Are all Disney resort perks fair?

[mom2AidanAndEli]

Think of it like these...

Sporting events -- Season ticket holders often get first "dibs" on playoff tickets and other special events. Is that fair? Why do they get special treatment?

Museums/zoos -- Buy an annual membership, you get tickets to special events at a discount. Is that fair? Why should I have to pay more for a ticket than a member does?

Warehouse clubs -- (I don't know which do this, but I've heard of it in the past!) Pay for a membership and you get all items at a certain price. But if I walk in off the street, I pay a surcharge on those same items. Is that fair? Why can't I get the same price as the members? I'm buying the same items, after all.

Those who are willing to spend more with the sponsor company, get perks. Simple as that. Those who pay to stay on site are paying a premium price for those rooms. We can all agree that the same exact room outside of Disney property would cost a whole lot less. Consider that extra money spent on the room going to pay for those extra perks. You're basically buying those privileges when you agree to pay more for a hotel room than you would elsewhere.

Fair or not--it's just the way it is.

 

[ArwenMarie]

It stinks for offsiters, but it's fair. The parks and resorts are one company.

 

[AquaDame]

From a business perspective, yes it is fair, since you are supplementing Disney's profits by paying extra to stay onsite. Capitalism is a... well you know.

 

[Jeannie in NJ]

when fast pass first started, wasn't it only for onsite guests? Just like EMH is only for onsite guests.

 

[jthornton94]

That's like saying it's unfair Florida residents get discounts, or the military, or what about the free photo for Disney Visa holders.

 

[Reddog1134]

when fast pass first started, wasn't it only for onsite guests? Just like EMH is only for onsite guests.

It's always been open to all.

 

[LaurenT]

I stay on and off site every year.
Offsite guests get way more "perks" than being offsite at Universal. I would never go to Universal without staying onsite, but at Disney I can still get 95% of what the onsite guests get. I don't get EMH and I probably can't get a FP for A&E or the perfect time slot for Chef Mickey .... But I can get pretty much everything else ... And I can still do those things, I just have to jump through a couple of hoops ....
Seems pretty fair to me

 

[butterfly71076]

That's like saying it's unfair Florida residents get discounts, or the military, or what about the free photo for Disney Visa holders.

I love the Disney Visa pictures!! One year we got Mickey and Goofy, the next year was Goofy and Pluto. I'm holding out for Donald, I need a pic with him in his sailor suit!

 

[gtpoohbear]

For-profit companies are under no obligation to be "fair". (And who would decide exactly what that was, anyway?)

Sure, they are obligated to hold up their end of the deal in terms of what they promised you for your money, but there are no rules about what they have to promise. If you buy the ticket, you agree to the terms of what they are offering. If you don't agree, don't buy it. It's all simple economics. They are going to offer as little as they have to, for as much money as they can, that will maximize thier profit. Fairness has nothing to do with it.

To say that what they offer isn't "fair" is like saying that it's not fair for one gas station to charge more than another. They can charge whatever they want. If you don't like it, go somewhere else.

 

[DisCatGirl]

If you want the extra perks, pay for them. Or stay off-site and save money. You may not like the choice but you DO have a choice.

 

[Reddog1134]

Also, not everyone is paying the same to get into the parks. Different resellers charge different prices than Disney's ticket office. If I buy a 10 day ticket and someone else is buying a 4 day ticket I'm paying more overall, but I'm paying less per day.

 

[Disneylover99]

Right, but I am pretty sure those in value resorts get the same perks as those in deluxes

That's kind of what I'm getting at. I'm paying less for offsite lodging but I'm further from the park, don't get the Disney theming, paying for parking, etc.

That's why value resorts rock!!!

 

[Disney93]

One of the things I enjoy about Disney is that once you leave your onsite room, all guests are equal. We usually stay at the Boardwalk or Saratoga Springs and love the rooms. As PP says they feel they get more room for their money. As long as the bed is comfortable and the shower works, the room is the least of my concerns. I don't go on vacation to stay in a room.
I think the perks for Disney guests are fair. I do honor your opinion but staying off-site isn't for us.

 

[atilley01]

I respect opposing opinions and there are some really good ones on here. I totally understand that I have a choice about everything to do with Disney. I choose to pay the high ticket prices, restaurant prices, etc. I choose not to pay the resort prices and I accept the consequences of not getting the perks. At the end of the day what I think is fair or unfair changes nothing as far as Disney is concerned and I was just looking to get some different opinions on the matter. And I still choose to have an awesome vacation whether I get Anna & Elsa FP or not.

 

[CampbellzSoup]

there is NO reason that they are not fair.

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

I think they are fair.

I am curious why you did not mention EMH. For the same ticket price, on site guests have access to more park hours.

We love on site perks. We have also enjoyed off site stays where we did not have them trading perks for reduced cost of accommodations.

 

[mi*vida*loca]

I would never stay onsite if it weren't for the perks.

180+10
FP+ at 60 days
EMH
Free transportation (except technically anyone can use the buses or monorail)
No parking fees

So yes it's fair.

 

[momof2n2]

OP - we always stay offsite. Always, always. I never felt badly about not getting EMH, and never blinked at the +10 of ADRs... I always figured onsite guests had to be offered SOMETHING special to get them to stay in those expensive little motel rooms. But with the inception of FP "+" it finally got my attention. It's been a big enough game changer that we canceled our WDW trip last year. And next year we are going to be both onsite and offsite at the same time. We decided that for our family we will (reluctantly) pay for rooms onsite to get the FP, but we will sleep in comfort offsite. It stinks. We will go less often. But we have to take leveling the playing field into our own hands. We will just eat less TS, and more QS/lunch packing. I think we will break even, although we'll miss Chef Mickey's and Hoop De Doo.

 

[Bronxgirl]

So what you're telling me is that Disney is a for profit corporation and not a public service? Hmm, who knew..

 

[cakebaker]

As others have said, it has little to do with being "fair". On site guests pay more- they get more. This is how things usually work.