Yay! I'm all for this new CA law

[DizMe]

https://www.frommers.com/blogs/arthur-frommer-online/blog_posts/california-bans-deceptive-resort-fees-see-what-s-affected-and-when?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2023-10-17 Editorial Mailing&utm_content=2023-10-17 Editorial Mailing+CID_018642bce56026def74aec6b50cfe210&utm_source=Newsletter&utm_term=California Bans Deceptive Resort Fees See Whats Affected and When

"With this change, hotels will no longer be able to game their positions in online search results of third-party booking engines by pretending to offer cheaper rooms than are actually available.

The new law, which takes effect on July 1, 2024, "makes unlawful advertising, displaying, or offering a price for a good or service that does not include all mandatory fees or charges other than taxes or fees imposed by a government on the transaction." If a fee is not optional and cannot be removed from a bill, the fee has to be disclosed from the top."

 

[NVDISFamily]

If only this would make the VDH stay taxes also go away....

 

[gottalovepluto]

If only this would make the VDH stay taxes also go away....

A disappearing tax?… You’re not from CA are you?

 

[Traveling on cc points]

There isn’t much that California does that I agree with but this one is great.

I loathe resort fees. Just include all the ridiculous fees in your cost per night.

 

[AprilsZoo]

And the stupid parking fees!

 

[NVDISFamily]

A disappearing tax?… You’re not from CA are you?

Actually I am from CA and I got smart and made the Franchise Tax Board stop bothering me about 20 years ago

 

[MillauFr]

And the stupid parking fees!

Why should I pay the parking fees when I don't drive a car?

 

[BobaFettFan]

People: less fees!

Business: more fees!

Government: How about yes fees, but no hidden fees?

Business: we can live with this compromise. We will allow the peasants to pass their "law". Call off the lobbyists... for now..

People: For the love of CHURROS!!!

*later*

Business: hidden fee

 

[DizMe]

Why should I pay the parking fees when I don't drive a car?

Agree. I never have a car when I stay at the resort. I don't want to pay for parking if I'm not using it and I suspect that if EVERYONE had to pay, the cost would not go down.

 

[austinalexander]

Agree. I never have a car when I stay at the resort. I don't want to pay for parking if I'm not using it and I suspect that if EVERYONE had to pay, the cost would not go down.

You guys are paying for parking when not bringing a car? Just tell the front desk you didn’t bring a car and they won’t charge you.

 

[DizMe]

You guys are paying for parking when not bringing a car? Just tell the front desk you didn’t bring a car and they won’t charge you.

No, we're responding to these comments above:

I loathe resort fees. Just include all the ridiculous fees in your cost per night.

And the stupid parking fees!

We don't want the cost per night for everyone to include a parking fee.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Actually I am from CA and I got smart and made the Franchise Tax Board stop bothering me about 20 years ago

“Return To Sender”

why didn’t I think of this before?!

 

[BrianL]

No, we're responding to these comments above:



We don't want the cost per night for everyone to include a parking fee.

Yeah, parking fees are different becuase not everyone uses it. If you use it, then you pay - it's not really a "hidden fee" in that sense. It should definitely be prominently noted on the booking site though.

 

[NVDISFamily]

“Return To Sender”

why didn’t I think of this before?!

Haha! There is some truth that. The year after I left CA the FTB sent me a packet asking (in there way) are you 100% sure you don't need to give us some money this year...

 

[Lumpy1106]

No, we're responding to these comments above:



We don't want the cost per night for everyone to include a parking fee.

I don't know if this is what you are alluding to, but WDW resorts do not have a SEPARATE parking fee, but you would be really naïve if you did not think we were all paying for that big paved space out front of the building. Fold the cost of parking into the room rate, boom - parking is "free".

Difference in WDW of course is the absence of on-property competition.

 

[luv2cheer92]

I don't know if this is what you are alluding to, but WDW resorts do not have a SEPARATE parking fee, but you would be really naïve if you did not think we were all paying for that big paved space out front of the building. Fold the cost of parking into the room rate, boom - parking is "free".

Difference in WDW of course is the absence of on-property competition.

Though WDW did have parking fees for on property resorts, rates didn't really go up much when they removed that a few months ago.

And while there is definitely not as many, there are on-property hotels that aren't Disney owned, and several more that are pretty much on property and have most of the same perks.

 

[Lumpy1106]

Though WDW did have parking fees for on property resorts, rates didn't really go up much when they removed that a few months ago.

And while there is definitely not as many, there are on-property hotels that aren't Disney owned, and several more that are pretty much on property and have most of the same perks.

The optimist in me would like to believe that WDW removed the parking fees to put pressure on Mears so they could re-negotiate the deal they used to have and ultimately bring DME back.

Yes, I do realize I am now the one being naïve.

 

[DizMe]

I don't know if this is what you are alluding to, but WDW resorts do not have a SEPARATE parking fee, but you would be really naïve if you did not think we were all paying for that big paved space out front of the building. Fold the cost of parking into the room rate, boom - parking is "free".

Difference in WDW of course is the absence of on-property competition.

No, that's not really what I meant. As it currently stands, if you have a car, a daily fee is added to your hotel rate to park it on property. If you don't have a car, that fee doesn't go on your room charge.

Of course, I do believe that those added fees are not what keeps the parking lots paved and the attendants paid, but more likely an additional source of revenue.

 

[AquaDame]

https://www.frommers.com/blogs/arthur-frommer-online/blog_posts/california-bans-deceptive-resort-fees-see-what-s-affected-and-when?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2023-10-17 Editorial Mailing&utm_content=2023-10-17 Editorial Mailing+CID_018642bce56026def74aec6b50cfe210&utm_source=Newsletter&utm_term=California Bans Deceptive Resort Fees See Whats Affected and When

"With this change, hotels will no longer be able to game their positions in online search results of third-party booking engines by pretending to offer cheaper rooms than are actually available.

The new law, which takes effect on July 1, 2024, "makes unlawful advertising, displaying, or offering a price for a good or service that does not include all mandatory fees or charges other than taxes or fees imposed by a government on the transaction." If a fee is not optional and cannot be removed from a bill, the fee has to be disclosed from the top."

Honestly CA taxes add so much I wish they'd disclose that at the beginning as well. Woof.

 

[MillauFr]

No, that's not really what I meant. As it currently stands, if you have a car, a daily fee is added to your hotel rate to park it on property. If you don't have a car, that fee doesn't go on your room charge.

Of course, I do believe that those added fees are not what keeps the parking lots paved and the attendants paid, but more likely an additional source of revenue.

Exactly. Parking is never free no matter what anyone says. Parking lots are very expensive. I don't want to pay for them if I don't have a car.