A question, not a debate, about parking.

[DisneyKidds]

Ok, I know that owning DVC doesn't entitle you to any particular parking benefits (outside of free valet at the DVC resorts) or privileges, and I also know that you are not supposed to park at Disney resorts for extended periods or to go to the parks. That is why the resorts have parking passes and such now. So we don't need to debate any of that.

Ever since we have been staying at WDW on DVC points and have a DVC permit in our car window we have never gotten a parking pass at any of the resorts. This includes non DVC resorts like the GF and Poly. They just wave us thru with nary a question. So my question is, has anyone else had similar experiences? Does it seem that the resorts are not as strick on parking when it comes to DVC members? Or is it just that the resorts have been doing less of the parking pass thing in general?

Just curious as to your thoughts and experiences.

 

[colleen costello]

Same here, except for a time or two at the Polynesian, early in the day. I met pals there for breakfast at Kona Cafe one morning last March. I guess because it was early -- prime park-going time -- they did issue me a parking pass.

I just figure with all their problems of people sneaking into resorts, using the pools, trying to park to save the fees, etc., DVC folks are the LEAST of their problems!

 

[ducklite]

We got the three hour parking permits a couple weeks ago at the Poly several times both morning and evening--we were staying at the BCV. We also got one at the AKL.

We always valet when visiting the GF, the walk from the self parking lot to the main building there is like walking from Mars to Venus.

Anne

 

[DisneyKidds]

I know what you mean about that walk from the GF self-parking lot...................

As for the parking passes, I always wondered if they would give DVC members a permit with a time limit. After all, we are allowed to pool hop. If you wanted to have lunch at the GF or Poly and then swim in the pool I'm sure you'd exceed three hours. I wonder if they would take that into consideration if you mentioned it.

 

[ducklite]

Uncle Romuleus reported on this a week or so ago--they were told sorry, it's still only three hours for pool hopping. I can't recall which resort this was at though, sorry.

Anne

 

[Maistre Gracey]

We too have been getting the wave through. I thought it was because they knew we were on-site guests; not off-site guests trying to park for free.
Do the folks staying at the non-DVC, on-site resorts get the general wave through?

Thanx for asking this, as I have been curious about it also...

 

[Beth]

Hmmm... I can't think of a time we <i>haven't</i> been given a parking pass at the Poly. We always valet at the GF and CR.

 

[KNWVIKING]

The only resort that has issued me a parking pass was Poly.

 

[NjRon]

I've never had a problem parking at Disney resorts, even long
before becoming a DVC member. GF, Contemporary, BCV,
POR all waived me through. On some occasions I had PS
for character meals, others I was there to simply park and take
the little ones on the monorail and then over to MK for the
fireworks.

I think they see the on-site parking pass on the dash and
just let us in. I've never got a 3 hour pass.

Maybe I've just been lucky.

 

[zulaya]

We always have gotten a parking pass at the Polynesian. From what I hear this is where a good portion of the parking abuse came from.

We also always have gotten a pass at AKL when eating at Boma.

 

[Dean]

It's variable from day to day and resort by resort. Some times we just get waived through, others they take our tag info and still others we get a pass. If you have a pass for a DVC resort, they will usually just wave you through. Poly seems to be the most difficult refusing entry at times to those who are legally pool hopping.

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Originally posted by Dean
Poly seems to be the most difficult refusing entry at times to those who are legally pool hopping.

Yes. Perhaps they crack down at the Poly because it is the closest/easiest resort to park, where there is a monorail to the Magic Kingdom... and with a short walk, a mono to Epcot.

 

[Peter Johnson]

When visiting Poly, with our member parking pass in the window, we are usually given a 3-hour pass. But if I show my resort ID, we've gotten a Welcome Home and been waved through without a pass.

In May we tested the theory, consciously showing or not showing the ID on several visits, and it worked perfectly.

Shhhh... maybe it's a hidden DVC perk

 

[Chim Chiminy]

We just returned and I had wondered the same thing.
The only time we received a parking pass was on Friday the 22nd at the Contemporary, when we were going boating.
During the course of the week, we drove to AKL to eat at Boma, three times to Contemporary to go boating, once to Polynesian for dinner. We figured we were waved through because of the DVC parking pass in the window.

 

[patsal]

The only resort we have not just been "waved through" is the Poly. We are usually going for breakfast so I figure it was just a measure against the "free parking" people. When I have gone to the poly in the evening to drop the kids off at Neverland Club they usually do not give me a pass after questioning me. Heck with that we usually don't park I just run the kids in while DH circles the lot waiting for me!

 

[Richyams]

I wonder if it makes a difference if you valet park.....

We valet at the GF often. We usually do it on a day when we have breakfast or dinner reservations there. We will just monorail to the park, maybe monorail to Epcot, or something.

We have never been questioned or even had anyone slightly curious about what we were doing.

 

[Marisa'sMom]

I guess it depends on what time of year you're visiting. Most times when we visit other resorts we just get waved right through. We've been during Christmas and even the 4th of July and they will give a pass. If I remember correctly at Christmas time we had ressie's at Chef Mickeys and showed up pretty early and they turned up away. They checked the reservation list and told us to come back around an hour before dinner. That was right after 9/11, so that may have had something to do with it.

 

[Cricket2]

What do they do if you go over the 3 hours if you get the "pass"?

 

[Maistre Gracey]

Originally posted by Mr. J. Cricket
What do they do if you go over the 3 hours if you get the "pass"?

Some folks here have reported seeing cars towed away...

 

[sweetp267]

I can understand if they are more diligent at certain times of the year for non-guests parking at the resorts. Ususally the holiday and generally busy time periods (spring break et.al.) are when they check more carefully. I have parked at the Poly, GF and Cont. and I have been and have not been given the 3 hr pass. I just take the pass and stick it in the visor. Unless they keep a record by my license plate when I enter there is no way they can tell how long I have been there. I have my hotel permit it my window and it has been DVC and non-DVC. I don't think they would resort to towing unless you are completely an off property guest. I too have gotten the wave through and have also been asked my business at that resort. We pool hopped at the Poly and was there more than 3 hours and I purposely did not show leave the 3 hour permit on the dash.

My advice is just to be careful and park somewhere out of the way where a resort guest won't complain that you are in the parking spots that they want to park in (e.g. the closest spots to the front door).

In my 13 years of driving in and around WDW I have not been denied parking at any resort.

Jon