Well are we going to be charged to park with DVC?

[crisi]

I'm not a DVC member. If I rent points, will I have to pay for parking?

My guess would be yes - you'll pay. But it could be implemented without charging anyone staying on points.

 

[iheartglaciers]

What about people staying on rented points at DVC villas that are not members?

Edit: Sorry realized someone else just asked the same question

 

[n2mm]

I'm not a DVC member. If I rent points, will I have to pay for parking?

Too early to know, if dvc members have to visit the front desk to get the charge removed from their invoice and has to show their dvc card, I guess renters will have to pay. It will depend how it’s implemented. It surely sounds like a headache making sure we’re not charged.

 

[tjkraz]

But they could back those out of the dues and do pay to play in which case they could make it a perk of qualified points. And technically I think they could hold it for only owners at a given resort if they wanted since the dues for those who own at other resorts wouldn't be paying for that location.

Yes, they may be able to find a way to alter the status quo. My comments were based upon what we know to be true today, which is that DVC owners are paying parking-related costs in their 2018 dues and have similarly contributed to capital reserves for long-term repaving and similar updates.

If the 2019 (or any future) annual meeting agenda or budget suggest any modifications to these policies, it could signal that change is afoot. Not really anticipating that given Disney's recent generosity toward owners. The ability to market "free parking" as a benefit of DVC ownership is substantial.

 

[DVC92]

May I ask why, seems like a relatively small (but add on cost) and we've discussed before that it's common, if not standard, for resorts to charge for parking.

Being down there 30 days a year would amount to hundreds of dollars. That is the main reason. Also, ownership to a resort w/o being able to park for free. Really! We already pay for Magical Express which I don't currently use. Further, currently at the Grand Floridian resort, they keep the gate open making it difficult to find a parking spot in the daytime for resort guests and people park in the BLT lot to avoid pay parking for MK. Let them restrict these situations.

 

[tidefan]

I wonder which promotion will be more popular? Free Dining or Free Parking?

/sarcasm...

 

[sgtdisney]

So, remind me what are the perks of staying at an on-site resort? No more free parking, no more exclusive access to FP at 60 days, no more free park hopping (from long ago). Well you'll still have that magical Disney "experience." I guess. Magic is starting to become very expensive these days. It's already altered the way we vacation, used to go every year, can't really afford that anymore, so now it's longer visits every two years with time spent away from Disney.

I really hope this backfires in their faces. As a stockholder, I want the best for the company, but this just smells like a rat. I am just waiting, because they have been fishing in these waters too, for extra-magic hours to be a charged event. It seems like Disney is trying to cater to a couple audiences. Extremely wealthy people who travel with big budgets, people from overseas with favorable exchange rates, and for the middle class, the DVC, so they can dazzle you will all your free member "perks." Although it's true the Disney website isn't referring to DVC member free parking, as a perk...

I can say this, if we were not DVC members, I would probably never (or rarely) be staying on property again with this. I know they charge for parking in Anaheim, but Disneyland is situated differently than WDW. Also in Anaheim, pretty much every hotel, in close proximity, charges for parking. But, most places in Orlando don't. Just saying..

What's next? Charging for FP in some way?

 

[crisi]

Too early to know, if dvc members have to visit the front desk to get the charge removed from their invoice and has to show their dvc card, I guess renters will have to pay. It will depend how it’s implemented. It surely sounds like a headache making sure we’re not charged.

My guess is that it will be tied to your Magic Band, and its easy enough to link systems to tell from your Magic Band if you are a member.

 

[tjkraz]

So, remind me what are the perks of staying at an on-site resort? No more free parking, no more exclusive access to FP at 60 days, no more free park hopping (from long ago). Well you'll still have that magical Disney "experience." I guess. Magic is starting to become very expensive these days. It's already altered the way we vacation, used to go every year, can't really afford that anymore, so now it's longer visits every two years with time spent away from Disney.

I really hope this backfires in their faces. As a stockholder, I want the best for the company, but this just smells like a rat. I am just waiting, because they have been fishing in these waters too, for extra-magic hours to be a charged event. It seems like Disney is trying to cater to a couple audiences. Extremely wealthy people who travel with big budgets, people from overseas with favorable exchange rates, and for the middle class, the DVC, so they can dazzle you will all your free member "perks." Although it's true the Disney website isn't referring to DVC member free parking, as a perk...

I can say this, if we were not DVC members, I would probably never (or rarely) be staying on property again with this. Ever hotel in close proximity charges for parking. But, most places in Orlando don't. Just saying..

As always, it's simple economics. Disney has 30,000 hotel rooms to fill every night and as long as they're consistently filling 27k+ regardless of perks or value, they will continue to push the pricing envelope. It's popular to say "Disney is only for the rich" and "Disney is squeezing out the middle class." If true, apparently the upper class is growing by leaps and bounds because there's no shortage of customers.

Prices have changed radically from our early days and we have changed our frequency/spending in response. But realistically, as long as there's someone else waiting to take my place, I don't expect Disney to stop.

I won't lie: part of me hopes this will blow up in their faces. But I'm not holding my breath.

 

[sgtdisney]

As always, it's simple economics. Disney has 30,000 hotel rooms to fill every night and as long as they're consistently filling 27k+ regardless of perks or value, they will continue to push the pricing envelope. It's popular to say "Disney is only for the rich" and "Disney is squeezing out the middle class." If true, apparently the upper class is growing by leaps and bounds because there's no shortage of customers.

Prices have changed radically from our early days and we have changed our frequency/spending in response. But realistically, as long as there's someone else waiting to take my place, I don't expect Disney to stop.

I won't lie: part of me hopes this will blow up in their faces. But I'm not holding my breath.

I agree with you in every point. I will clarify my upper class comment. I feel like a many people spend like they are upper class, but I guess many are not and end up financing these (annual) dream vacations. It is amazing to me how people will clamor to spend 100s of dollars pp on something that is "magical." I look at some of the "magical experiences" that Disney offers at a premium price and it astounds me that they are booked fully months out. I know everyone spends their money on what they find has value, but still it's surprising. I keep waiting for the time when it all hits a wall. When it's not so "cool" so love Disney so much, when guest behaviors change. It may never happen, but I keep thinking it will, eventually. I remember years ago when you'd tell people you were going to Disney year after year and you were a Disney nut. Now there are so many people who can't wait to spend 10K or more on a vacation. To each his own, but it just astounds me.

 

[n2mm]

My guess is that it will be tied to your Magic Band, and its easy enough to link systems to tell from your Magic Band if you are a member.

Now that would be too easy. Seems when you try to get a dvc discount the cm can’t tell I’m a member from my magicband. It might take awhile until this gets sorted out, but I certainly will be checking my invoice while I’m there to make sure I don’t get accidentally charged.

 

[dmunsil]

I just checked with DVC Member Services. Guests of a DVC Member, staying at a DVC resort using points, do not get charged for parking. So people using rented points will not get charged.

One difference between members and non-members is that DVC members do not get charged for parking at a DVC resort even if they booked the room for cash, whereas non-members get charged on cash bookings. I'm not sure what would happen if a member made a reservation for a non-member at a non-DVC resort using the member's points. My guess is that the parking fee would not be charged, since it would be considered a member booking. Might be worth clarifying.

 

[BLLB]

To be honest, I'm surprised it took them this long to charge for parking for overnight hotel guests. At the California Disney hotels they've been charging for parking for a while, right? As far as I'm aware most of the non-Disney hotels near DLR also charge almost $20/night for parking. A lot of places we go when we travel require parking fees and so do major cities. Maybe I'm just used to having to pay for parking. As DVC members it doesn't sound like this change will really affect us.

I think the distinction is the amount of land available for parking at WDW vs. DLR vs. a major city. I do expect to pay for parking in a major city which is "land-locked" for lack of a better word. I would not expect to pay to park at a suburban mall or grocery store or WDW where land abounds. Barring a few exceptions, BWV/Contemporary/Poly, there are tons of parking spaces at most resorts.

 

[The Jackal]

Last year when I stayed at Port Orleans Riverside I was amazed that the resort was almost fully booked, yet there were so few cars there. So glad I didn’t have to shell out an extra hundred bucks, but in the big picture the extra money for parking would add a relatively small amount to the bill for that 5 day stay. Now we are DVC members so no worries,for now that is.

 

[CraigInPA]

I'm still trying to figure out how they'll know which cars in the parking lot at the Poly "overnight" are ones which belong to hotel guests, which are DVC members, and which are people who were too drunk to drive home after polishing off a few drinks at Trader Sams following an ADR at Kona Cafe?

 

[wdrl]

I have a two night stay with DVC and one night stay with Disney in June. Glad to know I won't have to pay to park for any of those nights.

I assume your one-night stay with Disney is at a non-DVC resort Is your one-night stay at that non-DVC resort booked using DVC points? If you are not using points to book that stay, you will be charged for overnight parking.

 

[crisi]

Now that would be too easy. Seems when you try to get a dvc discount the cm can’t tell I’m a member from my magicband. It might take awhile until this gets sorted out, but I certainly will be checking my invoice while I’m there to make sure I don’t get accidentally charged.

It CAN be done, if it IS done is another question entirely. I would guess that sooner or later, your DVC status will be on your Magic Band - for a lot of reasons, including they won't want to give former members "perks" until their blue card expires and because they'll be able to charge renters parking.

But the way things roll now is not all big bang, so you'll likely see incremental "improvements" to the system. Renters might be able to park for free for the first three months or three years and then one day it just disappears. The wording on the policy is that they aren't entitled to park for free, and my guess is that is on purpose - otherwise, they'd have sent out the message as "DVC Members and their Guests." As more and more rooms are DVC, Disney is leaving more and more money on the table letting non DVC members use member benefits.

 

[SL6827]

I assume your one-night stay with Disney is at a non-DVC resort Is your one-night stay at that non-DVC resort booked using DVC points? If you are not using points to book that stay, you will be charged for overnight parking.

One night at the Beach Club, resort side. From what I have read, reservations make before March 21st will not be charged? Or am I missing something here? Maybe I need to just be prepared too? I don't know?

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

One night at the Beach Club, resort side. From what I have read, reservations make before March 21st will not be charged? Or am I missing something here? Maybe I need to just be prepared too? I don't know?

That is what is being said so at least people are getting a little heads up and it's not like the DVC valet parking where people who were already checked in were having charges added.

 

[katmittens]

We have a GV booked for May and I know free parking because I booked before March 21 and we are DVC members, but for down the road what about my adult kids who are on the reservations and they live in Florida so we will have three cars do we all get to park for free,