Any Tips for Parking Onsite?

[GoofyKrisKid]

This weekend is my first trip where we won't be staying onsite. The in-laws are sharing their timeshare so we can't beat the price. We normally use the bus system but will be driving a car.

Is it easy to get around and park? We also plan to park hop so is it easier to park at one park and take the shuttles around or to move the car from park to park?

Any other general parking tips would be appreciated as well. Thanks!



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[HarleenQ]

I think driving is a breeze. I don't like busses, so I drive everywhere. Keep your parking receipt so you don't have to pay twice.

 

[msp2mco]

HarleenQ is spot on. With the exception of MK parking, all the lots are super easy and quick. I would also drive between parks. MK takes longer because you park at the TTC and take a boat or monorail to the park. It isn't difficult, but it takes longer.

 

[gmboy95]

totally agree with the above....when going to MK we always take the bus....otherwise driving is super easy and convenient!!

 

[tobikaye]

Depending on where you are hopping to/from, I drive mostly.

MK/Epcot - Park at one and just use the monorail between.

Epcot/DHS - I would park at DHS and walk/boat to and from Epcot. (I have driven though and it was just as easy.)

DHS/MK - Drive

AK/Any other park - Drive

 

[GoofyKrisKid]

MK/Epcot - Park at one and just use the monorail between.

We are planning Epcot and then MK the first day. Our plan was to park at the TTC and then take the monorail around.

 

[Momto3:2016]

Depending on where you are hopping to/from, I drive mostly.

MK/Epcot - Park at one and just use the monorail between.

Epcot/DHS - I would park at DHS and walk/boat to and from Epcot. (I have driven though and it was just as easy.)

DHS/MK - Drive

AK/Any other park - Drive

How long does it take to get from MK to DHS?

 

[tobikaye]

How long does it take to get from MK to DHS?

Once I am in the car, I think it takes about 10-20 minutes, depending on traffic/route, from parking spot to parking spot.

 

[Momto3:2016]

Once I am in the car, I think it takes about 10-20 minutes, depending on traffic/route, from parking spot to parking spot.

Thanks. I'm working on my plans right now. If I plan on being at HS by 2, would leaving at 1:15 give me enough time? We've only been once in 2013 and I can't remember how long it took to get to our car.

 

[tobikaye]

You should be good with that time, but if you have an set time of 2, you might want an extra 5-10 minutes.

It will take about 15-25 minutes from the exit of MK to a car in the parking lot at TTC. Usually I have had little wait leaving MK to get to my car and can do so in the 15 minute time frame, but I have had one or two waits that made the time closer to 20-25 minutes total.

 

[Momto3:2016]

You should be good with that time, but if you have an set time of 2, you might want an extra 5-10 minutes.

It will take about 15-25 minutes from the exit of MK to a car in the parking lot at TTC. Usually I have had little wait leaving MK to get to my car and can do so in the 15 minute time frame, but I have had one or two waits that made the time closer to 20-25 minutes total.

Thanks!

 

[Accident]

Just wanted to add to this convo that if your park hopping or just like disney transportation you can use it. For example if your planning an mk morning and HS evening, you can get to HS faster with the park to park bus (mk specifically because of the extra time to get to the car first). I like to leave the car in the lot of the park I will end up at and use transportation to the first park. It might take a little more time to get to the first part (aka leave earlier) but the morning is when you have energy and at night when your exhausted, your car is nearby to get in and get off property...

or if you jsut want to ride the monorail or a specific boat, knock yourself out!

 

[Chelley00]

Take a picture of where you park. It's so easy to come out late at night and forget.......

 

[HarleenQ]

Take a picture of where you park. It's so easy to come out late at night and forget.......

I can attest to this ^^^^

The Triceratops/Unicorn debacle of 2010 almost caused a divorce!

 

[tobikaye]

If you forget to take a picture before you get on the tram, texting yourself the location also helps.

 

[Chelley00]

The Triceratops/Unicorn debacle of 2010 almost caused a divorce!

Jafar/Zurg same year

 

[NH-to-FL]

I find it very easy to drive to the various parks. There are plenty of signs to guide you. Add in a minutes of studying Google Maps before your trip and you won't have any problems.

After staying on site the one park where you will miss traveling by bus is the MK. It is nice being dropped off right at the MK entrance.

If it was me I would park hop with my car. At the end of a long day I want to be as close to my car as possible.

 

[dreiwhit]

We stay off site as well. Its pretty easy to drive and get to all the parks. And unlike every concert or sporting event i've been to, Disney has the parking figured out so you won't have any problems coming in or leaving.

Study the road network before you leave. A GPS is nice, but I found out it was easier to just follow the signs rather than our GPS.

From the place we stayed at on the southern end of International Drive, we got to Epcot and DHS in about 15 minutes. AK was a little longer. Getting into MK was much longer, but only because you have to go to the TTC and take the ferry or monorail. The parking lot shuttles run often, and if the shuttle is full, the next one will be coming shortly. Depending on when you arrive and how busy the parks are, you may not even need to take the shuttle. One day at MK and at Epcot, we parked so close that we didn't even need to take a shuttle.

 

[NH-to-FL]

Depending on when you arrive and how busy the parks are, you may not even need to take the shuttle. One day at MK and at Epcot, we parked so close that we didn't even need to take a shuttle.

Yes, this is our experience as well. That said, Disney has started to offer a preferred parking option for an additional $15, reserving the closest parking segment for "preferred". In our rope drop experience we were most impacted at MK but in no means worth spending $15.