Walt Disney World is beginning to test paid parking for non-resort guests at resort parking lots. The new policy creates a system in which guests without advanced dining reservations or who are not staying at that resort would have to pay a parking fee in order to park there. Additionally, the new policy of paid parking would not apply to those with Tables in Wonderland memberships. Disney’s Contemporary Resort was the first resort that began testing this concept, and Disney’s Boardwalk Inn Resort is apparently going to follow suit.
In my opinion this policy is the beginning of the end for resort hopping, and the implications for that are a huge loss for Disney. Disney executives need to really think about the impact on their business short-term, and long-term before they enact this policy property wide. Here is why:
1) Quick service and bar locations will get less business
In the short term this prevents guests from easily visiting quick service and bars in Walt Disney World Resorts. The impact of their sales in quick service locations like Beaches and Cream or Trader Sam’s is going to be substantial. I am not going to pay twenty dollars for parking just to get ice cream or a drink at the bar, and I am also not likely going to take a bus from one of theme parks. Grabbing a late dinner at Capt. Cook’s in Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort before the fireworks are moments that inspire many families to book another vacation. With this policy Disney is willing to lose the families that aren’t willing to pay the extra twenty dollars. Is dining at the quick service restaurants still possible with a twenty-dollar parking fee? Yes. But the barriers to entrance are just that much more difficult that I don’t think it will be worth it anymore.
2) Shopping at the resorts will decrease
Short term, I am not going to go shopping at one of my favorite stores, Commander Porter’s, located in Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, as much as I used to because it will be such a hassle to get to. For annual pass holders who can park at the theme parks and the Ticket and Transportation Center for free, it just doesn’t make much sense for me to have to take a resort bus or a monorail to every resort I want to visit.
3) Advanced dining reservation blunder
Okay, so Disney does understand that guests with advanced dining reservations shouldn’t have to pay for parking. But, there is a loophole to this system that could cause a lot of problems. Hypothetically guests could make a fake dining reservation for one person, and then cancel that reservation for only $10 dollars. Why would anyone pay twenty dollars to park if you can just make false reservations, and then cancel that reservation once you get past parking. It is dishonest to make a dining reservation just to cancel it, but I can see why some guests might be use this loophole that will cost them less money. So now reservations at table serve restaurants could see a large number of cancellations coming its way as soon as this policy becomes property wide. This will take seats from guests who legitimately wanted a reservation in place of guests who never planned on actually showing up.
4) Disney vacation planning will decline
This is the biggest loss of all for Disney. I don’t think Disney sees the impact this policy will have long term. They might very well understand the loss of business that the shopping and quick service locations will have, but the long term loss of business due to guests not exploring their hotels is enormous. Resort hopping creates more business for Disney. Non-resort guests walking into resorts like Disney’s Art of Animation or Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge inspires families from all economic standings to want to bring their family to a Disney resort rather than a resort off-property. By resort hopping, families can explore which Walt Disney World resort fits them best. I am sure many spouses have convinced each other that another Walt Disney World vacation is a must do when they walk into lobbys like Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa. Is a family really going to pay $60 just to check out and explore three Walt Disney World resorts during a vacation anymore? I highly doubt it.
