Disney Announces Changes to Transportation Service
Visitors to Disney Springs will not be allowed to take bus transportation to Disney's hotels unless they have a reservation to stay at the hotel or dine at the hotel.
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Article Summary
- Disney World now requires guests at Disney Springs to show proof of a hotel or dining reservation to board buses to Disney Resort hotels, ending a popular hack that let visitors avoid parking fees.
- The change blocks the loophole where people parked for free at Disney Springs, took a bus or boat to a hotel, then used hotel transportation to reach theme parks without paying $35–$60 daily parking.
- Reactions online are mixed: some support the policy as a fair limit on non-paying guests, while others worry about impacts on public transit users and employees.
Walt Disney World has cracked down on a popular hack to avoid parking fees at its theme parks.
As of June 28, guests who wish to take a Disney-operated bus from Disney Springs to a Disney hotel must show proof of either a reservation to stay at the hotel or to dine at the hotel before they are permitted to board.
Signs posted at Disney Springs explain this new policy. The message is also available on the Walt Disney World website.
Bus service from Disney Springs to Disney Resort hotels is available for Guests staying at a Disney Resort hotel or visiting one with a valid dining or experience reservation. Guests may be asked to show a valid Resort hotel room key, dining reservation or experience reservation.
Guests with a valid dining or experience reservation may board the appropriate Disney Resort hotel bus from Disney Springs up to 2 hours before their reservation time.
Disney Springs is a shopping, dining and entertainment district on the Walt Disney World property. Unlike the four theme parks, there are no admission fees to Disney Springs, and parking is free.
The updated policy effectively eliminates a "hack" where people would park at Disney Springs, take a free bus or boat to a hotel, and then utilize the hotel's transportation to the theme parks. There are no direct busses from Disney Springs to Walt Disney World's theme parks.
Reactions to the change have been varied, while most people online seem to be in support of the new policy.
On Reddit, users raised concerns about unintentional consequences for people who utilize public transportation to visit the parks, either as guests or employees.
But one user countered that the change was long-needed.
"Love the new policies and hope they go even further. The level of entitlement is staggering at Disney," said the Reddit user.
The user continued, "If someone is not paying for resort perks, they don’t get to use said perks. Resort busses are for paying resort guests only."
How much is parking normally?
Standard parking at Walt Disney World's theme parks is $35 per day. Preferred parking ranges from $50 to $60 per day, depending on the season. Parking is included with Walt Disney World's annual passes.
Parking at Walt Disney World is comparable to other Orlando-area theme parks. At Universal Orlando Resort and SeaWorld Orlando, parking is also $35 per day, but visitors to Universal can save $3 by pre-purchasing online.
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