I own DVC, I have an AP, my dd is a WDW CM and lives about 20 mins from WDW. I never used to rent a car, but lately, it's made more sense for me...I'm able to meet up with her, or go to her apt if I want. Not having a car limits what I can do, and where I can go. I've started looking at off-site resorts. Yes, most charge a resort fee....anywhere from $10-30 a day. Some charge for parking, others don't. I can find a nice resort, for under $100 a night, that charges a $10 resort fee, no parking fee. I park at my door, the room is usually larger with better amenities, especially better than the value resorts. Yes, I lose the ability to make FPs at the 60 day mark. I can live with that...I go often enough that I just don't care. Same with EMHs.
I figure Disney is entitled to charge anything they want, for any perk or benefit they want. It's up to me to decide whether or not it's worth it to me to pay it. I think tiered parking charges are outrageous....the deluxe lots are a longer walk in most cases. And smaller. It's also really annoying that those who aren't paying to stay in a resort get to drive there and park, free. So, they can eat breakfast there, and then leave their car all day while they head off to a park. I would have thought it would have made sense to charge them to park instead of those staying at the resort. But, that wouldn't bring in nearly as much money.
Then, I have to laugh at those who say 'well, don't go' or 'just take DME'. If Disney can so easily institute a parking charge, what's to stop them from dropping in a resort fee? After all...it is the 'industry standard'.
For me? It's really the principal. Disney has always allowed us to park free. To just up and change it is crazy and insulting to the guests. Perhaps it would have been a better idea to start charging resort guests to park at the parks, not the resorts!