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

[kathy884]

As long as resort notify customers of all charges and what cost will be ahead of time, resort fees don't alter my decision any more than that I add that to my room charge in reviewing my overall cost. // I just want to know all the costs for doing a cost/benefit comparison when considering various options for places to stay.

 

[StuckInKS]

But they charge resort fees and parking at Universal

I guess when an annual pass costs slightly more than 2 days at Disney ($240 vs $215) then resort and parking fees don't matter as much I mean really, if tomorrow we could all get annuals for $240, do you really think we'd be sitting here complaining about how much Disney is beginning to nickel and dime? No, because we would have more nickels and dimes to pay with.

How come when it comes to something comparable, people always want to talk about how "standard" it is and all the other places that do the same thing. But when it comes to something that is not only not comparable, but off the charts lopsided, like the price of an AP, all the sudden Disney is special and therefore deserves to charge nearly 3.5 times what their closest competitor charges? Some people will make excuses for anything Disney does, not matter what. And if there are no more excuses they can always turn to the shareholders. "Disney is a business and their responsibility is to their shareholders." If it weren't for customers, Disney would't have any money to share with those shareholders.

 

[StuckInKS]

Seriously, the rooms at WDW are not nearly as nice as comparable priced rooms offsite.

Yep, we got a 2-bd at WBC last May for $450 off Ebay. Proximity just as good at CBR, full kitchen, two bathrooms and great pools. But I am just a sucker for onsite. I still found myself longing for two value rooms at Sports, Pop, or AoA instead Now, we will be going using a RCI exchange with our newly-acquired timeshare points, so onsite or offsite is the same price either way.

 

[Yarbogash]

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

Not true. A number of hotels have had optional resort fees at different times. For a long while the resort fee at the Venetian in Vegas was optional. Their wording was:
" You may decline the Resort Fee and the services included in the fee at check-in or check-out. If you decide to decline the Resort Fee, the services included in the fee are charged whenever you use them at regular prices."

Same with Treasure Island I believe.

Resort fees are a marketing gimmick, they don't include or cover anything. The list of what they 'cover' is just arbitrary marketing spiel. They are principally intended to hide the true cost and make it more likely for a user to commit to their purchase when they do get the full price. Stats prove that a user is more likely to commit to a purchase with a starting lower price and the resort fee displayed on a later screen vs being given the total cost upfront.
Clear, up front pricing is always in the consumers best interest. Pricing broken into extra fees is in the sellers interest. Best way people can deal with resort fees is not stay at places that require them and if they do then give the place a bad review on sites like TA specifically citing the resort fee. If everyone did that resort fees would be gone pretty quick.

 

[Marionnette]

Not so much that I'm ok with it but it is what it is I don't waste energy getting bent out of shape over things I can't control. I prefer to reserve energy for things I can change

I guess we're of different ilks. I have a big issue with being charged twice for something. I wouldn't let my grocery store get away with a double scan, I certainly won't allow Disney to charge me even more $$ for something my dues cover. I'm already on the fence about unloading my contracts because visiting Disney has dropped lower and lower on our "vacation spot" list. A resort fee for DVC stays would be the tipping point for me.

 

[NewRVLady]

Its gotten SO expensive-and SO crowded-I seriously question if we will go again
I read on another site things they are considering-
$5 Magic Band
$15 Magical express each person-EACH way
( so for a family of 4 that is $120 more)
Parking fees

 

[snayak]

this happens at ALL high end hotels in a resort area OR with a Golf Course attatched
I have stayed at several-mostly Marriotts
there is one on Mobile Bay we love and NEVER do any of the "extras" that are in resort fee (bikes, fishing poles, paddle boats)

BUT the Swan and Dolphin do it already-don't they? they also add parking and yet somehow are cheaper than many nearby WDW resorts

The Swan previously (2012) I believe it was an optional $15/night fee for certain amenities - I thing for the gym, local calling, bottled water, WiFi and maybe something else. Last time we went (2014) it is a $25/night mandatory fee for the same amenities, whether you use them or not (we didn't since we spend all day in the park & have cell phones, etc), so we basically paid $12.50 each for 2 bottles of water.

That said, it was still much cheaper than staying at Disney owned hotels, even including the Uber from the airport & buying 2 magic bands. But $25/night stings - it was $125 out of pocket even after using 40,000 points to stay for 5 nights (stay 4 get 5th free), and I'm SPG Gold so wireless internet and all that is included anyway! Love the boardwalk location though, so I guess we've gotta pay to play - but we haven't been back since F&W 2014 with no plans on going this year or next due to construction, etc.

 

[NewRVLady]

The Swan previously (2012) I believe it was an optional $15/night fee for certain amenities - I thing for the gym, local calling, bottled water, WiFi and maybe something else. Last time we went (2014) it is a $25/night mandatory fee for the same amenities, whether you use them or not (we didn't since we spend all day in the park & have cell phones, etc), so we basically paid $12.50 each for 2 bottles of water.

That said, it was still much cheaper than staying at Disney owned hotels, even including the Uber from the airport & buying 2 magic bands. But $25/night stings - it was $125 out of pocket even after using 40,000 points to stay for 5 nights (stay 4 get 5th free), and I'm SPG Gold so wireless internet and all that is included anyway! Love the boardwalk location though, so I guess we've gotta pay to play - but we haven't been back since F&W 2014 with no plans on going this year or next due to construction, etc.

I do Marriott points and I heard The Swan is going to be Marriott? soon I think?

 

[snayak]

I do Marriott points and I heard The Swan is going to be Marriott? soon I think?

Starwood & Marriott are going to merge (I believe Marriott bought Starwoods) but there aren't many details about how its going to affect the loyalty programs yet (that I know of).

I have a Chase Sapphire Preferred (which transfers to Marriott) and SPG Amex so I'm happy with the merger since I can now combine and/or drop 1 card with an Annual fee! I d don't have high enough status with either to really care if benefits are reduced as the combine, though I empathize for those who do.

 

[ellie05]

For us if Disney adds the resort fees we will stay somewhere else. These ammenities that now they are trying to charge a fee for are what makes a difference between staying at a Disney hotel vs other hotels near by. If I want to pay a resort fee I will do it somewhere else after and take a long break from Disney. The Waldorf and four seasons offer great onsite options for us and their room rates even with resort fees don't compare to Disney hotels. Rooms, ammenities and service are usually much better too. Swan and dolphin also great options (at least you will get 2 water bottles for your fee vs nothing)and even with the extra fees are cheaper than their Disney neighboors.

The fact that they are cutting services and staff and want to charge more is just ridiculous. You bet that if they start charging this resort fee and I see people that are not staying at the resort using the ammenities I would definitely be complaining. If they want to add ammenities and charge the resort fee I have no problem, but don't try to charge me extra for things that are already build into the inflated room rates. For those that think this money is going to go back to the resorts I could almost bet it won't. It will go overseas.

Let's not kid ourselves we know Disney will implement this fees on top of increasing their rates not instead of.

 

[MillauFr]

For us if Disney adds the resort fees we will stay somewhere else.

The solution is simple. Just go when they are discounting rates by 50+%. Last time I stayed at the Poly I got a 55% discount off the rack rate. Absolutely no reason to pay high prices.

 

[ellie05]

The solution is simple. Just go when they are discounting rates by 50+%. Last time I stayed at the Poly I got a 55% discount off the rack rate. Absolutely no reason to pay high prices.

We have never paid rack rates, still discounts are fewer and less every year. I am curious how you got more than 50% discount. Plus if they implement the fee you won't be able to get a discount on that. On a one week stay that is an extra $105 for nothing extra.

 

[unveilmyeyes]

We can't afford to stay off-site adding in rental, parking, etc but maybe this will allow us that luxury. It's just one more calculation in the math equation if Disney wants to add it in.

 

[NewRVLady]

We have never paid rack rates, still discounts are fewer and less every year. I am curious how you got more than 50% discount. Plus if they implement the fee you won't be able to get a discount on that. On a one week stay that is an extra $105 for nothing extra.

Me too
Best discount I ever see is 35-40%

 

[Marionnette]

We have never paid rack rates, still discounts are fewer and less every year. I am curious how you got more than 50% discount. Plus if they implement the fee you won't be able to get a discount on that. On a one week stay that is an extra $105 for nothing extra.

Not speaking for the PP, but I've gotten terrific discounts at Deluxe Resorts when we've gone to meetings at Disney. We have one that happens every year. For a while it was held at YC/BC with BWI as the overflow resort. Three years ago, it was CR and for the past two years, it was GF. I paid $219/night for a garden view room at GF last November during Veteran's Day weekend. This year, we will be splitting our stay between GF and the Poly for $229/night.

 

[ellie05]

Not speaking for the PP, but I've gotten terrific discounts at Deluxe Resorts when we've gone to meetings at Disney. We have one that happens every year. For a while it was held at YC/BC with BWI as the overflow resort. Three years ago, it was CR and for the past two years, it was GF. I paid $219/night for a garden view room at GF last November during Veteran's Day weekend. This year, we will be splitting our stay between GF and the Poly for $229/night.

Those are terrific rates, but they are not for general public so I don't see how that would help as the PP implied.

 

[Marionnette]

Those are terrific rates, but they are not for general public so I don't see how that would help as the PP implied.

There is a travel agent that we are not allowed to name and are not even permitted to tell you how to search for them. They deal in blocks of rooms like the blocks of rooms that conventions and meeting acquire. And they sell to the general public. If you hang out on the Resorts Board long enough, you will read posts alluding to their deals by specific names without naming the agency itself. I've never used them myself because we belong to a professional group that meets at Disney every year. But by all accounts, they are a legitimate travel agent.

 

[ellie05]

There is a travel agent that we are not allowed to name and are not even permitted to tell you how to search for them. They deal in blocks of rooms like the blocks of rooms that conventions and meeting acquire. And they sell to the general public. If you hang out on the Resorts Board long enough, you will read posts alluding to their deals by specific names without naming the agency itself. I've never used them myself because we belong to a professional group that meets at Disney every year. But by all accounts, they are a legitimate travel agent.

I know the agency and the deal, but I can tell you the prices don't come to $200 for a GF garden view. I have a quote from them because we might be able to go this year at that time. Also the deal comes with very specific dates. If Disney was charging $230 for the GF or even $330 everyone will be ok with the $15 fee.

 

[LovesTimone]

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?

Would I like it No... But will it stop me from going No.. We travel quite a bit, and for the most part I can only think of a couple of times not paying a resort fee in the last few years, and that was when we were staying for free on Hotel points, but we did have to pay for parking 25.00 a night.

 

[MillauFr]

Yes we used a travel agent to get a great rate at the Poly. I understand the hotels like the resort fees/parking fees, etc. because they get to keep the whole amount than paying a commission to the travel agent.