Ouch! (Local slams the parks)

[mommagoofof4]

It has always irritated me to no end that amumesment parks (also fairs, sporting events, just about every body these days)charge cutomers to park in their lots. You pay X number of dollars to get it (it's always too much) but on top of that they make you pay to park your stinkin' car!
It's insane!
That being said.............it's been going on for years and will keep going on. Disney is not doing anything that hasn't been done for years.
Don't like it, but that's the way it is.
I have to pay 8 bucks just to park on the grounds for our local fair!

 

[MiaSRN62]

Add me to the list of Philly area people who also have to pay $10-$12 on averge for parking at local theme parks and other entertainment areas. I also have to pay $20/month to park at my place of work. Not much...but still ? My husband who works in the city of Philadelphia (I work in the burbs), pays $140/month to park at his place of work---and this keeps going up every year too !

We are very weary of the weather here in the northeast....we get cold/chilly/snow/ice weather (not our liking !) 300 days out of the year. So we are looking to relocate to FL in 2-3 years (can't wait !). Have several relatives who have done the same and been there for 25+ years with no desire to return to PA (heat/humidity/hurricanes and all !). Ahhh....we always look forward to touching down in Orlando during the Dec to March time period and seeing everything green and colorful ! That time period is just plain grey and dismal in PA.

So I'll take the $14 parking fee at WDW. I don't get the FL resident complaining at all. I don't find it any different than what other locals from their perspective states have to pay/endure.

 

[Schmeck]

Hey, Disney is expensive. I don't care how we try to sugar coat it and make it exceptable. Disney is expensive. Comparing it to other places doesn't make it any less expensive. I too think it stinks that Disney is constantly raising prices.

exceptable? As in, WDW should be the exception to having to pay to park in a parking lot? Or did you mean acceptable, as in it is not acceptable to have to pay to park?

I don't think comparing the cost of having to park at other entertainment venues is sugar coating anything either.

 

[KellyNY]

Isn't competition a lovely thing? How many value resorts do you think WDW would have if they didn't have to worry about offsite hotels pulling their business away? Niagra Falls is what you get when there are more people looking to stay than there are hotels to accomodate them.

competition is great, makes Disney run all the promotions, actually they need more value resorts during those, like this year they were upgrading people from values to villas due to high demand. Guess they need more affordable hotels or at least to stop increasing rates.

 

[lillykat]

Parking for any park zoo etc is never cheap. We have a membership to the Bronx zoo - which gives you free admission to Central park zoo, NY aquarium etc. But the parking is $12 for the Bronx zoo and the same for the Aquarium - and that can really add up. They do offer a higher priced membership that includes unlimited parking which is worth it depending on how many times you go. But all of these things it is expensive. Maybe they should offer say a pass that is $100 or so more that includes parking for the year. That is basically what the zoo pass does.

 

[kbelle8995]

I'm a native Floridian too and to be truthful Disney is becoming more and more unaffordable for those of us of live in Florida as well as for you who live out of state. So I'm not surprised to hear that complaint.

The only thing that decreases is we drive instead of fly.

As for the heat, you learn to deal with it. Especially when you lived with parents who turned the air conditioning off at night in the heat of summer and you just laid there with a fan on full blast.

I guess that's my walking through snow and rain story.

 

[MiaSRN62]

The only thing that decreases is we drive instead of fly.

And flying is a pretty expensive part of the trip for alot of people. We pay an average of $200 (sometimes up to $285) per person r/t. For a family of 5....that's a good chunk of change. I miss those days of getting DINGS for $33 to $60 each way

As for the heat, you learn to deal with it. Especially when you lived with parents who turned the air conditioning off at night in the heat of summer and you just laid there with a fan on full blast.

I guess that's my walking through snow and rain story.

Funny....and I have similar stories of dad turning heat waaaay down in the winter and freezing at night......he'd say :"you have your blankets to keep you warm". Ummmm.....still froze..........


Maria

 

[Angel Ariel]

Originally Posted by eliza61
Hey, Disney is expensive. I don't care how we try to sugar coat it and make it exceptable. Disney is expensive. Comparing it to other places doesn't make it any less expensive.

No, it doesn't make the actual price any different, but it does but a different perspective on the price. This summer I was in Chicago for a conference...after the conference was over, I went into the city for a day. Just to visit the Museum of Science and Industry and park downtown to shop on Michigan Ave, it was over $30 to park...and I was there for maybe 5-6 hrs total (actually probably closer to 4-5 hrs if that..)

In comparison, to be able to do more at Disney, and have the parking be valid all day at any of the parks? A lot more of a value, imo.

 

[carrie1626]

TRY an UP fee to $25 at Miller Park ( Brewers) when they play "marquee" games. Regular parking fees aren't that much unless the Brewers are playing one of two other division games. And it's not like you're going to be seeing anything "above and beyond" . But we pay because we want to be there.

 

[NonScents]

The only thing that decreases is we drive instead of fly.

We Fla residents get a great deal, I think -- besides being able to drive, and the Fla resident pass, we also get great rates for the onsite resorts. And I can pack lots of supplies (food, water, etc) in my car, don't have to pay to ship or purchase at inflated prices.

All things considered, I feel pretty lucky!

 

[mouseman41]

The less the locals go the less crowded it is for those of us that will pay the price! Disney is not a cheap vacation but I do not have a problem paying the price because I get what I pay for! Has any one been to Six Flags lately??? We went last fall for Holiday in the Park and were only able to ride 4 rides the whole night due to waiting in lines all night. I will pay the $$$$ for the magic!!!

 

[starstruck93]

It has always irritated me to no end that amumesment parks (also fairs, sporting events, just about every body these days)charge cutomers to park in their lots. You pay X number of dollars to get it (it's always too much) but on top of that they make you pay to park your stinkin' car!
It's insane!
That being said.............it's been going on for years and will keep going on. Disney is not doing anything that hasn't been done for years.
Don't like it, but that's the way it is.
I have to pay 8 bucks just to park on the grounds for our local fair!

Yes, ITA.... I have one for ya..... A few years ago I worked at Tampa General Hospital. The parking deck that's attached to the hospital USE to be owned by the hospital. However a few years back, the person that owned the hospital at the time decided to SELL the parking deck back to the city of Tampa because, from what I hear, they did'nt want to pay for the upkeep on it. So.... guess what... you guessed it... the employees have to PAY to park ath their job! It's really ridiculous IMO, I'm originaly from Alabama though where land is plentiful and cheap, so I was VERY shocked when I was told this! The hospital actually paid part of it for you, but it still ended up being about $30 a month.

 

[Planogirl]

Really? The cheapest I've found in Orlando for a rental car is about $200 per week, and that's for an economy. I really don't consider that a "good deal".

Sometimes we rent a car and drive to Florida. DH also earns points and we get free days.

 

[Planogirl]

Whether other places charge for parking or not, it's expensive to park at WDW. I agree that WDW is much more of a value than many of those other places but if someone can't afford high parking fees, it doesn't matter whether they're at WDW or Six Flags or the Bronx Zoo.

Which reminds me... Philadelphia people!!!! What does it typically cost to park in downtown Philadelphia?

 

[Angel Ariel]

I agree that WDW is much more of a value than many of those other places but if someone can't afford high parking fees, it doesn't matter whether they're at WDW or Six Flags or the Bronx Zoo.

I guess I just see the parking fees as something that should be included in any budget and savings prior to the trip. Personally, if parking were going to be making or breaking my trip, I would probably decide to hold off on the trip...not saying other people should or anything, just that that is likely what I would do.

 

[CandleontheWater]

If you are a real local, as in you actually live in Orlando, you can take the bus to Disney and not pay a dime for parking. I'm not going to give any credence to their whining. (Disclaimer: I was a Florida resident up until we moved to DC in June)

And to the poster that said that Orlando would have grown if not for Disney, have you been to most of Central Florida? Yeah, Orlando would likely still be a pretty insignificant place if not for the tourism industry.

 

[TDC Nala]

Hey, Disney is expensive. I don't care how we try to sugar coat it and make it exceptable. Disney is expensive. Comparing it to other places doesn't make it any less expensive. I too think it stinks that Disney is constantly raising prices.

Other comparable desitinations are just as expensive. If not more expensive.

 

[RabFlmom]

While $14 does seem a little high for parking, it is on par with other amusement parks. Also, unless I'm mistaken, all the roads leading into and out of WDW are private roads maintained by Disney. That's a heck of a lot of infrastructure to support. Well above what other parks need to support. Now, I am not saying that Disney is not profiting off of parking, but probably not as much as you think.

Also, I know this was about locals and I have not stayed off-site since the 1990's, but I'm just curious on whether people actually save money staying off-site when you figure in parking and, if you fly, a rental car. It seems to me that it would be cost effective if you have a large family and are renting a house/condo, but to stay off-site in a regular hotel room just doesn't seem worth it in terms of time and money.

I can tell you my nephew and his family saved a good bunch staying off site in June. They are a family of 5 and drove down so no rental. They were within minutes of Disney parks at a hotel that had several pools, was clean, friendly, and safe. They got the room for just under $35 a night or some ridiculous price like that. They booked everything a month before trip. They stayed on the beach for a week, too at $45 a night in a Doubletree. They bid for the rooms and got great hotels. When his wife's mom and sister's family came down they split the price of a 6 bedroom with pool home and stayed that week for $400. They did well.

 

[starstruck93]

I can tell you my nephew and his family saved a good bunch staying off site in June. They are a family of 5 and drove down so no rental. They were within minutes of Disney parks at a hotel that had several pools, was clean, friendly, and safe. They got the room for just under $35 a night or some ridiculous price like that. They booked everything a month before trip. They stayed on the beach for a week, too at $45 a night in a Doubletree. They bid for the rooms and got great hotels. When his wife's mom and sister's family came down they split the price of a 6 bedroom with pool home and stayed that week for $400. They did well.

WOW!! That's really good! $45 a night on the beach is great!!

 

[minnieandmickey]

That column always has people complaining about the smallest things that most people wouldn't think twice about.

I think Disney does do things to accomodate FL residents. How many times do you find people complaining that FL residents get discounts and they don't?

I find it amazing that FL residents complain about discounts. For DL, I live in Northern CA and we don't get the discounts like our southern counterparts do. We don't get cruise discounts either. Be happy you have what you have, I wish we got the same here in CA.