Should there be more FP perks for Disney Resort Guests

[MarkS2112]

It used to be staying on Disney property had a certain level of perks that made staying offsite less attractive. One being you got the 60 day+ FP window. Ever since they started giving the 60 day window to offsite guests it feels like it is harder to get choice FPs and also that Disney has to give out more to go around. In my opinion with Disney reducing the perks for onsite and then adding parking charges they are saying go ahead stay offsite we don't care. My opinion would be onsite guests 60+ day FP with offsite at 45. Also take away the parking fee, its just another money grad. Then if you stay 6+ days include a park hopper at no cost. In essence the hopper does not cost Disney anything as you are going to the parks and spending $$. Years ago you felt value with the perks for onsite. Now you get transportation and not much else. I just think if you are going to pay Disney's ever increasing prices you should get some additional perks for that. I love staying on property and will continue to do so; however, the Deluxe is not getting too much so sliding to moderates unless there are good deals. Going back 20+ years it always felt like you got more.

 

[StageTek]

I agree. There are fewer and fewer exclusive perks for on-site guests.

 

[ww52]

I agree on the parking fee and love your idea on adding the hopper option for 6+ tickets.

Your comment on the 60 day window for off site fastpass had me look that up. I didn't realize that - but it's a bit misleading. From what I read just now - from another site but dated yesterday, it's only select hotels. It's not open to EVERY offsite guest. And it says it's only through the end of 2020. But you're right - it does make it more difficult for those staying at the Actual Disney resort properties (though I'm quite sure Swan/Dolphin was always included in this - while not owned by Disney they most certainly are "on-site".)

Walt Disney World Swan Resort Hotel
Walt Disney World Dolphin Resort Hotel
Shades of Green on Walt Disney World Resort
B Resort Located in the Walt Disney World Resort
Best Western Lake Buena Vista Resort
DoubleTree Suites by Hilton Orlando
Four Seasons Resort Orlando
Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek
Hilton Orlando Buena Vista Palace
Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista
Holiday Inn Orlando
Waldorf Astoria Orlando
Wyndham Garden Lake Buena Vista Disney Springs
Wyndham Lake Buena Vista

 

[scard192]

I agree. Prices are skyrocketing at Disney resorts and the theme parks. to continue to pay more to stay on site and then see Disney give the same FP+ booking window to these off site resorts does not sit well with me.

this is a great idea: "My opinion would be onsite guests 60+ day FP with offsite at 45".

 

[Duck143]

Offsite guests can only book at 30 days. Only a select number of "Good Neighbor" resorts are eligible for 60+ FP's.

 

[DGsAtBLT]

Would I like more perks for onsite guests? Of course.

Should there be? Probably not. They are filling rooms at very high rates even with the discounts offered. You said yourself you love staying on property and will continue to do so.

 

[Disneypro1]

I’m willing to bet at some point only on site gets a FP. And thats A ok with me! I think this will come.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Ever since they started giving the 60 day window to offsite guests

In fairness, Swan, Dolphin, and Shades have always had the 60 day window.

Another seven properties (the Hotel Plaza Boulevard) used to have similar perks to onsite guests. So really, it's just the Waldorf and three others added. The others were added back.

 

[livbeatles]

In fairness, Swan, Dolphin, and Shades have always had the 60 day window.

Another seven properties (the Hotel Plaza Boulevard) used to have similar perks to onsite guests. So really, it's just the Waldorf and three others added. The others were added back.

Shades was only given the 60 day option in 2018 (we stayed there 2015, 2016, and 2017, and only had 30 day FP booking). We did have EMH privileges though.

 

[Surgie2]

“ I love staying on property and will continue to do so.”
This is precisely why Disney can continue to charge more and give less. We also like to stay on property and realize we are getting less than we used to so I’m not criticizing your position. Just saying that Disney charges exactly what is is “worth”. The market determines the worth since if/when people refuse to stay onsite or go to the parks, Disney would have to change its business practices and pricing.

I don’t agree that charging for parking is a “money grab”. It’s simple economics. People are willing to pay so why offer it for free? They are in a business to make money. They are responsible to their stockholders who expect them to make a profit so they don’t go the way of Macy’s, Sears, K-Mart, Pier 1 and so on. Their customers (me included) expect a good experience at a price we are willing to pay. If the experience becomes inferior to me or the price too high for me, I won’t go back.

If I felt they were “greedy” then I would want a piece of the pie by becoming a stockholder and share in the profits...something we can all do.

 

[Heather07438]

I agree that onsite feels less special than ever. FP just gets harder every year. Costs have risen like crazy. Adding the parking fee ticked me off because that almost feels like double dipping. Onsite is expensive partially due to included transportation costs, don't use it and... pay more? It's like if they charged us to forgo housekeeping, lol.

But people are still throwing money at WDW so we have to deal. It's gonna be at least 2 or 3 more years before WDW sees any kind of backlash that would prompt them to make changes. What year is Uni opening that next park?

 

[Lumpy1106]

The EMH time used to be the big on-site perk, but it's pretty worthless now. In fact, I plan to NOT be in that park on EMH days due to crowds. 60 day window for FP is good but they are offerning that to more and more non-Disney resorts so that is getting watered down too.

I would love to see the ROTR boarding groups open up during EMH mornings at DHS. Sure, that would effectively limit ROTR to on-site guests only, but what's wrong with that? If you are staying off property you would just know in advance you are not getting a boarding group that day and can either get to the park at your leisure without the scramble to get a boarding group, or chose to go to a different park that day and visit DHS on a non-EMH morning day. That's really not a problem if you are there for a week.

 

[Lumpy1106]

...if you stay 6+ days include a park hopper at no cost.

Am I crazy or did it used to be that park hopper was included at no cost for any multi-day ticket? Could be I am thinking of DL? They charge plenty for it now and in fact just increased the park hopper cost at both parks - don't really see that going away if so many people are willing to pay for it. Too $$$ IMHO - we don't hop because of that, plus we found we just really didn't use it. I like the idea though...

 

[AngiTN]

No. I don't.
But, that is because more choice is always better.
No one is forced to stay on site.
They can choose to go wherever they want.
If they don't like what the on site resorts offer then great, go somewhere else. Stay somewhere else. I'd think that would make folks happy. They can get the same benefits and pay less. Why is that wrong?

 

[kaytieeldr]

Am I crazy or did it used to be that park hopper was included at no cost for any multi-day ticket?

Check www,allears.net. They have an extensive ticket history chat (charts, really - by year) tht shows pricing and increases, as well as gickt types.

 

[seashoreCM]

Long long time ago, like from when Epcot opened until early 2005, hopping was included on all WDW multi-day tickets except the 4 day magic (then called 4 day value) pass.

... opinion would be onsite guests 60+ day FP with offsite at 45 ...

"At 45" would mean nothing compared to "everyone else's at 30" given the present pattern of advance fastpass bookings.

 

[rdaky]

I love staying on property and will continue to do so; however, the Deluxe is not getting too much so sliding to moderates unless there are good deals. Going back 20+ years it always felt like you got more.

They've got you exactly where they want you, sucked into the idea that onsite is better, and therefore continuing to stay onsite with higher costs and fewer perks. You are correct- everything had more perks in the past. EMH is a joke at this point. We stayed offsite during our last visit and it was just as magical and we didn't feel that we missed a thing. We were able to score almost every FP that we wanted at 60 days and we weren't dealing with disney transportation. We're staying onsite on our next visit, but only because we are staying at FW and have a travel trailer and therefore won't pay the stupid parking fee. As long as people keep drinking the cool-aid and thinking that they have to stay onsite in order to visit, Disney will continue figuring out how to make more money off of those people.