Charge for parking at Contemporary?

[carlbarry]

I am all for it. The guest staying at the resort regardless if they are DVC or once in a lifetime guest should get preference for parking over anyone else. Next is anyone that has a full service dining reservation. This is as it should be and glad to see them finally addressing it.

The way to address it is to make going to WDW a pleasant experience for all.
I bought DVC after using my Wyndham timeshare to stay at Bonnet Creek, because DVC told me as a member I'd have access to all the facilities at WDW. They did NOT say I'd have access if I paid $20 to go on a waterslide or walk a nature trail, or in the alternative, sit on a bus for an hour.
Sitting on a bus is something that I have to do to get to work. It's not what I want to do on a vacation.

 

[ScubaCat]

Simply requiring proof of staying at a disney property or holding an ADR would quickly eliminate 99% of the problem. I find it hard to believe that pool or resort hoppers are taking a significant number of spaces. The real problem is offsite guests avoiding the parking fee.

 

[muffyn]

OP have you gotten an answer?
we are doing this tour in feb, so am curious about what is going on
(also would like to know,, is there a NEW CM hut that collects the new parking fee?)

 

[Minniesgal]

It's more important to keep repeat visitors like me happy, who stay on property and visit at least 11 days per year, than someone who is making a once in a lifetime trip and will never return no matter how good their experience is.
Not building enough parking spaces is Disney's fault, not mine. When I'm trying to find a space to stand to watch the parade or fireworks at MK, and fistfights almost break out because there's no room, is that the fault of the guests or of Disney for poor planning?

I would say that is most defiantly the fault of bad mannered guests if they can't keep themselves from having fist fights over something like fireworks.

The things is no resort can have unlimited parking. Since it can't be limited its use must be prioritised and to me the correct priority is guests staying there first then those with confirmed dining reservations.

 

[carlbarry]

OP have you gotten an answer?
we are doing this tour in feb, so am curious about what is going on
(also would like to know,, is there a NEW CM hut that collects the new parking fee?)

I got tied up yesterday (my computer monitor died) and so I didn't get a chance to call yesterday. I plan to call today, and will definitely post what they tell me.

 

[carlbarry]

I would say that is most defiantly the fault of bad mannered guests if they can't keep themselves from having fist fights over something like fireworks.

The things is no resort can have unlimited parking. Since it can't be limited its use must be prioritised and to me the correct priority is guests staying there first then those with confirmed dining reservations.

This was in off season. Too many people jammed between the curb and the white line, with children getting pushed or blocked from a view. Arguments broke out, and people yelled at CMs who were admonishing people who were over the white line.

 

[n2mm]

I'm glad to hear that Disney is trying to do something about the people who park at the EPCOT resorts to go to EPCOT or park at one of the MK resorts to go to the MK. I am very much in favor of a parking charge for those not actually staying at the resort. The restaurants can either validate or give a credit towards the meal.

We didn't have a car for our last trip (December, 2015), but did have a BWV standard view. I can personally attest that there are still a lot of cars leaving the BWV/BWI lots after IllumiNations.

IMO, those who want the convenience of getting out of a theme park quickly can pay for the privilege.

I welcome this. I feel after all the complaining we've done, finally someone is listening. As an owner at BWV and BLT parking is a pita at both. We finally find ourselves not going out on the nights that they have extra hours at Epcot and studios because trying to park at our resort is horrible when staying at BWV. We generally visit the front desk to complain about parking often. I agree, after those parks close the cars roll out of the parking lot and the next morning the parking lot is half full.

 

[crisi]

It's more important to keep repeat visitors like me happy, who stay on property and visit at least 11 days per year, than someone who is making a once in a lifetime trip and will never return no matter how good their experience is.
Not building enough parking spaces is Disney's fault, not mine. When I'm trying to find a space to stand to watch the parade or fireworks at MK, and fistfights almost break out because there's no room, is that the fault of the guests or of Disney for poor planning?

No, it isn't. Where Disney has issues, its on the supply side, not the demand side. And they'd way rather fill rooms with people who visit one or two or three times in their lives because those people will have the highest per day spend for the amount of resources they consume. Particularly when forecasting future spend over past spend - because we are DVC members - a significant proportion of our spend is sunk - it can't be counted to set shareholder expectations. Us DVC members who go at least 11 days a year, they can make us angry and take away stuff - because we will be the last to leave - AND THEY KNOW IT. The first to not come back, or to tell his neighbor not to come, will be that guy taking his once in a lifetime trip - Disney has the opportunity to double his spend if they can get him to come back a second time - and when he tells his friends how great his trip was - there is probably multiplier of five or six times of revenue for positive customer satisfaction - revenue that they don't count with you, because they started counting it when they convinced you to buy in.

It may be Disney's "fault" that they didn't put in enough parking, but they also get to solve their problem they way they see fit - buses, Magical Express and charging for parking. If you don't like it, that really isn't their problem - its yours. Sell your DVC, they are going for a lot of money right now resale, and Disney simply has another family in place for eleven days a year, and maybe a family with more realistic expectations.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

I think a lot of bad behavior comes from entitlement.

"I'm a repeat visitor, so I deserve {insert thing}!"

"I'm paying a lot for this, so I'm going to push someone out of my way to see!"

"What do you mean I need an ADR? I'm paying $600/night to stay here!"

Parking, from a planning perspective, is generally problematic. You end up with concrete seas. Disney and other park complexes of the sort are not going to want to have concrete seas or overly intrusive parking ramp towers in core areas (like the Boardwalk), and mostly at edges of other areas (Disney Springs). Resorts, they want to plan based on occupancy of the resort to be able to make it resort-like, and not like a Motel 6 along the highway in Wausau, WI. High-Capacity parking is going to be built on perimeters and in less desirable land locations, with shuttle transport in to the fun zones.

That they haven't planned resort parking to accommodate every off-site visitor or ADR guest who wants to leave their car all day isn't really a failing on their part, because the lots to accommodate that would be less than magical additions to the resort space.

 

[JWG]

I just think there needs to be a more fluid and reasonably timed transportation option if parking is to be curbed. I don't mind the idea of not driving to a resort if I could get there without significant issue/hassle. And, I get that's tough for Disney, too. You can't have a network of busses that run to/from every resort that's way too many variables. I wonder if they could create a better hub and spoke system that worked in a more timely fashion. The issue with busing to a park or DS to change buses to another resort is the travel plus wait time. If they could eliminate waits by essentially having a hub were there were constant buses coming/going from each resort maybe that would be better?

 

[crisi]

I just think there needs to be a more fluid and reasonably timed transportation option if parking is to be curbed. I don't mind the idea of not driving to a resort if I could get there without significant issue/hassle. And, I get that's tough for Disney, too. You can't have a network of busses that run to/from every resort that's way too many variables. I wonder if they could create a better hub and spoke system that worked in a more timely fashion. The issue with busing to a park or DS to change buses to another resort is the travel plus wait time. If they could eliminate waits by essentially having a hub were there were constant buses coming/going from each resort maybe that would be better?

Is this theme park to resort travel or resort to resort travel?

There isn't anything in it for Disney to streamline resort to resort travel any more than there is anything in it for Disney to increase parking so people can dine. They WILL fill those restaurants - with people who are willing to put up with their transportation system, with people paying to park, with people who take cabs (which is what we do for resort to resort travel) or with guests of that resort or who are within that resort area (i.e. BWV/Y&BC/SD - or all the monorail resorts). If they don't, they'll validate parking. And if they lose money, they have shown again and again that they don't mind leaving a space empty for years at a time if they don't have the right thing to put in there - or change its function (Ariels at the Y&BC. They get more value out of it for function space - and they can easily turn BW restaurants or shops into more function space). And if they don't free up enough parking spaces, they'll continue to jack up the price until they get the supply/demand curve they want.

Running a bus system is expensive for Disney. Though they are trying really hard to improve resort to park transportation.

 

[moericus]

I welcome this. I feel after all the complaining we've done, finally someone is listening. As an owner at BWV and BLT parking is a pita at both. We finally find ourselves not going out on the nights that they have extra hours at Epcot and studios because trying to park at our resort is horrible when staying at BWV. We generally visit the front desk to complain about parking often. I agree, after those parks close the cars roll out of the parking lot and the next morning the parking lot is half full.

I drive to a "big city" for work and entertainment often. Paying for parking is pretty much expected every time we go.

I'm an owner at BWV and BLT too. It annoys me that people are that dishonest just to avoid parking fee.

 

[carlbarry]

OP have you gotten an answer?
we are doing this tour in feb, so am curious about what is going on
(also would like to know,, is there a NEW CM hut that collects the new parking fee?)

OK, I just called Member Services and this is what the CM told me: As I am staying on site, I don't have to pay to park at another resort. Since I am staying on site, I don't have to pay to park at a Park. Therefore, I will not have to pay to park at the Contemporary because I'm not trying to get away with not paying for parking. Just tell them the guard you're going on the tour.

I asked about the postings, about having to pay at the Contemporary. She just repeated that as an on-site guest, I don't have to pay.

 

[crisi]

OK, I just called Member Services and this is what the CM told me: As I am staying on site, I don't have to pay to park at another resort. Since I am staying on site, I don't have to pay to park at a Park. Therefore, I will not have to pay to park at the Contemporary because I'm not trying to get away with not paying for parking. Just tell them the guard you're going on the tour.

I asked about the postings, about having to pay at the Contemporary. She just repeated that as an on-site guest, I don't have to pay.

That makes sense. I would set your expectations - if this move does not free up sufficient spaces as the Contemporary/BW/Poly (those seem to be the resorts with the biggest issues), they'll remove the privilege for all onsite guests and change it to resort guests. Hopefully, it will (and I suspect that it will) and then everyone here can be happy.

 

[tjkraz]

My only experience with buses at WDW (other than from Disney Springs to OKW when the ferry isn't running) was when I was lazy and wanted to take the bus from Jambo to Kidani. I got on the wrong bus and wound up at TTC. The round trip took one hour. It convinced me that I was correct in always renting a car. Spending an hour on a noisy bus instead of a few minutes in a car would not make me happy.

Bus drivers are quite accommodating when you inquire about their planned route. Particularly when using internal resort buses, never hurts to ask "are you stopping at the Hospitality House?" or "are you stopping at Kidani Village?"

I'm also a fan of driving but there are many instances when bus transportation is the most efficient way to get around Walt Disney World. All depends on your starting and ending point.

This one scenario where you admittedly erred is probably not the best way to judge the entire WDW bus system.

It's more important to keep repeat visitors like me happy, who stay on property and visit at least 11 days per year, than someone who is making a once in a lifetime trip and will never return no matter how good their experience is.

Two points:

1) There are many repeat visitors on this thread alone who applaud parking restrictions. On this topic (and many others) Disney won't be able to make everyone "happy."

2) Every "once in a lifetime" guest is a potential repeat guest. I doubt any of us took our first trip to Walt Disney World, knowing we would be making regular return visits for decades to come.

Not building enough parking spaces is Disney's fault, not mine. When I'm trying to find a space to stand to watch the parade or fireworks at MK, and fistfights almost break out because there's no room, is that the fault of the guests or of Disney for poor planning?

We've all had our tense moments in the parks--hours of fatigue under the Florida sun. But fistfights over parade viewing? Do you really need to ask who is at fault?

It's unreasonable to expect Disney--or ANY company--to maintain infrastructure which accommodates all situations. In one of his books, beloved former Imagineer Marty Sklar quoted a colleague using the old axiom "we can't build a church for Easter Sunday!"

 

[carlbarry]

We've all had our tense moments in the parks--hours of fatigue under the Florida sun. But fistfights over parade viewing? Do you really need to ask who is at fault?

It's unreasonable to expect Disney--or ANY company--to maintain infrastructure which accommodates all situations. In one of his books, beloved former Imagineer Marty Sklar quoted a colleague using the old axiom "we can't build a church for Easter Sunday!"

No, I don't have to ask who is at fault---IT'S DISNEY. They sell the tickets, they determine how many people they're letting into the park on any day, and they determine where the people can stand. And there was no room for people to stand--people who had paid good money to get into the park.
And by the way, it was not a hot day. It was just an end to the day where many people were angry that they were forced together like sardines.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

No, I don't have to ask who is at fault---IT'S DISNEY. They sell the tickets, they determine how many people they're letting into the park on any day, and they determine where the people can stand. And there was no room for people to stand--people who had paid good money to get into the park.
And by the way, it was not a hot day. It was just an end to the day where many people were angry that they were forced together like sardines.

For heaven's sake. A fistfight is NOT Disney's fault.

That's like if my kid came home and said he had a fist fight at recess but it was the playground monitor's fault for not monitoring hard enough.

Personal responsibility still matters.

 

[carlbarry]

For heaven's sake. A fistfight is NOT Disney's fault.

That's like if my kid came home and said he had a fist fight at recess but it was the playground monitor's fault for not monitoring hard enough.

Personal responsibility still matters.

I was exaggerating. People were quite angry with each other due to being packed together like sardines for the extended period.

 

[crisi]

No, I don't have to ask who is at fault---IT'S DISNEY. They sell the tickets, they determine how many people they're letting into the park on any day, and they determine where the people can stand. And there was no room for people to stand--people who had paid good money to get into the park.
And by the way, it was not a hot day. It was just an end to the day where many people were angry that they were forced together like sardines.

They can do that. To retain the profitability their shareholders expect, they'll need to raise park ticket prices. How would you feel about a $500 a day ticket? How about a $2000 a year annual pass? How valuable would your DVC be if ticket prices quintupled? To you? On the resale market?

Or they can go the way they seem to be going - restricted viewing areas controlled by Fastpass.

 

[carlbarry]

They can do that. To retain the profitability their shareholders expect, they'll need to raise park ticket prices. How would you feel about a $500 a day ticket? How about a $2000 a year annual pass? How valuable would your DVC be if ticket prices quintupled? To you? On the resale market?

Or they can go the way they seem to be going - restricted viewing areas controlled by Fastpass.

If Disney wants to overprice themselves out of business, that is their business decision to make.