Disney World Finally Changes Expensive Policy, Drops Service Costs for Resort Guests
Disney World guests have plenty of expenses to consider before and during a vacation, but some costs don’t become apparent until they’re actually needed.
One service in particular could become surprisingly pricey under Disney’s previous system. The more valuable certain items became, the more guests could end up paying.
Disney has now reworked that policy. As of September 1, guests have a new system that determines prices differently and, depending on what they’re sending, could leave them paying considerably less.
Convenience Extends Beyond the Theme Parks
Walt Disney World offers plenty of services beyond rides, restaurants, and shows.
Transportation connects the theme parks, Disney Springs, and resort hotels, while Disney hotel guests have additional benefits available during their stays. Then there are smaller services that might not factor into someone’s planning until they’re needed.
Merchandise shipping falls into that category.
Guests who make large, fragile, or bulky purchases don’t necessarily want to carry everything around all day. Getting those items home can create another problem, particularly when luggage space is limited.
Disney’s home-shipping service gives guests another option. Until September, however, using it could become expensive rather quickly.
Disney’s Previous Prices Added Up
Under the previous domestic shipping policy, Disney based the price on the total value of the merchandise inside the shipment.
The lowest tier covered merchandise worth up to $100 and cost $19.99. Once the value reached between $100.01 and $250, the shipping charge increased to $34.99.
Things became considerably more expensive after that.
Merchandise valued between $250.01 and $500 cost $74.99 to ship. Anything worth more than $500 carried a $99.99 shipping charge.
Disney used a different pricing structure for international shipments. Those prices ranged from $30 to $150, increasing by $10 for each $50 increment in merchandise value.
That meant guests with more expensive collections could face some significant shipping costs.
Disney’s replacement system takes a different approach.
Bag Size Now Determines the Price
Walt Disney World is using Ricoh as its third-party merchandise shipping provider under the new system.
Rather than primarily determining domestic rates based on the merchandise’s value, Disney now offers several bag sizes with set prices.
The green extra-small bag costs $19.97 and works for smaller purchases and trinkets. A small pink bag costs $29.97 and provides additional room for items such as shirts, a small toy, or a popcorn bucket.
Guests with more to send can choose a blue medium bag for $44.97. That size can accommodate souvenirs, shirts, plush toys, or even a small suitcase.
The largest standard option is the yellow bag at $49.97. Disney says a small carry-on suitcase can fit inside, along with additional smaller items.
A clear bag handles custom, international, and overweight shipments. Disney considers shipments weighing more than 50 pounds overweight.
Guests Have a New Process to Follow
The new system also changes how guests prepare their shipments.
After choosing the appropriate bag, guests place their items inside without overfilling it and leave the bag open.
They then scan a QR code to enter their shipping destination, payment details, and contact information.
Once that’s complete, guests close the bag using the provided zip-tie tag. They return the tagged bag to a participating location, show their online confirmation to a cast member, and hand over the shipment.
Ricoh’s Merchandise Shipping Center processes the package afterward. Guests then receive an email containing their tracking information.
Insurance and Flexibility Are Part of the System
Disney includes insurance covering up to $100 in declared value with the shipping rate at no additional cost.
Guests can purchase additional protection for more valuable shipments, with coverage available for declared values reaching $5,000. Listed additional insurance charges start at $5 and generally rise by about $1 to $2 for every additional $100 in declared value.
There could also be more flexibility in what guests send.
One Reddit user who reported using the service said that receipts weren’t required and that bags weren’t restricted to merchandise purchased from a particular Disney location. That is an individual guest report rather than official Disney policy, so restrictions may still apply to certain items.
Guests with questions can speak with a cast member at a Disney gift shop. Disney Springs also has a dedicated shipping station next to Marketplace Co-Op.
The Difference Could Be Significant
Disney’s previous system could push shipping costs toward $100, based primarily on merchandise value.
One of Disney World’s lesser-known services just received a guest-friendly overhaul.Now, standard shipments rely on bag sizes with predetermined prices instead.
That won’t necessarily make every shipment dramatically cheaper. However, guests who previously would have reached Disney’s more expensive merchandise-value tiers could potentially see substantial savings.
For a service that guests may only think about when it’s time to get everything home, Disney’s September overhaul could make that final part of the vacation a little easier to manage.
