Some Flamingo Crossing hotels now charge for parking

[holyrita]

Are you at the Fairfield or one of the Hiltons?

Hilton! But Fairfield shares some of the same parking lot!

 

[goferrarif1]

This is really a bummer, we loved staying at the Flamingo hotels not only for the close proximity to the parks, but also the fact they they didn't nickel and dime with parking and resort fees like almost every other chain hotel in Orlando.

We mostly rent DVC, but when we don't we always stay in Flamingo. That was our plan for an upcoming trip, but when I found this out I actually was able to find on a room on property for the same price, and now they don't charge a parking fee so I'm coming out ahead and get free transportation to the parks.

 

[Upatnoon]

This is really a bummer, we loved staying at the Flamingo hotels not only for the close proximity to the parks, but also the fact they they didn't nickel and dime with parking and resort fees like almost every other chain hotel in Orlando.

We mostly rent DVC, but when we don't we always stay in Flamingo. That was our plan for an upcoming trip, but when I found this out I actually was able to find on a room on property for the same price, and now they don't charge a parking fee so I'm coming out ahead and get free transportation to the parks.

There are still two Flamingo hotels that don't change for parking. What Disney resort is the same price? Perhaps they have lowered their rates.

 

[katallo]

We had planned on staying in this area but not with parking fees. Do you know which two hotels will not charge?

 

[Chris Ehlers]

When Traveling and Staying on Points, I have never paid for Parking or Resort Fees. These are always waived by Hilton and I have only experienced once with Marriott but that was not in Orlando.

Edit: Im staying @ the Home2 on Thursday this week on a previous pre-paid reservation I will let you know what happens. Also bc I do a ton of one-night stays a lot of the time I just tell them I Uber'd

Update! I was at the Home2 this past week and when I was checking (Digital Key was Not Working) in they never asked if I had a car and when I checked out no parking charge applied. although it does say that Parking was $10

Also, I would also suggest if you're driving in from out of state down 95 I would invest in the Sunpass/ EZ Pass there are now Express lanes on the east side of JAX 295 as also Express Lanes on I-4 thru Orlando, so much easier. The I-4 ends just After Universal

 

[HopperFan]

When Traveling and Staying on Points, I have never paid for Parking or Resort Fees. These are always waived by Hilton and I have only experienced once with Marriott but that was not in Orlando.

Edit: Im staying @ the Home2 on Thursday this week on a previous pre-paid reservation I will let you know what happens. Also bc I do a ton of one-night stays a lot of the time I just tell them I Uber'd

And I have experienced the opposite. Hilton Diamond here so we use points often. I have never been charged for resort fees when using points but always been charged for parking fees (and had passes for car window). All the locations had gates where I had to use a key to open. We even have handicapped tags which often waives parking - even at the Waldorf in Key West. But in Orlando I have been repeated told at Hiltons they do not waive parking in Orlando.

Sounds like lots of inconsistency among hotels.

 

[Upatnoon]

We had planned on staying in this area but not with parking fees. Do you know which two hotels will not charge?

The Springhill Suites and Townplace Suites show complimentary parking on their website. We stayed there in November and parking was free.

The Springhill and Townplace hotels were the first built in the Flamingo Crossings area. They have now built more hotels.

A more accurate name for this thread would be Some Flamingo Crossing hotels now charge for parking.

 

[holyrita]

The Springhill Suites and Townplace Suites show complimentary parking on their website. We stayed there in November and parking was free.

The Springhill and Townplace hotels were the first built in the Flamingo Crossings area. They have now built more hotels.

A more accurate name for this thread would be Some Flamingo Crossing hotels now charge for parking.

Updated title + first post to clarify!!

 

[happycamper47]

Wonder if this will change now that WDW no longer charges.

 

[musicguy856]

I stayed at Homewood Suites and recently checked out. I used Hilton's digital key, never visited the front desk, and was never asked about a car or given a parking permit.

Homewood Suites has a couple of entrances located in the parking deck that require a keycard, which I purposefully avoided - thinking that using my room key on those doors might trigger a parking charge. Instead I walked to the front entrance of the hotel to enter each time I parked in the garage. I was not charged for parking, but I'm not sure if avoiding those entrances was the deciding factor or not.

 

[georgina]

Wonder if this will change now that WDW no longer charges.

I doubt it. Many offsite hotels charge for parking, some have extra 'amenity fees' also.

 

[Pooh's World]

This is kind of dumb of those hotels. There are no LYNX buses to Flamingo Crossing so your only choice is to have a car or uber. And this is also one of the furthest hotels from the airport by shuttle/uber/taxi.

 

[musicguy856]

This is kind of dumb of those hotels. There are no LYNX buses to Flamingo Crossing so your only choice is to have a car or uber. And this is also one of the furthest hotels from the airport by shuttle/uber/taxi.

Probably why they are doing it. At least for Homewood it was easy to avoid - Just don’t tell them you have a car and avoid using your room key on the hotel entrances from the parking deck.

 

[holyrita]

Looks like SpringHill Suites by Marriott and TownePlace Suites by Marriott are now also charging $10/day like the other Flamingo Crossing hotels (updated post #1).

Anyone have any recent reports of parking fee enforcement at any of the FC hotels?

 

[georgina]

Looks like SpringHill Suites by Marriott and TownePlace Suites by Marriott are now also charging $10/day like the other Flamingo Crossing hotels (updated post #1).

Anyone have any recent reports of parking fee enforcement at any of the FC hotels?

I was charged end of February at Fairfield Inn there.

 

[musicguy856]

I was charged end of February at Fairfield Inn there.

Did you tell them you had a car or did they just automatically charge you?

 

[georgina]

Did you tell them you had a car or did they just automatically charge you?

I was asked at check-in if I had a car, I said yes. Not going to lie for $10 a night.

 

[musicguy856]

I was asked at check-in if I had a car, I said yes. Not going to lie for $10 a night.

I used online check in at Homewood and just used the digital key on my phone. I had some trouble with it not opening one of the pool gates but I wasn’t going to the front desk if I could avoid it because I was afraid the question would come up. I just walked to the other gate and had no issues. Was not charged for parking.

 

[Pooh's World]

This is dumb. Why would anybody stay at such a far away, remote, inaccessible area if they are charging for parking.

 

[Upatnoon]

This is dumb. Why would anybody stay at such a far away, remote, inaccessible area if they are charging for parking.

It's not far away, remote or inaccessible. It's just less built-up than some of the other areas near the parks. It was a bit of a "secret" place to stay where you could avoid traffic and mobs.

Sadly, the secret is out and growth is catching up to the area, so hotels will do what they do best -- pound travelers with fees to hide the true cost of a night's stay.