Paid parking is coming to WDW resorts March 2018

[MamaBelle4]

As a somewhat large family - 5 in my immediate family but we often travel with at least one or two grandparents (this coming trip we will have 9 people) - we have already been pushed off site as the Disney resort rooms that can accommodate more than 4 people are so expensive - we can get a multi-bedroom condo for the same or less (plus save more money by having a kitchen) so I suspect many larger families are like mine or use DVC (which is not impacted)

Which is actually why we purchased resale DVC. It made more sense to buy a less than 9,000 contract than pay $3,000 a trip for DVC points. We stayed off-site too. I like the convenience of being onsite, but if I wasn't a DVC owner, this move would push me out altogether. It is nothing more than greed.

 

[Aron1012]

“My company plays this corporate double speak game all the time. “We’re a world class company with world class employees.” And when it comes time for raises it morphs to “We strive to meet the average market ratio so we stay competitive.” Which is it? World class or average? It’s one of the tools in the CEO toolkit these days.

Maybe this was just an extreme corporate smokescreen. Instead of focusing on the absurd John Skipper resignation story we will give them something to really fire up the crowd. Then in a few weeks we can "rediscover our core values" and drop the fee. But you're probably right more double-speak than diversion.

 

[ashleyrm]

it absolutely does penalize those that drive - especially for locals or almost-locals where it would be silly (or not really even feasible) to fly ... if Driving is the best way for you to get there (for whatever reason) you shouldn't be penalized for that, and this policy does that

My point is that Disney wants people taking ME, they don't want you to have a car on property so from their point of view they would want to penalize people with cars and reward (not penalize) those that take ME because then you are captive to them and stuck on property (or at least, harder to get off property)

Yeah, this part really pisses me off (And I fly and rent a car), but it burns me up that they are being punitive to those who like close enough to drive AND to those who scrimp and save to get to Disney and drive long distances and then have to pay to park their car. Seems awkward to me. Hey, you can afford to fly so and take ME so you are all good, but the rest of you saps have to cough up money for parking. Do they expect you to take a bus or Uber from your homes? I'm getting more peeved about this as time goes on and theoretically I'm covered for this year as I have three trips booked prior to March 21.

 

[loveshak22]

[Edited because I replied to the wrong post but not sure how to edit to include the right post LOL...so this is in relation to the comment about planning say a trip to Paris versus Disney!]

I am a huge planner and I travel a decent amount, in fact I'm leaving for Colombia in a couple weeks. And while I plan where to stay, best areas, and map out what I must do and what I may want to do, it's nowhere near my Disney planning.

I haven't planned out, by the hour, the 3 places I need to be for FPs 90 days out, I haven't even given a second thought to where we'll eat, muchless 180 days before I leave (although I have saved links to best places to eat to look at while I'm there). I'm not obsessively planning for 20% to be taken off my package for a Fall trip on April 23rd at 5:00 a.m.

In fact, I just finished booking my hotels and inter-country flights last week and paid for our last tour yesterday. So yes, lots of planning but very different for me than from Disney.

And by the way, my inter-country flights in business class are less than 7 days of parking Disney will charge me IF I keep my package for the Fall.

As an FYI, I'm waiting to see if Disney responds before I cancel! Although my guess is nothing is going to change...but I guess there's a little part of me that hopes!

 

[SaharanTea]

Hi: We drive 22 hours from Canada to get to wdw. We drive because our daughter on the autism spectrum will not fly, she also gets bad migraines. We drive to the parks in our own car because buses trigger her migraines as sometimes a car does, but we can leave a park get to our car and get her back to the hotel when she is ill. We do only half a day in the park and always leave one or two oclock as she at that time has a migraine headache and has to lay down. I saw an ad for Disney on Ice today and the nice feeling the feeling that I used to get when I saw the word "disney" that draws me back to the disney park/resort in the past is gone and a feeling of annoyance and a sickening feeling from disney came across me. The magic and addiction to wdw is slowly leaving me.

Deb.

I'm with you. I was getting my Disney feels the last few weeks thinking about a possible 2019 trip. Those feels have soured into annoyance and disgust. Maybe it comes back, but this is the first time I've reacted this way.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

[Edited because I replied to the wrong post but not sure how to edit to include the right post LOL...so this is in relation to the comment about planning say a trip to Paris versus Disney!]

I am a huge planner and I travel a decent amount, in fact I'm leaving for Colombia in a couple weeks. And while I plan where to stay, best areas, and map out what I must do and what I may want to do, it's nowhere near my Disney planning.

I haven't planned out, by the hour, the 3 places I need to be for FPs 90 days out, I haven't even given a second thought to where we'll eat, muchless 180 days before I leave (although I have saved links to best places to eat to look at while I'm there). I'm not obsessively planning for 20% to be taken off my package for a Fall trip on April 23rd at 5:00 a.m.

In fact, I just finished booking my hotels and inter-country flights last week and paid for our last tour yesterday. So yes, lots of planning but very different for me than from Disney.

And by the way, my inter-country flights in business class are less than 7 days of parking Disney will charge me IF I keep my package for the Fall.

As an FYI, I'm waiting to see if Disney responds before I cancel! Although my guess is nothing is going to change...but I guess there's a little part of me that hopes!

I definitely get the idea of the planning 180 days out for where you are going to eat and stuff like that being a bit nuts. I was think more the people that show up at WDW and literally have done no planning - like the ones that didn't know there are 4 parks and that no, Harry Potter Land isn't there, that sort of thing

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

they started charging for towels at the water park actually, if you aren’t staying on property.

I was thinking resort pools (never been to Disney water parks) but apparently I can’t even keep up with all the new fees.

 

[ashleyrm]

I was thinking resort pools (never been to Disney water parks) but apparently I can’t even keep up with all the new fees.

shhhh. don't give them any ideas.

 

[Linkura]

they started charging for towels at the water park actually, if you aren’t staying on property.

Actually, they used to charge even on-property guests, and recently changed it so it's free for them. Probably because people were bringing towels from the resorts and commingling them with the park towels.

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

Actually, they used to charge even on-property guests, and recently changed it so it's free for them. Probably because people were bringing towels from the resorts and commingling them with the park towels.

Wow, they actually rolled back a fee?

Hmmm, then maybe Iger’s sitting at his desk, scratching his head and thinking, “Why are you so upset about parking?! We just gave you free towels?!”

Sorry, the snark is strong with me today. Yesterday I was sad and irritated about this. Today it’s snark.

 

[Linkura]

Wow, they actually rolled back a fee?

Hmmm, then maybe Iger’s sitting at his desk, scratching his head and thinking, “Why are you so upset about parking?! We just gave you free towels?!

Sorry, the snark is strong with me today. Yesterday I was sad and irritated about this. Today it’s snark.

I mean, it was only $1 a towel. Again, I think it was probably more of a hassle having guests bring one from the parks, then either bringing wet, gross towels on buses or leaving them at the water parks, screwing with inventory between the parks and the resorts.

 

[tlmadden73]

Wow! Parking fee or not ... the fact that people are getting PERSONALLY called back from a complaint e-mail is amazing to me.
A price increase stinks, but to get a call back (I just got my call from a Guest Relations cast member) is the customer service we expect to see in ALL aspects of the parks.
I got the "industry standards" and "be in line with other area resorts and hotels" and "to be consistent with our other parks across the world".

But what an awful excuse. Why does the #1 resort need to lower themselves to other standards? . Do we think Southwest Airlines will start charging for baggage fees because "everyone else does it"? I doubt it.
*shrug* .. I guess if you are winning the race by a lot you can slow down and still have a lead.

I told her that this is going now be part of my valuation of a Disney resort experience. When I schedule my next vacation I am going to look at the TOTAL cost of the hotel per night (I'm a smart consumer, some "on checkout" fee isn't going to trick me into thinking the cost is less than it actually will be) and see if the perks for staying onsite outweigh that extra cost. We'll see how my trip in November goes and if I feel I am getting value for my $140/night "Value" hotel.

What I tried to convey was .. it isn't the price increase. That stinks, but it is the perception .. the "feeling" the existing guests get for charging for something that was free. It comes across as just plain greedy .. and greedy isn't magical.

She told me they knew they were going to get hammered. So, I guess I just don't understand the decision. From a marketing standpoint, isn't it better to "bundle" things together so you can claim things as "free"? If income is needed, just raise the hotel rates across the board and continue to include "free parking" as a perk. Isn't that a better sell, than raising parking rates? It feels less slimy than after-the-fact fee that makes the cost per night "seem" low (until you add in the fees).

Why can't we (as a country) just get to straight up pricing. Include taxes, include all "fees", include all the cost of business into your price. Why do we have to spend so much time and energy trying not to be ripped off or baited and switched?

This parking fee won't change despite ALL the calls .. the negativity storm will blow over and us (and the new guests) will pay this and we'll groan every year when the parking fee goes up along with the tickets and the parking rates.

 

[loveshak22]

I definitely get the idea of the planning 180 days out for where you are going to eat and stuff like that being a bit nuts. I was think more the people that show up at WDW and literally have done no planning - like the ones that didn't know there are 4 parks and that no, Harry Potter Land isn't there, that sort of thing

Hahaha - yes, both are quite insane! Planning dinner at 180 days and then those who show up without even knowing about the Parks!

 

[loveshak22]

Wow! Parking fee or not ... the fact that people are getting PERSONALLY called back from a complaint e-mail is amazing to me.
A price increase stinks, but to get a call back (I just got my call from a Guest Relations cast member) is the customer service we expect to see in ALL aspects of the parks.
I got the "industry standards" and "be in line with other area resorts and hotels" and "to be consistent with our other parks across the world".

But what an awful excuse. Why does the #1 resort need to lower themselves to other standards? . Do we think Southwest Airlines will start charging for baggage fees because "everyone else does it"? I doubt it.
*shrug* .. I guess if you are winning the race by a lot you can slow down and still have a lead.

I told her that this is going now be part of my valuation of a Disney resort experience. When I schedule my next vacation I am going to look at the TOTAL cost of the hotel per night (I'm a smart consumer, some "on checkout" fee isn't going to trick me into thinking the cost is less than it actually will be) and see if the perks for staying onsite outweigh that extra cost. We'll see how my trip in November goes and if I feel I am getting value for my $140/night "Value" hotel.

What I tried to convey was .. it isn't the price increase. That stinks, but it is the perception .. the "feeling" the existing guests get for charging for something that was free. It comes across as just plain greedy .. and greedy isn't magical.

She told me they knew they were going to get hammered. So, I guess I just don't understand the decision. From a marketing standpoint, isn't it better to "bundle" things together so you can claim things as "free"? If income is needed, just raise the hotel rates across the board and continue to include "free parking" as a perk. Isn't that a better sell, than raising parking rates? It feels less slimy than after-the-fact fee that makes the cost per night "seem" low (until you add in the fees).

Why can't we (as a country) just get to straight up pricing. Include taxes, include all "fees", include all the cost of business into your price. Why do we have to spend so much time and energy trying not to be ripped off or baited and switched?

This parking fee won't change despite ALL the calls .. the negativity storm will blow over and us (and the new guests) will pay this and we'll groan every year when the parking fee goes up along with the tickets and the parking rates.

The annoying part is they did just raise hotel rates! LOL! But then added parking! So...yeah...both are needed apparently to be 'aligned'!

 

[mom2rtk]

The annoying part is they did just raise hotel rates! LOL! But then added parking! So...yeah...both are needed apparently to be 'aligned'!

That's why it's a separate fee. So than can raise both. Every year.

 

[Rich M]

EMAIL NOW!

Robert.Chapek@disney.com

george.kalogridis@disney.com

robert.a.iger@disney.com

Sorry but its not really worth my time and effort with the responses they give and knowing that there is nothing that will be done. I have to go out and get a 2nd job now so I can afford the next wave of fees.

 

[DisFanDad]

Sorry but its not really worth my time and effort with the responses they give and knowing that there is nothing that will be done. I have to go out and get a 2nd job now so I can afford the next wave of fees.

I actually just got a real live call by emailing those folks.

DfD

 

[Rich M]

I actually just got a real live call by emailing those folks.

DfD

thats great but was anything done at all and do we believe anything will actually be done? I honestly hope it made you feel better but honestly I don't need some corporate person trying to apologies about something that will still be there tomorrow. Now if someone gets a call from Bob himself and get free parking for life I just won't waste my time. No offense to everyone else who is and feels they are getting the results they want but for me I wouldn't be satisfied until then.

 

[DisFanDad]

So as I said, Emailed the 3, just got a call from guest communications, Abraham.

It was a very interesting call. He told me my email had actually been personally read by Iger, Kalogridis, and Chapek, he actually repeated this twice on the call, so maybe they randomly read mine ? or maybe its just a company line


He said they are receiving unprecedented feedback from this, and wanted me to know that I would not be receiving a form letter response. He seemed genuinely interested in my feedback, which I gave him more at length. And reiterated that the execs are really quite concerned / listening about / to the feedback they have been receiving. I mean, I know its his job to make me feel like I was heard, but he did it well. I went into a little more detail regarding the fact that myself and other members of my family just can't justify this cost increase, and that it was also part of the larger pattern of cost increases and decreased service levels / offerings.

Anyway, he was very clear that he could not promise that anything would be changed, but did seems to genuinely convey that people's concerns are being heard.

Of course, without any change in this case, the phone call doesn't really help. If the upcharge sticks, we don't stay on site, nice call or not. Its just the last straw in a whole bundle that have been placed on the counter weight to the value of staying onsite of late.

 

[rteetz]

thats great but was anything done at all and do we believe anything will actually be done? I honestly hope it made you feel better but honestly I don't need some corporate person trying to apologies about something that will still be there tomorrow. Now if someone gets a call from Bob himself and get free parking for life I just won't waste my time. No offense to everyone else who is and feels they are getting the results they want but for me I wouldn't be satisfied until then.

If people want to call and complain let them. No need to reply to people saying you won't because it would waste your time.