Parking at deluxes a pain???

[CharAnn76]

We always rent a car for the duration of our trips to WDW and have found that parking at the deluxe resorts is not fun, that is if you can find a spot at all. I can't tell you how many times we have circled a parking lot with no luck and ended up parking at the very end way in the back. And the GF parking lot is ridiculously far from the entrance. We so prefer being able to park directly outside our building...this is why we prefer moderates. Has anyone else experienced this...is this problematic for others as well? You'd just think that self-parking at a deluxe resort would be more convenient.

 

[Goofy4]

Yes, it's a pain. Here are some possible reasons:

-- more people drive than expected (way back when)
-- they wanted to hide the lot from view of most rooms
-- it's free (as is Disney transportation)
-- they don't expect people to be hauling their own luggage (as any "deluxe" hotel would)
-- they encourage people to use the valet service (as any "deluxe" hotel would)
-- people who aren't guests are parking there (shopping, dining, or just working the system)

 

[Havana]

We always drive, and as much as I like going to the GF, I really dislike the parking situation there. Walking across the street is very inconvenient.

I find AK and WL parking to be acceptable and have never had problems finding a parking spot. SSR, OKW and CR/BLT has parking fairly close to the rooms.

 

[graceesmom]

We've had good parking at CR and Poly. At BC we did valet b/c my dad was with us. He has trouble walking so I was just going to drop him off at the front desk. When I drove up, the valet said that valet was complimentary b/c my dad has a handicap tag. That was very nice and convenient especially b/c it meant I wasn't the one always running to get the car to bring it around for my dad, but I could see the parking lot there, and it didn't seem very far off.

I agree that parking at GF is horrible. We drove over there for a dinner one evening, and it was ridiculous.

 

[akl-fan]

At Kidani village you park under the building, below your room, then just take the elevator up. It couldn't be easier. You car is also cool when you get back ---Perfect!!

 

[fla4fun]

Boardwalk is bad because of all the people parking there who aren't staying there. But they've been starting to police it better - I'll find out in a couple months when I go back. CR used to be bad until they got strict as well. I won't stay at GF any more because of the across the street parking. I won't park valet (although I can afford to) because I've seen how they drive the cars . I don't let anyone drive my car - not even friends and family (I'll take them somewhere if need be, but they don't get to just take the car and go).

Otherwise, I haven't had really bad issues with parking at deluxes. I usually take my own luggage in, and the only resorts with a really long walk are BW and GF.

I've never really noticed the parking at the mods and values to be that much closer. The only resort with really close parking is the FW cabins - love those!

 

[Reddog1134]

At Kidani village you park under the building, below your room, then just take the elevator up. It couldn't be easier. You car is also cool when you get back ---Perfect!!

I've only stayed in 2 deluxes. Kidani Village and Old Key West. Both were great for parking. OKW we were right in front of our building.

As stated above, Kidani was right under the building. It is a short walk to the elevator but walking to the room from there was an entirely different matter.

 

[DSLRuser]

It's a non issue. On any given day at Disney, you can and usually do, walk anywhere from 2 to 8 miles in a day. An extra 500 yards is meaningless in the scope of things.

As someone mentioned, one of the reason the parking lots are so far away, and in most cases hidden, is they break the theme.

 

[Mary T in PA]

Parking at GF is probably the worst.

All of the others we have found to be ok.


I just wonder how the CMs do it every day - I see them walking from far away lots, headed to their jobs. That must be something to do that.

 

[dawgs4disney]

I have never found parking to be a problem. We are usually at the bc/yc or poly. To me, the benefits of not carrying luggage for 6 people from the car at the values/ moderates far outweighs the parking lot distance.

 

[DCLbrideSept2009]

We stayed at Kidani in March 2010 and parking was GREAT! Parked right under the building, always found a spot close to the elevator and our villa was pretty close to the elevator. Now going to be staying at BWV in June and DH was worried about parking there. So we decided we will just valet the whole time to save stress.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

The Contemporary parking lot has improved because anyone staying there can park in any of the spaces in front of the Tower. Although the 1st and 2nd rows are cars that valet parked, so those rows are off limits unless you choose to valet. Plus there is also the parking lot in front of Bay Lake Tower.

During our two stays at the Boardwalk Inn from August 2010 and December 2010 we didn't have any problems parking in their main self parking lot, although it would be nice if they really enforced that guests not staying there park in the areas designated for them which is to the left of the guard shack and behind the Hess station across the street. I am sure there are those who park in the main lot that are not staying there which is for those staying at the Inn and Villas sections.

I also agree that the self parking is horrible at the Grand Floridian because it's across the street from their main entrance. However in the times we drove there we still choose to self park and save the $12.00 + tip it would cost to the valet, because we don't think it's worth it and the walk is not that bad considering all the other walking in WDW that we do.

 

[DEA]

So we decided we will just valet the whole time to save stress.

This was the best $14/day (+ tips) we spent on our trip down there last May. Especially valuable when the kids fell asleep in the car on the way back to the hotel in the evening.

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

When we stayed at CR it was a pain. There was construction going on that took up spaces plus people who were there for Chef Mickey's only took up spaces.

One night we got the last space in the parking lot and we saw someone getting towed. Now I don't know if there car just broke down or if they were towed because they parked there and went into MK which is a no-no.

I felt bad for anyone staying there who came in after us.

We didn't have a problem at WL. There was tons of parking there. And at BWI, I was alone and didn't have a car so I don't know what the parking is like there.

 

[francie57]

For me that is why valet parking was created. My theory is I'm on vacation and the fee for valet parking is nothing compared to everything else. My DH always says we should self park but no way. I like having the car waiting for us if we want to go out and since we go in Aug. I like having the AC running when we get in.

 

[goofy4tink]

I'm staying at Hard Rock, over at US, in April. All three of the US/IoA resorts make you pay to park your car there. No free parking...drives me nutty.
So, I guess I can then go to WDW and pay to valet park and think of it the same way I do the US/IoA resorts or figure I'm getting a break by getting free resort parking at WDW.

Deluxe resorts have distant parking so as to maintain the theme. I certainly wouldn't pay a ton of money to stay at a deluxe if I got to look at a parking lot from my balcony!! Now...some of the villas I have had at BWV looked out towards a parking lot but those were standard view rooms and I knew it would be a possibility.

 

[MsStinkerBelle]

For me that is why valet parking was created. My theory is I'm on vacation and the fee for valet parking is nothing compared to everything else. My DH always says we should self park but no way. I like having the car waiting for us if we want to go out and since we go in Aug. I like having the AC running when we get in.

My thoughts EXACTLY! Esp when we stayed at the GF. The self-park for that resort is so far out I swear they should give a complimentary tram ride from it.

All of our stays on site when we've had a car we've never had problems parking. Not at the Poly, POFQ or Pop. Now the GF--I went into that knowing I'd have to pay for Valet or be miserable. That's just me.