Paid parking is coming to WDW resorts March 2018

[bluecastle]

For what it's worth, this happened today:
I just got off the phone with a GS rep from George K's office. He has responded to my emails with personalized emails, not form letters. I thanked him for that and for his persistence in finding a time for us to talk. He seemed genuinely interested in what I had to say and we shared our love of the Disney bubble. I mentioned that I was actually considering staying offsite or staying at Universal and Ubering to WDW, things that have never been part of my Disney plans before. I even told him about the Disney binder I keep where I am always planning my next trip and how all this may not be part of my life anymore. He told me that he has had conversations with many people who have the same passion for Disney and who are very upset about this. I think he was taking notes while we talked or that he planned to share the content of my email with George K. and the leadership of WDW. They do not want us to consider spending the majority of our vacation time, and money I'm sure, at the "park up the street".
I felt listened to. There was none of the industry standards or alignment lines, only listening and what felt like genuine concern. I don't want to be cynical, so I will say I am cautiously optimistic that this issue may be reconsidered. If it isn't, I plan to keep writing and calling. I hope you will join me. Also, he did mention that several people who were DVC and not affected by this, have also expressed strong opinions. They are taking notice of this! Again, thank you to all the people who are DVC or who fly and take DME who are emailing and calling!
They are listening and taking note. I hope this will lead to positive changes for their loyal guests.

 

[lucas]

Call me cynical, but I think your response is exactly what they're hoping for right now. People who currently visit 2-3x per year are clogging up the parks (from their perspective). If those people would stretch their trips apart to 1x per year or once every 2-3 years, they would be better able to accommodate the influx of first-timers who will be flocking to Orlando for Star Wars and the 50th anniversary. They don't want to completely lose people, but having the "regulars" visit a bit less often might be what they're actually trying to accomplish. Am I wrong?

I hope you are wrong. Dh and I (we don't have kids) are Florida residents living 200 miles south of WDW. We have been WDW "regulars" for 30+ years, going several times a year for all those years and we go for long weekends. We love Disney. They have gotten a lot of our money and support for all these years. And, now they don't want us and our car?!?!

 

[j2thomason]

They started only on reservations made on 3/21 or later. I have to imagine that's a pretty small number of people at this point.

And I honestly don't expect any change to how they "enforce" the day guest policy.

I checked into ASSports last night and went to the desk to ask specifically if I needed a parking pass and I was told no. I hope my car is there when I get back tonight!

 

[rteetz]

I checked into ASSports last night and went to the desk to ask specifically if I needed a parking pass and I was told no. I hope my car is there when I get back tonight!

Just missed ya! I checked out last night.

 

[j2thomason]

Just missed ya! I checked out last night.

If you saw a 2018 version of Herbert the Love Bug in the parking lot that was me!! I will be very sad if Herbert gets towed away for not having a parking pass after I went to make sure he didn't need one!

 

[AtlantaDisneyDreamer]

If you saw a 2018 version of Herbert the Love Bug in the parking lot that was me!! I will be very sad if Herbert gets towed away for not having a parking pass after I went to make sure he didn't need one!

Hm. Well that’s interesting. So do visitors also not need a parking pass? How will they track who is a day guest and who is an overnight guest? Can people who drive just tell the parking attendants that they are visiting for the day and then stay overnight?

I’m just really curious how they enforce the policies and what noticeable effect these policies have on guests- besides the obvious pocket book hit for those who admit to leaving their cars overnight.

 

[Krandor]

Hm. Well that’s interesting. So do visitors also not need a parking pass? How will they track who is a day guest and who is an overnight guest? Can people who drive just tell the parking attendants that they are visiting for the day and then stay overnight?

I’m just really curious how they enforce the policies and what noticeable effect these policies have on guests- besides the obvious pocket book hit for those who admit to leaving their cars overnight.

Very good question unless they are tracking cars leaving and re-entering the lots but then they couldn't charge overnight guests who just leave their car there for days and don't leave the lot.

Sounds like the actual implementation and enforcement of this policy hasn't really been through through.

 

[Katrina Y]

For those who care, here is what I sent Disney via email:

"Hello,

I am emailing to send my grievances over the new overnight resort parking fee being enforced March 21, 2018 and on. I am certain you have already received numerous complaints and concerns over this new fee, so I will get straight to my point. I have visited Walt Disney World as well as Disneyland and the Disney Cruise Line ever since I was a baby with my two parents and older sister. We have always found Disney World to be the most magical place on earth and always felt the increasing prices were justified by the enchanting experiences we received throughout the years. Consequently, my family has always encouraged family members, friends, peers, co-workers, even teachers to plan their own trip to Disney World. Anyone can watch a Disney World TV commercial and question whether they should vacation there or not; However, the most persuasive advertisement is shared by close family and friends. For 10 years I have proudly served as a devoted Disney fan, even converting anti-Disney individuals into Disney lovers, promoting your company. Unfortunately, this new policy has left a bad taste in my mouth. Your company once set the standards, not it is following greedy corporate standards. My family relies on a rental car to travel around your resort because it is more convenient for us. We enjoy spending time at other resorts to dine there and shop there. It is highly inconvenient for us to take a bus from our hotel to a theme park to then take another bus to one of your other hotels for us to have a good time enjoying your bar lounges, restaurants, shops, and other hotel amenities. As a young, but not naive adult, I will not encourage or recommend my fellow co-workers, peers, family members, friends, or professors to take Disney vacations like I used to. In a few short years my generation (early 20s) will be the upcoming "family generation", and I will advise them to take their families elsewhere. My family will return to the parks to experience Star Wars Land & Toy Story Land, but we will only return once every few years as opposed to 2-3x annually. In the long-term, you will completely diminish the devoted relationship your true, loyal guests/fans have for you. Thank you for your time."

Disney responded with the generic response, but they added this at the end:

"Alexandra, we appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts with us and thank you for your long time loyalty to our Theme Parks and Resorts. We look forward to welcoming you back with the opening of Toy Story Land and Star Wars: Galaxy's Edge at Disney's Hollywood Studios."

So of course they only care about the fact I'll be returning for Star Wars Land/Toy Story Land. All about the money .

I am really surprised at the response to your email. It seems pretty tacky and doesn’t address your concerns. The person that called me today was polite, caring and appeared to be interested in my thoughts and opinions. She said what others and I have told her will be reported to the top officials. I emailed Robert Chapek.

 

[Arielfan98]

I am really surprised at the response to your email. It seems pretty tacky and doesn’t address your concerns. The person that called me today was polite, caring and appeared to be interested in my thoughts and opinions. She said what others and I have told her will be reported to the top officials. I emailed Robert Chapek.

My father received the same generic response. I think phone calls warrant more authentic responses.

 

[kiki02]

Did anyone this weekend get a charge of parking fee added to their bill at checkout??????

 

[jlwhitney]

Hm. Well that’s interesting. So do visitors also not need a parking pass? How will they track who is a day guest and who is an overnight guest? Can people who drive just tell the parking attendants that they are visiting for the day and then stay overnight?

I’m just really curious how they enforce the policies and what noticeable effect these policies have on guests- besides the obvious pocket book hit for those who admit to leaving their cars overnight.

At this point there is likely no one or extremely few that just booked and are already staying. Availability for this week and next is almost zero.

It will be a while till the majority of guests booked after march 21. For a good chuck this year many reservations will not be included since booked before march 21.

 

[mshanson3121]

I see people say what would Walt say if he saw this and honestly I think his pockets would be too full to care.

Say the apologists when trying to justify Disney's greed. Somehow, Walt's very own words, tell a very different story:

“You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality.”

“You reach a point where you don’t work for money.”

“I only hope that we don't lose sight of one thing – that it was all started by a mouse.”

"Money doesn't excite me, my ideas excite me."

“When they come here, they’re coming because of an integrity that we’ve established over the years. And they drive hundreds of miles. I feel a responsibility to the public.”

"When we opened Disneyland, a lot of people got the impressions that it was a get-rich-quick thing, but they didn't realize that behind Disneyland was this great organization that I built here at the Studio, and they all got into it and we were doing it because we loved to do it."

"Disneyland is a work of love. We didn't go into Disneyland just with the idea of making money."

"We don't make movies to make money. We make money to make more movies."

"We grew to our present size almost amongst ourselves. It was not a deliberately planned commercial venture in the sense that I sat down and said that we were going to make ourselves into a huge financial octopus. We did not sit down and say to ourselves, "How can we make a big pile of dough."

"I have never been interested in personal gain or profit. This business and this studio have been my life."

“Besides, you don’t work for a dollar -you work to create and have fun.”

 

[Scifidiner]

I suspect Disney will respond to emails and calls with "interest" and "concern". Wait for the all the complaining and anger to subside, then do absolutely nothing. I would love to be wrong on this. The ONLY thing that will change their minds is if fewer people stay in WDW resorts in the future. I have always loved "the Disney bubble" but this last move may have just burst the bubble for me. The next time we go I really am strongly considering staying off site. I have this gut feeling a lot of WDW fans have crossed that threshold as well.
Let me add, I am a capitalist I love profit, my wife owns a business and I work at a for-profit company. I don't have a problem with Disney charging whatever they want. But this feels different to me, they could have easily simply raised room rates. This is like a finger in the eye," not only will we raise room rates but we're going to charge you to park as well and you idiots will still come".

 

[kiki02]

I suspect Disney will respond to emails and calls with "interest" and "concern". Wait for the all the complaining and anger to subside, then do absolutely nothing. I would love to be wrong on this. The ONLY thing that will change their minds is if fewer people stay in WDW resorts in the future. I have always loved "the Disney bubble" but this last move may have just burst the bubble for me. The next time we go I really am strongly considering staying off site. I have this gut feeling a lot of WDW fans have crossed that threshold as well.
Let me add, I am a capitalist I love profit, my wife owns a business and I work at a for-profit company. I don't have a problem with Disney charging whatever they want. But this feels different to me, they could have easily simply raised room rates. This is like a finger in the eye," not only will we raise room rates but we're going to charge you to park as well and you idiots will still come".

People will stay on property as there are just not enough rooms to affect price change - I guess. Simple supply and demand. The best you can hope for is lower rates during 'off' season::: whatever that is now. Personally going to look into Universal more often and enjoy it there from now on.

 

[kiki02]

At this point there is likely no one or extremely few that just booked and are already staying. Availability for this week and next is almost zero.

It will be a while till the majority of guests booked after march 21. For a good chuck this year many reservations will not be included since booked before march 21.

well it's a major holiday and spring break. ?

 

[jarestel]

Walt's very own words, tell a very different story

I agree with you, but the people running the Disney Company today are just not of the same caliber as Walt. It's doubtful any of them could have created anything on their own. They're just managers of other people's ideas. Unfortunately all anyone cares about today is money so they are deemed to be "successful".

 

[bluecastle]

Ryan: I hope you will not suddenly close this thread like what was done on the Resorts forum. I would like a place to continue to read what others have experienced in their phone calls and email responses. I felt like that thread was closed prematurely. I know the typical "change at Disney that we don't like" kind of thread has a limited lifespan, but this time it feels different- even if the complaints don't lead to the restoration of free parking or some tangible reward. Thanks for providing this thread!

 

[PirateSAM]

Call me cynical, but I think your response is exactly what they're hoping for right now. People who currently visit 2-3x per year are clogging up the parks (from their perspective). If those people would stretch their trips apart to 1x per year or once every 2-3 years, they would be better able to accommodate the influx of first-timers who will be flocking to Orlando for Star Wars and the 50th anniversary. They don't want to completely lose people, but having the "regulars" visit a bit less often might be what they're actually trying to accomplish. Am I wrong?

Yes you probably are. I am a once a year visitor who would drive AND stay at a deluxe resort. And I would be penalized with this parking fee.
I will not be returning, or if I were to return to Orlando for vacation, I would stay and play elsewhere. So if their goal was to reduce amusement park congestion, they can consider this my contribution. But let's be honest...this has nothing to do with park congestion or restaurant congestion or parking congestion or road congestion! This is a blatant money grab to further line their already bloated pockets!

 

[rteetz]

Ryan: I hope you will not suddenly close this thread like what was done on the Resorts forum. I would like a place to continue to read what others have experienced in their phone calls and email responses. I felt like that thread was closed prematurely. I know the typical "change at Disney that we don't like" kind of thread has a limited lifespan, but this time it feels different- even if the complaints don't lead to the restoration of free parking or some tangible reward. Thanks for providing this thread!

As long as everyone plays by the rules this thread will remain open!

 

[Farro]

Say the apologists when trying to justify Disney's greed. Somehow, Walt's very own words, tell a very different story:

“You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality.”

“You reach a point where you don’t work for money.”

“I only hope that we don't lose sight of one thing – that it was all started by a mouse.”

"Money doesn't excite me, my ideas excite me."

“When they come here, they’re coming because of an integrity that we’ve established over the years. And they drive hundreds of miles. I feel a responsibility to the public.”

"When we opened Disneyland, a lot of people got the impressions that it was a get-rich-quick thing, but they didn't realize that behind Disneyland was this great organization that I built here at the Studio, and they all got into it and we were doing it because we loved to do it."

"Disneyland is a work of love. We didn't go into Disneyland just with the idea of making money."

"We don't make movies to make money. We make money to make more movies."

"We grew to our present size almost amongst ourselves. It was not a deliberately planned commercial venture in the sense that I sat down and said that we were going to make ourselves into a huge financial octopus. We did not sit down and say to ourselves, "How can we make a big pile of dough."

"I have never been interested in personal gain or profit. This business and this studio have been my life."

“Besides, you don’t work for a dollar -you work to create and have fun.”

You should watch Walt Disney - American Experience on PBS if you haven't already. He wasn't just a great "golly-gee" kind of guy...I don't think anyone can easily dismiss the fact that the man was interested in success at all kinds of cost.