I think it actually means you've been staying in the right places.

In the Anaheim CA area, there's at least one Quality Inn I recall charging a $3ish resort fee (due to closeness to Disneyland or whatever) the few times I've stayed there. It was disclosed on the website, and I accepted because even with this fee it was the lowest rate of a 1-night-stay-qualifies-for-promo Choice brand available that night in the area (or second lowest rate, and I'd already used the lowest rate on an adjacent night so needed a different hotel for hopping).

This was a couple years ago at least, so this is not at all new to Choice, it's just that it only happens in a few places like very close to major theme parks.

(I haven't looked into whether any of the EconoLodges in Anaheim have resort fees because I don't use the two-night-stay-required-to-qualify-for-promo brands on paid Choice stays unless there's nothing else in the area.)