Overnight Self-Parking at Disney Resort Hotels at Walt Disney World® Resort

[GrumpyInPhilly]

Not everywhere, there isn't a single hotel in my immediate area that charges for parking, and there are a lot of hotels due to proximity to a large military base. Big cities, absolutely..I have paid for parking in Boston, LA, New Orleans. What all of these locations have in common is very little land and what there is it exceedingly expensive so they need to charge for parking to afford to buy and maintain parking areas. Disney already has all of the parking spaces and control of the surrounding land within the limits of rules for environmental concerns and zoning.
They don't need to charge for parking, they are choosing it, whether to increase their bottom line to make up for the fall in share prices for stockholders (of which I am one and I seriously doubt my stocks will increase in per share price even enough to park there for a single night) or to reduce the amount of traffic on their roads.
Not all guests fly in to the airport. There are several states, most of the southeast in fact, that live in a reasonable driving distance and prefer to drive. There are those who just hate flying and will drive for days to get there, and there are those who measure the time and realize driving will take them at most an hour or two more than flying when connecting flights and checking in 1.5-2 hours before flight time figured in. That calculation does not consider the time to get to the resort on DME, which means it is faster for me to drive there than to fly and take DME since my local airport does not fly directly to anywhere but Atlanta and the next nearest airport is a minimum of 1.5 hours away in no traffic, which never happens.

My DW. And she drives the entire 1100 miles each way herself!

 

[sgtdisney]

I live in the suburbs of Chicago and the only places around us that have paid parking are in downtown Chicago. We do staycations in the area from time to time, and I will not go downtown, in part, because of the parking situation. There are other reasons for not going down there, but that's another thread. I actively search out places that don't charge parking. In fact, in our upcoming trip to Florida, we're going to spend some time in the Miami area. I specifically search out places with free parking. I have found many nice hotels and resorts outside of a downtown area with "free" parking. I think when you're charging that much it should be included in the room rate. Don't insult me by adding a parking fee. Who knows, I may be paying a "parking fee" built into the rate I am paying, but I am not aware of it. If Disney really needs the additional $$ because they need the money, they should have just added it to the room rate. People who love the resorts wouldn't probably have even noticed.

 

[sgtdisney]

Hmm the fees have been removed from the main parking page.
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/parking/

But remain on the individual resort pages (for now..)

 

[ziravan]

I think WDW underestimated the pushback on this one.

We drive from the Houston area more often than not. It’s 10 hours to Destin where we bought a Wyndham timeshare specifically to take a beach day at one of their 6 resorts in the Destin area. Then 7 more hours to WDW. For example, leave Mon morning, drive all day and hit Destin timeshare late in evening. Tuesday is beach day. Get up at 4 am Wed to leave and be at WDW by lunch.

Flying is cheaper sometimes, but we like driving. We like it enough that if DVC weren’t exempted from this, we’d just buy more Wyndham points and stay at Bonnet Creek (we love BC, too!).

As it is, if I need an extra day on cash from now on, I’ll look at Wyndham before paying a parking fee. I can get a 1BR there for not much more than an All-Star.

America has a love affair with their cars. This new policy isn’t going to end well for WDW.

 

[Chuck S]

The way I read it is this...if the room is reserved through Member Services, no charge for parking. If reserved on cash through Disney, there will be a charge. So if I have a party of 11 people, in a 2 bedroom and Grand Villa, using possibly 4 cars, no one will be charged, since it will be reserved through MS on my points.

From the DVC Member website:

Walt Disney World Resort hotel parking

Effective for reservations made on March 21, 2018 and thereafter, Guests staying at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel will be charged for standard overnight self-parking.

Similar to Disney Vacation Club Resorts in California and Hawaii, Members will not be charged for standard overnight self-parking when staying at a DVC Deluxe Villa, regardless of whether they use vacation points or another form of payment. Members also will not be charged to park when using vacation points to stay at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel.

Disney Vacation Club Members who wish to shop, dine or enjoy activities for the day at a Disney Resort hotel are not subject to the overnight self-parking fee. Charges for valet parking will still apply.

 

[Dean Marino]

Sent to Guest Relations.... no one needs to agree with us. We are not affected, as DVC owners that never drive....

"All – we are not affected, as we are DVC owners who NEVER bring a car. We fly in.
Charging for Parking at a WDW owned Resort is not the worst idea. But you SEEM to have targeted this poorly.

Your biggest problem revolves around folks trying to get out of Park Parking fees. Worst examples? The Contemporary, and Disney Springs.
But your current “overnight” charges don’t address this? I’m confused?

Now, PERHAPS your motivation is to reduce car usage, and encourage WDW Transportation usage? That’s a good idea – it’s all we ever do .
But you have not COMMUNICATED that information – leading everyone else to think that a money-grab is occurring. Perhaps Public Communications needs to do a little work?

Now – the obvious stuff that can go VERY wrong:

1) You will collect Parking fees – but what you bring in will not compensate the WDW Transportation “wing” for a vast expansion due to increased demand. This would be a classic example of corporate departmentalization – One department of an organization wins, the other loses, net effect to the Company is Negative.
2) Ever seen all of those lovely, scenic “off site” parking lots around a sports complex? Imagine if this became what folks visiting WDW first saw, upon arrival.
3) The action, combined with 60 day FP offerings to non-Disney Hotels, places Disney owned Hotels at a competitive disadvantage. Make no mistake – THESE will offer free parking.

Again – my Family is not affected. We are ONLY affected in the sense that we really want Disney to SUCCEED. The Resort Parking Issue has become a lightning Rod. It contains serious holes (example: Park Car at a Value, stay at a Deluxe. Park Car at a Park – LEAVE it there for stay duration). Now, you could solve these issues…. By vastly increasing Manpower for enforcement, and spending even MORE Money.

Folks, we are not affected – but I HATE to see Corporate Department optimization that ends up COSTING a Company. In theory, this is why Corporations have Overlord Management – to kill sub optimal solutions designed to make one department’s balance sheet look good, at the expense of the overall company. I really URGE you to look at this issue, outside of a single “Departments” chain of command. Put bluntly, I suspect this will cost Disney far more than what it will bring in, Company wide.

Best Regards


Dr. (edited)
DVC # (Deleted)"

I just hate to see a corporation cutting off it's own feet. This is a Failure of Major Management, who are there to STOP Departments from Cost Shifting to the detriment of the Corporation as a whole.

Bad move - in the end? No one will win. No one will make money. The immediate Manager that came up with this needs to be fired. He/She is no longer working for WDW. He/She is working for a sub-optimized Department.

This is a GREAT example of how Major Corporations commit suicide.

 

[ILoveMyDVC]

A Uber or Lyft to Universal is already less than a rental car + UO parking costs. With the new parking fees announcement, at Uber HQ they've probably opened a bottle of champagne

National, Hertz, Budget and Dollar are passing the box of tissues.

 

[kittyab]

I am tending to agree they want us to stay on property so we will not venture else where to shop & eat. I suspect some may just stay off site for that flexibility.

 

[MushuHill]

I usually rent thru David’s. I contacted them to ask about this new parking policy. The response I received was Aulani and California get 2 free parking passes with a room reservation secured thru DVC. It is expected at this time Disney World hotels will be the same.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Hotels everywhere charge a "resort fee" and/or a "parking fee." I don't understand the outrage. It's not like a lot of other resorts where if you don't have a car, you are stuck at the hotel all day. Disney provides transportation to and from the airport and between the parks.

Many hotels in certain locations charge resort fees and/or parking fees but it's far from everywhere. I'm an equal hater of it no matter who does and will actively seek out places that don't charge either. Just hate the nickel and diming. If we did not own DVC off site properties would have become the aim for us.

 

[The VWL Five]

Does anyone know if a DVC member staying on points in a large unit with friends, and have two cars are BOTH exempt from the fees I'd assume all cars for all people staying are exempt. I don't recall seeing any specific note saying one car per rental etc.

Thanks

 

[jodybird511]

I can tell you that, at Aulani and GCV, you get two parking spaces included.

 

[kittyab]

Hmm the fees have been removed from the main parking page.
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/parking/

But remain on the individual resort pages (for now..)

Fees are back

 

[sgtdisney]

Fees are back

Yes they sure are. They can't make up their minds.

 

[DougEMG]

I hate hotel parking and resort fees and will actively seek out hotels that don't have them. Nothing bugs me more than being nickelled and dimes to death. When we rented cars and stayed at Universal one of the things I hated was their parking fees. Renting a car and then paying to park it (most days I never used it) was so annoying.

Seems that by going to "industry standards", Disney is giving up on their "pixie dust" image. Will the day come when consumers think of DVC as just another timeshare company?

 

[bobbiwoz]

My concern is that all the negative press about these overnight parking fees is getting will affect the value of DVC in general. Going to WDW seems to be less desirable to folks now. It’s not only the resort parking fees, but this seems to be the straw that is breaking many backs.

I just completed a DVC survey about the DVC reception on DCL. After I completed the survey and thought about my answers, I was surprised at how many negative things I had to say about DVC, mainly because of negative feelings that are surfacing about WDW.

 

[n2mm]

My concern is that all the negative press about these overnight parking fees is getting will affect the value of DVC in general. Going to WDW seems to be less desirable to folks now. It’s not only the resort parking fees, but this seems to be the straw that is breaking many backs.

I just completed a DVC survey about the DVC reception on DCL. After I completed the survey and thought about my answers, I was surprised at how many negative things I had to say about DVC, mainly because of negative feelings that are surfacing about WDW.

I know how you feel! My reviews have not been good either. Today is my booking window for September. While I only have a few reservations to make, the app isn’t working, nor the website. Folks have been posting their problems too so know it’s not me. I just get irritated with planning a trip now. I know this parking cost isn’t us yet, but believe we are next, because they will find a way. This affects our friends and family, and it’s not necessary because one thing WDW has is land and space. All those other industry standard accommodations don’t have it.

 

[Chuck S]

Parking fees seem to be the norm for high tourism areas. There is ONE shopping mall in San Antonio that currently charges for parking ($8). It is River Center, it is the main tourist mall, it is downtown, it it also where to board the boat tours of the San Antonio River, it is within a block of the Alamo, Ripley's, and the convention center. Surrounded by hotels, but there are also some stores in the mall that are not available elsewhere, and the mall also houses our IMAX theater. There are also a few other paid parking venues in San Antonio, likke parking near the Majestic Theater, even the Greyhound Bus station has paid parking...so why is everyone surprised, upset that Disney is instituting it Florida? They've had it in California and Hawaii hotels for years. I do think it is a little bit on the high side though, $24 for deluxe (assuming it is a per night fee) and not a one time resort fee for the entire stay. It isn't going to have any impact on my DVC stays, and on the rare occasion I extend with a night on cash, I will usually do that at Pop Century anyway...so not a huge impact there, either.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Parking fees seem to be the norm for high tourism areas. There is ONE shopping mall in San Antonio that currently charges for parking ($8). It is River Center, it is the main tourist mall, it is downtown, it it also where to board the boat tours of the San Antonio River, it is within a block of the Alamo, Ripley's, and the convention center. Surrounded by hotels, but there are also some stores in the mall that are not available elsewhere, and the mall also houses our IMAX theater. There are also a few other paid parking venues in San Antonio, likke parking near the Majestic Theater, even the Greyhound Bus station has paid parking...so why is everyone surprised, upset that Disney is instituting it Florida? They've had it in California and Hawaii hotels for years. I do think it is a little bit on the high side though, $24 for deluxe (assuming it is a per night fee) and not a one time resort fee for the entire stay. It isn't going to have any impact on my DVC stays, and on the rare occasion I extend with a night on cash, I will usually do that at Pop Century anyway...so not a huge impact there, either.

It does not really matter “why” but on the resorts board here, the outrage is palatable. People are angry at Disney. Day parking people have gotten a pass, there apparently is still a way to bypass any parking fees, by booking a meal, leaving a car at that resort, picking it up at the end of a Disney day, and that adds to people’s frustration.

We are senior citizens, this really does not affect us except for the feeling that WDW is becoming a less desirable place to stay at for many people. Maybe that makes DVC owning more valuable, for WDW vacations, but people are also talking about taking their vacation dollars to other places.

 

[Ben E N]

Parking fees seem to be the norm for high tourism areas. There is ONE shopping mall in San Antonio that currently charges for parking ($8). It is River Center, it is the main tourist mall, it is downtown, it it also where to board the boat tours of the San Antonio River, it is within a block of the Alamo, Ripley's, and the convention center. Surrounded by hotels, but there are also some stores in the mall that are not available elsewhere, and the mall also houses our IMAX theater. There are also a few other paid parking venues in San Antonio, likke parking near the Majestic Theater, even the Greyhound Bus station has paid parking...so why is everyone surprised, upset that Disney is instituting it Florida? They've had it in California and Hawaii hotels for years. I do think it is a little bit on the high side though, $24 for deluxe (assuming it is a per night fee) and not a one time resort fee for the entire stay. It isn't going to have any impact on my DVC stays, and on the rare occasion I extend with a night on cash, I will usually do that at Pop Century anyway...so not a huge impact there, either.

The example you list is for a comparison does not apply to Disney's move. That mall in San Antonio is trying to get a cut for people leaving cars on their private property while spending money elsewhere. The same goes for parking at hotels in locations such as downtown Chicago. I have to pay something crazy like $60 to park overnight at a downtown hotel, but spend my money elsewhere, and parking is very difficult to get anywhere there.

Disney World was such a genius idea because they own miles and miles of private land, making you more or less a captive audience once you are on property. This means that unless you try really hard and go really far, you are locked into spending your money with Disney. It also means that they are free to build all the parking structures that they want if things really are a concern.

This is just a nasty money grab meant to stick it to people who are loyal enough and big enough fans of Disney to want to stay at their property. It's similar to charging your friends to use your toilet when they visit your house. Yes, you can do it, and you will probably make money off of it in the short run, but your friends will start calling you a cheapskate behind your back, and will eventually stop coming over to your house, no matter how awesome your new TV, pool table, etc may be. This move by Disney has taken me from saying "that move is reasonable for (x) reason" based on all their other changes to "they're cheapskates" with this one. It will be hard for me to view Disney in a positive light for some time after this move, and that is coming from a DVC member who isn't even personally affected by it.