News WDW Resorts to add fees for parking

[larryz]

The company itself calls those people “Foamers.” It’s not intended to be elitist or disrespectful; it’s an honest label because those superfans disturb everyone, including imagineers who bleed red, white, black, and yellow.

It’s the same as when a creepy fan stalks a celebrity and can’t separate a favorite movie character from the actor or actress who played the part.

My new T-shirt

 

[flynnibus]

Do they charge you when. You park a car for cruise?

Terminal parking is limited and expensive.

 

[RobbinsDad]

Currently watching toy story on tv with the kids. They have shown several Disney commercials. The toy story land commercial, the "dreams really do come true" commercial, and "the world says you have to grow up, here you don't have to" commercial. Every time they have come on my kids have launched themselves off the couch jumping and yelling with excitement. Especially the toy story land commercial since it was the first time they have seen it. Oh the innocence of a child. I normally get excited along with them, which I did somewhat, but with the parking fees and other things that have been going on fresh in my mind, I sort of felt like some of the magic is gone for me. Feels like Disney is really saying "you are grown up so deal with it and open up your wallet". Ugh, makes me sad...

And that right there is why they'll get away with this and all future cash grabs.

 

[DisneyJoe]

You can get extra magic hours at the resorts over by disney springs, same 60 day out just like when you stay on property, I stayed at Hilton right across the street, get same bus service, same EMH.

EMH is for 7 Disney Springs resorts and now the Four Seasons.

60-day FP+ is only granted to the 7 DS resorts if you book a vacation package with Disney, not via the resort itself.

 

[tonymu]

Didn't the hotels in Las Vegas start charging for parking?

Yup

 

[tonymu]

I have emailed all three and will report if I get a response.

After emailing the same message to all three separately on Friday, Sunday morning at 10:35am I received a voicemail from a Guest Experiences Services rep thanking me for my email to George Kalogridis and wanting to discuss my comments and then I received an email at 10:40am mentioning he could not reach me by phone and asking for me to call him back. I have not had time to call him back but will update our conversation when I do.

 

[mikejs78]

What statistics are saying that attendance has been rising? 2016 saw a drop in all 4 Disney World parks by 0.5 - 0.7%. Yes, 2017 saw a less than 2% rise, but that is standard market correction for a year that a park debuted a new land. Want to hear something amazing? In 1971, when Disney World opened, the Magic Kingdom saw 20.49 million in attendance that year. Guess how many in 2016? 20.4 million in attendance. Attendance is not growing out of control. It's intentional decisions made by those in "control" to cause guests to have less time enjoying free rides and spending more time throwing their money away on overpriced food and souvenirs. It just seems more crowded in the parks because the fastpass system means some people spend very little time waiting in line and just wander around the park, clogging the pathways. It makes it seem more crowded.

Now that they are ticking off the people who frequent the parks you might see attendance drop even further below opening year figures. But where it will really hurt is when the frequent visitors who love the "Disney Bubble" no longer see the "magic" in staying on-site and get rooms elsewhere...like I will be doing.

Magic Kingdom had 10.7 million guests in 1971-72. Where are you getting this erroneous 20.4M figure?

 

[ZenerDragon]

Looks like they've started removing legitimate reviews from their Facebook page. Mine was removed and they've prevented me from even giving a star rating. Nothing in my review was vulgar or abusive just critical of what's been going on. Other reviews I had previously seen expressing similar sentiments have gone missing as well while suddenly the reviews are filled with 5 star ratings. This company.. I don't even know where to begin as I stare at all the Disney merchandise around my home. It's like losing someone you care about. My entire perception of Disney as a brand and corporate entity has been flipped on its head.

 

[mikejs78]

Looks like they've started removing legitimate reviews from their Facebook page. Mine was removed and they've prevented me from even giving a star rating. Nothing in my review was vulgar or abusive just critical of what's been going on. Other reviews I had previously seen expressing similar sentiments have gone missing as well while suddenly the reviews are filled with 5 star ratings. This company.. I don't even know where to begin as I stare at all the Disney merchandise around my home. It's like losing someone you care about. My entire perception of Disney as a brand and corporate entity has been flipped on its head.

I'm not seeing that... Still seeing 70k 1 star reviews. Up from 25k a few nights ago. You may be the victim of Facebook's opaque algorithm more than Disney's action here.

 

[ZenerDragon]

I'm not seeing that... Still seeing 70k 1 star reviews. Up from 25k a few nights ago. You may be the victim of Facebook's opaque algorithm more than Disney's action here.

I highly doubt that. The similar numbers may be due to the overwhelming response preventing their social media from completely negating the onslaught. They can only take down so many posts at a time. It's after hours. I suspect the reductions will resume in the morning when their social media team starts their day.

 

[Riddick]

I agree the parking fees are ridiculous but there are sadly guests like me travelling from the UK who don't get to visit very often (every 4 years or longer).
The net result is that we just stomach these fees otherwise we don't get to go.
For example our last 14 night trip was approx $2650 per person just for Flights, Pop Century, Tickets and Breakfast.
An additional $182 for the parking just doesn't seem like a lot in comparison (though it's definitely a fee that didn't need adding in any situation!)

 

[John park hopper]

He did not confirm, but noted that many other people he had spoken to had thought the same thing

Again interesting he did not confirm nor deny parking fees were incorporate in the room rate. One would think if he has spoken to others who thought they were he would be quick to say "no Disney has not charged for parking in the past" in order to put and end to peoples misconception about Dsney policy. Leads me to believe they have charged and now will double charge for parking at the resorts. Disney must hire expoliticians as their customer reps ---say what the people want to hear but say nothing you can be held accountable for.

 

[mikejs78]

I highly doubt that. The similar numbers may be due to the overwhelming response preventing their social media from completely negating the onslaught. They can only take down so many posts at a time. It's after hours. I suspect the reductions will resume in the morning when their social media team starts their day.

This isn't like the Disney Parks Blog where they have full control to moderate comments. Facebook doesn't allow the removing of reviews by a page owner. Only Facebook can remove reviews, and the only mechanism is to report the reviews to Facebook as violating Facebook's ToS. Facebook also has algorithms that selectively removes reviews that their algorithm deems suspect, until they can be looked at by a person.

The only option Disney has other than reporting a ToS violation would be to turn off all reviews, in which case we wouldn't see any.

 

[mikejs78]

Again interesting he did not confirm nor deny parking fees were incorporate in the room rate. One would think if he has spoken to others who thought they were he would be quick to say "no Disney has not charged for parking in the past" in order to put and end to peoples misconception about Dsney policy. Leads me to believe they have charged and now will double charge for parking at the resorts. Disney must hire expoliticians as their customer reps ---say what the people want to hear but say nothing you can be held accountable for.

I look at it differently. They are probably trying to ascertain how many people thought parking was 'part of the room rate', and is gathering data. He's not saying definitively one way or another because the powers that be have not decided yet.

 

[John park hopper]

I look at it differently. They are probably trying to ascertain how many people thought parking was 'part of the room rate', and is gathering data. He's not saying definitively one way or another because the powers that be have not decided yet.

It's a simple yes we charge for parking already as part of the room rate or no we don't . Maybe you are correct they ae trying to gather data on how many people are wise to their scheme to double charge for parking

 

[Indy_UK]

So has anyone actually spoken to the receptionists about their complaints yet or has everyone missed the call backs?

Seems like this outrage is already dying off and people are accepting it

 

[BuenaVistaBob]

@BuenaVistaBob, Im amazed you have never had to pay for parking for a hotel/motel ever. I can't remember the last time I was able to stay someplace that had free parking.

True I never have. I've lived in the midwest and traveled all over the country.

 

[mikejs78]

So has anyone actually spoken to the receptionists about their complaints yet or has everyone missed the call backs?

Seems like this outrage is already dying off and people are accepting it

From my observation the outrage is growing, not dying off.

 

[ford91exploder]

Looks like they've started removing legitimate reviews from their Facebook page. Mine was removed and they've prevented me from even giving a star rating. Nothing in my review was vulgar or abusive just critical of what's been going on. Other reviews I had previously seen expressing similar sentiments have gone missing as well while suddenly the reviews are filled with 5 star ratings. This company.. I don't even know where to begin as I stare at all the Disney merchandise around my home. It's like losing someone you care k

Looks like they've started removing legitimate reviews from their Facebook page. Mine was removed and they've prevented me from even giving a star rating. Nothing in my review was vulgar or abusive just critical of what's been going on. Other reviews I had previously seen expressing similar sentiments have gone missing as well while suddenly the reviews are filled with 5 star ratings. This company.. I don't even know where to begin as I stare at all the Disney merchandise around my home. It's like losing someone you care about. My entire perception of Disney as a brand and corporate entity has been flipped on its head.

Got there a few years before you did, Still a huge fan of Disney classics and classic park design and attractions and the Service which USED to be part of a Disney vacation.

Now the only thing Disney about WDW is the name on the signs

 

[xdan0920]

You know, I dislike Toy Story Land coming, barf. But I understand that others would like it. WDW's creative collapse is open to subjective debate.

But I'll never understand why these upcharges, price increases, decreased services find their staunch defenders. Customers applauding what are easily understood as money grabbing schemes.

Well...

I've said before that I think there is this smug, strange aspirational pride some take in being able to gleefully fork over whatever Disney is demanding while the lessers complain.

How else will people know how much better I am than them if I don’t have lots of additional charges to humble brag about paying?

Bingo.

There’s lots of customers that love paying for these up charges. These cash grabs. These ridiculous fees.

“Maybe if you worked a little harder, you could afford to park”

“If you want to be in the Magic Kingdom past 6p in October - December, get a better job and buy party tickets”

And so on.

They LOVE giving Disney their money. It makes them happy. They love TWDC and TWDC loves them.