Disney Resorts to start charging parking fees....

[kittyab]

Simple solution: Come over to the DVC forums and we'll help you buy a resale contract. Free parking for you! (Technically paid for in annual maintenance fees, but we can all pretend, right??)

Resale DVC does not get the DVC perks. You must buy direct now to get them. And you must buy at least 75 pts now.

 

[Disneylover99]

Just got off the phone with Disney lady calling about my email. I asked if I booked a stay now for later in the year like in September now and then called to apply a discount code when released. They would use the initial booking date and not charge for parking. I told her that it seems like Disney is charging more and more and we are getting less and less. I mentioned I can get a room at Portofino Bay in September for $1700 with unlimited express passes while a deluxe room at Disney will cost way more and get me next to nothing. Mentioned that it took me 6 minutes to drive to Blizzard Beach but without a car would have to wait for 2 different buses via Disney Transport.

So they said they would use your initial booking date if you modify your reservation after March 21st and you won't have to pay for parking?

 

[msk]

I have sent my email to guest.services@disneyworld.com So sad!

 

[HopperFan]

As a stockholder, I am still running at a loss since I purchased the stock a couple of years ago. And the dividend is lousy ... a whole $1.62 per share. Hardly worth the investment. Overnight the price dropped a dollar per share. We'll see what it does today. We purchased stock because a few years ago we liked the product. Not so much now and we just might sell in the near future. For all of the gains Disney has made in the tax cut deal, it hasn't filtered down to this shareholder.

Have had Disney stock over 30 years. Even have one of my first certificate framed and hanging in my office. Disney is LONG LONG past a common sense investment, we have it because of sentimental reasons and we whoop it up each time it creeps up, not sure it's about the value or that maybe that means Disney will invest more in parks, haha. I think we have maybe 1000 shares is all.

Back in the early days it was nice. We bought lots low, it went up, it split many times, we had a nice chunk of change. Then is stagnated and we sold most of it. My one certificate, because I hold it, I get the dividend checks. For years it was cents and I wouldn't even cash them. The ones at broker reinvest. Def not in it for the money, more like a savings account with more risk.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Resale DVC does not get the DVC perks. You must buy direct now to get them. And you must buy at least 75 pts now.

Parking fees are included in your maintenance fees right now. It is not a perk. For now it is like using the Top of the World Lounge at BLT. Its expenses are paid by BLT maintenance fees, and so all DVC owners can use it if staying at WDW.
The Member Lounge at EPCOT is a perk, and only available to qualified owners.

 

[Mousefeathers]

This is a complete mistake for Disney world to charge an overnight parking fee. It will put too much pressure on food availability in the park and is a dangerous decision. A couple of years ago we had the passport pass that allows you into all Disney parks all the time on either coast we spent 78 days in Disney Parks that year. We happened to go to Disney world over Newyears. Twice on that stay Disney ran out of food completely in 2 parks. Disney ran out of food in the Magic Kingdom 1 day and on New Years eve day by 3pm in Epcot. Now you could get food if you had a reservation at a restaurant inside the parks but ALL other food options were sold out and gone with no options except for leaving. If you did not have a reservation you were not eating that day unless you left the park. My daughter was crying because we couldn't even purchase food anywhere and because it was a holiday no managers were on duty that would or could bring more food into the parks. The food was not restocked until the next morning . A man felt sorry for my daughter and gave her part of an apple he had. And the pressure this is going to put on Disneys bus system is ridiculous as you were already having to wait about 45 min for a bus. We had to leave the park and found food at the Grand Floridian. It was terrible management on Disneys part. So by charging for overnight parking it will cause more people not to bring a car thus having no food available in the park and extremely long waits for resort transportation. I have already lived this nightmare which was no fun

 

[heathermm]

I don’t understand why the cost is different between different tiers of resorts. It’s not like the deluxe resorts have “nicer” parking lots. In fact, I’d contend that parking at the deluxes is LESS convenient than at the values and mods because at the values and mods, you can often park very close to the room. Not so at the deluxe resorts after meandering through the lot and finding a place in the back row not occupied by the shopping/dining people (who will park for free).

That last part is probably an exaggeration but...I still don’t get it.

I'm struggling with this as well. Deluxe guests are already paying a higher premium for the rooms; why should they pay more in parking; there isn't any additional benefit with deluxe parking

 

[VandVsmama]

I think that everyone who feels passionately about this should vote with their dollars and go vacation elsewhere. That's the only thing that's going to get Disney's attention. There are plenty of other wonderful places to spend your vacation dollars. WDW is not the only place in the world. If you love Disney so much that you can't even consider a non-Disney vacation, go to another Disney park in another part of the world. Go to Europe and visit Disneyland Paris. Go to 1 of the Disney parks in Asia. Go to Disneyland out in Anaheim.

Will you have a different experience at those non-WDW parks? Yes. But maybe that's a good thing! Expand your horizons. Or go to Universal Orlando. Or spend a week at the beach instead of at WDW.

But when Star Wars Land opens, everybody is going to be going back in droves and will happily pay the daily parking fee in order to be able to get FP for the SWL attractions.

I have heard and read a fair amount of very passionate opinions over the years from people saying that they could never POSSIBLY stay outside the WDW "Disney bubble." How it would just make for a horrible experience and awful vacation. Well, if $13-$22/day in parking sets you over the edge, then I guess that there really is something that would get you to stay outside the Disney bubble. Money talks.

Every time Disneyland has made a change like this (usually to something like their AP program, which has a very loyal & passionate customer base), there is a lot of hand-wringing, teeth-grinding, and cries to the heavens of "This isn't fair! I'm not coming back!" But you know what? They still go back. They may stay away for awhile, but they eventually go back.

So skip WDW this year. Save up your $$ and go when Star Wars Land opens, but expect to spend even more $$ than you are now.

 

[kc10family]

I have sent my email to guest.services@disneyworld.com So sad!

Postal Addresses for those wanting to send a paper letter.

Walt Disney World Guest Communications
PO Box 10040
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830-0040

Robert A. Iger
Chief Executive Officer
The Walt Disney Company
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521-4873

Bob Chapek
Chairman
Walt Disney Parks & Resorts
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521-4873

Karl L. Holz
President New Vacation Operations and Disney Cruise Line
PO Box 10000
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830

Mr. George Kalogridis
President, Walt Disney World Resort
PO Box 10000
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830-1000

 

[Skippyboo]

So they said they would use your initial booking date if you modify your reservation after March 21st and you won't have to pay for parking?

That’s what was said. She put me on hold to check. Whether or not it happens, is yet to be seen.

 

[nkereina]

Instead of charging resort guests, they should have started with charging day guests a flat-fee at the gate. If you are NOT a registered guest of the resort, you pay $35 right now or you don't come in, period. If you are here to dine or shop, then you can use your parking receipt for $10 off of the price of your meal or purchase.

This would deter people from patronizing resort restaurants, bars, stores, and just visiting resorts to browse around perhaps in anticipation of a future stay. Sure, people could take Disney buses to get to the various resorts from the theme parks at no cost, but that would be very inconvenient for off-site guests and locals who might want to visit a resort for legitimate reason. I think a better approach would be to charge an hourly parking rate for all with a daily max for overnight guests, and allow restaurants and stores to validate the parking so its free for day guests, so as not to deter people from visiting there. While I don't agree with the parking charges, they won't stop me from staying there as an overnight guest. But I likely wouldn't go out of my way to visit a resort restaurant if I had to pay to park or use Disney transportation just to get there.

 

[acwsmom]

I just sent an email (as I hope many of you do) to express the effect this has had on me.

Not just at the displeasure over the continued 'money money money' without the tit for tat 'product product product', but the principle of this move.

The effect it had on me was....last night I started researching where else we could take our vacation dollars that would be fun and family friendly. There were hundreds of other choices where we can have great food, a gorgeous hotel, fun and thrills and while we may have to pay for parking, we won't be paying the aggregate total of ticket + parking + swollen hotel prices + inflated food/drink costs + + + +. There are many, many vacation choices that will be considerably less and yet offer a huge bang for the buck.

I finally felt the freedom and the desire, yes, the actual desire, to seek out an alternative.

You finally did it.

You set me free.

I 100% agree. Doing all this research to see what our options are off-site has made me suddenly realize there's another world outside the Disney bubble! I LOVED living in the Disney bubble for so many years. But now that I'm researching options off-site, I'm finding so many things that our family would love to try and would end up saving us a huge amount of money. I'm a little excited about that! They may not care that they've lost my future vacations but ultimately, it's their loss. Not mine. I'll still visit occasionally to get my Disney thrill, but not for the length of time we have in the past. And if enough people feel the same way I do, then it really IS Disney who will have ultimately lost.

 

[KateP85]

Has anyone asked if you have to pay per car or per reservation? So if I stay for three nights and both my husband and I bring a car, are we paying for both cars or just one since we're on the same reservation?

I don't mind paying for things if I get my money's worth. My husband is a Disney manager and so we get discounted resort rates; these rates are usually somewhat reasonable and comparable to products we would get outside of Disney, so we don't mind paying them. But when something was once free and then you have to pay for it with absolutely nothing additional added on, I cannot for the life of me see how it can be defended.

 

[Tink-osophy]

...I have zero problem with WDW making money, but for the cost involved, I do expect better benefits. The 3 FP's that I can get a day does not really mean that much to me since it is being offered to off site hotels now. And the EMH are of little benefit anymore.

Exactly. Well said!

Hiking up prices, whilst, simultaneously, reducing what customers get for those prices...

 

[Princess_Lisa]

It is my guess (they haven't said yet) that something like validation for resort day guests (just visiting) is coming. Otherwise, I'm staying at the Beach Club but I go tell All Star Sports that I'm visiting, park my car back in the boonies there, get an uber/lyft back to BC and leave it there for a week. (I'm DVC, I wouldn't have to do this, but it's an example)

Or, park at the Airport where long term parking is $10/day (even less at some nearby lots) and take MDE.

 

[lark]

I'm struggling with this as well. Deluxe guests are already paying a higher premium for the rooms; why should they pay more in parking; there isn't any additional benefit with deluxe parking

I think the idea is they will pay more and those who stay at moderates will pay less before they lose customers. It’s just a Machiavellian money grab. No more or less.

Travel companies have learned that ancillary fees are very profitable. People will pay $375 plus $25 in parking more readily than they will pay $400. The key is getting the initial number as artificially low looking as possible. Whether it is resort fees at hotels, carry on baggage fees at airlines or the whole smorgasbord of ancillary fees when cruising, this is the way of the world now because it works. I guess it works for the same reason that $19.99 is more attractive than $20.00. So much more attractive that it’s worth it for retailers to forgo all those extra pennies to get the sale for the person who is put off by $20.00 but not $19.99. It’s weird, but it works, and Disney probably knows that after the initial shockwave it will settle down.

 

[kittyab]

I think as much as people will complain, Disney will do want it wants to do. We as consumers have the choice of paying or not paying. I choose not to pay for parking.

 

[kristenrice]

I think a better approach would be to charge an hourly parking rate for all with a daily max for overnight guests, and allow restaurants and stores to validate the parking so its free for day guests, so as not to deter people from visiting there. While I don't agree with the parking charges, they won't stop me from staying there as an overnight guest. But I likely wouldn't go out of my way to visit a resort restaurant if I had to pay to park or use Disney transportation just to get there.

The issue, though, is that a person who is STAYING at the resort is already PAYING. A person who is VISITING the resort is getting to park there for free. It should be the other way around. A person who is just visiting should be paying a separate parking fee and the person who is paying to stay overnight at the resort should not since they are already paying to stay there.

 

[KenHutch]

I see families changing their vacation dollars, they will spend less on over priced food to pay for this park. They will spend less on parties and other hard ticket events. People only have so much money. I think people have a breaking point. I see some serious backlash over this.

I help plan Disney vacations for the teachers at my daughters school.. I plan on suggesting one way to eat this (teachers have a very finite vacation budget) by not doing desert parties or things like Spirit of Aloho or HDDR.

 

[Jennasis]

Ooh got a call back in response to my email but it was from DVC executive offices. Must be because I mentioned I am a member in my email. Pretty sure she won't be able to help or answer any questions but I will let you know what I'm told.