Disney Resorts to start charging parking fees....

[DJ!]

I have someone that is a CM, I swear not a bus driver, but someone that knows things, that is a friend. He told me that Disney is now going to begin to charge an overnight parking fee at all the resorts at WDW. I was told that it would be like $34 per night at the deluxe resorts. When pressed for an answer as to why Disney was going to start doing this, Disney said that everyone else does it.

This info is supposed to hit tomorrow. Be ye' fore warned.

Forgive me, for the misquote on the pricing for the deluxe resorts. He was telling me without being in front of his computer. I guess the fact that he said $34 vs $24 was a brain fart. lol Sadly, now we all know.

 

[gmboy95]

I will never be ceased to be amazed by the apologists.....Disney can literally charge you for anything and raise prices to the moon, and there is an army of folks that will come on these boards and defend it.....this is absolutely ridiculous, but rest assured someone stayed in a hotel last week that charged for parking, so its perfectly fine for Disney to do it

 

[KeeperOfLions]

I don't fully understand what the big deal is. A week and a half ago when we started planning our WDW trip for this summer, I was surprised when I found out that, at the time, WDW resorts don't charge hotel guests for parking. We are DL veterans and I'm used to the now $22/night for DLR on site hotel parking, the $22/day rate to park in the Toy Story or Mickey & Friends parking lots/garages. And I'm used to how MOST of the off site hotels in the surrounding area charge for parking (usually ~ $11-$15/day) for their hotel guests.

Does it stink? Most definitely. Is there anything you can do about it? Not really. You can choose not to go to WDW. Or you can choose to stay off site. But then kiss off your plans of getting a reservation for Be Our Guest 180 days ahead of time.

At DLR, certain levels of AP used to include free theme park parking. But they've now eliminated that except for the top 1 or 2 tiers of AP levels. Part of the problem there, of course, was most of those AP holders were driving to the parks with only 1 person in the car, so the lots filled up quite frequently.

You know what I think? This is a preparatory step for: (a) the opening of Toy Story Land this summer; and (b) the later opening of Star Wars Land. It's probably more of the latter. And I would bet that later on, you will see an announcement that your daily on site hotel guest parking fee does NOT allow you to park for free in any of the theme park lots, thus forcing you to either pay for it again or use 1 of the Minnie vans or use the free WDW transportation options.

I agree. And if people stop coming because of this then less crowds for us I guess. We drive from Minnesota and because we have a car that gets amazing gas mileage, we are saving at least $300 by not flying or renting a car. The $91 a 7 day trip will cost us to park at the value resorts is still less than what we would pay to fly/rent. So for us it's still a win.

 

[VandVsmama]

Re: free parking for hotel day guests, if you read the info on WDW's website a bit more closely, it doesn't say that it's free parking for ALL day guests. It says this:

"Complimentary standard self-parking is available while enjoying select dining, shopping, entertainment, and recreation experiences at Disney Resort hotels."

(bolding is mine)

 

[Paul Rodgers]

So to my understanding, and looking for any type of legitable confirmation. I booked our stay for August in October. Therefore I don't have to pay for parking, correct? Additionally, I think at this point, people with any type of AP should get complimentary parking at their resort. Otherwise they're going to lose a lot of AP holders.

 

[embracejg]

Yet another reason not to stay on-site.

 

[gmboy95]

Does this apply to DVC members???....seeing as how I already pay $2,000 per year in dues to maintain these resorts???

 

[evilqueenmindy]

Does this apply to DVC members???....seeing as how I already pay $2,000 per year in dues to maintain these resorts???

No, DVC is free.

 

[Iya]

I will never be ceased to be amazed by the apologists.....Disney can literally charge you for anything and raise prices to the moon, and there is an army of folks that will come on these boards and defend it.....this is absolutely ridiculous, but rest assured someone stayed in a hotel last week that charged for parking, so its perfectly fine for Disney to do it

 

[NikkiDP]

So to my understanding, and looking for any type of legitable confirmation. I booked our stay for August in October. Therefore I don't have to pay for parking, correct? Additionally, I think at this point, people with any type of AP should get complimentary parking at their resort. Otherwise they're going to lose a lot of AP holders.

Correct. There website says "Effective for reservations made March 21, 2018 and thereafter..." so you are good!

 

[Iya]

Does this apply to DVC members???....seeing as how I already pay $2,000 per year in dues to maintain these resorts???

Disney Vacation Club Members
Members will not be charged for standard overnight self-parking when staying at a DVC Deluxe Villa, regardless of whether they use vacation points or another form of payment. Members also will not be charged to park when using vacation points to stay at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel.

BBM

 

[OneinThree]

I agree. And if people stop coming because of this then less crowds for us I guess. We drive from Minnesota and because we have a car that gets amazing gas mileage, we are saving at least $300 by not flying or renting a car. The $91 a 7 day trip will cost us to park at the value resorts is still less than what we would pay to fly/rent. So for us it's still a win.

People can justify the cost of this surcharge (or not) in regard to their overall vacation bill any way they wish. It doesn't change the reality of the fact that Disney is essentially taxing resort guests for staying on property. We stay at the deluxe resorts, and the idea that parking is not included in what amounts to already inflated pricing is absurd.

 

[wgeo]

We have APs and usually do day trips, but have been looking at a couple of onsite stays for this summer. I guess not anymore. The hotels are already overpriced but I was factoring in the fun factor and the convience, but to make them even more expensive and make me pay to park at a hotel but not at the theme park? No

On a side note - wasn't theme park parking free for hotel guests? Are they going to charge them that fee now too?

 

[macraven]

Disney parking fees are higher than UO hotel parking fees

Now I get hit at both hotel stays


Probably cheaper for me to fly instead of driving
Flight costs will be cheaper in my budget
18 nights of hotel parking will cost more than my flights

 

[gillep]

This is insane, unlike DL and hotels in large metropolitan areas, WDW has zero space issue, this decision is ridiculous. I am not personally effected because we are DVC members who usually stay on points, and we have only rented a car once or twice and did not prefer the experience, but I will certainly be voicing my displeasure to Disney regarding this short-sighted and ill-conceived new parking policy.

 

[pinkxray]

This really stinks. We are doing a split stay at FQ/Poly in Nov and it would be almost an extra $150 just to park now.
We had considered staying a two Dolphin but the resort fee and parking made me stay at Disney even though dolphin would have been cheaper overall.
With them taking away the benefits of on-site I have a feeling this might be our last trip onsite.

 

[MissKIA]

Another reason I am glad my next stay is offsite, with free parking and breakfast.

I have done both and this definitely takes away one of the big benefits of staying on site - no more free parking at the parks since you have to pay to stay at the resort anyway. The cost of staying on site is already atrocious compared to staying off site. I'm not usually one to complain about things like this, but this one makes me mad.

 

[Thiago Acquaviva]

this is OUTRAGEOUS!
We already have to pay A LOT to stay at a Disney hotel! this doesn't make sense at all!
Disney is making everything more and more difficult as time goes by... what a shame!

for us international visitors it makes even more complicated and difficult. we already suffer from dolar inflation year by year

 

[VandVsmama]

I totally understand why everybody is really upset.

 

[gmboy95]

No, DVC is free.

well technically it was never free as we pay maintenance dues every month....But I am sure Disney will act like they are giving us a "perk"