A question for the masses

[StitchesGr8Fan]

Sarcasm? I thought there was always plenty of parking there.

No sarcasm. I've heard several local Podcasters say its tought getting parking at DTD. Our friends who live down there said they same thing. Maybe they do just mean the Marketplace. They also expect it to get worse if the have to block off sections for the Disney Springs construction.

 

[ghtx]

Nope, not at Marketplace. The lots are packed even during slower times of the year. Probably due to the number of people who use it for free theme park parking.

Parking is plentiful most times at Westside. Parking is nearly nonexistent most times at Marketplace.

No sarcasm. I've heard several local Podcasters say its tought getting parking at DTD. Our friends who live down there said they same thing. Maybe they do just mean the Marketplace. They also expect it to get worse if the have to block off sections for the Disney Springs construction.

Yet another reason for me to never go to DTD!

 

[It'sWDW4me]

Just thought of something else... don't the busses start running from DTD sometime around 10-11 am? So catch the bus from DTD at 10 am, get to a resort around 10:30(?), wait for a PARK bus, get on said park bus around 10:45, get to park around 11? And those are generous travel estimates. She (and her DH? Kids? - they'll LOVE this plan!) finally gets to the park HOURS after it opens.


And at the end of the day when they're HOT, tired, and just wanna get back to their hotel, they reverse the procedure. And the lines for the buses are a lot ..... a LOT.... longer than earlier in the day. It's nothing to wait 45 minutes to an hour for a bus from the parks, head to a resort, wait for a DTD bus, travel to DTD, trek to the car.

Again.... for $14?!? Hahahaha.


Next time you talk to her and she tells you of her master plan, just smile and tell her to have fun!

 

[smitch425]

Just thought of something else... don't the busses start running from DTD sometime around 10-11 am? So catch the bus from DTD at 10 am, get to a resort around 10:30(?), wait for a PARK bus, get on said park bus around 10:45, get to park around 11? And those are generous travel estimates. She (and her DH? Kids? - they'll LOVE this plan!) finally gets to the park HOURS after it opens.


And at the end of the day when they're HOT, tired, and just wanna get back to their hotel, they reverse the procedure. And the lines for the buses are a lot ..... a LOT.... longer than earlier in the day. It's nothing to wait 45 minutes to an hour for a bus from the parks, head to a resort, wait for a DTD bus, travel to DTD, trek to the car.

Again.... for $14?!? Hahahaha.


Next time you talk to her and she tells you of her master plan, just smile and tell her to have fun!

Yep. That is why I said they would be looking at a very small amount of park time. Why anyone would pay that much for park tickets and then not take full advantage of the hours they paid for is nuts to me. They will waste way more than $14 of their park entry cost to save $14 on parking.

 

[Princess-ish]

If it was me? I'd park at DTD, walk to SSR, and catch a bus directly to the MK If I'm at DTD and walking over by 8a, chances are good I'll make park opening. At park closing: a bus to SSR and a walk back to the car.

It's bending the rules for sure though.

Disney wants to give ALL guests freedom to explore resorts/other parks without transportation hassles. This way a family of 5 staying off site, can ride the monorail to the Poly for dinner, and return to the park afterwards. Disney considers that a "win" if those guests decide to spend $$$ on dinner and a few extra hours in the park, instead of just leaving for the day.

Now is that typically the norm of the "average" off site traveler? Of course not... but neither is the "thought process" to park at DTD for free. Majority of off site guests have no idea how Disney Transportation even works.

 

[ttintagel]

Yeah, I'd file her in my head under Unethical But Dim.

 

[MikeandReneePlus5]

***************

 

[kellyjeanie]

...Unethical But Dim.

 

[livndisney]

Just thought of something else... don't the busses start running from DTD sometime around 10-11 am? So catch the bus from DTD at 10 am, get to a resort around 10:30(?), wait for a PARK bus, get on said park bus around 10:45, get to park around 11? And those are generous travel estimates. She (and her DH? Kids? - they'll LOVE this plan!) finally gets to the park HOURS after it opens.


And at the end of the day when they're HOT, tired, and just wanna get back to their hotel, they reverse the procedure. And the lines for the buses are a lot ..... a LOT.... longer than earlier in the day. It's nothing to wait 45 minutes to an hour for a bus from the parks, head to a resort, wait for a DTD bus, travel to DTD, trek to the car.

Again.... for $14?!? Hahahaha.


Next time you talk to her and she tells you of her master plan, just smile and tell her to have fun!

You forgot the stop at TL. DTD, PI, TL THEN to a resort.

 

[It'sWDW4me]

You forgot the stop at TL. DTD, PI, TL THEN to a resort.

I'll never forget our trip from DTD to the Poly for dinner one night in 2010. DS and I wanted to hit DTD in the afternoon before dinner. I THOUGHT I left enough time (an hour) to get to the Poly. Just as we got on the bus in DTD, the floodgates of heaven opened up and it poured buckets!! The bus crawled. Of course, everyone's leaving TL so it took absolutely forever to get out of that parking lot. We crawled to CR and now my ADR time is up and I need to get to the Poly NOW. Thank goodness the rest of our party was able to check in ('Ohana) and, surprise, surprise, there was a wait. It took an hour and 45 minutes to get from DTD to the Poly. Just as DS and I walked in and said hi to our family waiting there, our pager lit up! Whew.

 

[WDSearcher]

Sarcasm? I thought there was always plenty of parking there.

Not if you want to park close to the bus stop. There's LOTS of parking at DTD, but depending on what time you go there, you could find yourself a good walk from the bus stop. Not a big deal in the morning when everyone is fresh, but it can be annoying at night, particularly after you've taken a bus to a resort and then waited for another bus to get you to DTD. Not to mention that the relatively uncrowded and quiet place you parked in the AM will be nothing like the bustling, busy, noisy place you return to at night.

To the OP -- I say, let your client do what she is thinking of doing. She'll think she's got it all figured out to save parking $$$, only to find that $14 is pretty much a deal when you consider how quickly and efficiently you can get into the parks. But please ... if you can ... ask her about it after the fact and let us know how she did!

 

[joshsmom]

Not if you want to park close to the bus stop. There's LOTS of parking at DTD, but depending on what time you go there, you could find yourself a good walk from the bus stop. Not a big deal in the morning when everyone is fresh, but it can be annoying at night, particularly after you've taken a bus to a resort and then waited for another bus to get you to DTD. Not to mention that the relatively uncrowded and quiet place you parked in the AM will be nothing like the bustling, busy, noisy place you return to at night.

To the OP -- I say, let your client do what she is thinking of doing. She'll think she's got it all figured out to save parking $$$, only to find that $14 is pretty much a deal when you consider how quickly and efficiently you can get into the parks. But please ... if you can ... ask her about it after the fact and let us know how she did!

YOU are my kind of evil!!

 

[Cyrano]

moving to transportation

 

[BuzzBelleMom]

Just out of curiosity, I wonder if the OP's client thinks there is a bus schedule from DTD to MK? I know they have rough times they are supposed to be at the resorts and leave from DTD, but I do not recall that ever actually working?

I was going to comment about the amount of packages so many people carry, but that shouldn't be a problem because they would be going the opposite direction...

 

[seashoreCM]

You could just agree with her. "Yes, you could do that [park at Downtown Disney, etc.]". Then add, "I do know that the trip takes an hour to an hour and a half since you need to change buses." Then quickly move on to the next discussion topic.

There is no published schedule although I wish there was so I could plan better.

That said, I usually ride the bus (and subway) when I need to go to downtown (Boston) --dinner, Pops concert, whatever. But here I avoid fighting traffic as well as avoid parking garage fees. One time I needed to meet a contractor downtown and he thought it was odd that I rode public transportation. Later he offered to drive me to another place I was going to, saving me the subway fare, since he was going more or less the same way. He knew where I was going but before I could say anything he went off on a circuitous route. Also, unfortunately it was one of the worst traffic days and it took longer than the subway and bus would have taken me. I did not comment on that.

 

[girlb4amirror]

This thread makes me laugh. She thinks she's getting a deal, but it will take her forever!! I don't go to DTD anymore because I don't like how slow the transportation is coming back. The one time we were traveling back to our resort.. We waited a looong time for a bus (seemed like longer than I've ever waited for a theme park bus), then we stopped at a water park, and then we stopped at another resort before making it back to our resort. I'm not a big shopper anyway, so we skip DTD now.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Penny wise and pound foolish. Assuming you don't get towed when it gets more costly

 

[goofy4tink]

If it was me? I'd park at DTD, walk to SSR, and catch a bus directly to the MK If I'm at DTD and walking over by 8a, chances are good I'll make park opening. At park closing: a bus to SSR and a walk back to the car.

It's bending the rules for sure though.

Disney wants to give ALL guests freedom to explore resorts/other parks without transportation hassles. This way a family of 5 staying off site, can ride the monorail to the Poly for dinner, and return to the park afterwards. Disney considers that a "win" if those guests decide to spend $$$ on dinner and a few extra hours in the park, instead of just leaving for the day.

Now is that typically the norm of the "average" off site traveler? Of course not... but neither is the "thought process" to park at DTD for free. Majority of off site guests have no idea how Disney Transportation even works.

Well, as long as they understand that it's going to be about 20+ mins of walking....from the parking lot to the first bus stop at SSR, at least!!!

In all reality? If Disney wanted people parking at DTD and heading to a park, they would provide buses directly to the parks. They don't, so they make it pretty unpleasant to do so.

A better plan *********** to the parks.

Seriously? And you think that's okay??? Against board guidelines to give advice as to circumvent Disney policy. If Disney wanted you parking there, for park access, they would put signage up there. I don't want to see this particular piece of info stated again.
Long story short?? Can you park at DTD and go to a park? Yes. There will be plenty of parking. BUT...it isn't quick. The buses aren't all that regular until about 10am-ish. So, if you get to DTD and park and head to the bus stops, around 8:30, you could be standing there, waiting for quite awhile.
Then, you have to ride to that resort, and then transfer to a bus (or other transportation) from that resort to the park. Plan on it being about 90 mins at least. Then reverse it going back??? I don't think that wasting 3 hrs of park time in travel to get there is really worth the $15 it costs to park the car, at the park.

I would be sure to let your friend/employee know this before they leave. Too bad she seems to think that there are so few perks to staying onsite. Basically, you get what you pay for at WDW.