Premium Parking Coming to WDW Theme Parks

[keith_h 420]

2 hours ago, ceemike...Mike & Judy said:

Went to Universal on Tuesday to see Star Wars in 3D. Won't bore you with the details of why we couldn't go to Disney Springs and get free parking. We had to pay $20 to park in the Universal parking garage and the attendant offered us Premium Parking on the first floor for "only $10 more".  Looks like Disney would be late coming to the Premium Parking game.  I read the Disney may also start charging a $15/night resort fee to cover things like the Magical Express, Magic Bands, wifi, hotel parking, and other things that have until now been included with your room fee.  It's just sad.   

The price went up. When we were there last November it was only $5 more to upgrade the parking. We didn't bother as we were just as close as the people at the back of the premium parking. We got there early enough to be at the front of the cheap seats.

[Seals 111]

They just put in preferred parking at Dollywood last year, I think. Their tram system is pretty good and we often walk from the closest lot (after the handicapped and RV lots). But for comparison:

Standard Parking

Parking for all standard length vehicles is $12; oversize length vehicles such as RVs and trailers are $18. Trams provide transportation to the Front Gate. However, parking is FREE if you purchase a Dollywood Gold Season Pass.

RV Parking

Parking for RVs and oversize vehicles is $18. This allows you to park your RV in our "Permit Parking" lot. Trams provide transportation to the Front Gate. RV parking lot is not available for overnight parking or camping.

Preferred Parking

Preferred parking is $25; Gold Passholders receive a $12 discount. Make the most of your family's visit to Dollywood with no tram rides, a separate ticket window to purchase tickets and season passes, and an exclusive entrance to the park. 

Valet Parking

Valet parking is $38; Gold Passholders receive a $12 discount. Guests can purchase valet parking at the parking booths upon arrival or at the valet drop-off/pickup location at the main entrance. With a 15-minute notice, valets can assist with expedited departure for guests by having vehicles back at the valet parking drop-off.

[LONE-STAR 370]

16 hours ago, FEARtheEERS said:

We usually skip the tram and walk.  Mostly because we have a stroller and it's a bear to hold onto that and 3 little sets of hands.  If you don't try to rush, I don't think the walk in is bad at any of the lots.  

I agree  we always walk and beat the trams most of the time.

[Starbuc71 162]

IM OVER IT!!!!!!  It's all about the almighty dollar. It's not like Disney is not making money and filling their pockets.  They are just like politics. They are driving the middle class out. The only difference is they are not letting the jobless and lazy people that work the system get in for free.  First was the increase in campsites to go over the $100 a night mark. Then was the increase in ticket prices then another increase in ticket prices.   Then the stupid fee for rapid fill mugs. Then another increase in tickets. Then a crazy more expensive AP tier system. Then an increase in TIW card. Then a tiered price for single day tickets depending on the time of year. Now preferred parking at an additional cost and the rumors of a resort fee on the horizon?  I'm done with Disney. We will continue to camp from time to time at the fort, but that is as far as it goes. Who do these a holes think they are?  An average family cannot afford to go to Disney anymore. Kudos to Busch entertainment. You can buy a single day ticket to one of their parks and receive a free water park ticket. Plus this allow you to come back to both parks anytime for a full year. Maybe they are hurting unlike Disney, but you get so much more for your buck. These parks have quadruple the amount of rides and attractions. Next we will see political rally's at the parks since mainly the rich are the only ones ho can afford to go there. I am so mad and pissed off. Mickey Mouse can officially kiss my butt

[twiceblessed....nacole 433]

1 minute ago, Starbuc71 said:

IM OVER IT!!!!!!  It's all about the almighty dollar. It's not like Disney is not making money and filling their pockets.  They are just like politics. They are driving the middle class out. The only difference is they are not letting the jobless and lazy people that work the system get in for free.  First was the increase in campsites to go over the $100 a night mark. Then was the increase in ticket prices then another increase in ticket prices.   Then the stupid fee for rapid fill mugs. Then another increase in tickets. Then a crazy more expensive AP tier system. Then an increase in TIW card. Then a tiered price for single day tickets depending on the time of year. Now preferred parking at an additional cost and the rumors of a resort fee on the horizon?  I'm done with Disney. We will continue to camp from time to time at the fort, but that is as far as it goes. Who do these a holes think they are?  An average family cannot afford to go to Disney anymore. Kudos to Busch entertainment. You can buy a single day ticket to one of their parks and receive a free water park ticket. Plus this allow you to come back to both parks anytime for a full year. Maybe they are hurting unlike Disney, but you get so much more for your buck. These parks have quadruple the amount of rides and attractions. Next we will see political rally's at the parks since mainly the rich are the only ones ho can afford to go there. I am so mad and pissed off. Mickey Mouse can officially kiss my butt

I could be wrong.. but my guess is Disney is trying to keep people away.   The crowds are insane and (typically) most rooms are paid for each night so... Disney has decided to keep making money (by charging more), but hopefully cut down on crowds which (ultimately) saves them money as it's less wear-n-tear on the properties and if the crowds are less, fewer dollars spent on staff.  Could be wrong...but, that's my thought.   Sad though as things have reallly changed these past 5 years; of course, the entire world has changed...  

[caveat lector 181]

Clark griswold had it right. Park in the back, first to get out at the end of the day.

im happy they are going to extort more money from someone that isn't me.

[articfox676 11]

My thoughts on parking is they want resort guests to use Disney Transportation.  Why not you are dropped off closest to the entrance.  We are surprised by how many resort guests drive to the parks. 

 

 

[Cortezcapt (Derek) 156]

My thoughts on parking is they want resort guests to use Disney Transportation.  Why not you are dropped off closest to the entrance.  We are surprised by how many resort guests drive to the parks. 

 

 

We drive to some of the parks. One thing with a wheelchair chair and I would imagine strollers it is often times easier to drive then it is to take the bus. We also like to stop by other resorts on our way to or from the parks and it's a lot easier to drive.

Then sometimes we only use Disney transportation. If there no set plans and it's just a leisurely day we may take a launch to the contemporary and the monorail to the MK or switch over the the Epcot monorail. Maybe a bus home or to the poly for lunch and then a boat to the MK and boat back to the Fort. All depends on our moods and plans.

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[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

We use the buses with the ECV. It is way too heavy to lift in and out of the truck on a daily basis to drive to the parks. 

[Retired and Happy (Ken) 101]

I think DIT has the right idea.  Boycott WDW, buy a farm and start your own resort and petting zoo.

 

[Katman1356...Jason 1,140]

I wonder if they are offering the preferred parking option because of the fact a lot of people still inquire about the AAA parking pass and were willing to buy those off of Ebay when they were around. 

 

As far as the resort refillable mugs mentioned above those always had a fee. I cant find the exact pricing but I know we bought them back in 2009 and I want to say they were $12.99 a piece, for length of stay. People were coming back with the old ones though and stealing the soda by using with out paying for them so they came up with a way to lock them down. At first the mugs had a variable pricing option depending on how long you wanted them for. As of some time last year they now are $15.99 for 14 days. I am sorry that the prices went up a bit but Disney is a business and when things are getting stolen from a business they get a lock put on them. 

[mouseketab.....Carol 1,261]

The refillable mugs have been around since at least 1997. They were around 9.99 back then.

[djsamuel 322]

2 hours ago, mouseketab.....Carol said:

The refillable mugs have been around since at least 1997. They were around 9.99 back then.

Our first ones were from 1996 and purchased at the Polynesian for Disney's 25th anniversary.  At the time, they were unlimited use regardless of where you were staying.  In fact, we had a manager at Captain Cookes ask us if we were interested.  We told him that we lived in the area so we were not overnight guests at the resort.  He said that was fine, these cups were not time limited but were only good at the Polynesian.  We ended up with cups from the Polynesian, Grand Floridian, Port Orleans and Wilderness Lodge, each purchased after confirming with the location that we could bring those cups back.  And we did so for years, even after the designs changed at which point we would purchase new cups.  We were told at the time the theory was the few people would keep coming back, and if they did, we would be purchasing food.  Of course that was back when Roaring Forks had the delicious Turkey dinner every Sunday, and a lot of people would come just for that.  Once the new system came out, we stopped using them since the system obviously changed.  We did see a few people arguing that they paid for the cups after being told they could bring them back; but we figured we certainly got our money's worth.

A friend involved with food and beverage management at Disney told me the issue that lead to the current "chip in a cup" system came from Coke.  If you notice, only coke products use the chip, coffee and tea do not.  I don't know what the promotional deal is that Coke has with Disney, but apparently Disney pays very little for the soda syrup.  Coke wanted the consumption controlled more, hence the current system.  Not sure how accurate that is, so take it with a grain of salt. :)

[Travisma 1,317]

Went to EPCOT and the MK yesterday.  Both places had premium parking in place... $35.

of course we opted out of it using our APs for free regular parking, but at EPCOT, they asked if we wanted to upgrade. That was around 10.

We were heading towards a decent spot in the lot (D) after the tree line and suddenly instead of parking us in a row that was already 1/2 filled they diverted us to a new row, so we were parked 3rd from the end.

We went to the MK around 4 and we got parked in Zurg the first lot behind/adjacent to the handicapped lot.  Just a very short walk to the transportation center.

No need yesterday for the up charge.

PS, EPCOT was not crowded at all, and the MK was manageable.

[Cortezcapt (Derek) 156]

Went to EPCOT and the MK yesterday.  Both places had premium parking in place... $35.

of course we opted out of it using our APs for free regular parking, but at EPCOT, they asked if we wanted to upgrade. That was around 10.

We were heading towards a decent spot in the lot (D) after the tree line and suddenly instead of parking us in a row that was already 1/2 filled they diverted us to a new row, so we were parked 3rd from the end.

We went to the MK around 4 and we got parked in Zurg the first lot behind/adjacent to the handicapped lot.  Just a very short walk to the transportation center.

No need yesterday for the up charge.

PS, EPCOT was not crowded at all, and the MK was manageable.

Could you tell or see where they were the premium parking was?

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[Travisma 1,317]

Didn't see any designated places. But at the MK I don't think we could've been closer without a handicapped tag.  Maybe it's in the hero's side.

[pezheadval 32]

On 3/10/2016 at 9:14 PM, Beckers said:

All the theme parks around here offer better parking for an upcharge and most don't offer trams (but we aren't talking lots the size of Disney either.) sesame place had the worst parking lot ever (nothing but pot holes). 

That's like Great Adventure's parking lot.  It's a mess!  I keep thinking that they will fill some of the pot holes on the off season...Nope!  

[Beckers 1,136]

1 hour ago, pezheadval said:

That's like Great Adventure's parking lot.  It's a mess!  I keep thinking that they will fill some of the pot holes on the off season...Nope!  

Their lot has always sucked too! My DH and I met there working as teens and haven't stepped a foot back there in a long, long, long time. 

[ceemike...Mike & Judy 50]

While we were going thru the Epcot toll booth yesterday, an 18 wheeler pulling a fully loaded car hauler pulled up to the toll booth, went through and then took the turn to leave the parking lot.  The parking CM probably wanted to charge him $20 for every car on the trailer.  Because, with Disney, there ain't no such thing as a free lunch. 

[rjpete 8]

On 4/4/2016 at 11:23 PM, ceemike...Mike & Judy said:

While we were going thru the Epcot toll booth yesterday, an 18 wheeler pulling a fully loaded car hauler pulled up to the toll booth, went through and then took the turn to leave the parking lot.  The parking CM probably wanted to charge him $20 for every car on the trailer.  Because, with Disney, there ain't no such thing as a free lunch. 

Sounds like the new policy is already in effect. Don't let a single dime slip by.

[keith_h 420]

On 4/5/2016 at 0:23 AM, ceemike...Mike & Judy said:

While we were going thru the Epcot toll booth yesterday, an 18 wheeler pulling a fully loaded car hauler pulled up to the toll booth, went through and then took the turn to leave the parking lot.  The parking CM probably wanted to charge him $20 for every car on the trailer.  Because, with Disney, there ain't no such thing as a free lunch. 

Nah. That was their new valet parking offering.