PLEASE SHARE -What is it like to resort park now?

AngiTN · Apr 19, 2018

dansdad said:
My parents and my Aunt checked out of Wilderness Lodge yesterday. They are local and made a last minute reservation after the parking fee went into effect. They knew about the fee beforehand because of me. They were not informed of it by the phone CM until after the deposit was made, just like when you book online.

When they arrived at WL via their car, told the Guard they were checking in, the Guard scanned my Dad's Magic Band and waved them through with no mention of the parking fee. They had not gotten their room number texted yet and it was around 3, so they went to the Front Desk to check in . Checked in, got their room, etc and no mention of the parking fee. They were not asked if they had a car.

They had an 8 night stay booked and my Dad left after 4 nights. He had a golf trip in Naples with some friends and was gone, with the car, for 3 nights. He came back with the car and stayed the last night.

When they checked out there was a parking fee charged for 5 nights.

Could it be done by scanning of MB to enter the gates? In their case, they'd know the days a car entered and the days they didn't, right?

dansdad · Apr 19, 2018

AngiTN said:
Could it be done by scanning of MB to enter the gates? In their case, they'd know the days a car entered and the days they didn't, right?

Just using the MB scan alone wouldn't tell the whole story because you don't have to scan to leave. They installed the plate scanners at the entrance and exit.

mickeyluv'r · Apr 19, 2018

dansdad said:
Just using the MB scan alone wouldn't tell the whole story because you don't have to scan to leave. They installed the plate scanners at the entrance and exit.

Your earlier post was very helpful! It is one of the most useful posts I've read in a long time!

It makes a great deal of sense. When the parking fee was announced, folks said the fee was just a money grab, but if you are correct, then they DID add something new!

ShirikiUtundu · Apr 19, 2018

mickeyluv'r said:
Your earlier post was very helpful! It is one of the most useful posts I've read in a long time!

It makes a great deal of sense. When the parking fee was announced, folks said the fee was just a money grab, but if you are correct, then they DID add something new!

But how does that change it from a money grab?

sbd78 · Apr 19, 2018

ShirikiUtundu said:
But how does that change it from a money grab?

They just invested in some new technology to make their money grab more successful! The plate scanners have probably already paid for themselves in parking fees.

DISNEY1975 · Apr 19, 2018

dansdad said:
No they did not.

It seems like they might actually be using the license plate reader system the installed that I described earlier in the thread. But I don't know for sure. See below.

I just dont understand how they can associate the magic band to the license plate reader. I get they know which cars are in/out etc... but how would they know that car belonged to me..especially if its a rental. And being attached to golf carts, not installed on /at the gate? Doesnt make sense to me, who works in an office building for a retail company !! What do I know :confused3

dansdad · Apr 19, 2018

DISNEY1975 said:
I just dont understand how they can associate the magic band to the license plate reader.

When you scan your Magic Band the license plate reader at the entrance gate records your plate number and adds that information to your resort folio.

DISNEY1975 said:
I get they know which cars are in/out etc... but how would they know that car belonged to me..especially if its a rental.

If it's your car, or a rental, the same plate number will be recorded every time you scan your Magic Band and attached to your resort folio.

DISNEY1975 said:
And being attached to golf carts, not installed on /at the gate?

The readers ARE installed at the entrance and exit gates. The readers on the golf carts will probably only be used if the decide to charge for day guests, not overnight guests.

DISNEY1975 · Apr 19, 2018

dansdad said:
When you scan your Magic Band the license plate reader at the entrance gate records your plate number and adds that information to your resort folio.

Unless........

DISNEY1975 · Apr 19, 2018

dansdad · Apr 19, 2018

DISNEY1975 said:
Unless........

View attachment 317778

If the plate is legal, the system can read it. There's 6 different angles to eliminate glare issues.

LadyD · Apr 20, 2018

dansdad said:
When you scan your Magic Band the license plate reader at the entrance gate records your plate number and adds that information to your resort folio.

If it's your car, or a rental, the same plate number will be recorded every time you scan your Magic Band and attached to your resort folio.

The readers ARE installed at the entrance and exit gates. The readers on the golf carts will probably only be used if the decide to charge for day guests, not overnight guests.

I do wonder what the cutoff time is to be considered an overnight charge for the car at a resort? For example, we have local friends who will come and spend the day with us at the parks when we visit WDW. There have been times where we all head back to the resort in their car to hang out in the afternoon before a dinner ADR. On more than one occasion, after some dinner and drinks, our friends have ended up leaving the hotel in the wee hours of the morning. It would be great if Disney would provide some transparency on what constitutes an overnight stay for a car.

ActingDude17 · Apr 20, 2018

I've been out of the Disney loop for a little while and am just now learning about the parking fee. It's ridiculous that overnight guests at the resorts have to pay each day they're on-site. Room/park/meal/merchandise fees are more than enough! Charging people to park outside a room they've already paid to rent is just silly. I've been so excited about planning my next trip (for probably sometime in 2019) and this is more than a little frustrating.

nascargirl · Apr 20, 2018

Following. We check into the BC 7/4-11th with a rental.

dansdad · Apr 20, 2018

nascargirl said:
Following. We check into the BC 7/4-11th with a rental.

When did you book?

Walt4ever · Apr 20, 2018

While we won't be staying onsite again any time soon to test this ourselves, I wonder for the PP who was somehow only charged for the nights the car was actually there, if the plate was scanned and attached to the MB on that first entry, then the golf carts are driven around say at 2 am or so and charging any plates that match a reservation/MB that should be charged. It seems like matching entries and exits would require a lot more efficiency from IT than they are known for and relying on nobody following you too closely on exit.

My question is, what would happen if you parked your car backwards and only had a plate on the back? Is the cart rider going to get off, walk around, and manually enter the plate into the system? We often pull thru if there is the opportunity on a double row, or if we get a spot by the resort, back in to make it easier to unload suitcases directly to sidewalk. Our state only has plates on the back of cars, so the golf cart camera wouldn't see it to register it if we didn't park "normal".

This was just so bad an idea on so many levels.

nascargirl · Apr 20, 2018

dansdad we just booked but the reservation was a cast member friend and family booking.

dansdad · Apr 20, 2018

nascargirl said:
dansdad we just booked but the reservation was a cast member friend and family booking.

Okay. Then unfortunately, you will be subject to the parking fee.

meghanb133 · Apr 20, 2018

I stayed overnight at all star sports 2 weeks ago. We went to the gate, didn’t have our magic band on hand and gave our ID at the gate, she didn’t scan it, and waved us through. We did get charged overnight parking as expected but no one asked us at check in about a car or even mentioned it.. I don’t know how they would associate a car with a name especially for those using a rental.

Jennasis · Apr 20, 2018

meghanb133 said:
I stayed overnight at all star sports 2 weeks ago. We went to the gate, didn’t have our magic band on hand and gave our ID at the gate, she didn’t scan it, and waved us through. We did get charged overnight parking as expected but no one asked us at check in about a car or even mentioned it.. I don’t know how they would associate a car with a name especially for those using a rental.

Farro · Apr 20, 2018

Jennasis said:

I was just frightened because his hair looks like mine and for a split second I saw me. :eek:

PLEASE SHARE -What is it like to resort park now?

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