Paid parking is coming to WDW resorts March 2018

[jhoannam]

A ton of 1 star reviews on FB is an understatement - LOL! I checked last night before I went to bed and there were 51K 1-star reviews and this morning it shows 65K!!! And that's just overnight. I don't know what it was yesterday morning! I wish I would have looked at how many 1-star reviews there were when I started reading them yesterday around 3:00 when there were already a ton posted!

I hope those continue at the same rate, I’m sure they expected the initial backlash but if it continues for days maybe they’ll pay attention.

 

[dreiwhit]

Do you mind sharing the site? It was interesting - when we were there a few weeks ago I chatted with at least 3 people who were there for the first time and said they would never come back. Staying at the Yacht Club and they were really disappointed in the hotel for the price, upset at how crowded the parks were, disappointed in the food, etc. As a "veteran," I thought we had amazing luck with the weather and the crowds and everything else, but I don't think WDW always gives people a good impression.

My wife and I both recently tried to go back and find that travel site but we couldn't find it again. She couldn't remember which one it was and the history from her browser had been cleared between when she saw it and we looked for it. We both agreed that the reviews were brutal, and a lot of "never coming back." There were even folks who had last gone in the 90s or 00s and remembered the parks as they were, and they were saying they'd never come back.

FWIW, on our last trip, the crowds were bad and it was in what was historically a slow time. That trip was anything but relaxing, so we're taking a Disney break. It will be years before we come back to WDW. The sad part is that if we would have had a great and relaxing time, we'd be looking at ways to fund a trip next year or the year after.

We've done three recent trips - 29 Feb-4 March 2016, week after Thanksgiving 2016, and Feb 4-8 2018. To be honest, with each trip, more of the magic has gone away and each trip has been more crowded than the one in the past. On our last trip, my daughter made the statement "Disney used to be magical, now its like an overcrowded amusement park." Its pretty bad for Disney when a 10 year old says that.....

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Ehh social media and message boards have been around for awhile now, disney up charges are nothing new. I think this one is a little different. I know i've never seen this type of reaction to a move disney has made before.

I think this one is different because it is something that was "free" that now isn't and was something that was promoted as a benefit of staying onsite no gone and is something that people feel they get nothing for the extra cost. As much as people might not like upcharge events you can either participate or not or as divisive as some ideas are that are for more $ (like selling alcohol in MK) at least a portion of the population was ok with it because it was something they want to spend money on so there is return for them. And even the rising ticket prices at least you see them building new lands, etc. so you can rationalize it a bit.

Literally no guest benefits from this. Also, I think the response people are getting from Disney of "we are just following industry standards/practices" rubs people the wrong way because you want to believe Disney is far better than the "standard" and that is why you pay double or more for the rooms on site ... if they are only the industry standard now, why aren't they charging industry standard pricing?

 

[SaharanTea]

There's a post on the front page of Reddit about Disney's business practices involving movies and theaters. Tough day for the mouse, but they deserve it right now.

The parking situation was even mentioned in the comments.

 

[SaharanTea]

I think this one is different because it is something that was "free" that now isn't and was something that was promoted as a benefit of staying onsite no gone and is something that people feel they get nothing for the extra cost. As much as people might not like upcharge events you can either participate or not or as divisive as some ideas are that are for more $ (like selling alcohol in MK) at least a portion of the population was ok with it because it was something they want to spend money on so there is return for them. And even the rising ticket prices at least you see them building new lands, etc. so you can rationalize it a bit.

Literally no guest benefits from this. Also, I think the response people are getting from Disney of "we are just following industry standards/practices" rubs people the wrong way because you want to believe Disney is far better than the "standard" and that is why you pay double or more for the rooms on site ... if they are only the industry standard now, why aren't they charging industry standard pricing?

Clearly it's hard to find places to put parking on 40+ square miles of land.

 

[Moliphino]

I thought I had read the opposite, but I'm entirely unsure so you win the sureness battle.

Disney's page says "All parking fees include applicable tax."

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

There's a post on the front page of Reddit about Disney's business practices involving movies and theaters. Tough day for the mouse, but they deserve it right now.

The parking situation was even mentioned in the comments.

Just looked up and read the reddit post -- "meh" to me.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

So I happened to notice an add on the side of my yahoo mail account for a special deal going on now at WDW so I clicked on it to see the details.

It is the "Soak Up Some Sun & Fun – Discover the Perfect Family Vacation Package" and in the "why stay at a Disney resort?" section it specifically says:

"Plus, enjoy complimentary standard parking at all Theme Parks and Resort hotels!"

and it says you must book by April 7th for this deal (which is after the March 21st date that the new parking pricing is to go into effect)

Now, maybe they change the wording when we get to March 21st - but also wonder if this is an example of how they will advertise packages going forward: Normally you have to pay for parking, but with this package, it is included so you save even more!!!

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/s...P=PMC-CRT|20334751|2285918|205784478|93354633

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

So I happened to notice an add on the side of my yahoo mail account for a special deal going on now at WDW so I clicked on it to see the details.

It is the "Soak Up Some Sun & Fun – Discover the Perfect Family Vacation Package" and in the "why stay at a Disney resort?" section it specifically says:

"Plus, enjoy complimentary standard parking at all Theme Parks and Resort hotels!"

and it says you must book by April 7th for this deal (which is after the March 21st date that the new parking pricing is to go into effect)

Now, maybe they change the wording when we get to March 21st - but also wonder if this is an example of how they will advertise packages going forward: Normally you have to pay for parking, but with this package, it is included so you save even more!!!

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/s...P=PMC-CRT|20334751|2285918|205784478|93354633

“Left hand, meet right hand...”

Honestly, that would be my guess about what happened.

 

[loveshak22]

So I happened to notice an add on the side of my yahoo mail account for a special deal going on now at WDW so I clicked on it to see the details.

It is the "Soak Up Some Sun & Fun – Discover the Perfect Family Vacation Package" and in the "why stay at a Disney resort?" section it specifically says:

"Plus, enjoy complimentary standard parking at all Theme Parks and Resort hotels!"

and it says you must book by April 7th for this deal (which is after the March 21st date that the new parking pricing is to go into effect)

Now, maybe they change the wording when we get to March 21st - but also wonder if this is an example of how they will advertise packages going forward: Normally you have to pay for parking, but with this package, it is included so you save even more!!!

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/s...P=PMC-CRT|20334751|2285918|205784478|93354633

That also isn't too surprising. Another way to get people to buy packages instead of room only reservations with tickets elsewhere? Or eventually the package includes room, tickets (with PH), and even a basic dining plan to get any kind of savings or perks!

 

[SaharanTea]

Just looked up and read the reddit post -- "meh" to me.

Sorry, I wasn't claiming earth-shattering news. But bad pub on a popular site isn't something any company wants.

I don't mean to be confrontational, but you seem a little defensive about this matter.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Sorry, I wasn't claiming earth-shattering news. But bad pub on a popular site isn't something any company wants.

I don't mean to be confrontational, but you seem a little defensive about this matter.

Lol! Not at all!! Disney doesn’t need my defense!

I don’t like this new charge even though it doesn’t affect me. But I assume they’ve done the math and concluded it is worth initial bad publicity and will pay out in the end.

And I have this outlook on overemphasizing social media reactions on EVERYTHING — not just Disney. I don’t think initial public reactions on there are predictive of any particular outcome unless there’s a political firestorm — then CEOs get scared.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Lol! Not at all!! Disney doesn’t need my defense!

I don’t like this new charge even though it doesn’t affect me. But I assume they’ve done the math and concluded it is worth initial bad publicity and will pay out in the end.

And I have this outlook on overemphasizing social media reactions on EVERYTHING — not just Disney. I don’t think initial public reactions on there are predictive of any particular outcome unless there’s a political firestorm — then CEOs get scared.

Fully agree - and it won't take much positive news to get mindsets to shift ... heck I am sure there is a ton more focus on the Infinity War trailer that came out today than this parking fee thing already

One other thing that I think gets CEO's to act is if sponsors go away - that can often be linked to "political firestorms" ... but if there are some sponsors that call up Iger and said "we went with Disney because they were a superior product, not "Industry standard" - we want out of our contract" - I bet that would get them to act much more than a bunch of Facebook posts

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

One other thing that I think gets CEO's to act is if sponsors go away - that can often be linked to "political firestorms" ... but if there are some sponsors that call up Iger and said "we went with Disney because they were a superior product, not "Industry standard" - we want out of our contract" - I bet that would get them to act much more than a bunch of Facebook posts

Agreed. What are the odds of this happening based on a parking charge... ...

 

[SaharanTea]

Lol! Not at all!! Disney doesn’t need my defense!

I don’t like this new charge even though it doesn’t affect me. But I assume they’ve done the math and concluded it is worth initial bad publicity and will pay out in the end.

And I have this outlook on overemphasizing social media reactions on EVERYTHING — not just Disney. I don’t think initial public reactions on there are predictive of any particular outcome unless there’s a political firestorm — then CEOs get scared.

I need your outrage!

Seriously though, I understand. I'm more upset by this than normal Disney hikes and add-ons. Like so many others have said, it just feels un-Disney (as smoke and mirrors as that may be for a public company) and slimy.

It also came at a time I was trying to talk myself into going back earlier than I had originally intended. So I got whammied.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

I need your outrage!

Seriously though, I understand. I'm more upset by this than normal Disney hikes and add-ons. Like so many others have said, it just feels un-Disney (as smoke and mirrors as that may be for a public company) and slimy.

It also came at a time I was trying to talk myself into going back earlier than I had originally intended. So I got whammied.

I definitely get it! I live in DC where everyone is perpetually outraged over something — anything — almost doesn’t matter what!! I just can’t muster it for Disney stuff anymore. But I can empathize!

ETA: not entirely true — I did get VERY peeved over their insanely shortened hours last Aug. I’d better not get into THAT again...

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Agreed. What are the odds of this happening based on a parking charge... ...

not *just* because of the parking change but if an advertiser is seeing a ton of negativity from a group of people that they target and think it would be bad for their business to be associated with Disney, that could impact their decisions.

And likely not enough for them to call up Iger now and demand to be let out of their contracts - but perhaps it impacts their thinking about expanding a relationship or when the contracts are up for renewal

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I definitely get it! I live in DC where everyone is perpetually outraged over something — anything — almost doesn’t matter what!! I just can’t muster it for Disney stuff anymore. But I can empathize!

ETA: not entirely true — I did get VERY peeved over their insanely shortened hours last Aug. I’d better not get into THAT again...

hmmm, I wonder if where you are from does impact things. I am near NYC and it seems like there is some sort of protest going on every day so it almost gets to the point of "ok, so what are we outraged about today?"

 

[zillayen]

Agreed. What are the odds of this happening based on a parking charge... ...

Depends on if they charge convention groups the parking charge. My husband's company has a conference every year at the yacht club. Business travelers aren't riding magical express, they rent cars and park them at their hotels. Adding $24/day to a couple of hundred expense reports wouldn't fly, but I'd guess WDW would just waive parking for those guests if they got blowback. We were already paying only about half price for the rooms based on the conference rate.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

not *just* because of the parking change but if an advertiser is seeing a ton of negativity from a group of people that they target and think it would be bad for their business to be associated with Disney, that could impact their decisions.

And likely not enough for them to call up Iger now and demand to be let out of their contracts - but perhaps it impacts their thinking about expanding a relationship or when the contracts are up for renewal

I still think price hikes in a great economy are not enough, but you never know... could get to that point at some point, and I do see what you're saying.