Thunderstorm yesterday at WDW and the mahem that insued

[joandegennaro]

But dining and shopping at the resort is one thing. Busses don't "fill up" with people that are resort hopping to dine and shop. In fact, most resort hoppers are likely to drive, as many will have the TiW card for complementary valet. Parking at DtD and using SSR busses to avoid parking fees is another problem completely.

Those of us who use the buses to resort hop or dine are in fact spending money at that resort. I have stayed at CBR and dined at CR, BC, PL, WL each and every time spending time and money at that resort. Maybe something small like a pin for my kids but still spending money.

 

[Chuck S]

Nobody asking for a parking fee to be instituted at DTD, validation or not, has yet been able to explain how it could work on a practical level. Every car that leaves has to pay their ticket? There is no way the parking lot could handle the backup. Everyone coming in has to get a ticket? Traffic would be backed up for miles. No way this is happening.

They found a way to do it in California. And no, not every car has to stop for a ticket, those with onsite passes, or AP wouldn't need one. They could have an express line. Honestly, they can do it with FAR more cars at the parks, surely they could do it at DtD.

Or they could gate the entrance to SSR, so a key card is required. Unfortunately, folks tend to be kind and simply hold the gate for other "guests."

 

[CNPHILLY]

They found a way to do it in California. And no, not every car has to stop for a ticket, those with onsite passes, or AP wouldn't need one. They could have an express line. Honestly, they can do it with FAR more cars at the parks, surely they could do it at DtD.

Or they could gate the entrance to SSR, so a key card is required. Unfortunately, folks tend to be kind and simply hold the gate for other "guests."

(1) Yes, they found a way to do it in California. We'll just ignore the fact that CA has a completely different setup, traffic flow and parking than DTD in FL.

(2) An express line without a human or with a human? Seems to me it has to be with a human (so that the person can see the onsite pass or the AP), at which point it no longer is much of an express line.

(3) I guess we can also ignore that the entrances to the parks are also completely different from the entrances to DTD.

I get what you are saying, and it sucks that people do what you are suggesting they do, but there is no practical way to do what you are asking short of redesigning the entire DTD parking and entrance/exit area.

 

[crisi]

DtD here in California does exactly what you are recommending. I think they have no choice here though, since parking for DtD is actually closer to the main gates than parking for the parks and resorts and people would fill up (and occupy until park closing) those prime parking spots in a heart beat.

Parking all around Anaheim is tough. But it really isn't a big deal to do it in WDW's DTD either. Here is the rather provincial Twin Cities there are plenty of places that validate on purchase or you'll pay. There are even ways to automate it so it doesn't need to be staffed. Put your parking ticket in (the one you got when you pulled in) and then put in your validatation ticket you got from the vendor or your credit card. A credit card will get charged and spit back at you, a validation ticket will get "eaten" by the machine - either way the gate opens and you are out. It really isn't a big deal to do this, and I'd guess it will happen sooner or later.

The "scammers" will then move to parking at the resorts saying they have a breakfast reservation and not moving after their three hours is expired. For which Disney needs to go through the effort of towing. I suspect non-guest parking at the resorts for theme park access is a bigger headache all around - harder to enforce, ruin someone's vacation when you tow them and they get back (bad customer experience), possible to make mistakes a tow a valid guest, etc. So I expect you'll see validation at the resorts first....your room key will get you out, or a validation pass from a restaurant although you won't get out with that unless you've parked less than three hours. Once again, not hard to do.

 

[ClarabelleCow]

It sounds like the Mom didn't know what she was doing.

Yeah, was this one mom, or the entire bus?? Also, the buses are not for just resort guests, anyone with a pass transportation is included, they can go to SSR to go eat at the turf club? Or they can be confused as well. I have used resort buses to get to where I want to be, and wasnt staying at the resort.

In storms like that, I always find it better to just stay put and ride it out.

 

[Chuck S]

(1) Yes, they found a way to do it in California. We'll just ignore the fact that CA has a completely different setup, traffic flow and parking than DTD in FL.

(2) An express line without a human or with a human? Seems to me it has to be with a human (so that the person can see the onsite pass or the AP), at which point it no longer is much of an express line.

(3) I guess we can also ignore that the entrances to the parks are also completely different from the entrances to DTD.

I get what you are saying, and it sucks that people do what you are suggesting they do, but there is no practical way to do what you are asking short of redesigning the entire DTD parking and entrance/exit area.

They did that once already, when they built the toy store and bus drop-off at DtD. They redesigned the entire corner and traffic system at the corner of Buena Vista Drive and Hotel Plaza Boulevard, it cost them a pretty penny. So redoing the parking area entrances when there is a chance for a little profit shouldn't be out of the queston.

 

[palhockeymomof2]

I'm surprised to read this. We were at DHS one January when winds picked up and boats were cancelled. Busses were added then and there.

yep we had the same experience last August

 

[truck1]

They did that once already, when they built the toy store and bus drop-off at DtD. They redesigned the entire corner and traffic system at the corner of Buena Vista Drive and Hotel Plaza Boulevard, it cost them a pretty penny. So redoing the parking area entrances when there is a chance for a little profit shouldn't be out of the queston.

The main reason they redid that intersection was to improve traffic flow on BVD.With the way the old intersection was designed, there was only 1 lane heading out onto Hotel Plaza, to get off property onto 535.Traffic on Fri and Sat would back all the way up to Typhoon Lagoon.I have been in it more than once in a bus.Not long after I started, they rerouted the busses down and around OKW and the old DI.
When they built World of Toys, they also took out a number of parking spots over there in lot A.They also moved the first parking entrance down BVD a little bit.
When the redid PIs entrance to the bus stop, it was to get the busses away from the regular traffic, because of the traffic tie up due to volume.It was slowing the busses down getting out to the point of major guest dissatisfaction.At the same time they built a valet lot, which changed the configuration of the roads.They also 1 wayed the entire perimeter road of DTD at the same time.

 

[Greysword]

I guess this is a feather in BLT's cap, as it is within walking distance to the MK.

As for parking at DTD, I wonder if they could have an open entrance but a pay to leave type system. If it is a flat fee system, a machine could be used to accept several types of cards: credit card (for those who pay), a standard parking ticket (given by a shop or restaurant as vaildation or if the guest pays the parking fee at the store), a KTTW card, or an annual pass. The store passes, KTTW card, and annual pass is likely coded with an expiration date (and time if used at a resort hotel), so the gate will not work if the card is expired. If a valid guest has to use a credit card due to an error, they could simply bring it up with their hotel concierge or a guest relations office on their next visit (in the case of AP). There would be several lines to get out, and a single Disney security officer could be there to assist, much like self checkout at the grocery. If used at a resort hotel, then the charge for parking could be astronomical ($100+), which again could be resolved if the charge is invalid (proof of time and date is on each receipt), and if the time of departure (charge) is within the three hours, then the fee can easily be waived or refunded as required.

Of course another system that could be used is to scan a person's license plate on exit (or entrance), much like on the express toll roads. A bill could then be sent to the car owner's home (or rental company as the case may be), unless the license plate is registered in the system as a valid guest.