Rant for Pete

[jdtopgun71]

Not sure if you have ever covered this topic Pete, but I ran into something I had never encountered before. We typically have always used WDW transportation but because we were running short on time we drove from our resort at the WL Villas to the Swan for our ADR at Garden Grove. We self parked our car in the Swan lot and had to pay $12 to park because the Garden Grove is the only restaurant that does not validate parking for guest. This in light of the fact they had just charged nearly $30 per person for our party of 9 for a buffet that although the food was good was not worth the price they charged.

Has Kevin ever done a review at this restaurant? I still can't believe that they are charging for parking for resort guests to go each at an on property restaurant. They need to change this.

 

[Kimberle]

Well, they charge their own hotel guests the same $12 per day to park, and many are spending hundreds, if not thousands on their rooms. They also charge a resort fee.

Did you have a time limit? Could you leave your car & visit one of the parks?

 

[mikelan6]

You could have parked at the Boardwalk or Yacht Club and walked over.

 

[luke]

Yep, we had our wedding meal at Shula's (spending about $1500) and had to pay for the few drivers to park.

I guess it's just one of those things

 

[FireDancer]

You could have parked at the Boardwalk or Yacht Club and walked over.

This is what I do. I usually park either at the Boardwalk or even the over flow lot behind the Hess station (if it is still there, I haven't had a car down there since 2004).

 

[dizneedoll]

The fact that they charge thier guests to a park and they charge that resort fee is the reason I won't stay there.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

While I don't agree with the Swan & Dolphin charging anyone to self park, since they are not owned and operated by WDW I guess that's why they get do that.

 

[WaltD4Me]

I think it's ridiculous for any hotel to charge for self parking. My BIL paid $45 a night at a hotel in San Diego. We paid $20 a night at a hotel in Niagra Falls and that was because of an internet deal I got, normally it is $30 a night. Unreal. But if you have a car, I guess you don't have a choice. They charge because they can. It is what it is.

 

[Lou Holtz]

Well, they charge their own hotel guests the same $12 per day to park, and many are spending hundreds, if not thousands on their rooms. They also charge a resort fee.

How do you charge a resort fee AND charge for parking? What is the resort fee for?

 

[luke]

What is the resort fee for?

When we stayed at the Hyatt Regency Grand Cypress, the resort fee included all sorts from use of the pool, to sports facilities, use of the golf course, use of the equestrian centre, even down to the morning newspaper

Self parking, however, was free

 

[FireDancer]

I think it's ridiculous for any hotel to charge for self parking. My BIL paid $45 a night at a hotel in San Diego. We paid $20 a night at a hotel in Niagra Falls and that was because of an internet deal I got, normally it is $30 a night. Unreal. But if you have a car, I guess you don't have a choice. They charge because they can. It is what it is.

Do you know if he was staying downtown? I had to pay a parking fee last month in Indy, last fall in Niagara Falls, and would have this month in South Bend had we not been forced to switch hotels because of a water main break which pushed us out of downtown. All the hotels were self park.

It isn't a trend I like but it seems like it is getting more and more common.

 

[safetymom]

All the Universal hotels charge their resort guests if they park a car. $15 daily.

 

[Lou Holtz]

All the Universal hotels charge their resort guests if they park a car. $15 daily.

But they don't charge a resort fee. If you're paying a resort fee, you should be getting free parking, internet and health club access. Places that don't have a resort fee, you will likely be paying extra for those things.

 

[WebmasterAlex]

The Swan resort fee covers the newspaper, free internet access, health club etc but not parking.
I have a really hard time getting upset over these fees. I just mentally add it to the price when I'm booking and forget about it.

 

[DaParkers]

The Swan resort fee covers the newspaper, free internet access, health club etc but not parking.
I have a really hard time getting upset over these fees. I just mentally add it to the price when I'm booking and forget about it.

In that case, the resort fee should be optional. Don't charge me for things that I won't use.

 

[WebmasterAlex]

In that case, the resort fee should be optional. Don't charge me for things that I won't use.

I understand what you are saying but realize a LOT of hotels have this now, it isn't going away and they vary. Really the only way to deal with it is when you compare hotels use price+resort fee+parking= real price
Then you compare real prices and forget about what they call it. If a hotel room is 100 a night or 60 a night plus 10 dollar linen change fee, 10 dollar air breathing fee, 10 dollar hallway use fee and 10 dollar flushable toilet fee what is the difference? Either way you pay 100 per night

 

[FireDancer]

In that case, the resort fee should be optional. Don't charge me for things that I won't use.

Some hotels will remove the charge if you ask. I stayed at a place in Phily that had a $2 per day charge for the room safe that was automatically added to your bill. If you let them know you didn't use the safe they would remove it.

It never hurts to ask. I imagine most will not remove the charge (and probably never for parking) but it you never know.

 

[dizneedoll]

Why have all these extra charges? Why don't they just build into the price of the room? Even if the room price was higher, I'd rather be quoted one price then turn up and be told oh yeah there's an extra $15 a night for "resort fees" and another for parking and now we also charge extra if you plan on using the bathroom. And don't tell me that these charges are known ahead of time, that may be but they don't come right out and say so and if you are checking prices online they don't come right up front and say it either.

 

[jewjubean]

We were in New Orleans for the weekend and it was $32 bucks to park the car for the night. Although I did go spend 30 minutes at the casino playing the slots (approx $5 bucks) and they gave me my parking for Free! Always ask!

 

[ElliePeters]

We stayed there last year and were furious that we had to pay to park there. Sadly, the parking lot was never full.. so it wasn't like there were bursting at the seams. Staying at the hotel, we should have had it free. I agree with the OP.