Expect to pay more for parking at Universal Orlando

May 22, 2008 at 9:05 AM · Ridiculous. Along with the increasing on-site hotel parking charges, the only way to avoid the parking charge at Universal is going to be staying off-site and taking shuttles.

Aren't people on a budget soon going to want to start cramming what they want to do in the resort into 1 or 2 days to avoid extra charges like these?

Whatever. Their tickets are still a good deal. I'm sure Disney is not too far behind at all.

May 22, 2008 at 10:48 AM · While I do think another increase this soon is a little out of line... I hardly think the extra dollar is going to ruin anyone's vacation.

May 22, 2008 at 7:16 PM · You'd be surprised. I know enough families that for their kids take the extra dollars they have out so they can have fun at the parks. In turn those families barely make it month to month. Parents just want to give their kids the best they can and do it even when times are tough. This price increase isn't helping...especially since we can probably see more increases in prices all over...not just parking. Think about it, everything is becoming more expensive and wages are not increasing at the same rate as inflation is happening. It's the overall picture of everything becoming more expensive what people will begin to notice, and this is the start of what might be to come soon.

May 22, 2008 at 3:33 PM · If an extra $7 a week is going to make a difference on your vacation, then you shouldn't be taking a vacation. When I go on vacation I don't worry about money. If I have to think about every dollar here and there then it's not much of a vacation. And just to clarify I'm not spending over $5k when I get to my destination or anything absurd like that. I usually spend less $1k for a week-long vacation, but I don't ever feel like I am being cheap either. By taking your time to shop around for air, hotel, car, and buying tickets in advance you have just paid for at least half of the cost of your vacation and probably saved a decent amount of money. Packages deals are rarely the best way to go and pays to be willing to spend a full day looking at as many travel sites as possible. Additionally, saving money for your trip in advance helps a lot.

When you go on vacation park tickets and parking are things you can't do anything about. You either pay or you don't get to play. You can save money on tickets by buying in advance online. And if you really don't want to pay for parking then stay on property without a car.

May 22, 2008 at 4:09 PM · Being one of those penny pinching family myself, I do not see $1 per day too much of a big deal. You just need to be smart about it before you go - and know ahead of time. Dont save it for the last minute! I stay at a villa with Magical Memories, we eat breakfast, and most dinners in. The only time we really eat out is lunch. Those penny pinchers will know what they are getting into before they do it - and will know how and where they can save on their trip without sacrificing quality.

May 22, 2008 at 5:27 PM · I'll have to agree with Domenik on this one. His point is everything is going up. I also understand it is important to be smart in preparation for a vacation, and then while on the vacation you should have a good time and not worry too much about money. Like he said though, whether you are a millionaire or just getting by you still want the best for your kids and family and it is sad to see the increases. An "extra" dollar a day for parking, higher food prices, more fees for flights, and most important, the "extra" you will pay for gas; trust me it will add up. I went to Knotts Berry today and it cost $30 for admission and $10 to park.

May 23, 2008 at 8:08 AM · But isn't also safe to say you had $40 worth of fun?

May 23, 2008 at 10:55 AM · I'm no millionaire and I don't burn money like it's nothing, but I expected parking to increase as nothing can stay or get cheaper. It's just the way our economy works. It's only a dollar a day extra, and I always feel that I should never be penny pinching on vacation. Nothing kills a vacation for me more than someone saying "Oh, that's an expensive dinner" when you're in Hawaii, or Disneyland, or just out of town. Basically it comes down to adjusting your vacation to accommodate the extra expenses.

May 23, 2008 at 1:50 PM · I did have a great time at Knotts, and I think a good idea would be to just include parking in ticket prices. And I know there would be exceptions, because not everyone uses the parking lot. Its not the biggest deal in the world but when you have to pay to park your car it just seems sort painful, or maybe its just me.