Parking Fee for reservations made before March 21st.

[AngiTN]

Also I am editing to add - guest parking access is now only via magic band operated gating. So they definitely know who is going into the lot, at least here at CSR

That is actually the norm at CSR. It's why Uber/Lyft can't pick up at the individual buildings at CSR. It's the only resort that can't pick up at buildings.

 

[n2mm]

The problem for me is I won’t be able to check my final folio before leaving property because I have to be at work early, before their computers switch over to my check out day. So I will have to go by the desk at some point during the trip to have the conversation or risk having to go back after work that day to straighten it out. It’s less than a month until my trip and I don’t have a lot of faith in their ability to get their act together by then. At least I am not at CSR . . .

I assume that the CM’s have been told to bring up the parking at check in to try to minimize issues at check out when the charge appears. That would prevent people trying to get it waived because “they weren’t told” (even if it does appear in the fine print when booking).

If you have the app on your phone, you can check your portfolio anytime you want. So if they charge you daily, it will show and it’s real time. As soon as I pay for a meal, it shows up on my app. This is a new feature that some folks may not realize is available.

 

[yaya74]

If you have the app on your phone, you can check your portfolio anytime you want. So if they charge you daily, it will show and it’s real time. As soon as I pay for a meal, it shows up on my app. This is a new feature that some folks may not realize is available.

I didn't know about this feature until reading your post. Thank you!

 

[n2mm]

 

[marye_nelson]

I checked out of All Star Movies Wednesday morning after a three night stay. I made my reservation through Undercover Tourist in late January.

We actually had two cars on property. No mention of a parking fee came up at check-in and there were no parking fees on my folio at check-out.

Except for when I arrived, my Magic Band was scanned at the security gate every time I entered. So, as noted above, they definitely know who is driving in as an overnight guest and who is driving in as a day guest.

 

[fla4fun]

I checked out of All Star Movies Wednesday morning after a three night stay. I made my reservation through Undercover Tourist in late January.

We actually had two cars on property. No mention of a parking fee came up at check-in and there were no parking fees on my folio at check-out.

Except for when I arrived, my Magic Band was scanned at the security gate every time I entered. So, as noted above, they definitely know who is driving in as an overnight guest and who is driving in as a day guest.

Just curious - Did they also scan when you left the lot? Just because your MB says you're a guest of a particular hotel, and you open the parking gate with your MB, doesn't mean the car you're in is staying overnight. You could be dropped off by a local, or Uber, or by friends/family staying elsewhere, and still use your MB to open the gate. If they aren't scanning both at entry and exit, how will they know? Has anyone had to give make/model/tag information to the hotel? I've had to do that at hotels that didn't charge for parking so they would know that only guests were parked in the lot, so I wondered if they would be asking for that info. This whole thing has me so stressed - even more stressed than the people interrupting my shower to look at the bathroom . . .

 

[marye_nelson]

I see that I wasn't clear in my post. My MB was scanned by a security guard with a handheld scanner, not at a touchpoint. Even at 1:00am when we returned from a late night at Magic Kingdom. If I'm remembering correctly there was no MB touchpoint at the security booth, so there must always be a guard on duty to do the scanning. I entered thru the left lane, assuming that the right one was for buses only. Maybe there's a touchpoint in the right lane I didn't see. Anyway, if I had been in a unique situation, I would have had the opportunity to explain it to the security guard. We did not have to scan on the way out nor did we have to give any make/model/tag information to the resort.

I honestly did not even give the parking fees a second thought since we had booked prior to March 21.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I checked out of All Star Movies Wednesday morning after a three night stay. I made my reservation through Undercover Tourist in late January.

We actually had two cars on property. No mention of a parking fee came up at check-in and there were no parking fees on my folio at check-out.

Except for when I arrived, my Magic Band was scanned at the security gate every time I entered. So, as noted above, they definitely know who is driving in as an overnight guest and who is driving in as a day guest.

I wonder if they are consistent with that. When I was there at Sports in September it was all over the place even the theme parks as far as scanning our MB vs just looking at the fact that we had a MB.

 

[sbd78]

Many day guests won't even have a magic band. I wonder how they are handling that?

 

[fla4fun]

I see that I wasn't clear in my post. My MB was scanned by a security guard with a handheld scanner, not at a touchpoint. Even at 1:00am when we returned from a late night at Magic Kingdom. If I'm remembering correctly there was no MB touchpoint at the security booth, so there must always be a guard on duty to do the scanning. I entered thru the left lane, assuming that the right one was for buses only. Maybe there's a touchpoint in the right lane I didn't see. Anyway, if I had been in a unique situation, I would have had the opportunity to explain it to the security guard. We did not have to scan on the way out nor did we have to give any make/model/tag information to the resort.

I honestly did not even give the parking fees a second thought since we had booked prior to March 21.

Thanks for the clarification. I would guess there is a touch point in the second lane, because there is at most resorts that have two entry lanes. I'll be at Pop, which has three, one with the guard, one for returning guests with magic bands (touch point only) and a third for buses only. So once you have checked in there, you mostly use the middle lane and don't talk with the guard (I mean, you can, but it's usually faster if there's anyone already sitting there to just touch and go). My sister will be joining me for three nights mid-trip (her name is on the reservation) and she will have a car, but she already has her MB and I will already have the room, so she usually goes through the middle touch point and does not speak to the guard at all, and just drives to wherever I've told her to park for our building.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Thanks for the clarification. I would guess there is a touch point in the second lane, because there is at most resorts that have two entry lanes. I'll be at Pop, which has three, one with the guard, one for returning guests with magic bands (touch point only) and a third for buses only. So once you have checked in there, you mostly use the middle lane and don't talk with the guard (I mean, you can, but it's usually faster if there's anyone already sitting there to just touch and go). My sister will be joining me for three nights mid-trip (her name is on the reservation) and she will have a car, but she already has her MB and I will already have the room, so she usually goes through the middle touch point and does not speak to the guard at all, and just drives to wherever I've told her to park for our building.

At All-Stars in September just about every vehicle used the guard with the handheld scanner (well when he actually scanned our MB as there were times we just were waived on through after seeing we had a MB on) whereas the Bus used the touchpoint. Just about no one wanted to be stuck behind the line of buses. There were only 2 lanes.

 

[AngiTN]

I see that I wasn't clear in my post. My MB was scanned by a security guard with a handheld scanner, not at a touchpoint. Even at 1:00am when we returned from a late night at Magic Kingdom. If I'm remembering correctly there was no MB touchpoint at the security booth, so there must always be a guard on duty to do the scanning. I entered thru the left lane, assuming that the right one was for buses only. Maybe there's a touchpoint in the right lane I didn't see. Anyway, if I had been in a unique situation, I would have had the opportunity to explain it to the security guard. We did not have to scan on the way out nor did we have to give any make/model/tag information to the resort.

I honestly did not even give the parking fees a second thought since we had booked prior to March 21.

There is a Touchpoint in the righthand lane at the resorts. This is for returning guests and sometimes buses. Sometimes the buses have their own lane or even their own entrance, this varies by resort. But returning guests in cars can always use that autogate if they want. They can of course use the manned gate too, it's up to the individual.

 

[AngiTN]

Just curious - Did they also scan when you left the lot? Just because your MB says you're a guest of a particular hotel, and you open the parking gate with your MB, doesn't mean the car you're in is staying overnight. You could be dropped off by a local, or Uber, or by friends/family staying elsewhere, and still use your MB to open the gate. If they aren't scanning both at entry and exit, how will they know? Has anyone had to give make/model/tag information to the hotel? I've had to do that at hotels that didn't charge for parking so they would know that only guests were parked in the lot, so I wondered if they would be asking for that info. This whole thing has me so stressed - even more stressed than the people interrupting my shower to look at the bathroom . . .

Just to let you know, not all lots have controlled access to exit. Some are wide open, no arm or anything. And even when there is an arm there is no scan or other type of control on the exit. You simply approach slowly and the arm raises automatically. So they don't know who leaves.

 

[MolonLabe]

Many day guests won't even have a magic band. I wonder how they are handling that?

When you get to the gate you have the option of scanning a band/card or showing ID.

 

[MolonLabe]

Wow. This bothers me - a LOT. As people upthread have said, it sounds like they didn’t even bother to check the date of when you made your original reservation.

Quick question: How did they know you have a car? Did they just ask how you arrived at the resort? Did the guard at the gate radio ahead & tell them you arrived by car? I’m just curious as to how this is all going to be implemented...and so far, it doesn’t sound very organized, AT ALL.

Like virtually everything else they've implemented in the past couple of years, they seem to care less how it negatively impacts guests.

They want to start charging for parking, that's up to them. They just spring it on people with zero to one days notice and half the CM's don't even know whats going on.

One of the last justifications I had for staying on site (when we don't have AP's) was the lack of a parking fee. As it stands, pretty much the last benefit to staying on property has been stripped.

 

[DISNEY1975]

I checked out of All Star Movies Wednesday morning after a three night stay. I made my reservation through Undercover Tourist in late January.

We actually had two cars on property. No mention of a parking fee came up at check-in and there were no parking fees on my folio at check-out.

Except for when I arrived, my Magic Band was scanned at the security gate every time I entered. So, as noted above, they definitely know who is driving in as an overnight guest and who is driving in as a day guest.

Were you given a parking pass to leave on your dashboard? Did you take your car to the parks? How did you enter the parking there without paying? Just scanning your MB?

 

[cigar95]

Not sure if everyone already knows this, but the date of the reservation is encoded right into the reservation number. The first two digits are the year (1971 = 01, 1972 = 02, 2017 = 47, 2018 = 48) and the next three digits are the day of the year. (1/1 = 001, 12/31 = 365 most of the time, . . . ) So if the first five digits of the reservation number are 48079 or less, that's the magic number.

 

[Alabama Minnie]

So if I booked at a different resort but have changed resorts, upgraded, but still have the original confirmation # (below 48079) I will not have to pay parking at the "upgraded resort"?

 

[scjo68]

Not sure if everyone already knows this, but the date of the reservation is encoded right into the reservation number. The first two digits are the year (1971 = 01, 1972 = 02, 2017 = 47, 2018 = 48) and the next three digits are the day of the year. (1/1 = 001, 12/31 = 365 most of the time, . . . ) So if the first five digits of the reservation number are 48079 or less, that's the magic number.

I had no idea! Thank you for that!

 

[fla4fun]

Not sure if everyone already knows this, but the date of the reservation is encoded right into the reservation number. The first two digits are the year (1971 = 01, 1972 = 02, 2017 = 47, 2018 = 48) and the next three digits are the day of the year. (1/1 = 001, 12/31 = 365 most of the time, . . . ) So if the first five digits of the reservation number are 48079 or less, that's the magic number.

Good to know! Mine all begin with 47, since they were bouncebacks booked in December, so hopefully I will be good to go.