Why not just park for free?

[gatordoc]

The other thing to take into account is that Disney wants people to be able to visit the resorts and DD to shop, eat, etc. So if someone parks at MK in the morning and wants to take a bus over to the Boardwalk for lunch, or to DD to do some shopping, Disney doesn't want to stop them, and then they of course need to get back to their car later.

 

[EchoOfOphelia]

The other thing too is that DTD parking is always SOOO crowded! If someone is parking here just to hop a bus (or 2) to avoid paying for parking, that's not cool.

 

[TheBeatles]

I have no problem with it at all. Kudos to people who actually do that because parking fees are ridiculous anyhow.

Whatever saves you money.

 

[joanna71985]

The point is, is it right for non resort guests to use the Disney bus service, and the argument of why they would.

I thought I pointed that out rather well.

Yes, I think it is right for non-resort guests to use the Disney buses. I live in FL 3-8 months out of the year. And a lot of times I need to use the buses to go between parks.

 

[PeoplemoverTTA]

Personally I've always thought that the parking fee was ridiculous anyway. I'd much prefer that they just get rid of the parking fee all together, or make it something reasonable like 3 dollars. 11 dollars is ridiculous to just park.

I'm no fan of nickel and dime-ing, but I can actually see why there is a parking fee (although it's way too high). Maintenance of the lots themselves, the cost to run and maintain parking trams, and paying the CMs who work in the lot, takes money, and the people who utilize the parking lot, and therefore cause the costs mentioned above, should pay for those services.

I don't know, a parking fee makes sense to me. I'd like to see justification for the recent hikes in cost to park, though.

Of course, I always stay on property (except when I've gone for job interviews, and I have had an AP), so it doesn't really affect me either way.

 

[Sir Hiss527]

Yes non resort guests should be able to ride the busses to and from the parks for FREE!! They are considered public transportation for a reason, and Disney offers this service to guests.

When I first read this thread, I thought you were talking about parking your own car at the Disney resort for free. Yes that makes sense to you and I, but to Disney that is easy money, and lots of it.

 

[PanfanAL]

As long as you paid to park somewhere on site, you should be able to use the bus. To avoid moving your car, or paying to park somewhere else. Also, as others have stated, as long as you hold a multiday ticket, you can use the Disney transportation.

 

[Fun2BFree]

Free transport is a privilege of staying at a Disney resort. If they take that exclusiveness away, what else do resort guests have?

(Don't say EMHs, the Disney spirit, or excellent facilities) :lookaroun

 

[MIDisneyFamily]

***

 

[MIDisneyFamily]

Lowry Park Zoo - $0 for parking. Just the first thing that came to mind since you said you'd never heard of such a thing.
-m

And at 18.95 for an adult admission to the zoo, apparetly they have rolled in the cost of parking. And i didnt say i never heard of free parking, i said it was rare. Our zoo in detroit is $5 parking, Toledo zoo charges parking, however the Binder Park zoo in Battle Creek MI, charges $0..i just said its more often than not that a parking fee is charged.

 

[Dukeblue1016]

Free transport is a privilege of staying at a Disney resort. If they take that exclusiveness away, what else do resort guests have?

(Don't say EMHs, the Disney spirit, or excellent facilities) :lookaroun

So if I stayed off-site and drove and parked at Magic Kingdom... if I wanted to then go to Epcot... I have to go back to my car, drive to epcot... rather than take the monorail because I didn't pay for a disney property???

First off, I've never actually stayed off-site... i just think this is the most ridiculous argument ever...

Who honestly cares...

Say they charged everybody 2 bucks to ride the buses everywhere; do you think they'd reduce the price of your room??? No, not at all... it's not as though you're really paying for the transportation...

and if someone wants to use Disney transportation who stays off-property... they have to drive to DD... take a bus from there to a resort, then take a bus (or monorail) from that resort to wherever they wanna go... that's not exactly convenience... whereas your "perk" for staying in the park is... walk 5 minutes to a bus stop and go directly to your destination...

This is like saying "if you stay at the all-stars... you can only take buses to and from the all-stars... I PAID FOR A DELUXE RESORT... so you cannot take my deluxe resort transportation if you want to come here to eat dinner... its not part of your meal... its part of MY reservation at this resort...

... and yes i know its all disney's money regardless; but so is the ticket prices...

and by allowing FREE TRANSPORTATION to anyone who can get to it... you're bringing them into your parks meaning... they bought their ticket, they're gonna buy food, and probably buy souvenoirs... Disney doesn't NEED that $11... but if people are willing to pay it, they're not going to get rid of it...

 

[daliseurat]

If you have a ticket to a theme park, I believe you are entitled to ride the busses whether or not you are staying on property. I can't imagine anyone joyriding the busses for kicks. And the only other use is to get around the resort just to look at it. So, no it shouldn't really matter. If Disney cared they'd be checking for tickets.

However, the idea of people parking their cars for free at Downtown Disney, only to hop a bus to a park for the day to avoid paying is wrong. Not so much that they aren't paying for parking, but more to the fact that they are using up space in a parking lot that is frequently crowded when they aren't visiting Downtown Disney. The lot needs to be clear for patrons of DTD.

I can't really imagine many folks going to this kind of trouble to save 11 dollars though.

 

[Tim G]

Again... You're still instigating!!!...





BTW...

There's no such thing as a frre lunch...

 

[Parkerbexar]

I don't really think they are hurting anybody by parking at DTD just my 2 cents

 

[KingStefan]

... when I bought my park tickets and made ADRs the Disney staff told me that if I have park tickets I am allowed to use the bus system, NOT if I had reservations at one of their hotels.
...

Maybe this is so, but it is not well publicized. There are no warning signs, etc. And so I don't think Disney cares.

As another poster pointed out, if you want to go through all the delay to avoid the parking, well I guess that's up to you.

And in the case JT hypothets, presumably the people parking at DtD are going to the parks and have tickets. So if HRT+3 is right, they're entitled.

Besides, it is hard to think of a reason you would want to use Disney Transportation if you didn't have a park ticket. Sure you can make some up, but those occasions are rare.

For example, you stop at DtD for some shopping and you want to eat lunch at AKL. Then, because it's your first day and you're not going to the parks, you hop over to MK and ride the monorails so you get the feeling you're really there. Then back to DtD and call it a day.

How often does someone do something like that?

The only valid argument is that sometimes the parking lot at DtD fills up, and so for that reason I'd say I object. But as far as I can tell, it's not against Disney's rules.

 

[slowbee]

The point is, is it right for non resort guests to use the Disney bus service, and the argument of why they would.

I thought I pointed that out rather well.

no.. they shouldn't. what makes anyone more special than others. And using the DTD parking lots for transportation to the Parks makes it a nightmare for those of us who would like to park at DTD for .. oh my guess what... to VISIT DTD.

If you are trying to cheat, then keep your but at home. It's an insult to those of us who do follow the rules?

By the way, do you think of these questions just to get people fired up?

 

[Fun2BFree]

So if I stayed off-site and drove and parked at Magic Kingdom... if I wanted to then go to Epcot... I have to go back to my car, drive to epcot... rather than take the monorail because I didn't pay for a disney property???

First off, I've never actually stayed off-site... i just think this is the most ridiculous argument ever...

Who honestly cares...

Say they charged everybody 2 bucks to ride the buses everywhere; do you think they'd reduce the price of your room??? No, not at all... it's not as though you're really paying for the transportation...

and if someone wants to use Disney transportation who stays off-property... they have to drive to DD... take a bus from there to a resort, then take a bus (or monorail) from that resort to wherever they wanna go... that's not exactly convenience... whereas your "perk" for staying in the park is... walk 5 minutes to a bus stop and go directly to your destination...

This is like saying "if you stay at the all-stars... you can only take buses to and from the all-stars... I PAID FOR A DELUXE RESORT... so you cannot take my deluxe resort transportation if you want to come here to eat dinner... its not part of your meal... its part of MY reservation at this resort...

... and yes i know its all disney's money regardless; but so is the ticket prices...

and by allowing FREE TRANSPORTATION to anyone who can get to it... you're bringing them into your parks meaning... they bought their ticket, they're gonna buy food, and probably buy souvenoirs... Disney doesn't NEED that $11... but if people are willing to pay it, they're not going to get rid of it...

Woah... don't fly off the handle. Though I suppose I wasn't too clear about it, I was talking more about the buses. The monorail and ferry is free for all... noone's expecting you to swim across Seven Seas Lagoon! :lol:

(And, as previously mentioned, the $11 is needed (although how much of it is debatable) for maintenance and running the parking lot trams.)

 

[KingStefan]

The point is, is it right for non resort guests to use the Disney bus service, and the argument of why they would.
....

no.. they shouldn't. ...

So, I'm staying off-site. I park at MK. Go to the park. I have park-hopper tickets and I want to go to AK. Do you mean to say that I'm not allowed to use the bus? Ridiculous.

The busses are obviously there at a minimum for anyone who has park tickets OR is staying on-site.

Another scenario: I'm staying off-site. I'm not going to the parks today. I drop my kids off at Neverland (child care) in the Poly. I have dinner reservations at Cali at CR. I'm not allowed to take the monorail there? I have to move my car from the Poly to the CR and then back again because I don't have park tickets and I'm staying off site? Again, ridiculous.

Disney never intended to prevent people from using transportation in this way.

 

[lilclerk]

Free transport is a privilege of staying at a Disney resort. If they take that exclusiveness away, what else do resort guests have?

(Don't say EMHs, the Disney spirit, or excellent facilities) :lookaroun

I thought it says on any park ticket that you're entitled to use Disney transportation.
I do agree that parking at DTD to avoid paying parking fees is a bit sketchy, but they still have the right to use the bus.

 

[RiversideBunny]

In Las Vegas parking at the casino hotels is free on the Strip and most other places. They want people to come on in and leave money.

Maybe Disney should put in slot machines to cover the costs of parking.
There could be slots where you pull down Mickey's, or Goofy's hand, and watch the wheels spin around to see if you are a winner.
Line up three hidden Mickeys and you hit the jackpot.

Hey- maybe that's an idea for a fifth park: Mickey's Gambling Land.
Are you listening Disney management? $$$$