Online check in and free parking

[Richard M Nixon]

I've seen a lot of conflicting details on free parking for resort guests, even when I call Disney directly. I want to go to the parks at 8am on my check-in day, but I want to avoid having to drive almost completely across property to go to my hotel and then back again to get to the parks. I have already done online check in with direct to room access at BLT, so I would assume that I would bypass the check-in counter anyways and not be given any kind of parking pass.

I have heard three responses from the boards and from Disney reps.
1) I must go to my resort before parking at a park. This doesn't make sense to me as I've already checked in online and I will get a text with my room # and go straight to it.
2) The parking lot attendant will be able to scan my band, see I have a room reservation for that date, and I'll be let in without issue.
3) I will have to pay to park, but my resort will reimburse me if I go to the check-in desk. Some posters have said they've been told this but then refused reimbursement when they try.

Can anyone give a recent report on trying this and how it worked out?

I have a room only reservation so I don't need to activate my park tickets. All I want is parking.

 

[wdwrich]

Several folks on these boards reported last week that option #2 is working. Haven't been there yet myself this year to test it (not going until December).

 

[Hummingbird]

2) The parking lot attendant will be able to scan my band, see I have a room reservation for that date, and I'll be let in without issue.

This has been my experience for the last 3 trips (Xmas, Feb, & just this past weekend)

 

[DemoBri1]

From what I hear you're going to be able to accomplish this alot easier in the coming weeks. Apparently WDW has started the process of doing away with the paper parking passes being issued to resort guests and will now require you to get your MB or RFID KTTW card scanned in order to get into the resort or park lots. This of course assumes that you received your MBs ahead of arrival. Not sure what's going to happen if you don't. Supposedly this is starting at YC and BC this week and will be rolled out over the next several weeks to other resorts.

 

[bsbrady]

Quick question, you say you checked in online, but how do you know what your room number is without going to the resort?

 

[pigletgirl]

Quick question, you say you checked in online, but how do you know what your room number is without going to the resort?

They text the room number to you prior to your arrival if you choose to do online check in.

 

[fla4fun]

You also have the option to have the room number emailed to you. I usually do that, because I don't have my cell phone turned on while I am at work, so it's easier for me to get an email than a text.

I hope they have very quick scanners at the theme parks so the cars don't back up. It was so much easier for the CM to just look at a parking pass in a windshield and wave you in as opposed to having every car stop to be scanned (and maybe the MB is on the right arm, or on the passenger in the back seat on the side opposite the CM, etc.). It's too bad it's not done like my Sunpass tolls, where I can just drive through and be scanned at the same time. I just can't imagine what it will be like trying to get into the lots during Christmas week or July 4th.

 

[BenandMorgsMom]

From what I hear you're going to be able to accomplish this alot easier in the coming weeks. Apparently WDW has started the process of doing away with the paper parking passes being issued to resort guests and will now require you to get your MB or RFID KTTW card scanned in order to get into the resort or park lots. This of course assumes that you received your MBs ahead of arrival. Not sure what's going to happen if you don't. Supposedly this is starting at YC and BC this week and will be rolled out over the next several weeks to other resorts.

If this is the scenario going forward...how will they track who should park in lots and who does not belong there. I do not see them doing away with the paper passes. How will they track guests and what car is theirs? At BWV we have a challenge during F&W to secure a spot to park while staying. They have security but the paper passes assist I am sure in weeding out those overstaying their visit. They can not possibly track all cars without an identifiable pass in window. Last week we checked in online but the guard stated we must go to front desk to obtain the paper pass.

 

[larryz]

They can not possibly track all cars without an identifiable pass in window. Last week we checked in online but the guard stated we must go to front desk to obtain the paper pass.

They could if they scanned your license plate when you drive thru the gate and associate that plate number to your MBs.

 

[BenandMorgsMom]

It will be interesting to see if this speculation comes true. Scanning license plates is an interesting concept but a paper pass with resort info and dates seems a bit more efficient and quicker to identify. One wrong tow out of a parking lot of a rental car by a guest who belongs there would be quite the "experience". We are back in the world in 49 days maybe changes will be made by then since they are "rolling the change out soon".

 

[bsbrady]

No way the license plate thing is going to happen. Way too much to get it to work. The magic band is the easiest way. The system is already there. What I did read is that the magic bands have two transmitters in them a short range one and a longer range. The longer range one can be implemented in a manner like you walk thru the front lobby at a resort and a CM will walk up to you and welcome you by name or wish you a happy bday. This same tech can be used at the toll at the park gate. Your band can be scanned and it states your are a resort guest or AP holder.

 

[fla4fun]

I can remember when most hotels would ask for the make/model, color, and tag number from your car as part of the check in process (I had to make a lot of trips back out to the parking lot for the tag number, lol!), and it had to be their way of making sure only guests parked overnight at their hotels. Perhaps this could become part of the check in process at Disney, in one form or another. I agree that it will be very difficult for the resorts to know who is a registered guest and who isn't, and the end product of that could be restricting the resort parking lots to just registered guests of that resort (which I don't think Disney really wants to do because they want us spending for dining and shopping). I still think the easiest thing would be to include some sort of printable permit with either your reservation or when they email your room number - something that you could bring with you and not have to go to the front desk for.

 

[bsbrady]

If they provided that prior to checkin and emailed them it would be copied and spread on the net within days