Can you go to MK resorts if not staying on property or doing Disney parks?

[MinnieMe2669]

I have a friend there right now that would love to go to the GF to shop and see the Christmas decorations, and then take the monorail around to see the Poly and Contemporary. They are NOT doing Disney though, just down there. Can they do this? How do they get through the MK gates without having to pay for parking?

 

[_auroraborealis_]

They can visit the resorts, but they will need to pay for parking. People with Dining Reservations can often park for 3 hours at a resort for that reservation, but the courtesy free parking is not intended for people leaving the resort (i.e., take the monorail around).

Valet parking is $25+tip. TTC is $20, and they can hop the resort monorail.

The monorail resorts are especially strict about parking, as people would love to park there free to avoid TTC lot charge.

 

[hakepb]

You might want to have them park at disney springs and take a bus to GF.

Christmas week is usually results in World Drive closing as MK parking is filled to capacity and a ton of cars don't know where to go.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Christmas week also often results in the Disney Springs garages filling up.

 

[Lynne M]

Three possibilities off the top of my head:

1) Are they staying at a hotel in Central FL? Their hotel may run a shuttle to WDW. The off-site shuttles used to drop off at the Ticket and Transportation Center; if they still do, they could hop on the resort monorail at the TTC and go from there.

2) Taxi or Uber to the GF.

3) Pay to park at the MK (the TTC is the MK's parking lot) and take the resort monorail.

 

[MinnieMe2669]

I have no idea where they are staying actually. They did Universal the last couple days and Blizzard Beach today. She said they were just going to try and go and see what happens. She will pay the parking fee to get in.

 

[pooch]

As long as they pay to park, they can go wherever they want. Access to the resorts is not restricted to on site/parks guests.

 

[Tigger's ally]

Christmas week also often results in the Disney Springs garages filling up.

Isn't this the first year both garages have been open? I too could see them filling up though.

 

[MinnieMe2669]

The Lime garage was close to being full last week when I was there, so I Can see it being full this week!

 

[bumbershoot]

They can visit the resorts, but they will need to pay for parking. People with Dining Reservations can often park for 3 hours at a resort for that reservation, but the courtesy free parking is not intended for people leaving the resort (i.e., take the monorail around).

Valet parking is $25+tip. TTC is $20, and they can hop the resort monorail.

The monorail resorts are especially strict about parking, as people would love to park there free to avoid TTC lot charge.

There is no method/way to pay for parking at a resort other than valet.

Op, counsel them to drive to their intended first resort, and tell the guard that they want to see the resort. If parking is full the guard will tell them what to do. I would recommend not choosing Contemporary bc their lot is small. If the guard says "valet only" then that's that. But they might not say that.

And in 6 years of visiting wdw and almost always having a car while bouncing around resort to resort, I have never had an onsite, right there, with decision-making power, even breathe a word about the mystical 3 hours.

I have literally only ever heard it here.

 

[Deb & Bill]

There is no method/way to pay for parking at a resort other than valet.

Op, counsel them to drive to their intended first resort, and tell the guard that they want to see the resort. If parking is full the guard will tell them what to do. I would recommend not choosing Contemporary bc their lot is small. If the guard says "valet only" then that's that. But they might not say that.

And in 6 years of visiting wdw and almost always having a car while bouncing around resort to resort, I have never had an onsite, right there, with decision-making power, even breathe a word about the mystical 3 hours.

I have literally only ever heard it here.

And they might not be allowed to valet park if they aren't staying at that resort. I've seen that happen before at the Contemporary and it wasn't Christmas.