Charge for parking at Contemporary?

[carlbarry]

I have just read that Disney is experimenting with a charge for parking at the Contemporary.
I have booked the Behind the Scenes/Magic of Steam Trains tour for my visit in couple of weeks.
I was told to park at the Contemporary at 7 am and walk over to MK for the tour.
Has anybody seen this actually being charged?
I I have to pay $20 to park to go on the tour, I'll cancel my reservation!

 

[carlbarry]

Bump

 

[SpaceMountain77]

If the policy is upheld to the letter, then, yes, it would seem that you would have to pay for parking. A room reservation at the resort is required for free parking. Supposedly, too many Magic Kingdom guests are parking at the Contemporary, which affects parking availability for resort guests.

I recommend calling and confirming the parking arrangement.

 

[carlbarry]

I recommend calling and confirming the parking arrangement.

That's what I plan to do. Except I figured that DIS people might know more than the CM I would speak to. When I got my welcome phone call a few days ago, and asked the CM if alarm clocks had been removed, this came as a surprise to him.

 

[SpaceMountain77]

That's what I plan to do. Except I figured that DIS people might know more than the CM I would speak to. When I got my welcome phone call a few days ago, and asked the CM if alarm clocks had been removed, this came as a surprise to him.

Honestly, I had wanted to write in my post that you probably will not know for sure until you arrive at the parking kiosk and speak directly to the cast member that is greeting guests.

When you call, kindly request to speak to someone at the resort directly or ask them to call the resort on your behalf. A transfer to a call center will likely get you less information than you would receive on this board.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

If the policy is upheld to the letter, then, yes, it would seem that you would have to pay for parking. A room reservation at the resort is required for free parking. Supposedly, too many Magic Kingdom guests are parking at the Contemporary, which affects parking availability for resort guests.

I recommend calling and confirming the parking arrangement.

Does this mean that you would not get free parking with an ADR there? We like to eat at the Contemporary and always have our car. This might explain a survey I received about a recent visit to AKV. All of the questions were about how many times we visited another resort and how we got there.

 

[SpaceMountain77]

Does this mean that you would not get free parking with an ADR there? We like to eat at the Contemporary and always have our car. This might explain a survey I received about a recent visit to AKV. All of the questions were about how many times we visited another resort and how we got there.

This is the statement circulating online:

"Disney is now testing the concept of paid parking for non-resort guests at Walt Disney World. The concept was recently tested at Disney’s Contemporary Resort and will be tested again soon at Disney’s Boardwalk. The test is the latest attempt by Disney to control parking at the resorts, possibly preventing guests from lying that they are visiting the resorts when they are actually using it as a place to park before visiting one of the Walt Disney World theme parks. Under the possible new policy, guests without reservations or who are not resort guests would have to pay the parking fee in order to park at the resort."

From the various discussion boards, it is unclear as to how this affects annual passholders and guests with ADRs.

 

[DisneyStarWisher]

This is the statement circulating online:

"Disney is now testing the concept of paid parking for non-resort guests at Walt Disney World. The concept was recently tested at Disney’s Contemporary Resort and will be tested again soon at Disney’s Boardwalk. The test is the latest attempt by Disney to control parking at the resorts, possibly preventing guests from lying that they are visiting the resorts when they are actually using it as a place to park before visiting one of the Walt Disney World theme parks. Under the possible new policy, guests without reservations or who are not resort guests would have to pay the parking fee in order to park at the resort."

From the various discussion boards, it is unclear as to how this affects annual passholders and guests with ADRs.

The way this is worded sounds like anyone staying at ANY resort on WDW property can park there. It sounds like it applies only to off-site guests. Which is where the problem comes since they are the ones who have to pay for parking at the theme parks.

 

[Brian Noble]

OP: so far this is only a very limited test. They are trying to figure out how it might work operationally. But, in the event they do change to a different resort parking policy, I'd be reasonably confident that those with the Steam Train tour will be handled fairly.

 

[carlbarry]

I would hope that they would allow people arriving at 7 am to park for the Steam Trains tour, as that seems an unlikely hour to park for a 9 am rope drop! In any event, I will call tomorrow (Monday) and ask.
As for Boardwalk, I pool hop there via car to ride the Keister Coaster, and also to visit the Boardwalk for the free Vaudeville type entertainment. Having to use Disney transport from my resort to TTC to Boardwalk would be very burdensome, as opposed to a 10 minute car ride.
This is what I read on disneylists:
As long as Disney World has been welcoming guests, paying for parking has been an expected reality at the theme parks. However, Disney World is currently testing paid parking at Disney World Resort hotels as well. Parking lots at the hotels regularly fill to capacity during times of moderate and heavy crowds where self parking has always been free. Guests staying at the resort or those with dining reservations would continue to park for free.
This policy is an obvious response to the problem of guests saying they are visiting the resorts, but who are really parking there to visit one of the theme parks. The Contemporary Resort near Magic Kingdom, where the paid parking policy was recently tested, is particularly problematic as guests seek to park within walking distance and avoid the hassle of navigating parking trams and then the ferry or monorail. WDW News Today is reporting that next up in the test will be the Boardwalk Resort which also routinely has parking capacity issues and is within walking distance of the back entrance of Epcot’s World Showcase.

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Under the test only resort guests staying at that resort get free parking. So if you pool hop to BWV plan to pay Same thing if you have an AP.

I've heard there may be a plan to provide 3 hours of free parking if you eat at a TS restaurant. Similar to current TIW plan

 

[CarolMN]

I'm glad to hear that Disney is trying to do something about the people who park at the EPCOT resorts to go to EPCOT or park at one of the MK resorts to go to the MK. I am very much in favor of a parking charge for those not actually staying at the resort. The restaurants can either validate or give a credit towards the meal.

We didn't have a car for our last trip (December, 2015), but did have a BWV standard view. I can personally attest that there are still a lot of cars leaving the BWV/BWI lots after IllumiNations.

IMO, those who want the convenience of getting out of a theme park quickly can pay for the privilege.

 

[carlbarry]

I'm glad to hear that Disney is trying to do something about the people who park at the EPCOT resorts to go to EPCOT or park at one of the MK resorts to go to the MK. I am very much in favor of a parking charge for those not actually staying at the resort. The restaurants can either validate or give a credit towards the meal.

We didn't have a car for our last trip (December, 2015), but did have a BWV standard view. I can personally attest that there are still a lot of cars leaving the BWV/BWI lots after IllumiNations.

IMO, those who want the convenience of getting out of a theme park quickly can pay for the privilege.

How about those of us with cars who want to pool hop, or visit a store at a specific resort? I like to drive to Wilderness Lodge, walk the nature trail to the Tri Circle D Ranch, and then take the boat back to Wilderness Lodge. So in the future I'll have to either pay $20, or spend an hour on buses? Will Disney run more buses to handle the increase in riders?
I can drive from any resort to Boardwalk in 10 minutes, whenever I want, at my convenience. It certainly will NOT add to my Disney magic to have to wait for a bus, and then spend a half hour riding from the resort to TTC, and then wait for a bus to BWV, and then for the return, wait for a bus at BWV, then wait for a bus at TTC to my resort.

 

[gdrj]

The key here, it is a test! I'm not going to worry about what ifs. We also like to go to Wildenrness Lodge, and visit hotels too, but like any change guests will adjust and so will Disney.

 

[CarolMN]

How about those of us with cars who want to pool hop, or visit a store at a specific resort? I like to drive to Wilderness Lodge, walk the nature trail to the Tri Circle D Ranch, and then take the boat back to Wilderness Lodge. So in the future I'll have to either pay $20, or spend an hour on buses? Will Disney run more buses to handle the increase in riders?
I can drive from any resort to Boardwalk in 10 minutes, whenever I want, at my convenience. It certainly will NOT add to my Disney magic to have to wait for a bus, and then spend a half hour riding from the resort to TTC, and then wait for a bus to BWV, and then for the return, wait for a bus at BWV, then wait for a bus at TTC to my resort.

With all due respect, I think a resort guest's claim to a parking spot is more important than any of the the uses for parking that you mention. How would you feel to come back to your resort one afternoon and find no self-parking spaces at all? Would you be OK with paying to valet or to go somewhere else until after the fireworks were over?

IMO, it's OK to charge for convenience. YMMV.

P.S. I don't think the WL/VWL has a problem with parking. AFAIK, it's BLT, BCV & BWV that have the largest issues. Don't know about the POLY or GF. Note that the SWAN & DOLPHIN charge even their guests for parking. Last I checked it was $18 per day plus tax.

 

[book_junkie]

The Poly consistently has parking issues, especially during hard ticket events but most of the time on all days. A lot of people will book Kona Cafe, or say they're shopping or there for Trader Sam's, then leave their car until the park closes or the party's over. Monorail to Poly to car will beat out boat/monorail to TTC to tram to car.

GF doesn't have it as bad unless it's the holiday season or peak season, but it's still used the same way.

 

[Donna M]

I'm glad they are trying something to alleviate the problem for the resort guests. Something else to work on is keeping the SSR busses free from all the people parking at DS to avoid having to pay for theme park parking.

 

[Brian Noble]

I can personally attest that there are still a lot of cars leaving the BWV/BWI lots after IllumiNations.

Worse, that's typically less convenient than just walking out of the park and driving home! The walk to BWI/BWV's lot from the IG is no shorter than the walk from there to the front gate, and from most other locations in EP the front gate is even closer. The Epcot trams are rarely backed up even after Illuminations, and Buena Vista Drive's traffic lights are much more painful than Epcot's traffic-engineered exit!

 

[carlbarry]

With all due respect, I think a resort guest's claim to a parking spot is more important than any of the the uses for parking that you mention. How would you feel to come back to your resort one afternoon and find no self-parking spaces at all? Would you be OK with paying to valet or to go somewhere else until after the fireworks were over?

IMO, it's OK to charge for convenience. YMMV.

If there is not enough parking for guests at the hotel, that is Disney's fault. It is not the fault of people staying at Disney World, who came to Disney World because Disney advertises it as a "World" with lots of things to do. Since Disney allows for visiting resorts--in fact, encourages it so you'll spend more money--they should provide for parking. If instead of making going to Disney World a pleasant experience, they want to try nickle and dimeing guests, that is their business decision to make.
When I visited Atlantis, I noticed there were no water fountains, presumably so that they can sell more water. That did not make me like Atlantis any better, but it DID make me like Disney better.

 

[GotLabradors]

The way I understand the policy is that if you are a guest at a Disney resort, you will not be required to pay to park at any of the other resorts should you decide to visit. Disney has also made an exception for anyone who has an ADR at the resort they wish to park. It sounds like they are truly targeting offsiters who try to park at the resorts to avoid paying for parking to go to the parks.