Parking at the Fort...Charges Coming?

[North of Mouse]

But when they mention campsites, does this include the cabins?

No

 

[chartle]

But when they mention campsites, does this include the cabins?

No

To Disney Cabins are a Moderate and Campsites are sort of the red headed step child which I guess for this policy its a good thing.

 

[tripleb]

I don't get it at all ... just because other motel chains charge a parking fee doesn't equate to Disney charging a few. Just doesn't make sense to me. Disney is getting to a price point that is waaaaaaay beyond what Walt would have ever imagined. (Just speculation on my part).

Why not stay in one of the nice motels in Lake Buenivista, saving a few bucks, most have bus tranportation, or pay the park parking fee

 

[tiggerdad]

Because there are plentiful unknowing people who will pay it. Period.

That is what Disney counts on. Not the return visitor.

 

[FtW Mike]

Because there are plentiful unknowing people who will pay it. Period.

That is what Disney counts on. Not the return visitor.

Disney lost the respect for those of us that are returnees when Michael Eisner left. He understood that he needed to expand on what was there and but keep enough to lure us back. Now its all new hotels attached to DVC for higher payoff up front

 

[JETS70]

I have to say that this October may be our last trip to WDW at least for the foreseeable future. I think we will do more of the Gatlinburg / Dollywood or Cedar Point campground and park. Little closer to home and not nearly as expensive. Obviously Disney is going to find and exploit every revenue stream that they can.

 

[tiggerdad]

I have to say that this October may be our last trip to WDW at least for the foreseeable future. I think we will do more of the Gatlinburg / Dollywood or Cedar Point campground and park. Little closer to home and not nearly as expensive. Obviously Disney is going to find and exploit every revenue stream that they can.
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I like Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, but I'll honestly admit I loved Dollywood right up until I went to Disney and after that it just wasn't as appealing. I think I just tried too hard to compare them. Don't get me wrong, I'll still go to Dollywood though.

I'm thinking this whole price nickle and diming has already pushed me to an every other year visit as it is and no maybe even longer. I certainly won't do March again. I'm getting back on track and looking at NPs I haven't visited before. Even with long road trips I can do 2-3 NPs for the price of a week at Disney.

I'm just paying more and more and feeling I'm getting less and less.

 

[JETS70]

I like Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, but I'll honestly admit I loved Dollywood right up until I went to Disney and after that it just wasn't as appealing. I think I just tried too hard to compare them. Don't get me wrong, I'll still go to Dollywood though.

I'm thinking this whole price nickle and diming has already pushed me to an every other year visit as it is and no maybe even longer. I certainly won't do March again. I'm getting back on track and looking at NPs I haven't visited before. Even with long road trips I can do 2-3 NPs for the price of a week at Disney.

I'm just paying more and more and feeling I'm getting less and less.

Totally agree @tiggerdad. We love the Fort and Disney but enough is enough. Maybe the every other year thing especially now that my children are grown and on their own. (grandkids might change that). With all of the new construction, this might be a good time to take a couple (or more) years off to let them finish and maybe let a little of the "new" wear off. Its just frustrating that every time you turn around there is a ticket price increase, resort price increase, parking fees. What fee or increase is next? And.......it seems that these fees and increases are coming with a little more frequency.
Kentucky has a pretty good state park system with quite a bit of state and national history. Teresa and I have talked many times about doing a little state park tour. Now might be the time to start that planning process.

 

[Teamubr]

We used to alternate between the beach somewhere and Disney. This year was going to be St Thomas since we did the Fort last September. And then Irma came. First it wiped out the Virgin Islands and then impacted our September trip to the Fort. That’s the primary reason we decided to convert to APs in September.

I have 4 days in September this year booked at the Fort before heading to Gulf State Park, but that will likely be our last trip for at least 2 years.

j

 

[Beachmom0317]

I’m sad but I’ll admit there’s nothing we can do. We love staying in the cabins for its stand alone purposes (DH and I can’t stand paper thin walls and our kids are up raging at sunrise). DH also hates public transportation, so we always have a rental car. So we will have to eat the parking fee, even though I think it’s so silly for the cabins since each has a designated parking spot at each cabin.

 

[ilovedisneymm]

OK, I'll admit I haven't read all the comments (just some), but surely you are allowed one freely parked vehicle at the Fort and other locations on property?

Yes, the "Cast Member standing at the gate and punching people in the face" comment was hilarious. I lost in my van last night with my family in tow (hubby driving). They thought something was wrong with me cause I was laughing so much.

They say your laugh factor is based on the amount of underlining truth. Well...

Its sad. I have to agree with you Michael & Jimmy. We tried something new the past trip with December and that was a never again time for us.

I haven't yet booked our future January trip. I have too many mixed feeling right now.

Yes, after you do Disney all other theme parks are just not the same. We have done The Smokeys several times and thinking of maybe going back that way here in a few weeks. Looks like the weather will be iffy, so that might be pushed back.

Now that we have the camper, all NP are an option for us. Anyone want to suggest something? I have a week booked off for our homeschool the last week in March, but nothing booked yet.

 

[tripleb]

Here is a news release concerning the parking fees:

https://www.usatoday.com/story/trav...world-hotel-parking-costs-increase/428899002/

 

[KristinU]

I'll be interested to see how the whole motorhome towing is going to play out. We love the Fort and love Disney, but seriously there are plenty of options not very far away for a lot less money. If a $130-$150 a night campsite goes up to $155-$175 to include parking for a passenger vehicle, I might have to cry uncle. We've already gone to offsite for our hotel-based Disney vacations and our RV-based Disney vacations might not be far behind. With so much nickel and dime-ing going on in the parks along with the construction, we may think about taking a year or so off or trying some of the other Orlando parks or do some completely different vacations.

 

[tiggerdad]

Okay folks I went up to check-in and talked with Eddie and Erik and basically here is the bottom line:

If you tow a camper or haul in a tent then the vehicle you pulled with is covered and you are not paying extra parking on that one vehicle. If your friend drives in to visit overnight, they will have to pay parking fee.

As far as motorhomes go, SAME THING. EXACTLY THE SAME. If you tow in a car or truck, you still are covered as the towed in vehicle is treated the same as the car or truck the tows in the camper.

Golf carts are not counted, you do not pay parking on them.

Essentially nothing really changes for us at the campground.

 

[tiggerdad]

I'll be interested to see how the whole motorhome towing is going to play out. We love the Fort and love Disney, but seriously there are plenty of options not very far away for a lot less money. If a $130-$150 a night campsite goes up to $155-$175 to include parking for a passenger vehicle, I might have to cry uncle. We've already gone to offsite for our hotel-based Disney vacations and our RV-based Disney vacations might not be far behind. With so much nickel and dime-ing going on in the parks along with the construction, we may think about taking a year or so off or trying some of the other Orlando parks or do some completely different vacations.

Not the case, your towed in vehicle behind the motorhome is not charged for parking.

 

[chartle]

If you tow a camper or haul in a tent then the vehicle you pulled with is covered and you are not paying extra parking on that one vehicle. If your friend drives in to visit overnight, they will have to pay parking fee.

What about not overnight?

OK read the article.

That’s when the resort's hotels will start charging for overnight parking, which previously had been included in the cost of the stay.

 

[KristinU]

Not the case, your towed in vehicle behind the motorhome is not charged for parking.

Thanks for finding out and clarifying, Tiggerdad!

Just to be difficult - I wonder about motorhome folks who rent a car. Our Jeep TJ doesn't have AC, so winter trips we'll tow it down, but if we ever hit the Fort in the summer again we decided we'll leave it home and rent something with AC. Last summer's trip was, um, very...enlightening

 

[2goofycampers]

People who do a Fort and hotel stay are gonna have to start paying for their RV to sit in the hotel parking lot. I wonder what the charge will be for this? Someone there might ask a bus driver.

 

[BETH & PETE]

I have only posted a few times here, but this is ridiculous enough to make me post. After hearing about this a few days ago, my DW, who had her first visit to Disney the year it opened is about done. I was done many years ago. We did our honeymoon there 31 years ago. At her suggestion, our trip there in May may be our last. This December will be the first year we will probably not be at Disney for our Anniversary. She has had enough of the nickel and diming too, plus the high prices to do anything there at Disney. Although we now have a camper and apparently will not be affected by this latest fee, we always have an overnight visitor for at least one night. We have spent many years in the cabins and a few times in the value resorts. I have never understood any hotel charging to park in their lot when you are staying there, on Disney property or not.

And how long before Disney takes away the benefit of free parking at the parks when you stay at a resort? I bet it will happen. They figure folks won't care, will just pay it or go away and let a new visitor take their place. As someone said, Disney seems less concerned about return visitors who have been coming for many many years since the newer ones will fall in line and pay the fees.

Would I miss Disney, NO. My DW might but SP, NP, and other camping places are looking much better to both of us. Even going back to cruises again is on the table.

Walt, we love you, but not what the corporate buffoons have done to your dreams.

 

[Teamubr]

If it's any consolation, I just checked into the Anaheim Desert Inn, directly across from the entrance turnaround to DL. When I originally booked this, I didn't think there was a parking fee, but at check in, there is an $11 plus tax daily fee. This hotel is essentially a Motel 6, but location, location, location.

j