AAA Parking at the parks

[polineedyan]

We booked our own trip, but have AAA. I have heard about AAA parking at the parks and was wondering if anyone could expound on that before I call AAA. Id like to use the AAA parking. Comments?

 

[goofy4tink]

In order to get the AAA parking pass most AAA offices insist that you book a package through them or at least get your park passes through that office. There are some offices that just hand the permit out, but they are not the norm. I have AAA and am not allowed to use those parking areas because I didn't book with AAA.

If you were to have a parking permit for those areas at the parks you would find that they are a bit closer to the park vs the regular parking spots. I have been with someone who had a parking permit and it was nice but nothing that I was supremely impressed with. At MK you still have a hike to get to the ferry or monorail in order to get to the MK. The other parks offer slightly closer parking for AAA but it's just not that big a difference.

 

[DebbieB]

From what I understand, officially these are only given to people who book their trip through AAA but some offices may be less strict.

 

[DaddyBeast]

These are available on Ebay. Search for AAA Diamond Parking.
They are worth it at AK since you can walk to the entrance.
EPCOT is good too when it is busy and you would need to park in the back lots - plus - you wind up going through a less-busy security line.
DHS is also good if you cross the tram line and walk up the sidewalk by the cast member parking.
MK is not so hot because there is no tram and you are walking to TTC from pretty far away (even though it is still the front row).

 

[CyndiLooWho]

I just got mine yesterday, when I picked up my park tix at our local AAA. The brochure that the Bluegrass AAA is handing out states that anyone buying tickets through AAA can get the Diamond Parking Pass. I did have to remind the lady doing my tix though...

 

[goofy4tink]

These are available on Ebay. Search for AAA Diamond Parking.
They are worth it at AK since you can walk to the entrance.
EPCOT is good too when it is busy and you would need to park in the back lots - plus - you wind up going through a less-busy security line.
DHS is also good if you cross the tram line and walk up the sidewalk by the cast member parking.
MK is not so hot because there is no tram and you are walking to TTC from pretty far away (even though it is still the front row).

AAA parking permits are not for sale and are not transferrable. This is according to the permits themselves. Anyone buying them on Ebay is doing something against AAA policy.
That being said....I parked at Epcot using one, and we didn't go through a different security line. If you wait until later in the day to go, you may find all the AAA spots taken.
Using the AAA permit does do away with some walking but not a ton of it...maybe a minute or so, tops.

 

[3boymthr]

My AAA diamond parking pass had my name on it and valid thru dates (the dates of my trip) so if you buy one on e-bay you probably would not be able to use it so I wouldn't recommend buying one even if you find one for sale.

 

[gparr]

Unfortunately the passes are not good the last week of December...when my family is planning on going!

 

[jheigl]

As mentioned in previous posts, there are some good and some not so good places to use it. Here is how I rank them:

Best- Epcot
2nd- Hollywood Studios
3rd- Animal Kingdom
4th- Magic Kingdom

Also as mentioned in previous posts, there are only a certain number of parking spaces for use of AAA Diamond Parking. In order to get to the AAA parking spaces, you must follow the GREEN lines or any other signage.

 

[CyndiLooWho]

Hmm, mine has no dates and name, though there is a spot to put my name on it.

 

[maddiesmom0116]

Hmm, mine has no dates and name, though there is a spot to put my name on it.

My office just gives them out, I buy everything through Disney, but stop in and ask them for a pass and they are happy to give it to me. I have had AAA for years and never once had to use any service, so I am delighted my office is so easy going and gives this to me.

Mine never have a date or name added to them that is left to me to fill out. They do have a number that looks to be exclusive to that paticulur pass though.

It cannot hurt to go in to your local office and ask for one.

 

[PoohBear]

We have gotten them through local AAA agents before. Some hand them out some don't. They have always asked to see our AAA card before they handed it over.
Also, this past January we were asked for our AAA card and license (presumably to see if the names matched) when we went to a couple of the parks. At AK there was a car ahead of us that was turned around. My hubby asked jokingly if they were at the wrong park and the attendant told him the other car had a AAA permit but no AAA card. Hubby and I were talking about it later and thought does that mean in order to book a trip with AAA you have to be a member? I don't think so. Then how would people who booked with AAA and were not members get into the lot?

 

[inkkognito]

Mine does not have my name or a date printed on it. We live by WDW and use it all the time, and no one ever questions that. Epcot and AK AAA parking are THE BEST because you can easily walk to the front. I HATE HATE HATE the freakin' trams when they're crowded and everyone is fighting to get on board. DHS is okay...it's actually also a tram stop, but it's the last stop from the front of the park so that's worthless at the end of the day. It's not a bad parking spot and if you walk the right way, you use a very uncrowded bag check. ALL parking at MK bites the wad. AAA is good in the respect that you don't have to use the tram and you can walk down the handicap pathway (just got back from using it there this morning).

 

[aviva5675]

We used them once and it was good. No parking for MK is close, so thats moot. I think closest is handicapped parking, then the AAA spots, then everyone else. I agree if you are not there relatively early they will be filled. There aren't millions of them.

 

[inkkognito]

Whether they fill or not depends on the overall crowd density. I often get a AAA spot late, and I almost always get one in the late afternoon or evening because people are bailing already. I can count the number of times I've found the the AAA spots have been full on one hand, and that's with a LOT of park going.