New Overnight Parking Fees for Disney World Hotels
Walt Disney World has announced that it will charge hotel guests for overnight parking. Rates will vary by resort tier, with Vale Resorts charging $13/night, Moderate Resorts will be $19/night, and Deluxe Resorts $24/night. Valet parking at Deluxe/Villa resorts will increase to $33/night. Disney Vacation Club guests staying on points or paying cash at Deluxe Villas will not pay for overnight self-parking.
Note that this does not impact free parking for Annual Passholders at the theme parks, nor does it impact those visiting a resort hotel for dinner or shopping. (Although we wouldn’t be surprised to see purchase validation soon required for resort visitors.) Guests staying at campsites in Fort Wilderness will not pay for overnight parking. It’s presently unclear whether drivers with valid disability parking permits will be charged (we’ll update the post later about this once we receive clarification).
The new Walt Disney World parking charge applies to guests who book reservations on or after March 21, 2018. The one positive in this news is that if you book a reservation today or in the next week–even for a trip in December–you won’t be subject to the new parking cost. So that’s at least one way to postpone the sting of this new fee for a little while longer.
Walt Disney World has indicated that this change is to bring their Florida hotels more in line with industry standards. Disney Springs Resort Area Hotels, the Swan & Dolphin, Universal Orlando on-property hotels, and most Orange County Convention Center area-hotels charge for overnight parking.
During our recent stays at the Disney Springs hotels, we noticed pricing around $20/night (+/- $5), which was fairly surprising given the surplus of space. The swamps of Florida are not exactly San Francisco or New York City, where the space is limited and has a high per square foot real estate value.
Known for its “blessing of size,” Walt Disney World fans have long thought that there are certain lines Disney wouldn’t cross, with parking and resort fees being one. We can empathize with the many fans who are frustrated by this, but to them we’d also say that it’s going to get worse before it gets better.
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is basically a license for Walt Disney World to print money. We’ve said that before, but perhaps it needs to be reiterated. It will draw historic crowds to Florida, many of whom will be first-time visitors or lifelong Star Wars fans willing to pay just about any price to live out childhood dreams. As demand is about to soar, you can expect prices for just about anything at Walt Disney World to increase.
This is particularly true with supply-limited items, such as hotel rooms, parking, and theme park capacity (tickets). Obviously, we’re not fans of paying more to visit Walt Disney World, either, but it’s a reality we all must face.
While we’ve historically been quite averse to Walt Disney World’s various cash-grab up-charge offerings, we’re actually becoming a bit amenable to them, as they represent optional ways to pay more, rather than necessary ones that impact all guests equally.
If Disney management has certain revenue projections that they are attempting to hit (and they certainly do) through a mix of optional and mandatory price increases and upcharges, we prefer the ones we can avoid. This is sort of where we’re at with the parking fee: it makes us cringe, but at the same time, if it’s in lieu of an across the board hotel rate increase of, for example, $10/night, we’ll take it.
Since Walt Disney World operates by the same laws of supply and demand and consumer price sensitivity as every other business, it stands to reason that this fee will impact both future rate increases (slowing them slightly) and guest behavior (pushing more people off-site or causing them to skip rental cars). The latter means a decline in hotel demand–but that will be more than offset by the coming increase in demand once Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge opens.
As such, we’re sure there are still significant hotel price increases coming between now and 2020, but minimizing those to the greatest degree possible via optional fees (in other words, not resort fees, which are anti-consumer and really should draw more scrutiny from the FTC) would be our preference.
We’ve written articles (here on page 2 and here) that delve into the current hot economy and its impact on Walt Disney World, so we won’t rehash those here. Suffice to say, record-high consumer confidence and new projects that will be huge guest draws is a perfect storm for higher prices at Walt Disney World.
Interest in those additions is unlikely to subside until well after Walt Disney World’s 50th Anniversary in 2021, but the same cannot be said for the economy. That cooling off has its own set of negative ramifications for guests, but one silver lining is that it will also cool off Disney’s pricing trends.
Other than that, we don’t really know what else to say about this news of overnight parking fees for Walt Disney World guests. It’s understandably frustrating, especially for long-time fans who have experienced a noticeable shift in policies and practices. While Disney has always been a business, there’s was a time when it felt like a responsible one that tried to balance shareholder interests with guests ones, adding value that was commensurate with added costs. Maybe that was never the case, and maybe it still is.
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 new overnight 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!
Disney has turned into the biggest greed filled corporation out there, making billions in profits, raising ticket prices and packing every year, yet they and the crooks who are in that union give the employees a 50 cents raise??? Most of the employees can not ever afford to stay in the hotels they work in, nor can they dine at the restaurants because of the low wages. How about all the illegal Hispanics and Haitians they hire as contractors to clean and be laborers, they don’t have drivers licenses or social security cards yet Disney hire them all the time. Who you think cleans up the fancy hotels at night? Take a look sometimes, they can’t even speak English. Florida allows companies like Disney to take advantage of the local American residents and they sure do take advantage of that. Do you think Disney donates any money to help unfortunate people? NO they force their employees to all donate. It’s a shame how GREED has taken over their so called magic.
This is ridiculous. But, I’m not surprised to see how the greed is just oozing out of Disney at an ever increasing rate. I’m sure that soon there will be a charge for a “Bus Pass”, “Monorail Pass”, “Gondola Pass”, etc. Oh, they’ll dress them up with wording like “Buzz Lightyear Buzz Pass”, Goofy’s Gondola Pass” or Mickey’s Magical Monorail Pass” to try and generate that good feeling you should be getting for spending your money. Between Disney’s price increases and upcharge trickery and their ever increasing desire to put their two cents worth on political and social issues of the day…, it just isn’t as much fun of an company as it used to be to support with my money. Maybe Disney needs to make a Pixar movie about the killing of the goose that laid the golden eggs.
My feelings on any Disney price increase: “Ray. People will come, Ray. They’ll come to Iowa for reasons they can’t even fathom. They’ll turn up your driveway not knowing for sure why they’re doing it. They’ll arrive at your door as innocent as children, longing for the past. “Of course, we won’t mind if you look around”, you’ll say, “It’s only $20 per person”. They’ll pass over the money without even thinking about it: for it is money they have and peace they lack….”. Charge what you want Disney…I’ll scrap and save whatever it takes..even if it means going once every two years.
Champ you got that right. Disney has turned into the biggest greed filled corporation out there, making billions in profits, raising ticket prices and packing every year, yet they and the crooks who are in that union give the employees a 50 cents raise??? Most of the employees can not ever afford to stay in the hotels they work in, nor can they dine at the restaurants because of the low wages. How about all the illegal Hispanics and Haitians they hire as contractors to clean and be laborers, they don’t have drivers licenses or social security cards yet Disney hire them all the time. Who you think cleans up the fancy hotels at night? Take a look sometimes, they can’t even speak English. Florida allows companies like Disney to take advantage of the local American residents and they sure do take advantage of that. Do you think Disney donates any money to help unfortunate people? NO they force their employees to all donate. It’s a shame how GREED has taken over their so called magic.
I have been a pretty good loyal customer bringing up my kids and taking them often to Disney World but I have felt the annual price increase every year is starting to make it difficult to bring my family very often. I literally just cancelled a trip to San Francisco today because I finally got fed up with the price of rooms with some of the prices I encountered for parking. Some even had started charging so called resort fees which makes you look like a fool if you pay it because you get nothing for it, it’s a 100% scam or con. I literally stopped going to LasVegas because of that fee. Just not going to be a idiot. So if Disney brings that in, I think I truly will be gone.
I am highly frustrated with this news! We always drive. Prices for everything are already incredibly overpriced. Our trip in December of last year was a big disappointment: non-clean resort room at CBR, very disappointed with mousekeeping, dirty restaurants, terribly disgusting bathrooms at the parks, extremely long lines, dealing with fast passes, so crowded couldn’t even enjoy the atmosphere let alone ride rides, rude cast members, drunk men in Epcot that cast members nor security did anything about, and the list could go on and on. Disney is NOT what it used to be. I’m glad my family visited the real Disney because that Disney is long gone. It’s very sad. It’s already incredibly expensive…now charge parking fees at the resort hotels?! Penalize me for driving?! Ridiculous! Shame on Disney. It’s no longer a magical place, just a money hungry greedy place!
We stayed on property (Delux resort) for 3 nights of our December 2017 visit, and stayed off-site for two nights. Off the property, our room was so much larger and nicer, and it came with an extensive and free breakfast buffet. Our kids preferred that buffet to the one that cost us nearly $100 in Animal Kingdom. We all agreed that we would plan to stay off site for our next trip for at least a few nights, but now I wonder if we might stay off site for the entire stay. Star Wars will be a draw for us, but for what we spent on our last trip, we could all go to Europe for a week. Rather than regular returns, Disney does seem to be pricing itself into the “once in a lifetime” category for most travelers. While completely their right to do so, and if their profits are increased, understandable, the cost is simply too high for me to consider WDW a trip I’ll plan to take more than maybe once (with kids) or twice (if we are blessed with grand kids) again in my lifetime.
That settles it. Was twice a year. Then once a year. Now it will be every three years and then probably every five years, until we can not afford WDW AT ALL. I feel betrayed!
I think it will be interesting to see how this affects overcrowding on Disney transportation. If Disney encourages no cars, rental or personal, when people are staying at Disney resorts, they gotta get from Point A to Point B somehow. I think it may be a compounded nightmare.
This is so unfortunate. I had heard rumors of this coming, but I am astounded by the amount per day. $33 a day? $24 a day? That’s an amazingly high number and I find it insulting that had I paid for a reservation through Disney, staying at the most expensive deluxe resort, I am rewarded with exorbitant parking fees. To be clear, the Disney resorts do have “on property” magic, but we all know you get more for your money off property. Using area hotels as a touchstone for parking fees being the norm is not a fair comparison since disney hotels are hundreds more for smaller rooms. The hundreds more should include some benefits…like free parking at any resort or park. In the past that small reward of “free parking” at the parks and hotel felt like a perk for taking the plunge and paying WAY more to stay on property. The “free” parking at the resort & parks was one amenity that helped me justify the expense of staying on property. The disney execs are painfully out of touch with their base. We understand they are getting international travelers, but truly disney is becoming a hard to recommend expense to families on a budget. I love disney too, we are going this Fall, but it’s not a justifiable expense on a regular basis anymore. Too expensive!
This is rather disappointing. I am not a Star Wars fan by any means. I would say half our trips we fly and utilize magical express, the other we drive but when you factor in the cost of a value there is really no different than what I would spend else where $150 a night budget, we will see when 2019 booking dates become available how high the prices go. Take into consideration you can still drive to the park which is often times faster than bus and convient for smaller childern and park for free as hotel guest the amount you save through dining plan and experience guess I will be adding $13 to my budget per day (probably still cheaper than flying) For the for seeable future I will be attending a conference every April and plan to hit up toy story next April then I will probably be done with Hollywood Studios for the forseeable future…Star Wars=equals money maker for Disney, but adversion for me.
We are staying for the first time on property in May. I’m just floored at the parking fee. It is such a scum bag move. The cost of a deluxe resort, the cost of food, my valuable time to wait in Line after line, the stress to get your desired fast pass or dining reservation, hold times when calling reservations during a frequent “busy” time, the restriction by Disney to provide stay options and costs without first divulging all my personal demographics info, the resort fees, bus hold ups, rising admission costs, etc etc. make this place the epitome of capitalism NOT magic. I’m disgusted with myself for even taking my family. Glad it’s the last time we have to go … I’ll be traveling overseas, the Caribbean , out West or taking a cruise for my future trips. It’s time to get back to nature and bury the ears!
What resort fee? Ten overnight WDW trips since May 2016 and I have never paid a resort fee.
Doesn’t surprise me at all that Disney has gone this route, regardless of what other area hotels are doing, simply because of their proximity to the parks. I witnessed a lady just about come to blows with a CM at Boardwalk Villas one evening because she had parked at the resort earlier in the day (did not have a resort reservation) and spent the rest of the day at Epcot. Needless to say, this didn’t go over well with Disney and she didn’t handle it so great, either. Makes you wonder how many others tried to work this same system, too? I’m hoping the rumor of tiered pricing for multiday tickets doesn’t come to fruition anytime soon given the recent (and somewhat expected) overall increase in ticketing prices.
As someone paying the high disney resort price I don’t appreciate people exploiting the lot for their use either, but I don’t see the fee to patrons of the hotel addressing this problem. It’s an upcharge pure and simple to those who deserve a spot as a guest. If you want to discourage non patrons from using the lot tow cars without a reservation pass displayed. What is going to keep non patrons from using the lot just because paying guests are paying more to display their reservation?
Admittedly, we tend to go during off-peak times, but we stay at the resorts and I have NEVER seen the parking lots even close to capacity. This just seems like a money grab so that people won’t leave the resort and go elsewhere.
Disney used to be the leader, so stating it’s to match other venues seems like a copout.
I am a single parent who drives down to save money on airline costs. I can barely afford the trip now but to take on parking at that rate? Fine… I have my car and I will load it up with snacks and drinks and save money there. Disney is making it nearly impossible for a middle class family to make a trip… and that is a shame.
Disney is a business. Demand and receive all you expect for what you pay to stsy on site. Take advantage of every perk that goes along with staying on site. Complain when things go wrong and seek appropriate compensation when things go wrong. Expect more from housekeeping, expect more from food courts, expect quality at the pools. Demand the best that you expect. The roads to Disney go two ways.
Totally agree!! I don’t like to complain but every time busses run late, smell more than usual, or are overcrowded i will complain, every time the monorail breaks down I will complain, every time the door opens on the way to Epcot I will complain.
Speaking as someone who has vacationed at WDW since the beginning, when it was smaller and less expensive, I knew this day would come. As prices go up, quality goes down. Except for Disney. Their parks and hotels are constantly being refreshed, and they’re always clean. At least that’s been my experience.
As the price of goods increase, salaries must also increase. This is the evil called inflation. The cost of living for the average family is way up, leaving little for vacations. I guess we’ll see how things go when Star Wars opens. The crowds are sure to be unbearable. Even higher prices won’t change that.
Tom, I feel the same. I’d rather a price increase in an area where I have control than an all around increase. Still, as they tack on parking fees and what have you, the way we vacation must change. For instance, we gave up Mousekeeping during our last trip and saved more than $250 (Disney credit and no daily tip). We also share meals. These are a few ways for us to get around higher costs. It is a sad sign of the times, but I guess a necessary one.
This is just another reason we probably will not be back. The shorter hours, larger crowds, increased prices, changes to the Fast Pass system, fewer/smaller discounts, and other changes have made it less of a value and frankly, less enjoyable. The last couple of trips have been so crowded that we spent more money to spend more time in lines. I would love to see the new Star Wars areas but it won’t be worth the money, hassle and crowds. I can understand hotels that charge parking in very urban areas with limited parking but that isn’t a problem at WDW. What should be a perk included when staying on site is now just frustrating.
I agree 100% with you
Oh boy! I am a DVC member so it does not really affect me “yet”. They obviously have been using the magic band data to see what we all have been up to since the technology came out and are using it to keep us on property as much as possible. This B.S. that they have to come in line like the rest of the industry is a joke. Their hotel prices should now be decreased because as I understood it before, the parking price was really worked into the room charge. Disney over the last 3-5 years is demonstrating that they do not really care about the average family in America or anywhere else. It is almost come to the point of being elitist. We know they are bringing in more ticketed price points to cater to the rich and gullible. Really, really, sad. It’s those of us who have been coming for over 30 years that have kept Disney going. Now it is pure greed. I’m Canadian, and my wife and I are now thinking that maybe we should sell our DVC and take the kids to other places in the world. Places that will respect me and my hard earned money.
Given the exchange rate these days you’d probably do well to sell. Or rent out your points. DVC point rental for people who drive will be even more attractive so long as guests on points are exempt. And you should take your kids to other places in the world. If you just have to do a Disney park, Paris is easy to hit on the way in or out of a longer European trip and a lot less hassle.
I am glad my kids are grown and we have had the opportunity to visit Disney World as an adult couple a few times. We REFUSE to pay ‘Resort fees’ and parking fees at Florida Hotels and Disney is completely OUT-OF-LINE charging such fees as their hotels are rediculous in price in the first place! Every year the prices go up for EVERYTHING and now they have the audacity to charge for hotel parking. Soon Disney will find itself with fewer and fewer visitors as they price them GREEDY selves right out of business. Additionally, not everyone likes Star Wars. The characters and movies that MADE Disney, Disney, have been forgotten and dusted under the rug – Shame on Disney – should rename it GREEDY WORLD!
Couldn’t agree more. I honestly could care less about star wars, get back to basics or enjoy a few years of this and watch your numbers plummet! Eventually this greed bubble will pop. Such ashame, I’ve been coming for 30 years.
I think this is a dumb move. People who are not Disney regulars are drawn to stay on property because of all the included amenities. There are so many other ways to raise revenues that aren’t as obvious and immediately painful. Add a few pennies more to all of the food and beverage items. No one will notice. This will turn off people who are on a tight budget and encourage them to stay off site and use ride share options to get to the parks. I was actually considering a 7-8 night stay in late 2019 but knowing our two currently booked trips are the last that will be free of parking fees makes me think we will have to stick to our more usual 2 or 3 night stay.