Paid parking is coming to WDW resorts March 2018

[TheMaxRebo]

We are planning to go to WDW in '20 or '21, TS & GE will be open. Will this change my mind? No. Monday I was planning on staying at POFQ, as of today I'm planning on staying at the Dolphin. I compared exactly the same dates for both hotels (as an example) and the Dolphin was $53.00/night cheaper than POFQ for the basic room. Now this is with a discount through my company mind you. So not only is Disney losing the parking fee and income from the resort, but I'm going to be eating at the Dolphin as well.

is that with the fees that are added at the Dolphin? Now just need to compare with parking, with fees, etc. (still probably would be cheaper at the Dolphin than a Disney moderate - and better location for getting to DHS as well)

 

[Hoodie]

So, out of curiosity I priced out our upcoming trip with the Disney Good Neighbor hotels that offer the 60 day FP. They all charge for parking and/or resort fee (in the $20-25 range inclusive). Including the resort/parking fee most were still cheaper than Pop - and for that you could get a Disney view, a microwave, and a much bigger room. The exception was B Resort, which is probably more comparable amenity-wise to a deluxe onsite - and that was half the price of a standard view Contemporary Garden wing and still cheaper than a moderate.

For a lot of people, paying 2, 3 even 4 times as much to stay onsite might still be a draw, but it really is making less and less sense.

 

[mikebb]

Thinking about this whole thing and the bigger picture. One of my personal concerns was for in-staters who drive to Disney and have no choice but to pay for parking. For those who aren't aware, Brightline has just started service here in South Florida and plans to expand to offer train service from Miami to Orlando. Coincidentally, the Chief Development Officer for Brightline/All Aboard Florida, Mike Reninger (who granted is stepping down soon), previously worked for 12 years in Resorts at where else but Disney!

Makes you wonder if there was not some sort of backroom conversation between All Aboard FL and Disney about making train travel more attractive for in-staters. I can say that the concept of taking the train to Disney was nice but didn't make financial sense vs. a 2 1/2 hour drive paying just gas and tolls. But now add in having to pay for parking for a Disney stay and the train may start looking more attractive for people in South FL...hmm...

 

[Doug M]

All I can say is this;

Yes it always sucking paying for something that was free in the first place.

HOWEVER! If the average stay is 7 days, and you stay at a deluxe level resort, if the extra $161 is what makes you decide not to stay on property anymore or not go to WDW anymore, than perhaps you shouldn't be going to WDW in the first place? If less than 200 bucks makes it impossible for you to go, than should you really be spending money on a vacation anyway?

I know this is going to sound elitist or mean, but it's true.

And this is why they have rapidly increased prices for everything the last several years and why your city raises property taxes all the time. "Its only a small amount, you can easily afford it." Then 6 months or a year later the same thing happens and they say the same thing and you eat that up. Before you know it, your bill is hundreds or thousands more than before.

 

[Sue M]

So, out of curiosity I priced out our upcoming trip with the Disney Good Neighbor hotels that offer the 60 day FP. They all charge for parking and/or resort fee (in the $20-25 range inclusive). Including the resort/parking fee most were still cheaper than Pop - and for that you could get a Disney view, a microwave, and a much bigger room. The exception was B Resort, which is probably more comparable amenity-wise to a deluxe onsite - and that was half the price of a standard view Contemporary Garden wing and still cheaper than a moderate.

For a lot of people, paying 2, 3 even 4 times as much to stay onsite might still be a draw, but it really is making less and less sense.

And Doubletree doesn’t charge resort fee. You get a large 1 bedroom suite for less than a 1 bedroom family suite at a value resort. Nicer accommodations And probably less than a mod too. I had a discount code from Mousesavers a few years ago that included room discount plus free breakfast buffet for a little over the price of a value.

 

[mshanson3121]

From 2015 but still true.....................http://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion/os-disney-price-hike-scott-maxwell-20151107-column.html

Yup. 100%.

I am that Gen-Xer (well, a bit younger, lol), who loves Disney today, because my grandmother took me when I was a young child, and I fell in love. I do not love Disney for the rides - rides, schmides, I can get those anywhere - a lot closer in distance and for a heck of a lot cheaper. I love Disney for the nostalgia, the feeling of fantasy and magic, for the shows, parades, fireworks, for being able to see the characters of my youth come to life before my eyes. And that is where Disney is unsurpassed, because there is no other theme park on earth that comes close to offering what they do, in that sense. Needless to say, my children love it for all the same reasons, because their Disney-loving mother allowed them to grow up on Disney, also.

The problem is that we are not even close to the top 20% they are targeting. And I realize that. They are making it painfully obvious who they want in their parks, and who they could not care less if they have. And honestly, it's really starting to chip away at that magical, nostalgic feeling. And in return, making me want to give my money to other places, places that haven't grown too big for their britches, that actually still care about the average, working class people who make the top 20% salaries possible.

 

[tlmadden73]

i get that - I guess I just never saw them as "magical" when it came to money - they are a business like any other. I see it more in the service they provide so that is why I always get more upset by reduced quality of service than I do for an additional fee or increased pricing. If they are providing a superior service then what they charge is less of a concern to me. And that is why we moved off site as the return I was getting for staying onsite I don't see - more than the actual cost

I think a lot of us see charging for parking (a necessity to be able to stay at the resort unless you use ME), is reduced quality of service because you are now just paying MORE for the exact same service.

Disney is a company. True. They can set prices as the market demands. But, when companies raise prices, it is often seen as "money grubbing" even though they have increased services or economics say they should be raising prices. When Disney is seen as "just a company", just like your local cable company .. the magic wears off ... and the wool is removed from your eyes and you begin to see the reduced quality of service more and more and your customer loyalty begins to wane. Do you think people would be complaining about "messy bathrooms" or "rude cast members" or "broken down rides" if prices and fees weren't going up year after year? Probably not as much.

It is setting the bar PRETTY high for these new lands to impress and make us feel again the cost is worth it. For a lot it seems that the increased cost haven't been worth it.

 

[FutureDisneyEventPlanner]

I guess I don't get the whole "that's why it's wrong" view.... they are a company operating in a free market - they should do everything they can to maximize returns, they aren't a charity. And as a free market people should voice their displeasure and say how it is negatively impacting them and also voice it with their wallets and not go or stay off site or whatever and then Disney can respond (or not). It may suck, and no one has to be happy about it, but I don't see it as a question of "right or wrong"

To me it's wrong because the way they went about it. They could've silently increased resort rates and no one would've known. Instead they went with the "We can do this and there's nothing you can do about it" mentality. And, they're not improving the service. If you're gonna charge an extra fee, you need to have rides that work and clean facilities, etc. When prices increases, service and benefits should increase, if you're running a business properly.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

To me it's wrong because the way they went about it. They could've silently increased resort rates and no one would've known. Instead they went with the "We can do this and there's nothing you can do about it" mentality. And, they're not improving the service. If you're gonna charge an extra fee, you need to have rides that work and clean facilities, etc. When prices increases, service and benefits should increase, if you're running a business properly.

I definitely find it interesting that people generally would be totally ok (well, not totally ok but not nearly as upset) if the exact same price increase was added into the room charge, vs this separate charge - when with this you have even more you "can do about this" as you could not bring a car or park the car off site, etc whereas simply increases the room rates people would have less options for what to do about (just not pay it and go off site instead).

I fully agree about that later points though - the service should stay at least as good if you are already providing a superior service and it is the reduced quality that I have a much bigger issue than any increase in price

 

[Sue M]

Thinking about this whole thing and the bigger picture. One of my personal concerns was for in-staters who drive to Disney and have no choice but to pay for parking. For those who aren't aware, Brightline has just started service here in South Florida and plans to expand to offer train service from Miami to Orlando. Coincidentally, the Chief Development Officer for Brightline/All Aboard Florida, Mike Reninger (who granted is stepping down soon), previously worked for 12 years in Resorts at where else but Disney!

Makes you wonder if there was not some sort of backroom conversation between All Aboard FL and Disney about making train travel more attractive for in-staters. I can say that the concept of taking the train to Disney was nice but didn't make financial sense vs. a 2 1/2 hour drive paying just gas and tolls. But now add in having to pay for parking for a Disney stay and the train may start looking more attractive for people in South FL...hmm...

2.5 hrs? You must be faster than me, it takes me 3 hrs from Deerfield lol.
Interesting concept I’ll have to watch for details to see if it’s cheaper. I fly into FLL to visit family and have a rental car while there. When I drive up to WDW I return Alamo car to car care centre after check in. So wonder if this will be cost effective for me with having to also pay for car service pick up at train station. Does train stop at Tri Rail stations?

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I think a lot of us see charging for parking (a necessity to be able to stay at the resort unless you use ME), is reduced quality of service because you are now just paying MORE for the exact same service.

Disney is a company. True. They can set prices as the market demands. But, when companies raise prices, it is often seen as "money grubbing" even though they have increased services or economics say they should be raising prices. When Disney is seen as "just a company", just like your local cable company .. the magic wears off ... and the wool is removed from your eyes and you begin to see the reduced quality of service more and more and your customer loyalty begins to wane. Do you think people would be complaining about "messy bathrooms" or "rude cast members" or "broken down rides" if prices and fees weren't going up year after year? Probably not as much.

It is setting the bar PRETTY high for these new lands to impress and make us feel again the cost is worth it. For a lot it seems that the increased cost haven't been worth it.

I get that - but if they just added it into the room charge you will still be paying more for the same service - and in fact now you only have to pay more if you chose to bring a car.

I definitely agree about the part about messy bathrooms, etc. - and that is the part that gets me much more than any increase in price.

Though I recall a few years ago when that was a big topic (I think it was that combined with announcements of a lot of upsells and paid extra park hours, etc.) - and then Disney announced they would have new purple magic bands and everyone seemed to forget about all the things they were complaining about

 

[Rich M]

Where Disney can now enter your room because of the Vegas shooting. There are no more do not disturb signs.

I will gladly give up my do not disturb sign for security and welfare checks. I am not sure if people realize that there has been instances where a room hasn't been checked for days and they found people deceased in the room. Its easy enough to answer the door and say hello.

 

[Sue M]

I definitely find it interesting that people generally would be totally ok (well, not totally ok but not nearly as upset) if the exact same price increase was added into the room charge, vs this separate charge - when with this you have even more you "can do about this" as you could not bring a car or park the car off site, etc whereas simply increases the room rates people would have less options for what to do about (just not pay it and go off site instead).

I fully agree about that later points though - the service should stay at least as good if you are already providing a superior service and it is the reduced quality that I have a much bigger issue than any increase in price

Upping room charge would be way worse. Not everyone has a car in WDW. I’d say it’s the minority who do. I am against this new added fee but at least it only affects those who use the parking. Not everyone with increased room rate.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

To me it's wrong because the way they went about it. They could've silently increased resort rates and no one would've known. Instead they went with the "We can do this and there's nothing you can do about it" mentality.

I must admit that I don't understand this. So it would be better if they added a blanket increase or "hid" the charge... because it wouldn't come across like "there's nothing you can do about it"? There's nothing you can do about it either way. And with the parking, it at least leaves options for some to choose between renting a car or not to avoid the fee (obviously not for those who must drive, though).

 

[DisFanDad]

I must admit I have never seen a Disney advert that pushes the fact you get free parking (not saying it’s not there, just that I have never seen it). Just saying whether you bring a car or not the room price is the same

And to you next post that referee to the “Disney does no wrong group” I admit I often see things through Disney colored glasses but that doesn’t mean I like everything the do - more I just understand it and view them as a corporation trying to make money that I engage with in a money-for-service transaction.

And anyway, they pushed us offsite long ago

Totally fair. The free parking was listed in their literature of the benefits of staying on site. Basically their justification for the price IMO.

I SEE things through disney coloured lenses on the regular .... but to me a cash grab is just that. Heck this will only effect me when I occasionally add a cash night, I just think it's wrong.

 

[Doug M]

I fall squarely into a lower-middle class income and I can't just spend willy-nilly, but I enjoy nice things and want my vacations to feel like a step above
I sold my DVC membership because the quality and availability tanked and I needed liquidity at the time, I stopped staying at Deluxe resorts because the price was beyond what I could afford, and I only booked Mods at AP/FL discounted rates. It's rare that a Value at a discounted rate ever beats an offsite option.

I'm not sure you can say you are lower middle class if you owned vacation property and could afford delux prices yearly, but the entirety of your post is spot on otherwise. I would say i am middle to even upper middle class and could not afford DVC and can do delxue, but wouldnt be able to yearly or even afford WDW every year even at a value.

 

[FutureDisneyEventPlanner]

I must admit that I don't understand this. So it would be better if they added a blanket increase or "hid" the charge... because it wouldn't come across like "there's nothing you can do about it"? There's nothing you can do about it either way. And with the parking, it at least leaves options for some to choose between renting a car or not to avoid the fee (obviously not those who must drive, though).

This is just what I've seen others say. I don't think you should have to pay for parking at all at Disney but that's just me. The room rates are already high enough as it is and the parking lots are not exactly "luxurious". Lol. Maybe if they offered me a chilled beverage when I park...

 

[Rich M]

For me coming from California this will not change my desire to stay on property. I do prefer to get a rental car and not use transportation. I do not use MDE as I usually fly in a day before and get a cheap room somewhere and then go to Disney the next day. The impact it might have on me is that I might try not renting a car and see how I like the transportation. I know this won't be a popular opinion but honesty I wouldn't mind paying a higher price if it meant that less people drive and I can get around faster and park closer. I wouldn't mind if everyone stayed offsite and then extra magic hours would become magical again. I stayed my first 5 trips offsite and I hated it after I stayed on property. I work hard for my money and agree that I hate to throw it away but something I hate more than throwing money away is wasting my time. I can make more money and I can choose to stay cheaper and adjust but I can not get any of my time back that I wasted. Time is extremely valuable to me and more important then money because once my time is used I will never get it back.

 

[Mome Rath]

Thinking about this whole thing and the bigger picture. One of my personal concerns was for in-staters who drive to Disney and have no choice but to pay for parking. For those who aren't aware, Brightline has just started service here in South Florida and plans to expand to offer train service from Miami to Orlando. Coincidentally, the Chief Development Officer for Brightline/All Aboard Florida, Mike Reninger (who granted is stepping down soon), previously worked for 12 years in Resorts at where else but Disney!

Makes you wonder if there was not some sort of backroom conversation between All Aboard FL and Disney about making train travel more attractive for in-staters. I can say that the concept of taking the train to Disney was nice but didn't make financial sense vs. a 2 1/2 hour drive paying just gas and tolls. But now add in having to pay for parking for a Disney stay and the train may start looking more attractive for people in South FL...hmm...

Really interesting point! I had forgotten about all the new rails/routes and "push" to use them.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

This is just what I've seen others say. I don't think you should have to pay for parking at all at Disney but that's just me. The room rates are already high enough as it is and the parking lots are not exactly "luxurious". Lol. Maybe if they offered me a chilled beverage when I park...

I hit "Like" for the "chilled beverage" part...!