Universal loves to nickel and dime their guests don't they

[melissabryant]

Really? They just added it to the DDP last year. Seems strange they would already be removing it. But I'm sure they'll drop the DDP price to pre-2012 levels to compensate, right?

The refillable mug has been in the DDP plan for several years now. However them dropping it from the package is not true. This article has a lot of good answers to that.
http://www.orlandoparksnews.com/2013/07/rapid-fill-mugs-coming-to-walt-disney.html?m=1

 

[Planogirl]

I can't believe what I'm reading! Disney charges a parking fee to be dropped off by a taxi? That is ludicrous.

I would definitely be heading to one of the hotels. They usually have better food anyway.

 

[macraven]

you are right, not this year but it is coming.

if you read that entire article, the one you also quoted, the info came from Jeff:



JeffSunday, July 7, 2013 at 6:39:00 PM EDT
Looks like the 3rd Anonymous is one of the targets we were looking for. I'm not ashamed to say that I am a part of WDW Finance and were looking for ways to control costs.

While you may not think of this as stealing, or you justify the retail cost elsewhere, to the cost of a mug, it is nonetheless theft. In food courts lately, we've seen an increase in food theft too. When guests are questioned, they shrug it off and just say that they'll be back to pay.

There are thousands of guests each day at each resort, and even the smallest increase of cost adds up. Disney Parks and Resorts is not eating these costs, they are simply passed on to other guests. Controlling these costs does help everyone else by holding costs in place.

Water and ice will still be available and any cup can be used.

And for those of you thinking this is policing, or Disney doesn't trust you, how do you feel when you're walking through a department store? So security tags scream, hey, they don't trust me??? For the honest, it should be no big deal, to the criminal, it makes them have to think of their next move.

Reply


and later in the forum he says that down the road the ddp will not include a beverage.


JeffSunday, July 7, 2013 at 10:37:00 PM EDT
Continued....

Mugs in general and DDP- This is further down the road, and this will likely rile up some more folks, but the DDP will no longer include a drink at QSRs. Now hear me out. Your mug in conjunction with your MagicBand WILL allow you to access soda in the parks. But there is a ot of work that still needs to happen, and more fountain machines added before this can happen. So you can take your mug with you, and use it all day long. Until that happens, there will be no change to the current set up.


i'm guessing when he rfid process is complete and drink stations are in the parks, you can buy the mug at the hotel and pay for the day usage for this.
so it makes sense that the ddp will be dropping the beverage.

i'm more of a hands free person when in a park.
i'll take a pass on that new mug system when it rolls out.

 

[DisneyDreamer1974]

But just how many people are going to lug those mugs around the hotels, parks, ect. There is no way my family of four would, and Disney knows that! They know that many if not most families will just purchase a drink and that is exactly what they want!

 

[TheAviator]

All theme parks/resorts nickel and dime in some form or another, just goes with the territory unfortunately. If you stay at a resort, don't touch anything, one time I think I got an item on my bill that said "looked at bottle of water, thought about drinking it, put it down" $1

 

[Metro West]

All theme parks/resorts nickel and dime in some form or another, just goes with the territory unfortunately. If you stay at a resort, don't touch anything, one time I think I got an item on my bill that said "looked at bottle of water, thought about drinking it, put it down" $1

The nicer the hotel, the more charges you'll find on the bill.

 

[Lemonademouth]

Can some one tell me where Disney gives free drinks outside of your resort? I must have been hitting the wrong spots.

 

[Rip]

All theme parks/resorts nickel and dime in some form or another, just goes with the territory unfortunately. If you stay at a resort, don't touch anything, one time I think I got an item on my bill that said "looked at bottle of water, thought about drinking it, put it down" $1

Many of the newer hotels have sensors in the minibar such that if you pick up anything and hold it for more than a few seconds, you are automatically charged for the item whether you consume it or not.

 

[MDer2FL]

All theme parks/resorts nickel and dime in some form or another, just goes with the territory unfortunately. If you stay at a resort, don't touch anything, one time I think I got an item on my bill that said "looked at bottle of water, thought about drinking it, put it down" $1

The first thing I told my kids when we walked into our room at RPH was "don't even THINK about touching those boxes of nuts!"

 

[TheAviator]

The first thing I told my kids when we walked into our room at RPH was "don't even THINK about touching those boxes of nuts!"

No doubt, I won't even pick up the phone anymore, let alone the mini bar. In all seriousness I remember a large bottle of water that had a price tag of around 8 or 10 dollars. Hmmm yeah no thanks.

 

[rowan555]

No doubt, I won't even pick up the phone anymore, let alone the mini bar. In all seriousness I remember a large bottle of water that had a price tag of around 8 or 10 dollars. Hmmm yeah no thanks.

It's still crazy to me that you can stay at a $40 motel and get free wifi, fridge and microwave in the room, free newspaper, free parking, and free breakfast. At a "nice" hotel, you can't even have BREAKFAST for that price!

 

[TheAviator]

It's still crazy to me that you can stay at a $40 motel and get free wifi, fridge and microwave in the room, free newspaper, free parking, and free breakfast. At a "nice" hotel, you can't even have BREAKFAST for that price!

Yeah that's a good point.

 

[macraven]

sure, some of those $40 a night motels have a fridge and other free things, but do you really want a room that relects what a room at that price really looks like?

what i want in a room is what i presently have in my house.
clean.


i have been in a flea bag motel before out of late night stops on road trips.
what i encountered made me sleep on top of the bed spread and put shoes on if i went to the bathroom during the night.

 

[rowan555]

sure, some of those $40 a night motels have a fridge and other free things, but do you really want a room that relects what a room at that price really looks like?

what i want in a room is what i presently have in my house.
clean.


i have been in a flea bag motel before out of late night stops on road trips.
what i encountered made me sleep on top of the bed spread and put shoes on if i went to the bathroom during the night.

Oh, of course! And that's why we're staying at RPR and at Springhill Sea world for our trip! The first night, though, when we roll into town at 10 PM, we'll be at a $40 or $50 motel, because I don't feel we'll get our money's worth on an extra night at RPR when all we'll be doing is arriving and crashing.

There was someone on another forum saying how the Disney value resorts are "run down" now and that they stay at a hotel which is "just as nice" for $30 a night. I had to laugh and wonder what drugs they're on when they go on vacation to even believe this to be true. I was simply commenting on the fact that the more expensive the hotel, the fewer amenities seem to be included.

We normally only go on cruise vacations, so I've been spoiled by the service and accommodations being very "standard" across each experience. Going on my 26th cruise in September, and each one has met or exceeded my expectations. This land trip to Orlando is a whole "new" experience for me. In the past 7 years, we've done two land trips, and both were at timeshare condos, so hotels are something I don't usually deal with. This will be (and has been already) a big learning experience for me.

 

[TheAviator]

Oh, of course! And that's why we're staying at RPR and at Springhill Sea world for our trip! The first night, though, when we roll into town at 10 PM, we'll be at a $40 or $50 motel, because I don't feel we'll get our money's worth on an extra night at RPR when all we'll be doing is arriving and crashing.

There was someone on another forum saying how the Disney value resorts are "run down" now and that they stay at a hotel which is "just as nice" for $30 a night. I had to laugh and wonder what drugs they're on when they go on vacation to even believe this to be true. I was simply commenting on the fact that the more expensive the hotel, the fewer amenities seem to be included.

We normally only go on cruise vacations, so I've been spoiled by the service and accommodations being very "standard" across each experience. Going on my 26th cruise in September, and each one has met or exceeded my expectations. This land trip to Orlando is a whole "new" experience for me. In the past 7 years, we've done two land trips, and both were at timeshare condos, so hotels are something I don't usually deal with. This will be (and has been already) a big learning experience for me.

Funny that is usually my game plan as well. And yes you get what you pay for. You pay big bucks for the RPR because its super nice, onsite, and its just a great experience being there. Is it over priced? Do they nickel and dime you? Probably yes, but its just part of the price of a nice vacation IMO. You want to stay at nice places like that, it just costs $$$, its not a big deal to me. I just roll with it.

 

[rowan555]

Funny that is usually my game plan as well. And yes you get what you pay for. You pay big bucks for the RPR because its super nice, onsite, and its just a great experience being there. Is it over priced? Do they nickel and dime you? Probably yes, but its just part of the price of a nice vacation IMO. You want to stay at nice places like that, it just costs $$$, its not a big deal to me. I just roll with it.

I could make a career out of second-guessing myself. I'm now thinking that if we leave early enough, we could potentially get to Orlando by 6 PM (pushing it). Should I scrap my money-saving strategy of booking a $50 hotel and instead pay $154 + $18 parking to stay on site an additional night? And perhaps we could get our APs and spend an hour or so in the park that first night (then wander City Walk as I'm sure we'll be keyed up from 11 hours in the car). Or should I do the $50 motel, grab a quick bite somewhere closeby, rest up, and be at Royal Pacific bright and early the next morning to check in? What would you do?

 

[schumigirl]

I remember a large bottle of water that had a price tag of around 8 or 10 dollars. Hmmm yeah no thanks.

The price is there for everyone to see though......not hidden....so very clear choice for anyone to make whether to buy or not......you know the price.

sure, some of those $40 a night motels have a fridge and other free things, but do you really want a room that relects what a room at that price really looks like?

what i want in a room is what i presently have in my house.
clean.

Funny that is usually my game plan as well. And yes you get what you pay for. You pay big bucks for the RPR because its super nice, onsite, and its just a great experience being there. Is it over priced? Do they nickel and dime you? Probably yes, but its just part of the price of a nice vacation IMO. You want to stay at nice places like that, it just costs $$$, its not a big deal to me. I just roll with it.

I can honestly say I`ve never felt nickeled and dimed at RPR or at Universal for that manner.

I always know what I`m paying for, nothing has been added I don`t know about and everything has been clearly priced. If people think it`s too expensive, that`s ok......they don`t have to stay there......like you......we just "roll with it"

Sorry Aviator to use your posts......you just pointed out the bits I wanted to pick up on

 

[Bluer101]

I tell my son to leave his hands of their nuts!

 

[TheAviator]

I could make a career out of second-guessing myself. I'm now thinking that if we leave early enough, we could potentially get to Orlando by 6 PM (pushing it). Should I scrap my money-saving strategy of booking a $50 hotel and instead pay $154 + $18 parking to stay on site an additional night? And perhaps we could get our APs and spend an hour or so in the park that first night (then wander City Walk as I'm sure we'll be keyed up from 11 hours in the car). Or should I do the $50 motel, grab a quick bite somewhere closeby, rest up, and be at Royal Pacific bright and early the next morning to check in? What would you do?

If I get in late on the first night I do in fact use a cheaper hotel since its just a crash and get up and go to the RPR the next day. Although last time I did that I kind of regretted it because the cheap hotel was much worse than I thought it was from the pictures, but we were only there about 12 hours so it wasn't a big deal.

 

[TheAviator]

And Rowan just sent you a PM with some more details