The theme park giant has made a lot of changes Disney World visitors do not like, but now it’s listening to them in two key areas.
Over the past few years, Walt Disney (DIS) – Get Free Report has made a lot of moves at Disney World that might not be considered customer friendly. The biggest of those was probably dropping the free FastPass+ system and replacing it with the added-fee Genie+/Lightning Lane program.
In addition, the company raised ticket prices, stopped giving annual passholders and resort guests free Magic Bands, and either raised the price or cut the portion for many food items. Most of these changes were understandable.
Disney isn’t immune to the rising costs and supply chain issues that have impacted entire world, but that did not make them any easier for Disney World visitors to swallow. That’s at least partly because no matter how you look at it, a trip to Disney’s Florida theme parks costs thousands of dollars, so small increases hit harder when families have already spent so much just to be there.
Now, however, Disney has made two major changes based on feedback from its guests. One is a major benefit to anyone staying at an on-site Disney resort, while the other will be cheered by some of the company’s most loyal customers.
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Disney World Hotel Guests Get Free Parking Back
Until 2018, guests staying at an on-site Disney World hotel got free parking not just at their resort, but at the theme parks. Changing that policy was effectively a huge price increase for guests with a car given that the theme park charges $25 per night for standard parking.
Now, after listening to guests, Disney has decided to bring back free parking effective immediately.
“Beginning this evening, Jan. 10, overnight self-parking will once again be offered complimentary to guests staying at Disney Resort hotels at Walt Disney World. This is a Disney difference many of you have asked us to bring back, and we’re happy to reintroduce it to make your vacation a little easier and more affordable – whether you’re road tripping across the country, renting a car or vacationing as a local Florida resident,” the company shared in a blog post.
Disney Resort guests did get free parking at the parks, but not really because they were paying to park at their hotel and the company only charges a single parking fee per day. But, since it’s not practical to park you car offsite, instead of in the hotel parking lot, that perk was not really that valuable.
Now, the company has truly restored free parking to its resort guests.
Disney World Makes a Huge Annual Passholder Change
Before the pandemic, one of the major benefits of holding a Disney World annual pass was that you could spontaneously visit. As a Florida resident, or even a passholder from farther away willing to make the trip, this meant you could pop in at Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, or Animal Kingdom on a whim.
That changed when covid forced Disney to adopt a reservation system to manage capacity at each of its four Florida theme parks. Passholders, like any other ticket-holder had to make a reservation and that requires planning as same-day reservations were hard to come by.
Now, Disney has decided to partially roll back that requirement.
“Beginning in the next few months, Walt Disney World Annual Passholders will be able to visit the theme parks after 2 p.m. without needing a park reservation, except on Saturdays and Sundays at Magic Kingdom Park,” the company shared.
Passholders will, of course, still be barred from entry on blackout dates for their specific pass. Disney also made a number of other small, positive changes for annual passholders.
“Passholders will also receive access to Disney PhotoPass lenses and one complimentary Cinderella Castle Mural of Memories experience (age restrictions apply),” the company shared.
The company does not have a start date for these changes promised to share one “soon.”
