President Biden Comments on “Junk” Hotel Fees, and His Plan Could Impact Disney

Disney4me · February 8, 2023

Going to Disney World has only become more expensive over the years, and chances are that won’t be changing anytime soon.

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Disney’s Contemporary Resort

Between park tickets, food, and accommodations — the costs can add up quickly. The last thing guests need are hidden fees tacked onto an already inflated price. But, in some cases, that’s exactly what “resort fees” are — and President Biden wants to stop it.

It’s no secret that your hotel stay will probably be a large — if not the biggest — expense on your Disney World vacation, but new legislation proposed by President Joe Biden seeks to change that (at least a little bit!).

During his State of the Union address on February 7th, President Biden commented on the Junk Fee Prevention Act. The new bill aims to reduce or eliminate unnecessary “junk” fees and hidden surcharges from things like bank overdraft fees, credit card late fees, airline fees, and more.

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“I know how unfair it feels when a company overcharges you and gets away with it. Not anymore. We’ve written a bill to stop it all. It’s called the Junk Fee Prevention Act,” Biden declared.

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Aloha from Polynesian Village

How could this apply to a trip to Disney World? By tackling those pesky additional fees that are often added onto the rack rate for a hotel stay! The president went on to say, “We’re going to ban surprise resort fees that hotels charge on your bill. Those fees can cost you up to $90 a night at hotels that aren’t even resorts.”

Yacht Club

Not only that, but the new bill could also make airline baggage and seat selection fees a thing of the past. Biden shared, “…we’ll prohibit airlines from charging $50 round trip for a family just to be able to sit together.”

According to Biden, he knows that junk fees “make it harder for you to…afford that family trip” and the Junk Fee Prevention Act seeks to change that.

Disney’s Riviera Resort

As of now, this is only proposed legislation, but if it passes it could drastically change the game for travelers across the United States. Whether or not it passes and will have a big impact on your next Disney trip remains to be seen, but we’ll be on the lookout for updates.

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Go with the flow!

In the meantime, stay tuned to DFB as we prepare to listen to The Walt Disney Company’s Q1 earnings call on February 8th. As Bob Iger’s first earnings call since his return as Disney CEO, experts are anticipating him to share his plan for restructuring the company, and more specifically, the Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution division.

We’re also hoping to learn more about the company’s most recent financial reports and any big projects or other successes at Disney. Keep up with DFB for the latest updates!