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News WDW Resorts to add fees for parking
- Thread starter The Visionary Soul
- Start date
BuddyThomas
Well-Known Member
I mean, correct me if I am wrong but in February, you appeared to advocate for higher pricing to thin the very large crowds. They are doing that....with fees, upcharges, etc.
Some people on here are already saying they are "priced out". I thought that this new move would be appealing to you.......but now, as you say, it's a "tax".
Serious question, not snark: Do you just want them to "price out" the people who can't afford to stay on property?
s8film40
Well-Known Member
Disney doesn’t own the Disney Springs garages, they can’t charge for parking. They do however already offer preferred parking in one of the old lots.
Tick Tock
Well-Known Member
That's because you only receive a subpar parking experience at those resorts.
But when your wheels touch the pavement at a Deluxe resort, you're getting the parking experience of kings; which angels themselves covet. That is why it costs a higher dollar.
If the stock weren't so overvalued, I might do the same. I'm waiting for the bubble to pop, and I'll buy back in at the ~50 range.
Dizknee_Phreek
Well-Known Member
You know, anytime people have mentioned fees for Fastpasses, I've been completely against it. Just ONE more thing for Disney to suck guests dry with. BUT then I experienced Universal's Unlimited Express Pass. And I have to say, it was a far more enjoyable experience than stressing over Fastpasses. I don't know if that system would work for Disney, but I would be all for it if it could. Just the ease of walking up to an attraction and being able to get in the Express line without worrying about return times and all that. I would pay for that.
This parking fee business just seems like "you mean we're letting people park for free when other hotels are making money off of parking spots??" If a fee is charged justifiably, like for a FP or to benefit cast members as someone else said, then fine. I'll happily pay it (or don't, if it's optional). But don't charge me for something that was free just because you want to make as much money off of me as you can.
I can't speak for all of their resorts, but we just stayed at Royal Pacific. We LOVED it! Beautiful resort, and completely comparable to Disney's deluxe resorts. It kept giving me a mix of Polynesian and Adventurers Club vibes. And we got unlimited Express Passes for free for staying there.
monykalyn
Well-Known Member
How are they gonna distinguish between a day resort guest who may not have a band and those who are there? No law requiring every person to ever set foot on property to have a magic band. If they aren't charging for day resort guests then just say you are there to shop, or eat at CS or something.
Mainahman
Well-Known Member
We drive because of the cost to fly. 75 in gas or like 600 in flights. I dont leave, I use disney transportation once im there, yet now i get to pay to park with no additional perks... im sorry i dont like to fly further than i have to, be told what time i am to arrive, what time i have to leave, and what i can bring home..
coasterphil
Well-Known Member
I’m enjoying those of you tangling yourselves into knots trying to explain this away as anything other than a quick and dirty revenue generator. There is no greater goal here other than the tens of millions of dollars that are just sitting there for the taking.
The best part is this revenue pretty much goes straight to the bottom line without incurring any expenses, so it helps them boost those operating margins they are laser focused on. Once you’ve slashed and burned til there’s nothing left you have to go back to the revenue generating ideas.
We’ll see if the inevitable rate increases are enough to feed the beast, or if they move on to adding resort fees as well.
The best part is this revenue pretty much goes straight to the bottom line without incurring any expenses, so it helps them boost those operating margins they are laser focused on. Once you’ve slashed and burned til there’s nothing left you have to go back to the revenue generating ideas.
We’ll see if the inevitable rate increases are enough to feed the beast, or if they move on to adding resort fees as well.
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Tony the Tigger
Well-Known Member
Then it makes even less sense. $55 for a decent enough offsite hotel, not too far, free breakfast and onsite restaurants/pools vs. $70-ish for a FL resident discount value resort at WDW and all their amenities. That extra $13 just about doubles the chasm between the two. So we stay offsite, potentially leaving the WDW room empty, plus eat some meals offsite. 0<20.
I should have appreciated it more when it was free only a few months ago!
flynnibus
Premium Member
I'd wager the largest volume of people staying at the poly/etc are not leaving WDW every day for meals, etc. Are people making grocery runs, etc.. yes. Are people visiting non-WDW... sure. But that kind of traffic isn't the ones leading to mass congestion... or the need to get people off the roads. Where I bet the number of people are using their cars is to avoid being on the buses/etc is far more.. and much more of an impact -- their travel patterns would be a lot more similar with other people on property, etc.
My point being is... simply putting the cash fees as 'just gravy' is disingenuous IMO. They could easily allow people to have cars for all the valid reasons people do and still constrain and even greatly reduce... their churn on property. They KNOW a large portion of their customer base as valid and unchanging reasons to have a car on property. They also know charging an extra $100-150 a trip is going to largely off their customer base.
So why would you put those things together unless the potential $$ outweighs the negative consequences and punishing LEGITIMATE customers who are doing exactly what you want... coming to WDW and staying all week and being loyal. When you said penalize 'everyone' - that's exactly who Disney is penalizing in this choice.
They could easily have moved to a exit pay system with validation options. A model that would allowed 'loyal' guests to have 1 exit for free.. so they never pay for a full length stay. You could add validation for people that actually buy a entree... you could have validation for those that ACTUALLY leave in under 3 hours. This is a proven model that is used WORLD over... Disney has to invent nothing.. and would have achieved the goal of discouraging in/out behavior and avoided penalizing ALL the use cases Disney wants to embrace.
Instead they goto a model that penalizes ALL resort guests... still gives F&B their free parking exception that is impossible to enforce reliably and cheaply.. and lines their pockets with guaranteed revenue week to week.
And we still argue $$ isn't the lead factor? I say baloney.
Remember.. you lead into this not arguing 'strengthing the captive lock on customers' - you said "Get people onto the busses and out from behind the wheel".
DME can do fine on its own for ensuring people are WDW-locked. Penalizing those who go the extra mile to have a car, or need a car.. disney is just giving them the finger.
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flynnibus
Premium Member
Just because you pay maint. fees doesn't mean 'paying for transportation services = must be free'.
slappy magoo
Well-Known Member
But we're not talking "transportation services," we're talking parking. And DVC maintenance fees include maintenance on resort AND grounds, INCLUDING the lot. Which is why parking is "free" for DVC members.
spock8113
Well-Known Member
I read somewhere someone talking about cracks in foundations, this is a big one.
So we're not throwing enough money at you already? (sarcasm, Sheldon.)
Didn't the corporations just get an enormous tax breaks including the corporations that other board members are part of?
These are the chains you forge in life. When do the Hotels get one lump of coal to keep the AC running?
I sure hope no one thinks there's oil or natural gas under Main Street.
In a word, disappointing.
So we're not throwing enough money at you already? (sarcasm, Sheldon.)
Didn't the corporations just get an enormous tax breaks including the corporations that other board members are part of?
These are the chains you forge in life. When do the Hotels get one lump of coal to keep the AC running?
I sure hope no one thinks there's oil or natural gas under Main Street.
In a word, disappointing.
flynnibus
Premium Member
Again... this logic leap has no basis. Just because you are paying for stuff in your fees doesn't mean they can't change or charge for it. Next fiscal they just change what your fees do or do not cover.. and boom.. you start paying out of pocket. I mean, your fees pay for staff and services... that doesn't mean all services are free.
Your fees pay for the DVC lounge at BLT... that doesn't mean it must be free to eat there.
SteveBrickNJ
Well-Known Member
IF you have already booked your stay....or....if you book it PRIOR to the 21st of THIS month....then the parking fees will not apply to you.
The fees are for people who have not yet booked their stay and will take effect for anyone who WAITS to BOOK their stay until March 21st or later. I'm not staying on Disney property until November but my parking at the resort will be free 'cause I BOOKED it last month in February.
I hope this helps you and others as well.
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BoarderPhreak
Well-Known Member
Sure, keep people (and their money) on property - one way or another...
I fly, and because the trips typically involve family in another part of the state, a rental car is a necessary evil. Unfortunately, it means returning the car on the first day at WDW, either before arrival or soon after. Now it's even more important to do that to save the parking fee. I try to rent a car that I can return on property or very nearby both for convenience (mainly time) and saving on a taxi back to WDW.
21stamps
Well-Known Member
I normally don’t disagree with you, but I do here. I know a lot of people who either rent a car upon arrival, or drive. Many of my friends and fam, and me, go other places besides Disney World and Orlando when visiting...most people I know combine it with a week at the ocean.
Horizons '83
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- No
Cool that's your choice. To me, the breakfast is negligible and a mile is too far. To each their own.