And The Beat Goes On!

[cabanafrau]

They'll just go find some other hands to bite...

Problem being some segments they've become accustomed to relying on to prop up slower months might not be as financially viable to ride to the rescue because their economies aren't doing so well -- Brazil as a case in point. I'm sure there are some Canadian visitors not ready to pull the trigger because of a less favorable exchange rate right now, which is also a concern to the UK visitors at the moment.

That's 3 large pools of visitors in the current day with good reason at the moment to not be so eager to pull the trigger on a WDW visit. If the US economy were to sputter, the price of gas to head back up around $4/gallon that would place additional pressure on the potential pool of visitors. It really wouldn't take all that much happening in rapid succession to suck the air out of ballooning attendance in a real hurry, particularly when the attitude Disney is exorbitantly expensive is gaining ground. I can totally see where a perfect storm of events could very rapidly destabilize what many of us feel is a secure icon and lead to TWDC cutting loose a suddenly wounded WDW to save the rest of the corporation.

 

[Tess]

I didn't see the survey offered an either / or option. The only clip I saw looked like a partial survey question. Reading these post I'm not even sure the survey was real?

Perhaps if you see it in the news--WWFTV:

Disney looks into $15 resort fee


Updated: Mar 10, 2016 - 5:09 PM

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. —
With new parks, "Star Wars", and construction on new lands, profits are sky-high for Disney.

But Channel 9's Julie Salomone found out the theme park is looking into a new fee for guests to pay while staying at certain resorts.

A Disney spokesperson pointed out the company constantly does guest surveys, and the latest one asks guests if they would be willing to pay a $15 per night resort fee.

Walt Disney World owns more than 25 resorts in Orlando.

The multibillion-dollar company is surveying resort guests by email, asking if they would pay the fee in the future.

It would include amenities, like Magic Bands, Fast Pass+, Wi-Fi, parking at the resort and Extra Magic Hours.

Currently, those amenities are complimentary for resort guests.

“That’s ridiculous. If you stay four nights, that’s an extra $60. Can’t believe that,” said tourist David Chodrow. “Not worth the money."

Mike Adrajna, who is staying at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort-Riverside, said he’s enjoyed his stay, but wouldn’t want to pay more in resort fees.

“I came here (Orlando) in 1972. It was like $16.50 for a ticket, now it’s like $200, $150. I don’t even know because they throw it all in with all the other fees,” he said.

A Disney spokesperson strongly stressed it was just a survey and there are no solid plans to tack on the additional fee.

To compare, a three-night stay at the Gaylord Palms could cost $1,000.

The price includes a $20 resort fee per night for Internet and use of the fitness center.

The Swan and Dolphin hotel charges a $25 resort fee per night.

At Disney’s shareholder meeting last week, it was announced the company raked in $52 billion in revenue last year.

Resort fees are common at other hotels.

The survey also asks guests how a resort fee would impact their decision to stay at the resort


Doesn't appear as if Disney is denying it.

 

[dfb]

Perhaps if you see it in the news--WWFTV:
Disney looks into $15 resort fee

Thanks for the info.

It wasn't that I didn't believe the survey was there but there were other post with links to josh at easywdw indicating it was not a real survey and so on. Which obviously doesn't make sense but just added to the confusion of the thread.

At the moment I really don't care, I just found out they are removing Gi-Tar Dan from the Animal Kingdom. If this kind of news keeps coming, resort fees will be a non issue for me!

 

[Tess]

Thanks for the info.

It wasn't that I didn't believe the survey was there but there were other post with links to josh at easywdw indicating it was not a real survey and so on. Which obviously doesn't make sense but just added to the confusion of the thread.

At the moment I really don't care, I just found out they are removing Gi-Tar Dan from the Animal Kingdom. If this kind of news keeps coming, resort fees will be a non issue for me!

And, to be honest, yours was only the most recent post I saw doubting the legitimacy--hence you were lucky enough to be quoted because, quite frankly, I'm too lazy to scroll back through the thread to find them. I am with you though--the cuts are becoming a bit disconcerting while the addition of all the pricey paid events are obnoxious.

 

[bcrook]

Perhaps if you see it in the news--WWFTV:

Disney looks into $15 resort fee


Updated: Mar 10, 2016 - 5:09 PM

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. —
With new parks, "Star Wars", and construction on new lands, profits are sky-high for Disney.

But Channel 9's Julie Salomone found out the theme park is looking into a new fee for guests to pay while staying at certain resorts.

A Disney spokesperson pointed out the company constantly does guest surveys, and the latest one asks guests if they would be willing to pay a $15 per night resort fee.

Walt Disney World owns more than 25 resorts in Orlando.

The multibillion-dollar company is surveying resort guests by email, asking if they would pay the fee in the future.

It would include amenities, like Magic Bands, Fast Pass+, Wi-Fi, parking at the resort and Extra Magic Hours.

Currently, those amenities are complimentary for resort guests.

“That’s ridiculous. If you stay four nights, that’s an extra $60. Can’t believe that,” said tourist David Chodrow. “Not worth the money."

Mike Adrajna, who is staying at Disney’s Port Orleans Resort-Riverside, said he’s enjoyed his stay, but wouldn’t want to pay more in resort fees.

“I came here (Orlando) in 1972. It was like $16.50 for a ticket, now it’s like $200, $150. I don’t even know because they throw it all in with all the other fees,” he said.

A Disney spokesperson strongly stressed it was just a survey and there are no solid plans to tack on the additional fee.

To compare, a three-night stay at the Gaylord Palms could cost $1,000.

The price includes a $20 resort fee per night for Internet and use of the fitness center.

The Swan and Dolphin hotel charges a $25 resort fee per night.

At Disney’s shareholder meeting last week, it was announced the company raked in $52 billion in revenue last year.

Resort fees are common at other hotels.

The survey also asks guests how a resort fee would impact their decision to stay at the resort


Doesn't appear as if Disney is denying it.

Egad!

 

[kyomagi]

I dont see a problem here. Before i started staying exclusively at disney resorts, almost all the decent hotels and resorts in the area charged a resort fee

 

[SaintsManiac]

To me the problem is WDW resorts are already sky high and we've been getting these amenities included with the room price. Are they going to go down $15 on the room price? What's the point exactly? I don't get it.

 

[Bree]

The more I think about this the more it annoys me.

$15 per night for:

• Magical Express - I don't use it. I live 3 hours away.
• Magic Bands - I decline them. I have enough already and I'd rather pay for a designed one.
• 60 day FP+ - This I do use, but never have an issue getting what I want at 30 days.
• Resort Entertainment & Children's activities - Exactly what entertainment? Those god awful pool parties? I'd love for those to go away. They can keep their marshmallows and I rarely see a huge crowd for the nightly movie outside. How would they regulate resort paying guests from others who just happen to be visiting for a short time from one of the parks?
• Wi-Fi - Really? Disney wants us to use MDE as much as possible, but wants us to pay for access while there?
• EMH - use them every now and then
• Parking at Resorts & Theme Parks - Theme park parking is already included in my AP price. I have to pay to park my car at the resort if I am staying there, but visitors for ADR's or just to look around don't?

 

[mom2rtk]

The more I think about this the more it annoys me.

$15 per night for:

• Magical Express - I don't use it. I live 3 hours away.
• Magic Bands - I decline them. I have enough already and I'd rather pay for a designed one.
• 60 day FP+ - This I do use, but never have an issue getting what I want at 30 days.
• Resort Entertainment & Children's activities - Exactly what entertainment? Those god awful pool parties? I'd love for those to go away. They can keep their marshmallows and I rarely see a huge crowd for the nightly movie outside. How would they regulate resort paying guests from others who just happen to be visiting for a short time from one of the parks?
• Wi-Fi - Really? Disney wants us to use MDE as much as possible, but wants us to pay for access while there?
• EMH - use them every now and then
• Parking at Resorts & Theme Parks - Theme park parking is already included in my AP price. I have to pay to park my car at the resort if I am staying there, but visitors for ADR's or just to look around don't?

You make a good point about non-resort guests using those amenities for free.

The activities? Plenty of people show up for Chip & Dale's campfire at Fort Wilderness. Are you going to start checking wristbands? Because if you're making the guests paying for overpriced onsite rooms pay and let offsite guests come in and participate, that's really not right.

Same thing with the wifi. They better add a password in the resorts. Otherwise everyone visiting the resort gets to use it for free.

Parking? We've heard lots of stories of guests coming for an ADR and staying parked all day while they go to the parks. It's one thing when registered guests are parking for free, but it's a whole new level of crazy if onsite guests are paying, then maybe not even finding a spot available because the non-paying offsite guests are in those spots.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Yeah, if they do this they need to crack down hard on people who park at the resorts all day and go to the parks.

 

[wdw71]

Guaranteed - they will charge per day to park a car on-site.

I agree with this 100%. We were just in Hawaii this past July, every hotel at least on Oahu charges at least $25 per night to park your car and many also have about a $30 resort fee on top of that. Marriott Ko Olina had a $32.50 per night parking fee but no resort fee over our 10 night stay that was a chunk of change. Bet this is where Disney (Aulani) got the idea.

 

[Day-Day]

Parking fee would be interesting; this could add up. I'm guessing that if this comes to fruition that the fee would include parking at the parks as well as the resort.

If Disney goes back to charging per person for airport transportation then many families may go back to using other services. Depending on the size of the family, a taxi or limo would not only be more convenient but likely less expensive.

 

[Mikie]

Parking fee would be interesting; this could add up. I'm guessing that if this comes to fruition that the fee would include parking at the parks as well as the resort.

If Disney goes back to charging per person for airport transportation then many families may go back to using other services. Depending on the size of the family, a taxi or limo would not only be more convenient but likely less expensive.

So funny how all companies seem to go through cycles where they dig up their own old ideas and believe they've invented a new concept. I believe Mears previously independently operated transportation services for the thousands of guests who go from MCO to WDW resorts. Disney saw a way to make an exclusive contract with them, offer it as a "free" resort perk and (wisely in my opinion) soft-lock people into staying on property 100% of the time (along with their 100% dining money, 100% souvenir money. . . ) How can it possibly be a good decision to charge a fee, which would make many people question the wisdom/worth of that bus ride and thereby LOSE revenue due to people in rental cars or taxis spending their money elsewhere?

 

[Megsmachine]

Are you allowed to use uber from a resort? If so maybe uber is the best option at this point if they move forward with charging a parking fee, plus it would cut out having to pay a paring fee at the park.