Would a nightly resort fee effect DVC?

[DizDaD7]

)))) AGHHHHH ((((( Im so Pis$*# right now....

 

[Brancaneve]

)))) AGHHHHH ((((( Im so Pis$*# right now....

I've been pretty tolerant of all the pass increases but this might tip me over the edge.

 

[paults]

how else will Disney pay for 2 new cruise ships? More extra costs are on the horizon.

 

[bwang123]

"also just an fyi: the resort fee everybody is complaining about is absolutely 100% not coming to wdw resorts."

https://twitter.com/easywdw/status/707629044796399617

 

[Savagekids]

I've been pretty tolerant of all the pass increases but this might tip me over the edge.

Me too. AP prices up, okay I don't need them this year. RunDisney prices up okay, I won't run as much. Dues up, that's to be expected. Ticket prices up, to be expected. TiW up, I can do without. Fewer character meets, bummer but we'll go on. Hollywood Studios nearly closed, at least there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Epcot is dated, we'll make the best of it. Food and drink prices up, we'll bring more of our own. But add that all together with a resort fee, and it's too much. Now I'm angry and feeling take advantage of.

 

[Tink-n-Belle]

I was surprised that when I booked in October for a 2016 stay, MS wanted to block me out of Magic Band ordering. " Do you want to just use the MBs you ordered for your 2015 trip? ". We don't have lots of MBs like most, & I didn't like that MS wanted to keep us from the option of ordering new ones. I saw it as cost-cutting measure, SO charging that resort fee to DVC stay nights, when we already pay dues, would be like Disney wants DVC owners/guests to subsidize the Deluxe resorts.

I think it's smart....if you do a split stay they are sending 2 out......my family got 2 each.....I'm just keeping them for the future as I'm sure they will be charging for them, but when they send them out In That big bix with your names under each band..really, what a waste of money....it comes out of our pocket one way or the other.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

"also just an fyi: the resort fee everybody is complaining about is absolutely 100% not coming to wdw resorts."

https://twitter.com/easywdw/status/707629044796399617

I'm uncertain what exactly Josh is getting at. The discussion is coming from a supposed survey, not that it's actually being implemented now. If the survey was a fake I couldn't tell from his post. But, at this point it's the possibilities that are being discussed. The slightly scary thing is that the info that Disney was looking at season ticket pricing became known because they asked about it in a survey.

 

[Kimly]

Josh does have a point, I took a survey last year asking about putting those soaker pools at more DVC resorts. And a survey a few weeks ago about getting rid of Different brands of credit cards. Maybe those who work in the Survey department are just screwing with us. "Hey Joe, I bet if we do a survey about adding resort fees it will be the talk of the Internet!" "Yeah! Let's do it!"

 

[delilah]

At least this resort fee is for things we use. We stayed years ago at the Tradewinds resort in St Petersburg. They added a resort fee that included among other things the privilege of sitting under an umbrella on the beach and getting a towel by the pool. Half the time while we were there the chairs with the shade attached were folded up and unavailable. I don't remember what was included in the resort fee, but I remember thinking it was expensive and we ended up not benefitting from any of it.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Josh does have a point, I took a survey last year asking about putting those soaker pools at more DVC resorts. And a survey a few weeks ago about getting rid of Different brands of credit cards. Maybe those who work in the Survey department are just screwing with us. "Hey Joe, I bet if we do a survey about adding resort fees it will be the talk of the Internet!" "Yeah! Let's do it!"

But he says 100%. I doubt even the Disney execs could say that.

 

[Anal Annie]

I'm uncertain what exactly Josh is getting at. The discussion is coming from a supposed survey, not that it's actually being implemented now. If the survey was a fake I couldn't tell from his post. But, at this point it's the possibilities that are being discussed. The slightly scary thing is that the info that Disney was looking at season ticket pricing became known because they asked about it in a survey.

Yes! And that wasn't all that long ago either. The thing I don't quite "get" is why Disney would put out surveys that basically ask guests if they'd like Tiered pricing (ummm wouldn't anybody who's sane say NO?!) or about these resort fees - who in their right mind is going to answer that it would be a GREAT IDEA to add them. I mean, really. Nobody wants to voluntarily PAY MORE. The survey's themselves don't make good sense. Obviously, Disney has an ulterior motive and if they're talking about it then it's probably more than just hooey. I just hope it does not apply to DVC.

 

[drusba]

To the Disney "suits," charging a resort fee is likely a better course than just raising rooms rates, which it will likely also do. Adding the fee gives them a separate item that they can then raise the price of annually, probably by increments of $4 to $5 like Disney has been doing with park parking fees and valet parking, which dollar-wise does not seem like a huge amount but is actually close to a 30% increase a year. Meanwhile, Disney can keep the room rate increases lower and act like it is doing everything it can to keep the rates from increasing much.

I do not know what the survey actually asked but I hope that in response to whatever was asked the respondents had the good sense to state that the fee would cause them not to reserve a room on site, even if they were not sure about the issue. Disney knows the respondents would not liike it but it was likely just trying to see if it would cause many to switch from staying on-site to off-site. The way Disney has been acting these days with raising prices, I am assuming this is something it has already decided to do unless it clearly appears Disney will lose hotel business because of the fee, i.e., unless most of the respondents condemned the idea and unless huge numbers start writing Disney telling it not to do it, I would expect to see it within the next year.

As to whether a fee could be charged DVC members, I am not clear on the answer yet. The cost of maintaining the resort parking lots is included in dues and the offical documents say you can park in the lots if space is available and say nothing about paying a fee for it. Magical Express might be included as part the transportation charge in dues as long as it is inclided in the phrase "WDW transportsation provided to the resort" which defines the transportation charge. A charge for resort entertainment may be included in the Member Activities charge which includes "cost of recreation operations" at the resort.WiFi costs are likely included in utilities or general administration and operations of the resort. The Magic Bands, though tied to tickets and park entry are also your key to your room so they are likely at least partly in the dues. Thus, we may have reasons for asserting we should not be charged extra for those. But the costs associated with fastpass+ and extra magic hours seem to be costs associated with the price of a park ticket that may not be in any dues item.

 

[Dean]

Why wouldn't they just throw it into dues? And isn't most of that in our dues now? The advantage of dues is they don't have to collect any payment from members - and since members like not having a hotel room, I think moving it from dues would create a member satisfaction issue of a bill at checkout for those things.

I doubt it'll be charged directly to DVC members but it could be. If it's optional like for ME & MB, then I'd think it'd also be charged to guests visiting including DVC, if it's part of staying at the resort it makes sense to waive it because DVC members have somewhat paid for it already. If it ws decided to charge them and it's for each night/each villa then it would likely be rolled into the MF. Unlike the valet parking, it doesn't make sense to have to fool with it when you can get automatic payment up front AND avoid a hot topic item.

Best comment I can come up with.....

DVC is a contract. Examine the CONTRACT, to see if something like this could be done without a lawsuit.

I see nothing in the POS that would prevent them charging this, for parking or a number of other fees. Maybe someone else has more info.

 

[MJ6987]

What is the advantage to adding a resort fee versus just raising the room prices by $15? Is it just for online search purposes, like the airlines do, so they show as a lower price per night than you really will end up paying? I wouldn't think that would be as important here. And if it is a mandatory fee, not like a baggage fee that you might avoid by not checking a bag say, why break it out? To me the add on charges are always more annoying for some reason. I like to see one flat and final price. Breaking it out and listing several separate charges for things makes me feel I am being nickeled and dimed.

They wouldn't catch people staying on DVC otherwise - an increasingly large proportion of the rooms

 

[MJ6987]

Aren't all these things that the resort fee would cover offered to DVC members out of "Goodwill" by Disney? I.e. Not a core part of the contract (I.e. The room) therefore they probably could introduce a resort fee for DVC members.

 

[crisi]

I see nothing in the POS that would prevent them charging this, for parking or a number of other fees. Maybe someone else has more info.

I'm guessing, but I'd think the state would have an issue if they double dipped. So if they charge us for parking, parking lot maintenance fees would have to be removed from dues - or at least lowered to account for the additional income in fees. Likewise entertainment. If the resort fee is supposed to cover transportation (buses, monorails, boats), the transportation line item should disappear from the dues.

 

[smjj]

As a DVC member, I am beginning to more and more feel like a cash cow that Disney thinks they can go to whenever they need to. Problem is they have some good PR people who are real good at making it seem necessary and those who are willing to give Disney a pass on anything they want to do...smjj

 

[tjkraz]

The slightly scary thing is that the info that Disney was looking at season ticket pricing became known because they asked about it in a survey.

Disney has also surveyed guests--DVC members in particular--on topics like pre-paying dues 10 years in advance, pet-friendly villas and stocking treadmills in rooms. The number of changes which actually get implemented as a result of a survey is pretty small.

As a DVC member, I am beginning to more and more feel like a cash cow that Disney thinks they can go to whenever they need to. Problem is they have some good PR people who are real good at making it seem necessary and those who are willing to give Disney a pass on anything they want to do...smjj

What recent (financially-motivated) decisions has Disney made which were targeted at DVC members?

 

[jerseyduke]

Firstly, I think people are getting upset at a rumor. Wait until it is a fact.
Secondly, the FTC caught on to this in the earlier part of this decade. Prior to that, the resort fee was not as easy to see on travel sites. You found out about it when you were checking in....kind of late in the game. It still may not be as obvious as a direct increase in the nightly rate, but it is more transparent than it was, which sort of kills its effectiveness.
Thirdly, if Disney execs decide they need to make 15$ per room per night more...they will....one way or another. And there are better ways to do it. Disney hotels face competition. The vendors in the parks selling drinks do not. Raise drinks 25 cents. Something like that.

PS. Love the comment about Hollywood studios being all but closed. Sadly, that park is going to get worse, before it gets better.

 

[carlbarry]

I am also a Wyndham timeshare owner. Some Wyndham resorts charge resort fees, but if I stay there on points I do NOT get charged. I would assume DVC would work the same way.
That being said, I just stayed in Las Vegas after winning a contest for a free trip from Cirque Du Soleil. ALL the hotels there now charge resort fees. I won a stay at the Mirage, where the fee is $32 per night! Last time I stayed in Las Vegas was 9 years ago, before the invention of resort fees. I stayed in a very nice hotel for 2 nights for $32 total! Now that same hotel charges more in resort fees than my stay cost. A HUGE rip-off.