News WDW Resorts to add fees for parking

[flynnibus]

The FTC can; they haven't yet, but there seems to be increasing pressure in the past 6 months or so. I have no idea where the new leadership stands on this issue, but I can't imagine that Disney would implement a resort fee right now without knowing that first.

The Federal Government has no authority to say what an individual Hotel can charge in a fee - the commerce clause doesn't apply here. What the FTC has authority over is 'deceptive' or unfair practices that impact commerce.. hence why I said 'advertising' aka how they disclose and communicate it.

The government can't say "you can't have resort fees" - they can only regulate what they would deem deceptive.. so you change them so they are no longer 'deceptive' and keep charging your fees.

So any attempt to 'ban' resort fees would just result in new fees or disclosures.

 

[rael ramone]

To elaborate a bit more then what I posted earlier in this thread:

Right now there is a significant premium to stay in the swamps. What part of that goes towards the upkeep (or lack of) of the grounds, what goes towards the service (or lack of), what goes to the transportation (or lack of), and how much of that very large price just goes to the Buyback Fund. It's in the best interest in $DIS to keep that hidden from the guest. Once you 'itemize' the MAGIC, then the guest has a point of reference to see if they are really getting what they are paying for. They may start to 'itemize' in their own minds these various perks and examine if they are really getting what they are paying for. And if all the 'perks' are a separate charge over the stated advertised price, then the question rightfully is What does this basic price really pay for? And especially for the 'deluxe' resorts, a clientele that travels in their line of work have a point of reference for what the price points should deliver...

Perceived Value. $DIS should go with the Southwest advertising route - advertise that the internal resort amenities and transportation are included in the price...

(Honestly, at the 'deluxe' price points, unless they get those up to true 'Industry Standard' Deluxe standards, park admission should be included in the price)...

 

[RobidaFlats]

My earlier post about H1-B visas seems to have been overlooked, but I think it is very pertinent to the government discussion.

I don't claim to be in the minds of Disney execs and for now this whole concept is an exercise in what-ifs given that it hasn't been implemented yet. However, the visa issue was in fact covered by all the national media (NY Times, CNN et al.), caused at least 2 lawsuits and garnered attention from Congress and the current President. Nothing has happened at all, aside from Disney winning the first lawsuit.

I would wager that government reaction is pretty low on the priority list.

 

[ford91exploder]

The hits to the Guest experience just keep coming.

The reason DIS is considering these 'fees' is the elephant in the room, If $DIS increases room rate the FL rooms and meals tax kicks in. 'Resort and Parking' fees are NOT taxed. If FL or Uncle Sam taxed them they would disappear like the morning dew and just about as quickly.

 

[flynnibus]

Senator (then Representative) Markey and the Mouse Arrest Bands... (and that wasn't just a mere 'complaint', it was an Official Congressional Inquiry).

I think you mean 'letter'
As Disney is not a federal agency.. there is no 'congressional inquiry' in the matter. There was no committee action on this, there was nothing but an individual congressman, who is on a committee with the scope of privacy included, who wrote a letter to Disney asking for responses. There is nothing 'official' about it except that it came from a public official who has standing in the subject matter in congress.

Markey or another Congressman could write a stern letter to Disney about their practice.. and just like in the Markley letter, they could just write back with a big middle finger extended.

 

[ford91exploder]

Markey believes that roller coasters cause brain damage. He doesn't like the amusement industry and has repeatedly tried to go after it.

And with the recent administration + Iger intersection, expect Markey to go after Iger's companies with renewed vigor.

 

[rael ramone]

I think you mean 'letter'
As Disney is not a federal agency.. there is no 'congressional inquiry' in the matter. There was no committee action on this, there was nothing but an individual congressman, who is on a committee with the scope of privacy included, who wrote a letter to Disney asking for responses. There is nothing 'official' about it except that it came from a public official who has standing in the subject matter in congress.

Markey or another Congressman could write a stern letter to Disney about their practice.. and just like in the Markley letter, they could just write back with a big middle finger extended.

IIRC, Representative Markey was a committee chairman who issued that Letter/Inquiry/Whatever that at some level required a response (whether it was Legally required or 'We better respond to this letter or we may be subpoenaed before a lawmaking body that can change the laws of the land in a way that isn't conducive to the way we want to do business' required).

 

[ford91exploder]

I think you mean 'letter'
As Disney is not a federal agency.. there is no 'congressional inquiry' in the matter. There was no committee action on this, there was nothing but an individual congressman, who is on a committee with the scope of privacy included, who wrote a letter to Disney asking for responses. There is nothing 'official' about it except that it came from a public official who has standing in the subject matter in congress.

Markey or another Congressman could write a stern letter to Disney about their practice.. and just like in the Markley letter, they could just write back with a big middle finger extended.

And Markey could haul Iger in front of Congress for as long as he desires, Now that Iger is part of a hated administration all bets are off on what Markey will do.

 

[SorcererMC]

The Federal Government has no authority to say what an individual Hotel can charge in a fee - the commerce clause doesn't apply here. What the FTC has authority over is 'deceptive' or unfair practices that impact commerce.. hence why I said 'advertising' aka how they disclose and communicate it.

The government can't say "you can't have resort fees" - they can only regulate what they would deem deceptive.. so you change them so they are no longer 'deceptive' and keep charging your fees.

So any attempt to 'ban' resort fees would just result in new fees or disclosures.

No. FTC has the authority to challenge instances of unfair deceptive and unfair pricing practices on a case-by-case basis - including resort fees. Under current law, hotels are already required to disclose the resort fee when the final price is calculated (eg during booking), (which can be separate from the advertised price).

ETA: I know this because a family member successfully challenged a local hotel on this practice in order to get a full refund when they had to cancel their reservation.

 

[rael ramone]

And with the recent administration + Iger intersection, expect Markey to go after Iger's companies with renewed vigor.

And/or if the Weatherman decides to reverse course and yield to the current protests to him working with the current administration, POTUS might remember that little matter about the non-domestic tech workers displacing domestic ones...

$DIS is a target. Plain and simple...

 

[ford91exploder]

And/or if the Weatherman decides to reverse course and yield to the current protests to him working with the current administration, POTUS might remember that little matter about the non-domestic tech workers displacing domestic ones...

$DIS is a target. Plain and simple...

Yep it's a giant target and unfortunately over the last few years Iger has remade $DIS into a poster child for every bad practice in American Business their legality notwithstanding.

As to the tech workers well the classic line from 'The Godfather' applies 'Keep your friends close and your enemies closer'

Also don't forget the H2's in Mousekeeping which are being subsidized with TAX DOLLARS.

 

[contrariwise]

I don't fault them for any upcharge events or even the cabanas in Tomorrowland. Those offerings benefit some people. I would never rent one of those cabanas, but I understand how it could be attractive to someone else- as long as it is a better structure than a tent.
I won't ever fault a business for trying to up their profit margins.
The resort fee is different.

Everyone's "bridge too far" is different. The upcharge events were insane to me. You see the value in them. With rare exceptions, I don't. I think they were mostly a way to make money by giving trinkets in return. We can differ on this.

Do you see that there are people in this very thread saying, "No big deal. Other resorts charge a resort fee . . . ", or "Good, the parking fee will keep out offsite people and it's worth it."? And you're saying, essentially, this is lunacy. There is no upside for Disney. The pr is going to be terrible. You differ with those people. Same exact thing. This is not worth it or conscionable or justifiable to you, but some people think its A--OK and are even finding value in the implementation of a parking fee.

Disney knows this. For some, it will be a bridge too far, but for others, they will just keep right on forking the money over to Disney. Disney is counting on the latter group being bigger than the smaller group. Disney will keep pushing the envelope until there is enough pushback for them to stop. It's business as usual these days.

 

[Me 'Earties]

People said the same things about the H1-B visa kerfuffle. I'm not saying that the government won't step in (in fact there are plans) but it still hasn't happened and most people have forgotten about the dust up.

I was just thinking this very thing, about Disney axing many of their IT folks and making them train their replacements (seemed to be all folks from overseas/on the H-1B visas) so that they would at least get their severance packages. It was news but it blew over, and people forget about it/don't care...but I'm sure those directly impacted care. That being said, you can figure that any news about price increases/resort fees/parking fees (if those does come to fruition) will be minor news and the masses probably won't care/won't hear about it and still go on their merry ways to WDW

 

[ford91exploder]

I was just thinking this very thing, about Disney axing many of their IT folks and making them train their replacements (seemed to be all folks from overseas/on the H-1B visas) so that they would at least get their severance packages. It was news but it blew over, and people forget about it/don't care...but I'm sure those directly impacted care. That being said, you can figure that any news about price increases/resort fees/parking fees (if those does come to fruition) will be minor news and the masses probably won't care/won't hear about it and still go on their merry ways to WDW

I assure you this HAS NOT been forgotten in the IT industry, It's faded from the mainstream media but in the IT and Legal press it's very much a thing.

 

[lazyboy97o]

I was just thinking this very thing, about Disney axing many of their IT folks and making them train their replacements (seemed to be all folks from overseas/on the H-1B visas) so that they would at least get their severance packages. It was news but it blew over, and people forget about it/don't care...but I'm sure those directly impacted care. That being said, you can figure that any news about price increases/resort fees/parking fees (if those does come to fruition) will be minor news and the masses probably won't care/won't hear about it and still go on their merry ways to WDW

The whole reason Disney did not run afoul of the law with the visas is because the employees were not training their replacement. They were training people who documented their job to train others. That was the specialized skill, documenting for the training of foreign workers.

 

[ford91exploder]

The whole reason Disney did not run afoul of the law with the visas is because the employees were not training their replacement. They were training people who documented their job to train others. That was the specialized skill, documenting for the training of foreign workers.

IANAL - However the way Disney did it while having a veneer of legality directly contravenes the SPIRIT of the law and any competent prosecutor could strip away that veneer. The intent of the laws were to bring in highly skilled workers who were NOT AVAILABLE AT ANY PRICE IN THE US. Not to bring in REPLACEMENT workers who are paid a submultiple of the 'prevailing wage'.

 

[flynnibus]

No. FTC has the authority to challenge instances of unfair deceptive and unfair pricing practices on a case-by-case basis - including resort fees

Like I said.. "over is 'deceptive' or unfair practices that impact commerce". I'd love to see the arguments in the case you mention.. because I'm sure the arguments are over disclosure and cancellations. And getting a refund after a cancellation is a completely different scenario then simply what price is charged. That would be about things being unfair over charging with refunds... not about if the fees are allowable or not.

 

[flynnibus]

IIRC, Representative Markey was a committee chairman who issued that Letter/Inquiry/Whatever that at some level required a response (whether it was Legally required or 'We better respond to this letter or we may be subpoenaed before a lawmaking body that can change the laws of the land in a way that isn't conducive to the way we want to do business' required).

The letter 'requested written response' to his questions. That was it. Disney (as would most) entities responded out of judgement, not because they are obligated to. And there never was any committee action on it, nor threat of it. So in summary.. much ado about nothing.

 

[Me 'Earties]

I assure you this HAS NOT been forgotten in the IT industry, It's faded from the mainstream media but in the IT and Legal press it's very much a thing.

Oh, I am not surprised by that at all! That's why I said that the masses may not care, but those directly impacted do care (and those in the IT industry as well).

 

[Me 'Earties]

The whole reason Disney did not run afoul of the law with the visas is because the employees were not training their replacement. They were training people who documented their job to train others. That was the specialized skill, documenting for the training of foreign workers.

Ah, so Disney got away with it on a technicality. It's all in the details.