Disney World’s Latest Fees and How to Avoid Them

It was a mere few weeks ago that I offered my tips for saving money at Disneyland and Walt Disney World. Then, this week, the latter resort went and made things even more expensive by announcing that they’ll be charging for overnight parking at their hotels for the first time. This new policy will go into effect for bookings made after March 21st and prices will vary by the level of resort you’re staying at. For example, the fee at one of Disney’s “value” resorts like Pop Century or Art of Animation will run you $13 a night while “deluxe” hotels like the Contemporary or famed Grand Floridian will charge $24 a night to park.

Given these new policies, you have a couple of different options. The first is to stay off property. This is actually something I advocated strongly before but now it makes even more sense. Granted, most hotels in Central Florida will probably also charge you for parking, but their room rates are also likely far lower. Additionally several hotels in the area offer free transportation to Disney, although you may need to make pick-up reservations and they might have a limited schedule.

If you still insist on staying at one of the Disney hotels and were planning on renting a car, you may now want to nix that plan. One of the main reasons guests enjoy having a rental car on their trips to Orlando is so they might spend a day or two at some of the areas many other attractions. However, if it’s going to cost you up to $24 a day to park your rental car, you may be better off trying ride-sharing services like Uber or Lyft for the few times you need to travel off-property. While on property, Disney offers several complimentary modes of transportation to get you to the parks, back to your hotel, and over the Disney Springs shopping and dining district. They even have their Magical Express service to get you to and from the airport, so there’s hardly a reason to rent a car.

While it’s certainly frustrating that Walt Disney World has decided to start charging for overnight parking at their hotels, there are ways around these fees. Namely, it may be time to consider skipping the rental car on your next trip or even electing to stay off property instead. Finally, I should note there is an exception for Disney Vacation Club members using points and few other situations where the new parking fees are waived, so be sure to check out Disney’s full policy on their website.

Author

Kyle Burbank

Kyle is a freelance writer - including being the head writer for Fioney.com. He also serves as editorial director for the Disney fan site LaughingPlace.com and the founder of Money@30.com.

Other Articles by Kyle Burbank

AAA Review: Is AAA Worth It in 2024?

When I turned 16 years old and got my driver’s license, one of the gifts my father gave me was a AAA (American Automobile Association) membership. In 2013, following a short lapse in membership, my wife and I decided that our road-tripping ways would make having AAA a smart idea....
hallway in Universal's Aventura Hotel

Travel Tuesday: Universal's Aventura Hotel Review

For as many theme parks as I've been to in my life, it's not very often that I actually get to stay on property at these resorts. So, while visiting Orlando back in October 2023, I decided to change that and book a stay at Universal's Aventura Hotel — located at...
Pepper Rewards app on a phone and a happy customer

How You Can Save Even More with Pepper Rewards This Month

A mere few weeks ago, I discovered an app called Pepper Rewards — and I've been in love with it since. Simply put, the app allows you to buy digital gift cards from several brands and earn 5% back. While this 5% back can't be used for cash, it can...

Leave a Reply

The "Email" field is empty, you must enter some text to proceed.The text you entered in the "Email" field appears to be invalid, please edit it and try again
Get Posts in Your Inbox
Featured Articles

AAA Review: Is AAA Worth It in 2024?

When I turned 16 years old and got my driver’s license, one of the gifts my father gave me was a AAA (American Automobile Association) membership. In 2013, following a short lapse in membership, my wife and I decided that our road-tripping ways would make having AAA a smart idea....
hallway in Universal's Aventura Hotel

Travel Tuesday: Universal's Aventura Hotel Review

For as many theme parks as I've been to in my life, it's not very often that I actually get to stay on property at these resorts. So, while visiting Orlando back in October 2023, I decided to change that and book a stay at Universal's Aventura Hotel — located at...
Pepper Rewards app on a phone and a happy customer

How You Can Save Even More with Pepper Rewards This Month

A mere few weeks ago, I discovered an app called Pepper Rewards — and I've been in love with it since. Simply put, the app allows you to buy digital gift cards from several brands and earn 5% back. While this 5% back can't be used for cash, it can...
Pair of Allbirds Mizzle Runner-Ups

Allbirds Offering 30% Off Sale Ahead of Spring (Rainy) Season

One of my favorite shoe brands is having a sale. Currently, Allbirds is offering 30% off on a number of their shoes, including their water-resistant models. By using the code SPRING30 at check out, you can save 30% on "select styles" of shoes. Thankfully, "select styles" include both the Wool...