New Room Price Increase Coming Your Way (!?)

[TheRustyScupper]

1) Many resorts and hotels in the area charge a nightly Resort Activity Fee.
. . . some are per-room and others are per-person in the room
. . . most non-Disney hotels at Downtown Disney
. . . Swan & Dolphin
2) Now, guess who is about to try it?
3) Yep, WDW !!!!!!!!
4) They have started surveying people in the parks to see if they would pay $15/night for an Activity Fee.
. . . claim they need money to balance Magic Bands costs
. . . and other new changes
5) This would include the campsites.
6) And, we ALL know what happens when they start asking specific survey questions.
7) The surveys always seem to support the idea/premise/change they are putting forward.
8) No announcement when this might happen, but my personal guess is 2017.

NOTE:
As if the resort rooms rates were not high enough, especially since they were increased a while ago to pay for Free Dining.

 

[tiggerdad]

Another grand example of overspending on the part of Disney. Any ideas what we get extra for this activity fee? Let me guess, "It will pay for the activities that we are already getting so nothing new".

Well, I guess we get to wait and see

P.S.
I have never been a fan of free dining, though I know it puts people in the resorts. I also know it does make things affordable for some families. It destroyed the diversity of food in the restaurants and those of us camping have always been left out of the deal but left having to help pay for it.

 

[JWigs]

They take surveys for so many things. I'm not going to panic over something and alter my vacations based on surveys and rumors.

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

I think this resort fee is a result of resorts selling on Priceline etc posting their artificially low prices and then making their money off all the extra fees. This creates the illusion of a good deal.
As if all the taxes and local fees wasnt a big enough price hit.

 

[bama_ed]

Past surveys have asked about reserving ride times and tiered pricing. And we got fp+ and tiered 1-day.

So fees r coming.

Gotta pay for that stuff we get for free now like fast WIFI at the Fort.

Oh wait......

Bama Ed

 

[amylevan]

The survey indicates that the Resort Fee would cover:
Parking
Wifi
Magicbands
DME
EMH

My problem with that at FW? Most are not using DME (because duh, we all rode in our campers there...), parking for most is right at your site and as of our trip there last month, there is STILL no wifi at FW. So we'd be paying the same $15 Resort Fee as they other resorts for less amenities...

 

[tiggerdad]

The survey indicates that the Resort Fee would cover:
Parking
Wifi
Magicbands
DME
EMH

My problem with that at FW? Most are not using DME (because duh, we all rode in our campers there...), parking for most is right at your site and as of our trip there last month, there is STILL no wifi at FW. So we'd be paying the same $15 Resort Fee as they other resorts for less amenities...

Exactly...

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

Its just semantics, pay more for what we already have. They could just as easily have said hot water and paper hand towels at the comfort stations.

 

[Flametamr]

Maybe they should charge a fee for the free air Disney provides. I sort of understand the yearly ticket price increases. But with record attendance they should be adding benefits. Not just raising the prices and taking stuff away. They now have tiered pricing on the sites and park tickets. They eliminated all camping discounts. A resort fee is just a little too much. Probably half or more people camping do not use anything except the camp site. In my case I have an AP so parking is included. We normally do not use the pool or the camp fire. We pay extra for the water parks. Things like this make me sort of regret getting my AP and planning to go three times in a year.

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

I think they are scouting for peoples limits and I doubt that will ever change. They could clean up in this market with expansion and some competetive pricing but instead they drive lots of people off site and make nothing off them.
Personally I would have stayed 3 weeks longer had the price not almost doubled mid Feb. $130 a night for a slab of concrete and some electricity was too much to bear.

 

[saw1810]

Or allow you to reserve a specific site like many other large rv and campgrounds do

 

[peg110]

Gotta pay for that stuff we get for free now like fast WIFI at the Fort.

I know the WiFi is up and running yet, but as I have mentioned in another thread, the security concerns of Public WiFi make me not want to use it. PLUS almost every "Public WiFi" I have ever used was EXTREMELY slow to the point that it's unusable. There are issues with capacity versus range that can and will impact users.

The survey indicates that the Resort Fee would cover:
Parking
Wifi
Magicbands
DME
EMH

My problem with that at FW? Most are not using DME (because duh, we all rode in our campers there...), parking for most is right at your site and as of our trip there last month, there is STILL no wifi at FW. So we'd be paying the same $15 Resort Fee as they other resorts for less amenities...

I agree with all that you have said. Parking is at our site. Last time we tried to park in the "Overflow Lot" (checking in and waiting for our site) there was ZERO room. None. Not even close. We had to park our truck and camper in front of 3 vehicles so that we would not block the roadway and we had to stay with it so we could move if the other owners of those vehicles came out.

I have concerns about the (currently unavailable) WiFi (above)

The essentially FORCED the Magic Bands on us, so now we have to pay for that?

The only thing good about EMH (for us) is that it helps us schedule our days. Going to the park today that had EMH yesterday. Much better strategy (at least for now) then trying to fight the crowds that have the EMH (at least AM, I think PM is much better).

I can't say anything about DME as we never have used it.

Typically if they want to assess a fee, you should charge those folks that use it. If they mandate use, then it should be a "Fee" rather it should be part of the COST already.

Personally, they should just go ahead and raise the cost of the stay and leave it as a "Regular Increase". Everyone already knows that Disney Corp just wants to separate you from more of your money.

 

[jbrostek]

I took the survey, told them bad bad idea.

As others have stated it is not to pay for the items they mentioned, it is a below the line price increase on rooms. It's similar to all the below the line increases wireless, cable, and otehr services have been playing the game with for years now. I noticed hotels are doing this as well for the past year or two so they can advertise great prices, but get you in the end. Me I always look at the final price, and if its not advertised at the time I reserve the room, then I make a HUGE stink about it and make sure all charges are reversed since it was not up front.

I do not expect the big D not to advertize it during reservation, but when you have to add another 100-500 to your room costs, it will deter people who are on a tight budget.

 

[peg110]

@jbrostek I totally agree. When pricing out ANYTHING (Tires, Cable TV, Internet, Vacations), I almost always ask (seek or search) for the bottom line price.

Just like those Infomercials. "Buy this great item for the low price of 19.95 and get a second one free Just pay separate processing and handling fee". I laugh because they no longer call it "Shipping and Handling" because shipping can be easily calculated, but "Processing"?

At least many tire places now are doing "Out the door pricing" in their advertising (at least here). No $29.99 + tax per tire (plus $5 tire disposal, plus $5 mounting plus $5 balancing, plus $10 valve stems....etc.....) Now it's $49.99 +tax out the door (or whatever).

I guess by making it a surcharge or facility fee or tax, they can then claim that they have a lower rate but the reality, often times can be different.

UGH.

It's all about separating you from your money. Smarter folks look for the bottom line. As you pointed out, it will deter (or shorten) those on a lower budget.

I even laugh now. They "Free Dinning" is not what it used to be. Even on the low end you'd get the quick serve dining, now it's a "Quick serve MEAL" (no snacks.) Too funny in my book. But it's working for them, I guess. I am not going to bite that hook though without doing the math.

 

[bigdisneydaddy]

If they tack on a fee for all these extra benefits I will be the first one at the desk complaining the next time that 3 families with 15 people occupy the site next to me.

 

[peg110]

If they tack on a fee for all these extra benefits I will be the first one at the desk complaining the next time that 3 families with 15 people occupy the site next to me.

Or if there are any violations.

I try very hard to follow the rules laid down. I try to keep everything contained in my site. Keep it clean, follow the rules. So when cars are overflowing a site making it hard for me to get in our out with my TT, then, yep... I'd complain even louder.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

I took the survey, told them bad bad idea.

1) Frankly, it doesn't make a difference what you replied.
2) Disney Surveys ALWAYS turn out the way they want them.
3) I think it is just a coincidence.

 

[peg110]

3) I think it is just a coincidence.

I think maybe you are right!

 

[jbrostek]

Fees below the advertised pricing has backfired on other hotels too. Go look at Hilton, they tried it nation wide and the reversed course. I know Disney is a destination, but the marketing fools will find pink slips if this plan of theirs isn't taken lightly. Which in general I don't think it will based on just those I have spoke too that do not run on this board.

 

[bama_ed]

I'm pretty sure there is a manila folder in The Bunker that contains a management business case to put vending machines in the bathroom stalls selling toilet paper by the square in the resorts and in the parks.

I bet part of the business case involves a slight alteration to the quality ingredients used in the fine cuisine served at wretched establishments (IMHO) like Pecos Bill's that will increase the use of said vending machines.

And of course, as always, Disney will say they undertook these changes "due to guest demand".

Bama Ed

PS - if you link a credit card to your magic band, you can just wave your wrist over the machine repeatedly and get all the squares you need. And if you eat the "Spicy Beef Burrito" at Bill's, you might be waving quite a bit. That's when they've got you right where they want you. Oh, you'll pay. Yes you will...