Valet parking.... best tip I got!

[nosy parker]

We rented a car while in Disney and the best tip I got was about the valet parking at the monorail resorts. Fantastic for the days you go to MK. Valet parking costs $10 (plus a tip, of course) and entitles you to stay as long as you like. Regular guest self-parking only allows you 3 hours of parking. That's fine if you have an ADR and plan to leave after, but not if you plan on going to the park. Also, with valet you get to come and go as often as you like throughout the day without additional charge, just keep your receipt. This was fabulous for us! We drove right up to the entrance at the Contemporary (and GF, also) let them take our car and off we went to MK. Sometimes we did have a meal planned there first, other times we just used the parking service. This was especially useful when we left MK to go back to our room at POP to get changed for MNSSHP. Easy, peasy. Left MK, went to POP, got changed then drove right back to CR and let them park us and off we went back to MK. No extra cost! After a night at the park, CR is the first stop back, so it was great to get off the monorail and back to our car quickly.

Of course, since we did this we never saw the TTC, so I just assume this was quicker and easier!

Would never have known about this if it weren't for the DIS!

 

[DiznEeyore]

Yeah, and if everybody did this, they'd run out of spaces for the people who actually PAY to stay there.

I give you an hour or two before this thread is locked. The DIS doesn't advocate tips that break rules, and yes, parking at a monorail resort when you're not a guest there IS breaking the rules, whether you valet to get around it or not.

 

[nosy parker]

Gee DiznEeyore, no need to get so testy.

I obviously got this info here, so didn't think there was anything wrong with posting it. It worked for us. We very clearly asked at the valet counter if we were allowed to do this at both the Contemporary and GF. Initially I wasn't certain and that is why I asked. We had breakfast at Chef Mickey's and it seemed so much easier than to get back in the car and go elsewhere to park. We told them we were staying at POP and they said "no problem at all". The parking guard at GF told us it was only for three hour parking but the valets (two of them) reassured us it was fine if we went to MK and spent the evening there after we finished our dinner. I re-iterated what the parking guard had said about it being only three hours and they said we could stay as long as we wanted (obviously within the same day, not until the next) without any problem.

And at the Contemporary we even told the parking guard that we had our receipt for valet parking from using it earlier (when we had breakfast) and were coming back to use the service. Our parking pass was right there in the front windshield clearly showing that we were registered at POP and he let us in.

So I'm sorry if this is some BIG no-no. But we certainly didn't know, if it was, and nobody at either location seemed to have any problem with it. Maybe we were lucky, who knows. Obviously this was only of use when we went to MK. Other parks we used the assigned 'official' parking lot.

 

[ScrapperKimmyD]

I wonder if it was okay since you were staying on Disney property. It might not be okay of you weren't.

 

[Debi]

Hi everyone! This is a very controversial issue, so I ask that everyone remain respectful on this thread. Although valet parking is not limited to guests of that resort only, valet parking can easily become abused if everyone uses it for theme park parking. Please use your best judgement when using valet parking at any Disney theme park.

 

[Goofy109]

How about just " Staying " at the Contemporary Resort , then you are There ! Don't be cheapskate...........

 

[ilandrazdsw]

I don't see anything wrong with *trying* it AS LONG AS is is very much off season and the resort is no where near full (booked guests have first rights!). The valets should be able to determine if this is possible...if they say "No" then it won't happen and go on your way to self park. The other option is to park at the park and commute to the resort of said reservation so you/car are at the park when it closes (I know easier said than done with ressies and park hopping, but you would have to go back to your original valet destination anyway!). I was very disappointed to find out that at over Christmas we may not even be able to park in self park for our resort ADRs...so we cancelled the car and will either try the buses or pay for cab.
And Goofy109, please understand that it is not always possible for families to just stay to a higher priced resort If we could financially, I would be staying at CR without a second though...BUT staying at a value give us more days and the kids still get to go to the World for the first time!