Resort Fees, if Disney Charged one, what would you do?

[TravelMommy]

I read about a recent survey regarding this issue, and we really try to avoid paying a resort fee when we travel, I would wonder how other repeat WDW customers would deal with paying for things they already get for free (like internet and parking) Just wondering how the Diz budget experts would deal with, if this ever happened? What do you think?

 

[Livvie]

I read about a recent survey regarding this issue, and we really try to avoid paying a resort fee when we travel, I would wonder how other repeat WDW customers would deal with paying for things they already get for free (like internet and parking) Just wondering how the Diz budget experts would deal with, if this ever happened? What do you think?

I don't stay anywhere that charges resort fees. It wouldn't be any different at Disney.

 

[mar7967]

I really don't understand all the grief on the resort fee - Disney could just as easily raise prices $15 and not say anything about it. Now they are explicitly telling you what amenities it covers - it's just more transparency. What am I missing here?

Do you really think you are currently getting internet and parking for "free?" If so, you are wrong - it's built into the room pricing.

 

[ICF]

I don't stay on site....so it wouldn't bother me.

 

[davper]

I really don't understand all the grief on the resort fee - Disney could just as easily raise prices $15 and not say anything about it. Now they are explicitly telling you what amenities it covers - it's just more transparency. What am I missing here?

Do you really think you are currently getting internet and parking for "free?" If so, you are wrong - it's built into the room pricing.

Because they won't lower their current rates by the amount of the resort fee. I suspect they will also raise their room charge. And then they have another item they can raise rates on to bring in more revenue going forward.

 

[mar7967]

Because they won't lower their current rates by the amount of the resort fee. I suspect they will also raise their room charge. And then they have another item they can raise rates on to bring in more revenue going forward.

I wouldn't expect them to lower their current rates. They raise prices every year - that shouldn't be surprising to anyone. Every hotel/resort in the world raises prices every year. Labor costs increase (fight for 15 anyone?), supply costs increase, taxes increase, etc. Oh no! A business wants to make money? As Pete always says, if you aren't happy with price increases, speak with your wallet and stop going.

One question I would have is if this is mandatory - can someone opt out of the $15 charge, and not use magic bands, use DME, etc? That might appeal to some people who don't care about that stuff.

 

[mar7967]

oops - double post. sorry.

 

[alh2011]

Stay somewhere offsite without reaort fees with a lot more room!!

 

[davper]

I wouldn't expect them to lower their current rates. They raise prices every year - that shouldn't be surprising to anyone. Every hotel/resort in the world raises prices every year. Labor costs increase (fight for 15 anyone?), supply costs increase, taxes increase, etc. Oh no! A business wants to make money? As Pete always says, if you aren't happy with price increases, speak with your wallet and stop going.

One question I would have is if this is mandatory - can someone opt out of the $15 charge, and not use magic bands, use DME, etc? That might appeal to some people who don't care about that stuff.

Never been able to opt out of the resort fee at any hotel. Doubt Disney will be any different.

 

[mar7967]

Staying offsite is an interesting situation. You may get more room (for less money), but then add in your "extras." You only get to make FP+ 30 days out, not 60+. You don't get a magic band unless you pay $13 each. Parking at a park is $20 per day. No EMH which is vital to some people's touring. How much is all of that worth?

 

[Marionnette]

I really don't understand all the grief on the resort fee - Disney could just as easily raise prices $15 and not say anything about it. Now they are explicitly telling you what amenities it covers - it's just more transparency. What am I missing here?

Do you really think you are currently getting internet and parking for "free?" If so, you are wrong - it's built into the room pricing.

If they raise resort prices, then when a discount comes out, the overall price goes down. If they tack on a "resort fee", that price is exempt from the discount. And like taxes, that resort fee will never go down but will most likely increase as time goes on.

There's also the issue that Disney has been cutting back on resort amenities while increasing rates faster than inflation rises. DME was promoted as a free service, EMH was a perk for staying onsite. If Disney institutes a resort fee, then what exactly are you getting for the outrageous hotel rates, besides proximity to the parks?

And finally, let's address the perceived money grab by Disney. Yes, I know that they are a business and as such, they can charge whatever the market will bear. The bean counters have created more "seasons" so that they can increase room rates. They raised the cost on weekends. They just raised the cost of the dining plans on the heels of a massive ticket price hike. It gives the consumer a feeling that they are being nibbled to death by ducks.

And then it raises the question: How do you police the parking, wi-fi and resort "entertainment" so that it is exclusive to the guests who are paying a fee to enjoy them? They can't even get guests who aren't entitled to be there to leave the parks during evening EMH! Are they going to scan MBs in the lobby of the GF so that only those who paid to be there can listen to the live music? Will they meander among the people enjoying an evening beach movie to verify that they are staying at the resort? They can't even police their pools to make sure that only guests who are staying there are using them. How about those who want to dine at the resort or just check out the resort- do they pay for parking if they arrive by car?

And the question was posed about DVC owners. We pay dues every year that maintain the wi-fi infrastructure, transportation and parking lots in our home resort. Will we also be asked to pay the "resort fee" when staying on points?

There are a whole lot of reasons to bristle at the idea of instituting a resort fee. It comes across as just another way for the Mouse to suck the cash from your wallet while not doing a damn thing to offer you anything more for the money.

 

[Burnedout]

Just raise the prices and keep calling those things "perks". they advertise these as such

 

[mar7967]

If they raise resort prices, then when a discount comes out, the overall price goes down. If they tack on a "resort fee", that price is exempt from the discount. And like taxes, that resort fee will never go down but will most likely increase as time goes on.

There's also the issue that Disney has been cutting back on resort amenities while increasing rates faster than inflation rises. DME was promoted as a free service, EMH was a perk for staying onsite. If Disney institutes a resort fee, then what exactly are you getting for the outrageous hotel rates, besides proximity to the parks?

And finally, let's address the perceived money grab by Disney. Yes, I know that they are a business and as such, they can charge whatever the market will bear. The bean counters have created more "seasons" so that they can increase room rates. They raised the cost on weekends. They just raised the cost of the dining plans on the heels of a massive ticket price hike. It gives the consumer a feeling that they are being nibbled to death by ducks.

And then it raises the question: How do you police the parking, wi-fi and resort "entertainment" so that it is exclusive to the guests who are paying a fee to enjoy them? They can't even get guests who aren't entitled to be there to leave the parks during evening EMH! Are they going to scan MBs in the lobby of the GF so that only those who paid to be there can listen to the live music? Will they meander among the people enjoying an evening beach movie to verify that they are staying at the resort? They can't even police their pools to make sure that only guests who are staying there are using them. How about those who want to dine at the resort or just check out the resort- do they pay for parking if they arrive by car?

And the question was posed about DVC owners. We pay dues every year that maintain the wi-fi infrastructure, transportation and parking lots in our home resort. Will we also be asked to pay the "resort fee" when staying on points?

There are a whole lot of reasons to bristle at the idea of instituting a resort fee. It comes across as just another way for the Mouse to suck the cash from your wallet while not doing a damn thing to offer you anything more for the money.

I'll comment on a few things above.

What are you getting for your hotel rates? Disney service (debatable), proximity to the parks, mousekeeping, a bed to sleep in, etc.

Seasons - Every other hotel has this. Airlines have this. Cruises do this. And they all have forever. It's the nature of the travel business.

As far as policing, I have no idea. I have heard they are starting to gate off pool areas and require magic bands to get in to police that - maybe something similar? And yes, visitors to the resort, even for dining, would have to pay. This idea has been tossed around in surveys/trialed already.

And Disney "not doing a damn thing to offer you anything more for the money" is a blatant understatement. Resorts need renovations, and that is happening. And I suppose building 3 new lands in 2 parks is not anything more for your money, right?

 

[mcorbo]

A resort fee added now sounds more like a way to raise hotel prices mid year instead of waiting until 2017 rates are released

 

[Darcy03231]

We stopped staying on-site a long time ago. We get nicer accommodations and more room for a lot less money. Our overall experience is that we are at the parks much faster in our own car rather than waiting for the buses. Even with paying for a rental car, parking and magic bands the cost is much less. I've also found we end up spending much less on food and eating better as we're not in the WDW "bubble." I was really hesitant at first to go off-site, but now that I have it would take a really amazing deal to make me go back to staying on-site.

 

[mar7967]

A resort fee added now sounds more like a way to raise hotel prices mid year instead of waiting until 2017 rates are released

There has been no indication of when it would be added - it might not be added until July when 2017 rates are released. It might not ever be added.

 

[Marionnette]

I'll comment on a few things above.

What are you getting for your hotel rates? Disney service (debatable), proximity to the parks, mousekeeping, a bed to sleep in, etc.

Seasons - Every other hotel has this. Airlines have this. Cruises do this. And they all have forever. It's the nature of the travel business.

As far as policing, I have no idea. I have heard they are starting to gate off pool areas and require magic bands to get in to police that - maybe something similar? And yes, visitors to the resort, even for dining, would have to pay. This idea has been tossed around in surveys/trialed already.

And Disney "not doing a damn thing to offer you anything more for the money" is a blatant understatement. Resorts need renovations, and that is happening. And I suppose building 3 new lands in 2 parks is not anything more for your money, right?

Mousekeeping has been horrendous lately. Knocking on doors at 8 AM on check out dates, trying to hurry guests out of the room in an effort to keep up a schedule that forces them to rush through cleaning rooms due to cutbacks in personnel. Cutting corners on the quality of their cleaning. No more time for towel animals (not the I miss them, but just another sign that the sparkle of Disney Magic is fading).

They've cut back on greeters and lobby concierge. Resort entertainment has been reduced or entirely eliminated.

When it comes to proximity to the parks, there are a number of offsite resorts that are closer to the park gates than the Value Resorts and some of the Moderates. They even provide beds to sleep in and bathrooms to shower in! Imagine that!

Disney, like others in the travel industry, has always had seasons. However, they have instituted so many "seasons" now, that it's become confusing.

Until they can effectively police the so-called perks that they are considering to charge a resort fee for, they should not charge guests for those things. Those fences around the pools are being done with each pool renovation to bring those pools into compliance with Florida law. They are not being erected to keep non-guests out. If they were, there would be a CM at the gates, checking the MBs of everyone entering the pool area like they do at Stormalong Bay.

We're discussing a "resort fee" that would allegedly be implemented to pay for amenities that have long been considered a perk for staying onsite. We're not discussing the parks, which are in themselves a joke. So let's not muddy the water by defending a "resort fee" by pointing out the promises of what will be offered in the parks in the distant future. The resorts and the parks operate on separate planes.

 

[Gr8t Fan]

We stopped staying onsite long ago, but if we hadn't, the $15 fee for things that were formerly included as "part of the magic" would annoy me tremendously.

Staying offsite is an interesting situation. You may get more room (for less money), but then add in your "extras." You only get to make FP+ 30 days out, not 60+. You don't get a magic band unless you pay $13 each. Parking at a park is $20 per day. No EMH which is vital to some people's touring. How much is all of that worth?

We have magicbands from previous trips, APs so we don't pay for parking and avoid the EMH parks like the plague. And we've never had any trouble getting everything we need with FP+ at 30 days. The money we save by staying offsite allows us to make 2-3 trips per year to WDW as opposed to 1 onsite trip. We'll never go back to onsite.

 

[Gracie09]

I just don't see them doing full on resort fees, but I do see them charging for parking, especially at the resorts near parks.

 

[Livvie]

Staying offsite is an interesting situation. You may get more room (for less money), but then add in your "extras." You only get to make FP+ 30 days out, not 60+. You don't get a magic band unless you pay $13 each. Parking at a park is $20 per day. No EMH which is vital to some people's touring. How much is all of that worth?

At least half of what we'd pay staying onsite. I have 8 MB's and don't need anymore. Our upcoming trip is rare in that we are planning it more than a year out. Most of our trips are planned within 45-30 days, so no benefit to the 60 day FP+. We don't use EMH and adding in a rental car and parking is still FAR less than what it would cost to stay onsite.