Also that E-3 who makes $2400 a month has to have a family to make that much. This means the E-3 only makes $28800 a year and and has to support a household and family on wages that the gov't considers under the poverty level. So the little price increases do make a difference to some.

Military pay, even though it's better, has never kept up with inflation or the private sector, but most of us who stay until retirement don't stay for the money.

Also on a side note. You said "If a guy gets deployed to Iraq for 6 months and the wife sets aside all the danger pay, hazardous duty pay, and seperation pay while he's gone, that will be enough to fund a pretty awesome Disney vacation when he gets back!". Well that's if he or she comes back or comes back in one piece. If they don't then the money isn't worth the paper it's printed on.

Just my 2 cents.
:wave: ACE

 

[Debbie]

I think some of the comments from a few of you were rude and a little insensative. My husband is deployed right now and it his job and I will never complain about it. I did not really realize that the military was such a burden on the tax payers.

As a proud American, I can assure you that the military is NOT a burden on us tax payers; just the desensitized ones. I wish you and your family all the best as I believe most of us don't realize the impact of a love one being sent to a hostile environment and living day to day; praying that they can just come home safely to the arms of their loved ones. As far as rude and insensitive; I hate seeing folks bash this war and remove the focus off of getting our citizens back safe and sound. Whatever misgivings I have from time to time; I keep to myself.
Peace,
Deb

 

[Gail Hayden]

I did not really realize that the military was such a burden on the tax payers

That is a pretty big leap. No one here has said anything like that at all. I hate this war, but, do not hate the ones being sent over there to fight it. I pray they all return, safely and in one piece.

 

[markc]

I think a lot of you are taking this a little too far here. It's a $3 a day charge for parking; this isn't going to make or break anybody's vacation (putting it in perspective, the maximum most people would have to pay for a week long vacation is $21). I think it's a safe bet to say that anybody who can afford to take their family to Disney World, can afford an extra $3 a day without having to pinch too many pennies or worry about breaking the bank.

Nobody likes extra additional charges, and I'd be frustrated by this addition if it were me who had to pay it, however I would not lose any sleep over it or give it as much attention as some of you have. As long as it stays at $3, that's more than a fair price to park your car.

 

[Gail Hayden]

Yes, those that patronize SoG do support it since it is self sustaining. The renovations need to be paid for somehow. Military members and their families have no problems paying their own way and do expect to pay for recreation. They have all chosen the life style as have their families. For officer and sr enlisted families the change is small enough to not really show up on the radar for them. Those families quite often stay at value and or moderates for the same price or less. Young enlisted families are another story. It is often hard for them to survive on what they are paid and every extra dollar that goes into the hotel bill makes it harder for them to have fun in the parks...one less Mickey ice cream for their child. And they can usually stay at SoG for less then a value.
They are the ones that concern me.

All I am saying is that it is a big jump all at once and especially when you do not have to pay at any Disney owned resorts to self park. Valet parking is not needed but if you drive in you have to park. And the parking there is very inconveient from one half of the hotel. Not an easy feat with small ones.

This would not be an issue really if the management of SoG was improving areas of service. It has been declining steadily and many service members have not been happy with their stay. Its a shame all the way around. A Disney vacation is suppossed to be fun!

If the military community is unhappy with SOG, are they writing to someone in the DOD to express thier concerns?
I am concerned for anyone wanting to take a Disney Vacation that is on the low earning scale. Most of the parking for a lot of the resorts is very inconveient for guests, including the ones with little children. Look at the Contemp, BW,GF,POR/FQ etc. etc. etc. People somehow manage.

 

[sophiesmom]

Are you sure about the money being tax free? The only Combat Zone Tax Exclusion I could find was for Officers not Enlisted.

Also that E-3 who makes $2400 a month has to have a family to make that much. This means the E-3 only makes $28800 a year and and has to support a household and family on wages that the gov't considers under the poverty level. So the little price increases do make a difference to some.

Military pay, even though it's better, has never kept up with inflation or the private sector, but most of us who stay until retirement don't stay for the money.

Also on a side note. You said "If a guy gets deployed to Iraq for 6 months and the wife sets aside all the danger pay, hazardous duty pay, and seperation pay while he's gone, that will be enough to fund a pretty awesome Disney vacation when he gets back!". Well that's if he or she comes back or comes back in one piece. If they don't then the money isn't worth the paper it's printed on.

Just my 2 cents.



:wave: ACE

Both enlisted and officers are tax exempt while the are there. They do however continue to pay social security and medicare.

 

[ACE]

Both enlisted and officers are tax exempt while the are there. They do however continue to pay social security and medicare.

Where are you getting this? I just looked at the 2005 pay table and it shows it for Officers but not Enlisted. Not disagreeing with you but after spending 20 years in the military I like to see things in writing.

:wave: ACE

 

[sophiesmom]

Where are you getting this? I just looked at the 2005 pay table and it shows it for Officers but not Enlisted. Not disagreeing with you but after spending 20 years in the military I like to see things in writing.

:wave: ACE

I am getting this becasue my husband deployed as we speak. I have sat through countless FRg meetings where the Rear D finance NCO goes over all of the entitlements. All deployed soliders enlisted and commisioned officers that are participating in OEF and OIF are all exempt of state and federal taxes.

 

[Woody13]

I don't believe it.

There are no "deals" at Shades of Green. You pay a certain rate based on rank. $76 per night for a standard room for E-1 through E-5. Shades of Green is comparable to a Deluxe Disney resort, but at the cost of a value resort.

So what's the better deal - paying $70 something a night to squeeze like sardines into a value resort or paying $70 something a night to get a gigantic room at Shades of Green? I don't see how a value resort could possibly be a better deal.

Most of the military people that I know go to WDW during the value season and they either get the Florida resident discount or the AP discount. Therefore they only pay $49.00 per night (plus tax) at any of the value resorts.

As you stated, there are no deals or discounts to be had at SoG. You pay the going rate year round if you desire to stay there and $76.00 per night is still too expensive for some people.

As for the sardine analogy, many people go to WDW to enjoy the parks. The room is used to sleep, bathe and change clothes. As one fellow told me, "All I want is plenty of hot water and a toilet".

I personally like the bus system better at SoG. Unlike the other resorts, the buses at SoG run on a set schedule rather than the dynamic system. The SoG buses operate in a similar manner to the Hotel Plaza Blvd. bus system.

 

[Gail Hayden]

I am getting this becasue my husband deployed as we speak. I have sat through countless FRg meetings where the Rear D finance NCO goes over all of the entitlements. All deployed soliders enlisted and commisioned officers that are participating in OEF and OIF are all exempt of state and federal taxes.

IMHO, that is the least they can do.

 

[Woody13]

Really is that how you feel? Why don't you leave your family and children for months at a time, and put yourself in harms way to serve your country. Nice comment!!!!! You really could have left off the last 2 sentences.

Sorry, I did not mean to offend you. WDW has been very generous in allowing the DoD to own and operate SoG.

SoG is owned by the U.S. Army, but they lease the land on which SoG is located from WDW. WDW has the option to revoke the land lease and buy back the property if they desire. The U.S. Army decided to build that 600 space indoor parking garage and someone has to pay for that amenity.

Complain to the U.S. Army and the DoD if you are upset with how SoG is operated. That is all.

 

[sophiesmom]

Sorry, I did not mean to offend you. WDW has been very generous in allowing the DoD to own and operate SoG.

SoG is owned by the U.S. Army, but they lease the land on which SoG is located from WDW. WDW has the option to revoke the land lease and buy back the property if they desire. The U.S. Army decided to build that 600 space indoor parking garage and someone has to pay for that amenity.

Complain to the U.S. Army and the DoD if you are upset with how SoG is operated. That is all.

I proablly just took it the wrong way!!!! Your right Disney has been very generous ann I have absolutley no compliants. IMOP that if 30 dollars for parking is going to be a major issue then maybe you should rethink spending so much money for a vacation and maybe wait until you can save more money.

 

[Nicole]

Well I am staying at SoG for two nights next week (I called on Friday, got a room for Tues/Wed, how cool is that!) for $112 a night (my son is 18 so we have to pay $15 extra for him.) Compare that to the $296 AP rate I'm paying for ONE night at the Beach Club and I say charge me the $3 for parking!

Of course let me say that calling on the Friday before Easter wanting a room for 5 anywhere on WDW the next week is an adventure - the gal at CRO actually laughed with me when I told her what I was looking for.

 

[Chrisxtwo]

Where are you getting this? I just looked at the 2005 pay table and it shows it for Officers but not Enlisted. Not disagreeing with you but after spending 20 years in the military I like to see things in writing.

Go to the IRS website or Google and type in "Combat Zone Tax Exemption". It will list the countries that are included. It actually extends beyond Iraq and Afghanistan. It is applied to enlisted and officers (commissioned and warrant). There is a limit on higher ranking officers (0-7 and higher I think).

As for the parking, it's $3. Better than parking at the parks.