Money saving idea, confirmation please

[livndisney]

Actually I think Disney does care and that may be why they have stopped running buses from DTD to the resorts before 11am.

 

[maxiesmom]

Do I think it's illegal to park there and take Disney Transportation to the theme parks? from everything I've read on Disney's website - No I do not think it's illegal or it's disney's intent. .

It is definately not illegal to park your car at DTD and go to the parks. I do happen to think it a bit rude though. And while not illegal Disney has taken steps to make doing so take a good chunk of time out of your day. So if to you saving $15 is worth 3 or 4 hours of your day, then go for it. I think most people would find the $15 an easier price to pay.

 

[goofy4tink]

Well, you would be wrong. Years ago buses did run from DTD to the parks. I remember it well because by mid- morning it was almost impossible to parkbat DTD because of all of the park goers there. It was because if the severity of the problem that the direct buses were stopped. So Disney made of very strong statement about how they feel about this.

And they have at Fantasia Gardens also. We frequently are met by an attendant checking on why we are parking there. They've also made a statement at the resorts. Before the guards were put at the gates it was a nightmare to find parking at the Poly, even at non-peak times due to all the folks parking there and spending the day at MK. That was one of the major reasons for the guards.

So Disney has told everyone what the various lots are for. Try to use them for an unitended purpose and you are basically saying you don't care if you inconvenience others. Not cool!

I am very aware that buses 'used' to run to the parks. Did people abuse that priviledge? Sure they did. Is that why Disney stopped running buses between DTD and the parks? Not completely. There are other reasons as well....profitibility being one. There just wasn't that big a need to run buses.
As for parking at resorts, it's always been a no-no, at least for as long as I can remember and that goes back to '99.

Actually I think Disney does care and that may be why they have stopped running buses from DTD to the resorts before 11am.

No, they don't run many buses between DTD and the resorts simply because there is little to no need. The shops don't open that early, so there just aren't that many people needing transport back to resort before 10:30-11. This is why it's so hard to get from your resort to DTD for 9am...buses just don't run that frequently.


Really...if Disney truly wanted to stop this practice, they could. They could institute validated parking easily. But they don't. This is not the same, by a long shot, as parking at a resort for park access. Doing that takes away parking from those who are paying to stay at the resort. No one is paying for DTD.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Not a big deal, just trying to decide where Disney will suck us dry!

Respectfully, Walt Disney World isn't "sucking [anyone] dry'; any vacation is a choice.

I understand well about not having a lot of money; don't buy snacks. Bring them. You can. Don't buy souvenirs in the parks. Get them at WalMart or Walgreens. They won't say "Disney", but they'll have Disney characters.

Yes, indeed it's doable as stated in that article. But what isn't said is how long it will take. And parking at BW??? Please. They have some of the longest wait times for buses to MK and AK that exist. I know..I stay there more often than not.
It sure would be nice that if people are going to write 'helpful' articles, that they would actually let people know exactly what this 'alternative' parking is going to cost time-wise.

I'm relatively certain that wasn't an article, or at least not one by someone employed by the site/magazine. More likely, it was a reader/user tip :

And the comment about walkers in the mall?? Really??? Not even a close comparison. Nobody else is paying to park there. Those health minded seniors are not trying to avoid paying a parking fee. Not to mention that the malls haven't seen fit to try and stop them from walking there.

I think the malls encourage it. Good community relations, if nothing else.

I keep including it because it includes additional places to park for free other than DTD and everyone only responds to DTD. Thank you for responding to the waterpark and mini golf courses - what do you think about the overflow lot by Hess the article mentions?

That was addressed - very few people use it. Most people trying to avoid paying for parking and save time use the hotel lots - not the water park lots (100% requires transfers and not open earlier than park opening), or the miniature golf lots (no buses serve these locations), or Downtown Disney (100% requires transfers and no bus service until after parks open).

 

[kaytieeldr]

I just happen to think it's a loophole in the system and don't get mad at people for finding and using loopholes to their advantage - I actually appreciate their 'outside the box' thinking. It appeared a lot of people were getting mad for this lady trying to use a loophole to her advantage.

But there's no advantage. Oh, sure, you save $14 per day. But you lose several hours of valuable park touring time.

The stores at Downtown Disney open at 10 AM. There's no need for Walt Disney World to run buses TO DtD much early than this, and less need to run buses FROM DtD to the resorts before the area opens. The parks open by 9. By the time one is able to get from Downtown Disney to a resort, then to a park, they've likely missed out on a good two hours of park touring time.

Is THAT really a good use of park admission money for someone for whom $14 per day to park is a hardship?

 

[vicki_c]

I'm relatively certain that wasn't an article, or at least not one by someone employed by the site/magazine. More likely, it was a reader/user tip :

No, that seems to be incorrect - it's right here - it definitely appears to be a regular article published in both the online and print copy of the Frommer's Budget Travel magazine.
http://www.budgettravel.com/bt-dyn/content/article/2011/01/08/AR2011010804236.html?page=2

 

[livndisney]

No, they don't run many buses between DTD and the resorts simply because there is little to no need. The shops don't open that early, so there just aren't that many people needing transport back to resort before 10:30-11. This is why it's so hard to get from your resort to DTD for 9am...buses just don't run that frequently.

I guess we will have to agree to disagree. But I will say this, there is a need for people to get back to their resort before 11, just ask the cab drivers hanging out at DTD. I can't tell you the number of times I have seen people who ran to DTD to "pick up one last thing", before 11 am check out only to find out they are not going to make it back to the resort before 11

 

[Paging Tom Morrow]

Darwin would be so proud of anyone wanting to take advantage of this "loophole".

Average cost per hour of theme park visit = $5.22 (Adult base ticket - 7 days @ 7 hours per day)

Average cost per hour of parking at theme park = $0.71 (3 persons per car / 7 hours)

So in essence, anyone trading park time for DTD parking is losing $3.5 per person per hour by trying to SAVE money.

Love it.

 

[goofy4tink]

I guess we will have to agree to disagree. But I will say this, there is a need for people to get back to their resort before 11, just ask the cab drivers hanging out at DTD. I can't tell you the number of times I have seen people who ran to DTD to "pick up one last thing", before 11 am check out only to find out they are not going to make it back to the resort before 11

And that truly does go to my point....there just aren't all that many people needing buses running back to resorts. Sure, there are always going to be those people that want to run back for that last item...but if the need were great enough, then Disney would run more buses. But as of right now, I don't think Disney feels the need to provide enough buses to move that small number of people. From 10-12pm is prime time to go to DTD. Why??? No crowds. It's actually quite pleasant being there at that time. You don't have to deal with the masses...they don't arrive until later in the day. Yes, I have to wait longer for a bus back to the resort, but I plan accordingly. I know it's not going to be a 5-10 min wait for a bus. Heck, that isn't the case at 8pm!!! You still wait almost 30 mins for the bus. Buses to and from DTD are among the worst onsite.

This is why so many guests have an issue with the Disney buses. They want to get to point A now, and not in an hour..right now. They don't want to have to wait 15 mins for the bus to come along, they don't want to make any other stops. They need to get to their destination asap!! And let's not even go into that 'I need to get from Pop to BC for my dinner ADR...why aren't there direct buses from resort to resort?' argument. Disne provides buses for the masses, it is not a 'private' service. Why do you think there are cabs everywhere you look? Yep, for those guests who just don't want to wait for the nasty old buses. Too many people go into a WDW vacation with no idea as to how the buses work...then, they get upset when they find that the buses don't run every 5 mins from 6:30am until at least 2 hrs after a park closes.

 

[maxiesmom]

Darwin would be so proud of anyone wanting to take advantage of this "loophole".

Average cost per hour of theme park visit = $5.22 (Adult base ticket - 7 days @ 7 hours per day)

Average cost per hour of parking at theme park = $0.71 (3 persons per car / 7 hours)

So in essence, anyone trading park time for DTD parking is losing $3.5 per person per hour by trying to SAVE money.

Love it.

Love this!!

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

The irony! Thanks for the spot-on analysis. This is kind of what runs through my head when I insist on renting a car at WDW. Sure, the buses are free, but they are so slow that it sucks the value right out of my vacation. I much prefer the speed and convenience of a car, the abilty to hop from resort to resort, or to the outlet malls and beyond.

Very few people know that Buzz Lightyear's original line in the Toy Story movie was, "To the outlet malls and beyond!" before the script was rewritten.

Darwin would be so proud of anyone wanting to take advantage of this "loophole".

Average cost per hour of theme park visit = $5.22 (Adult base ticket - 7 days @ 7 hours per day)

Average cost per hour of parking at theme park = $0.71 (3 persons per car / 7 hours)

So in essence, anyone trading park time for DTD parking is losing $3.5 per person per hour by trying to SAVE money.

Love it.

 

[sam_gordon]

Darwin would be so proud of anyone wanting to take advantage of this "loophole".

Average cost per hour of theme park visit = $5.22 (Adult base ticket - 7 days @ 7 hours per day)

Average cost per hour of parking at theme park = $0.71 (3 persons per car / 7 hours)

So in essence, anyone trading park time for DTD parking is losing $3.5 per person per hour by trying to SAVE money.

Love it.

I'm sorry, I don't understand the math (or at least what you're trying to prove).

First, why did you use 3 persons/car? Why not 4, or 5? Anyway, ok.

So it costs someone $5.22/hour based on a seven hour stay at a theme park. Let's say that person pays $14 to park. So now it's costing them $7.22/hour.

Now, let's say someone else parks for "free" somewhere. They have a 3 hour commute (90 minutes each way). Assuming they park at Noon, they're at the park by 1:30, and leave at 8:30p. They're back to their car at 10. They still spend 7 hours in the park, but now their "per hour cost" is $5.22.

Now, you could say they are wasting $15.60 in "time" (3 hours of time), so they are actually "wasting" $1.60 by parking for "free". Of course, if they get lucky and only use 2 hours for a commute, then they've lost $10.40 in park time, so they've "saved" $4.

It all comes down to how much value one places on lost park time.

As far as the "free" parking being a "loophole"... I don't think it's a loophole anymore than Disney allowing outside hotels to run shuttles to the parks. Disney knows people do it, and they've done what they feel they need to do to convince people not to (no direct park access). After that... again, I think it's a bigger issue to DISers than it is to Disney.

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

As far as the "free" parking being a "loophole"... I don't think it's a loophole anymore than Disney allowing outside hotels to run shuttles to the parks. Disney knows people do it, and they've done what they feel they need to do to convince people not to (no direct park access). After that... again, I think it's a bigger issue to DISers than it is to Disney.

Pretty sure Disney charges the outside hotel to be able to use the TTC, they don't allow it, they make money from it. So that is not really a loop hole it is a money making opportunity for Disney. Parking at DTD may be free, but it is not easy, if getting to a park is your goal.

 

[SOnotLayuh]

This is not only stealing from Disney, it is stealing from the honest guests who are paying to stay on site and keep the busses running. We pay for the gas and maintenance of these busses as part of our package... and they would be able to run less busses if there weren't thieves taking advantage of the system.

It is the kind of person who does that who *deserves* to have their car towed - pay the 75$ towing fee and be happy with that since you're saving 14$ per day. Congrats.

 

[livndisney]

And that truly does go to my point....there just aren't all that many people needing buses running back to resorts. Sure, there are always going to be those people that want to run back for that last item...but if the need were great enough, then Disney would run more buses. But as of right now, I don't think Disney feels the need to provide enough buses to move that small number of people. From 10-12pm is prime time to go to DTD. Why??? No crowds. It's actually quite pleasant being there at that time. You don't have to deal with the masses...they don't arrive until later in the day. Yes, I have to wait longer for a bus back to the resort, but I plan accordingly. I know it's not going to be a 5-10 min wait for a bus. Heck, that isn't the case at 8pm!!! You still wait almost 30 mins for the bus. Buses to and from DTD are among the worst onsite.

Like I said-I disagree. If there was not a big need cabs would not be making the money they are. In GS the other day in the 5 minutes I was in there 3 people complained about there being no buses. GS and the CM's stationed at the Bus stop were encouraging people to complain to WDW about the lack of buses.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I think Walt Disney World weighed the small need against the larger potential for misuse. Yes, I understand three people in a small period of time seems like a lot - but it'd be a big coincidence if they were all going to the same resort; and to run twenty-two or even fifteen buses every twenty minutes for the potential of one party per bus just isn't cost-effective.

The money thing:

Okay, using the example given and a ten hour park day - because that's the average number of hours the parks are open (AK fewer, Epcot greater - but average) - a seven day park pass is $3.65 per hour. Let's take four people because that's apparently the average family. Parking is $1.40 per hour, divided by four is $.35 - so $4.00 per person per hour to spend ten hours in a park.

Or, save the money, "beat the system", park somewhere free, take two valuable park touring hours leaving eight hours to tour the park = $4.56 per person per hour. And then you still have that long, if slightly shorter, return trip to the car and then the offsite hotel.

Can somebody PLEASE tell me where the value is???????

 

[goofy4tink]

The irony! Thanks for the spot-on analysis. This is kind of what runs through my head when I insist on renting a car at WDW. Sure, the buses are free, but they are so slow that it sucks the value right out of my vacation. I much prefer the speed and convenience of a car, the abilty to hop from resort to resort, or to the outlet malls and beyond.

Very few people know that Buzz Lightyear's original line in the Toy Story movie was, "To the outlet malls and beyond!" before the script was rewritten.

My way is even better...hang with those who have already rented cars!!!

 

[sam_gordon]

This is not only stealing from Disney, it is stealing from the honest guests who are paying to stay on site and keep the busses running. We pay for the gas and maintenance of these busses as part of our package... and they would be able to run less busses if there weren't thieves taking advantage of the system.

If your statement were true, then only people staying onsite would be allowed to use the busses. Since anyone can, I don't think it's a fair statement.

It is the kind of person who does that who *deserves* to have their car towed - pay the 75$ towing fee and be happy with that since you're saving 14$ per day. Congrats.

Has there been instances of towing or are some saying it COULD happen?

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Has there been instances of towing or are some saying it COULD happen?

I recall people being towed at DTD years ago (ie. 10+), but nothing recently. I also have heard of people being towed at resorts, especially MK resorts, these are of more recent times.

 

[goofy4tink]

I haven't seen cars being towed. My issue isn't the possibility of being towed. It's more a case of making sure that those who want to park at DTD and then bus to parks understand the issues. It isn't going to be direct, it isn't going to be quick. As long as people realize those two things, then fine, have at it. Me? There is no way I would spend 90 mins to get to a park in order to save $14...but again, that's just me.