I wonder if this is MF's theory of if they have been fed this ............. because it clearly doesn't describe the scenario accurately.
- NO one that is driving door to door will now change their plans to fly and rely on Disney transportation. They all drive for a reason.
- Those who rent a car at the airport ... am sure the majority don't do it because they hate the free bus, they do it because they want a car with them to go grocery shop, to go to outlets, to go to other attractions and theme parks, to eat offsite, to drive to other resorts to eat (since in house transport for that is bad) and because they want to drive to the parks. They rent because that is their style. Make it even more expensive to stay at Disney, these folks who already venture offsite will not be woo'd by Disney to stay onsite without a car ......... it will encourage them to explore their other options, it will let them make that break to stay at the Universal hotels that are a better value, it will have them looking at bigger nicer offsite options.
It doesn't take a big dollar figure to upset folks enough to make them change their plans .............. it's a mentality that Disney has embraced the last year or so and many of us were just waiting for the final straw. It's kinda funny that "we" and I mean myself, continue to tell ourselves that Disney rooms, while very overpriced, are worth it ............. even though I've stayed offsite enough times to know they aren't. I think ticket prices are very fair, I think the parties and upsells are fine, I wish they'd expand EMM to all the parks ................... but this is just that line that shouldn't have been crossed. 47 years and suddenly that piece of hot asphalt that is more than covered in my room rate .............. is monetized.
- Add it while things are going good .... well, just remember that when things are going bad or slow or not so good ................ the people that were your base, your constant, you coverage of the fixed costs ............. are the people you are now ripping off, and they have other options. Disney, you don't own Orlando anymore, time you realize that. Maybe they should leave the bubble and see what else is out there competing with them. Forget all the resorts and hotels being built ............. UNIVERSAL is going to be clipping your heels in a few years with a couple new parks, many more new hotels AND lots of other small things that will directly attack Disney's current offerings. This is not the time to encourage folks to stay offsite, explore their options and wake up to what else is out there.
The folks who are being impacted by this are folks with cars who are already driving to and from and around Disney. They already know what is out there, they already know what the roads look like. They are not going to "not" get a car because of the parking fee.
It's not the amount of the fee that is solely having people look at options ... it's the last straw that is now an additional inflation of room rate. The room rates stopped the seasonal, when they went seasonal/weeknight/weekend and now they have even added Sunday and Thursday to a higher tier. They advertise their lowest price each night but then when you actually book you find your room costs much more. Many have tired of the evolving changes .... less EMH, more & more crowded buses, poor housekeeping particularly at the lower tier hotels as we are sure their hotel shortage is being managed there to keep housekeeping at the deluxe, the addition of dogs, security invasions ......... this was a last straw, not a solely. It's like I finally have permission to stop paying them more than they are worth.
And I don't think they/we are trading for any convenience if they stay in proximity. Again, I am in my bed at my offsite options at the end of the night before I ever get on a bus for POP. The only truly convenient hotels are the monorail resorts and the Epcot resorts and even they have flaws such a being forced to ride two monorails to get to Epcot or having a long walk or long boat ride to DHS. Overall the rest of the resorts are not convenient at all to parks when you depend on buses or small boats. BUT for someone with no car of course it is still a convenience, other than Disney Springs or Bonnet Creek area, I would not stay offsite without a car.
Disney convenience "perks" - I don't get the
DDP anymore because it has no dollar for dollar value and it's no more convenient than me using my CC. Actually less because I have to eat by their rules and keep track of my credits. I can eat better for less by paying OOP. Ship to resort, what a pain to have to keep going to gift shop to get my things and have messages on my phone - when I shop I send it to the front of the park and pick it up on the way out. FP+ - we have no problems even day of except for FOP and 7DMT. EMH ........... so few and far between that when you go they are just as crowded as normal hours because there is no disbursement of guests to other parks. MagicBands - have plenty and even then I wear my specialty ones I bought. So ..... no perks for all that money, and more and more folks come on here to complain about what they thought they were getting vs what they actually got.
Currently Magical Express is a perk, for those who fly and have no interest in having a car. That will not change. What will change is those who have cars because they want cars ... and now that last straw has folks at a point to see how much nicer their hotel/lodging can be if they look offsite.
There are some resorts out there that shine huge over Disney, there are hotels out there with same rates that are leaps and bounds way better than Disney.
Driving my own car to parking lot ready to go when I am VS waiting for a bus that will possibly/probably be crowded leaving me standing and eating up maybe 4 times more time .... is not a negative, and it is actually a convenience. I understand that for you, offsite is not an option. That is okay, everyone should do what is best for them. But I would never presume that people would be disappointed just because I would be.
