News WDW Resorts to add fees for parking

[jbolen2]

Does anyone know if this parking fee will apply at Fort Wilderness campsites and cabins? Since you park where you sleep, I am curious how that would work.

It said complimentary standard parking at the campsites at fort wilderness wilderness for 1 vehicle. Reading in to that it appears the cabins will get charged a Parking fee if they drive a car. I guess they couldn’t figure out how to charge people for there truck pulling the camper in the case that some never unhook it and some that do.

 

[Mainahman]

Every time I go to Titans game, I park downtown near Bridgestone and walk across the bridge. It's a haul, but way cheaper than stadium parking.

We do the same for preds games, however when we had our season tickets last year, it was easier to park at music city center and pay. We don't have them anymore due to cost increases, but yea definitely totally worth that walk!

 

[21stamps]

I mean, I can't speak for everyone. Honestly I was skirting the line already. The values have just become awful in my mind, and with the hikes in Port Orleans the last 3 years (Seriously, I stayed there for $160 3 years ago, it's $280 now), I was only staying on site when I found really good deals. This was my push. Are others there? I think you are seeing that there are some. Are they all serious? Probably not. I like to hope that everyone is and they will see some significant pushback. I doubt it. My guess is when they eventually feel the negative impacts from all these things, Iger will be long gone, and by that point, I'm not sure it will be able to be turned around.

I understand, and I can’t say that I feel too differently regarding this parking fee. However, I also feel this way about everywhere we go. It’s especially noticeable in 2018. I feel like travel this year has become more expensive than ever, with prices raised dramatically, even after a few years of moderate price hikes.

Unless someone wants to avoid travel altogether, fees and high prices have become the norm more than the exception. What may happen is people may leave Disney for a while, realize that everywhere is expensive, and end up coming back.

I stayed at All Stars Sports on the Thursday and Friday before Thanksgiving. It was cheap, @ $270 for 2 nights (including tax)...we arrived @ 9:30pm, only did one park day, slept for a few hours, and left at 5am the next morning.
We didn’t see the pool there, but for the price it was perfect for what we needed.. even adding $13pn to that wouldn’t have been a deal breaker, but it would have been annoying.
When I compared a moderate (POR) to hotels, even airport hotels in Ft Laud or Miami for the same dates, POR looked like a great value. After we left Disney we went to a 5 Star hotel in SoFla one night pre cruise.. we stay there semi frequently, but they truly do nickel and dime you- from parking, to resort fees, to entrance into the spa, none of it is included. Food prices are thru the roof. I’m used to those fees, so I continue to pay them.. I think that’s what will happen at Disney as well. People will grumble (myself included), but they will pay..and eventually just grow accustomed to it.

 

[AshaNeOmah]

We drive from North Georgia (outside of Chattanooga), use our car for the exact same purpose, and have only visited Universal once back in 2012. Haven't seen the need to go back, but it's looking more likely than ever.

or to visit another resort for special meal

This is one reason having a car is nice. Try getting from Animal Kingdom Lodge to dinner at 'Ohana after a mid-afternoon hotel break. You're looking at an hour to get there, as opposed to a maximum of 15 minutes in your own car.

It's just a terrible thing to do to guests when you have such large parking areas at almost every resort. It makes no sense.

 

[Horizons '83]

I don't think you get it. It's not the cost, but the constant nickel and diming that's going on and they aren't even subtle about it anymore.

I don't think you understand. Is the thought that prices and fees will never be instituted or that they will stay flat over time? I understand after a certain point people (very few IMO) will be just frustrated enough, not to stay on property or even not come to WDW all together, but it won't be the majority. There are options to get around almost every fee if it bothers you that much.

 

[IanDLBZF]

It's just a terrible thing to do to guests when you have such large parking areas at almost every resort. It makes no sense.

Some of the monorail resorts don't have that many parking spaces available for the most part (specifically the Polynesian and Grand Floridian).

 

[21stamps]

We drive from North Georgia (outside of Chattanooga), use our car for the exact same purpose, and have only visited Universal once back in 2012. Haven't seen the need to go back, but it's looking more likely than ever.



This is one reason having a car is nice. Try getting from Animal Kingdom Lodge to dinner at 'Ohana after a mid-afternoon hotel break. You're looking at an hour to get there, as opposed to a maximum of 15 minutes in your own car.

It's just a terrible thing to do to guests when you have such large parking areas at almost every resort. It makes no sense.

This is my biggest problem with it. We’ve had a car twice in the past 3 years at Disney.. we left the car parked and used taxis or Uber to get where we needed. If less people pay for a Taxi or Uber, and drive themselves to places like Poly, CR, GF, etc for dining.. then what happens to the guests who are arriving in their own cars? They will now have to drive around longer to find a spot...which is already happening before the parking fee.

It’s just dumb to do it this way. I think it will have to change to “fee for all visitors”. At least at certain resorts. That’s my prediction.

 

[Indy_UK]

See I think part of the strategy is to drive them into dvc.

Look: today we "members" have a brand new "perk" that we did not at breakfast yesterday...and yet nothing changed. Snake oil, basically...

The problem for dvc is that it didn't sell for 10 years and it was a really good deal. And those people are mostly baby boomers and still quite around.

Bob hates them...or even gen Xers like me...

Come to think of it...he actually hates me for two reasons: I also remember what a good Star Wars is supposed to make you feel like

Agreed and the continued steep price rises puts a lot of risk on those looking to buy from now onwards. If food and everything else goes up in price, someone with DVC may have to go every other year, rather than yearly. Then the cost of DVC doesn't become worth it vs OOP. Plus some of these annual dues are steep.

 

[mikejs78]

I don't think you understand. Is the thought that prices and fees will never be instituted or that they will stay flat over time? I understand after a certain point people (very few IMO) will be just frustrated enough, not to stay on property or even not come to WDW all together, but it won't be the majority. There are options to get around almost every fee if it bothers you that much.

I'd be less bothered if they added a fee because something became too expensive to maintain. With parking, I'm not sure where the maintenance cost is for those lots that require them to charge for it. That's why it seems like a real money grab - charging for something that costs practically nothing to run,

Charge cars not attached to people staying at that resort to park. Allow validation for some $$$ amount spent at the resort. Allow guests to park for free. That would have made infinitely more sense to me.

 

[Kingtut]

Probably an unpopular opinion but Disney want you to stay on property. this is to deter you from using a car and visiting the other parks imo. they dont want you spending money elsewhere.

Because anyone who does just disney has no use for a car.

That is right - I am going to push my daughters wheelchair back to Pittsburgh, PA

 

[Mainahman]

That is right - I am going to push my daughters wheelchair back to Pittsburgh, PA

Amen! I can't like this post enough! Plenty of people have a need for cars and don't leave to go elsewhere.

 

[DougK]

As if these parking fees aren't tough enough to deal with let's not forget that these new fees are TODAY'S prices. For example look at Minnie vans. Minnie vans are a still somewhat new service that started at $20 per ride which many people thought was expensive, especially compared to Uber. But that hasn't stopped Disney from ALREADY raising the price for a Minnie van by 25%. There simply is no end. And no amount of complaining or letters to Mr. Iger will get them to change their minds. The only was we can make Disney come to their senses is to stop spending our money at WDW and the only way to do that effectively is to vacation elsewhere. Only at that point will they get the message. And I bet most of us are not going to stop going. Disney management is counting on that!

 

[WondersOfLife]

PLEASE WRITE TO DISNEY IN SOME WAY TO MAKE YOU FEELINGS KNOWN! IT WON'T CHANGE UNTIL ENOUGH GUESTS COMPLAIN ABOUT ALL THE NICKEL AND DIMING! PLEASE WRITE!

You should check out WDW's facebook page about their potato chips. Look at the comments. It is HILARIOUSLY amusing.

 

[Keith2426]

I’ve noticed that many people are trying to justify Disney’s parking fees because other hotels and resorts do it. My family has stayed at the swan and dolphin and we wouldn’t go back due to the parking and resort fees. They may offer a good rate from time to time but after you add daily parking and resort fees the value disappears. I agree with some of the earlier posters that it’s not so much about the money it’s the blatant and overt way Disney shoves these additional charges and price hikes down your throat and basically says tough sh—.
One of the few perks of staying of property was convenience and that has disappeared with crappy, inconsistent bus transportation. Extra magic hours was another “perk” of staying on property and three hour night time extra magic hours have disappeared in lieu of $100+ hard ticket events. In essence, a family of five could pay over $1000.00 for one day admission to Disney park if they choose to pay for an extra magic hours ticketed event. That’s a mortgage payment for most families and as if that’s not a big enough slap in the face you overtly add a parking fee to your already ludicrous admission and hotel rates. Some deluxe resorts are over $600.00 a night and Disney has the nerve to charge for parking on top of that. Poor show Disney.

 

[MuteSuperstar]

You should check out WDW's facebook page about their potato chips. Look at the comments. It is HILARIOUSLY amusing.

Just looked at it. There are a few hapless defenders naturally but this is resulting in more general public backlash than I expected. Loving it.

 

[networkpro]

Has anyone else considered this as mechanism to reduce the average length of stay for guests as the admission price paid per day decreases over time ? Complain about how crowded the parks are getting and then again about strategies implemented to reach those goals ?

 

[lazyboy97o]

Some of the monorail resorts don't have that many parking spaces available for the most part (specifically the Polynesian and Grand Floridian).

A problem that Disney is more than capable of fixing.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I'd be less bothered if they added a fee because something became too expensive to maintain. With parking, I'm not sure where the maintenance cost is for those lots that require them to charge for it. That's why it seems like a real money grab - charging for something that costs practically nothing to run,

Charge cars not attached to people staying at that resort to park. Allow validation for some $$$ amount spent at the resort. Allow guests to park for free. That would have made infinitely more sense to me.

This is as straight cash grab as you're gonna get...it's not to offset operational cost or to fix a problem...it's simple a fee for something that was included or complimentary in the hotel cost since 1971...

And Disneyland really isn't a valid comparable. Time and space does matter.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

A problem that Disney is more than capable of fixing.

That's also something you can forecast on the crystal ball when you build timeshares in the parking lots

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

That is right - I am going to push my daughters wheelchair back to Pittsburgh, PA