Resort Fees

[OKW Lover]

This story in the Orlando Sentential about Resort Fees might be resonant for some of those who frequent the non-Disney resorts when they visit WDW. I wonder if its rant-worthy.

 

[loves to dive]

Don't even get me started, I've never understood why they and airlines don't just bundle it into their prices. He said if they did it would make them look more expensive per night, well ummmmm, aren't they since you can't decline the fee. I'm used to the parking fee as every single hotel in Atlanta charges one and most upscale places everywhere charge one.

 

[AndyPok1]

As this keeps expanding, I personally hope that some sort of law is passed to only allow advertising of all-inclusive pricing. Similar to what the airlines have had to do since 2012. Difference of course being is that since airlines are regulated by the DOT, the DOT was able to pass that law. I can't think of a similar quasi-judicial body for hoteliers.

 

[jcb]

I can't think of a similar quasi-judicial body for hoteliers

Ambulance chasers

 

[indyumd]

The fact that you often pay more to park your car at a hotel in Orlando with an enormous parking lot than you do to park in Midtown Manhattan with almost no parking is a crime. And that doesn't include the "resort fee!"

 

[kamik86]

I understand keeping the parking fees, since if you don't bring a car you don't have to pay. This works especially for city hotels where parking is limited and not everyone needs a car. However for fees you have no choice but to pay that is just stupid.

What airlines have fees like this? I can't think of any that you HAVE to pay. Some fly without checked bags, you don't really have to choose a seat, etc.

 

[SorcererHeidi]

I don't know the "how" of it being accomplished, but I totally agree with the sentiment that the ONLY price should be the ALL-INCLUSIVE price - EVERYBODY should be held to it, so NOBODY appears more expensive. Stop pussyfooting around, and just get real, and own whatever you choose to charge, instead of the smoke an mirrors.

 

[NeuroCindy]

I understand keeping the parking fees, since if you don't bring a car you don't have to pay. This works especially for city hotels where parking is limited and not everyone needs a car. However for fees you have no choice but to pay that is just stupid.

What airlines have fees like this? I can't think of any that you HAVE to pay. Some fly without checked bags, you don't really have to choose a seat, etc.

They all do, the difference is it's built into the price displayed. I just looked at a flight on Southwest (MDW to LAS). It's listed at 169. Here's the price breakdown:

Base Fare $144.07
+ addExcise Taxes $10.81
Subtotal with taxes $154.88
+ addSegment Fee $4.00
+ addPassenger Facility Charge $4.50
+ addSecurity Fee11Security Fee is the government-imposed September 11th Security Fee. $5.60
Total per Passenger $168.98
Passenger Count x 1 Passenger(s)
Total $168.98

 

[EricInPA]

It's rather hilarious that their reasoning ("well if we list all the fees, we'll look more expensive") is so boldly dismissive of their customers and exactly what got the airlines into trouble.

 

[HopperFan]

What airlines have fees like this? I can't think of any that you HAVE to pay. Some fly without checked bags, you don't really have to choose a seat, etc.

They all do, the difference is it's built into the price displayed. I just looked at a flight on Southwest (MDW to LAS). It's listed at 169. Here's the price breakdown:

Base Fare $144.07
+ addExcise Taxes $10.81
Subtotal with taxes $154.88
+ addSegment Fee $4.00
+ addPassenger Facility Charge $4.50
+ addSecurity Fee11Security Fee is the government-imposed September 11th Security Fee. $5.60
Total per Passenger $168.98
Passenger Count x 1 Passenger(s)
Total $168.98

This^ Around 2012 the government started making them show all the fees that were going to be added on to the ticket before you got to deep in to the booking so you were aware that the final bill would be much higher. Try flying overseas and the difference jumped a HUGE amount making all those advertised "great" prices not so great once you paid all the fees.

Sadly on many of the hotel bookings when they show you the final price with tax and all, unless you click a small type that says something like "Rate Details", you won't see that they are adding a resort fee and there will be a parking fee as well. Could be quite the shock to arrive and find out you owe another few hundred dollars in fees.

 

[kamik86]

This^ Around 2012 the government started making them show all the fees that were going to be added on to the ticket before you got to deep in to the booking so you were aware that the final bill would be much higher. Try flying overseas and the difference jumped a HUGE amount making all those advertised "great" prices not so great once you paid all the fees.

Sadly on many of the hotel bookings when they show you the final price with tax and all, unless you click a small type that says something like "Rate Details", you won't see that they are adding a resort fee and there will be a parking fee as well. Could be quite the shock to arrive and find out you owe another few hundred dollars in fees.

Ah ok that makes sense I was just thinking I never saw a price online then got through and they added stuff that I wouldn't get around in some way.

I agree that hotels should include any fees that the customer can't opt out of in some way.

Parking fees assuming they don't charge them to people that didn't bring a car though don't qualify as one of those fees.

 

[steveyjc81]

What pi**es off most is when you splash out for a nicer hotel, the extras seem to really add up - parking, resort fee, wifi, breakfast. At the cheaper places these are often free. Stayed st the Omni a few years back and I think it was $19 a night to self park. Think it was much the same at the Peabody when we stayed there. Scandalous

 

[MrKnight]

It's the whole "if they are doing it we might as well do it also", similar to theme parks raising prices when a competitor park does the same, airlines do the same, etc.. I will admit I am somewhat bias on this topic as I work in the hotel industry, however, at the end of the day its a business just like any other business, airlines seem to be able to get away with hidden fees so much so that customers have come to accept it for what it is, for some reason the hotel industry has always been held to a higher expectation by customers.. Interesting how things work..

 

[k5jm]

At the Swan and Dolphin you get hit with another resort fee when you eat at the restaurants. Even Picabu charges a fee just for the pleasure of buying food.

 

[SorcererHeidi]

At the Swan and Dolphin you get hit with another resort fee when you eat at the restaurants. Even Picabu charges a fee just for the pleasure of buying food.

Wow - for real? So if you're not staying there, but go into Pikabu, you pay a "resort fee" for getting food? That's ludicrous!

 

[k5jm]

Wow - for real? So if you're not staying there, but go into Pikabu, you pay a "resort fee" for getting food? That's ludicrous!

Yes! And it is ludicrous!!

 

[loves to dive]

I don't even mind that they charge the fee, just bundle the darn thing in and not put it separate. If you have to pay it, it's part of the night stay so why separate it out. When I was originally looking at S/D it looked like it was a great price, then I factored in resort fee and parking fee and it was actually the same as AKL and WL. Just charge what it is, I don't expect the taxes to be included they aren't anywhere but really, if it's $275 per night and oh wait there is a $25 resort fee you have to pay, it's not $285 a night, it's $300. Just say it.

 

[CampbellzSoup]

Why aren't these costs bundled into your stay? It leaves me with a bad taste when they try to do that nonsense to me.

 

[disneysteve]

I agree that if the fee is mandatory, it should be part of the price. The budget hotels do this. Their "free" wifi and "free" breakfast isn't really free. It's just worked into the price already. The nicer hotels need to do the same thing.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

My parents and I were just talking about this earlier today. They are FL residents and often stay at the Swan or Dolphin because of the attractive rates, but the fees not wrapped into those rates make it seem far less appealing. They are at least aware of the fees, but it would make more sense to tie them into costs. They've started staying with our friends who are DVC and are considering renting points for stays at OKW or SSR (since you can usually get those last minute) for future trips because the separate fees are nuts. Whether it's a hotel, airline, car rental place, etc. - I think legislation needs to be passed for rates to include any mandatory fees so that customers aren't duped by prices that are really just a method of false advertising.