2020 Parking Fee Increase at Disney World Hotels
With the release of 2020 vacation packages, Walt Disney World has rolled out several price increases today. In addition to the Annual Pass and Dining Plan Price Increases we reported earlier, now parking fees at resort hotels are going up. In this post, we’ll take a look at old versus new pricing, and offer some thoughts.
Standard overnight self-parking is available to registered Walt Disney World on-site resort guests for a fee that will be applied to their hotel folio upon check-out. All parking fees listed below include applicable tax.
Note that the Walt Disney World resort parking fee is different from the parking fee at the four theme parks. Additionally, this fee only applies to overnight guests. Those parking at a resort for Advance Dining Reservations will not be assessed a parking fee.
Here are the Standard Overnight Parking charges per Resort Category:
For reservations made before June 18, 2019 for arrivals in 2019 or 2020:
- Disney Value Resorts: $13 per night
- Disney Moderate Resorts: $19 per night
- Disney Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resorts: $24 per night
For reservations made June 18, 2019 and thereafter for arrivals in 2020:
- Disney Value Resorts: $15 per night
- Disney Moderate Resorts: $20 per night
- Disney Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resorts: $25 per night
Complimentary standard parking is available to Guests staying at the Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort. Each campsite provides parking space for one (1) motorized vehicle.
First, a couple of things to note here. This does not apply to guests staying on Disney Vacation Club points (and that includes non-members renting DVC points). That’s not due to generosity on Walt Disney World’s part–your maintenance fees cover the cost of those parking lots, so you’ve been paying for parking since the beginning.
Second, if you are not parking a car at a Walt Disney World resort but are using a Lyft or Uber, we recommend not using your MagicBand to gain entry at your resort’s security gate. I’m not sure if this always triggers the parking fee, but in our (extensive) experience, it very often does.
We’ve had to go down to the front desk to have the parking fee removed more times than I can count. It’s always a painless process, but it’s a hassle. Calling the “front desk” from your room won’t resolve the problem, as you’ll be routed to a remote call center ill-equipped to handle issues like this.
In terms of commentary, I actually have to admit I’m surprised by this. The Annual Pass and Disney Dining Plan price increases could be seen coming a mile away. (Ditto the inevitable increases to parking fees at the theme parks, rack rates at hotels, and snack prices.)
However, resort parking is a different story. When this was first announced last year, it was met with an impassioned reaction. Just check out our New Overnight Parking Fees for Walt Disney World Hotel Guests post and its 300 comments. (Spoiler alert: they are 99%+ against the parking fees.)
We’ve documented a lot of price increases at Walt Disney World over the years. Unsurprisingly, there has never been an overall positive reaction to any of them, but that’s sort of the nature of the beast. Few people will happily pay more for the same product they previously purchased. Sure, there are the ardent Disney brand evangelists who perform mental gymnastics to justify the increases to themselves (and others). By and large, there’s always at least some degree of grumbling about price increases.
Usually, what happens is that once people get the complaining out of their systems, they go about their vacation habits as normal. Some people are unfortunately priced out, but in our (admittedly anecdotal) observations, they represent a minority of guests. And if attendance trends are any indication, those who are priced out are replaced by (more) new guests.
The reaction to the resort parking fee felt different. It was more emotional than normal. My overarching assessment (again, anecdotal) of the feedback is that Walt Disney World fans are generally comfortable paying more for a premium experience, but are fed up with being nickel and dimed.
It struck me as a tipping point for many long-time fans, and I think the grassroots ‘campaigns’ on social media and crowd-sourced review sites reflected this. Walt Disney World was inundated with a barrage of 1-star reviews on Facebook, TripAdvisor, and elsewhere, with many pointing to this fee. It seemed like a bridge too far for a lot of fans, and I wondered whether the revenue was truly worth all of the outrage and damage to the brand’s reputation.
Yet, here we are again, just over a year later…and for price increases of only $1-2. What’s the point? Why reignite a controversial issue that has finally (for the most part) been put to bed? Perhaps someone in Walt Disney World management didn’t consider the fallout from last year’s parking fee rollout. Perhaps they did, but view the added revenue as being worth the controversy. Perhaps my anecdotal observations are entirely off, and guests who swore they’d never stay on-site again booked hotel stays anyway. Whatever the case, I’m surprised to see Walt Disney World bring attention to its resort parking fees, and am myself curious as to what the reaction will be here.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
Your Thoughts
What do you think about the overnight resort parking fees at Walt Disney World? Do you agree or disagree with our assessment? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing feedback about your experiences is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments! Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
Just seen this and feel its is a little sad. Big corporates are just too greedy nowadays. We are in the UK and would like to come over but something like this makes it even more difficult. Lets face it someone from the UK is going to want to do Disney and Universal so for say 7 days you will now have to pay double as going to the other parks will cost parking too on top of this new charge. 100% we would now plan for a villa, free parking, can save a bit on food but still eat out if you want and no parking charges other than whichever park you go to so no brainer. Before you could have paid a bit extra for a Disney hotel but you might have got a meal plan to save a bit and the free parking so for days in Disney you would not have paid and therefore offset the higher hotel cost a bit. Now there is no point in this so a bit sad all round. Even when you look at the ticket cost nowadays its steep. Ahhh I remember when it was $2 for every £1. Now that made it a bit better.
Hi Tom! We usually stay at a Walt Disney World Resort but last year we decided to reserve at a really nice hotel only 15 minutes away by car. The room was huge compared to those at Disney, there was free breakfast and free parking, really nice employees, and a wonderful pool. On top of all that we paid about half of what we would have paid on Disney property. Disney bosses better remember that there is competition next door.
The current corporate bosses are money hungry.
They are charging more as the quality seems to be getting lower. 4 hour wait on rides!
I agree with you that this new fee feels different from other price increases; I agree that it feels “a bridge too far”.
You’re already paying a premium price to stay at a Disney hotel, and now they’re charging for parking as well? Disney World is not strapped for land (like, for example, a New York City hotel), so it’s hard to justify the additional cost … unless you drop all pretenses of Magic and tell the truth: This fee is avarice. It’s a grasping, money-grubbing, selfish move on Disney’s part.
Those of us who drive cars are already not getting many of the benefits of staying at a Disney resort. We don’t use many of the “free” services that are of course included in the price we pay such as airport transport and bus rides to parks and Disney Springs. But we are being asked to pay more than others by having to pay for parking. It is totally unfair. We should get a discount for not using Disney’s gasoline & vehicle expenses, not tying up the lines at buses, airports, etc…instead we have to pay more? We don’t even need the free parking at Disney Parks, we could ride the skyway and monorail and buses like everyone else, but when we drive our self it is a benefit to Disney and should be rewarded, NOT charged an extra fee EACH NIGHT to park at the hotel. Especially since if we live closer we’d be more inclined to come frequently, they shouldn’t make us so mad we don’t want to. We are using less and being charged more…it is infuriating.
I haven’t been to WDW in a few years, but was planning a trip in 2020. We stay on site, so just noticed there’s now a nightly parking fee assessed and added to your final bill. My question is does that resort parking pass still allow you to park with no fee at the WDW parks?
Yes, you can still park free at the parks since you are a Disney hotel guest.
All of the price increases make me very sad. We have visited Disney World every year for 14 years and some years multiple times a year, even though we do not live in Florida. We had annual passes for 2 years and loved every minute of our family time at WDW. We will no longer purchase annual passes and I doubt we will visit at all with all of the price increases. We love Disney World, but there are other things in life we would like to do besides spend so much money at Disney. It makes me sad for those families that absolutely cannot afford to visit. There are so many children whose parents will never be able to afford a trip to Disney World because it keeps getting farther and farther away from their reach. What a shame.
If you have a dining reservation at a resort, park for free and stay there past the few hours window, what happens? Do they just charge you for parking on your way out?
Thank you. I meant to say “resort parking fee”. The hotel we’re staying at has no resort fees or parking fees and it’s 8 minutes from Disney Springs.
What about handicap are they still freest resort
If you have a valid handicapped permit, there is no charge for parking. My daughter has one. I called disability guest services when the parking charges first came out. Just be sure you tell them at check-in.
Disney goers there is no fee for handicap guests, you must have a valid sticker/hang tag for your automobile! I’m also taking a print out to take to the front desk upon check in or check out! Have a magical trip and safe travels.
What do you mean by “print out?” We have a placard which we will display and tell them upon check-in, but what kind of print-out do we need?
I’m not surprised they’ve increased parking fees, only surprised that they haven’t extended it to Disney Springs yet.
For every person who says enough is enough there are plenty more prepared to pay.
Thanks, Tom, for the heads up on parking charges even if you don’t have a car with you!
I am DVC and the past two visits, I have stayed off points one night to experience a discounted moderate resort. Each time I have paid for parking no matter how much I complained to the front desk or anyone. I was not staying on points, which was the problem? I actually paid money for my room. But if DVC members do not have to pay for parking at Deluxe resorts staying on points, why should we have to pay at any resort whether on or off points if our annual dues are paying for parking/parking lots? This should be reworded somehow to state DVC do not have to pay whether on or off points at any resort, Deluxe, Moderate, or Value. Glad to know I can visit for a day though and not be charged or turned away which I should not since I am DVC. I liked visiting for a day trip one or two of the deluxe resorts to hang, shop, eat, etc. I pay annual dues so should not be turned away. In crowded conditions (festivals) I am asked to valet. Ridiculous. The magic is leaving. I am downgrading my AP this year and will only visit maybe twice compared to six times last year. Not paying their price. I will vacation in the mountains.
you are not charged at DVC resorts, because your annual dues pay for the dvc parking lots (so you have already paid). The fees they charge for the other hotels, is what covers maintenance on the other resort parking lots. Not a great reason, but that’s all i know
We visited WDW in December 2018 and I didn’t have to pay parking fees because I had booked it before they originally instituted that policy. I rent a car because I like to be able to park hop and eat at a variety of WDW restaurants and having a car makes it so much easier. I also hate Magical Express. I was not that excited about going to WDW in December, but my daughter really wanted to go. The trip was okay. We have been a lot of times, and I’m pretty much over WDW. The thing that annoys me about the parking thing was that they said they were doing it to be in line with industry standard. If that is the case, then their hotel room prices should be similar to industry standard. They are priced way above, which I think is the biggest issue with tacking parking fees on top of that. The only place I don’t mind paying the resort fee (that includes parking) is Vail. There really is no parking there, so paying the fee makes sense to me. Over the last few years, we have branched out to different types and places of vacations and are enjoying it much more.
Tammi, I couldn’t agree more. I paid the inflated Disney prices for years, feeling that they were somewhat fair, given there were no parking or resort fees. These additional fees invite comparisons with off-site accommodations. It’s shocking how much off-site accommodation value you can get for the price of an on-site moderate resort. It bears mentioning that theming and amenities have slowly whittled down at many resorts. (I used to love renting a boat on the Sassagoula at Riverside). I still love many things about the parks and resorts, but I’m also communicating with my dollars and only paying for the portions that represent my idea of a fair value.
I will continue to stay off site unless I get a timeshare trade. The cost of parking is greedy at the resorts. I get it for the parks. Soon Disney Springs will charge too. Then we will go bac to AP at Universal.
How dare a company try to make money! Do you all really think that these park expansions, new hotels, new restaurants, and new transportation options are free to build? Yes, it always sucks to have to pay more, but look at how much more Disney World has to offer than even ten years ago! If it’s lost it’s magic for you, then by all means, spend your money elsewhere. Just shut up about it and let the rest of us who still appreciate these magical offerings enjoy the less crowded parks due to your tantrums!
Agree 100%. Everybody’s free to close the door behind them on their way out…..the parting shots are so unnecessary.