News WDW Resorts to add fees for parking

["El Gran Magnifico"]

It's nice to see SouthWest holding firm with their 2 free bags.

But they do get you with the express boarding....which for Southwest is almost a must unless you don't mind middle seats.

 

[ford91exploder]

Embassy Suites I Drive Orlando --well under $200 a night, $15 parking fee. Go through expedia and get the room for half that $200 breakfast and evening drinks included, transportation to WDW. There are better deals than those previously listed.

Or simply book the hotels through their own chain's website and get the rate which includes breakfast.

 

[Lensman]

Or simply book the hotels through their own chain's website and get the rate which includes breakfast.

I couldn't find special deals for breakfast for of the hotels I listed beyond the "breakfast included" rates on Expedia. The one exeption is for the Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Place where there was a breakfast+wifi rate for $50 more. Where are you seeing this information? I'm getting worried I'm being played...

Here is the data for booking on the chain's own website:
- Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress member rate for $268 a night or $324 with breakfast for 2 included ($56 extra for breakfast). Hotel fee and parking are the same.
- Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace Honors rate for $296 a night or $347 with wifi and breakfast for 2 adults and 2 kids under 12. Resort fee and parking applies.
- Wyndham Orlando at International Drive for $195 a night or $245 a night including breakfast for 2 ($50 extra for breakfast). Resort fee applies.
- Hilton Orlando at Bonnet Creek for $340 a night or $372 with breakfast for 2, premium wifi and late checkout. Must cancel more than 30 days out or forfeit deposit of $463.
- Omni Orlando resort at Champion's Gate for $439 a night. No breakfast rate available. I suspect availability changed and the rate went up.

Here is my original list from Expedia:
- Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress for $279 a night. Seems cheaper until you you include the $33.75 resort fee. Self-parking is $22. Breakfast available for $27.95 per adult and $14.50 per child. Or you can choose a rate that is $49 higher and get free breakfast for 2 as well as 2-hour late checkout.
- Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace for $293 a night. Seems comparable until you include the $30 a night resort fee. Self-parking is $10.65. Breakfast available as an option for $20-$30 per person.
- Wyndham Orlando at International Drive is cheaper at $218 a night even if you include the $24.69 resort fee. Free parking here! Breakfast fee between $12 and $14 per person. Or you can choose a rate of $246 that includes breakfast for 2.
- Hilton Orlando at Bonnet Creek is $327 plus $40 resort fee plus $27 self-parking fee. Breakfast fee is $28 per adult and $15 per child.
- Omni Orlando resort at Champion's Gate is $343 plus $30 "daily property fee" (huh?) plus $22 for self-parking. It's out at the Champion's gate golf area so paying for parking here is crazy to me, but I guess this is just the way things are nowadays. Breakfast fee between $26.50 and $32.61 per person.
- Embassy Suites Lake Buena Vista Resort for $205 plus $20 resort fee. Breakfast is included as usual at Embassy Suites and it's pretty good from my experience at other Embassy Suites across the midwest. Self-parking is $12 a day.
- Embassy Suites by Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista South for $151. NO RESORT FEE! Breakfast is included. Self-parking is $10.75 a night.

 

[21stamps]

I couldn't find this for any of the hotels I listed. Where are you seeing this information? I'm getting worried I'm being played...

Here is the data for booking on the chain's own website:
- Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress member rate for $268 a night or $324 with breakfast for 2 included ($56 extra for breakfast). Hotel fee and parking are the same.
- Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace Honors rate for $296 a night or $347 with wifi and breakfast for 2 adults and 2 kids under 12. Resort fee and parking applies.
- Wyndham Orlando at International Drive for $195 a night or $245 a night including breakfast for 2 ($50 extra for breakfast). Resort fee applies.
- Hilton Orlando at Bonnet Creek for $340 a night or $372 with breakfast for 2, premium wifi and late checkout. Must cancel more than 30 days out or forfeit deposit of $463.
- Omni Orlando resort at Champion's Gate for $439 a night. No breakfast rate available. I suspect availability changed and the rate went up.

Here is my original list from Expedia:
- Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress for $279 a night. Seems cheaper until you you include the $33.75 resort fee. Self-parking is $22. Breakfast available for $27.95 per adult and $14.50 per child. Or you can choose a rate that is $49 higher and get free breakfast for 2 as well as 2-hour late checkout.
- Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace for $293 a night. Seems comparable until you include the $30 a night resort fee. Self-parking is $10.65. Breakfast available as an option for $20-$30 per person.
- Wyndham Orlando at International Drive is cheaper at $218 a night even if you include the $24.69 resort fee. Free parking here! Breakfast fee between $12 and $14 per person. Or you can choose a rate of $246 that includes breakfast for 2.
- Hilton Orlando at Bonnet Creek is $327 plus $40 resort fee plus $27 self-parking fee. Breakfast fee is $28 per adult and $15 per child.
- Omni Orlando resort at Champion's Gate is $343 plus $30 "daily property fee" (huh?) plus $22 for self-parking. It's out at the Champion's gate golf area so paying for parking here is crazy to me, but I guess this is just the way things are nowadays. Breakfast fee between $26.50 and $32.61 per person.
- Embassy Suites Lake Buena Vista Resort for $205 plus $20 resort fee. Breakfast is included as usual at Embassy Suites and it's pretty good from my experience at other Embassy Suites across the midwest. Self-parking is $12 a day.
- Embassy Suites by Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista South for $151. NO RESORT FEE! Breakfast is included. Self-parking is $10.75 a night.

The whole “free breakfast” thing has been said repeatedly in this thread.. but, saying something repeatedly does not make it true.

It is not common for vacation resorts to offer free breakfast, it does exist, but far from common.

It is common for the shorter stay/business traveler hotels to offer free breakfast, not every one does, but a lot do.

 

[LSLS]

I'm sure there are better deals, I'm not trying to prove that CBR is the best deal. As I said in my post, I was trying to see if Disney adding the parking fee created price differentiation for drivers vs DME users and if it would mean that there would be more DME users drawn to the resort vs drivers. This proved fruitless because so many of the resorts in the price category for that week in October I was looking at (check-in 10/13, check-out 10/19) had parking fees already so they wasn't a difference in value between drivers and non-drivers between resorts except at the Wyndam and it was cheaper anyway.

Do you mean the Embassy Suites Lake Buena Vista Resort on Lake Street or the Embassy Suites by Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista South? Both of those seem to be the closest Embassy Suites to WDW at 8 miles away and 10 miles away, respectively.

FWIW, I'll add the two to my list of 2 double/queen beds for check-in 10/13, check-out 10/19 for you:
- Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress for $279 a night. Seems cheaper until you you include the $33.75 resort fee. Self-parking is $22. Breakfast available for $27.95 per adult and $14.50 per child. Or you can choose a rate that is $49 higher and get free breakfast for 2 as well as 2-hour late checkout.
- Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace for $293 a night. Seems comparable until you include the $30 a night resort fee. Self-parking is $10.65. Breakfast available as an option for $20-$30 per person.
- Wyndham Orlando at International Drive is cheaper at $218 a night even if you include the $24.69 resort fee. Free parking here! Breakfast fee between $12 and $14 per person. Or you can choose a rate of $246 that includes breakfast for 2.
- Hilton Orlando at Bonnet Creek is $327 plus $40 resort fee plus $27 self-parking fee. Breakfast fee is $28 per adult and $15 per child.
- Omni Orlando resort at Champion's Gate is $343 plus $30 "daily property fee" (huh?) plus $22 for self-parking. It's out at the Champion's gate golf area so paying for parking here is crazy to me, but I guess this is just the way things are nowadays. Breakfast fee between $26.50 and $32.61 per person.
- Embassy Suites Lake Buena Vista Resort for $205 plus $20 resort fee. Breakfast is included as usual at Embassy Suites and it's pretty good from my experience at other Embassy Suites across the midwest. Self-parking is $12 a day.
- Embassy Suites by Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista South for $151. NO RESORT FEE! Breakfast is included. Self-parking is $10.75 a night.

Again, it's surprising to me that the Embassy Suites is charging for parking. It's nice that breakfast is truly included there, but it must be a hallmark of the chain as there is a nice free breakfast buffet with made-to-order omelettes at all the ones I've stayed at. Even the one in Manhattan as free breakfast! I'm also surprised that one of their locations charges a resort fee but the other does not.

Just out of curiosity, what dates are you using? I picked a random June weekend (8-10). I see Hilton Buena Vista Palace for $157, Wyndham Bonnet Creek for $167, the Dolphin at $226, Caribe at $111, and Hyatt Grand at $176. Likewise, I see the All Stars at $153, Pop at $175, Coronado and CBR at $194, and Port Orleans at $218.

I obviously can't speak to everything, but I have stayed at the Hilton Buena Vista Palace. While comparing prices, it is also worth pointing out that these rooms are around 100 sq ft larger. Also, not sure about your other comparisons, but calling breakfast $20-$30 is kind of disingenuous. For a breakfast at Buena Vista Palace to cost $30, you must go to the Sunday breakfast buffet, at the sit-down restaurant, which will also include characters. Normal items at the sit-down range from about $12-$16. Their quick service is essentially the exact same price as the quick service in one of the Disney hotels (looks like pastries are about +/- $0.50 depending on the resort, and sandwiches are around $1.00 cheaper at Buena Vista). My guess is that is probably the case at about all of the resorts you listed, so I don't think it's fair including breakfast.

 

[ABQ]

WITH AN IRON FIST!

In reality they ask you at the front desk is my understanding.

I'm a bit behind, and this question may have been answered in a subsequent post, but if you do online check in, and never speak to the front desk, scan your band to open the gate and just park your car and go straight to your room, what happens then? I'm not looking to scam the system, just curious.

 

[draybook]

I'm over here wondering why you guys are still talking about hotels when there are tons of houses/apartments/townhomes/condos available for rent that are literally 7-10x the size of hotel rooms, come with FULL amenities and don't charge for parking. Oh, and they cost way less per night.

 

[jakeman]

I'm a bit behind, and this question may have been answered in a subsequent post, but if you do online check in, and never speak to the front desk, scan your band to open the gate and just park your car and go straight to your room, what happens then? I'm not looking to scam the system, just curious.

I honestly don't know.

Considering you scan your band at the entrance, maybe they tag you that way?

Or maybe they radio dart you from a helicopter like you're a wild bear?

 

[larryz]

I'm a bit behind, and this question may have been answered in a subsequent post, but if you do online check in, and never speak to the front desk, scan your band to open the gate and just park your car and go straight to your room, what happens then? I'm not looking to scam the system, just curious.

I honestly don't know.

Considering you scan your band at the entrance, maybe they tag you that way?

Or maybe they radio dart you from a helicopter like you're a wild bear?

Let's play a little game called "spot the camera"... today we'll be looking at three resort hotel security guard shacks on entrance roads...

 

[jakeman]

Let's play a little game called "spot the camera"... today we'll be looking at three resort hotel security guard shacks on entrance roads...

View attachment 282054View attachment 282055View attachment 282056

I like my radio dart idea better.

 

[larryz]

I like my radio dart idea better.

Well, certainly more fun... for the shooter...

 

[Smooth]

I know the ad was used to point out alternatives to WDW resorts - but it still can't be posted. If people are looking for offsite hotels, condos, etc they can find them with a quick google search.

 

[nickys]

I'm a bit behind, and this question may have been answered in a subsequent post, but if you do online check in, and never speak to the front desk, scan your band to open the gate and just park your car and go straight to your room, what happens then? I'm not looking to scam the system, just curious.

Well this, of course, just speculation but fairly simple....

So your band will have been scanned to open the gates. Therefore you have a car. Therefore they will add a parking charge for each of your nights at the resort to your room charges.

Sorted!

If for some reason, you do not have a car for the whole time; you were dropped off by Uber and you used your band to open the gates rather than the driver go to the manned gate; you were dropped off by a friend; or any number of other possible scenarios that mean you truly should not be charged for each night, then the onus will be on you to go to the front desk and sort it out.

 

[EOD K9]

Slight thread derail, was the old Nickelodeon getting some bad reviews for a while. Back on topic, parking fees are a money grab. Carry on.

 

[Lensman]

Just out of curiosity, what dates are you using? I picked a random June weekend (8-10). I see Hilton Buena Vista Palace for $157, Wyndham Bonnet Creek for $167, the Dolphin at $226, Caribe at $111, and Hyatt Grand at $176. Likewise, I see the All Stars at $153, Pop at $175, Coronado and CBR at $194, and Port Orleans at $218.

Just out of curiosity, are you from Europe? In every one of my posts with the data for pricing, I've said that they were from Expedia for check-in on 10/13 and check out on 10/19. That's 13-October through 19-October. I can even read it in your quote of me without "expanding" the quote! Ha! [No worries, it's all good. I'm just giving you a hard time!]

I obviously can't speak to everything, but I have stayed at the Hilton Buena Vista Palace. While comparing prices, it is also worth pointing out that these rooms are around 100 sq ft larger.

That's true. But remember that I'm not quoting these in order to provide a comprehensive price comparison between onsite and offsite, I've been trying to use them to determine whether I can find data that reveals the effect of Disney starting to charge for parking. As I've said a couple of times. I was surprised that the comparables that I found all charged for parking except the Wyndam.

Also, not sure about your other comparisons, but calling breakfast $20-$30 is kind of disingenuous. For a breakfast at Buena Vista Palace to cost $30, you must go to the Sunday breakfast buffet, at the sit-down restaurant, which will also include characters. Normal items at the sit-down range from about $12-$16. Their quick service is essentially the exact same price as the quick service in one of the Disney hotels (looks like pastries are about +/- $0.50 depending on the resort, and sandwiches are around $1.00 cheaper at Buena Vista). My guess is that is probably the case at about all of the resorts you listed, so I don't think it's fair including breakfast.

Thanks for the detailed information, but I didn't make up these figures. These are figures provided to Expedia for them to put in their quotes. I wonder why the Hilton Buena Vista Palace provided inflated figures in their OLTA feed? Then again, it might be that the standard for breakfast is a hot breakfast with coffee and juice. For reference, the breakfast fee listed for Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort is $15-30 a day.

You will find that I am the opposite of disingenuous [not candid or sincere, typically by pretending that one knows less about something than one really does]. My wife says she is often alarmed at how candid I am sometimes and thinks I'm a know-it-all. To my credit she says she is surprised that I stay quiet so many times when talking to other people are spouting nonsense. Ha!

But all the people attacking me for providing data have got me thinking, "what's Disney's strategy here"? In the U.S. market, I think a large part of their business is direct sales through Reservations not using online travel agencies. But for online travel agencies, I think their target is customers who want free airport transportation. Here's what I found when I searched for lodging on Expedia with free airport transportation for check-in 13-October and check-out 19-October. What's remarkable to me is that Disney *owns* this space.
1. Disney's All-Star Movies Resort $135
2. Boulder Ridge Villas as Disney's Wilderness Lodge $649
3. Disney's All-Star Sports Resort $135
4. Disney's All-Star Music Resort $165
5. Disney's Coronado Springs Resort $510
6. Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort $288
7. Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort $443
8. Day's Inn by Wyndam Orlando Airport Florida Mall $62
9. Best Western Airport Inn & Suites $109
10. La Quinta Inn Orlando Airport West $81
11. Econo Lodge Inn & Suites near Florida Mall $56
12. Days Inn & Suites by Wyndam Orlando Airport $66
13. Comfort Suites Orland Airport $90
14. <skipped 5 airport hotels>
19. Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas - Jambo House - SOLD OUT
20. Disney's Wilderness Lodge - SOLD OUT
21. Disney's Beach Club Resort - SOLD OUT
22. Disney's Yacht Club Resort - SOLD OUT
23. Disney's Port Orleans Resort - SOLD OUT
24. Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort - SOLD OUT
25. Disney's Boardwalk Inn - SOLD OUT
26. Disney's Polynesian Village Resort - SOLD OUT
27. Disney's Contemporary Resort - SOLD OUT
28. Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge - SOLD OUT
29. Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas - Kidani Village - SOLD OUT
30. Disney's Boardwalk Villas - SOLD OUT
31. Disney's Art of Animation Resort - SOLD OUT
32. Disney's Beach Club Villas - SOLD OUT
33. Disney's Pop Century Resort - SOLD OUT
34. Disney's Old Key West Resort - SOLD OUT
35. <skipped 2 Home2U properties>
37. Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground - SOLD OU

 

[homerdance]

Just out of curiosity, are you from Europe? In every one of my posts with the data for pricing, I've said that they were from Expedia for check-in on 10/13 and check out on 10/19. That's 13-October through 19-October. I can even read it in your quote of me without "expanding" the quote! Ha! [No worries, it's all good. I'm just giving you a hard time!]


That's true. But remember that I'm not quoting these in order to provide a comprehensive price comparison between onsite and offsite, I've been trying to use them to determine whether I can find data that reveals the effect of Disney starting to charge for parking. As I've said a couple of times. I was surprised that the comparables that I found all charged for parking except the Wyndam.


Thanks for the detailed information, but I didn't make up these figures. These are figures provided to Expedia for them to put in their quotes. I wonder why the Hilton Buena Vista Palace provided inflated figures in their OLTA feed? Then again, it might be that the standard for breakfast is a hot breakfast with coffee and juice. For reference, the breakfast fee listed for Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort is $15-30 a day.

You will find that I am the opposite of disingenuous [not candid or sincere, typically by pretending that one knows less about something than one really does]. My wife says she is often alarmed at how candid I am sometimes and thinks I'm a know-it-all. To my credit she says she is surprised that I stay quiet so many times when talking to other people are spouting nonsense. Ha!
View attachment 282085

But all the people attacking me for providing data have got me thinking, "what's Disney's strategy here"? In the U.S. market, I think a large part of their business is direct sales through Reservations not using online travel agencies. But for online travel agencies, I think their target is customers who want free airport transportation. Here's what I found when I searched for lodging on Expedia with free airport transportation for check-in 13-October and check-out 19-October. What's remarkable to me is that Disney *owns* this space.
1. Disney's All-Star Movies Resort $135
2. Boulder Ridge Villas as Disney's Wilderness Lodge $649
3. Disney's All-Star Sports Resort $135
4. Disney's All-Star Music Resort $165
5. Disney's Coronado Springs Resort $510
6. Disney's Caribbean Beach Resort $288
7. Disney's Saratoga Springs Resort $443
8. Day's Inn by Wyndam Orlando Airport Florida Mall $62
9. Best Western Airport Inn & Suites $109
10. La Quinta Inn Orlando Airport West $81
11. Econo Lodge Inn & Suites near Florida Mall $56
12. Days Inn & Suites by Wyndam Orlando Airport $66
13. Comfort Suites Orland Airport $90
14. <skipped 5 airport hotels>
19. Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas - Jambo House - SOLD OUT
20. Disney's Wilderness Lodge - SOLD OUT
21. Disney's Beach Club Resort - SOLD OUT
22. Disney's Yacht Club Resort - SOLD OUT
23. Disney's Port Orleans Resort - SOLD OUT
24. Bay Lake Tower at Disney's Contemporary Resort - SOLD OUT
25. Disney's Boardwalk Inn - SOLD OUT
26. Disney's Polynesian Village Resort - SOLD OUT
27. Disney's Contemporary Resort - SOLD OUT
28. Disney's Animal Kingdom Lodge - SOLD OUT
29. Disney's Animal Kingdom Villas - Kidani Village - SOLD OUT
30. Disney's Boardwalk Villas - SOLD OUT
31. Disney's Art of Animation Resort - SOLD OUT
32. Disney's Beach Club Villas - SOLD OUT
33. Disney's Pop Century Resort - SOLD OUT
34. Disney's Old Key West Resort - SOLD OUT
35. <skipped 2 Home2U properties>
37. Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground - SOLD OU

Disney makes a limited number of rooms available to Expedia and other online outlets. Saying they are sold out is a bit mis leading.

And yes, parking fees are just a way to appear as though you are providing a better deal then you are. If I drive to Chicago, most places i park are not free, and parking my car overnight costs the same (approx) as if I was parking for 12 hours. If I go to a Disney Resort, i can park for 12 hours for free, but if I dare stay over night there, ding, charge for parking.

So i rarely consider myself a conspiracy type person, the folks on here who are defending this fee have me thinking that they are either agents of Disney or just flat out trolls who will say anything to be the other side of the argument.

 

[Lensman]

Disney makes a limited number of rooms available to Expedia and other online outlets. Saying they are sold out is a bit mis leading.

You're right! I checked on the Disney reservation site and although only 7 resorts have availability on Expedia with 17 sold out, on Disney's direct reservations site there are 13 with availability with 17 sold out.

But anyway, you're accusing me of misleading. How? In what way was my posting the data off of Expedia to show that Disney is the only resort providing free airport transfers misleading anyone? That was my point. Did you somehow miss it? I hope this clarifies my point for you.

So i rarely consider myself a conspiracy type person, the folks on here who are defending this fee have me thinking that they are either agents of Disney or just flat out trolls who will say anything to be the other side of the argument.

I don't think anyone is actually defending the fee as being a good thing. I think some people are just saying that most of the other actual resorts in the area that Disney competes with are charging for parking, so Disney joining the race for the bottom may be unfortunate, but not unjustified. I don't believe any these longtime posters are agents or trolls. Some of them have even stated that they don't stay onsite because prices have become unreasonably high, so it's merely adding insult to injury with an additional fee for parking. The real problem not being the additional $19 a day for parking but the fact that the moderates have gone up from $130 a night to $300 a night.

As for me, I'm not "defending" the parking fee at all. But I suppose I don't get emotional about business. I think Disney has the "right" to price things the way they want and it's up to people to decide whether they want to take them up on it. I do feel bad for the people who live close enough to drive and who will have no choice but to pay the parking fee. We typically drive so we would be impacted but I'm not going to get mad about it. As a friend of mine said, "[In business:] Don't get mad. Get even."

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

Disney makes a limited number of rooms available to Expedia and other online outlets. Saying they are sold out is a bit mis leading.

And yes, parking fees are just a way to appear as though you are providing a better deal then you are. If I drive to Chicago, most places i park are not free, and parking my car overnight costs the same (approx) as if I was parking for 12 hours. If I go to a Disney Resort, i can park for 12 hours for free, but if I dare stay over night there, ding, charge for parking.

So i rarely consider myself a conspiracy type person, the folks on here who are defending this fee have me thinking that they are either agents of Disney or just flat out trolls who will say anything to be the other side of the argument.

That's correct. Expedia blocks rooms. Once their allotment is gone EXPEDIA is Sold Out. Not Disney. There are cases where Disney is "sold out" but there is availability with the OTA (Expedia, PLCN, and the like). That doesn't happen often as Disney reserves the right to "call back" space, therefore "reducing to sold" the OTA's block. But it does happen occasionally.

The reason the OTA's block space is because Disney is not available via a GDS or most PMS systems. So block space via an inventory management system is the only way they can sell Disney, properly decrement their inventory, and manage their revenue controls.

Many people don't realize that when making a booking for a Disney hotel through the OTA, the information is not transmitted electronically to Disney at the time of booking. It gets there eventually (within a few hours or days - or depending on the contract and travel window, possibly once the block is finalized which could take several days or weeks).

 

[ford91exploder]

To add fuel to the parking fee fire

http://www.latimes.com/travel/lasve...s-may-mean-fewer-visitors-20180501-story.html

Looks like parking and resort fees are hurting Vegas

 

[larryz]

To add fuel to the parking fee fire

http://www.latimes.com/travel/lasve...s-may-mean-fewer-visitors-20180501-story.html

Looks like parking and resort fees are hurting Vegas

Gee, I wish I had posted that link.

Yesterday.

In post 4,213.