Paid parking is coming to WDW resorts March 2018

Will the new resort parking fees impact your travel (planned or future)?

  • Not at all

    Votes: 234 28.6%
  • I might consider staying off site

    Votes: 245 30.0%
  • I will keep my currently booked trip, but will not stay on site after that

    Votes: 161 19.7%
  • I will cancel my booked trip and stay off site instead

    Votes: 37 4.5%
  • I will not be returning to Disney parks in the foreseeable future

    Votes: 79 9.7%
  • Other (please explain)

    Votes: 61 7.5%

  • Total voters
    817
Five days after my complaint, I finally got my generic response email that emphasized how important it is that the WDW resorts have “alignment” with the resorts in Hawaii and California.

What??

So they’ve decided that their guests across the country must suffer equally. But wait. What about HHI and Vero Beach? Are they being “aligned” as well?

Someone in charge has perhaps not noticed that the resorts in Hawaii and California are not the same as the ones in Orlando. Or that WDW has been thriving in spite of non-aligned resorts for decades. Or that their own resorts have different parking fees and are not aligned with each other.

:sad2:

Does that mean they’re going to start charging day guests then to “align” with their other properties? You can’t park for free at the CA hotels as a day guest, even in your have an ADR. That would fix the packed parking lot problem for some of the hotels during the day, but it is weird they wouldn’t lead with that charge if they were doing an “alignment.”
 
Does that mean they’re going to start charging day guests then to “align” with their other properties? You can’t park for free at the CA hotels as a day guest, even in your have an ADR. That would fix the packed parking lot problem for some of the hotels during the day, but it is weird they wouldn’t lead with that charge if they were doing an “alignment.”
Yeah, they definitely need to cut that talking point if they have no plans to charge day guests at WDW.
 
Yeah, they definitely need to cut that talking point if they have no plans to charge day guests at WDW.
I have to imagine they didn't think that part through well enough.

I seriously don't know why they didn't do day guests as well. Even at Aulani day guests can't park for free unless you get validation by spending $ at specified places. Perhaps there are more ADRs that occur at the resorts at WDW but still they could easily give a bit of free time for the ADRs then charge after a certain point. Or they could say you need parking validation by spending X amount. Any choice they choose will make people mad but not charging day guests while spinning it as industry standard or alignment with CA and HI make no sense because they don't actually follow that. I'd honestly probably be more accepting if they just gave a vague "from time to time we adjust..." and left it at that. At least it wouldn't mean I can pick apart their statement for the inaccuracies that it includes.
 


We always spend 1 day during Christmas visiting the resorts to view the decorations. Not if I have to pay for it though.

You don't. They only charge overnight guest. That's why most people are upset.

That's why it's clearly not a "problem solving" move. If they truly wanted to solve the problem of day guests parking and taking up spots for resort guests, they could simply charge them (being the day guest) the same amount to park at the resort (or more to really discourage it). If you're truly dining or doing an event, then you could get your ticket validated and a credit returned to your method of payment. But since they probably don't have or want to build the infrastructure to charge at the resorts gates, they don't charge day guests. Instead, they go for the easy option: Just put it on the room account and reap the benefits. If people truly "want to see the resorts" and aren't staying there or dining there, they could always take disney transportation. The monorail line is easy, the boats are easy.
 


That's why it's clearly not a "problem solving" move. If they truly wanted to solve the problem of day guests parking and taking up spots for resort guests, they could simply charge them (being the day guest) the same amount to park at the resort (or more to really discourage it). If you're truly dining or doing an event, then you could get your ticket validated and a credit returned to your method of payment. But since they probably don't have or want to build the infrastructure to charge at the resorts gates, they don't charge day guests. Instead, they go for the easy option: Just put it on the room account and reap the benefits. If people truly "want to see the resorts" and aren't staying there or dining there, they could always take disney transportation. The monorail line is easy, the boats are easy.

I agree. What next $1 to get on the monorail and boats? Maybe a $15 charge on the Monorail resorts but free for those who visit.
 
I agree. What next $1 to get on the monorail and boats? Maybe a $15 charge on the Monorail resorts but free for those who visit.

Why should they be free? If it is a perk of your hotel we'll add a few.. you know industry standards and all that.

I typically drive down and just park my car for the duration and use disney transportation. If they are going to charge me to park then I think I'm going to start driving to the parks so I can at least get some benefit from my charge.
 
I agree. What next $1 to get on the monorail and boats? Maybe a $15 charge on the Monorail resorts but free for those who visit.

Well, they used to sell a transportation ticket way back when they opened, so I guess they could say there is a precedent. There was one included in the ticket books, attached to the admission ticket, but you could also buy a separate one. Of course, there was also a time where you couldn't use Disney transportation unless you were either a resort guest or your ticket of choice included transportation. I can remember showing a resort ID to board buses and boats.
 
That's why it's clearly not a "problem solving" move. If they truly wanted to solve the problem of day guests parking and taking up spots for resort guests, they could simply charge them (being the day guest) the same amount to park at the resort (or more to really discourage it). If you're truly dining or doing an event, then you could get your ticket validated and a credit returned to your method of payment. But since they probably don't have or want to build the infrastructure to charge at the resorts gates, they don't charge day guests. Instead, they go for the easy option: Just put it on the room account and reap the benefits. If people truly "want to see the resorts" and aren't staying there or dining there, they could always take disney transportation. The monorail line is easy, the boats are easy.

Its a shame. Like I said, we like seeing the decorations. We also like pin trading at the resorts from time to time. I will Monorail but the buses are not an option. But I assure you I will not pay to park. I already stay offsite as far as a room, now they have lost me as a resort dining guest if they charge for parking.
 
I polled my kids last night, and their number one choice for next year was a cruise. That's with all options on the table.

One of their current favorite Youtubers had a cruise video that was apparently very influential. I guess that more or less settles that matter. It almost certainly won't be DCL, but I guess I need to find a cruise forum to start hitting up.
 
Its a shame. Like I said, we like seeing the decorations. We also like pin trading at the resorts from time to time. I will Monorail but the buses are not an option. But I assure you I will not pay to park. I already stay offsite as far as a room, now they have lost me as a resort dining guest if they charge for parking.

Not sure there's enough room here and there, but seems like they could have "day guests" areas in the lots (or even separate lots) which are not the closer spots. And if it's full (the day lot) then sorry.
 
Its a shame. Like I said, we like seeing the decorations. We also like pin trading at the resorts from time to time. I will Monorail but the buses are not an option. But I assure you I will not pay to park. I already stay offsite as far as a room, now they have lost me as a resort dining guest if they charge for parking.

I never did mention buses. One can walk to Beach/Yacht/Boardwalk or use the boat, same as WL from the Magic Kingdom or Contemporary. But my point is, it's clear they're not doing this to solve a parking problem as others may suggest, it's to create a revenue stream where there wasn't one before.
 
You don't. They only charge overnight guest. That's why most people are upset.

However, by Christmas, which is when the PP was talking about, things could be different. I'm also thinking that pretty soon, they'll start charging day visitors, at least unless you spend a certain minimum amount of money.
 
It would probably be the other way around. They will probably match the Disneyland Resort Counter service food to the ones at WDW. They would probably also raise the prices slightly and reduce the AP discounts they receive. :rotfl::tongue: Of course, I am not trying to give them more ideas.
I+may+not+agree+with+oreilly+on+much+but+hes+_38775ab0298b1ee5f21d552aa9ff1dc8.jpg
 
However, by Christmas, which is when the PP was talking about, things could be different. I'm also thinking that pretty soon, they'll start charging day visitors, at least unless you spend a certain minimum amount of money.

While I agree that charging day guests may eventually happen, this will mean a complete change in the guard houses/gates at the entrance of the resorts. They would have to have someone there to handle the transaction/payment when leaving. This is similar to the Swan/Dolphin handle it. Granted there, everyone pays to park. You get a ticket to raise the gate and then you pay when you exit. I know some parking structures in the downtown where I live allow you to pay by credit card when you exit. But some of them also have redemption stations if you want to pay by cash/credit. Then you just insert your paid ticket to leave. So the technology and concept is there. It will just depend on how willing Disney is to do this.
 

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