News Round Up 2017

[rteetz]

Well this is complete bull...a evidence as always that "insiders" will say anything to pass the time.

But they are likely right that bob has asked why four seasons is better...

Which the simple response likely was: "because they care about providing service at an expected level, don't hire out of a generic hiring pool, have more than 3 days of training, and don't streamline the menus at the restaurants...
We rely on our red roof, the choo choo, Mary poppins asking how your eggs are, and that mad hatter dump bucket for the kids"

...then they had a light lunch and never brought it up again.

Did you miss the 3+ Page thread after this rumor came out?

It's WDWNT they report a lot of crap like this. I'll never consider them credible.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Did you miss the 3+ Page thread after this rumor came out?

It's WDWNT they report a lot of crap like this. I'll never consider them credible.

Did you miss my first line? It's the the same point as always (typo aside)

There are no people in the know leaking anything of value out...it's all
Low or middle level nobody's with too much self importance or worse...

You'll eventually get around to this...unless you become jim hill or that clown that ran another site rhyming with "Epcot" that tried to build a fortune off plugging travel agencies on his site.

By the way...more power to you if you can make money blogging...to be clear...no fault in that.

 

[RunningPrince]

News

Walt Disney Imagineering College Design competition winners

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...etition-challenges-next-generation-of-makers/

Their hourglass concept was really cool as well as some of the other finalists concepts in the competition.[/QUOTE

Great to see my alma mater win the competition! Go Cyclones!

 

[rteetz]

Rumor

Get ready for parking and resort fees! Management feels they can get away with it at WDW resorts because everyone else around them is doing it. First 30 minutes will be free but you will be charged after that. Tables in wonderland is still supposed to get free valet. As for resort fees no added amenities and no word when exactly that would start.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Rumor

Get ready for parking and resort fees! Management feels they can get away with it at WDW resorts because everyone else around them is doing it. First 30 minutes will be free but you will be charged after that. Tables in wonderland is still supposed to get free valet. As for resort fees no added amenities and no word when exactly that would start.

...the important question: how will this affect my Wishes dessert party?

 

[rteetz]

...the important question: how will this affect my Wishes dessert party?

It will probably go up $10 because they can get away with it.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Rumor

Get ready for parking and resort fees! Management feels they can get away with it at WDW resorts because everyone else around them is doing it. First 30 minutes will be free but you will be charged after that. Tables in wonderland is still supposed to get free valet. As for resort fees no added amenities and no word when exactly that would start.

um, you spelled "due to guest demand" wrong

That's kinda crappy as they are pushing these benefits as a reason to stay on site and to justify the added expense .... and I am assuming these won't come with a price reduction

I don't get why they don't just jack up the price a bit more to make the fee more hidden and then they can still advertise that you get the added benefit with no resort fee (I know the issue is for price comparison on things like price line where they don't include the fees when doing the comparison)

 

[danikoski]

Rumor

Get ready for parking and resort fees! Management feels they can get away with it at WDW resorts because everyone else around them is doing it. First 30 minutes will be free but you will be charged after that. Tables in wonderland is still supposed to get free valet. As for resort fees no added amenities and no word when exactly that would start.

If they start adding resort fees, it will make the Swan and Dolphin much more appealing, and some of the Bonnet Creek resorts as well...

 

[LSLS]

They add those fees I can promise you I won't be on site again. Sure others charge those fees.m which helps keep me away from those hotels. You are now going to have a Hilton charging the same price as the All Stars Movie and expect me to pay comparable resort and parking fee on top of that? Out of your mind. The Disney Spirngs hotel loop must be jumping up and down with excitement.

 

[j2thomason]

They add those fees I can promise you I won't be on site again. Sure others charge those fees.m which helps keep me away from those hotels. You are now going to have a Hilton charging the same price as the All Stars Movie and expect me to pay comparable resort and parking fee on top of that? Out of your mind. The Disney Spirngs hotel loop must be jumping up and down with excitement.

I think it would be smarter of them to just raise the price to accomodate the fees. Then no one really notices. The fees really make people mad. I can't stand to stay at a 4-5 star resort and then they nickle and dime me over parking and internet fees.

 

[mcd2745]

I think it would be smarter of them to just raise the price to accomodate the fees. Then no one really notices. The fees really make people mad. I can't stand to stay at a 4-5 star resort and then they nickle and dime me over parking and internet fees.

But then when a room discount is offered, the "built-in fee" also gets discounted. If they keep it separate, then the fee isn't discounted. So let's say they offer a 25% room discount. If before the discount, the room is $300 plus a $20 fee nightly, after the discount it is $225 + $20 = $245. If they just made the room $320 nightly, then after the discount it would be $240. So they lose $5 per night. I'm sure this is a big part of their motivation to add fees - that they are not subject to discounts.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I think it would be smarter of them to just raise the price to accomodate the fees. Then no one really notices. The fees really make people mad. I can't stand to stay at a 4-5 star resort and then they nickle and dime me over parking and internet fees.

especially when they aren't optional. It would be one thing if they were extra charges that if you didn't want internet or access to the spa/gym or something then you didn't pay, but they are always mandatory/automatic

I think the big thing is that for those places like priceline or others that compare prices it is based only on the base cost (before any fees) so I think that is one thing Disney doesn't like in that their "all in " price gets compared to another hotel before the fees

 

[OhioStateBuckeye]

Once you're done you me and LOL will form a book club for discussion.

Ooh we should start book threads!

Rumor

Get ready for parking and resort fees! Management feels they can get away with it at WDW resorts because everyone else around them is doing it. First 30 minutes will be free but you will be charged after that. Tables in wonderland is still supposed to get free valet. As for resort fees no added amenities and no word when exactly that would start.

If this happens I guarantee I'm done with on site. I'm already leaning that way. Disney please stop making me hate you.

 

[Reddog1134]

I can understand wanting to change some things. Eventually new things become old and fresh things become stale. Instead of spending the money it would take to completely gut the entire hotel, why not put a portion of that money into breathing life into the existing theme. Kind of seems like throwing the baby out with the bathwater.

"What's that hunny? The refridgerator stopped working? Better buy a new house."

Maybe I'm just being naive.

Didn't read the article, but isn't the main problem (the reason GF never got 5-stars or whatever) the service and NOT the venue?

 

[mikepizzo]

Didn't read the article, but isn't the main problem (the reason GF never got 5-stars or whatever) the service and NOT the venue?

I have no idea. Can't answer that, unfortunately. I've never stayed at any deluxe resorts either, so I wouldn't even have a comparison.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

But then when a room discount is offered, the "built-in fee" also gets discounted. If they keep it separate, then the fee isn't discounted. So let's say they offer a 25% room discount. If before the discount, the room is $300 plus a $20 fee nightly, after the discount it is $225 + $20 = $245. If they just made the room $320 nightly, then after the discount it would be $240. So they lose $5 per night. I'm sure this is a big part of their motivation to add fees - that they are not subject to discounts.

Well yes and no. You really don't have to structure your discount to be off the total price per night.

For example I get a 10% discount with AAA off of my Sprint bill....except that discount is only off of the $30 per month that I pay for unlimited data. It's not 10% off my entire bill just off of the portion that is eligible for the discount.

A lot of the subsequent reaction would come down to marketing.

Using your example: You say your room rate is $320 which includes a $20 resort fee is going to likely go over better than if the room rate is advertised at $300 but then you have to add in a $20 resort fee. It would also be easier to say in the fine print that your 25% room discount is valid only off of the portion of the room rate less any taxes or fees. Most people are used to that type of language and understand how discounts work on a base level. In the end using your example the room rate would be $245 which includes the resort fee of $20.00.

*This is most people of course there will always be the few that won't get any way they do it*

I'm in the camp of raise the price and include it in there if there has to be a resort fee and said as such last year when the rumor was there as well.

 

[Ninja Mom]

I'd like to put forth some of the rumors I'd like to see:

*Disney introduces complimentary beverage service for the Magical Express. Guests can expect to drink their way to their respective resorts while enjoying "complimentary" beverages that justify those newly installed resort fees. Liquid refreshment includes premium whiskeys and champagnes, bourbon that is aged so extensively that it is older than dirt and Nescafe instant coffee from 1973.

*In an effort to thank the guests for dining at the over-priced food courts in the "Value" resorts Disney is offering, for a limited time only, metal utensils and porcelain plates. Now guests can eat their $17 happy meal hamburgers on the same type of china that they have at home!

*You've asked for it and now you've got it! Disney announces resort hot tubs that are actually hot. Now our guests can luxuriate in hot tubs that are heated to a steaming 78 degrees. At those temperatures don't stay in too long... we wouldn't want you to suffer from hypothermia.

*News Bulletin! In an effort to provide our guests with services commensurate with the rates that we charge, as well as justifying those RUMORED (LOL, LOL, LOL, ROTFLMAO, etc.) RESORT FEES, Disney introduces serve yourself housekeeping carts! These are the same serve yourself housekeeping carts that the Disney Resort Guest has had to rely on for years but now we are hiding them in more accessible places! There is no longer a need to do an embarrassing grab and go to service your room care needs. Now you can feel free to linger over the sad assortment of stained towels and .25 ounce personal care products. #ThanksResortFees!

I think with all the poor decisions impacting the parks these days it's only a matter of time until we see some of those poor decisions impacting the resorts.

~NM

 

[Travis B]

Once you're done you me and LOL will form a book club for discussion.

Aaaaacctttuuuaalllllyyy, I would love to see a board with Disney book suggestions/discussions. There's a lot of history I would like to learn about, and while a Micheal Bowling in particular and some others give book recs, I don't always listen to the podcasts or write the suggestions down when I hear them. This may already exist here in some form that I'm not aware of...

 

[Travis B]

Rumor

Get ready for parking and resort fees! Management feels they can get away with it at WDW resorts because everyone else around them is doing it. First 30 minutes will be free but you will be charged after that. Tables in wonderland is still supposed to get free valet. As for resort fees no added amenities and no word when exactly that would start.

As in parking fees at the parks for on-site guests?

As far as resort fees, for the love of God just put it in the price of my room. If I don't see it I won't be pissed off.

 

[skier_pete]

As in parking fees at the parks for on-site guests?

As far as resort fees, for the love of God just put it in the price of my room. If I don't see it I won't be pissed off.

Yes - I'm confused by this - are you talking parking fees for resort guests at RESORTS, or parking fees for resort guests at PARKS. Neither one would affect me since we've never had a car there, but they seem to me to be two very different things. (A parking fee at the PARKS could be avoided by using the Disney Transportation system as provided, the parking Fees at RESORTS would be unavoidable.)

I've never really gotten the concept of the resort fees - other than as a way to raise rates without raising rates.