News WDW Resorts to add fees for parking

[Nubs70]

Anyone who really wants to get value for their money should travel to Vietnam, US money goes a long way! We had a blast! Not sure about for kids though, but great adult trip. I stayed at 5-star resort for $140 a night, and they had free breakfast!

But was the breakfast edible? Holiday Inn Express has free breakfast if it can be called breakfast.

 

[yensid67]

I thought I would do something for FUN...my vacation plan below...If I stay off site at the Rosen Inn Universal the total is $2095.49 For the same amount of days at Pop Century the total would be $2245.81!!!!

The proof is there!

 

[disneyflush]

Broke mine

Disney raised prices on Value resorts by about 10% overnight with the parking charge. I would assume the percentage of people driving their cars to Values is much higher than it would be at Deluxes so this is targeting the lowest spenders on property with the largest percentage hike per night. That says something we already know.

 

[IanDLBZF]

Now for anyone to say that the parking lots at MK, Epcot, HS and AK never fill up is crazy. When SWGE opens up the lot will be full everyday. The only solution to allow locals and those staying off-site to visit the parks is to stop resort guests from driving there. That is why the skyline is being built to value resorts and not just deluxe and medium. The roads and parking lots can't handle what the demand will be. A much larger mass transit system is needed.

And not just within WDW itself, but externally too. For instance Lynx bus routes and even Commuter Rail/Intercity Rail lines into WDW would be effective.

 

[MDB407]

It is very easy to do Europe for a lot cheaper then a trip to WDW. Last year my best friend and I booked a trip to Paris through Expedia. Airfare (Delta) and Hotel (Hotel L'Elysee Val D'Europe-3/4 star hotel) and Shuttle from the airport to the hotel and we paid $800 each. Add in the Big Bus tour we did for 2 days in the city as well as the tickets for the Louvre, Eiffel Tower and train tickets from Val D' Europe to the city along with all the food and for 6 days I paid less then $1500 total. No brainer to me to go to Europe and experience all the culture and great food. We did also do Disneyland Paris but as cast members we get in free so that was a savings along with food and merch discounts. I just looked for a week in November and I still see for 2 people in Paris from Orlando around $800-$1000 a person

 

[Mainahman]

Disney raised prices on Value resorts by about 10% overnight with the parking charge. I would assume the percentage of people driving their cars to Values is much higher than it would be at Deluxes so this is targeting the lowest spenders on property with the largest percentage hike per night. That says something we already know.

Did they do any increases to the Deluxes as well as parking? Weve outgrown the "Value" resorts for multiple reasons, and were looking at if we stay on site again to go to WL. Im curious if they didnt do anything there because somehow that pavement is already better quality and more expensive.

 

[flynnibus]

I only see it as dishonest if they're canceling or reducing the stay after they initially book it. (e.g., booking for a week, making a week's worth of FP+ and ADRs, and then knocking it down to a 1-day stay or even cancelling altogether after they're within the 30-day window). On the other hand, if they're going to book and pay for the room/site for their whole vacation length but just not stay there (which is what my acquaintances do), that's their choice, and to the extent they're taking advantage of amenities, they've paid for them.

But this type of gaming the system will just lead to other negative consquences to everyone... like minimum stay requirements

 

[yensid67]

I know someone said that Disney does monitor these boards as well as others....I just hope they do! Does anyone KNOW FOR CERTAIN that TDO monitors forums?

 

[IanDLBZF]

I know someone said that Disney does monitor these boards as well as others....I just hope they do! Does anyone KNOW FOR CERTAIN that TDO monitors forums?

Most likely they do.....

 

[flynnibus]

I just did a yahoo search, "is parking included in room at Disney Parks?" and here is what I found...

PARKING
Guests staying at Disney Resort hotels enjoy complimentary standard parking at Disney Theme Parks, Disney Water Parks and Disney Springs Area.

They have changed EVERYTHING! Its a sad day for Disney fans everywhere!
View attachment 270583They are crying because of the greed that they see in Management of Disney Parks. They are crying because the vision Uncle Walt had for his parks to a happy place and a place where families could visit is gone!(unless things change) PLEASE CHAT, EMAIL OR CALL WITH YOUR OPINION ON THE NEW PARKING FEES! OUR VOICES CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE IF WE ALL JUST TAKE 5 MINUTES OUT OF OUR DAY TO DO SOMETHING THAT WILL NOT ONLY IMPACT US, BUT CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR OTHERS! #5MINUTEMAKESADIFFERENCE

The complaining about no exceptions for handicapped placards is really unnessarily and an attempt at making things seem cold. The free parking for handicap originates in the lack of handicap accessible metering/payment systems in the past... not that they deserve an exception from paying as a principle

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Sorry to tell you, but none of this will be changing. Read the parking page. It still says you get complimemtary parking for shopping. So all you have to do is roll up to the gatehouse and say that you want to shop in the resort store and you can go park for free next to a guest who just dropped $20-$25 for the same spot...but also paid $200-$800 for one night to sleep there.

So the person who already dropped big bucks gets to pay for parking, while the "window shopper" and animal viewers (AKL) who don't spend a dime at the resort can park for free. Isn't that "magical"?

Did you even read the post I quoted? I was referencing a separate rumor that non-resort guests won't be able to park at all without a confirmed dining reservation.

 

[21stamps]

Really not that hard 21. Now this is just for me and one advantage I have is that I live near 3 major international airports (Philly, Newark and JFK). Airfare is the big budget killer for most folks.

So lets look at my trip to Paris last year 6 nights/7 days. first I did not have to spend 1300 dollars in park tickets for 3 people. You can get a museum pass that will get you admission to almost all major attractions for what 50 bucks a head. Next I got 2 rooms and r/t coach airfare for 3 adults 3300.00 that's was including taxes, transfer fees etc. This was for a 3.5 star hotel. so probably on par with wilderness lodge and Contemporary but not the Grand Floridian.

So without going into food a week in Paris for 3 with airfare from philly and all our attractions ran us 4,000.00 bucks. let's do Disney shall we. 5 day park hoppers for each person from undercover tourist? 450.00 per person. total $1350.00
r/t flights from philly to orlando 287.00 pp = 861.0o
room at the Wilderness lodge for 6 nights/7 days was 2100.00 with a 20% passholder discount.

So my Disney vacation was actually more expensive than going to Paris. And you know darn well the food in Paris was much cheaper and better

Now of course there are ways to save at both locations but this is my fear with Disney, families are figuring out that there are simply way more options in the same price range that give better value.

Am I missing something?.. because it looks like about a $300 difference before food and drinks and possible other attractions besides museums...and shopping, depending on if you shop more in Paris.

Maybe it’s just me, but my vacations always end up being about the same in price, or less than $1k difference no matter where I go.lol. We do a lot of activities on vacation though, at Disney most of that is taken care of with park tickets, at other destinations, it’s not. I also find Disney food to be less expensive than most other places, to be fair though.. we eat a lot more at other destinations.

For me, even a week in Key West ends up about the same out of pocket as a week at Poly, including park tickets and dining... main factors are food and activities.

I haven’t taken my son to Europe, but I’ve been several times.. and when I start to plan trips for us the cost is never “thousands less than Disney”...especially when I factor in airfare, but that does depend on where you’re you live, for sure.

Our “big” family trips have been- SoFla, a 7 night cruise, Disney, Turks&Caicos, Atlantis Bahamas, the Keys. A few had a higher price than Disney, some were similar, none were substantially less when all said and done.

 

[Horizons1]

Anyone who really wants to get value for their money should travel to Vietnam, US money goes a long way! We had a blast! Not sure about for kids though, but great adult trip. I stayed at 5-star resort for $140 a night, and they had free breakfast!

I’m gonna this summer. What was it like? How did you pay for everything? I don’t know much about it and don’t know what to expect.

 

[matt9112]

its on my corp discount list from my employer so its still pretty cheap!

everyone on these boards be in corporations on lists and such and I'm like (looks around) sub 6 figure club woot woot

 

[Mainahman]

everyone on these boards be in corporations on lists and such and I'm like (looks around) sub 6 figure club woot woot

Im below 6 figures for sure! We just have a really good Corp Discount program for the entire company. Hotels, cars, park tickets etc. Its a really nice benefit.

 

[mmouse90]

The only way to effectively get the attention of the people making these decisions is to put those thoughts in your post-visit survey (the one that you receive via email).

 

[Horizons1]

The only way to effectively get the attention of the people making these decisions is to put those thoughts in your post-visit survey (the one that you receive via email).

If only they actually read those and or cared.

 

[the.dreamfinder]

On top of ticket price increases, food price increases, soda price increases annually... all while the parks remain delapitated.

Can you Imagine the good press that they'd get if say they didn't increase ticket prices one year while Universal did? That's assuming TDO cared about the goodwill of the company of course

Disney could destroy its lodging competition if they went back to affordable lodging rack rates.

 

[AMartin767]

copied from my own OP thread:

However, this trip will also be bittersweet for us both as we have decided to not renew our annual passes and will be planning this as our final goodbye to the resort and its parks. We have watched the decline in quality of the parks over the last decade (especially Epcot), the mishmash of direction in planning, the severe increase in pricing for everything from accommodations and tickets, to food and merchandise. It is clear to us that the new direction for the parks is one of wealth and exclusivity. The new pricing changes are leading to a single, inevitable conclusion: only the wealthy and those not so wealthy that are willing to shell out extravagant amounts of money will be the future customers of Disney parks.

I hope that somehow, someway, the parks and their management will see beyond the dollar bill and realize the legacy they are leaving behind in the name of profits alone. I don't hold much hope but I can't help myself.

 

[wdwmagic]

I know someone said that Disney does monitor these boards as well as others....I just hope they do! Does anyone KNOW FOR CERTAIN that TDO monitors forums?

Yes