Paid parking is coming to WDW resorts March 2018

[TheMaxRebo]

Hahaha...so true about DHS!

They need people going to all 4 parks for crowd control so they want people at DHS, so why not discount day tickets now? Again, what's it going to be like when Toy Story Land and Star Wars are built and drawing crowds? Um, increased ticket prices again when we're paying now what we should be paying for a full park!

I skipped it 3 out of my last 4 trips, but have to admit I went my last trip and had a nice day And enjoyed Fantasmic. But it definitely wasn't worth a full day ticket! I sat and talked with a nice older couple, tried the Brown Derby for the first time, and kind of just strolled the shops looking at cool Star Wars stuff.

I guess they could lower the price if someone bought a one day ticket to just DHS, but don’t see how it could work for multi day tickets and especially with park hopping, etc. though I do get the point / frustration that you know they will increase prices and probably have some extra fees associated with getting to Star Wars:Galaxy’s Edge (for example, rumors that in Disneyland you will have to have MaxPass to use the fast pass system for Star Wars - meaning you will have to pay extra to use the FP for those rides)

Granted, I am probably the wrong person to opine in this as last time we went we spent an entire day at DHS and didn’t even get to a lot of things so obviously we still found plenty to do

 

[tcherjen]

I for one am very disappointed on this. It really made staying onsite seem worthwhile to me. We stayed at Gaylord Palms one weekend for Ice. We love Disney Resorts so much better! We live close enough (within hour and half) to drive for the day, but we love to go and get away. This will definitely impact us for deciding to go down for a weekend trip. Very sad!

 

[Best_Vacation_EVER!]

We used to stay at BW a fair amount and each time we stayed our biggest frustration as hotel guests was that parking was overfull. It was pretty much guaranteed that we had to drive around the lot for 10 minutes or (usually) more to find a parking spot. We stay more at BC now to avoid that --- but even so at busy times the BC parking lot can be full. We found the same during our one stay at CR also (and I'm assuming that the case for the other monorail resorts). We sort of accepted that when there was no additional charge --- but if we're paying $24 per night I expect a far better experience.

If day guests can park free at BW or BC just by showing an ADR or saying they want to shop --- and then head off to Epcot or DHS for the rest of the day --- then there needs to be reserved sections of these lots for those paying $24 per day to ensure that paying hotel guests can get the spot they are paying for.

 

[Sophie_inBflo]

...
If day guests can park free at BW or BC just by showing an ADR or saying they want to shop --- and then head off to Epcot or DHS for the rest of the day --- then there needs to be reserved sections of these lots for those paying $24 per day to ensure that paying hotel guests can get the spot they are paying for.

This is what is most irksome to me--- by adding this parking fee, Disney isn't fixing what most driving guests see as a real problem: people parking "to check out the resort" and then go to the parks. We've had problems parking at both BW and Poly, but there generally isn't a problem parking overnight! Yet Disney is bending over backwards to be complementary to the day guests (because they buy food?), and is willing to penalize the night guests. (It's not like we don't eat there, too! We eat most of our meals at the resort we're staying at!)

 

[jlwhitney]

This is what is most irksome to me--- by adding this parking fee, Disney isn't fixing what most driving guests see as a real problem: people parking "to check out the resort" and then go to the parks. We've had problems parking at both BW and Poly, but there generally isn't a problem parking overnight! Yet Disney is bending over backwards to be complementary to the day guests (because they buy food?), and is willing to penalize the night guests. (It's not like we don't eat there, too! We eat most of our meals at the resort we're staying at!)

At akl kidani in feb we could barely park after 2pm in he under the building section . It was packe solid.

 

[Sophie_inBflo]

At akl kidani in feb we could barely park after 2pm in he under the building section . It was packe solid.

oh yeah, I remember having problems there, too... we had to park a few elevators away from ours if we left in the middle of the day.

Which makes me wonder--- does Disney hope to drive overnight cars away so that there's more room for day visitors?

 

[disneydreamer1980]

We’re going to Poly in early December, staying on my parents DVC points. Can’t make the reservation til May, so after the cutoff date. Wondering if we’ll have to pay to park, we’ll be staying in a DVC but not the DVC owners. 2 weeks at $24 a night would add up.

 

[MamaBelle4]

We’re going to Poly in early December, staying on my parents DVC points. Can’t make the reservation til May, so after the cutoff date. Wondering if we’ll have to pay to park, we’ll be staying in a DVC but not the DVC owners. 2 weeks at $24 a night would add up.

If you're staying on DVC points, you're fine.

 

[k5thbeatle]

Just looked at our dates for lagoon room at Beach Club and it's $609/night. Now I realize we're paying for convenience of access to parks but now they're going to tack on a $24/night parking fee? That hotel and those rooms aren't THAT great to begin with Har!...this simply is getting too ridiculous in terms of price especially when you factor in the decline in quality of practically everything and the micro-managing required with a WDW visit.

 

[PrincessV]

I’ve now changed my vote twice. I initially canceled a planned stay and began looking offsite... then rebooked at WDW when I wasn’t coming up with a better option and wanted free parking grandfathered in... and now canceled again because something better came out offsite. Makes me wonder if some of the more prominent offsite places/booking sites aren’t watching all this carefully and using it to their advantage...

 

[Rich M]

I’ve now changed my vote twice. I initially canceled a planned stay and began looking offsite... then rebooked at WDW when I wasn’t coming up with a better option and wanted free parking grandfathered in... and now canceled again because something better came out offsite. Makes me wonder if some of the more prominent offsite places/booking sites aren’t watching all this carefully and using it to their advantage...

I can see them putting this into there promo material for sure but I also see them raising there prices soon too with the demand of offsite location now becoming popular.

 

[Arielfan98]

After reading all your responses, I am definitely planning on voicing my opinion on both their Facebook page and sending them a customer service email. It seems they care more about the recommendation. I have always recommended Disney to families, friends, coworkers, peers, teachers, etc. Despite all the negative criticism about Disney being greedy, I always justified it to the anti-Disney people, even converting them into loyal Disney fans. In the short run, sure Disney will do fine, but they've lost the priceless relationship between most the dedicated Disney fans and their company. Although WDW raises their prices every year, added on extra charges, etc. my family always felt it was a magical experience worth paying for. Now this just seems greedy and I no longer want to let my fellow friends, coworkers, family members, professors, etc. know how enchanting Disney can be (because it's not anymore). I will not be a walking billboard for Disney as someone else on this thread mentioned. On top of that, I am 21 yo, the upcoming "family generation". In a few years time I will hopefully get married/have kids, but no, I will not recommend WDW as the magical vacation destination to other peers my age. I will tell them Disney is too greedy now and that they should take their families elsewhere. Sure, we will be back to experience Star Wars Land/Toy Story Land, but we won't return 2-3x year as usual. Anyone else have better suggestions for what I should say?

 

[ZuuL]

I hate to say this but I honestly think people are overreacting.

13-24 dollars is nothing compared to the high prices in cities ($40 + in most cases per night). Hell, I've paid $25 + for am embassy suites parking (per car + night) outside large cities.

 

[Rich M]

I hate to say this but I honestly think people are overreacting.

13-24 dollars is nothing compared to the high prices in cities ($40 + in most cases per night). Hell, I've paid $25 + for am embassy suites parking (per car + night) outside large cities.

But did you also pay $300 to $600 a night there?

 

[Doug M]

But did you also pay $300 to $600 a night there?

And that much for a hotel you could have paid 1/3 or 1/2 as much.

 

[Rich M]

And that much for a hotel you could have paid 1/3 or 1/2 as much.

But thats not my point. I am asking if he paid that and also had that much of a parking fee? I don't really care where I stay at these days the resort fee everywhere makes me mad so this parking fee is just par for the course. I do choose to pay the higher prices for Disney by choice and I will continue to as long as I enjoy going there but overall the fees that every hotel charges these days is terrible. I honestly would rather get a fee if I use the services. Most of them I don't even use. If people don't think that if Disney can charge for parking that others around the area will follow suit at some point if they haven't done so already.

 

[ZuuL]

But did you also pay $300 to $600 a night there?

What does the price of the room have anything to do with also paying for parking. Most hotels you have to pay for parking whether it's expensive or cheap per night. Disney had made it free for a long time but guests took advantage of it and abused it during the busiest parts of the year. Hell, there's been times when we couldn't even get parking at our hotel because people were parking and going to the parks.
The amount could have been worse...

 

[Rich M]

What does the price of the room have anything to do with also paying for parking. Most hotels you have to pay for parking whether it's expensive or cheap per night. Disney had made it free for a long time but guests took advantage of it and abused it during the busiest parts of the year. Hell, there's been times when we couldn't even get parking at our hotel because people were parking and going to the parks.
The amount could have been worse...

Well it matters to folks for sure. Most people go to Disney for 5 days or more. It adds up. I completely understand people frustration with it as Disney just keeps jacking up more stuff and charging for everything but lets remember that you not being able to find a parking spot isn't going to change because people there for ADR and Shopping still get to do it so Disney didn't address that at all. I think they should do the same thing as Downtown Disney in California. Charge cars by the hour unless they have validation. Even with validation you only get a couple hours to do what you need to do.

 

[mom2rtk]

What does the price of the room have anything to do with also paying for parking. Most hotels you have to pay for parking whether it's expensive or cheap per night. Disney had made it free for a long time but guests took advantage of it and abused it during the busiest parts of the year. Hell, there's been times when we couldn't even get parking at our hotel because people were parking and going to the parks.
The amount could have been worse...

It has everything to do with it. It's about the bottom line total cost of staying there for the night.

And how did this fix the issue of people parking at resorts for theme park access?

 

[Disneylover99]

What does the price of the room have anything to do with also paying for parking. Most hotels you have to pay for parking whether it's expensive or cheap per night. Disney had made it free for a long time but guests took advantage of it and abused it during the busiest parts of the year. Hell, there's been times when we couldn't even get parking at our hotel because people were parking and going to the parks.
The amount could have been worse...

But that's the frustration most people have with this charge.......adding a parking fee to overnight guests staying at a DW resort is not going to solve the problem that you describe. Anybody can still park for free during the day.