AAA Diamond Parking Worth It?

[jgrahamiii]

This is the first time we will be staying outside the parks and parking in the main lots every day. If I start at the AAA site and buy tickets direct from Disney, I get a link to a site to print out a voucher for the AAA Diamond Parking area (or get the voucher by mail if I don't use will call). However, if I order from ticketmania, I save about $24 a ticket. We'll be there early November. Given that we plan to park hop at least 3 of the days, is it worth buying at least one ticket via AAA/Disney? Is this parking that much closer so that it saves time in the middle of the day (not too concerned with evening rushes, except on last day, when we plan to leave after Fantasmic and head back over the Epcot or MK for the 9pm firework show)?

Anyone know how long this pass is good for? I plan on using 4-5 days of a 10 day non-exp MYW pass this trip and the other 5-6 days on a 2nd or third trip. Thanks! -John

 

[pxlbarrel]

We only tried the AAA diamond parking once and after that decided not to try it at the other parks. At Animal Kingdom, the AAA parking was farther away than the regular parking if you get to the park early enough. We went to the AAA parking, looked around and said this was ridiculous...and went to park in the regular parking lot. (We were there very early though.)

We talked to a CM about it and he acknowledged that the AAA parking is sometimes farther away.

 

[eeyoreiscool]

Later in the day though, the parking is definately worth it. We try to get into those lots if at all possible since we usually aren't there for the opening of the park. Unless they have changed it recently, the diamond parking at AK is closer or maybe just about the same as the closest regular parking.

 

[ncbyrne]

In Epcot, the AAA Diamond lot is the very closest parking available.

 

[maxaroni]

I think it depends on when you go and how heavy the crowds are. We used it and was always in the first row of parking, behind handicapped. It isn't costing anything and if you find you don't use it, you don't use it. A couple of times, we parked closer w/o it but, for the most part, it worked for us.

 

[jgrahamiii]

Thanks for all the quick comments. They give me food for thought. -John