Boardwalk parking for guests?

[DisneyGuy]

We just booked the Boardwalk Inn tonight and there was a notice that due to refurbishment that parking will be limited and we may have to valet instead of self park. That's fine but from what I understand we would have to pay a daily fee? Free parking was one of the reasons we were choosing a Disney resort over the Swan. Anyone know what we can expect when we arrive?

 

[bumbershoot]

It's mainly a warning for people not staying there*. It's not something I personally would worry about. And that notice has been up for MANY months now.



*which of course makes NO sense b/c people just visiting the resort aren't going to the page to book the resort. Ah, Disney...

 

[Marionnette]

We just booked the Boardwalk Inn tonight and there was a notice that due to refurbishment that parking will be limited and we may have to valet instead of self park. That's fine but from what I understand we would have to pay a daily fee? Free parking was one of the reasons we were choosing a Disney resort over the Swan. Anyone know what we can expect when we arrive?

The Boardwalk parking lot can get quite full during certain times due to a large number of registered guests with cars, convention goers who also park there and many offsite guest who like to use that lot for free parking and easy access to both HS and Epcot.

If you cannot find a parking spot, you can valet park your vehicle. Yes, you will be charged to valet park. Yes, you should also tip the car jockey. Good luck making a case with the management that registered guests should not be forced into paying. They will point out that the warning is on the website when you booked.

 

[seashoreCM]

From trip reports I have read, the Boardwalk parking lot gets quite full numerous times during the year due to the many offsite guests who like to use that lot for free parking and easy access to both Hollywood Studios and Epcot.

I would suggest booking a different resort for now, at least until there is some published resolution for the parking problems.

Either that, or I will have to recommend complaining and pressing for a refund of valet fees including in writing after getting back home if prior efforts did not succeed. The main purpose of this is to make heads upstairs roll towards getting the problems resolved.

 

[DisneyGuy]

So it looks like we won't know until it happens....may need to look into another resort and I think Swan was the only other one available in the Epcot area for our dates.

Thanks for the replies!

 

[DieHardJoe]

We have stayed at the BW a number of times. On one occasion we were not given a parking pass at the gate (an oversight I beleive) and were then told when we pulled up in front that there was only valet. I said no thank you, went inside and told the very nice CM what we had been told about having to valet park. She said that doesn't sound right and very quickly printed me a parkingpass and when I went to park I would say that the lot was maybe 25% full at the most. So basically we were either accidentally misled by the person outside who would have made money parking our car for us, or we were not so accidentally lied to. So don't be too quick on taking up the offer to valet park. As for a solution, I think I have one - Give up some of the Valet lot for free guest parking. In the many times we have stayed there, I honestly cannot remember seeing the Valet lot more than half full. I realize the Valet parking is 3rd-party and not Disney, but I would hope Disney would still have some control over the amount of guest parking spaces that can be made available.