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  1. #1
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    Default Are Disney Resort Fees A Possibility?

    From The Orlando Sentinel:

    Could resort fees be coming to Walt Disney World hotels?

    Disney has sent out a survey to some visitors about potential $15-per-night fees that would cover Disney Magical Express, MagicBands, priority Fast Pass resort planning, Extra Magic Hours, parking and Wi-Fi.

    Disney spokeswoman Andrea Finger said in a prepared statement that "we constantly seek guest feedback on a variety of topics to evaluate our services and offerings."

    Resort fees have become increasingly common at hotels. They are paid in addition to the basic room price and traditionally cover additional hotel amenities such as Wi-Fi, on-site gyms, newspapers or parking.

    Still, Disney fans who took the survey didn't like what they saw.

    "I am greatly turned off by this new survey and the nickel and diming direction that Disney seems to be heading in," said Cathy Beeson of Indiana in an email. "I have always justified paying more to stay onsite for these exact amenities that Disney is now listing as included in a possible resort fee. Although at that price point, $15 isn't a whole lot in the grand scheme of things and it is still cheaper than arranging private transfers from the airport to the resort etc, it definitely leaves a bad taste in my mouth. It comes across as being greedy when the cost per night is already so much higher than off site."

    Chantel Bitter of Louisiana said benefits of staying on property are already worked into the room rates, she said.
    "To so blatantly say, "$15 bucks a night for your magicband usage and extra magic hours"??" she said in an email. "They're stepping out there with that."
    I'm not bad. I'm just drawn that way.

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  3. #2
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    I'm so over the Magic Band thing.. and I haven't even had one yet.

    With the Canadian dollar so low, I'm never going to be able to stay in a Disney resort again. Crazy.
    I'm not bad. I'm just drawn that way.

  4. #3
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    I hate being right all the time... Heh j/k but there are many who predicted that this NextGen or whatever it's called is just another revenue stream.

    I was over it before it even started...

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  6. #4
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    I know it's only $15/nt but stop already, enough is enough!
    - Lynn -
    INTERCOT Staff: Theme Parks, DVC

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  8. #5
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    I would think they would no longer thus be able to say that certain things are free - like EMH and DME - if they are included in the resort fee. Right?

    Just raise the stinking price of the room and don't make this stuff a separate line item, for crying out loud. So much to be said for the way you pitch this stuff.
    "You used all the glue on purpose!"

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  10. #6
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    If they do that I will stay offsite.

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  12. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mendelson View Post
    I would think they would no longer thus be able to say that certain things are free - like EMH and DME - if they are included in the resort fee. Right?

    Just raise the stinking price of the room and don't make this stuff a separate line item, for crying out loud. So much to be said for the way you pitch this stuff.
    I agree. Why go through the heartache adding a service fee? Just increase the price... again....

    I get that Disney is a company, but it is a real shame that they have completely changed their business model. WDW is becoming a "once in a lifetime" experience for most.

    Park tickets used to be much more reasonable, and the value resorts were actually a value. Heck, even the moderates were priced for families.
    First Trip ¨¨*:•
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    And about 40 more in between....

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  14. #8
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    And....will they tack on the resort fee to those who are vacation club owners???
    Linda aka: Faline
    INTERCOT Staff: Vacation Planning,Trip Reports and Disney Camping
    [email protected]

  15. #9
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    You know, lately it seems that if it makes it to a survey, it is pretty much a done deal.

    Carrie

    CBR: 2/21-2/25/17
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  16. #10
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    I avoid hotels as much as possible that charge "resort fees." I very rarely stay in a hotel with them and I also avoid parking fees as much as possible. They use these fees to be able to advertise an artificially low nightly rate because that is the first thing people look at when searching. After I search and start picking out hotels/resorts, the first thing I look for is to see if they have hidden fees. If they do, they get marked off the list and I move on.

    This is just another example of the current WDW management looking for ways to be greedy and squeeze every nickle out of every aspect of WDW that they possible can. They will continue until there is a sharp decline in attendance/occupancy. Anyway, go ahead with the resort fees and give me another reason not to stay onsite, there are a plethora of equal and even superior options at far better prices all over the Orlando area.
    Last edited by Ian; 03-10-2016 at 09:30 AM. Reason: TOS

  17. #11
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    Interestingly enough, in reading other discussions this morning in another current survey being sent they referred to a la carte add-on pricing rather than a resort fee.
    - Lynn -
    INTERCOT Staff: Theme Parks, DVC

  18. #12
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    No one likes, or easily justifies, increases in rates or added "fees." This would be something that would make a lot of people cringe and decide to stay off-site, but maybe that is what Disney is trying to do. What is the average occupancy rate of the Disney hotels? I have been noticing fewer and fewer rooms available for any of their discount offers, so maybe this is a contributing factor.

    Disney has sent out a survey to some visitors about potential $15-per-night fees that would cover Disney Magical Express, MagicBands, priority Fast Pass resort planning, Extra Magic Hours, parking and Wi-Fi.
    As others have said, they would then have to stop advertising things like DME, Wi-Fi, EMH, and such as benefits of staying on-site. MagicBands can not be considered a perk because everyone can get MagicBands whether they are staying on-site or not.

    "Priority Fast Pass resort planning"???? What is this? Or are they simply talking about the 60 day vs. 30 day windows on selecting FP+ options?

    Quote Originally Posted by VWL Mom View Post
    Interestingly enough, in reading other discussions this morning in another current survey being sent they referred to a la carte add-on pricing rather than a resort fee.
    That is even worse! Unless they are planning on cutting room prices drastically (and we all know that will never be the case) this is a ridiculous thought pattern.
    Last edited by Ian; 03-10-2016 at 09:30 AM.
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  19. #13
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    Love going to Disney and used to go every year. However, I am not finding the magic much anymore. Almost everytime I visit Intercot or any other WDW site, I am reading about at least one price increase, (ticket, resort room fee, extra cost for party, etc) but then also reading about free entertainment cuts, less free activities, etc. Sad when an 11 day cruise plus excursions and air fare was more economical than a 5 day stay to Disney
    Live Life Joyfully!
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  20. #14
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    And the Disney company continues its blind rush to obsolescence. The whole selling feature for the company used to be value and service that went above and beyond what anyone else in the industry could provide. Now it seems like they are doing their best to blend in with everyone else. The quality of the experience is dropping dramatically while the cost for the customers (no longer viewed as "guests") is increasing. On our December trip the "lack of magic" was horrendous. My family will not be returning any time soon.
    "There's a great big beautiful tomorrow shining at the end of every day..."

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  21. #15
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    By the way, I've changed my sig to show my current view of the company...
    "There's a great big beautiful tomorrow shining at the end of every day..."

    1973- Disneyland
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    2000- WDW- DLR
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    2019- WDW- POR

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  23. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by PopPhan View Post
    No one likes, or easily justifies, increases in rates or added "fees." This would be something that would make a lot of people cringe and decide to stay off-site, but maybe that is what Disney is trying to do. What is the average occupancy rate of the Disney hotels? I have been noticing fewer and fewer rooms available for any of their discount offers, so maybe this is a contributing factor.
    I would be surprised if they are running near max occupancy, because over the past year I have been getting more discount offers to stay on resort through email and snail mail than the previous decade combined.

  24. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by Stu29573 View Post
    And the Disney company continues its blind rush to obsolescence. The whole selling feature for the company used to be value and service that went above and beyond what anyone else in the industry could provide. Now it seems like they are doing their best to blend in with everyone else. The quality of the experience is dropping dramatically while the cost for the customers (no longer viewed as "guests") is increasing. On our December trip the "lack of magic" was horrendous. My family will not be returning any time soon.
    This is more of the "par for the industry" thinking that management has embraced (and many of the customers appear to find acceptable). These are the things management does when they have decided that being like everybody else is just fine and no longer want to be a leader.

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  26. #18
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    I have a problem with a resort fee that everyone has to pay, however, if they want to go to an a la carte model, I think I would be ok with that.

    I mean the free Wi-Fi and Magical Express are relatively new things (ok, so they have been around for a decade but still) you used to have to pay for the Mears shuttle to get to the resort from the airport and you use to have to pay for internet access at the resort.
    "Welcome, Foolish Mortals..."

  27. #19
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    Actually, come to think of it, I seem to remember everyone on this site complaining that the new "Magical Express" thing was causing the price of the rooms to go up. Which most people felt was unfair for the people that did not use Magical Express.
    Last edited by Speedy1998; 03-10-2016 at 12:27 PM. Reason: grammer
    "Welcome, Foolish Mortals..."

  28. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by faline View Post
    And....will they tack on the resort fee to those who are vacation club owners???
    I was wondering the same thing. And why should I have to pay a per-day fee for DME when I'm a "local" and do not use the service ?

    Walt has to be doing backflips in his grave...
    Ed
    Senior Imagineer Emeritus

    Welcome to the INTERCOT forums !


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