News WDW Resorts to add fees for parking

[George]

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?

That’s exactly why I have a Disney cupcake shelf display with little price and year placards at the cupcake base. Too precious for mere eating.

 

[jencor]

I find this topic extremely interesting and have spent a lot of time reading most of it. Every time I get close to catching up the next day a lot more pages pop up and I never catch up. I had already decided to cut the amount of stays to Disney. When we did go, we stayed off Disney because of the pricing. Stayed twice previously at value resorts and to pay that much for a motel 6 was not worth it. The main perk they advertised was EMH and free parking in the parks. Staying off Disney and paying the parking fees saved a lot of money and yes, we ate many meals off Disney and after our last stay where we ate at two Quick Service meals, we will probably eat more off property. It was horrible and even threw one of them away. I find it interesting that those that say this is ok because others do it are usually (I am not saying everyone) the same ones that say free parking in the parks saves all this money. Though their ad someone showed had free parking in the parks, it no longer saves me the money it did. I actually now save more money staying off parks, cause we are all paying for parking now. Thanks Disney for making that an easier choice to stay off property.

 

[21stamps]

That’s exactly why I have a Disney cupcake shelf display with little price and year placards at the cupcake base. Too precious for mere eating.

I haven’t done a dessert party at MK, but I will say that the JBJB dessert party was well worth the money. It was actually reasonably priced.
EMM is still the best value for your dollar of anything I’ve found at Disney.. in the parks anyway, I think the Pirate Adventure Cruise is probably the best value on property outside of the parks.

I don’t have a cupcake shelf, but me and my kiddo both have great memories from all of the above, that’s worth a lot more than a cupcake imo.

 

[Calmdownnow]

This part is confusing to me.. I understand the reason for the laws, and I’m not an expert on hospitality, but I’ve never heard of a hotel/resort waiving fees for European guests.

I acknowledge that they’re currently selling packages.. but why wouldn’t Disney just realease new packages to the UK or all EU countries? Is that not possible? Does Disney have a division specifically for the UK?

Many of the big travel companies in the UK have contracts signed with Disney that lock in room rates. They have to do this to hedge against changes in exchange rates. Exchange rates can be very volatile at the moment -- over the last 2 years, £1 has sometimes been worth $1.21 and sometimes it has been worth $1.38. Britons often book holidays 12 months in advance, so the companies need to tie down the costs well in advance and have those rates honoured by Disney.

 

[George]

They do not.

Liar. I tried booking a room for me and the missus from 3-5:15 PM at A.S.S. (Our little romantic hideaway) next Weds and they were all like, “we only book rooms overnight”. So, I think u need to look up the word minimum.

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

Many of the big travel companies in the UK have contracts signed with Disney that lock in room rates. They have to do this to hedge against changes in exchange rates. Exchange rates can be very volatile at the moment -- over the last 2 years, £1 has sometimes been worth $1.21 and sometimes it has been worth $1.38. Britons often book holidays 12 months in advance, so the companies need to tie down the costs well in advance and have those rates honoured by Disney.

So does TUI Germany, DERTour, VECI, Globalia, Abreu, Kuoni, and other large travel companies in Europe. I haven't seen any carving out for any country other than the UK. Not to say EU countries are not a part of this, I just haven't run across anything saying that they are.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

That’s exactly why I have a Disney cupcake shelf display with little price and year placards at the cupcake base. Too precious for mere eating.

...winner

 

[21stamps]

Many of the big travel companies in the UK have contracts signed with Disney that lock in room rates. They have to do this to hedge against changes in exchange rates. Exchange rates can be very volatile at the moment -- over the last 2 years, £1 has sometimes been worth $1.21 and sometimes it has been worth $1.38. Britons often book holidays 12 months in advance, so the companies need to tie down the costs well in advance and have those rates honoured by Disney.

I was charged euros at hotels, tours, shops, and certain restaurants in Istanbul..much to my surprise. I wish the US could have somehow protected me from that.

Thanks for the explanation, makes a little more sense now.

 

[ford91exploder]

Many of the big travel companies in the UK have contracts signed with Disney that lock in room rates. They have to do this to hedge against changes in exchange rates. Exchange rates can be very volatile at the moment -- over the last 2 years, £1 has sometimes been worth $1.21 and sometimes it has been worth $1.38. Britons often book holidays 12 months in advance, so the companies need to tie down the costs well in advance and have those rates honoured by Disney.

Of course our friends over the pond dont have to worry about the 'all vacations cancelled until further notice' like we in the states deal with all the time.

 

[Neverland44]

This is what we are doing. We are keeping the trip we have booked for September and the next time we go to Orlando we will stay off site and most likely visit Universal and Sea World instead of just spending our 2 weeks on Disney property.

My son has asked for Seaworld next year. He likes Disney but I'm going with him on this. It's cheaper and has rides and nostalgia.

 

[Neverland44]

I was just working in New York today...and found it refreshing that most haven't lost their sense of reality - they know what's gonna happen...it was never in doubt.

Not to be dense, what do you mean?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Not to be dense, what do you mean?

In the metropolitan region...certain people have been written off as con men/has Beens since around 1990...not talking about anyone specifically.

 

[twilight mitsuk]

What about ft wilderness cabins parking?

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

What about ft wilderness cabins parking?

It was first reported that cabins got the Moderate fee...even though the spots were specifically for the cabins

 

[nickys]

while i have read alot of the pages not seen if it has been posted but this will not apply to uk bookings untill 2020 at least . Email below is a friend of my wifes.View attachment 271975

I think this might only be true of package bookings through a travel company. For reasons others have answered.

Looking at the UK Disney site, it seems like the parking fee could still apply. Now they may have some special deals on which would include it, but a new room-only booking may well incur it. The wording on the UK site is the same as on the US site.

My guess is the package protection will also apply to other EU countries. If I can find a French travel company that does package deals I might be able to translate the small print.

 

[21stamps]

I think this might only be true of package bookings through a travel company. For reasons others have answered.

Looking at the UK Disney site, it seems like the parking fee could still apply. Now they may have some special deals on which would include it, but a new room-only booking may well incur it. The wording on the UK site is the same as on the US site.

My guess is the package protection will also apply to other EU countries. If I can find a French travel company that does package deals I might be able to translate the small print.

This is what I was asking about a couple of days ago. Can someone book a Disney trip only thru a travel agency if they live in the UK? If not, I don’t understand how this new fee wouldn’t apply. What would be the difference between Disney and any other destination with paid parking?

 

[DisneyFans4Life]

It's not the increase...it's in the percentage. Having things increase 125% (easily the average) in price in 15 years - including during the largest recession in modern times - is neither appropriate nor sustainable. It's bad for both sides.

Have you done this research on other parks? Universal? Disneyland?

I'm curious if this is specific to Disney or common across the industry.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Have you done this research on other parks? Universal? Disneyland?

I'm curious if this is specific to Disney or common across the industry.

Universal and Disneyland would be similar...perhaps a bit less at Disneyland on the whole because some of their food and bev and hotel would have been higher to start and haven't gone up nearly as much.

Local parks would be higher...to that extent probably not.

But the key thing that separates wdw from all the others is the length of stay...as
In its got a 7 day average while the others get a day or no where close.

So take the increase and multiply it out. That's why alot of comparisons to similar entertainment fall flat.

Sure a broadway show is $300 and a hotdog at a baseball game is $14...but you go once.

It's also where the parking analogy fails...even more than the idea it's not at all based on need.

 

[nickys]

This is what I was asking about a couple of days ago. Can someone book a Disney trip only thru a travel agency if they live in the UK? If not, I don’t understand how this new fee wouldn’t apply. What would be the difference between Disney and any other destination with paid parking?

Not sure what you're asking here. We don't have to book through a travel agent. We can book through the Disney site. It's just a different site from the US one.

The difference is a travel agent would have packages available now for 2019 which would have advertised free parking. EU laws say you have to honour those terms throughout the duration of the package availability.

Whereas I'm not sure if the Disney UK site specifically stated there is free parking. If it did, then it too would have to honour that. And since we can book now up to the end of 2019, the terms would need to apply until then.

Interestingly, I searched the TUI French site, but the only "Disneyworld" packages I found were offsite.

 

[threvester]

I am not sure what tickets you are looking at, but my annual pass in 2003 would be 455.00 and here we are 15 years later and I paid 569 That is a 25.05% increase in 15 years.
All Stars Value season was 49.00 in 2003 plus tax. Same room last month was 84.00 (Feb 6-8 preferred view) that is a whopping 71.4% increase. Even if I had a parking fee then, it would have been 97 and 97% increase
The DVC points were 89.00 per point at Boulder Ridge in 2003. Today they are 165 that is 85.39% increase.
We can look at dues 4.05 for Boulder Ridge in 2003 and today they are 6.5448 (61.6% increase over 15 years)

Let's not exaggerate or make up facts. (source for historical prices are DVCinfo and All Ears dot Net) Facts not opinions!

All Stars is not $84 at any time during the year. Cheapest room (Mon-Wed value season) is $97 for standard and $116 for preffered
Lets not exaggerate or make up facts