Resort parking passes being eliminated

[Brian Noble]

But in the past, if people were allowed to park for meals they had a time limit

I do a lot of resort dining---often as an offsite guest. I've been given a time limit exactly once in the past eight years or so.

With the resorts, it always baffles me how the guards only ask to see an ID. Like what are they looking for? My ID doesn't say if I am up to no good or not.

I've never understood this either.

 

[hakepb]

I do a lot of resort dining---often as an offsite guest. I've been given a time limit exactly once in the past eight years or so.


I've never understood this either.

I think the idea that you have to show your face to a guard and present your ID works as a bit of a crime deterrent.
Its not great security, but at least it feels better than staying at a cheap offsite hotel when the Patty Wagon shows up next door.
There may also be a bit of "customer relations" mixed in with the interaction, in case you would like the guard to point you in the correct direction.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

They were doing this last week, but we also were given the passes too.

With the resorts, it always baffles me how the guards only ask to see an ID. Like what are they looking for? My ID doesn't say if I am up to no good or not. I joke with my husband that I should put a sticker over my face next time we go through a resort gate.

They're verifying you indeed have a reservation at the resort if you are staying there and that you are at least who you say you are if you have a reservation at a restaurant. Not sure what's so confusing about this. It's rare that you see a driver's license that says you're a convicted felon.

 

[n2mm]

I just wish they would have a dedicated parking lot for dvc guest staying at that resort controlled with a automatic arm. You could scan your magic band to enter and exit. This would be great esp during F&W when we stay at bwv. It's stressful to come back to our resort in the evenings and have to sit in our car and wait for a parking spot to open up. Which is always followed by a visit to the front desk to complain. I've seen cars towed at the bwv parking lot several times.

 

[Kimly]

They're verifying you indeed have a reservation at the resort if you are staying there and that you are at least who you say you are if you have a reservation at a restaurant. Not sure what's so confusing about this. It's rare that you see a driver's license that says you're a convicted felon.

No they don't, we go down to DW at least every other month, other than when you are checking into the DVC resorts, they look at your ID for maybe 1 second and that is exaggerating. I'm talking about when you drive to a resort and say you have an ADR, not checking into a resort.

 

[jdkdorn]

I want to make sure I am understanding what is going away. The white half sheet of paper with the reort, your name and the stay dates? I am an annual passholder so they sent out a yellow pastic card that lets us park for free in the parks.

 

[hakepb]

I want to make sure I am understanding what is going away. The white half sheet of paper with the reort, your name and the stay dates? I am an annual passholder so they sent out a yellow pastic card that lets us park for free in the parks.

Yes, Disney will continue to send you multiple Magic Bands made of plastic, electronics and a battery, so they can "save the environment" by not passing out a half-sheet of biodegradable paper.

 

[nalajms]

I want to make sure I am understanding what is going away. The white half sheet of paper with the reort, your name and the stay dates? I am an annual passholder so they sent out a yellow pastic card that lets us park for free in the parks.

Are you local? When did you get the parking pass? We haven't gotten anything yet.

 

[hakepb]

They're verifying you indeed have a reservation at the resort if you are staying there and that you are at least who you say you are if you have a reservation at a restaurant. Not sure what's so confusing about this. It's rare that you see a driver's license that says you're a convicted felon.

It may depend on the resort / crowd level, but I am under the impression they might check a list, but if you are not on a list, they just log your entry.

Christmas week, the family took a bus to shop at DTD. I drove over to pick them up. When I realized DTD parking was farther than Cirque...I decided to "visit" my home resort (I know, there are no day use privileges)
We were staying off site that day, but I rolled down the window with my Magic Band w/DVC slider on (DVC AP is on it, but no valid room), the guard excitedly said he had the same band, scanned it, then let me in.

I do really like the new Springs bridge

 

[River Country]

From my own experience since we first started using MB's my band was scanned in at every resort I went to. I am an AP and DVC member and I was never given a time limit and I always had a dining reservation at the resort I was parking at. Granted they were all DVC resorts but as a DVC member I am allowed to pool hop as well for most pools. I actually do feel bad for people staying at Beach Club and Boardwalk during Food and Wine. It seems like on the weekends there are a lot of locals that are parking there and going to the F&W festival. Not sure that there is a right or wrong answer here on the parking situation at the resorts but the elimination of the parking pass how would they know what car to tow or where I parked if the MB they scanned is still on my wrist??? You mean to tell me the guard is following me like a super sleuth to see what spot I parked in?

 

[jdkdorn]

Are you local? When did you get the parking pass? We haven't gotten anything yet.

When you drive into the resort they give it to you at the gate. We always rent a car for 1-2 days to get groceries and other stuff

 

[jodifla]

I feel like this is going to be problematic for the way we vacation. We often have guests for one or two nights, and while we are under or at our occupancy, the subsequent people don't always check in. They just used the parking pass of the previous guest.

 

[nalajms]

I feel like this is going to be problematic for the way we vacation. We often have guests for one or two nights, and while we are under or at our occupancy, the subsequent people don't always check in. They just used the parking pass of the previous guest.

Shouldn't be a problem. Just have a "dummy" guest and swap out the MB. It's a PIA for the guests to have 2 MB, but they only need the dummy one to open rooms and parking.

We typically give visiting relatives one of my kids' extra MB. Since my relatives never decide if they are staying the night or not, we don't add them till late in the afternoon.

 

[supersuperwendy]

My brother and sister in law live in Orlando and come to spend time with us on every DVC vacation. I always get a parking pass for them. They won't have magic bands so I wonder how they will get to park and hang out with us?

 

[WilsonFlyer]

My brother and sister in law live in Orlando and come to spend time with us on every DVC vacation. I always get a parking pass for them. They won't have magic bands so I wonder how they will get to park and hang out with us?

Add'em to your reservation. Guess what you'll get in the mail for them. Easy peezy.

 

[supersuperwendy]

I can't add them! Between my family of 6 and my parents who come on every trip we don't have the occupancy to add them as guests! They usually spend a few hours visiting us. I guess as time goes on we'll figure it out

 

[jdkdorn]

if you have stayed in the past you have magic bands that are all still good, unless you deactivated them, I have at least 6 per person in my family and I will give one to my guests to use. My sister is stying at Hilton Time Share but the kids will be with us for 2 nights and I am giving her the band becasue I have the expectation that the youngest may not handle being away form mom and dad. Neither has done trhe sleepover thing yet

 

[Brian Noble]

They're verifying ... that you are at least who you say you are if you have a reservation at a restaurant.

Unless they've memorized the ADR list (doubtful), no they are not. The resort guard has never checked my name against any list, in any of the dozens of times I've dined at a resort.

 

[maxiesmom]

I can't add them! Between my family of 6 and my parents who come on every trip we don't have the occupancy to add them as guests! They usually spend a few hours visiting us. I guess as time goes on we'll figure it out

Maybe it is in part because people who are not staying at the resorts are not supposed to be getting parking passes? The resorts are not supposed to be go-between parking. If someone isn't a resort guest, they need to pay for parking. I get that this was a loop hole and Disney allowed it, but maybe that is why they are going towards using Magic Bands, in addition to saving the money on printed passes.

 

[CMNJ]

really the best way to curb parking abuse at popular resorts would be to charge the valet rate BUT refund people for it as long as they left the lot within the set time limit given (whatever they typically give for an ADR) then people would know they couldn't use it as a way to get around paying for parking at MK or Epcot that it truly was just for their dining reservation