Paid parking is coming to WDW resorts March 2018

[BuckeyeBama]

I started staying off-site a few years ago and this kinda sealed that deal for me for the foreseeable future. I didn't mind paying a little extra to stay at WDW resorts when there were so many extras, but they have all pretty much been stripped away, and now they add this.

I am the "Disney" guy in my town and at work. Even I have started telling folks not to go to WDW right now. Disney has seriously lost its mind. The parks are a wreck and they raise rates now? Wait until Star Wars land opens - or better yet, wait until the 50 year anniversary construction projects are complete. Right now you are paying more for less?

PT Barnum had it right and Disney is following his lead.

 

[robinb]

Interesting that at this point almost 62% (maybe more if you add some of us others) are saying in one way or another they may/will not be future Disney hotel guests ......... and we are the hard core Disney fans.

I wonder what the impact will be to those that are new to Disney, comparing Disney hotels and now fees with offsite hotels and resorts. Will never know but I feel like of all their "new offerings" this one seems to have taken the pushback to a higher level.

Disney doesn't give a mouse's patootie to loyal or return guests except to give lip service to DVC and sell people timeshares.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Does anyone really think, deep down in the sub-cockle are of their heart, that this will move the needle in a statistically significant manner? People will moan here and claim they are never going back but will end up picking up their toys and will still vacation exactly like they always have.

Will there be some folks that move offsite? Sure. Will there be many? Unlikely. Will those people that stay offsite still go to the parks even if they stay offsite and hand the mouse their hard earned cash? Yeppers.

I don't like this change. I prefer it not happen. I also know in the end it will likely not cause me to spend less money with the mouse. YMMV.

The ones that are trying to stick to a particular budget will likely shift the funds they would have spent onto parking fees.

Maybe that would have been spent on meals, maybe that would have been spent on souvenirs, maybe that would have been spent on a different level park ticket, maybe it could have been a hard ticket event ticket, etc.

May not seem like a large deal but if you stay long enough it can have that impact.

That goes for other add ons currently and future ones. Shifting money is a real possibility.

Like any decision a company makes some people will choose to forgo Disney based on principle alone..how many that is IDK.

 

[bluezy]

Oooooooo, entrepreneurial opportunity: let's open an offsite parking lot with shuttle bus service to the resorts! Just like at airports...

That was actually the first thing that popped in to my head when I read about this earlier today. I figured it would only be a few months until long-term parking lots/deck start appearing in the area. People will be able to drive to the resort and say they're just having lunch there before traveling to their off-site hotel (which would explain all the luggage in the car and sleeping kids). While they're "having lunch" they'll unload the car and check in. Then one of them will drive to the offsite long-term parking lot and take the shuttle back to the resort. At the end of the vacation, they'll pick up the car and drive back to the resort for breakfast. While having "breakfast" they'll load up the car and head home.

In reality, I can't imagine that an offsite parking lot/deck is going to save anyone a significant amount of money. I would guess you'd be paying at least $15/day to park there anyway. <sigh> I guess we'll just suck it up and pay. Fortunately we already have our reservation for June, so we're safe for this trip. Maybe this fee will disappear before our next trip (most likely in 2020). At that point, the parking fee *might* impact which resort we stay at.

 

[KrazeeK120]

Bottom line this is all about stock holders !!

No. I am a stockholder and I am very disappointed about this change.

 

[suddenwhale42]

I voted Other because the last straw that pushed us off-site for our upcoming trip was actually the new room check policy. This parking thing just solidifies our decision to continue to forgo onsite stays unless/until big changes are made.

We chose to try the Swan instead, even though I found their parking and resort fees mildly annoying. Now it seems we'll be paying less in a parking fee than our neighbors at YC/BC/BWI!

 

[JenniferYoung44]

You’d think disney’s PR people would have thought this through better. There are sooooo many other more subtle ways to raise prices that most people wouldn’t even notice, let alone balk at. This parking stuff is like Disney wearing a T-shirt that says “shameless money grab.” Whether it ends up effecting their bottom line who knows, but it’s pure PR idiocy. Just one more reason to rent DVC points instead of booking directly with Disney.

 

[HopperFan]

That was actually the first thing that popped in to my head when I read about this earlier today. I figured it would only be a few months until long-term parking lots/deck start appearing in the area. People will be able to drive to the resort and say they're just having lunch there before traveling to their off-site hotel (which would explain all the luggage in the car and sleeping kids). While they're "having lunch" they'll unload the car and check in. Then one of them will drive to the offsite long-term parking lot and take the shuttle back to the resort. At the end of the vacation, they'll pick up the car and drive back to the resort for breakfast. While having "breakfast" they'll load up the car and head home.

In reality, I can't imagine that an offsite parking lot/deck is going to save anyone a significant amount of money. I would guess you'd be paying at least $15/day to park there anyway. <sigh> I guess we'll just suck it up and pay. Fortunately we already have our reservation for June, so we're safe for this trip. Maybe this fee will disappear before our next trip (most likely in 2020). At that point, the parking fee *might* impact which resort we stay at.

I brought this up to my DS ................ he said "No shuttle bus, why get in to that kind of cost. Let everyone call uber/lyft. You pave a few acres, build a fence and hut and you charge $8 a day like the distant lots at airport. You have minimal 24 hr employees and let guests arrange their own transportation. Disney won't let shuttles com onsite, they don't know where the uber/lyft is coming from."

They would like have to make sure it's located where Disney can't impede their zoning.

You’d think disney’s PR people would have thought this through better. There are sooooo many other more subtle ways to raise prices that most people wouldn’t even notice, let alone balk at. This parking stuff is like Disney wearing a T-shirt that says “shameless money grab.” Whether it ends up affecting their bottom line who knows. But it’s pure PR idiocy. Just one more reason to rent DVC points instead of directly with Disney.

They are really bad at PR whether it's a new event they think will sell itself with no one knowing about it, or bringing in dogs with no rules or letting strange men demand to enter your room - just to name a few .................... somehow they think they are exempt from good PR.

 

[jkh36619]

Been staying off site for about 5 years now and haven't looked back. I get larger accommodations for a fraction of the price.

 

[OSUZorba]

Considering I can stay at Bonnet Creek in a 2 room unit for less than a value resort, before these fees, I am definitely done staying on site. I actually looked into renting DVC points for our next trip, but then I remembered the new security junk and changed my mind. I saw no reason to pay $2,000 more for a much smaller unit, and be treated like a criminal.

Outside of downtown areas, I will never book a hotel with resort or parking fees, even when I am traveling on business. I will also pay more to fly Southwest because their actually treat their customers with respect not like an endless bank account (and I used to work for one of their biggest competitors, who I won't fly on any more due to their anti-customer policies).

Really, if Disney keeps up their current pace of monetizing everything while also cutting costs, I may not have many trips left in me.

BTW: The people who are hoping that Disney will improve the bus system to go with this are nuts. This changes gives them more reason to make the buses worse. The worse the buses, the more likely you are to drive. This allows them to make more money, while spending less.

 

[drp4video]

No. I am a stockholder and I am very disappointed about this change.

Me too

 

[drp4video]

Expect that they will soon implement some kind of bus pass you will have to pay for...watching and waiting.

 

[jkh36619]

Considering I can stay at Bonnet Creek in a 2 room unit for less than a value resort, before these fees, I am definitely done staying on site. I actually looked into renting DVC points for our next trip, but then I remembered the new security junk and changed my mind. I saw no reason to pay $2,000 more for a much smaller unit, and be treated like a criminal.

Outside of downtown areas, I will never book a hotel with resort or parking fees, even when I am traveling on business. I will also pay more to fly Southwest because their actually treat their customers with respect not like an endless bank account (and I used to work for one of their biggest competitors, who I won't fly on any more due to their anti-customer policies).

Really, if Disney keeps up their current pace of monetizing everything while also cutting costs, I may not have many trips left in me.

BTW: The people who are hoping that Disney will improve the bus system to go with this are nuts. This changes gives them more reason to make the buses worse. The worse the buses, the more likely you are to drive. This allows them to make more money, while spending less.

Or star island or Cypress palms or vacation village or one of a million rental houses in the area. We al get at least 1 br condo with full kitchen and washer and dryer. My room is always at least 800sf. Disney rooms= 200sf. And I'm saving thousands. People need to get out of that bubble mindset. You won't be disappointed

 

[DisFanDad]

correct! $300 is for the room - whether you have a car or not. If you choose to bring a car and not take advantage of other services Disney provides then you are free to but need to pay for bringing that car on property that those that do not bring cars will not have to (at least, that is how they will look at it)

But that isn't accurate. Because until now disney has advertised (like, actually advertised) that parking is included in the price of the room. Just like pool access is included. You might not use the pool, but it doesn't mean you didn't pay for access to it. Same as people who were paying room rates but not using parking. Now, you (I think you mean THEY will, not that you are personally) try to spin this all (they) want, but the $300 used to include the parking, now the are charging you even more for it. They used to pull the cost of developing / maintaining parking from the room rate revenues, so you were in fact paying for both, even if they bill was not itemized. You are now either paying double for parking, or they increased the cost of your room significantly if you bring a car. That is the reality, no matter the spin.

 

[DisFanDad]

Parking lots are required by law and once built have minimal maintenance. If true, Disney has decided to make it a cash cow and charge folks who are arriving by car, at no cost to Disney. Magical Express costs Disney LOTS ... LOTS .... on a daily basis, that is likely going to be the next cash generator as it was expected to be years ago. Of course the fee is likely to be not more than a couple days of parking so still a "value" .... for one person. A family is likely to feel the same crunch as parking fees ........ IF it happens as well.

$20 a night to park will certainly change my mind and am sure plenty of others. If I'm going to pay that much to park, then I'm going to stay at a resort where the room is worth the price tag. I can stay at Doubletree Suites with parking fee in DS for less than POP; get a two room suite with bedroom and living/dining room that is decorated nice, interior hallways, attentive staff, get continental breakfast included, get a fridge, microwave, table and chairs that don't disappear when I pull down a bed, get two tvs, can walk to DS, get a shuttle to the parks, get 60 day FP+ and EMH - oh and hotel points.

What possible draw does POP have ... if I am driving in?

As usual the Disney does no wrong crew here (though surprisingly not the dominant group for once) are so extremely short sighted they can't see this coming. Once you have to pay for parking, it changes the calculus on DME. Rather than making it "Free" for onsite guests to lock them in, because that is more convenient than driving, helps offset the cost of flights vs gas / land transportation costs, etc. Now you can CHARGE for DME because its still much cheaper than the crazy rates you charge for parking. In fact this becomes a wonderful circle of price gouging. Disney can now charge for DME, because $25 or $50 is cheaper than 2 nights parking. And then they can increase the price of Parking, because, you have the cheaper option of DME, and then they can increase the price of DME ... and so on ...

 

[DisFanDad]

I started staying off-site a few years ago and this kinda sealed that deal for me for the foreseeable future. I didn't mind paying a little extra to stay at WDW resorts when there were so many extras, but they have all pretty much been stripped away, and now they add this.

I am the "Disney" guy in my town and at work. Even I have started telling folks not to go to WDW right now. Disney has seriously lost its mind. The parks are a wreck and they raise rates now? Wait until Star Wars land opens - or better yet, wait until the 50 year anniversary construction projects are complete. Right now you are paying more for less?

PT Barnum had it right and Disney is following his lead.

Your transformation is ... well, telling.

 

[DisFanDad]

That was actually the first thing that popped in to my head when I read about this earlier today. I figured it would only be a few months until long-term parking lots/deck start appearing in the area. People will be able to drive to the resort and say they're just having lunch there before traveling to their off-site hotel (which would explain all the luggage in the car and sleeping kids). While they're "having lunch" they'll unload the car and check in. Then one of them will drive to the offsite long-term parking lot and take the shuttle back to the resort. At the end of the vacation, they'll pick up the car and drive back to the resort for breakfast. While having "breakfast" they'll load up the car and head home.

In reality, I can't imagine that an offsite parking lot/deck is going to save anyone a significant amount of money. I would guess you'd be paying at least $15/day to park there anyway. <sigh> I guess we'll just suck it up and pay. Fortunately we already have our reservation for June, so we're safe for this trip. Maybe this fee will disappear before our next trip (most likely in 2020). At that point, the parking fee *might* impact which resort we stay at.

I pay $150 for a hotel room over night and 2 weeks parking at my airport. Compared to what, $24 a night for 2 weeks ?

 

[TLM2015]

Disney could have slightly raised the hotel prices and I would have been annoyed but still booked onsite. The parking fees are ridiculous, especially when there is more than enough space on site and it further decreases the value in staying on site although with the recent moves to extend EMH and 60 day FP+ to Disney Springs it seems that they are encouraging people to stay offsite. I have already booked my stay for onsite this summer at Pop Century so I am not affected by these fees but am seriously considering changing my reservations to offsite as a matter of principle. I will also email them. As others have mentioned, a person here or there won't be missed but if more people decide to opt out, they will perhaps consider some of the recent decisions with charging more for less. Especially when it comes to their hotels which for the price are not "industry standard". Even if none of their policies change, I can decide where my money goes and even though I will probably continue to go to Disney, my visits will change from 5 day visits to probably splitting my time at other destinations in Orlando or just going to Disneyland where I stay offsite anyway, at hotels that don't charge parking, and walking to DL.

 

[PuppyJonathan]

Is anyone else surprised that as of this post the current top response to the poll is “doesn’t change my trip plans”? I’ve seen a lot of reactions of “I saw this coming” which surprises me.

My personal opinion, they should’ve just increased room prices and never told us why, that would’ve made me feel better. I actually voted “doesn’t change plans” because I stay with family who are pass holders or I normally take the bus. I feel for others though

 

[suddenwhale42]

Is anyone else surprised that as of this post the current top response to the poll is “doesn’t change my trip plans”? I’ve seen a lot of reactions of “I saw this coming” which surprises me.

It's only at the top because the "it *does* change my plans" vote is split at least three ways. Really more when you figure at least a few of the "never setting foot in the parks again!" and "other" voters are people who will change current/future plans due in part to this policy. (Speaking as an "Other" voter.)