Disney Resorts to start charging parking fees....

[niccikatie]

I sent my email. I'm curious about what kind of responses we will get (after the canned one, of course).

We always rent a car because we've had such bad experiences with the buses. Guess it makes more sense to Uber/Lyft now.

I wouldn't hold your breath on the email responses. I'd be VERY surprised to see guest feedback make a change in a policy change of this magnitude. Not saying you shouldn't email them, but I wouldn't expect much in the way of a response.

 

[JamesGarvey]

Not gonna lie, the quick change from the "i'd never stay outside the Disney bubble" folks to an off property exodus over a $14/night fee is pretty darn amusing.

 

[baileygirlsmom]

We drive down more often than not- 18 hour drive to be exact; and already have my once in a lifetime dream stay at Poly booked for September. It's expensive and I am fully prepared to pay rack rate but if they add a few hundred dollars more in to charge for parking I sadly most definitely will cancel this trip. It is taking every penny I scrape to pay for this trip. We have been on over 25 Disney vacations and ALWAYS stayed on property from Contemporary to Saratoga Springs to Pop Century to Boardwalk Villas to name a few. Parking fees are the deal breaker for me. I will plan our vacations to new destinations and broaden our horizons.
This truly is a sad day. You let me down Disney.

Reservations made before March 21 won't be charged, it stinks, the "perks" of staying on property have all but slipped away!

 

[PrincessWithABlaster]

Well. This will make bus service even more fun.

We don’t have a car but with the amount you pay for deluxe, it should absolutely include parking.

Honestly, I’m sick of the frustration and annoyance all this causes. It feels like there isn’t a week that goes by without a price increase/ rollback of service / new fee / annoying upsell. The price point on a great guest experience at WDW goes up every week. I’m starting to feel like we’re just fine with Harry Potter. No one is a huge Toy Story fan. We’ll be just fine not seeing it. And I’m the only really big Star Wars fan in the family. All the kids like HP. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think I’ll be just fine not seeing Galaxy’s Edge. The kids are around the right age to start doing national parks. Maybe it’s time to start.

 

[DisBuckMan]

This won’t matter, never does.

Agree. Although I see it as the money grab that it is, it's small potatoes in the overall cost of a Disney vacation.

When Disney gets smart and cancels some of these ridiculous discounts like Free Dining, then it will matter.

 

[baileygirlsmom]

Not gonna lie, the quick change from the "i'd never stay outside the Disney bubble" folks to an off property exodus over a $14/night fee is pretty darn amusing.

It isn't about the amount nut, it is about all of the perks that keep melting away, too many are gone already and prices keep soaring, enough is enough!

 

[OneinThree]

Not gonna lie, the quick change from the "i'd never stay outside the Disney bubble" folks to an off property exodus over a $14/night fee is pretty darn amusing.

Is that because this latest and greatest fee has taken place in a vacuum?

 

[JamesGarvey]

It isn't about the amount

prices keep soaring

well which one is it?

 

[scrappinginontario]

For those who drive to WDW but then just park your car for the week, it might be worth looking into smaller lots that offer airport parking near MCO. Drive there, park and then take MDE to Disney. Not ideal but possibly less than you'll pay parking at a resort for the duration of your stay.

 

[niccikatie]

Not gonna lie, the quick change from the "i'd never stay outside the Disney bubble" folks to an off property exodus over a $14/night fee is pretty darn amusing.

Everyone evaluates a value proposition when they decide where their vacation dollar is going to go. There is going to be a tipping point in that value proposition and it's going to be different for everyone. For example, I think it's absurd to pay almost $200/day more for club level. Club level doesn't hold that value for me. For others, they may be willing to pay $300/day for it. No one is right or wrong when it comes to these things.

Well. This will make bus service even more fun.

Honestly, I’m sick of the frustration and annoyance all this causes. It feels like there isn’t a week that goes by without a price increase/ rollback of service / new fee / annoying upsell. The price point on a great guest experience at WDW goes up every week. I’m starting to feel like we’re just fine with Harry Potter. No one is a huge Toy Story fan. We’ll be just fine not seeing it. And I’m the only really big Star Wars fan in the family. All the kids like HP. I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think I’ll be just fine not seeing Galaxy’s Edge. The kids are around the right age to start doing national parks. Maybe it’s time to start.

It's exhausting. It really is! It's a constantly changing product now. Disney is losing trust. For me, that weighs just as heavily (maybe even moreso!) than the actual dollar amounts.

 

[DavidNYC]

If I were staying on site and there was ever a bus issue (took 30 minutes to arrive / not enough busses coming to fit everyone) I know I'd be firing off a complaint to guest services saying that if you're going to discourage people from transporting themselves, they sure as hell better make sure they're providing reliable and sufficient bus service. Every minute of my time I lost due to buses I'd be sure to ask Disney to grant back with Fastpasses. And I suspect the buses are going to get more overburdened with this change. That'll be fun.

 

[jgraney106]

This won't affect reservations that were originally made before March 21st, but what if a discount code comes out after that? Does it not affect the reservation?

 

[Networth]

Agree. Although I see it as the money grab that it is, it's small potatoes in the overall cost of a Disney vacation.

When Disney gets smart and cancels some of these ridiculous discounts like Free Dining, then it will matter.

I agree with you, seems like charges continue to come while crowds continue to rise. People complain and get upset than end up going back, reminds me of what Pete says on the Podcasts, stop complaining if your just going to spend money on the product.

I do wonder what would really cause many guests to stop going.

 

[DJ!]

I didn't say they were, and I really truly don't want to derail the thread. I do respect and appreciate your input but I think as a person with PTSD etc, I will refrain from further comment on the "what is a disability?" question. It's far too broad really for any online forum.

Regardless of that I still don't see this ending well.

I so get it. I have PTSD along with a host of other health issues. I just happen to have mobility and stamina issues that require the use of a scooter when out in public 95% of the time. I have a disability placard. I agree that there are lots of folks out there that have disability issues that are not going to be happy, because they will have to pay the fee when folks with the placards won't. The whole thing just stinks. I am seriously considering giving up on my WDW parks addiction. I NEVER thought I would say that.

 

[OneinThree]

This won't affect reservations that were originally made before March 21st, but what if a discount code comes out after that? Does it not affect the reservation?

Technically, you're talking about two separate reservations as I understand it.

 

[DisneyArkie]

For goodness sakes this is a vacation destination. If it makes y’all this mad don’t go. Nobody is making you take a vacation. I don’t agree with it but my goodness the threats and out right anger is comical.

 

[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.

Why should people who have handicapped plates not be charged for parking? If you can afford to go to wdw why shouldn’t you pay like everyone else?

Its called sympathy....many don't have it anymore but some of us still do.

Official info straight from a Disney CM RE: Guests with Disability Parking Placards

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).

 

[ellie05]

This won’t matter, never does.

I think this small things absolutely matter. I get it Disney right now it is not struggling but when economy tanks again they will wish they keep their regulars happy.

Take us for example we used to spend over 30 days a year at Disney at Disney properties and had AP. Last year we only spend about 12 days there and majority of that time was because we have promised DH goddaughter we were going otherwise we would have cancel. We also choose to stay off site for the other time. Fast forward to this year when it is the first year in 10 years for us that we have 0 Disney trips planned and I don’t see that changing in future years. Eventually we got tired of up charges, poor guest service, etc. My only regret? That we didn’t do it sooner.

 

[famsen]

Reservations made before March 21 won't be charged, it stinks, the "perks" of staying on property have all but slipped away!

I know I most likely would not be charged because I was already booked but it's the principle of the matter. I also am not so sure I wouldn't be charged because I was still waiting for room discounts and if I had to make a change that turned into a new reservation number, I'm sure I would either be charged or go through some hassle to make sure I was not charged. It's just too much nonsense from Disney lately. I don't know who is in charge that decided all these changes are for the better when all I see are a lot of unhappy long time customers.

 

[Stitch_Is_King]

Not gonna lie, the quick change from the "i'd never stay outside the Disney bubble" folks to an off property exodus over a $14/night fee is pretty darn amusing.

I for one never said I would never stay outide the Disney bubble. First of all it's a $14 fee for a value, with higher fees for moderates and deluxe. Second, it's been the steady eroding of what you get for your dollar that slowly started to push some people to looking at options outside of Disney. In my case yes it's just one more fee added to the list that is making me consider going elsewhere, not sure what's amusing about that.