Guest charge for parking rumors

[Chuck S]

I usually don't bash the mouse and understanding that this is a rumor, but if this indeed becomes true, if we as DVC owners do not unite against this I think we are stupid. YMMV.

I have a hard time believing that the revenue generated by this would reduce our dues. They would have to hire more security to see who has paid and who has not or print up tags or stickers or whatever.

I would also hate to see that parking be charged for at other resorts as well (other then valet).

There comes a point where it becomes ridiculous for a company trying to nickel and dime you at every available chance and I think this may be that point.

JMHO

Actually, extra security would not be needed, you'd simply be charged for this at check-in and get the window tag like we do now. Personally, I think it is an awful idea...but the actual implementation of it would be pretty simple.

 

[crisi]

If this is true, I can't help but think that off site guests who park at the resorts to save a few bucks are partly the cause.

Our last trip (only 4 days) the rental car prices were outrageous, so for the first time we tried FL Tours and cabs. We had a great experience with airport transportation with FL Tours, and the cabs to and from dinner were awesome. The cabs were clean & plentiful everwhere we went, and nobody had to be a designated driver.

Fl Tours and cabs could be our sole future transportation...

MG

That's my guess as well - Some of the resorts have tight parking to start with - add in "I'll park at the Poly for the day when I drive in from Kissisimee, I tell them I'm eating at Ohana" and the lots are overcrowded. Having guests pay for parking will reduce the overhead from the non-onsite guests using the parking spaces.

And if that is the case, I wouldn't be suprised to see an upfront charge and a credit towards the room bill if you have a car.

I also agree about the cabs. We don't rent a car at Disney but we make good use out of the cabs.

 

[littlestar]

I don't think onsite guests (whether DVC or not) should be charged for parking at the resorts. One more reason to stay off property because you're usually paying a premium to stay at a Disney resort anyway. There's a lot of terrific resorts in Orlando (non Disney) and charging a Disney resort guest for parking would not be a good idea in my opinion.

Now, as far as off site guests, I don't know. Maybe they are having a problem with people going to the parks and parking for free at the resorts to do it. But if they charged off site guests for parking at the resorts, that might hurt their resort restaurants.

 

[CarolA]

I don't think onsite guests (whether DVC or not) should be charged for parking at the resorts. One more reason to stay off property because you're usually paying a premium to stay at a Disney resort anyway. There's a lot of terrific resorts in Orlando (non Disney) and charging a Disney resort guest for parking would not be a good idea in my opinion.

Now, as far as off site guests, I don't know. Maybe they are having a problem with people going to the parks and parking for free at the resorts to do it. But if they charged off site guests for parking at the resorts, that might hurt their resort restaurants.

And ALMOST all of those 'terrific resorts' are charging for parking so it's a wash IMHO.

I know the following charge

1. Gaylord
2. Marriott Orlando World Center
3. Ritz
4. JW Marriott
5. Peabody

 

[bicker]

Remember, though, that upkeep on the parking lots at the DVC resorts are paid for through our dues.

It is hard to know how much of specific operating costs (such as parking lot up-keep) is actually reflected in transfers from DVC to Disney.

Upkeep at regular resorts are paid through room rates. If they start charging for parking in an effort to keep "room rates" down, would our dues get cheaper?

You mean, "would that keep our dues down?" The answer is probably yes, in exactly the same way as with regular hotel room rates.

 

[bicker]

If this is true, I can't help but think that off site guests who park at the resorts to save a few bucks are partly the cause.

I can see your logic. However, do understand that many, if not most, of those transgressors don't care as much about the money as about the convenience. So what would be more effective a deterrant would be to (1) consistently require resort IDs to ride any resort-related transportation, and (2) vigorously enforce the requirement. Disney would have to weigh that up against how much business they'd lose from off-site guests without rental cars (keeping in mind that the number of off-site guests without rental cars is a pretty small number, eh?) eating and shopping at the resorts.

 

[bicker]

Bicker, you have got to be kidding. Folks on here goe p'd-off when they can't get FREE dining......

Yeah, I know, but they shouldn't -- it's not healthy, physically or emotionally.

 

[Chuck S]

It is hard to know how much of specific operating costs (such as parking lot up-keep) is actually reflected in transfers from DVC to Disney.

Actually at non-shared resorts, like OKW and SSR, it would be 100%, wouldn't it?

 

[bicker]

Absolutely.

 

[DVC Jen]

I would be absolutely positively disgusted with Disney if they started charging guest and or DVC members to park their cars at the resort they are staying at.

We already (guests and DVC members) pay enough for our hotel rooms/ timeshare.

Now with that said - we always drive - so this would really effect us... BUT I would not want a fellow DVC member who always flies and relies on Disney transportation to have to pay for my car to be parked in the parking lot.

 

[bicker]

I would be absolutely positively disgusted with Disney if they started charging guest and or DVC members to park their cars at the resort they are staying at. We already (guests and DVC members) pay enough for our hotel rooms/ timeshare.

I don't know. I think we get a great value from our vacations to WDW... that's why we go back so often. It's really worth a bit more to us than they're charging.

 

[MiaSRN62]

Now with that said - we always drive - so this would really effect us... BUT I would not want a fellow DVC member who always flies and relies on Disney transportation to have to pay for my car to be parked in the parking lot.

We drive/fly 50/50. But even when we fly, we 90% of the time rent a car. We use it for resort dining/shopping and offsite trips. We like to visit a couple sets of relatives in FL as well while on vacation. I don't like the idea of being penalized because we have a car.
Disney gives out free dining and then they're gonna make up for it by charging guests to park at the resorts ? My offsite timeshare (Vistana) does not, nor have they proposed charging for parking. I hope this is just a rumor.
Where did it originate ?

 

[MiaSRN62]

I don't know. I think we get a great value from our vacations to WDW... that's why we go back so often. It's really worth a bit more to us than they're charging.

I dunno Bicker. It is really good you feel this way. Me, personally, I could see us backing off visits to wdw more and more with all these changes. I'm hanging in there for now, but keeping an eye on things. They keep building more and more resorts, but the parks are staying the same size. I can't seem to find a time when it's not crowded anymore and when FP's don't sell out by noon. I've been to wdw in early Aug, early Oct and early Dec this year. We saw 90 minute to 2 hour lines every trip for the more popular rides.

Then we have the menu changes.....alot of really good signature dishes are disappearing in the name of the DDP. You read how housekeeping is slacking off. Charging us to park at the resort is ridiculous imho. With every little change and every little way disney finds to nickel and dime me, I'm seeing other places to spend my vacation time. It may be just me, but they sneak more and more changes in every few months. They "give" us things with one hand, but then "take" things away with the other. It's probably one of the reasons I'm holding off on buying more DVC points.

 

[Happy Birthday Cat]

I hope this is just a rumor.
Where did it originate ?

I heard this rumor on my recent trip from some folks at the Beach Club. No one (meaning a CM) would confirm it to be true or false. I put it into a trip report a few days ago. Not sure if it originated there but I did hear it.

HBC

 

[Chuck S]

This was also rumored immediately after Universal Studios associated resorts and Swan Dolphin started charging for onsite parking.

 

[UConnJack]

I heard this rumor on my recent trip from some folks at the Beach Club. No one (meaning a CM) would confirm it to be true or false. I put it into a trip report a few days ago. Not sure if it originated there but I did hear it.

HBC

Your post is one place I saw it. I saw it on another post somehwere too last week, maybe on the transportation board? I don't remember specifically.

 

[UConnJack]

We shouldn't get p'd-off. We should accept that sometimes things don't go our way.

Absolutely DVC members would have a right to be p'd-off. DVC members are sold with the idea that this is their resort, they own a piece of it. To be told we have to pay to park in the lot that our dues (probably at VWL, BWV, BCV; and definitely at SSR, VB, HHI, and OKW) helped build and maintain would infuriate me and most DVC members, and rightfully so. I accept we don't get housekeeping, the DVC reason being its a "home away from home". But I do expect to park at my "home away from home"!

Disney hotel/resort guests are another matter. Disney can go ahead and charge them for parking, and it wouldn't be out of the ordinary. I do think it may be a tactical error on their part since people who book on property see the value as an all inclusive thing, especially when you sign up for DDP too. To tack on a surcharge for parking makes the Disney "value" much less appealing.

 

[bicker]

I can't seem to find a time when it's not crowded anymore and when FP's don't sell out by noon.

And this is the key indicator they need to know whether or not what they're doing best serves their objectives or not. While you or I might change our plans away from WDW (well, really, just you ), if one family is replaced by two or three families rabidly happy about what Disney's offering now (which accounts for why you're finding it so crowded), then it is a win-win: A win for Disney, and a win for those new guests -- only a loss for that one family that isn't happy with the changes -- 2-to-1 "they" win.

Then we have the menu changes.....

Same thing with the dining. Some people complain that they cannot get reservations at the last minute anymore. Again, it's 2-to-1 "they" win, because both Disney and the two or three new guests (the ones that replace the one guest that no longer eats on-site as a result of the changes) win.

 

[bicker]

DVC members are sold with the idea that this is their resort, they own a piece of it.

And that "piece" we own is spelled out in great detail, in documents that we had to initial every page of, in addition to signing the end of. (And, of course, it doesn't entitle us to free parking.) Any DVC member who thinks they own every aspect of the resort must have an incredibly short memory, or just wasn't paying attention when they handed over the thousands of dollars for their DVC ownership interest!

 

[dumbo71]

And that "piece" we own is spelled out in great detail, in documents that we had to initial every page of, in addition to signing the end of. (And, of course, it doesn't entitle us to free parking.) Any DVC member who thinks they own every aspect of the resort must have an incredibly short memory, or just wasn't paying attention when they handed over the thousands of dollars for their DVC ownership interest!

Bicker is once again correct. I get a good laugh at the DVC members who think they "Own" a piece of WDW.

We own a RTU contract, nothing more, nothing less. In my mind you'd be far more of an "owner" holding Disney stock than would a Timeshare owner.

Also, after a traded pm with Bicker, I now have a new understanding of his posting style. He simply posts the way things ARE as opposed to the way he would like things to be. It may come off harsh at times but the guy tells it like it is and you have got to respect that.

As for the charge for parking, I suspect we'll see this and soon. The good news for many is that with ME far less guests are driving to WDW.

I suspect that is really the goal, just like DDP and free dining, to force guests to stay on property. This charge may just accomplish that goal. Those that choose to drive will simply have to pay that fee. It isn't uncommon, either.

My hope is that they will exempt DVC members from the fee.