Extra occupancy price increase and Minnie Van = resort parking no longer a perk?

[STLstone]

In my experience, downtown hotels, where land is at a premium, usually charge for parking. In the suburbs they don't. Also, every Disney World hotel doesn't charge their guests for parking...

The Hampton Inn by Universal doesn't charge for parking.

 

[amberpi]

Free parking is currently a perk of staying on site and it's marketed by Disney as that.

I'm kind of surprised that so many people seem to be content to ditch that perk and start paying for it.

The "hey, we usually pay for parking everywhere else" explanation doesn't really work for me because this isn't "everywhere else." It's Disney World and resort guests have not had to pay for parking at Disney World. That's the precedent.

You know what else you have to pay for everywhere else? Buses. If the previously complementary buses suddenly cost money, would so many still have the same "oh well, just like everywhere else" response?

I don't park - including at my thousands of other hotel stays. I use mass/private transit when I travel. I won't even road trip to my folks place on the gulf which is like 6-7 hours away - I fly. That's my preference. There are tons of travelers like me. I just know charging for parking is pretty standard; its part of hotel stays. Same with resort fees - IMO, normal cost of traveling. I can't think of a hotel in Vegas that doesn't charge both and they're steep, like $35 pn resort fee. WDW has bundled this, ME, internal transit as part of their value prop. They're changing that paradigm now. You can be upset about the increase, but parsing it is the thing I don't get. I mean you couldn't pay me to use ME when I can get a car service - should I be charged less because I'm too inpatient for ME? I've also used a car service a TON of times when their was a bus service. If I walk out and the MK bus is shoving off, I'm in a towncar/cab in 30 seconds. I think there are a number of people like me who see those as lovely add-ons, but I could be wrong. Again, my experience is my own. Doesn't make my way right OR wrong, works great for me.

 

[amberpi]

I mean, all tickets used to be hoppers and non expiring, I wish they still were. Instead, I pay for them. My personal line in the sand is when I have to buy 2 concurrent tickets to tour my preferred way, but even then, I'd get 2 sets of FP, so I might be able to justify it. You can't even buy ne anymore...

 

[amberpi]

The last time we stayed at the JW Marriott in Washington DC we paid almost $60 per day for parking.

I'm thinking of major cities - and Orlando is a major city, and a huge tourist city besides. In major cities/tourist areas, you gotta pay. $60 for parking and DC seems right (although crazy, I get it!)...just part of the deal.

 

[nkosiek]

Whoop whoop whoop...philly alert...you've been identified!!! Return to king of Prussia where you belong!!!

Hey, you're the one living on the wrong side of the Delaware, my man. And let's be clear, I'm from and have chosen to live in Philadelphia, not some suburb. I do like your side of the river for the Arkansas barbeque they brought North over there on 70, but you won't catch me dead at either Cherry Hill or KoP...I'm a Philly public school teacher, I can't afford either of those places.

 

[Keels]

I'm thinking of major cities - and Orlando is a major city, and a huge tourist city besides. In major cities/tourist areas, you gotta pay. $60 for parking and DC seems right (although crazy, I get it!)...just part of the deal.

For comparison - the JW Marriott in Orlando charges both a $35/night resort fee (which includes a shuttle to the parks) and charges $25/day for self-park and $32/day for valet ... and it's on a large, privately owned compound kinda like Disney.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

My personal line in the sand is when I have to buy 2 concurrent tickets to tour my preferred way,

Uh oh... what have I missed??

 

[amberpi]

Uh oh... what have I missed??

Oh Lordie, you've missed nothing. But park hoppers are a beyond a must do for *me*. I won't travel to WDW without them It's just what my line would be...maybe. I might be able to justify my billable rate vs. the cost of fps, but that's some math I'd have to consider.

 

[nkosiek]

Why does the argument that "everyone else does it, Disney should to" actually get raised. Walt and the company tried and succeeded in doing things differently. Just because someone can do something doesn't mean they should.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

I'm thinking of major cities - and Orlando is a major city, and a huge tourist city besides. In major cities/tourist areas, you gotta pay. $60 for parking and DC seems right (although crazy, I get it!)...just part of the deal.

I agree. I expect to pay for parking at any hotel I stay at. If we don't, it's generally some sort of perk where parking is "free"... like an AMEX discount or the like -- akin to DVC not paying.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Oh Lordie, you've missed nothing. But park hoppers are a beyond a must do for *me*. I won't travel to WDW without them It's just what my line would be...maybe. I might be able to justify my billable rate vs. the cost of fps, but that's some math I'd have to consider.

Whew!! Same here. We get APs and hop almost every day -- absolute must for us.

 

[Doberge]

The other side is to ask is if free parking really is free, in a cliched "no such thing as a free lunch" way. We don't know one way or the other how the room rates break down, things like "free" transportation, dme, etc have real costs that Disney likely isn't just absorbing out out of goodness of heart, but these things are likely paid for from room rates. Parking may be one of those things that is included and allocated from room rates. If it is included and charging parking a la carte helps slow down rising room rates, is that a bad thing?

 

[amberpi]

I agree. I expect to pay for parking at any hotel I stay at. If we don't, it's generally some sort of perk where parking is "free"... like an AMEX discount or the like -- akin to DVC not paying.

Right? I don't pay for resort fees at Marriott/SPGs and have some AMEX discounts. OTOH, sometimes I'm staying on points and they won't let me combine status and points, sometimes they will. I see it all as a "perk" and don't argue. Life is stressful enough.

 

[Planogirl]

I think that it depends on how touristy the area is and how high level the hotel is. I can easily find decent places without parking fees in Houston for example but forget about that in San Antonio where even the downtown La Quinta charges $25 a day for parking. It's annoying but inevitable like others have said.

 

[Keels]

I don't park - including at my thousands of other hotel stays. I use mass/private transit when I travel. I won't even road trip to my folks place on the gulf which is like 6-7 hours away - I fly. That's my preference. There are tons of travelers like me. I just know charging for parking is pretty standard; its part of hotel stays. Same with resort fees - IMO, normal cost of traveling. I can't think of a hotel in Vegas that doesn't charge both and they're steep, like $35 pn resort fee. WDW has bundled this, ME, internal transit as part of their value prop. They're changing that paradigm now. You can be upset about the increase, but parsing it is the thing I don't get. I mean you couldn't pay me to use ME when I can get a car service - should I be charged less because I'm too inpatient for ME? I've also used a car service a TON of times when their was a bus service. If I walk out and the MK bus is shoving off, I'm in a towncar/cab in 30 seconds. I think there are a number of people like me who see those as lovely add-ons, but I could be wrong. Again, my experience is my own. Doesn't make my way right OR wrong, works great for me.

I'm with you 100% on ALL of this.

I know people probably view us as the minority of those that travel to Disney ... but I think they'd be sorely mistaken, especially during high times like F&W, Christmas and New Year's.

I only roadtrip to my parents' house because 1. it's 18 hours away, 2. I get at least a night in New Orleans, 3. I bring my dogs because 4. I'm in Orlando for a minimum of four weeks, if not six total.

 

[Nancyg56]

The other side is to ask is if free parking really is free, in a cliched "no such thing as a free lunch" way. We don't know one way or the other how the room rates break down, things like "free" transportation, dme, etc have real costs that Disney likely isn't just absorbing out out of goodness of heart, but these things are likely paid for from room rates. Parking may be one of those things that is included and allocated from room rates. If it is included and charging parking a la carte helps slow down rising room rates, is that a bad thing?

Nothing is ever free. I feel strongly that we are already absorbing park transportation costs when we purchase tickets. We are absorbing the DME expenses when we book resort rooms. We pay a premium for staying onsite, and we pay a premium to dine or shop in any of the WDW restaurants and stores. It is abhorrent to me that now Disney feels that in order for me to spend my money when their costs are already inflated, I will be happy to pay a price to park.

I admit that I do not drive when I visit WDW< so some of the fees do not pertain to me or my family, but I still have an opinion. At some point DIsney needs to decide how they want to run their resort. Does Disney want to continue the perception that this is as all inclusive as possible, selling resort stays and dining plans as the means to encourage visitors to allocate the lions share of their vacation dollars to DISney resorts, shops, restaurants, and parks, or do they want to implement a pay for play aspect to their vacation destination? They cannot have this both ways.

The fees will not slow the rising costs of rooms or tickets. The fees are intended to boost DIsney's revenue stream. For several years activities and areas that were included in park tickets have been slowly removed and then replaced with "special" events costs. Okay, I get it. Increase where guests have a choice. But once there are sneaky fees that resemble a value added tax added in hither and yon, and nothing is added for that cost, there is a problem.

I have continued to stay onsite despite the increasing costs to do so, and I have committed to one more trip. If on that trip I leave feeling that I have been nickeled and dimed to death, and yet my resort rate does not compensate for those added fees, it will be my last trip. I admit that I stay deluxe and I expect to pay a premium for the amenities that my family enjoys, but I am not willing to pay the premium and then pay again. I am one DIsney Fanatic, btu I cannot believe that I am the only one who has a finite budget in regards to a WDW vacation.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Hey, you're the one living on the wrong side of the Delaware, my man. And let's be clear, I'm from and have chosen to live in Philadelphia, not some suburb. I do like your side of the river for the Arkansas barbeque they brought North over there on 70, but you won't catch me dead at either Cherry Hill or KoP...I'm a Philly public school teacher, I can't afford either of those places.

Speaking of...you're on the wrong side of the state...

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I think the problem here...to put it simply...is that the disney Hotels are already double what they should cost as far as services...and I'm not trying to shock and exaggerate. They fall far under the upscale chains and classic hotels and don't provide anywhere near the service. Sometimes the ambience makes up for it...sometimes the rubber meets the road.

With the amount of price increase in simply the last decade...Parking has been paid for 100x over. It's just a straight profit rate increase...nothing more.

 

[Nancyg56]

I think the problem here...to put it simply...is that the disney Hotels are already double what they should cost as far as services...and I'm not trying to shock and exaggerate. They fall far under the upscale chains and classic hotels and don't provide anywhere near the service. Sometimes the ambience makes up for it...sometimes the rubber meets the road.

With the amount of price increase in simply the last decade...Parking has been paid for 100x over. It's just a straight profit rate increase...nothing more.

Exactly.

 

[nkosiek]

Speaking of...you're on the wrong side of the state...

I knew it was coming. And your 6 Super Bowls too. Went to school out that way (IUP). I have no great animosity to the other side of the state. In fact, I find most of us on this side, don't think about your side too much. You may own the cups, but head to head, you really have nothing to stand on.