Changes to Overflow parking lot????

[clkelley]

I agree with Deb on many of these points. Truly Ft. Wilderness is the only resort (except maybe Boardwalk in the public lot) where anyone can just come in and park.

Do we really want that to continue?? As a guest there, I would really like to think there is some modicum of security as to who enters the campground with their vehicle.

Granted, if just anyone can't enter the lot with the car, there are still "many" ways to get into the campground proper without parking in overflow.

As long as DTD does not charge for parking, and the buses don't check resort IDs, then any individual in the world can get into any resort at Disney. There is no security in that, "except" that Disney can control their egress from the property because they then have to take some form of Disney transportation to get back to their vehicle. So if someone reports a wrongdoing soon enough, perhaps they can stop them.

Really what are we complaining about, the ability to ride a golf cart around and pay a reasonable price for it.

I have a golf cart for the Fiends gathering at Halloween reserved from Kenny, but I don't have a cart reserved for my December trip. I'll be at the parks a lot, I'll be at SeaWorld for a couple of days, so at the most, I'll rent one from Disney for one or two days to take pictures of the incredible Fort decorations, but to have one for two full weeks will be a waste.

 

[MomofPirate&Mickey]

[Quote/] Veeeery interesting! We've always been given a parking pass for 3 hours when we go to Poly/Contemp for dinner. I've heard that most/all MK/EP resorts already do this to cut down on the people trying to skirt the parking fee at the parks. So that seems to make sense too.[/QUOTE]

When we were there in July for my youngest birthday meal at the Poly, we didn't get any pass for parking OR have to prove reservations, just told them we were coming in for breakfast, showed ID and that's it.

HOWEVER, several years ago, we did have to be checked against a list and were given a 2 hour parking pass, but that hasn't happened since we moved back to FL 3 years ago. And we go down quite a bit since DH's parents come down often (and are DVC members) and we go to visit them for the day. Sometimes they get us a parking pass and sometime they don't. The last time we didn't have one, and that was in Aug.

 

[MomofPirate&Mickey]

I'm a local, and I enjoy going to FtW to ride bikes, walk, take the bus to the marina to watch the fireworks...the usual things day visitors go to FtW to do. That being said, before 2003, you could not do this without going through a guard - so we didn't do it. We never really gave much thought to doing this.

Deb, So am I. And what you do is basically what we do. We don't go to the campfires when not staying there. And I remember having to pass through the guard shack on the road back there, going to FtW or not. And we usually only go down to the Fort about 4 times a year (once a quarter or so). We do go to the other resorts more than that, but mainly due to the in-laws being in town and that is the way they see the boys.

 

[ob1quixote]

I have no problem with bona fide guests of paying FW patrons, but locals just dropping by to have a swim or catch a cartoon? Sorry, I am paying premium prices to stay onsite and enjoy the amenities, I would like to think that most everyone I see while on the property is paying them too.

During my visit in August, some non-paying visitors were rather easy to spot, no telling how many made an attempt to look the part of a paying RV/tent owning guest.

They can boot folks out of MK at 10pm on extra hours evenings, I think they can maintain a bit more reasonable security at FW. It may be a bit of a pain for those who come and go, but at least you would have some kind of record if something happened, you and every other guest.

Me, when I turn the ignition key off, it doesnt get turned again 'til I'm headin' for home!

 

[becky1960]

As far as going to other Resorts to dine, the last time we drove to AKL to eat at Boma's the guard stopped us and asked our mission and we said to dine and he said " let me check the reservation list" which we were on.. I guess you could take a bus and avoid security..

 

[TheFlame]

I have no problem with bona fide guests of paying FW patrons, but locals just dropping by to have a swim or catch a cartoon? Sorry, I am paying premium prices to stay onsite and enjoy the amenities, I would like to think that most everyone I see while on the property is paying them too.

During my visit in August, some non-paying visitors were rather easy to spot, no telling how many made an attempt to look the part of a paying RV/tent owning guest.

They can boot folks out of MK at 10pm on extra hours evenings, I think they can maintain a bit more reasonable security at FW. It may be a bit of a pain for those who come and go, but at least you would have some kind of record if something happened, you and every other guest.

Me, when I turn the ignition key off, it doesnt get turned again 'til I'm headin' for home!

Nuff said!!!!

 

[stacktester]

This is the deal folks. Disney owns Fort Wilderness and can do whatever they please with the prices and the overflow lot. Is a Disney cart worth $62 a day? Hell no!!!

I think it's a privilage to be able to bring your personal cart with no trail fee as it is. I have a cart and know many that bring their own. I think if any of the posters who've complained about Disney shutting outside vendors out had someone doing this to their business they would be doing the same.

There's plenty of days I've heard no carts available so that tells me WDW has a lot of carts rented out.

I like having my cart but if need be I can do without. I like looping at night and doing the parade on 4th of July but I also ride my bike a lot too. I don't see the big rant here.

 

[LONE-STAR]

I can't even imagine how many people come for trick or treating that are not staying at The Fort.
I also have a problem with the people that crowd the campfire sing-a-long and movie that are not staying at The Fort and that INCLUDES the ones that are coming from other Disney resorts. We saw an outdoor theater at the Contemp. on the beach and one at the Lodge next to Bay lake. I don't think that other resort guests and off-site people should be able to use and crowd the campfire. BUT, that is JMHO!

I agree

 

[Gatordad]

good thing I'm giving up camping.

 

[lauraebeth]

I can't even imagine how many people come for trick or treating that are not staying at The Fort.
I also have a problem with the people that crowd the campfire sing-a-long and movie that are not staying at The Fort and that INCLUDES the ones that are coming from other Disney resorts. We saw an outdoor theater at the Contemp. on the beach and one at the Lodge next to Bay lake. I don't think that other resort guests and off-site people should be able to use and crowd the campfire. BUT, that is JMHO!

The fort has one of the best programs. Lights are off, screen is large and easy to see, and the sound is good.

it's another experience for the families that want to stick their toes into the camping experience without having to stay there.

 

[des1954]

Does anyone know if a gate will be put up at the entrance to the day lot for busses only? You know...the ones similar to the gates at Port Orleans and other resorts? I would hate to think we will be going back to the Disney busses using the same main entrance as the guests. That caused a lot of problems.

On another note... I also remember in the 70's and early 80's that you HAD to show the bus driver either a resort ID or a valid admission ticket to board any of Disney's transportation. For some reason I think that ended when MGM Studios opened - maybe because there were too many levels of admission tickets available after that.

It seems to me that Disney could come up with some method to insure only authorized people use the transportation. If you don't have a valid resort ID or AP, then perhaps they could have a special booth set up at the parks & DTD to issue bus wrist bands to people with valid park-hopper tickets or seasonal tickets. If you bought a one day one park ticket, no band. If you purchased multiple day admission without park hopping priviledge - no band. If you bought a water park only ticket - no band. If you came to shop at DTD and have no Disney ID of any kind - no band. Yeah, it might be perceived as inconvenient to some, but so what? You can either do that or pay $12 per theme park to park your car if you're on a park hopper ticket or seasonal pass. If you park at DTD to avoid the $12 parking fee - then you'd be SOL, wouldn't you?

 

[Tri-circle-D]

Deb- Get with the times, parking is now $14! See here: WDW Parking Fee Increase

I don't think Disney cares who rides on their transportation. But they do want their $14 or more from each vehicle. I don't see them going back to requiring ID to use the transportation, but I do see them tightening up any possible way to skirt the parking fee.

TCD

 

[rapriebe]

Here's a link to another thread started on the overflow lot. Thought it would be nice to have all the information available in one thread. It contains some new info -

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2304653

 

[Shan-man]

I certainly remember having to show a valid ticket to get onto transportation, too... I almost got stranded at EPCOT because of it! I don't remember all the details but I think I arrived a day earlier than I was going to the parks and decided to take in the beauty of the monorail loop through EPCOT and the got off to listen to the music at the gates. When we went to get back on the monorail to get back to the car the ramp attendant asked for our tickets and it took many pleas (and probably a fib or too) to get back on. If I remember correctly, they sold a separate transportation ticket which we were nearly forced to buy to get back! It's all a pretty foggy early-'80s memory, but I do remember the fear... thanks for brining that back up Deb ;-)

 

[des1954]

Deb- Get with the times, parking is now $14! See here: WDW Parking Fee Increase

I don't think Disney cares who rides on their transportation. But they do want their $14 or more from each vehicle. I don't see them going back to requiring ID to use the transportation, but I do see them tightening up any possible way to skirt the parking fee.

TCD

I don't pay too much attention to the parking fees because of my AP....which to me, just became more valuable.

We have seasonal tickets to U.S. and everytime we say "let's go", I say, "ya know....I just can't justify spending the $$$ on parking, getting stuck in the outer most regions of the garage, and having to walk all that way just to get to the entrance of the park. Let's go to Disney, instead!" Yep, that's what I always say.

And thank you rapriebe for the link to my other FtW overflow lot thread on the community board.

 

[meggymouse]

I'm local but I've never been to the Fort unless we were camping there. Is it ok to have guest come and visit you there? In February we are going camping for a long weekend for my kids birthday. They are all in the same month. We thought me might a have a few friends and family come to our site to cookout. Is that allowed? This summer while we were staying there I saw a family setup a birthday party at the picnic tables next to the snackbar by the pool. They had a ton of people there who weren't staying and used that spot from about 10am-7pm.

 

[mnsprk]

Shan-Man, your bringing back memories of the A-B-C-D & E tickets as well!!

 

[des1954]

I'm local but I've never been to the Fort unless we were camping there. Is it ok to have guest come and visit you there? In February we are going camping for a long weekend for my kids birthday. They are all in the same month. We thought me might a have a few friends and family come to our site to cookout. Is that allowed? This summer while we were staying there I saw a family setup a birthday party at the picnic tables next to the snackbar by the pool. They had a ton of people there who weren't staying and used that spot from about 10am-7pm.

Yes, your friends can come & visit you. They will have to park in the overflow lot & either take a bus to your loop & walk to your site, or you can drive up to the lot & pick them up. Only one vehicle is permitted to park at a site.

Shan-Man, your bringing back memories of the A-B-C-D & E tickets as well!!

How about the "Keys to the Kingdom" tickets?? IIRC, you had to be a Magic Kingdom Club member to purchase those.

 

[mnsprk]

How about the "Keys to the Kingdom" tickets?? IIRC, you had to be a Magic Kingdom Club member to purchase those.[/QUOTE]

Yep! Then you had all "E" tickets that were good at both parks and didn't expire. Oh the "days when things were simpler", or were they?

 

[Shan-man]

Did they still have "E" tickets when EPCOT opened? I thought those had gone away before then? But yeah, I certainly remember going home with ticket books half full of A and B tickets and not an E in sight!