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

[_auroraborealis_]

Boardwalk's parking issues are legend and legion. It's buckets of pixie dust how many spots clear out after Illuminations, truly, while if you're checking in at 3 or 4, it's brutal to find a spot.

Contemporary has pretty good policing and has been known to tow, so that one's not typically so bad.

I think a lot of people who are on-site decide they can park anywhere, so if you're at an All-Star and want to park all day at Poly, it's somehow a right.

I don't think taking away "park on your own resort" or "park at theme parks" is a good idea. I do think "if you are not a registered room guest at this resort, you must pay or validate" is totally reasonable, and shouldn't be impossible to enforce. No receipts, no free parking. Stay too long after validation (i.e., you're leaving Poly after your 11:30AM validated 'Ohana brekkie... and it's 9PM, ahem), you pay.

 

[PrincessV]

I usually just lurk in the Rumor threads because I rarely have anything to say. I do on this topic. For background, I've lived 100 miles from WDW since the early 90s and visit for day and overnight trips often. I also happen to live in a tourism-heavy beach area. So I'm very familiar with the general best practices of the tourism industry in this area.

Charging for self-parking/resort fees is a relatively recent thing in the immediate WDW area. I can't speak to downtown Orlando/business districts, but as a WDW visitor, parking fees were never a thing I encountered until a few years ago. Nowadays, when I'm pricing accommodations, I make sure to consider parking/resort fees into the mix, and that's the one thing that will often drive WDW onsite prices a bit lower than offsite. Hilton Bonnet Creek, the Disney Springs resorts, nearby Hilton timeshare properties, Swan/Dolphin all have those extra fees floating around and, even with a great rate, adding those in makes them more expensive than an equivalent option at WDW (generally a Mod or Value.) So I went from staying offsite because I couldn't stomach WDW prices, to onsite because of added offsite fees, and may well go back to offsite if WDW adds fees that drive its prices over offsite options. Frankly, I get better accommodations offsite, anyway, so for sure, if the price is better, too, I'll choose that over onsite. I've also found a handful off offsite options with no added fees that I really like, so they could become my go-tos.

I freely admit that I'm more of a "superuser" than the average WDW visitor, but it's always about the bottom line and value vs. cost for me.

 

[Dfan79]

They better not add a parking fee. There's plenty of hotels in the Universal Orlando area now who want my money. If I'm staying for 2 weeks, I don't want to pay 280 buckaroos.

If I get to the front desk and they tell me there's going to be a parking fee. I'm going to be upfront and ballsy with them. I'm going to tell them "I want to speak to your boss... I want to talk to Mickey."

 

[Wonder05]

True as that probably is, couldn't they scan magic bands or something to validate parking?

 

[wilkeliza]

They better not add a parking fee. There's plenty of hotels in the Universal Orlando area now who want my money. If I'm staying for 2 weeks, I don't want to pay 280 buckaroos.

If I get to the front desk and they tell me there's going to be a parking fee. I'm going to be upfront and ballsy with them. I'm going to tell them "I want to speak to your boss... I want to talk to Mickey."

They'll tell you before you get there and also most of those places around Universal (including the official Universal resorts) have parking fees as well.

 

[Dfan79]

They'll tell you before you get there and also most of those places around Universal (including the official Universal resorts) have parking fees as well.

Yeah, I know, but I didn't want to ruin a perfectly good Mickey joke.

 

[closetmickey]

I agree with @_auroraborealis_ . Charge non-resort guests to park. Validate for parking if presented with a receipt for a restaurant or gift shop within X hours of entry. Charge extra (a LOT extra) for going over the time limit to discourage parking scofflaws at the near-park resorts.

That's what works at DLR. But there is also a daily rate charged for hotel guests.

 

[Dismomplus3]

I hope they do not charge for parking for guests staying at the resort. I've always assumed it's been included in the overpriced rooms along with "resort fees" that other hotels charge. I love the Poly, but for me, off site is looking better. Omni charges for parking and a resort fee. Currently, adding room rate and the 2 fees it's $165 a night for my dates.

 

[Planogirl]

I wouldn't dine at the resorts if they charge a large fee for parking. If they validate or charge a reasonable fee then I'm ok with any changes.

Why can't they have separate parking for temporary visitors? WDW has the space.

 

[memo10]

I think they really push resort dining, so this could really turn around and bite them. I wouldn't visit the resorts at all if I had to pay to park there and I would probably book offsite accommodations as well since we always drive. We already get theme park parking with our APs.

As far as validation, that just seems like it would be a huge pain in the butt.

 

[writerguyfl]

Hopefully Disney approaches this rationally (if it's true).

Disney loves their surveys. They even have their own in-house research division that conducts social science research. I guarantee that this sort of change will only be made if the surveys and spreadsheets prove it won't have a negative affect on profits.

That said, what Disney considers rational and what frequent/repeat guests (like DisBoard posters) consider rational are likely to be different.

 

[cnclock]

Totally agree, especially as a Florida resident we always drive. One perk of staying on property or being an annual passholder is the free parking. I am already paying for the parking in my ticket/hotel stay. I wouldn't go to the Boardwalk or any of the resort restaurants if I had to pay to park. Same with Disney Springs. I would stay off property and eat off property where it is free.

 

[Allison]

I don't see any connection.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

They better not add a parking fee. There's plenty of hotels in the Universal Orlando area now who want my money. If I'm staying for 2 weeks, I don't want to pay 280 buckaroos.

If I get to the front desk and they tell me there's going to be a parking fee. I'm going to be upfront and ballsy with them. I'm going to tell them "I want to speak to your boss... I want to talk to Mickey."

I think it's inevitable...they don't blink in Anaheim and honestly there's plenty of parking for the hotels...

The real kicker is dvc...how do you charge a daily parking fee when somebody has a contract that says they have an ownership interest?

That's a killer..."welcome home, now rent your driveway"

 

[amberpi]

Not having to pay for parking was a huge reason for me to book a Disney hotel instead of the much cheaper Universal hotels. Having to pay for parking would remove my most import reason to stay on property.

I'm decently sure you have to pay to park at Universal, but again, not a vacation spot I'd deal with a car at.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

Disney loves their surveys. They even have their own in-house research division that conducts social science research. I guarantee that this sort of change will only be made if the surveys and spreadsheets prove it won't have a negative affect on profits.

That said, what Disney considers rational and what frequent/repeat guests (like DisBoard posters) consider rational are likely to be different.

Hardly anyone collects more data...the problem is it can be manipulated to show something at the request of an accountant in Burbank or manhattan who's never actually been to been Orlando

 

[amberpi]

I hope they do not charge for parking for guests staying at the resort. I've always assumed it's been included in the overpriced rooms along with "resort fees" that other hotels charge. I love the Poly, but for me, off site is looking better. Omni charges for parking and a resort fee. Currently, adding room rate and the 2 fees it's $165 a night for my dates.

The Omni is amazing if you're talking the Champion's Gate property...really amazing.

 

[STLstone]

I'm decently sure you have to pay to park at Universal, but again, not a vacation spot I'd deal with a car at.

If I go to Universal, I'm going for 3 days, tops.

A Disney stay for me would normally be much longer. That is going to change if I have to pay to park at an already over-priced 3.5-star hotel.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

I hope they do not charge for parking for guests staying at the resort. I've always assumed it's been included in the overpriced rooms along with "resort fees" that other hotels charge. I love the Poly, but for me, off site is looking better. Omni charges for parking and a resort fee. Currently, adding room rate and the 2 fees it's $165 a night for my dates.

I think you've already identified you're destined to be off property because you question a pricing idea...

The current management has made it clear: pay...pay what we tell you...and get out if you want to question it.

I'm Blunt...but no evidence has been give that I'm incorrect by any pricing policies for 10 years.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

If I go to Universal, I'm going for 3 days, tops.

A Disney stay for me would normally be much longer. That is going to change if I have to pay to park at an already over-priced 3.5-star hotel.

Wait...this started to leak out?

...that's it, peeps, come
To Daddy...