Official Wine & Dine 2018

[Haley R]

I've stayed many many times at Pop and have 4 upcoming reservations at Pop. It's my favorite value resort. Totally great location for Dark Side and Wine and Dine for sure. We are always one of the first buses to pull up at the race start. Great for catching character photos before the large crowds get there.

We just stayed there and loved it! We like to try a new resort every time otherwise we would consider staying there again. Sports and movies will be new for us. Have you stayed at either of those during a race?

 

[Calfan]

We just stayed there and loved it! We like to try a new resort every time otherwise we would consider staying there again. Sports and movies will be new for us. Have you stayed at either of those during a race?

I stayed at Sports for 2017 Dark Side. Worked out great, as did Pop for 2018 Princess.

 

[Kerry1957]

Our family has probably stayed at Pop 20 times since it opened including the last 2 W&D HMs. We prefer Pop over the other value resorts.

 

[PrincessV]

I've spent the day freaking out about the ^#%#^&@*#^ resort parking fees and trying to find offsite alternatives for our family vacation. Not only has Disney driven my resort dollars away, I'm ending the day not caring if I register for W&D or not because I've had all the fun sucked out of me!

 

[Haley R]

I stayed at Sports for 2017 Dark Side. Worked out great, as did Pop for 2018 Princess.

Okay that’s reassuring thanks! We might be doing a split stay between a dvc rental and either sports or movies. The all star resort will be during the race.

 

[Haley R]

Our family has probably stayed at Pop 20 times since it opened including the last 2 W&D HMs. We prefer Pop over the other value resorts.

I’m not sure which one we will end up liking more. It’s hard to beat the new rooms at pop. That’s why I’m hoping for a new room at movies but they only have preferred available so we are sticking with sports for now.

 

[PrincessV]

If people are literally canceling their trips because of $13/night, maybe they shouldn't have been going to Disney in the first place lol.

You know what? You're probably right. I probably shouldn't book any more Disney vacations. But that's a real hard thing to accept when I've been visiting multiple times a year for 25+ years and have been able to afford it until recent years. My income just isn't keeping pace with Disney's increased prices - I've cut back on WDW costs big-time, but adding a fee just to get there (because from 90 miles away, driving is my only real option) pushes it over the edge. That may well be a reality I have to deal with... but it's depressing. And it carries over to races, because that's one more thing I need to consider when I register.

 

[disneysteve]

If people are literally canceling their trips because of $13/night, maybe they shouldn't have been going to Disney in the first place lol.

I think it's partly the principal and partly just reaching a tipping point for some. Everyone has their limit. Disney already charges a substantial premium for staying onsite. A night at the All Star, a pretty basic motel-type place, runs about $130. For under $100, we rent a 3-bedroom, 3-bath townhouse where we have way more space and amenities and a free private parking space right outside our door. Now that onsite "value" room is going up to $143, you don't necessarily get to park anywhere near your room, and the offsite place is still under $100. And there are very nice offsite hotels for under $75. Disney has also started extending onsite perks to offsite hotels like the Four Seasons, for example, so they are making it more expensive and less special to be onsite. I'm sure people will continue to go but I have no doubt that this move will result in some people calling it quits and booking offsite instead.

Doesn't matter to us as we always stay offsite. We think Disney's prices are ridiculous and the offsite amenities are far better. But for those who insisted on being on property, this is one more factor that is making them reconsider.

 

[disneysteve]

What makes me the maddest is that there is no charge for day guests.

That's not what they said.

The new policy states, "Complimentary standard self-parking is available while enjoying select dining, shopping, entertainment, and recreation experiences at Disney Resort hotels." That suggests there will be some sort of parking validation if you are doing certain things at the resort. Otherwise, you'll pay like everyone else. The question is what things will qualify you for validation? I'm sure eating at a table service restaurant will but what about counter service? What it we're just heading over to Trader Sam's for drinks? We love resort hopping but I'm not going to spend $13-23 to do it which means Disney loses out on the money we would have spent on food, drinks, and shopping while there if the places we're going don't earn us free parking.

 

[rteetz]

That's not what they said.

The new policy states, "Complimentary standard self-parking is available while enjoying select dining, shopping, entertainment, and recreation experiences at Disney Resort hotels." That suggests there will be some sort of parking validation if you are doing certain things at the resort. Otherwise, you'll pay like everyone else. The question is what things will qualify you for validation? I'm sure eating at a table service restaurant will but what about counter service? What it we're just heading over to Trader Sam's for drinks? We love resort hopping but I'm not going to spend $13-23 to do it which means Disney loses out on the money we would have spent on food, drinks, and shopping while there if the places we're going don't earn us free parking.

There likely will be some sort of minimum limit such as $20-30. Disneyland does it that way.

 

[disneysteve]

There likely will be some sort of minimum limit such as $20-30. Disneyland does it that way.

I'd be generally okay with that. A couple of drinks at Trader Sam's would cover that, or lunch or dinner at a counter service place. We don't do table service dining at Disney but we do usually hit Captain Cook's at the Poly, for example. That policy would still deter us from coming just to wander and browse, which is a shame. I mean we can still do it but we would have to use Disney transportation from a park rather than driving directly to the resort.

 

[GreatLakes]

POP is the resort I've stayed at the most, race weekend or otherwise. It has a special place in my heart because it was the first onsite resort I stayed at and the first resort I stayed at with my now wife. I haven't been there is a few years but do really love that resort.

 

[JAMIESMITH]

I want to be outraged about the parking charges on principle, but it truly won’t effect us. We arrive via ME and never rent a car. Our next trip is set to be at Universal anyways.

 

[Dis_Yoda]

That's not what they said.

The new policy states, "Complimentary standard self-parking is available while enjoying select dining, shopping, entertainment, and recreation experiences at Disney Resort hotels." That suggests there will be some sort of parking validation if you are doing certain things at the resort. Otherwise, you'll pay like everyone else. The question is what things will qualify you for validation? I'm sure eating at a table service restaurant will but what about counter service? What it we're just heading over to Trader Sam's for drinks? We love resort hopping but I'm not going to spend $13-23 to do it which means Disney loses out on the money we would have spent on food, drinks, and shopping while there if the places we're going don't earn us free parking.

This would be very similar to Aulani I think.

 

[disneysteve]

This would be very similar to Aulani I think.

It's similar to lots of places. I'm really shocked that it has taken Disney this long to start charging for parking. The Gaylord right across I-4 has charged for parking since they opened I believe. And we have paid it just to go over there and wander around. I think they'll validate if you eat at one of their restaurants but otherwise you pay. It was $18 last time we were there but that was quite a few years ago.

 

[Dis_Yoda]

I’m well aware of the other area hotels charging for parking. I’ve stayed at the Hyatt, Swan, Dolphin, Hilton, Marriott and Ritz when I’ve done off site for Disney. I understand the business side of why they are doing it.

As a DVC member that usually stays on points, this isn’t going to affect me much except for my last minute trips but now I’ll be more apt to go off site as EMH and room charging aren’t huge deals for me. As my Labor Day trip with my mother for the Grand is already booked, it won’t affect that trip either. My last minute trips will probably decrease but that was going to happen anyway since we’re adding a new puppy in 12 days and my time for the next few months will be spent training as we want to get through AKC STAR Puppy, Canine Good Citizen (Basic, Advanced, Urban) and then maybe Rally or Obedience since we can’t do Lure.

I’m guessing that Disney will end up handling it similar to Aulani though since that is what why have the experience with. You don’t pay upon entry but you have to upon leaving through a kiosk. Disneyland Hotel’s make you pay upon entry and then you can get it refunded if you meet the refund requirement for day guests.

Disney gets my money on Friday anyway for registration.

 

[bigtony777]

That's not what they said.

The new policy states, "Complimentary standard self-parking is available while enjoying select dining, shopping, entertainment, and recreation experiences at Disney Resort hotels." That suggests there will be some sort of parking validation if you are doing certain things at the resort. Otherwise, you'll pay like everyone else. The question is what things will qualify you for validation? I'm sure eating at a table service restaurant will but what about counter service? What it we're just heading over to Trader Sam's for drinks? We love resort hopping but I'm not going to spend $13-23 to do it which means Disney loses out on the money we would have spent on food, drinks, and shopping while there if the places we're going don't earn us free parking.

One can't say that they are going to have a system in place to charge daytime parking guests with their post. Even before this, I believe the rule was that you could park for up to 3 hours if you were doing any of the above activities. However, they did not have a system in place to enforce this in any way. This was the big issue with the Epcot resorts at busy times like Food and Wine.

 

[disneysteve]

Even before this, I believe the rule was that you could park for up to 3 hours if you were doing any of the above activities. However, they did not have a system in place to enforce this in any way.

Exactly. There was no enforcement before. And while it never happened to us, I've had lots of people say there were turned away from a resort if they weren't staying there at a busy time. Now, that probably won't happen (unless the lot is actually full). Everybody will be let in and you'll pay on the way out. If you didn't do something to get your ticket validated, you'll have to pay.

 

[JBinORL]

I've been turned away from parking at resorts multiple times. If I had a reservation, I got to park. But if we were just going to Mizner's for a drink, or attempting to get into Trader Sam's or Cali Grill lounge, we were usually denied parking and had to go to the MK lot. As an AP, it wasn't a huge deal as parking was free for us anyway.

Curious to see if APs get resort parking free after this.

 

[IamTrike]

I've spent the day freaking out about the ^#%#^&@*#^ resort parking fees and trying to find offsite alternatives for our family vacation. Not only has Disney driven my resort dollars away, I'm ending the day not caring if I register for W&D or not because I've had all the fun sucked out of me!

I was listening to a Disney podcast and Len Testa was talking about the Disney Data Science convention Disney hosts every year in October. (I really want to go to that). Basically he was talking about how Disney has teams of data scientists that are basically trying to look down to the penny at what the most you can charge for everything is.

I recognize that Disney is a business and that like most there is a stronger focus on hitting quarterly numbers than long term strategy. I also know that "Parks" is not the big profit side of this business, but I do feel like they are doing this now that will damage their future. Disney seems to get a lot of grace because they are able to capitalize on the nostalgia that so many people have. It feels like the pricing strategy now is reducing their addressable market which will reduce the pool of people that have that same nostalgia in the future.

My guess is that this charge:
Will not substantially reduce occupancy rates at the hotels. (we've been checking for last minute trips and for a lot of weekends there is essentially no availability)
Is designed to get more people to use ME so that they are "Stuck" in the Disney bubble
Will price some people out of staying on property