Can you park at The Contemporary?

[cubfanjen]

I read a tip that you could make priority seating reservations at the Contemporary for dinner, then before dinner, pick up your car from the transportation center and drive to the Contemporary. After dinner, you can walk to the MK, see the parade and fireworks, then walk back to the Contemporary to get your car and go home (and avoid the long lines for the monorail after the fireworks). Unfortunately, I heard this tip too late and couldn't get reservations for Chef Mickey's. I'm wondering if we could still move our car to the Contemporary that afternoon, or if you need some sort of pass or reservation number.

Any tips?
Thanks!

 

[DebbieB]

If you have a dining PS, they will give you a 3 hour pass. They may give you a hard time if you want to park there without a PS, especially if you do not have a WDW resort parking pass. Think about it - what if many people decided to park at the Contemporary instead of the TTC because it was more convenient? It would get pretty crowded. Where would people who are staying there and people who have PS' park when the spaces are taken up by those who are at MK?

 

[Deb & Bill]

I read a tip that you could make priority seating reservations at the Contemporary for dinner, then before dinner, pick up your car from the transportation center and drive to the Contemporary. After dinner, you can walk to the MK, see the parade and fireworks, then walk back to the Contemporary to get your car and go home (and avoid the long lines for the monorail after the fireworks). Unfortunately, I heard this tip too late and couldn't get reservations for Chef Mickey's. I'm wondering if we could still move our car to the Contemporary that afternoon, or if you need some sort of pass or reservation number...

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.

 

[NCombs]

Welcome to DIS.

As others have said, you could only park there is you have a PS at one of the Contemporary restaurants and then it is only a 3 hour pass.

Otherwise parking is for the resort guests. Park guests are not allowed to park at resorts to go to the parks.

I hope you have a great trip and enjoy!!

 

[MrShiny]

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.

 

[LSUDis]

Please don't park at the Contemporary unless you are staying or eating there! We have stayed at the Contemporary and parking places are very difficult to find. In fact, it is the hardest place that we've found to find parking even if you are checking-in. I know that they have valet, but my DH is another do-it-all-yourself guy.

 

[NCombs]

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.

We need to do some resort touring on our next trip. I think it would be a great way to get the "flavor" of a resort and to figure out if you would be interested in staying there.

 

[Deb & Bill]

...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.

It's so easy to take a bus from your resort to the MK and stroll over or ride the monorail to the Contemporary to look around the resort. That way the people who are already paying to stay there can find a parking place. It's just nice to be considerate of people.

 

[Ziggie]

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.

Which hotel was this? The Contemporary?

 

[oogieboogie]

Which hotel was this? The Contemporary?

all the Disney deluxes have valet parking and this rule is the same at each of them.

 

[Ziggie]

all the Disney deluxes have valet parking and this rule is the same at each of them.

Thanks ~ I'm going to call them and double-check

 

[Shells9]

It is *very* challenging to find a parking spot in the self-parking area, especially if you have a tower room and want to be remotely close. My DH is a do-it-yourself-er, too. This weekend we lucked out and got in the second row, but I agree it is very tough!

 

[civileng68]

Not to try to encourage anything, but..........................

My wife and I went to CBR (which I dont think has valet) and simply said we were there to tour the resort (which we were) and we were let in, no time limit or anything.

 

[beattyfamily]

Not to try to encourage anything, but..........................

My wife and I went to CBR (which I dont think has valet) and simply said we were there to tour the resort (which we were) and we were let in, no time limit or anything.

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.

 

[helenk]

If you have valet parking at your own resort you are able to valet at any other resort(that offers valet parking obviously).
The MK resorts and the Epcot resorts have the parking rules so that the guests staying at the resorts are able to find a parking space.

civileng68: I would say that if you parked at the moderates or the values they do not police this rule as much as they would for the deluxes that are in closer to the parks.

 

[Jsmply]

To be quite honest guys, I have never had a problem with this. Perhaps it is because we are usually annual or seasonal pass holders and go in the off season. We have parked at contemporary many times and taken the monorail to the other hotels for dinner and never needed a pass. Maybe it's because we usually go late at night.

We also parked at the Boardwalk 2 weekends ago and took the boat to Epcot for illuminations. Just told them we were going in for dinner and I even asked the guard at the gate about the boat and he told me where it was.

Again I'm not trying to encourage anything just relaying my experiances. Again I guess it's because we usually do it at night and not when going to the MK so I guess we are not really bugging anyone. Everytime we have got to conemporary we have always had our selection of tons of parking spaces.

There are actually a lot of parking tips at Disney. I'm an annual pass holder so I don't have to pay to park, but I experment when I go in the park with different stories (just for fun) and almost everytime they send me in without paying. Granted if they call me on it I have the annual pass. It's just for fun lol . . . maybe I should be a tester at disney to fix the loopholes

 

[civileng68]

To be quite honest guys, I have never had a problem with this. Perhaps it is because we are usually annual or seasonal pass holders and go in the off season. We have parked at contemporary many times and taken the monorail to the other hotels for dinner and never needed a pass. Maybe it's because we usually go late at night.

We also parked at the Boardwalk 2 weekends ago and took the boat to Epcot for illuminations. Just told them we were going in for dinner and I even asked the guard at the gate about the boat and he told me where it was.

Again I'm not trying to encourage anything just relaying my experiances. Again I guess it's because we usually do it at night and not when going to the MK so I guess we are not really bugging anyone. Everytime we have got to conemporary we have always had our selection of tons of parking spaces.

There are actually a lot of parking tips at Disney. I'm an annual pass holder so I don't have to pay to park, but I experment when I go in the park with different stories (just for fun) and almost everytime they send me in without paying. Granted if they call me on it I have the annual pass. It's just for fun lol . . . maybe I should be a tester at disney to fix the loopholes

EVERYONE! I'VE ALREADY DOUSED HIM IN FIREPROOF FOAM, HE'S WEARING A FIREPROOF SUIT, so just dont try it!

He's new and just doesnt know yet. lol,

Jsmply, I only did that because I know the ropes around here and know enough to know that ANY MENTION of sneakyness gets you in the "flame zone".

 

[Figment2]

Jsmply - you were allowed probably because you go in the off season. I was in FL in early April and in early May and noticed that Boardwalk was sending cars to the overflow lot across the street. I got in because I was valet parking (I'm DVC and get free valet parking at BW).

Cyn

 

[Ziggie]

(double post)

 

[Ziggie]

To be quite honest guys, I have never had a problem with this. Perhaps it is because we are usually annual or seasonal pass holders and go in the off season. We have parked at contemporary many times and taken the monorail to the other hotels for dinner and never needed a pass. Maybe it's because we usually go late at night.

(Saying this as nicely as possible.. with smilies and everything ) but... I'm not sure I can believe this (.. being nice.. more smilies ) Ever since 9/11, the parking attendants have been enforcing more and more rules (with good reason). They do mark down your license plate number.