News WDW Resorts to add fees for parking

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I have no idea where the "whales" are coming from paying $800 a night at the Poly, or paying for club level service with no real concierge. I assume these are people who stay in real hotels in the real world and know what real service is, but they keep coming.

You don't look around much, do you?

"Club level" is gushed over in forums such as these all the time.

It's always been kinda an ego/new money thing. People that are used to staying at high end hotels - with real service - wouldn't go on the internet and congratulate themselves in this manner.

 

[Gringrinngghost]

reposting a screamscape rumor from this morning:

http://screamscape.com/html/walt_disney_world_resort.htm#General

"Bad news for future Walt Disney World Resort guests. According to a Screamscape source, Disney is preparing to begin charging a new parking fee at all of their on-site resorts. I don't have the fine details yet, but we suspect that guests staying at the resort will now find some kind of daily parking fee added to their invoice, and anyone just wanting to drop by select resorts to visit, or even just to dine at some of the more popular restaurants, will also be facing these new parking fees."

The timing would be before or at the end of March. No details on how much/validation or any other part of it. Would impact Easter week stays.

Screamscape has had mixed success with rumors, but this one is worth posting in case it does happen and catches anyone off guard in the next few weeks. The lack of any details such as how much it is, which resorts (some/all), if the one charge covers parking at the theme park lots also, and if this is temporary or permanent does bring a grain of salt with the rumor. I'll update the bottom of the post with any updates.

Details/Updates:
- Parking for resort guests will still be allowed to park at the theme park parking lots "free" (If they paid for parking at the resort).
- Price on the "high side".
- The are additional indicators that this rumor may be true.
- Valet parking would go up greatly also.
- DVC will get two cars per room included in their stay.

I normally don't speak on matters such as this, but at IAAPA I saw a Walt Disney World branded SureSpot Device. SureSpot allows you to reserve parking ahead of time as well as direct you to the parking. I asked them if I could take a photo of their devices and they told me I couldn't and the next day the Walt Disney World branding on the one was removed. When I did ask them about the graphics on the Walt Disney World one, they told me that the company was one of their clients.

 

[peter11435]

The problem with iger...and why he should already be gone...is that he is burning through the reputation and longterm value of the name and its brands in an attempt for quarterly returns that only benefit the board and upper management.

That is not responsible public corporation stewardship...and the recipe for the fall of a great one.

This is not a new thing.

This. There is irreparable harm being done to the brand. Disney’s most valuable asset is its name and reputation. Older generations have a bond and connection with that name that drives their current success. They are not creating that same bond with younger generations and they are harming it with others.

 

[asianway]

You don't look around much, do you?

"Club level" is gushed over in forums such as these all the time.

It's always been kinda an ego/new money thing. People that are used to staying at high end hotels - with real service - wouldn't go on the internet and congratulate themselves in this manner.

I see the gushing. I just don't know who lives that sheltered an existence with that kind of $$$

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I view a rental car as my “hurricane insurance” when traveling during that time of year. I like knowing I can get the hell out of Dodge if Orlando is going to get hit. I will say that I would be disappointed but not surprised. The only behavior I would change is in years where I have a Universal Pass and am on a trip with family and friends who would enjoy a dinner at Ohana I usually book a reservation, that will end if I have to pay for parking.

Well that's one way to look at it...

However, radar has gotten pretty reliable...random hurricanes don't hit a place inland 60 miles too often

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I see the gushing. I just don't know who lives that sheltered an existence with that kind of $$$

Plenty of people do...there are sums of "wealth"
Out there and some go to wdw...

But to be clear: both as a worker and now on the other side of them...club level patrons at those hotels tend to be hoaxing themselves - in my not insubstantial experience.

 

[mikejs78]

You mean like the 5 day notice on allowing dogs? Which was the most reprehensible move by a hotelier I've ever heard of...

This could be dogs 2.0 as far as guests reaction.

 

[Rumrunner]

reposting a screamscape rumor from this morning:

http://screamscape.com/html/walt_disney_world_resort.htm#General

"Bad news for future Walt Disney World Resort guests. According to a Screamscape source, Disney is preparing to begin charging a new parking fee at all of their on-site resorts. I don't have the fine details yet, but we suspect that guests staying at the resort will now find some kind of daily parking fee added to their invoice, and anyone just wanting to drop by select resorts to visit, or even just to dine at some of the more popular restaurants, will also be facing these new parking fees."

The timing would be before or at the end of March. No details on how much/validation or any other part of it. Would impact Easter week stays.

Screamscape has had mixed success with rumors, but this one is worth posting in case it does happen and catches anyone off guard in the next few weeks. The lack of any details such as how much it is, which resorts (some/all), if the one charge covers parking at the theme park lots also, and if this is temporary or permanent does bring a grain of salt with the rumor. I'll update the bottom of the post with any updates.

Details/Updates:
- Parking for resort guests will still be allowed to park at the theme park parking lots "free" (If they paid for parking at the resort).
- Price on the "high side".
- The are additional indicators that this rumor may be true.
- Valet parking would go up greatly also.
- DVC will get two cars per room included in their stay.

We made reservations for June last July. We did not budget for a parking fee and would find it totally unfriendly and if so will be extremely upset.

 

[LAKid53]

Walmart parking update. I popped in to buy my copy of Thor: Ragnarock and parking was still complimentary.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

We made reservations for June last July. We did not budget for a parking fee and would find it totally unfriendly and if so will be extremely upset.

I think disney is offended by that one word...and as a former emp who took pride in the product, I assure you it was not always that way.

It was never cheap...and also was not designed to be elite.

 

[Gitson Shiggles]

To be fair...they have been discouraging parking lot hopping for drinks for years. I mean...when they stopped open parking at Boardwalk...it was kinda a sign.

Am I imagining things when Disney advertises the Boardwalk to more than those staying there?

 

[prberk]

Why should parking be separate from admission? I don't agree at all that people who visit more should pay more. That's how you drive guests away. That's the opposite of good customer service. Sure your business makes more money in the short term but long term you lose customers. But they don't care about attracting new customers, I suppose, so ... You reward loyalty, you don't punish it and milk it dry, but that's what they're doing.

At what point does the money grab overtake the joy of a family vacation?
Listen up, Disney. No one is forced to take these vacations. This will all play out very well for Disney for another decade, but once the worm has turned, the fun and games will be gone. Disney's sterling reputation will be replaced by a picture of avarice and tackiness.
Right now, Disney is the cool thing to do. But opinions on coolness constantly change. And when they change, you're not going to have your reputation to fall back on anymore.

I cannot agree more. Disney used to be the crown jewel of customer service; and now its reputation is that of a crazy expensive, crazy crowded vacation good for kids but not for adults. It used to encourage APs with great deals. Now it is almost completely aimed at once-in-a-lifetime vacationers, squeezing every dime out of them.

With an AP I used to enjoy more of the quiet things, knowing that I wasn't in an rush to experience everything on that visit. It was much nicer, and I noticed details that I would have missed otherwise.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

Am I imagining things when Disney advertises the Boardwalk to more than those staying there?

They do/did...but kinda pulled back from it awhile ago...it's not what Eisner intended: which was a mini guest district...that dream
Kinda died.

 

[Gitson Shiggles]

This could be dogs 2.0 as far as guests reaction.

It would be worse. I’ll take a steamy pile of dog poo outside my room door over paying resort parking fees.

 

[Touchdown]

Well that's one way to look at it...

However, radar has gotten pretty reliable...random hurricanes don't hit a place inland 60 miles too often

No but forecasts 2+ days out are still not reliable. I’m down there for a week and hurricanes that initialy are forecasted to harmlessly go out to sea on extended forecasts do change tracks and hit the state all the time

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I cannot agree more. Disney used to be the crown jewel of customer service; and now its reputation is that of a crazy expensive, crazy crowded vacation good for kids but not for adults. It used to encourage APs with great deals. Now it is almost completely aimed at once-in-a-lifetime vacationers, squeezing every dime out of them.

With an AP I used to enjoy more of the quiet things, knowing that I wasn't in an rush to experience everything on that visit. It was much nicer, and I noticed details that I would have missed otherwise.

The decline of large companies tend to incubate for along time - for any number of reasons...but the falls are like avalanches once they begin.

I use the example of Kodak...one technological innovation destroyed a Dow 30 company in 10 years flat.

Or just today - toys r us (bad for disney) was taken down because they bet on leveraged buyout in 2005...and carried too much debt into the housing crash. Another victim.

It really doesn't take the world to bring down monoliths.

But investors want 1 year flips...they aren't in it for their whole working lives as was the way of the 1900's. Iger caters to that mentality.

 

[disneyflush]

We made reservations for June last July. We did not budget for a parking fee and would find it totally unfriendly and if so will be extremely upset.

We at WDW are so sorry to hear about your frustration! Please accept these 3 additional Fastpasses per day, per person, for the length of your magical vacation as a symbol of our gratitude you have chosen to vacation with us. Welcome home!

 

[MuteSuperstar]

Am I imagining things when Disney advertises the Boardwalk to more than those staying there?

Exactly. That has annoyed me for so long. It clearly at least was once meant to be a destination for people staying elsewhere, but then they make you feel like you're doing something wrong by actually wanting to park there.

 

[prberk]

13% growth has to happen this year again somehow...

As I've now said several times, these just add on to my personal decision not to renew and swear off WDW for a few years. IT's the principle of major price spikes without much adding to the experience. I will say, I've heard unsolicited response from almost every friend I have who has done Disney this year (most of them fair-weather fans for their kids) that the sticker shock is getting much worse. The sentiment has been pretty clear, "There is just a lot more that money can buy than what Disney offers." And, as a huge life-long fan, I can't say I disagree.

I agree with this too, unfortunately.

I used to be able to argue for friends how much you could do at WDW as a resort, and show how it was worth it. But now they have made it so expensive to do ANYTHING that it is just not reasonable. I am reminded that you can go to the real Bora-Bora for less than a week at the "Bora-Bora-inspired" huts over the water at the Polynesian. Not to mention a week at Nags Head for less than the cost of a week at The Beach Club.

It reminds me of the simple pleasures that the kids had in the movie, "The Florida Project." They had awful people around them and crazy stressful things surrounding them, but still found time to play and amuse themselves for what they could afford (nothing), all in the shadow of Walt Disney World.

My point is simply that WDW does not need to charge crazy prices and wring every nickel out of us. The legions of loyal fans were inspired by something that was truly unique in the world and gave us something amazing that we could afford, at least for a while. And the quality was above reproach. But not so much any more.

 

[prberk]

The decline of large companies tend to incubate for along time - for any number of reasons...but the falls are like avalanches once they begin.

I use the example of Kodak...one technological innovation destroyed a Dow 30 company in 10 years flat.

Or just today - toys r us (bad for disney) was taken down because they bet on leveraged buyout in 2005...and carried too much debt into the housing crash. Another victim.

It really doesn't take the world to bring down monoliths.

But investors want 1 year flips...they aren't in it for their whole working lives as was the way of the 1900's. Iger caters to that mentality.

... which itself is sad. Because if there is one company on this planet that has an option to extend the goodwill of its founder into perpetuity, it is this one.

Largely due to his recorded material, Walt Disney's reputation had the possibility of extending into goodwill for his company perpetually, as long as they kept it up -- by keeping his standards and goals not only in the public eye on TV but also lived out in the parks and in the movies.

It worked for many years and is the main reason that so many legions of fans exist; but the company has forgotten it I think.

They have forgotten the founder's balance of reverence for the past (Frontierland and Main Street, USA) with a bold eye toward the future (Tomorrowland), with a good sense of Adventure(land) and fun (Fantasyland) mixed in. The Carousel of Progress said it all. My point is that Walt Disney Productions always understood a bigger picture and a longer term of investment. They drove forward with a keen eye to the past and reverence for families. They have forgotten that.