How bad is DTD with car? Meeting mom for lunch

[mousefan73]

I am probably overly planning this but.....

DH,kids and I are planning on a couple of hours at Typhoon Lagoon... Thinking from 10-1pm and then meeting my mom at T-Rex for lunch at DTD (1:50 ADR).. perfect as she is not the water park type gal; but can take the boat from POR to DTD. Plan is we drive from POR-TL-DTD-HS. Mom meeting up at DTD.

Or is DTD such a mess with parking that it makes more sense to go back to POR change there and then take boat to DTD and bus to HS???

I just think this is a case where rental car wins... time is important. We are going beg. Sept.

Want to hit HS by around 4pm

 

[bbjunkie]

Drive and park in the parking structure.

 

[Quellman]

I wouldn't want to get on the bus to the resort and then to DTD. You'll waste much more time than finding the parking garage.

 

[DrivenByDisney]

At lunch time it is no where near as bad as it is near dinner time, that's for sure. You shouldn't have any issues in parking in the garage around that time of day. I say drive straight there and you should be good to go. We were there yesterday near lunch time and it was not bad at all.

 

[mousefan73]

Where is this garage? DTD or across the street? Is there any normal parking on DTD side. Wonder if website gives up to date construction infos??

 

[DrivenByDisney]

The garage is located on the same side of the road as DTD is. It is at the end closest to Cirque and the movie theater is at. Yes. There is normal parking as well, just passed the garage in the surface lot. It is pretty much behind Cirque and has a lot of parking area. There is also valet in this same location as well.

 

[BobC]

Ive never had any issues driving myself and never even knew they had a garage. I remember always getting lucky and someone was pulling out as I was looking for a spot.

 

[DrivenByDisney]

Ive never had any issues driving myself and never even knew they had a garage. I remember always getting lucky and someone was pulling out as I was looking for a spot.

Out of curiosity, when was the last time you were at DTD? The garage has been open for a few months at this point and under construction for a while now. It sits pretty much in front of DTD overall from the street.

Pretty cool technology as well. It tells you what level is closed as well as where the open spots are on each level with monitors around the garage. It is also connected to DTD by a pedestrian bridge that lets you out right at the AMC theaters end of DTD.

 

[BobC]

Out of curiosity, when was the last time you were at DTD? The garage has been open for a few months at this point and under construction for a while now. It sits pretty much in front of DTD overall from the street.

Pretty cool technology as well. It tells you what level is closed as well as where the open spots are on each level with monitors around the garage. It is also connected to DTD by a pedestrian bridge that lets you out right at the AMC theaters end of DTD.

Nice! It's been 4 years. Excited to check it out.

 

[missnic]

We braved DtD on Tuesday night. Traffic to get INTO the garage is a little rough. The turn lights aren't long enough, and people tend to stop as they enter the garage, creating a backup into traffic. That said, the garage is pretty great. No wandering down aisles and stalking people for their spots. And leaving is easy as well - the exit goes right out to the road, no navigating required.

I'm a little annoyed with parking situation in general though - I'm another who never had problems finding a spot near the Marketplace side. We would go to just grab sandwiches at Earl on our way out of town. That's not really feasible anymore, without a 3 mile hike. Hopefully they get that other garage opened this decade!

 

[DrivenByDisney]

We would go to just grab sandwiches at Earl on our way out of town. That's not really feasible anymore, without a 3 mile hike. Hopefully they get that other garage opened this decade!

It is actually. Just park across the street at the Buena Vista Palace and walk across to DTD. You will be right there near Earl of Sandwich and you can get in and out much faster than parking in the garage or surface lot. We do this all the time when we go there or Rain Forest, etc. anything on that end of DTD without having to take that hike from the other side.

 

[missnic]

It is actually. Just park across the street at the Buena Vista Palace and walk across to DTD. You will be right there near Earl of Sandwich and you can get in and out much faster than parking in the garage or surface lot. We do this all the time when we go there or Rain Forest, etc. anything on that end of DTD without having to take that hike from the other side.

Oh! I had no idea I could park there! Do they charge for parking?

 

[DrivenByDisney]

Oh! I had no idea I could park there! Do they charge for parking?

Nope. They do not charge to park in their surface lot. When you enter the Buena Vista Palace, keep to the left and you will see the surface lot to the left. Just park there and you are good to go.

 

[Julylady]

We had to drive past Downtown Disney twice last week. What a mess! It took forever to get through and I found it very confusing. At one point I was forced to turn into the Team Disney parking lot. I personnally would suggest taking the boat from either SSR or one of the other resorts.

 

[Sytrace]

TL is right across the street from DTD and the parking garage. At the light when you leave TL go straight and follow the road. If you take the first right where it says garage or valet, that will take you to the garage.
If you stay straight ahead it goes to an surface lot that is behind HOB and CDS.

After you leave DTD, then go right at that light and it will take you right to HS which will be on the left side of the road across from the Boardwalk hotel entrance.

Traffic will be minimal and you should have no trouble getting around.