EDITED TITLE: Should DVC Owners get more Perks?

[Chuck S]

So can DVC get a credit for lots from Disney since they are covering hotel guests or are we no longer hotel guests? I don't know if that is a good or bad question but I'm asking it to ask.

No, Disney is not "covering" hotel guests. The cost of parking is factored into the price of a room reservation, just like electricty, water, internet, etc. Think of it this way, there are two identical hotels. One charges a room rate of $50 per night. But charges an additional $25 for parking, $10 for internet, $6 to use the pool...so your total is $91 with everything. The identical hotel across the street charges $140 per night, but includes all the extras in the cost of the room.

With a timeshare, we pay dues. Those dues include maintenance costs for the common areas, like pools, utilities, internet, and parking lots. One way or another EVERYONE is paying for parking, it just depends upon if the cost is itemized out, or included.

And remember, Disney pays maintenance fees on the points they retain, so they are paying their share of parking on the room used for maintenance, or cash rentals. At resorts where parking lots are shared by a cash resort and DVC resort, the costs of the maintenance are shared, just like the cost of transportation, taxes, and so forth, DVC dues pays a percentage, and Disney pays a percentaage.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

Don made a very good point. Then why do we have to pay for our parking at all may be an even better tangential question. It's our driveway. We own it. We paid for it when we bought our house. Technically, it goes with the house. We pay maintenance fees to the resort of which I'm sure pay for resurfacing and general maintenance when needed, so why do we pay for it as a line item at all? We already paid for it.

 

[kes601]

Don made a very good point. Then why do we have to pay for our parking at all may be an even better tangential question. It's our driveway. We own it. We paid for it when we bought our house. Technically, it goes with the house. We pay maintenance fees to the resort of which I'm sure pay for resurfacing and general maintenance when needed, so why do we pay for it as a line item at all? We already paid for it.

You also paid for your house and the driveway was included. But at some point in time you are going to have an extra bill (line item) for resurfacing or redoing your driveway.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

You also paid for your house and the driveway was included. But at some point in time you are going to have an extra bill (line item) for resurfacing or redoing your driveway.

I. Think. I. Mentioned. That.

 

[jo-jo]

Train A is traveling east going 80 miles an hour, Train B is travel west going 110 miles an hour , at what time do they get ..........

Sorry, all these math issues reminded me of this.

 

[kes601]

I. Think. I. Mentioned. That.

I. See. Nothing. In. Your. Post. That. Says. You. Pay. Resurfacing. Or. Repaving. Bills. On. Your. Driveway.

I'm apparently misreading your post because if you were saying you later have fees (or bills) on your own driveway then we are making the same point. Your post to me does not mention that.

At any rate, we apparently agree.

 

[drusba]

For most of WDW's existence, Disney hotel guests did not have to pay extra for parking at a DVC resort. For DVC it was never a "perk" because cost of maintenance of the parking lots and other common elements are included in dues (i.e., it would have been illegal for Disney to also apply that new parking fee to DVC Members for DVC resorts); for hotel guests it was included in the room rental fee. The separate parking fee was started for hotel guests in 2018, despite Disney's continuing to also raise room rates. It is now going away again -- most likely someone upper level decided it was a stupid "excess-greed" decision in the first place that was likely adversely affecting hotel room rentals, particularly since Disney did away with free bus transportation from and to the airport (another decision that should not have been made if WDW wanted to maintain or increase room rentals.

Adding perks to DVC members when regular hotel guests also get a new perk might sometimes happen, but the parking situation is not the addition of a new perk to hotel guests, but simply the ressurection of what always wisely existed for the first 47 years of WDW before some high up official made a wrong decision, and there is no like "perk" to add since DVC members have never paid a separate parking fee at the DVC resorts.

As to getting "more" perks, many DVC members are just hoping some old ones return, like the ability to purchase a new annual pass at a discount.

As to valet parking, it was "free" for years to members because its costs (employee and other) were resort costs included in dues. That changed in 2008 when Disney cut a deal with an outside contractor to provide valet parking and the cost was no longer included in dues.

 

[Chuck S]

As to valet parking, it was "free" for years to members because its costs (employee and other) were resort costs included in dues. That changed in 2008 when Disney cut a deal with an outside contractor to provide valet parking and the cost was no longer included in dues.

Valet, when it was free. really was a true perk to us outliers, who enjoyed the free valet when visiting resorts to dine or shop, but never even paid for it through dues, as OKW and SSR never offered valet parking, so it could not be included in our resort specific maintenance/service fees, unless they hid it under the Transportation budget somewhere. Just had to throw that out there...LOL

 

[WilsonFlyer]

I. See. Nothing. In. Your. Post. That. Says. You. Pay. Resurfacing. Or. Repaving. Bills. On. Your. Driveway.

I'm apparently misreading your post because if you were saying you later have fees (or bills) on your own driveway then we are making the same point. Your post to me does not mention that.

At any rate, we apparently agree.

My post wasn't about my driveway. It was about the parking lots at DVC resorts. For the record, I haven't touched or needed to touch my concrete driveway as far as maintenance that cost me anything in over 30 years, so not a fair analogy.

 

[drusba]

Valet, when it was free. really was a true perk to us outliers, who enjoyed the free valet when visiting resorts to dine or shop, but never even paid for it through dues, as OKW and SSR never offered valet parking, so it could not be included in our resort specific maintenance/service fees, unless they hid it under the Transportation budget somewhere. Just had to throw that out there...LOL

Yep, you "freeloaders" from OKW and SSR, for which there was no valet parking costs included in dues, always got it free when staying at another DVC resort at WDW, but, particularly as to OKW, the rest of us could always reserve one of those nice, bigger-than-elsewhere rooms for fewer points than we had to pay for our own resort.

 

[J-Dog]

As to getting "more" perks, many DVC members are just hoping some old ones return, like the ability to purchase a new annual pass at a discount.

Okay, so off-topic, I guess (and this is a serious question, not sarcasm) but why are/were discounted AP's possible for DVC, but when DVC-discounted general tickets are mentioned, everyone on here poo-poo's it? How would those be different?

AP discounts are worthless to me (and many other DVC owners), so a discounted general ticket would be much more valuable to some of us.

 

[RanDIZ]

Charging for parking might have been the lowest blow Disney has ever taken. They were on a money grabbing spree and chose to piss off guests even more. Imagine Target coming out and saying if you want to shop at our store and use our parking lot, you have to pay. That would go over real well. It’s just sad to see the path Disney has chosen. Maybe Iger is here to right a lot of the wrongs of Bob Paycheck.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Charging for parking might have been the lowest blow Disney has ever taken. They were on a money grabbing spree and chose to piss off guests even more.

It was def. on my list of "come on Disney" moves.

 

[tjkraz]

My post wasn't about my driveway. It was about the parking lots at DVC resorts. For the record, I haven't touched or needed to touch my concrete driveway as far as maintenance that cost me anything in over 30 years, so not a fair analogy.

DVC owners aren't charged an arbitrary fee for parking. It's whatever the resorts spend--or plan to spend (via capital reserves)--on maintenance. Disney lots are asphalt, so they need to be periodically re-surfaced or sealed, lines must be re-painted, there's probably maintenance required on light poles, curb repair or replacement, etc.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

DVC owners aren't charged an arbitrary fee for parking. It's whatever the resorts spend--or plan to spend (via capital reserves)--on maintenance. Disney lots are asphalt, so they need to be periodically re-surfaced or sealed, lines must be re-painted, there's probably maintenance required on light poles, curb repair or replacement, etc.

And don't forget all that snow removal.....!

 

[J-Dog]

Charging for parking might have been the lowest blow Disney has ever taken. They were on a money grabbing spree and chose to piss off guests even more. Imagine Target coming out and saying if you want to shop at our store and use our parking lot, you have to pay. That would go over real well. It’s just sad to see the path Disney has chosen. Maybe Iger is here to right a lot of the wrongs of Bob Paycheck.

But this is partly why I didn't realize that parking was once free - I can't believe that they would reverse a charge like that. Good on them.

I am heading to Vegas next month (never been there before) and noticed that every hotel on the Strip charges for parking and for a "Resort Fee" on top of the room cost, which supposedly covers Wifi and use of the fitness center - i.e. charges that hotels in almost every other city incorporates into the nightly fee. AKAIK, Disney or Orlando don't this yet, but it appears to be a trend in tourist towns, and I had assumed it was coming until this reversal.

 

[keishashadow]

It certainly doesn't hurt us, as DVC owners, for the "regular" WDW resort-goer to get an extra perk. But it would sure be nice if some of these new waves of "improvements" that Iger is doing would add something just for us.

Agreed, whatever improvement Disney is handing out to whomever, good for them!

Not sure of the % among members, however, we often find ourselves adding onto a DVC trip or booking thru CRO. Whether if fresh out of points or for a bonus trip when there is nothing in the way of availability, it’s nice to have the general perks in play.

DVC perks are akin to , nothing guaranteed nor to sneeze at

Especially at Boardwalk, sometimes the parking is so far away.

Seriously, the trek feels twice as long at the end of park day if parked across the bridge. I’m sure it’s some sort of mental block Vs the actual steps involved. However, unless I am in the very end of building near the tennis courts and not too many flights up, knowing I have an additional long haul down the corridor to the villa makes it loom much worse in my mind.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

But this is partly why I didn't realize that parking was once free - I can't believe that they would reverse a charge like that. Good on them.

I am heading to Vegas next month (never been there before) and noticed that every hotel on the Strip charges for parking and for a "Resort Fee" on top of the room cost, which supposedly covers Wifi and use of the fitness center - i.e. charges that hotels in almost every other city incorporates into the nightly fee. AKAIK, Disney or Orlando don't this yet, but it appears to be a trend in tourist towns, and I had assumed it was coming until this reversal.

The Wynn and Encore presently do not charge for parking in their garage and haven't really in a long time. I *think* they did for a limited time but realized it affected their bottom line too much (they are located far down on one end of the Strip making their location not as easily accessible). Resorts World next to Wynn/Encore does not charge for parking for hotel guests (it's under the Hilton brand)--side note Resorts World is a bust for us (been there twice as far as looking around, gambling a little). Parking used to be free at Flamingo until somewhat recently but as I understand it they eventually noticed too many people using the lot to park there and go elsewhere as opposed to availing themselves to Flamingo's property. The first hour however is still free IIRC. Treasure Island (called T.I. really) doesn't charge for parking. Tropicana another one for most situations. I'm not going into an exhaustive list but yeah. There are a few more Strip properties that don't charge for parking.

A short time in the pandemic most of the hotels (which understand are generally owned by conglomerates so the properties may be different but they may be owned by the same company) did not charge for parking 1) tourism was down 2) the monorail was not running 3) the trams were not running. All of these combined meant getting around sorta necessitated temporary removal of parking fees.

We've been to Vegas a decent amount mostly at the Wynn/Encore. On comp stays (where one or more nights has been comped as part of a deal) you can waive the resort fee although you will not have access to wifi, etc. We've stayed comp at Wynn, Encore and Bellagio. Bellagio IIRC also didn't charge us the resort fee with that comp stay.

Vegas makes a lot more sense and you'll probably understand it when you go there as far as parking. It's limited due to space constraint. Most people don't drive from property to property. They use transit options available to them or they walk. Taxi and ubers are very common, The Deuce (bus), the monorail, the trams (which are free) run between Mandalay Bay and Excalibur as well as between Aria and Park MGM (along with some shopping points).

I dislike parking fees and resort fees by principle though. As far as resort fees I disagree with your point about including it in the nightly rate. Absolutely yes there are many hotels that don't charge a separate fee, but there are also absolutely ones that do including major brands. Often it's location dependent. IMO a resort fee, while I wouldn't put it past Disney to institute, doesn't make quite as much sense there because the draw is their theme parks rather than you booking primarily for the resort property. Universal doesn't charge a resort fee either. While Royal Pacific's pool looks very nice the primary draw is Universal's theme parks.

 

[erionm]

I am heading to Vegas next month (never been there before) and noticed that every hotel on the Strip charges for parking and for a "Resort Fee" on top of the room cost, which supposedly covers Wifi and use of the fitness center - i.e. charges that hotels in almost every other city incorporates into the nightly fee. AKAIK, Disney or Orlando don't this yet, but it appears to be a trend in tourist towns, and I had assumed it was coming until this reversal.

The Swan & Dolphin hotels charge a daily parking fee and a daily resort services fee.

The Universal Orlando Hotels charge a daily parking fee, but no resort service fees.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

The Universal Orlando Hotels charge a daily parking fee, but no resort service fees

Maybe not aesthetically pleasing but I wish that Royal Pacific had a parking garage like Endless Summer Surfside did. It wasn't as easy to roll our suitcases from Royal Pacific's parking lot as it was from Endless Summer Surfside either.