Disney Resorts will start charging for parking?

If you're just "browsing", you're not spending. It's possible to validate for parking for someone who has spent a minimum amount in the shops. Or provide a voucher, equal to the parking fee, which is only valid for use at the specific resort's shops and restaurants on that day and only for 3-4 hours following the time that the vehicle is parked.

I find the new parking fees and non-fees patently unfair to the guest who is staying at the resort (and spending a lot more than the day guest). BWV is my home resort and the parking situation is so horrible that the DVC website has had a warning about limited parking availability at the Boardwalk for several years now. If they're going to start charging overnight guests for parking, then they had better guarantee those guests that there will be spaces available whenever they return from the parks. And a good way to ensure that would be to implement a system that penalizes the parking scofflaws that use the YC/BC/BCV and BWI/BWV lots as their free parking for EPCOT and HS.
I agree that isn't fair to you at all. It would seem like a 3 hour limit would be easy enough to enforce if they gave out a ticket upon entry to those without a hotel reservation. Then charge like $5-$10 an hour for each hour over the 3 hours upon exiting. That would put a stop to all that.
 
This is mainly about legalized TAX EVASION. In Florida hotel rooms are taxed 6% extra on top of the regular sales tax of the county. So when a hotel charges you $30 for a “service package” and $20 for parking in an area that doesn’t have limited parking like WDW what they are doing is saving 6% on that $50 instead of it being included in the price of the hotel room and therefore taxed at the higher rate. Multiply that by the tens of millions of hotel rooms rented out every year in Florida. I think I’ll be contacting my State Representative about this. The State spends BIG BUCKS paying for our extensive roads, interstates and other amenities for tourists We need the tax money brought in to pay for the infrastructure needed for tourism.

Exactly what I would do if I was running Disney. I would charge $1 per night for the rooms. $50 per night for parking. $300 per night resort fees. I would do what ever it takes to maximize profits. Why does anyone expect that Disney would not maximize profits. Based on how crowded the parks are they are definitely leaving money on the table.
 
In addition for charging for parking I would eliminate all of the travel agency commissions that Disney pays. They could make plenty of extra money there too.
 
I just booked offsite. 519 total for 4 nights at Bonnet Creek. Includes a full kitchen, laundry, etc. Annual pass holder so I don't have to pay for parking at the parks. I will miss Disney's hotel themes and transportation system but the savings is something I just can't pass on.
 


Compared to Disneyland every hotel is offsite in Florida. I loved our recent stay a the Grand Californian. That is the only onsite hotel. You can walk straight from the hotel into California Adventure. Even staying at the Poly it took 20 - 25 minutes from our room until we got to the ticket gates at Magic Kingdom. I just wish they would build hotels in Florida that you could walk from your room and be at the ticket gates in 5 minutes.
 
I didn't have a car at WDW, had no idea they didn't charge.
The 3 Disney hotels at Disneyland have charged for parking for years.
Right?! As someone who has paid parking fees at DLR for years, yet flew to WDW and didn’t rent a car I don’t care they’ll start charging for parking. Actually from a business standpoint it’s ridiculous they’ve gone this long without charging for parking considering the capacity levels at their hotels. Free parking is just not a perk they need to offer anymore.

As for the worry about DME charging I don’t think that makes as much sense. DME keeps everyone in the Disney bubble and that is in Disney’s financial interest.
 


Compared to Disneyland every hotel is offsite in Florida. I loved our recent stay a the Grand Californian. That is the only onsite hotel. You can walk straight from the hotel into California Adventure. Even staying at the Poly it took 20 - 25 minutes from our room until we got to the ticket gates at Magic Kingdom. I just wish they would build hotels in Florida that you could walk from your room and be at the ticket gates in 5 minutes.
We made our first WDW trip last year, and I just did not understand HOW spread out the parks are there. Last time we stayed at the Grand Californian I timed it, it took 90 seconds to get from our room to inside California Adventure. Even the Disneyland Hotel and Paradise Pier are only 5 minutes walking distance from the parks. And some of the "good neighbor" non Disney hotels along Harbor Boulevard are a 5 minute walk away.
 
I posted this in another thread but figured I'd post here too. We have a trip to WDW in about 3 weeks or so. I've been looking at renting a car because we like the flexibility of going off-site to grocery shop, eat, whatever. Plus, we can leave the parks when we want and not be at the mercy of having to wait 45 or so minutes for a bus.

But the prices now-a-days are outrageous. It's over $300 for just the smallest car Alamo has. I don't understand it. And it's been around the same price since the first time I started checking a few months ago. It hasn't budged at all, either up or down.

And now Disney parks are starting to charge for parking onsite. Since we're staying onsite, I'm not sure renting a car is the best option for this trip. It's going to cost nearly $500 by the time we pay the rental fee ($340+) and the fee to park at the resort ($140 for 7 nights). Just seems outrageous.
 
I posted this in another thread but figured I'd post here too. We have a trip to WDW in about 3 weeks or so. I've been looking at renting a car because we like the flexibility of going off-site to grocery shop, eat, whatever. Plus, we can leave the parks when we want and not be at the mercy of having to wait 45 or so minutes for a bus.

But the prices now-a-days are outrageous. It's over $300 for just the smallest car Alamo has. I don't understand it. And it's been around the same price since the first time I started checking a few months ago. It hasn't budged at all, either up or down.

And now Disney parks are starting to charge for parking onsite. Since we're staying onsite, I'm not sure renting a car is the best option for this trip. It's going to cost nearly $500 by the time we pay the rental fee ($340+) and the fee to park at the resort ($140 for 7 nights). Just seems outrageous.
You won't pay for overnight parking if your resort reservation was/will be made prior to 3/21/18, which I assume yours has.
 
This really makes me sick! I get that Disney is out to make money and that other hotels charge parking and resort fees, but come on - we pay a lot of money to stay at a Disney resort already! I feel this is a penalty for those of us who drive because we don’t have the budget to fly. Even though we drive, we spend all our dollars on-site - we never move the car once we get there. It’s a stretch for a lot of families to be able to afford a WDW vacation and this is just one more thing to consider. I still love Disney and I’m sure I’ll continue to go way too often, but I feel more and more like Disney doesn’t care about me. Oh well...guess I have to get over it, huh?
 
Parking fees might be common for space-strapped locations like downtown metro areas, but they are very uncommon anywhere else. WDW boasts 40+ square miles of space. They are not hurting for room, and I don't see them giving my vehicle $13+ worth of service. Nor do I see my car's one parking space using $13+ per day of resort overhead. Parking charges in Orlando are even hit or miss.

The only place I've ever been charged to park by a hotel was in a downtown location where the hotel didn't even have its own parking lot.
 
Parking fees might be common for space-strapped locations like downtown metro areas, but they are very uncommon anywhere else. WDW boasts 40+ square miles of space. They are not hurting for room, and I don't see them giving my vehicle $13+ worth of service. Nor do I see my car's one parking space using $13+ per day of resort overhead. Parking charges in Orlando are even hit or miss.

The only place I've ever been charged to park by a hotel was in a downtown location where the hotel didn't even have its own parking lot.

Ever been to a sporting event at a huge stadium, with TONS of parking spaces? They charge for parking.

Not sure how often you travel, but plenty of hotels that aren't downtown charge for parking. Was just at one in Dallas a few weeks ago.

WDW charging stinks, sure, but nothing at all to get upset over, IMO. They're the last of the holdouts not to charge.
 
Compared to Disneyland every hotel is offsite in Florida. I loved our recent stay a the Grand Californian. That is the only onsite hotel. You can walk straight from the hotel into California Adventure. Even staying at the Poly it took 20 - 25 minutes from our room until we got to the ticket gates at Magic Kingdom. I just wish they would build hotels in Florida that you could walk from your room and be at the ticket gates in 5 minutes.
Contemporary and Bay Lake Tower is just a five minute walk.
 
Ever been to a sporting event at a huge stadium, with TONS of parking spaces? They charge for parking.

Not sure how often you travel, but plenty of hotels that aren't downtown charge for parking. Was just at one in Dallas a few weeks ago.

WDW charging stinks, sure, but nothing at all to get upset over, IMO. They're the last of the holdouts not to charge.

Absolutely. Parking is charged where tons of people want to get into a relatively small space (i.e., sporting events, concerts, etc.). The farther out you go, the cheaper the parking gets until it's free again. WDW already charges for parking right next to their parks.

Why are day guests allowed in for free if this is to mitigate the desire for parking? You can't answer that question because it's not the reason for charging a parking fee. Those other hotels that charge for parking are usually right next to something requiring their charge (convention center, arena, etc.). And they wouldn't be letting day guests park for free (maybe a reduced charge).

Other venues charge for those not on official business at that location (thus, validated parking). What's more legitimate than staying at the resort?

Ever been to the All Stars? They aren't exactly touching a park. Nobody's clamoring to park there. And we were already paying for parking in the resort overhead. It just wasn't itemized.

WDW boasts 40+ square miles of space. And don't forget they already charge above and beyond rates at lodging nearby (with continually diminishing perks). The problem here is that they are charging for something we were already paying (rolled in), and they also boosted the cost of that twice in the last year. Once just last month. Why is the Contemporary so much? Because it's right next to MK. The cost has been baked in forever, until now.

I disagree, fundamentally, that it's nothing to get upset over. And I think quite a few people agree. You don't, that's OK, but others are passing their breaking point on the nickels and dimes.
 
It will cost me $15 for 24 hours to self park at the mirage on the Vegas strip. Obviously parking is at a premium there. $15 seems like a steal. They charge Day visitors something like $6 an hour. So Disney charging their overnight guests but not Day visitors makes no sense to me.
 
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Absolutely. Parking is charged where tons of people want to get into a relatively small space (i.e., sporting events, concerts, etc.). The farther out you go, the cheaper the parking gets until it's free again. WDW already charges for parking right next to their parks.

Why are day guests allowed in for free if this is to mitigate the desire for parking? You can't answer that question because it's not the reason for charging a parking fee. Those other hotels that charge for parking are usually right next to something requiring their charge (convention center, arena, etc.). And they wouldn't be letting day guests park for free (maybe a reduced charge).

Other venues charge for those not on official business at that location (thus, validated parking). What's more legitimate than staying at the resort?

Ever been to the All Stars? They aren't exactly touching a park. Nobody's clamoring to park there. And we were already paying for parking in the resort overhead. It just wasn't itemized.

WDW boasts 40+ square miles of space. And don't forget they already charge above and beyond rates at lodging nearby (with continually diminishing perks). The problem here is that they are charging for something we were already paying (rolled in), and they also boosted the cost of that twice in the last year. Once just last month. Why is the Contemporary so much? Because it's right next to MK. The cost has been baked in forever, until now.

I disagree, fundamentally, that it's nothing to get upset over. And I think quite a few people agree. You don't, that's OK, but others are passing their breaking point on the nickels and dimes.

You're reading far further into it than I am.

I don't know the places you go, but the places I've been don't have free parking the further out you go. Want to park at the stadium complex in Philly? You're gonna pay...a lot. And they have PLENTY of space. Same with Six Flags. Same with stadiums here in Atlanta. Countless hotels charge for parking...regardless of if you stay overnight or not. I've been to them in Dallas, Orlando and Temecula CA just this year alone. Park at any airport, which has tons of space, and you're going to pay for parking, no matter how far away you are. I don't know any major airport with free parking. Do you?

I have no idea why they allow day guests in free, and charge overnight guests.

Just because WDW has lots of land, you're not owed free parking. The cost has been "baked in" in your opinion, not necessarily in fact. WDW made the decision to allow their guests free parking, we don't know the finances behind it. But just like nearly everyone else, they've now gone to paid parking.

Like I said, it's a bummer they're charging now. But I just will never understand...or agree with...the outrage over it. If others are past their breaking point of "nickels and dimes", that's their choice. My suspicion is that it won't hurt WDW attendance at all.
 
You're reading far further into it than I am.

I don't know the places you go, but the places I've been don't have free parking the further out you go. Want to park at the stadium complex in Philly? You're gonna pay...a lot. And they have PLENTY of space. Same with Six Flags. Same with stadiums here in Atlanta. Countless hotels charge for parking...regardless of if you stay overnight or not. I've been to them in Dallas, Orlando and Temecula CA just this year alone. Park at any airport, which has tons of space, and you're going to pay for parking, no matter how far away you are. I don't know any major airport with free parking. Do you?

I have no idea why they allow day guests in free, and charge overnight guests.

Just because WDW has lots of land, you're not owed free parking. The cost has been "baked in" in your opinion, not necessarily in fact. WDW made the decision to allow their guests free parking, we don't know the finances behind it. But just like nearly everyone else, they've now gone to paid parking.

Like I said, it's a bummer they're charging now. But I just will never understand...or agree with...the outrage over it. If others are past their breaking point of "nickels and dimes", that's their choice. My suspicion is that it won't hurt WDW attendance at all.
But you are talking event spaces. There are plenty hotels that don't charge to park. I stayed in Anaheim at hojo by DL abd didn't pay to park
 
It's just another cash grab by Disney because they know they can. This will alienate some customers, but most who have always stayed onsite will continue to do so and make adjustments elsewhere to absorb the cost. We gave up staying onsite years ago, first as a family of 5 and then 6. We stay in great condos with 2-3 bedrooms, full kitchens and space for everyone to relax in, for a tiny fraction of what those accommodations would cost onsite.
 
It is a cash grab by Disney. DH and I said that if we do stay onsite and rent a car that we will be eating offsite enough to more than offset the cost of the parking. That will be $100-$200 less that Disney will be getting from us. We can always go offsite for a couple of dinners that will be cheaper as well as spend less on souvenirs for the grandkids. We are determined to make up the cost somewhere instead of adding to the cost of the trip.
 

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