Paid parking is coming to WDW resorts March 2018

[ELLH]

Well, the upside here is now that they’re making the distinction of “day guest” vs “night guest” and day guests don’t pay...

I’m gonna start being a day guest at The Contemporary Resort on MK days. And all the threads about it will no longer be needed. Hey, you’re a day guest... go park there. Just make sure you walk around a bit. And by “walk around” I mean walk around the check-in desk and head on up the escalators to the monorail floor.

 

[kc10family]

Same

https://aboutdisneyparks.com/about/leadership-team

 

[dina444444]

I can see that for monorail and walking distance (to parks) resorts. When we've stayed at POFQ and POP we just told the guard we were checking in (being from Canada we don't even receive our MB's until after check-in). I suppose we just as easily could have said we wanted to check out the resort for a future stay, have lunch, etc.

Anyways, will be interesting to see the many work-arounds people come up with, and how Disney responds.

I’ve had to scan my magic band at the All Stars and Pop to get past security when I’ve stayed there. In January when I stayed at BLT I had to scan my band in addition to having a parking pass that security gave me at the hut that had to go in my dash.

 

[Rich M]

As an AP holder, I might just start staying off site for more reasonable prices and then drive to the parks where I can park for free. Disney is getting awful greedy lately. I understand that new rides and experiences must be paid for but I know Disney takes in more than enough to cover these experiences. This is greed pure and simple.

Don't forget something also needs to help pay for the new cruise ships also

 

[FutureDisneyEventPlanner]

Scroll a little higher.

Sooooo I didn't included my phone number in my email but they called me too...

 

[ChipnDale79]

Sooooo I didn't included my phone number in my email but they called me too...

What did they say?

 

[FutureDisneyEventPlanner]

What did they say?

I missed the call, so they left a voicemail and sent me an email to call them back whenever I get a chance...I will keep you posted. Lol.

 

[mshanson3121]

After parking fees, I see Disney charging for magical express.

I really see free theme park parking going away, too. I see one of two things happening, which involve them tiering the parking lot into premium, regular and value sections.

A) An added resort fee or just an increase in rates, which will include theme park parking, letting Deluxe resort guests get free parking in the closest section, moderates get regular and value resort guests get the farthest away.

B) All guests get free value section parking and then have the option of paying extra for closer parking

 

[jlwhitney]

I don't think this change will bring less people. It will simply make the amount of resort stays go down. But people will still go...they will just stay off-site.

It’s often not much cheaper off site unless you want to add an extra 30-40 mins just getting onto to Disney property.

For large families that rent homes and such that is cheaper but saying for just hotels.

Orlando is a booming tourist spot and it’s not a cheap place to visit anymore.

 

[jlwhitney]

I don't think this change will bring less people. It will simply make the amount of resort stays go down. But people will still go...they will just stay off-site.

It’s often not much cheaper off site unless you want to add an extra 30-40 mins just getting onto to Disney property.

For large families that rent homes and such that is cheaper but saying for just hotels.

Orlando is a booming tourist spot and it’s not a cheap place to visit anymore.

 

[robinb]

Well they will definitely loose me on some of my trips. Each Columbus day weekend for the past 4 years I have traveled to Orlando for a master's swim meet. The first two years I stayed at a Embassy Suites on points up near the pool. The past two years since I had an annual pass, I've stayed on property and driven up to the meet. Won't be doing that this year, since I'll be able to park for free at the Embassy Suites and at the park with my AP. Why should I stay on property?

OT, but that YMCA pool is awesome! My DD was a competitive swimmer and she practiced there while we were on vacation. We stayed at the Home2 Suites on points last May and it was very nice and had free parking.

 

[SL6827]

Has anyone mentioned that valet is up to $33 as well?

 

[robinb]

I am thinking more and more about offsite parking options. One option I would consider as "plan B" is drive to resort, drop off bags, drive to nearest long term parking, uber over to resort. I could do the reverse when time to leave. The viability of this is price per day for offsite and length of stay. If I am saving $20 per day and staying 7 nights, it probably is worth this minor
inconvenience. If the difference is $4 per day and I am staying 3 nights, it really won't be work it.

I wonder if long term parking lots like those at airports will pop up right outside the Purple Gates.

 

[MommaBerd]

E-mails sent.

 

[mshanson3121]

It’s often not much cheaper off site unless you want to add an extra 30-40 mins just getting onto to Disney property.

For large families that rent homes and such that is cheaper but saying for just hotels.

Orlando is a booming tourist spot and it’s not a cheap place to visit anymore.

Windsor Hills frequently has 2 -3 bedroom condos for $450 a week. They are a 4-5 minute drive to the park, in fact they're faster than using Disney transportation most of the time. Compare that to an average of $900 for a week in a tiny overpriced value resort room. Even if you spend $ 110 in parking for 5 days at the park, you're still saving $340. And then of course the really big savings, comes in with the savings on food. There are tonnes of condo resorts in the area that are significantly less expensive than Disney.

 

[plumsiren]

Not sure if this has been mentioned (don't feel like reading through 33 pages) but the lower the level of resort you're staying at, the greater the premium you're being charged. A standard weeknight room during Regular season, including tax, at All Star Music is $138, so with a parking fee of $13/night that's just about 10% of the room rate. The same room at POR is $260, so the $19/night parking is less than 8%. At WL that room is $442, making the $24 parking fee about 5.5%. And at GF, the cheapest room in Regular season is $706, so those guests are paying less than a 3.5% premium (to say nothing of those staying at the highest-level rooms). Ridiculous.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

OMG I swear I hadn't seen your post. I woke up this morning to like 7 more pages to read through and as I was trying to go through the thread more and more comments kept coming in so I scrolled past a lot of them.

That's awesome that we had the same line of thinking here

Great minds...

That's great to know. I'll keep that in mind next time I suggest a thread be merged.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Sooooo I didn't included my phone number in my email but they called me too...

If your phone number is on MDE or something else with Disney data-base wise that's how they got your number.

 

[robinb]

It’s often not much cheaper off site unless you want to add an extra 30-40 mins just getting onto to Disney property.

For large families that rent homes and such that is cheaper but saying for just hotels.

Orlando is a booming tourist spot and it’s not a cheap place to visit anymore.

The last two times I stayed offsite it was only 10-15 minutes to Disney property. I stayed in a hotel for free (points) and I also stayed at a timeshare (less than $250 for the week). Orlando can still be cheap and you don't have to drive a long way to get to the parks.

I do think that many offsite hotels were just as expensive as the value resorts after you added possible resort fees and parking at the Disney parks. However, many of them are also nicer with bigger, more comfortable rooms and nicer grounds. The value resort parking fee makes those offsite resorts more attractive.

 

[ITALIANNYC]

Disney has called me back and left me a voicemail and an email lol I’m gonna call them back and see what they say.

At least they reached out.

Now I shall explain my grievance