Paid parking is coming to WDW resorts March 2018

[pepperandchips]

If you tip the valet person then it ain't free

You really felt the need to quote my post from 35 pages back to argue with me about whether the valet service is free? Yes, it is free. But I am not an awful person so I provide a gratuity to the cast member who retrieves my car. I'm still not paying Disney.

 

[Linkura]

I do think there is an interesting human behavior about value in the outcry. Disney has raised the cost of many things periodically for years and people generally are ok with it, however the charging for something that was previously free drives them crazy. If you had taken the same $24 a day and tacked on to Poly / GF / Yacht club room rates, no one would have even noticed or cared, but by calling it a parking charge, it is an outrage.

I believe the lesson is people do not put any value on something given to them for free. Person A stands inline for 4 hours and drops $200 on a concert ticket, they will move heaven and earth to make the concert. If for some reason they can't make it and hand the same ticket to Person B for free, they may or may not make the concert. It is still the same event, but since person B received the ticket for free, they really don't value it as like the person who made the value/cost decision to buy it.

We had a slightly different problem at a company I previously worked. Upon our companies inception, leadership made a poor decision to give a key service for free to their initial customers. Over time, the cost of providing that service became severe, the company started to lose money, and people were losing their jobs. The company was in danger of going under do to the poor business model. Eventually they changed and told the customers that we were going to have to charge for this service that they had been getting for free for years. Customers nearly lost their minds. They just didn't see they were getting any value for this new charge, because this service had been provided to them for free for years. We even showed them that our rates were going to be lower than all our competitors and it was not gouging the consumer, but they still were seriously considering going to a competitor to pay more for the same service. In their mind, the competitor's service had to provide more value because our competitors had always charged for it where ours had always been free.

This is basic consumer psychology. You would think Disney would know stuff like this. Unlike your company's case, the cost of providing parking is not severe and is not causing Disney to lose money. This is just a cash grab for them. If they wanted to just cash grab and not completely screw up customer messaging, they should have just raised room rates like you said. It's like they didn't consult any PR or marketing with this move at all. Especially since the only reasoning they could come up with is "everyone else is doing it."

 

[sam_rogers]

If your trip is already booked, then you will not have to pay for parking. The parking fee will apply to any reservation that is booked after March 21.

Thanks for this, I thought that's how it read on the website but it was a little bit ambiguous, I couldn't decide whether it was reservations made after March 31st or reservations commencing after March 31st I also emailed Disney UK customer services to check and air my concerns so it'll be interesting to see if they come back with any different lines about why they've done it from this side of the pond! I am watching this conversation and reviews on the WDW facebook page a bit like

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

A lot of us DVC members have felt Disney is catering more to the “once in a lifetime” or big spenders the past few years with more hard ticketed events, less EMH etc. That same crowd won’t really notice a few hundred dollars for parking. Those of us that travel to Disney often will notice but Disney figures we’ll either pay up, or leave and somehow a “once in a lifetime” guest will make up the difference.

This strikes me similar to the airlines and baggage fees. Everyone complains but they earn a small fortune because after a while the masses forget and don’t care. Hotels have been doing the parking fee or resort fee and generally it has worked. Keep hotel or air fare rates “lower” on first glance but make up for the difference in fees.

I am quite loyal to Southwest Airlines now. When I book air I always add up all the fees, including baggage fees, and SW comes out cheaper just about every time because they still allow bags with their base fares. Even if SW were a little more expensive, I'd probably still choose them. Because I have positive associations with SW (I feel they are doing the right thing), unlike with the other airlines.

I think part of the reason Disney is doing this is because they feel they are losing business to off site hotels because the off site hotels look better in price when you just get a base price without additional resort fees and parking. That is probably true for many consumers. They think one hotel is going to be a lot cheaper, but by the time they pay parking and resort fees, they could have stayed on site. Still, Disney should not stoop to the level of these other businesses just to get a few more bookings. The long term loss in reputation is not worth the short term increase in profits.

Once consumers start shopping smarter (considering all costs and additional fees before purchase), the need for these absurd "resort fees" and "parking fees" would be entirely eliminated. Hotels could be up front about the true costs of staying there.

Again, I love Disney because when I get the final price of my vacation, that is actually the final price of my vacation. No hidden fees. I read so many negative consumer reviews of resorts about how they show up at resorts having already paid, then they get some big bill for "resort fees" and "parking fees" that surprise them. First of all, no fees should be hidden. When I price my vacation online, that should be the final price. I don't want a tiny print box to pop up explaining how many other fees I'll have to pay when I get there. Second, no person should ever book a resort without being aware of all additional fees the resort charges. Businesses should not be deceitful, and consumers should not be naive.

 

[Linkura]

Yeah, I don't feel like it's the same company anymore.

I was talking with my husband about this and he said under Iger, it's like Disney has turned into the EA of entertainment companies. If anyone knows anything about the video gaming industry, you know what I'm talking about. Paid resort parking is just another microtransaction to them.

 

[Disneylover99]

I just voted "other" in the poll. We stay onsite for up to 3 weeks every summer. We typically do a split stay with a deluxe/moderate or deluxe/value combo. We will not be driving down next year. We will fly instead and not rent a car because our driving savings are gone with the parking fees.

I guess that's what Disney wants anyways.

 

[jlwhitney]

My gripe is that the parking price is tiered depending on your resort level.

Why is parking more costly at a deluxe resort than at a value resort? It’s a commodity that is the same at each resort that should be priced the same at each location, not tiered.

There is a lot less parking available at most of the deluxes.

 

[Queen of the WDW Scene]

Just saw a post on another thread about those with disabilities not being charged for resort parking.
Can anyone tell me if there is truth to this and what would qualify you for it?
My parents have a handicap sign in their car and I'm wondering if that would qualify them for free resort parking.

 

[amyecpa]

Has there been a clear answer about whether this fee is for bookings after March 18th or stays after March 18th? We are going in June and reserved a couple of months ago. My husband and I have been back and forth about driving or flying. This might persuade us.

 

[mshanson3121]

I think part of the reason Disney is doing this is because they feel they are losing business to off site hotels because the off site hotels look better in price when you just get a base price without additional resort fees and parking. That is probably true for many consumers. They think one hotel is going to be a lot cheaper, but by the time they pay parking and resort fees, they could have stayed on site. Still, Disney should not stoop to the level of these other businesses just to get a few more bookings. The long term loss in reputation is not worth the short term increase in profits.

The only thing that I have a hard time believing this is their reason is because a) I was under the impression that when you book with a Disney Springs hotel through the WDW website, the resort fees are waived b) if they're so concerned about losing business to off-site hotels, why did they just offer up 60 day FP+ and EMH to Disney Springs hotels? Why do they advertise dozens of other hotels as "Disney Good Neighbor" hotels on their website? c) If they feel they're losing business because off-site hotels look better in price, this isn't going to help matters any, because it's only making themselves more expensive in comparison. They would have been better off to just raise resort prices $10 a night, and push their "all inclusive, no hidden costs" advertising.

 

[TheMaxRebo]

I just got a phone call from a representative of George Kalogridis office which was kind of weird since I didn't include my phone number in my email. So they apparently had to look me up in MDE! I let them know that as an AP who drives there 5-6 times a year I felt as if I were being punished for driving my car to the resort and that the day guests should be the ones paying the fee instead of resort guests. I also said that the cost should be a perk of being an AP. She was very nice and said that they have been swamped with feedback since the announcement and she did say that it was a test, which was odd because I have not seen that in print anywhere. It was impressive to actually get a personal phone call to acknowledge that they were aware of my concerns....and many thousands of other people! Hopefully, all of these emails, phone calls, and social media posts will change their minds!

Or make them think next time they want to do something similar - I think letting them know the types of things that big “us” can held drive things in the future more than get them to backtrack on this one

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Wasn’t sure where to “explain” my other vote so I guess I will do it here:

We already stay off site nearly all of the time and this will just further cement that

 

[TheMaxRebo]

Great. So now I have to keep up with a receipt and wait in a line behind others who are having their receipts validated.

The principle of charging for something that provides no additional benefit to me is huge for me, but I think even bigger than that could be my loss of freedom. Perhaps my biggest love of WDW is the freedom I feel when I am there. I can come and go as I like. I have many times just driven to visit a resort, walk around, take photos, buy a drink and snack or a lunch, and look forward to staying at the resort in the future. I don't want to have to talk to someone and show a receipt or pay a fee before I can leave. That makes it feel like I am at a hospital- not a vacation resort (have to get checked out and receive permission before I can leave).

I am truly appalled by this. It feels as if my loyal friend of ten years has just told me he has only been hanging around me for my money. Makes me want to dump him.

Sorry to be harsh, but yes, Disney just does want your money - thinking of it as anything other than a corporation that wants to maximize returns for shareholders is just not right

Now the way they get those return so is from their brand which allows the to charge more than other entertainment companies, and I do think things like this hurt their brand, but this will lead to higher profits so that is what is most important to them

 

[ShelbyK]

I voted other.. we will still go in May as planned and I had already been planning a May 2019 stay at AKL and possibly doing universal for a day or 2 but now I am considering staying at a Universal hotel where I will at least get the perk of the express pass and then just hopping over to Disney for a day or 2 instead. In the past year since I started planning this first visit to Disney I have already seen so many price increases and money grabs. I haven't even been to Disney yet and they have already left me with a sour taste in my mouth.

 

[Mika02]

Trying to figure out if I should book my split stay or not bother. I have a reservation already was going to split to another resort perferable akl. Might take the kids to universal or something. I had already decided no DW for us for a while after our August trip. It was a good year. I got a lot out of my annual pass but adding a parking fee is a lot to swallow. I usually visit my mom in Fort Lauderdale and then drive up to Orlando with the kids. Return the car to the airport. The kids don't really have patience to wait for the buses. Smh.

 

[robinb]

Hey! I just saw this thread was made into a poll retroactively. Who knew you could do that? Not me! Learn something new every day.

I voted "I might consider staying offsite" because it's likely that if I don't stay at a DVC resort I'll stay at the Swolphin or offsite instead. This is just one more nail in the onsite coffin for me. I probably should have selected "other" since the parking fee really doesn't affect me too much. (1) I'm a DVC member, (2) It's been 3 years since I stayed onsite at a non-DVC resort, (3) I'm already happy to stay offsite and have done so twice in the last 2 years, and lastly (4) I have already reached the end of my rope with WDW so this is not the last straw for me. That ship has sailed. I have reservations for NYE (Dolphin+DVC) out of habit but who knows if I'll keep them or not ... it's 9 months away. But I have to say that Disney's money grabs have been a sore point for me for a while and this just shows me yet again that Disney's not all that into me. They would rather sell once-in-a-lifetime trips to people who purchase all manner of extras like the DDP, BBB, pirate cruises, dessert parties, early mornings at the MK in an effort to make their once-in-a-lifetime spare no expense vacation extrasupercalifrimagical. Sometimes I feel like a Disney wants a 20+ year DVC member like myself to stop breathing their air and let those happy first-timers have my FPs and ADRs.

 

[Farro]

Sorry to be harsh, but yes, Disney just does want your money - thinking of it as anything other than a corporation that wants to maximize returns for shareholders is just not right

Now the way they get those return so is from their brand which allows the to charge more than other entertainment companies, and I do think things like this hurt their brand, but this will lead to higher profits so that is what is most important to them

To add to that if I may - staying off-site but still eating in their restaurants, going to their parks isn't going to make any difference at all. Or cutting your trips from 3 times a year to once a year isn't going to make any difference.

Not that you shouldn't do what you feel is right, just don't have the illusion Disney cares. There will always be people to fill your spots and you are still giving them your money.

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

Sorry to be harsh, but yes, Disney just does want your money - thinking of it as anything other than a corporation that wants to maximize returns for shareholders is just not right

Now the way they get those return so is from their brand which allows the to charge more than other entertainment companies, and I do think things like this hurt their brand, but this will lead to higher profits so that is what is most important to them

I understand what you are saying. I’m not a naive, emotional person who believes Disney exists to bring joy to the masses. I understand and support capitalism.

On the other hand, my local QuickTrip is a corporation that exists to maximize returns and I don’t spend thousands and thousands of dollars there every year. Vacation spots have to be conscious of the feelings people associate with them. Otherwise, we don’t choose them as vacation spots. I will continue to purchase gas at the QuickTrip because it is convenient. But when I stop having positive feelings about Disney, I won’t continue spending my money there or on their merchandise.

 

[DLgal]

My gripe is that the parking price is tiered depending on your resort level.

Why is parking more costly at a deluxe resort than at a value resort? It’s a commodity that is the same at each resort that should be priced the same at each location, not tiered.

I mentioned this in my talk on the phone as well. I said it is further insulting to charge different amounts based on which resort people are staying at. A parking space is a parking space and IF you absolutely insist on charging to park, make it a flat fee across the board. They don't charge more to park in MK vs. DHS .

 

[Momto2minniemice]

I wonder how long it will be before they will say parking is free only for DVC if you bought direct.
Also I wonder how DVC works for renters, do they pay to park? Just a thought.