Can you park at The Contemporary?

[Aidensmom]

Resorts that are not convenient to a park are not quite the same. Contemporary, GF, Poly, Boardwalk, and YC&BC are the resorts that have issues with people parking at their resort just to head to a close by park.

Thus there is a 3 hour limit. I've stayed at the Contemporary 3 times now and it was a pain to self park as there were no spots. It was quite obvious at times why.

We are staying at ASMo next month, and will be going over to Boardwalk one late afternoon/evening for dinner, shopping, and exploring the resort. We planned to drive there.(with a preschooler/stroller, it is just easier). I would hate to be rushed because of a 3-hour limit. How strict is this limit, if we were 30 minutes late would we be towed or anything?

 

[DebbieB]

We are staying at ASMo next month, and will be going over to Boardwalk one late afternoon/evening for dinner, shopping, and exploring the resort. We planned to drive there.(with a preschooler/stroller, it is just easier). I would hate to be rushed because of a 3-hour limit. How strict is this limit, if we were 30 minutes late would we be towed or anything?

I've never seen a 3 hour pass given at BW. I have at the Contemporary and Poly. If the main lot is close to full, they will tell you to park in the lot behind the guard gate or the unguarded lot across the street. To be honest, I think 3 hours will be plenty, there really isn't alot to do.

 

[Jsmply]

Lol thanks for the fireproof wrapping, but I don't see why it's neccesary. I know people like to flame on the forums, but I'm just trying to relay my experiances.

I also don't know if it's considered low season, but we went two weekends ago (second week in May) and was not required to get a 3 hour pass at Contemporary or Boardwalk. Both were on Saturday the 14th. We went to boardwalk around 7:30 PM and took the boat to Epcot and we parked at Contemporary around 11 PM and took the monorail to the 24 hour restaurant behind Grand Floridian.

Again I'm just relaying my experiances, not trying to upset anyone.

- J

 

[Jsmply]

Lol thanks for the fireproof wrapping, but I don't see why it's neccesary. I know people like to flame on the forums, but I'm just trying to relay my experiances.

I also don't know if it's considered low season, but we went two weekends ago (second week in May) and was not required to get a 3 hour pass at Contemporary or Boardwalk. Both were on Saturday the 14th. We went to boardwalk around 7:30 PM and took the boat to Epcot and we parked at Contemporary around 11 PM and took the monorail to the 24 hour restaurant behind Grand Floridian.

Again I'm just relaying my experiances, not trying to upset anyone.

- J

 

[DebbieB]

Lol thanks for the fireproof wrapping, but I don't see why it's neccesary. I know people like to flame on the forums, but I'm just trying to relay my experiances.

I also don't know if it's considered low season, but we went two weekends ago (second week in May) and was not required to get a 3 hour pass at Contemporary or Boardwalk. Both were on Saturday the 14th. We went to boardwalk around 7:30 PM and took the boat to Epcot and we parked at Contemporary around 11 PM and took the monorail to the 24 hour restaurant behind Grand Floridian.

Again I'm just relaying my experiances, not trying to upset anyone.

- J

Just wondering, did you have a resort parking permit? I think they are more easy on people with a permit because they know they aren't trying to get out of paying for parking. You normally wouldn't flash your annual pass at a resort guard for them to know.

 

[oogieboogie]

Lol thanks for the fireproof wrapping, but I don't see why it's neccesary. I know people like to flame on the forums, but I'm just trying to relay my experiances.

I also don't know if it's considered low season, but we went two weekends ago (second week in May) and was not required to get a 3 hour pass at Contemporary or Boardwalk. Both were on Saturday the 14th. We went to boardwalk around 7:30 PM and took the boat to Epcot and we parked at Contemporary around 11 PM and took the monorail to the 24 hour restaurant behind Grand Floridian.

Again I'm just relaying my experiances, not trying to upset anyone.

- J

I can see that they didn't give you a parking pass at the Boardwalk. I've gone there and BC several times and they just wave me thru, even when I wasn't staying at a Disney Resort. (most of the time I was)

At the Contemporary, I don't think they really enforce the rule at 11pm, seeing as MK closed at 11pm on May 14th. The rules is pretty enforced during the MK operating hours and early in the morning. At 11pm, security pretty much assumes you're not going to MK which is the main reason for enforcing the rule.

I think of all the resorts, the MK resorts are the most enforced because they're the ones that see the most abused. Not too many people park at Epcot resorts to go to Epcot because the walk from the resort to Epcot is about equidistance had they parked in the main parking lot. Same with MGM.
However with MK, getting to MK from the TTC is still quite a journey and some people see the MK resorts parking lots as a closer alternative.

JMO.

 

[kilee]

Parking at a resort is limited to the guests of the resort or those dining at that specific resort. If you are going to the parks afterwards it is suggested that you may want to park at the TTC. Irregardless of what others may have expierenced it is not allowed. For guests who are at a resort solely to dine, there is a 3 hour time limit imposed. This should be abided to by all guests.

 

[Queen Be]

Parking at a resort is limited to the guests of the resort or those dining at that specific resort. If you are going to the parks afterwards it is suggested that you may want to park at the TTC. Irregardless of what others may have expierenced it is not allowed. For guests who are at a resort solely to dine, there is a 3 hour time limit imposed. This should be abided to by all guests.

Okay, what if we have a dinner reservation and a wishes cruise booked, will they extend that 3 hour time limit? We have a 6 pm reservation at Chef Mickey's on July 1 and a wishes cruise booked, and that will take us well beyond the 3 hour time limit..wonder how that will be handled for parking?

 

[Deb & Bill]

Okay, what if we have a dinner reservation and a wishes cruise booked, will they extend that 3 hour time limit? We have a 6 pm reservation at Chef Mickey's on July 1 and a wishes cruise booked, and that will take us well beyond the 3 hour time limit..wonder how that will be handled for parking?

Just let them know at the guard shack when you drive in.

 

[Ziggie]

I've never seen a 3 hour pass given at BW. I have at the Contemporary and Poly. If the main lot is close to full, they will tell you to park in the lot behind the guard gate or the unguarded lot across the street. To be honest, I think 3 hours will be plenty, there really isn't alot to do.

(I posted this in another thread ~ ) We, as well as several other vehicles, were told we had 3 hours to dine (at Spoodles) and do some light shopping. Every car that was going through the gate (that was not a guest of BW) had their license plate number recorded.

 

[DebbieB]

(I posted this in another thread ~ ) We, as well as several other vehicles, were told we had 3 hours to dine (at Spoodles) and do some light shopping. Every car that was going through the gate (that was not a guest of BW) had their license plate number recorded.

Did they give you a paper pass? I know at the Poly and Contemporary, they used to give you a pass to put on your dashboard with your 3 hour expiration time displayed, but it's been awhile.

 

[Ziggie]

Did they give you a paper pass? I know at the Poly and Contemporary, they used to give you a pass to put on your dashboard with your 3 hour expiration time displayed, but it's been awhile.

No, they didn't. They did tell us though that we were allowed to park at BW for 3 hours (in a very nice way.. they were very courteous), but did not give us a paper pass. They did write down our license plate number and the name of the other Disney hotel where we were staying.

We don't actually know what happens if you overstay the 3 hour limit(?) ... as we didn't want to break any rules. We're the type that pretty much do as we're told I will say that one time they did check the reservation sheet (to see if we did have a ressie for Spoodles) and another time, they didn't.

 

[swincha]

Yes, you do need a reservation - a room reservation at the Contemporary. The parking lot there is not that big and I would imagine the hotel guests really hate those people who park there and do not stay there. I know I hate it when people who are not staying at my resort think they can use the pool I paid big bucks to use. Leave your car at the TTC parking lot and take the monorail or the boat. That was not a tip you got, just a good way to get your car towed.

how did you know the people who were using the pool were not staying there? do they have special towels like some resorts. we went to the contemporary 10 years ago and liked it however they were doing work on the pool so we went to the beach club pool to swim. don't know if that was ok but we wanted a nice place to swim and our hotel did not have it.

 

[swincha]

No, they didn't. They did tell us though that we were allowed to park at BW for 3 hours (in a very nice way.. they were very courteous), but did not give us a paper pass. They did write down our license plate number and the name of the other Disney hotel where we were staying.

We don't actually know what happens if you overstay the 3 hour limit(?) ... as we didn't want to break any rules. We're the type that pretty much do as we're told I will say that one time they did check the reservation sheet (to see if we did have a ressie for Spoodles) and another time, they didn't.

i hear especially at the contemporary they will tow your car if you exceed the 3 hours or park there without a pass.

 

[Ted and Holly]

While going to dine at many resorts, I often wonder the exact policy for the guards and parking. I wonder, because the practice it always different.

At AKL, they usually ask for a photo ID and hand you a permit, already filled out. Maybe 1 out of every 5 times, they record my license plate. They rarely look more than a second at the ID.

At the Beach Club, I have never had them look at the license plate. They do look quickly at my ID, but not longer than to tell if it is really an ID. No parking pass.

Same for the Boardwalk. No pass and a second-long glance at the ID.

Contemporary, ID check, sometimes they actually read it, no pass.

I do not try to find ways to cheat the syste, but if I wanted to, it would be easy.

As for the parking toll booths heading into the TTC... They are in a very unfortunate location. Far too many reasons why you'd be driving through there and NOT going to park at the TTC. In the few times that I had a legitimate reason to drive through without parking (or paying), there was barely a second thought by the CM in the booth.

Ted

 

[swincha]

To be completely accurate, there is no time limit if you valet park. I've had valets even suggest if after dining we were going to the parks, that we leave our car there.

You don't need a reservation to park - you can get a 3 hour self park pass to just look around the resort. Resort touring is a great way to pick the hotel for the next trip.

how much is valet parking?

 

[kilee]

In the case of the Wishes cruise and Chef Mickey's dinner--- in all honesty your best bet is to ask at the booth. If they say it's okay-- then I guess you may do it. Otherwise, I'd plan on parking at the TTC and using the monorail to transport to the Contemporary. Which could be fun for the kids anyway.

 

[Jsmply]

It'd be really interesting to talk to a disboards member who was a parking attendant at one of the resorts in question.

All I know is that growing up my family used to always park at the Contemporary (we were usually staying at a Disney resort if reservations were available, sometimes not though if they werent as the nature of my familys occupations usually spawned spuradic tripes) and take the monorail over to the contemporary. They must have done it 10 years in a row without a problem. Now as an adult I have done it 2-3 times. I really didn't even think it was an issue as I've never even had a problem finding a parking space.

To be honest, I've never been giving a parking permit to display at any of the resorts. I'm shocked if they actually tow cars in these resorts. It seems to me that as an above poster said, the parking experiances at the guard gates seem to vary to much to do something like this. Some days you get checked one way and the next day another. I'm a florida resident and have attended at least 15 times in the last 15 years and have never had to do more than show ID and say we were going in to get a snack or have breakfast, et cetera. It was the truth as we would grab a snack, but never even realized it would be a problem to monorail over from there.

I guess God has just always blessed us with the conveniant weekends for the past 15 years, lol who knows.

 

[#1 TITANS FAN]

Valet is $7, plus I tip $2 each way (dropping off and picking up).

 

[Uncleromulus]

About towing--usually if a place does "tow" they must post that fact and also post where they tow and how much it will cost to retreive the vehicle. I can't recall seeing a posted "tow zone" in any WDW parking lot---