Disney Resorts to start charging parking fees....

[Neon Cactus]

Wait until next year if you book during a certain time you will get "free parking at select Walt Disney World resorts!" by booking specific packages. A value that's shouldn't really be a value. I haven't rented a car for some time, but if I drove in, my problem with paying so much for parking there is that I'm there to spend time in the parks and with the bus transportation, I don't even use my car most of the time. When I did rent cars, the only times I really drove anywhere was from my hotel to Animal Kingdom Lodge to eat at Boma, since the bus service to get from one resort to another is prohibitive. I can't say I'll never go to Disney World, but I definitely feel differently about the Walt Disney Company than I did this morning and it will likely lead to reduced visits and more off-site stays if I do have a car.

 

[skippytx]

I have a question. The hotels and tickets increase every year. Will this mean this will increase every year too?

Probably. Theme Park Parking just increased from 20/40 to 22/45. 13 goes to 15 really easily.

 

[disneynutz]

Next you will be charged a security fee but you can pay even more to skip the bag check or to keep them out of your room. A fast pass fee with different entitlements based on which package you purchased, an ADR fee based on preferred times and fee to take a photo with the characters. These are standard in the industry and/or in response to guest feed back.

Bill

 

[Disneylover99]

I have a question. The hotels and tickets increase every year. Will this mean this will increase every year too?

Probably.

 

[gratefulfred]

I have a question. The hotels and tickets increase every year. Will this mean this will increase every year too?

You bet, soon enough it might be cheaper to just put your car in a room at a non value resort than parking it at the poly

 

[cigar95]

. . . . . Again nice professional conversation with the gentlemen I spoke with. Standard in the industry, the resorts outside of our gates charge for it. . . . . . .

This will be the talking point, and the response is that we have already been paying for parking, it was just lumped in as part of the room rate. If they want to make that argument, then unbundling the parking rate would mean a reduction in the underlying room rate. Who's expecting that to happen?

 

[jrsharp21]

Next thing you know there will be non Disney parking garages going up nearby, off property, where you can park your car for like $5 a day and they will shuttle you to your hotel. Sort of like The Parking Spot at airports.

 

[Macprincess]

Wow! This just made our decision of if we will be renewing our AP's, that expire next week for our family of five, when we visit this Friday. I guess we will be spending our down time at the beach now. No AP Renewals for us. I'm not too sad because this info just saved me slightly over $3000.00 that I won't be spending on AP's. I don't even want to total the amount we spend per year at Disney on hotels and food...We live two hours away so we always drive and typically stay over weekends about once a month and for one week twice a year. This new parking overnight fee at Disney resorts adds a whole lot to our Mickey outlay of funds and it's just not going to happen.

When we do stay off site we do not stay at properties that charge resort or parking fees. There are plenty that do not in the Orlando area.

Oh, and we have stayed on property at Universal once and only once. I will not pay a huge per night hotel room charge to have an exorbitant parking fees added. This is one reason we have never purchased AP's at Universal.

Bad move Disney!

 

[wdw4rfam]

So I just looked and there’s a ton of cheaper options for long term parking at Orlando airport. So if you are driving and staying at a deluxe it might be cheaper to park in long term parking and take the magical express.

 

[kittyab]

Exactly. This isn’t what I just said on Facebook. Some of those rooms are larger and half the price. You are technically still on property. So it’s a no brainer now.

I am waiting for Disney to buy those properties so they can up the prices.

 

[MouseLover]

So... If you make a reservation before March 21, for a stay in June, do you have to pay parking or not? I already have a res. I booked it when free parking was a listed amenity. ...

 

[HatboxHaint]

I guess we will be another family that stays offsite now. Disney will be glad that we are freeing up another room for someone wealthier.

 

[kittyab]

I foresee longer lines for the Disney transportation since people will avoid having their vehicles at the resorts to save money.

 

[sbd78]

I know this is probably a knee-jerk reaction and my kids would freak if I actually did this, but I almost feel like cancelling my trip in 2 1/2 months. I know the parking fee will not affect this particular trip, but I'm really mad and don't even want to give them any of my money at the moment. I feel like the fact that Disney didn't charge all these shady fees was one of the things that made Disney magical.

 

[wee-haggis]

Disney slowly but surely nickel and diming the very people who made it what it is. The everyday,working and middle class families who (in some cases) save their $'s all year long so they can take their family to the Magic. Its being turned into a destination for the elite and wealthy. I think Walt would turn over in his grave if he saw what was happening.

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

We had planned (not yet booked, wouldn't be until May) a trip in early January next year, just DH and myself, for a weekend. It's our 20th anniversary August 2018, and we know we won't be able to get away in August, but January was doable. (Plus, Orlando in August is a no go for me. I try not to venture out of the house as much as possible from June-September.) We were looking at staying at the Poly or AKL, having dinner at V&A's, Trader Sam's, time at DS, etc (no parks).

I'm not booking. We'll spend our $2000-3000 elsewhere. The steady decline of perks and higher prices have pushed me to the end.

 

[sgtdisney]

Pretty soon you can expect to pay for Fast Passes and Extra Magic Hours, this is just the first step. Unless Disney gets enough negative press and backlash. Can't believe that Disney is aspiring to be just like "everyone in the industry". I thought they were special and unique. Who knew they just want to be like everyone else.

 

[DisneyArkie]

.[/QUOTE]

I feel like the fact that Disney didn't charge all these shady fees was one of the things that made Disney magical.

Really? It was already one of the most expensive vacations there is.

 

[JerseyJanice]

They're able to pocket more money by adding a fee than they would if they just increased room rates.

True. If they offer discounts on room rates, you will be paying the same parking fees regardless of how much you can snag a room for.

So I just looked and there’s a ton of cheaper options for long term parking at Orlando airport. So if you are driving and staying at a deluxe it might be cheaper to park in long term parking and take the magical express.

People can do that, but then they will be without their cars. Not everyone enjoys using the Disney transportation system.

 

[Silvermist999]

We don't visit WDW as often as we'd like, but when we do, even though we stay onsite at a monorail resort, we like to rent a car so we can see as many attractions in Orlando as we can, including doing some outlet shopping. If they start to charge for parking, we may very well just rent the car for the few days we actually really need it, to avoid the extra parking fees. No more driving to AK, HS, and DS. There's going to be some crowded buses!! I never thought free parking at the resort when staying onsite was a "perk".