No More FREE Parking at the Swan/Dolphin!!

[Emmaline Lola]

Yes, that is true everyone! The Swan/Dolphin will start charging guests for parking in just a couple of weeks! I know that valet will go up from $14 to $15, and I believe overnight self parking will be $7 for all guests.

I will post more details as soon as I know them. Just thought this would help with your planning budgets!

Happy Day!

EL

 

[Shells9]

I believe overnight self parking will be $7 for all guests.

Yuck!

 

[pooh2001]

Maybe if you are a Starwood member, the charge may be different.
Just a thought

 

[Chris22]

The website still says "Free Self Parking" I'm going to print it out and bring it with me. I would think if the website mentions Free Parking when you make reservations they will honor it.

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

Wow! That stinks! We ate at Palio at the Swan last month, and I gotta say, the parking lot was very crowded and we had to park very far away!

How else can you get to the Swan/Dolphin. Isn't there a boat from the resorts?

 

[Luv2Travel]

WHAT???!!!
So we get to pay $10 for a resort fee for features we do not need or want. And now we get to pay $7 to self park? That's crazy! Suddenly the Dolphin is not saving me very much money over the WDW deluxes. I'd rather stay in a WDW deluxe with a daybed for my 3rd child anyway, but the Dolphin has always given me a better rate - or at least it used too. Bummer.

 

[Bill From PA]

Pardon me for asking, but what's the source of this info? Has anyone ever stayed at any hotel where parking wasn't free for paying guests for the length of their stay?

Bill From PA

 

[MeredithJ]

Pardon me for asking, but what's the source of this info? Has anyone ever stayed at any hotel where parking wasn't free for paying guests for the length of their stay?

Bill From PA

I have stayed in hotels in Chicago where I have had to pay $20-$30 a night to park, one of which was a Starwood property (Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers in downtown Chicago). Needless to say I was stunned. I have never had to pay for parking at any other hotels I have stayed at, but when parking is at a premium, as it is in Chicago, I can see why they decide to charge...but it still hurts.....

Meredith

 

[safetymom]

I have stayed at many hotels where parking was free while you were a guest. I am sure that somewhere in their fine print is a clause where they can add a parking charge without notifying those with reservations.

 

[Luv2Travel]

Good question Bill from PA.
Although most "big city" hotels make you pay for parking when staying at a hotel downtown (where parking is a premium). We've paid $14/night (for self-parking I believe) at the Westin Peachtree in Atlanta (another Starwood property).

 

[Eyore4Ever149]

The Fairmont Hotel in Dallas, many Boston hotels, even Sheraton and Holiday Inn in Stamford CT charge for cars to be parked- they typically expect clients to not have a car and since these hotels have only underground parking because they are in a city- they charge for the convenience of having a car.

But a resort hotel is often held to different standards than a corporate one. I would double check with the front desk or whomever you book your reservation through. (rather than printing something from a website that may not have been updated).

 

[littlestar]

A lot of the Hawaii Sheratons and Westins charge for parking for their resort guests.

 

[HayGan]

Pardon me for asking, but what's the source of this info? Has anyone ever stayed at any hotel where parking wasn't free for paying guests for the length of their stay?

Bill From PA

Quite a few!

Most hotels where I have had to pay to park are in larger downtown areas and at resorts. It is becoming very common in many tourist destinations.

 

[TartanFan]

The three properties at Universal Orlando also charge for self parking ($6 a day last time we self-parked in 2003)

 

[rascalmom]

The Hard Rock had a parking fee when we were there in October - I believe it was $7 per day. Valet was just a little more & their parking is always packed, so we chose to do valet. I wonder if any of the DTD hotels charge for parking?

 

[agnes!]

...the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress that is (literally) next door to Downtown Disney does *not* charge for self-parking - *plus* their self-parking isn't out in parking Siberia either! (Can you tell I like this place?)
Btw, the Hyatt's $13/day resort fee covers ALL of the following:
canoeing, sailboats, paddleboats, use of Health Club, newspaper, complimentary refrigerator, extensive children's activities(campfire, 'smores-making, Halloween trick-or-treating, etc), pitch'n'putt golf, biking(surrey & singles), jogging paths (This place has 1500 acres!), complimentary/normal-size toiletries, in-room electronic safe, complimentary in-room coffeemaker plus more. The Hyatt *is* expensive, it's true, but still...makes other resorts' fees($10/day for a newpaper & coffee? ) look ridiculous!

agnes!

 

[Divamomto3]

Pardon me for asking, but what's the source of this info? Has anyone ever stayed at any hotel where parking wasn't free for paying guests for the length of their stay?

Bill From PA

Yes, at many hotels in Boston, I have had a per day parking charge added to my room bill.

 

[CarolA]

The Marriott World Center charges for parking as does the Gaylord Palms.

I am willing to bet that this is due to people parking at the hotel and going to Epcot or MGM without being guests. (It happens a lot, just read some of the trip reports on www.mouseplanet.com)

 

[PamNC]

how common it is - I'm not diggin' this. We stayed at the Swan for the first time in November and we really liked it. We were quite worried that we wouldn't, as we've only stayed at Disney resorts. Got a great rate - AP rate of $161.00. I've noticed that these boards offer some good discounts for S/D. Now, I can tack on $17 a night instead of $10 I guess. In the scheme of things, I guess $7 isn't much, but I still don't like this. I wonder if it's because people are parking there who are not staying there and walking over to Epcot or MGM (or taking the Friendship). Just takes a few bad apples to spoil the whole bunch.............................

PamNC

 

[Skroops]

We paid for parking in LAX while staying at the Sheraton, and it was a long walk! This is the trend...
Are the shuttles and limos part of the scam? This has got to be good news for them. I guess it's not good for rental car companies though...