Disney Resorts to start charging parking fees....

[MakiraMarlena]

people don't stay at WDW resorts for the amenities. Except maybe the transportation. They stay there for the location. and so far enough of them have been willing to pay multiple times the industry standard for the location.

It's possible that more guests could be driven to nearby offsite resorts because then they will be paying for parking AND get offsite amenities.

Didn't read the whole thread so maybe these issues have need addressed. We go in Oct but booked last Nov., will we be charged?

Apparently not, because it applies to reservations made March 21, 2018 and after.

We're at Board Walk on rented DVC points, will we be charged?

I think from the way this is worded, you must be a member staying on your own points. I am not sure if the exemption for DVC applies to staying on someone else's points (if you're a member). But you're ok because you booked before March 21.

One in our party has a Pa Disabled Parking tag, will this be honored?

Someone above posted this about disabled parking tags:

To avoid the fee for the parking, you can register your car with security or front desk. You must have a valid disabled parking placard to park in the accessible parking areas. As long as you do this, there will be no parking fee charged to the guest(s).

 

[disneyvoice]

Should be charging those coming in for “dining reservations”.

It's possible they might but I don't think it would be a business move by Disney. I don't think they want to do anything to deter locals from going to WDW to spend their money.

 

[Iya]

Didn't read the whole thread so maybe these issues have need addressed. We go in Oct but booked last Nov., will we be charged?

We're at Board Walk on rented DVC points, will we be charged?

One in our party has a Pa Disabled Parking tag, will this be honored?

Bill From PA

No
No
Yes

 

[lvdis]

Didn't read the whole thread so maybe these issues have need addressed. We go in Oct but booked last Nov., will we be charged?

We're at Board Walk on rented DVC points, will we be charged?

One in our party has a Pa Disabled Parking tag, will this be honored?

Bill From PA

You shouldn't be charged. I believe it said for reservations that were made prior to March 21, 2018 overnight parking will not be charged.

I can't believe the deluxe parking charge is higher than the cost for parking at the parks.

 

[evilqueenmindy]

It's possible they might but I don't think it would be a business move by Disney. I don't think they want to do anything to deter locals from going to WDW to spend their money.

except the locals that like to stay at the resorts and have no other way to get there except by car. It's not even REALLY the added cost for me at this point, it's the continued stripping away of things that used to be included.

 

[Iya]

people don't stay at WDW resorts for the amenities. Except maybe the transportation. They stay there for the location.

It's possible that more guests could be driven to nearby offsite resorts because then they will be paying for parking AND get offsite amenities.



Apparently not, because it applies to reservations made March 21, 2018 and after.



I think from the way this is worded, you must be a member staying on your own points. But you're ok because you booked before March 21.



There is nothing on the site that leads me to believe guests with a disabled tag will be exempt from the parking charge, but the tag would entitle them to a handicapped parking space.

Guests with a handicapped tag are exempt from the charge. Why, I have no idea.

 

[AngieInOH]

Ridiculous!!! If I had to have a vehicle on property I think this would be the breaking point for me to look elsewhere. Thankfully we always do Magical Express, which I am sure they are scheming a way to charge for that also!

 

[DisneyDude71]

Aren't they having trouble finding/hiring bus drivers? Won't this parking fee encourage more people to rely on Disney transportation and not bother renting a car?

This doesn't sound like a smart move.

Thats when they are going to start charging for ME!

 

[ArielSRL]

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.

Yes, we are DVC as well...but I'm still sending an email. And I plan to send it to the President of WDW, George Kalogridis himself. I've had to send an email to him once before and actually received two phone calls from his team in return.

 

[DJ!]

I don't understand why - disabled passes have to pay at the park. I have a pass myself and I don't agree with this. I think you are right and there will be an influx now. Yeesh, this is really disheartening.

I think part of the reasoning is that often times, guests with disabilities travel in more than one car, because of equipment, family size, etc. My only guess is that they chose to cut those folks a little bit of a break.

My wife and I both have disabilities and mobility scooters. The next time we go, if we can find the funds to afford it, we have already decided to drive both cars instead of renting a scooter for one or the other of us during our length of stay. The price for the gas for the other vehicle to make the drive vs paying for scooter rental is pretty much a wash.

 

[disgram]

What about those that are handicapped? Are they going to be charged now? Disney, you are chasing us all away to other places and this is sad.

 

[DJ!]

What about those that are handicapped? Are they going to be charged now? Disney, you are chasing us all away to other places and this is sad.

Official info straight from a Disney CM:

To avoid the fee for the parking, you can register your car with security or front desk. You must have a valid disabled parking placard to park in the accessible parking areas. As long as you do this, there will be no parking fee charged to the guest(s).

 

[Ciao Mickey]

You know this is just the beginning.

You know that parking rates will increase each year.

Then they can start charging dvc members and annual pass holder for parking too (of course wdw will give them a small discount so it makes them look like they are throwing them a bone.

They might start charging for magical express. I can’t see why they wouldn’t because it doesn’t benefit wdw not to charge for the service.

You know what I’m most surprised about? That they haven’t eliminated the annual passes by now.

I wonder how they can make money when a passholder stays off-site and then brings in their own food everyday to the parks.

Nothing they do surprises me anymore.

 

[jrsharp21]

My wife just passed along this information to me. Her follow up statement was that we will now be staying offsite for any future trips.

 

[BridgetBordeaux]

Over the past 2 years or so the prices have jumped big time on the cost of a WDW trip. I will absolutely be cutting back. I can spend my recreational dollars in a lot of places and it looks like Disney will get fewer of them in the future.

 

[Jennasis]

Wow. This would be a deal breaker for us IF we were not DVC owners, which we are thankfully. I feel terribly for those that are affected by this. But there are SO many fabulous accommodations offsite to consider, so those who wish to go to Disney still can rest assured there are great choices out there.

I am floored that this only punishes...err...I mean "applies" to hotel guests and that the problem folks (AKA day guests) get in fro free to hog up resources. THEY should be the ones being charged for parking.

Not happy.

 

[disneyvoice]

except the locals that like to stay at the resorts and have no other way to get there except by car. It's not even REALLY the added cost for me at this point, it's the continued stripping away of things that used to be included.

Totally agree but I was thinking more about locals who might decide to eat dinner at a WDW resort. We really like several of the WDW restaurants and will most likely end up heading to dinner there every now and then instead of an off site restaurant in our neighborhood. I think Disney might be concerned about causing those people to NOT choose the WDW restaurant for dinner since it already more expensive than an off site place. But I'll be honest, we would probably still go eat there even if we had to pay an hourly parking fee. We wouldn't be thrilled about it, but it wouldn't drive us away.

 

[MaC410]

I'd absolutely love to see the statistics on the impact changes like this have on other things. Will this increase use of magical express? Will it make the park buses even more crowded? Will it cause an increase in on site dining reservations? I'd love to be able to see these kinds of stats because I find it all fascinating.

 

[BarbieGal457]

I do not ever drive at Disney as I like the break from doing that in my day-to-day life but I really disagree with these new charges for all of the reasons all of you have mentioned. I know it's more of a mental trick, but just include it in the price! I would rather be told my room is $350 instead of $100 + $150 a night in resort fees (I am looking at you, Las Vegas). Like a PP said, at this point, would any of us really even super notice say, a $13/night upcharge at a value? I would probably just say "oh well..." instead of the annoyance at now I'm being charged yet another fee, this time for parking. I try not to be a Disney apologist, and while like I said I don't drive there, this could also push me to stay off-site in the future.

I also don't want to stir any pots but I do feel we will suddenly see a huge uptick in disabled parking tags. How will Disney assure each and every single one, from all over the country or even the world, is truly valid?! What if I prefer to drive because crowded buses give me anxiety, but I don't have a disability parking pass in day-to-day life because I wouldn't need one probably? Not all disabilities would need a parking pass from the guest's home base (I would think). I think this is just a very poor move all around. This is really just coming off as greed now.

 

[BridgetBordeaux]

You know this is just the beginning.

You know that parking rates will increase each year.

Then they can start charging dvc members and annual pass holder for parking too (of course wdw will give them a small discount so it makes them look like they are throwing them a bone.

They might start charging for magical express. I can’t see why they wouldn’t because it doesn’t benefit wdw not to charge for the service.

You know what I’m most surprised about? That they haven’t eliminated the annual passes by now.

I wonder how they can make money when a passholder stays off-site and then brings in their own food everyday to the parks.

Nothing they do surprises me anymore.

Yep..............13 becomes 15.................15 becomes 19.............it will happen pretty quickly!