Disney Resorts to start charging parking fees....

[DISNEY1975]

I for one am not making any under the wire before March 21st CRO reservations. I will likely keep one of the DVC reservations I previously made. Not sure about future trips. May be time to diversify.

I wish I didnt have to, but I promised my nieces a month ago, before this whole fee thing came to light, I would take them on their first trip next August. I have been waiting for years for them to be at a good age to go....9 and 7 next year. Before they turn into Disney adults, but after the melt down age

 

[DISNEY1975]

I was on the phone for over an hour and a half with the most incompetent CM I've ever encountered, but I have a tent campsite booked for two separate dates next year. When we decide when/where we want to stay, I'll modify. I don't even own a tent.

After that it will be offsite for us if we go at all. I still enjoy Disney, but I will NOT pay to park at a resort.

Campsites are exempt. Not sure you can modify into a resort without cancelling and rebooking.

 

[KaptKaveman]

At least three of those CMs said some variation on "If that's what the computer did, it must be correct"

hrmphf.... lets hope "the computer" doesn't have W.O.P.R printed on the side of it.....

I finally got through on my call back as well. The person on the other end said "We can't thank you enough for sending feedback..." about 20 times on the 10 minute call. Pretty scripted phone call. Don't have much hope that any one that can make policy change actually read it.

What gets me, and I told this to the CM on the phone, previous to this we were planning on staying onsite for 3 or 4 trips(about 25 - 30 days total over the course of our AP). We usually stay deluxe and eat 1 TS and 1 QS. If i had to guess that is roughly 500$ per day for the room and food. Now we are actively looking offsite and if that happens we will likely eat those two meals offsite(though we will still probably hit old favorites like Trattoria and Via Napoli). I asked the rep on the phone if it really made sense to throw potentially 500$ a day away in the process of fishing for and extra 24$ out of us?

Maybe its a game of 12 dimensional chess and I don't get their end game, but it seems like a pretty bad business decision.

 

[DISNEY1975]

There’s a couple, but a chocking lack of them. Also a shockingly increased number of actual cancellations, and trip amendments as opposed to just threats. In this case I think Disney just found the line where their guests hit the wall, and are unwilling to be gouges more. So they are changing reservations to offsite, or reducing current reservations and future trips, cancelling APs (which loses them AP revenue as well as the onsite resort stay revenue)...

In addition, they seem to be saying they’re experiencing way more backlash than expected. Keep it up. It may not reverse this decision, but perhaps they will think twice over ‘unbundling’ other on-site perks and and adding them in as additional ‘Resort Fees’ (DME, theme park parking, etc) and future ridiculous money grabbing only based decisions. We can only hope.

I think its funny there is a good number of people booking for next July just to hold a no parking spot! Hopefully we book up Disney resorts for all of July, then all cancel/modify to different months

 

[Iya]

I forgot to mention I did not leave a phone number on my email so they looked up my number on MDE.

 

[dachsie]

I wish I didnt have to, but I promised my nieces a month ago, before this whole fee thing came to light, I would take them on their first trip next August. I have been waiting for years for them to be at a good age to go....9 and 7 next year. Before they turn into Disney adults, but after the melt down age

Book something and modify it

 

[TheFloatingBear]

So I answered my own question (and Ill reply to my own post !!!)

I just callled.

Yes, bookings can only be made until next July. Only room only reservations can be made for 2019, until July. 2018 you can book a package.

Today is the last day you will be exempt from the parking fee

The deposit for the room only reservation is the cost of one night at the resort you choose.

You can modify your reservation at any time prior to final payment due.

Modification includes:

Change of dates..future is accepted if you want to really go after July.
Change of resorts
Change of guests as long as the primary guest is still on the reservation
Add package (tickets/dining/ground transportation/flights) to existing room only reservation


So...for my real trip August 2019 at a Deluxe resort, I booked July 15 - 28 at the All Star Sports, standard room. Deposit was $165.77.

I will not pay parking

You may have already answered this but the thread is moving quickly and I'm not sure I'm following everything, lol!

Can you modify to take advantage of a better price at the same resort? My TA has always told me that in that case you're actually canceling and re-booking, but I know a lot of people (including myself) do that a lot! Like if you booked a resort rack rate and then a room-only deal comes out and it's available for your room type so you re-book the same room...Sorry if you already answered this!

 

[chelynnah]

So they are going to give the rental car agencies a big bill and leave it to them to find the renter to charge back?

I would expect that they will link the licence plate number to the magicband scanned on the way in/out. And yes potentially they could bill the rental company the same way tolls do, and speeding cameras do. The company has the card details of the renter and then passes the cost onto them, plus an additional admin fee probably. It can be done.

 

[chelynnah]

If this is the case, I better make sure gate knows I’ll be returning my car rental after I check in and drop off luggage so I don’t incur a charge. Ugh.

I would expect the rental company would only be charged if there was no guest associated with the plate. This part of the conversation started when people were asking what was to stop people saying they were day guests and not registering their vehicles. That’s when I brought up number plate recognition.

 

[Lehuaann]

Campsites are exempt. Not sure you can modify into a resort without cancelling and rebooking.

Not exactly. Campsites fit 10 guests. The current policy allows every one of those guests to park in the front lot at no additional charge. That’s anywhere from 1-10 vehicles. The new policy allows only one vehicle.

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

I get that and understand that reasoning. But what about those of us that don’t fly in? We have no choice.

Watch. The next thing will be charging for DME.

There are a lot of people on the Dis (other boards) who are all "I don't care, I don't drive. Charge people who drive whatever." Bet when they start charging for DME, you will hear them crying to the rooftops how it's unfair; and all us drivers will be..."whatever, we pay parking fees."


That being said, WDW has pushed my family out. We were planning a huge 20 year anniversary trip next year; us, the 3 kids + 2 spouses + 3 grandkids. I think we'll fly out west, and get together at Yosemite or Sedona, heck even in the Badlands, instead. It's not about saving the $40-60 a day in parking fees; it's about WDW going "money money money".

A business is a business, but every business has a point where it becomes too much, with the prices and fees and food quality dropping and customer service no longer excellent. Ask Toys R Us, Claire's, Sears/Kmart...

 

[Tiggerette]

First, compelling DIS UNPLUGGED podcast today. (Thank You!) The Disney reorganization offered particular insight to various shifts to further "profitize" aspects to vacationing. As I understood the conversation, it appears that the parking fee is one area where it will help to increase the profit margin expressed to shareholders, as well as offset costs to give a better "balanced financial picture" in the new organizational structure. What this means (to my understanding) is that there appears greater incentive to increase more fees and types of income, than there is risk of capital loss when applying fees and other types of income.

Second, we have cancelled our plans to go in October. While relatives might choose to make use of our DVC reservation, we have decided our family will not visit WDW in 2018. Since Disney is choosing to operate with profit as its primary mission, it's relatively easy for us to apply simple "expense vs. return value" to our financial decisions for 2018. (...and likely in future years, pending outcome of these and future fees.)

Lastly, I'm not surprised that more self-identified "cheerleaders" are now feeling more like "walking wallets" with this fee rollout. When "guests as walking wallets" have dissipated to a financially tangible point, I surmise that there will a shift from "people as valued profit" to "people as valued humans." One of the questions raised in this thread, and I think in the podcast, will Disney weather that realization in X# years to remain solvent? Hopefully so. I'd like to see that dream-wish come true.

 

[DISNEY1975]

You may have already answered this but the thread is moving quickly and I'm not sure I'm following everything, lol!

Can you modify to take advantage of a better price at the same resort? My TA has always told me that in that case you're actually canceling and re-booking, but I know a lot of people (including myself) do that a lot! Like if you booked a resort rack rate and then a room-only deal comes out and it's available for your room type so you re-book the same room...Sorry if you already answered this!

I did not already answer that!

The answer is no you do not have to cancel and rebook to apply a promo. All modifications must be done before final payment is due. If you change anything after final payment, you will be subject to a penalty fee, but your booking # will remain the same, or be referenced to your original booking.

All agents have a screen where you just simply click a button next to desired promo and a promo will be applied IF the resort is available for the promotion. Disney only allots X amount of rooms per resort to be eligible for room discounts, free dining and package deals. If they offer say 20% off a room, they will only do that for 25% of the rooms. If a resort already has their quota, often guests will have to find another resort or pay rack rate. Keep in mind there are now a few giant agencies that book "conventions" at the resorts and give their guests convention pricing for booking the block. This takes away many discounted rooms at deluxes and some mods.

Also, I always suggest people dont pay their balance in full, leaving at least $200 at a value, $400 at a mod or $600 at a deluxe before final payment. If you apply the promo code and your price is reduced, its much easier to just get the reduced rate than for Disney to owe you money and get it back onto your CC (They will, but sometimes it just takes a couple of weeks).

 

[raytheyounger]

hrmphf.... lets hope "the computer" doesn't have W.O.P.R printed on the side of it.....

...

Maybe its a game of 12 dimensional chess and I don't get their end game, but it seems like a pretty bad business decision.

Nice WarGames reference. Maybe WOPR had it correct. "A strange game. The only winning move is not to play. How about a nice game of chess?"

 

[DISNEY1975]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/life...706877db618_story.html?utm_term=.35dd3759b38e

I couldnt even get past the photo. This journalist needs to do her homework.

 

[Linkura]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/life...706877db618_story.html?utm_term=.35dd3759b38e

I couldnt even get past the photo. This journalists needs to do her homework.

Hahahahahaa... oh wow.

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

Indeed an optimist, but was also thinking the tax offices are only busy twice a year when the tax bills come out. The DMV in any state is horrendous whenever you go, and you really need to pack for a full day

i looked it up...apparently in florida, the tax collector's office is the DMV....or at least in orange county (where WDW is)...
you get your drivers license there, tags, etc.
so have we gone off topic?

In our county (Clay, FL), we go to Tax Collector. BTW, we play a tax collector service fee to use those sites, haha.

There are 2 locations to go to get your DL and Motor Vehicle tags; then there are 2 locations that do not do DL, only MV. The longest we've waited at any location was 20 minutes to get my son his FL ID card on his 14th birthday. When my daughter went in to register their car from California, it took her all of 15 minutes, no line. Duval, FL doesn't have separate locations, but some only have very limited DL services, which means no exams or new issue.

 

[1GoldenSun]

Campsites are exempt. Not sure you can modify into a resort without cancelling and rebooking.

Maybe the phone CM was even worse than I thought then, haha! I just wanted the cheapest reservation possible to act as a "placeholder" for a future stay. I asked her if I'd be able to modify a one-night campground reservation into a multiple-night stay at any other resort and she said I would be able to. I guess I'll see! It won't bother me too much if I have to just cancel and stay offsite.

 

[DISNEY1975]

Maybe the phone CM was even worse than I thought then, haha! I just wanted the cheapest reservation possible to act as a "placeholder" for a future stay. I asked her if I'd be able to modify a one-night campground reservation into a multiple-night stay at any other resort and she said I would be able to. I guess I'll see! It won't bother me too much if I have to just cancel and stay offsite.

I honestly dont know how it works. I saw the campsites were exempt, and they are not bookable on the resort page for agents. Maybe it is just something you need to call to book/modify just like other things. Ive never booked a campsite.

 

[over50visits]

In my letter to guest services I only identified myself as a stockholder concerned about negative press Disney was getting do to additional fees and certain changes.
.
.
.
As I'm sure you are aware, we occasionally make adjustments based on a variety of factors within our company, including alignment with our resorts in California and Hawaii, but also based on feedback that we hear directly from our Guests.
.
.
.
Warmest regards,

Thomas Gauthier
Guest Experience Services Manager
Walt Disney World Resort

Hooray - finally all the Guests requesting they be charged for parking have been heard and Disney made an "adjustment."