Resort & Parking Fees

[Family of Five]

Do all of the major resorts around Disney now charge a resort fee and parking fee? That can really add up!

Lori

 

[Brian Noble]

Some do; some don't. The timeshare resorts generally do not. Many of the upscale hotel properties do.

 

[winterman]

The best defense of these profit grabbing fees is to not patronize those that charge the fees. When making a ressie, if one of these fees appears, I call the hotel and state that I find these fees unacceptable and I will stay someplace else.

Just my thoughts.

 

[Upatnoon]

Hotels are just responding to guests who use taxis to get to the hotel and complain they are subsidizing the building of parking lots they never use!

I think a lot of this is the pressure to show low rates in Internet searches and disguise the true cost of the hotel. These tactics are also used by airlines and rental car places. You just have to add up all the fees before making the decision to buy.

 

[newmouse2008]

Buena Vista suites does not have parking or resort fees!!!

 

[amw]

Buena Vista suites does not have parking or resort fees!!!

Not to be snarky ... but I don't consider that hotel to be a resort. For resorts, I expect grand pools with pool-side bar service, concierge availability, etc.

I'm finding it difficult on this board to separate reviews of what should be "deluxe" resort accomodations from the "great deals."

I'm interested in feedback from non-Disney accommodations that go the extra mile for non-park hang-out days ... I guess I don't mind paying a fee for that as long as it is stated up front. However, I would not want to pay parking and "resort" fees for the local HoJo!

 

[Rupert B Puppenstein]

Some do - definitely the ones in the Downtown Disney Area - you have parking and resort fees. Not sure why? But probably because they can. With the economy being the way it is, it appears that more and more are going for the charging of at least a resort fee. I work in the industry and we generally discourage our hotels to do that - parking is something that we can't control as garages are usually owned by outside vendors. But, the fees at Disney are a lot more reasonable than some cities. I have paid $50 per night staying a luxury resorts for the resort fee plus parking (and not even valet parking!)

 

[Brian Noble]

For resorts, I expect grand pools with pool-side bar service, concierge availability, etc.

In general, the higher you go on the food chain, the more likely you are to encounter these fees, and the less likely they are optional. For example, the Hilton Bonnet Creek charges $13/day for self parking, $20 for valet. The Waldorf next door provides only valet as an option, at $20/day.

The higher-end timeshares in the area often have many of the amenities you are looking for, offer rooms to the general public, and don't add these sorts of fees. But, my guess is that you'd be happier at something like the Waldorf, the Ritz Carlton, or the JW Marriott. Those would be my three go-to properties if I was looking for "extra mile" service (and I'd probably lean to the Ritz Carlton.)

 

[Lewisc]

Your missing the point. A number of hotels that aren't even in the category of the BVS have a resort fees. Hotels that are in the category of HoJo.

A resort has a higher room rate then a HoJo. The higher room rate should be enough to pay for amenities associated with a resort such as a better themed pool.

Hotels want to look better in search engines. I think hotels will stop charging resort fees if they're required to include the resort fee in the rate displayed.

Disney hotels don't charge for parking and doesn't have a resort fee. I think virtually all other resorts in Orlando either charge for parking or charge a resort fee. Many have both.

Not to be snarky ... but I don't consider that hotel to be a resort. For resorts, I expect grand pools with pool-side bar service, concierge availability, etc.

I'm finding it difficult on this board to separate reviews of what should be "deluxe" resort accomodations from the "great deals."

I'm interested in feedback from non-Disney accommodations that go the extra mile for non-park hang-out days ... I guess I don't mind paying a fee for that as long as it is stated up front. However, I would not want to pay parking and "resort" fees for the local HoJo!

 

[amw]

Disney charges for its hotel amenties and parking too -- it's just hidden in their prices. I rather see hotels break the costs out and then the consumer can decide if that is worth it for them.

 

[MomofKatie]

Hotels want to look better in search engines. I think hotels will stop charging resort fees if they're required to include the resort fee in the rate displayed.

ITA. Every property wants to have the "low, low Internet price" on the various hotel search engines- but almost none of them disclose what their mandatory, non-negotiable "resort fee" is. If they were forced to include ALL fees in their upfront pricing, we the consumers would get a more realistic idea of what we will end up paying.