PLEASE SHARE -What is it like to resort park now?

[AngiTN]

Is this policy in writing anywhere? I had this same question for this trip and I could not find any written policy anywhere regarding this.

I don’t think it’s written anywhere (and even some of the stuff written on the website is wrong anyway), but they wouldn’t ask for flight info and whether you need a one-way or round trip transfer if they didn’t intend for you to ride the bus. They’d start by asking whether or not you even plan to ride and then get the details if you do. Doing a quick Google search, every Disney planning site that I could find (including Touring Plans) indicates that DME is not intended to be used as a luggage transfer service.

There’s more discussion on the topic in the thread linked a few posts up.

But the bottom line is that as of right now, nothing happens if you don’t get on the bus. And as long as the number of people using DME as a luggage transfer service remains small, I doubt they’ll do anything about it. But if the number grows...who knows? It could turn into another one of those “why we can’t have nice things” situations.

I've been looking and looking on Disney's site (not any planning site or touring site or other non-Disney site) for anything that says you must ride ME to use the luggage tags and I can't find it. The FAQ used to say that but it's been changed and no longer says it. Doesn't address it at all. I can't find the TOS for ME anywhere. Still searching

Some of the stuff on that link above is 10 years old. I wouldn't want to go by anything that is posted from 10 years ago. Even the FAQ on that is no longer the same.

 

[DizneyMommy]

I don’t see why it matters if you ride the bus or not. The luggage doesn’t go on the bus, it goes separately. If the benefit of luggage transportation is included in my package, my sitting on a bus is independent of that. If anything you’re doing them a favor by not taking up a seat on DME and letting other guests ride. That luggage truck is going to your resort anyways, it is not making extra work for them. My understanding is that it works the same way going home, anyone can check their luggage at the resort, and then take Uber to the airport.

That said, we usually take our own bags. We were looking at an early flight where we would want to go straight to a park and probably use Uber or something instead of DME, and were going to let our bags go on to the resort, but we changed to a late flight so scratched that.

 

[AngiTN]

I don’t see why it matters if you ride the bus or not. The luggage doesn’t go on the bus, it goes separately. If the benefit of luggage transportation is included in my package, my sitting on a bus is independent of that. If anything you’re doing them a favor by not taking up a seat on DME and letting other guests ride. That luggage truck is going to your resort anyways, it is not making extra work for them. My understanding is that it works the same way going home, anyone can check their luggage at the resort, and then take Uber to the airport.

That said, we usually take our own bags. We were looking at an early flight where we would want to go straight to a park and probably use Uber or something instead of DME, and were going to let our bags go on to the resort, but we changed to a late flight so scratched that.

Good point. Why does it matter? Why does it get some noses so out of joint? Never has occurred to me to wonder before

 

[KrazeeK120]

I've been looking and looking on Disney's site (not any planning site or touring site or other non-Disney site) for anything that says you must ride ME to use the luggage tags and I can't find it. The FAQ used to say that but it's been changed and no longer says it. Doesn't address it at all. I can't find the TOS for ME anywhere. Still searching

Some of the stuff on that link above is 10 years old. I wouldn't want to go by anything that is posted from 10 years ago. Even the FAQ on that is no longer the same.

Right, and I noted that it’s not on Disney’s site. And I know that some of the stuff on the referenced thread is old, but some of it isn’t.

I really do think that the intent of DME is to transport people from the airport to their resort and back. They include luggage transfer as a courtesy...after all, the people’s “stuff” has to get to the resort as well, and the bottom of the bus may not be able to accommodate all luggage, particularly if the bus is full. (ETA: and it doesn’t say anywhere in the official DME info “this is what to do if you want a luggage only transfer“...)

I honestly don’t care how people use DME. I don’t use it any more since now we drive down instead of flying. I’m just providing information.

 

[Dean Marino]

I don’t see why it matters if you ride the bus or not. The luggage doesn’t go on the bus, it goes separately. If the benefit of luggage transportation is included in my package, my sitting on a bus is independent of that. If anything you’re doing them a favor by not taking up a seat on DME and letting other guests ride. That luggage truck is going to your resort anyways, it is not making extra work for them. My understanding is that it works the same way going home, anyone can check their luggage at the resort, and then take Uber to the airport.

That said, we usually take our own bags. We were looking at an early flight where we would want to go straight to a park and probably use Uber or something instead of DME, and were going to let our bags go on to the resort, but we changed to a late flight so scratched that.

Wellllll - let's think about this, in terms of "What could go wrong".

Similar to an airline, I suspect WDW wants you to be in the same general location as your luggage. Just in case that entire suitcase explodes.
I can not fault them for this.

Worth noting - we all have at least TWO electronic check-ins to DME. One at the "gate", one at the actual bus. The Dear Database is tracking you . Bring your own bags? No problem.... those tags are getting scanned .
Just us, we are very glad that this occurs. Do not desire a "Magical Express" blowing up in transit. Or an un-tracked chunk of luggage "Magically appearing" at my resort.

Now - the hole? Nothing prevents a person from LEAVING ME early, at a different Hotel. With a 3 Hour Window? Nothing prevents them from LEAVING their Hotel area. So a sad prediction... the time will come when we MUST travel WITH our luggage - just as the airlines mandate.

Now - going OUT? Whole different story. That's the TSA's nickle.

All personal opinion - I'm not necessarily right, no one else is necessarily wrong.

 

[DizneyMommy]

Wellllll - let's think about this, in terms of "What could go wrong".

Similar to an airline, I suspect WDW wants you to be in the same general location as your luggage. Just in case that entire suitcase explodes.
I can not fault them for this.

Worth noting - we all have at least TWO electronic check-ins to DME. One at the "gate", one at the actual bus. The Dear Database is tracking you . Bring your own bags? No problem.... those tags are getting scanned .
Just us, we are very glad that this occurs. Do not desire a "Magical Express" blowing up in transit. Or an un-tracked chunk of luggage "Magically appearing" at my resort.

Now - the hole? Nothing prevents a person from LEAVING ME early, at a different Hotel. With a 3 Hour Window? Nothing prevents them from LEAVING their Hotel area. So a sad prediction... the time will come when we MUST travel WITH our luggage - just as the airlines mandate.

Now - going OUT? Whole different story. That's the TSA's nickle.

All personal opinion - I'm not necessarily right, no one else is necessarily wrong.

But you aren’t in the same vicinity of the luggage at all, it is moved completely seperately by truck, which may go to several other resorts as well. So if someone wanted to do some nefarious with their luggage they could still take ME to their resort way ahead of the luggage, hop a bus from there and head to the parks and vanish. Not to mention it goes straight from TSA/Airlines to the truck so it would have to get through screening and security, make the whole flight, and then somehow be triggered remotely without even knowing where it was.

 

[AngiTN]

Wellllll - let's think about this, in terms of "What could go wrong".

Similar to an airline, I suspect WDW wants you to be in the same general location as your luggage. Just in case that entire suitcase explodes.
I can not fault them for this.

Worth noting - we all have at least TWO electronic check-ins to DME. One at the "gate", one at the actual bus. The Dear Database is tracking you . Bring your own bags? No problem.... those tags are getting scanned .
Just us, we are very glad that this occurs. Do not desire a "Magical Express" blowing up in transit. Or an un-tracked chunk of luggage "Magically appearing" at my resort.

Now - the hole? Nothing prevents a person from LEAVING ME early, at a different Hotel. With a 3 Hour Window? Nothing prevents them from LEAVING their Hotel area. So a sad prediction... the time will come when we MUST travel WITH our luggage - just as the airlines mandate.

Now - going OUT? Whole different story. That's the TSA's nickle.

All personal opinion - I'm not necessarily right, no one else is necessarily wrong.

That makes no sense in this discussion. You are no where near your yellow tagged bags when you ride ME

 

[DSLRuser]

Though I don't disagree with your premise that this is is how it "should" work, I also believe it is highly unlikely that this is how it "will" work. It would consume a good portion of any assumed revenues from parking, if Disney now has to employ tow trucks to haul offenders away. They wouldn't shoot themselves in the foot like that. If their primary goal is revenue...why would they now have to pay for tow services at every resort. I guess we'll just have to wait and see how this plays out.

you must not know any tow truck drivers. It is a form of revenue itself. Tow truck operators will pay Disney for the right to come tow someones car. The tow truck operators then charge this lucky enough to get towed a "storage fee" for every day on their lot. Plus a "tow fee". Plus, they still have to pay Disney for any days they parked and did not pay.

Again. I agree, Disney will not have the guts to go at this so hard core....but if they did....it would be easy to do.

 

[senseicj]

@DISNEY1975
Thank you for creating this thread. I too am wondering what parking situation will be like with this new parking fee implemented. I am very nervous about my upcoming trip staying at Poly. Wonder if the lot will be filled with “day guests” who just leave their cars their for free to go to MK for the day.

I would not think that it would be any different than before as far as day guests go if anything should be better. You are not "Supposed" to park there unless you are staying there or have ADR's at the resort and I am sure the security will be much stricter now that they have the new parking fees. I am going in 10 days so I guess I will find out.

 

[senseicj]

I think day guests should be the first ones to have to pay (over overnight guests), but what do I know.
I'm just glad we fly, one thing not to worry about. Well 2, parking somewhere and paying to park.

It would make more sense for day guests to pay especially since they are already getting enough money from overnight guests as it is and will probably have a rate increase soon

 

[DISNEY1975]

I don’t think it’s written anywhere (and even some of the stuff written on the website is wrong anyway), but they wouldn’t ask for flight info and whether you need a one-way or round trip transfer if they didn’t intend for you to ride the bus. They’d start by asking whether or not you even plan to ride and then get the details if you do. Doing a quick Google search, every Disney planning site that I could find (including Touring Plans) indicates that DME is not intended to be used as a luggage transfer service.

There’s more discussion on the topic in the thread linked a few posts up.

But the bottom line is that as of right now, nothing happens if you don’t get on the bus. And as long as the number of people using DME as a luggage transfer service remains small, I doubt they’ll do anything about it. But if the number grows...who knows? It could turn into another one of those “why we can’t have nice things” situations.

OK, so my understanding is that you should not use MDE to transfer luggage when you arrive.

But...I have always thought, and used, the luggage service when I was departing. I thought it was just that...luggage service. I brought my bags outside before noon and Id enjoy dining/shopping etc..until late afternoon, bring my rental car back to the airport and board my flight. Is it only going TO the resort that this cant be done, or have I not been following the rules all along (unknowingly)?

 

[DISNEY1975]

I would not think that it would be any different than before as far as day guests go if anything should be better. You are not "Supposed" to park there unless you are staying there or have ADR's at the resort and I am sure the security will be much stricter now that they have the new parking fees. I am going in 10 days so I guess I will find out.

Looking forward to you reporting your findings!

I understand day guests will be allowed, freely, to park as they please.

As a resort guest, mostly of deluxes, it was a bit frustrating to get back to the resort at dinner time or after park closing and not find any parking availability. Since nobody was paying for parking, I accepted it for what it was and drover around 10, 20 minutes until a spot became available. Now that resort guests are paying for a parking spot, Im wondering if there are sections of lots designated for resort guests only, or how will the handle, what I can image to be, the numerous complaints about paying $25 and not finding a spot to park?

Poly, for example, has resort guests, Ohana guests, Spirit of Aloha guests, Trader Sam guests and a few Kona guests every evening. Jyst this alone shows they dont have enough parking. I wont even mention the monorail hoppers, Tambu lounge goers a couple of shoppers, and fireworks from the beach goers.

 

[yaya74]

Looking forward to you reporting your findings!

I understand day guests will be allowed, freely, to park as they please.

As a resort guest, mostly of deluxes, it was a bit frustrating to get back to the resort at dinner time or after park closing and not find any parking availability. Since nobody was paying for parking, I accepted it for what it was and drover around 10, 20 minutes until a spot became available. Now that resort guests are paying for a parking spot, Im wondering if there are sections of lots designated for resort guests only, or how will the handle, what I can image to be, the numerous complaints about paying $25 and not finding a spot to park?

Poly, for example, has resort guests, Ohana guests, Spirit of Aloha guests, Trader Sam guests and a few Kona guests every evening. Jyst this alone shows they dont have enough parking. I wont even mention the monorail hoppers, Tambu lounge goers a couple of shoppers, and fireworks from the beach goers.

Reading the above post about Poly is getting me nervous about my upcoming stay at Poly.....

 

[KrazeeK120]

OK, so my understanding is that you should not use MDE to transfer luggage when you arrive.

But...I have always thought, and used, the luggage service when I was departing. I thought it was just that...luggage service. I brought my bags outside before noon and Id enjoy dining/shopping etc..until late afternoon, bring my rental car back to the airport and board my flight. Is it only going TO the resort that this cant be done, or have I not been following the rules all along (unknowingly)?

RAC (which you use on departure) is not the same as DME. It’s a completely separate service run by a different company.

 

[senseicj]

No one booked and stayed, after the change date. No ones being charged for parking yet.
Well, I booked something but it only indicates that you are charged for parking at checkout if you have a car

I will be interested to see how they handle on line check in, will they ask if you are renting a car as part of the process? If not potentially you could park without them even knowing unless when you scan your MB it alerts the front desk.

 

[DISNEY1975]

Reading the above post about Poly is getting me nervous about my upcoming stay at Poly.....

Dont be nervous! This is nothing new. I assume you booked your trip before the 21st, so you wont be paying for the space you wont be able to find easily!

Think...your local mall the weekend before Christmas!

 

[yaya74]

Dont be nervous! This is nothing new. I assume you booked your trip before the 21st, so you wont be paying for the space you wont be able to find easily!

Think...your local mall the weekend before Christmas!

I have Amazon Prime!! I shop from home!

 

[msk]

I'll be checking in to YC next Sunday. I'll report back then

 

[Shanti]

I'll be checking in to YC next Sunday. I'll report back then

Lucky! Have fun!

 

[BrianR]

I don’t see why it matters if you ride the bus or not. The luggage doesn’t go on the bus, it goes separately. If the benefit of luggage transportation is included in my package, my sitting on a bus is independent of that. If anything you’re doing them a favor by not taking up a seat on DME and letting other guests ride. That luggage truck is going to your resort anyways, it is not making extra work for them. My understanding is that it works the same way going home, anyone can check their luggage at the resort, and then take Uber to the airport.

That said, we usually take our own bags. We were looking at an early flight where we would want to go straight to a park and probably use Uber or something instead of DME, and were going to let our bags go on to the resort, but we changed to a late flight so scratched that.

You're not really doing them any favors. Your pieces of luggage could mean an additional truck / crew on staff that day vs. not. They could be scheduling an additional bus that now ends up waiting longer to leave just in case you show up.

As for parking I'm expecting a guaranteed space for my $. At Swolphin there always was a space, just maybe at the other lot than where you wanted to be. Should be fun to see what happens at the monorail resorts when this happens (and it will).