Disney Resort Parking Changes

[rickandcindy23]

DVC members already pay for parking lots in their annual fees. The ones who need to pay are the day guests who fill up the MK resorts and BW parking lots and all leave after the evening show. So the guests who arrived in the afternoon or returned in the early evening to the resort they are paying to park at cannot find a parking place at all. Anyone not a registered guest should be paying to park at the resort lots. They could throw them a discount for any purchases at that resort made during the time they park, dining or shopping. Make every guest take a ticket when they enter the lot and pay based on the time they parked. At no time would it be less than the theme park parking lot fees for a half day or more. So you are parked at the Contemporary for four hours with no purchases, you pay $25 to exit the lot. If you dined at a table service restaurant with a minimum of $100, you get three hours free and pay the hourly rate for the additional hour.

I think not charging DVC owners for parking is all about selling Disney points and bragging about free parking for DVC. It is a good sales incentive for Disney.

I am glad I bought DVC a long time ago, but I bought resale. It's good to own a piece of that parking lot at SSR and OKW.

 

[rickandcindy23]

Just an FYI, I just checked a hold I have through RCI for DVC in May, SSR, and no parking fee is disclosed in the confirmation. It says mandatory fee of $190 and then on the bottom, it says mandatory fee of $95. A person could make a decent argument that the fee is $95 because of the bottom of the page and based on past experience. It was $95 the last time I went.

I would still exchange into Disney through RCI, if I got dates that worked, and I love SSR, but the parking fee would be a little painful, if indeed they charge that fee.

You would think AP holders would be exempt from any parking fees, resorts and parks. Disney loves AP holders.

 

[Venter]

I read this and think the world is going crazy. My view is that this is not about infrastructure, MF help or any of those things we all hope and think it is going towards. This is purely (I think) about the share holders and dividends etc. Too many times I read that profits are down but that it is not as if the company is in negative profits. They will then make plans to increase prices or decrease the work force. This however, is all of our fault in one way or another because, we want the cheapest price or our retirement funds to out perform everybody else's.
My hope, and this is probably day dreaming, would be for all this extra money that is essentially free, to go to the low paid workers to give them a better quality of living. If Disney or any other company for that matter, can show that this is where it goes, I would gladly pay the fee.

 

[Dean]

Just an FYI, I just checked a hold I have through RCI for DVC in May, SSR, and no parking fee is disclosed in the confirmation. It says mandatory fee of $190 and then on the bottom, it says mandatory fee of $95. A person could make a decent argument that the fee is $95 because of the bottom of the page and based on past experience. It was $95 the last time I went.

I would still exchange into Disney through RCI, if I got dates that worked, and I love SSR, but the parking fee would be a little painful, if indeed they charge that fee.

You would think AP holders would be exempt from any parking fees, resorts and parks. Disney loves AP holders.

I don't think it'd have to be disclosed to be enforceable but I wouldn't be surprised if they waived it for exchanges.

 

[Firepath]

This is from the DVC Member website:

It sounds like if you're a member and exchanging in (another form of payment), you won't have to pay for parking. But if I had to guess, I think they'll still try it. The last time I exchanged in, they just automatically charged the $190 to my account, so I imagine parking would be the same. You'd have to try to have it removed which might be easier than avoiding it in the first place.

 

[Jayco29D]

This is from the DVC Member website:
View attachment 5947
It sounds like if you're a member and exchanging in (another form of payment), you won't have to pay for parking. But if I had to guess, I think they'll still try it. The last time I exchanged in, they just automatically charged the $190 to my account, so I imagine parking would be the same. You'd have to try to have it removed which might be easier than avoiding it in the first place.

How would cast members know in advance if you are a DVC member if you are exchanging in? I would assume an exchanger was not a DVC member. It seems counterintuitive to be a DVC member and exchange in instead of using your membership. I assume the cast members probably get confused by this. It seems normal that you would need to show your DVC membership card and get the parking charge removed.

 

[vacationhopeful]

DVC owners have "Membership" cards ... nice plastic ones which has our member number on it. None of us would go to WDW without our 'card' .. those points cost a pretty penny.

 

[Firepath]

From my conversations with Cast Members when checking in and paying the $190 fee, it sounds like quite a few DVC owners also exchange in through RCI and they haven't seemed confused; but good point, that they wouldn't know unless someone told them. We don't let our DVC points go to waste, we use our RCI trades to supplement our stays on points.

 

[paxsarah]

Just an FYI, I just checked a hold I have through RCI for DVC in May, SSR, and no parking fee is disclosed in the confirmation.

It wouldn’t have to yet - I believe the date the fee goes into effect is for reservations made on or after March 21.

 

[littlestar]

How would cast members know in advance if you are a DVC member if you are exchanging in? I would assume an exchanger was not a DVC member. It seems counterintuitive to be a DVC member and exchange in instead of using your membership. I assume the cast members probably get confused by this. It seems normal that you would need to show your DVC membership card and get the parking charge removed.

They have always known that I am a member when I check in on an exchange using my Wyndham points. It states it on my paperwork. Not sure how, but they know. We occasionally exchange in - in the fall it costs 77,000 Wyndham points for a 1 bedroom so those points cost me around $450 in maintenance fees, $220 something for RCI exchange fee and $190 inbound fee. No DVC exchanges for us this year - we used all our Wyndham points internally and booked Wyndham Waikiki Beachwalk (woo hoo).

 

[presley]

I always pay for parking at DL Anaheim resorts and had no idea that they weren't charging parking fees in Florida. I see this as they are finally catching up.

 

[heathpack]

I always pay for parking at DL Anaheim resorts and had no idea that they weren't charging parking fees in Florida. I see this as they are finally catching up.

When I advertise my VGC points for rent, I always mention free parking, a $25 per night value, plus no taxes or resort fees. Who knows if it makes a difference?

 

[icydog]

They have always known that I am a member when I check in on an exchange using my Wyndham points. It states it on my paperwork. Not sure how, but they know. We occasionally exchange in - in the fall it costs 77,000 Wyndham points for a 1 bedroom so those points cost me around $450 in maintenance fees, $220 something for RCI exchange fee and $190 inbound fee. No DVC exchanges for us this year - we used all our Wyndham points internally and booked Wyndham Waikiki Beachwalk (woo hoo).

I use RCI points to trade in. However, They don't know that I am a DVC member. I always have to pay the $190 fee. Now add the fee for daily parking and it becomes much closer in $$ to using my own DVC points for a stay.

This is purely a MoneyGRAB for Disney. I hate that they are doing this to any guest, Disney Vacation Club exchanger-- or a regular hotel guest.

Money, Money, Money..!!!! Disney ought to take a look at their public persona and what it has become. They are running down the good name, and good intentions, of Walt Disney, the company founder.

 

[vacationhopeful]

It is a Magical World .. and costs a LOT of money to maintain. I know my costs just keep going UP each year. Electric, labor, INSURANCE, taxes, health care ... and these at NOT the 2% increase variety. And the older a place gets, the MORE it costs to maintain ... like my 1929 building or my 1702 era house or my 2001 pickup truck or my 59yo maintenance guy.

 

[littlestar]

Disneyworld resort parking lots cannot be compared to land scarce Disneyland or Ko
Olina resort. It is a money grab pure and simple. People are comparing prices and figuring it out.

 

[Jayco29D]

Whether Disney owns the land or not is irrelevant. From an economic perspective, there is an opportunity cost to how they can invest their money regardless of whether they own the land free and clear or not. That is no reason to justify that they should not charge for parking. It is fine to complain because people do not like something. If you do not like it, I would recommend selling your DVC points or not exchanging in or not visiting Disney anymore. There are many cheaper places to vacation if you can’t afford Disney anymore due to a $13 to $24 per night parking fee. Frankly, I have not been to Disney since I was a child. I am only going for my kids for the first time this year. As soon as we can get out of going, we will stop. We are not Disney types.

 

[littlestar]

Even Frommers thinks it is a surprising money grab:

https://www.frommers.com/blogs/pass...-for-parking-at-hotels-decreasing-their-value

 

[Jayco29D]

Even Frommers thinks it is a surprising money grab:

https://www.frommers.com/blogs/pass...-for-parking-at-hotels-decreasing-their-value

The Frommer’s article makes a good point that Disney hotels are supposed to offer a special experience and not be like others and that they are already more expensive than other area hotels. I think the way to protest would be to not stay at Disney hotels. If you are not a DVC member, I recommend staying offsite in protest of the hotel parking fee. Hit them where it hurts! Do a “Sleep Out”!

 

[alexadeparis]

IMO, you wouldn’t be able to visit Disney World withOUT a car, so why should they charge parking at all? I could see charging for the close spots maybe, but how do you get in without a car OR without staying at their complex? It makes no sense to me, either way they have your wallet in their hands. Increase the overall price if necessary, but charging for parking in that type of closed environment is penny wise and pound foolish.

 

[paxsarah]

IMO, you wouldn’t be able to visit Disney World withOUT a car, so why should they charge parking at all? I could see charging for the close spots maybe, but how do you get in without a car OR without staying at their complex? It makes no sense to me, either way they have your wallet in their hands. Increase the overall price if necessary, but charging for parking in that type of closed environment is penny wise and pound foolish.

They have a free (for now) airport transportation service and free internal transportation between the hotels and parks. It is very easy to stay at Disney World without a car. We drive because we only live seven hours away, but once we’ve picked up our groceries for the week we rarely move the car until our check-out day (the one time I had to go to urgent care for stitches notwithstanding!). People who fly in will likely choose not to rent a car, but those of us who drive are presented with a choice (in my case as someone who doesn’t own DVC it’s between still exchanging into DVC and paying one more fee, or staying on points at Bonnet Creek and paying parking at the parks instead of the resort).

 

[blondietink]

We have never visited WDW with out a car. We either drive from Buffalo, NY or rent a car when we get there. The bus system is currently so unreliable and crowded that you can easily save time by driving to the parks if you are staying onsite. The only exception is possibly Magic Kingdom.

We do have a DVC reservation booked for the fall, but we also have an overlapping reservation at Sheraton Vistana Villages because we want to also go to Universal. Thinking about cancelling our SSR reservation all together and just staying at SVV the whole time.

Comparing WDW to DL in California isn't fair. DL has very little room to spare and therefore the parking charges. However, we always stay off-site there across the street and get either free or low cost parking plus free breakfast. WDW posted record profits last quarter, something like over 1 billion dollars, so adding this parking fee is just greed. People say it will make the shareholders happy. As a shareholder, I am not happy at all. I haven't made a dime on my stock and have lost money. They also pay a lousy dividend of about $1.68 per share. None of the profits are getting down to the shareholders, so what are they doing with their record profits?

 

[bendadin]

When the exchange links in MDE, it says "RCI Exchange" and it doesn't show up on my DVC account.

 

[Jayco29D]

I just looked at my reservation confirmation for Marriott Ko Olina and the parking charge is $37 per day. That is a lot! I don't think they charge that to owners, from what I recall, so hopefully we won't be impacted. But we are used to paying outrageous parking fees and hotel taxes that adds hundreds of dollars at many resorts. It is not fun.

Disney has made many changes this year like ticket price increases, major DVC point price increases (which is driving up the resale market very quickly at some resorts), and an increase in the minimum number of points to 75 for member benefits, to name just a few that I am aware of. The parking fees seems to be the least of the increases. If I had not already bought points, including some direct points, I would be pretty pissed off about all of this! I feel like I lucked out but who knows what they have in store that may impact DVC members too.

 

[bizaro86]

@blondietink I'm also a DIS shareholder, and most of their profits are going to new investments. Things like Toy Story Land at WDW, Star Wars Land at DL, new hotels in both places, the cruise ships they just ordered, expansions at DL Paris and Shanghai, and buying the Fox movie studio and other Fox assets.

They are trying to expand fast to make up for a future decline in profits from ESPN.

 

[ljmiii]

Actually I think the parking fees have little to do with raising revenue directly. Mainly, they want to discourage people staying at their resorts from having a car. On-property resort rooms are a limited and valuable commodity - I'm sure Disney has noticed that they don't get the same dining and ticketing revenue stream from people who go off property to eat and visit other attractions.