Could this work?

[DisneyLoverLaura]

So, my DBF and I are taking a trip from May 31st to June 8th for SWW. We are staying at The Clarion Inn Lake Buena Vista right near Downtown Disney. We don't want to pay for parking on non-SWW days, so we plan to use other transportation to get to the parks.

Could we drive to DTD every morning and get a bus to the nearest resort then get on a bus at the resort to the parks?

We don't care about timing on non-SWW days, so I think this would work and save us a good bit of money from parking at the parks.

 

[backyardponder]

According to the Clarion's web site, they provide free transportation to the Disney theme parks. You might want to give the hotel a call to find out details, including times their shuttle runs and where it drops off

 

[anonymousegirl]

Disney figured out this plan a long time ago. That is why there are no direct buses to the parks. You may think the DTD parking lots are huge and your one car won't make a difference, but multiply your one car with hundreds more and it becomes a big problem. Suck it up and pay for parking or take the free shuttle Clarion offers.

 

[mossy1]

Disney figured out this plan a long time ago. That is why there are no direct buses to the parks. You may think the DTD parking lots are huge and your one car won't make a difference, but multiply your one car with hundreds more and it becomes a big problem. Suck it up and pay for parking or take the free shuttle Clarion offers.

What she said ^^^^

But to answer your question yes it can be done but it is frowned upon by most people because of the lack of parking at DTD and it is technically against Disney rules. The Clarion shuttle seems like a good choice IMHO.

 

[deegack]

What she said ^^^^

But to answer your question yes it can be done but it is frowned upon by most people because of the lack of parking at DTD and it is technically against Disney rules. The Clarion shuttle seems like a good choice IMHO.

not to mention the buses from DTD don't start running until after parks open.

 

[goofy4tink]

Disney doesn't care. There is plenty of parking at DTD. Now, having said that...if you really want to take over an hour to get to a park, then fine. And the buses don't start running between DTD and the resorts, regularly, until 9:30-10ish. So, then you have to wait for the bus (which can take 30 mins or so), then ride to a resort (another 10+mins), then get to the park...depending on which park and which resort (could be another 20 mins).

I will never understand how people can spend the money to go to Orlando and WDW, and then quibble about the cost of daily parking. It's $14 people...figure it into the budget. Or, use the shuttle that the hotel has. Easy access to the parks is a perk of staying onsite.

 

[Greysword]

While this is a feasible option, it is not popular on the DIS, especially on the DVC boards. This is due to members paying out of pocket for the buses (exclusively at some resorts), and in the past too many buses being full of freeloaders (used in a literal sense, non-paying people loading on the bus). You can get away with it, and no one is likely to ask for your KTTW card (yet), but if it is known, be ready for "the evil stare"

Personally, I would ask you to please not do this.

 

[tkldisney]

So, my DBF and I are taking a trip from May 31st to June 8th for SWW. We are staying at The Clarion Inn Lake Buena Vista right near Downtown Disney. We don't want to pay for parking on non-SWW days, so we plan to use other transportation to get to the parks.

Could we drive to DTD every morning and get a bus to the nearest resort then get on a bus at the resort to the parks?

We don't care about timing on non-SWW days, so I think this would work and save us a good bit of money from parking at the parks.

If you do, do it this way, park at entrance 5, where are less parked cars.
Personally, if your hotel offers shuttle why not use it? Much faster and easier, you'll save gas not driving to downtown everyday.

 

[goofy4tink]

While this is a feasible option, it is not popular on the DIS, especially on the DVC boards. This is due to members paying out of pocket for the buses (exclusively at some resorts), and in the past too many buses being full of freeloaders (used in a literal sense, non-paying people loading on the bus). You can get away with it, and no one is likely to ask for your KTTW card (yet), but if it is known, be ready for "the evil stare"

Personally, I would ask you to please not do this.

Out of pocket payments for buses?? Not sure what that means. Yes, we pay transportation costs in our dues, but that's about it.

Buses, at all WDW areas, both parks and resorts, are available to pretty much anyone who chooses to use them. I understand that there are those who own at SSR that get upset when they see non-resort guests using their buses. But, I have to say that I find it hard to believe that all that many people are trekking over to SSR, from the DTD parking lots, to use the buses to the parks.

Here's the deal....Disney did not stop the buses running between parks and DTD because they wanted to prevent people from parking at DTD and avoiding parking fees. They stopped the buses solely because it wasn't cost efficient. There just wasn't enough 'business' to continue running buses. The bus drivers will, in fact, give you the info you need to get to any park from DTD.

If someone chooses to use this method, more power to them. Personally, I think it's a lot of time and effort to save $15. But, that's me.

 

[wdwrich]

Here's the deal....Disney did not stop the buses running between parks and DTD because they wanted to prevent people from parking at DTD and avoiding parking fees. They stopped the buses solely because it wasn't cost efficient. There just wasn't enough 'business' to continue running buses.

Just wondering where you got this information? When DW and I asked a CM about this (albiet a couple of years ago), she told us that they discontinued the DTD to Park bus service specifically because folks were using DTD as free theme park parking and it was overwhelming the DTD lots.

 

[Sandi]

Just wondering where you got this information? When DW and I asked a CM about this (albiet a couple of years ago), she told us that they discontinued the DTD to Park bus service specifically because folks were using DTD as free theme park parking and it was ovewhelming the DTD lots.

We've tried parking at DTD on a few of those "overwhelmed" days and it is really frustrating. We would have to park way over on the west side to go spend our money at the World of Disney. That happened more frequently when there was direct transportation to the theme parks, but it was even really crowded during spring break this year. My brother-in-law ended up just dropping us off and he went back to his hotel (of course, he might not have wanted to do any shopping, but . . .)

 

[Greysword]

Yes, we pay transportation costs in our dues, but that's about it.

...I understand that there are those who own at SSR that get upset when they see non-resort guests using their buses. But, I have to say that I find it hard to believe that all that many people are trekking over to SSR, from the DTD parking lots, to use the buses to the parks.

Yep, this is what I was hinting at without providing a map . It used to be a lot, and it was fairly easy to see it in the early days of the resort.

 

[goofy4tink]

Just wondering where you got this information? When DW and I asked a CM about this (albiet a couple of years ago), she told us that they discontinued the DTD to Park bus service specifically because folks were using DTD as free theme park parking and it was overwhelming the DTD lots.

From several bus drivers. All of whom told me that they have been instructed to tell those asking, how best to get to the parks from DTD. That's what I was told.

 

[maxiesmom]

So, my DBF and I are taking a trip from May 31st to June 8th for SWW. We are staying at The Clarion Inn Lake Buena Vista right near Downtown Disney. We don't want to pay for parking on non-SWW days, so we plan to use other transportation to get to the parks.

Could we drive to DTD every morning and get a bus to the nearest resort then get on a bus at the resort to the parks?

We don't care about timing on non-SWW days, so I think this would work and save us a good bit of money from parking at the parks.

Honestly? You will be wasting more money by doing this. Time is money at WDW, and by parking at DTD to save money you will be lucky to get to the parks by 11am. It will most likely be later. Then you have to monkey around doing the same thing when leaving the parks. The time wasted is worth more than the money you will save.

Look at it this way: A one day pass to WDW costs around $90. Say you are going to Epcot that day, and their park hours are 9-9. So the cost would be roughly $7.50 an hour a person to spend all day at Epcot. ($90 divided by 12 = 7.5) However, because you chose to park at DTD you don't arrive until 11am. You have lost $30 of your combined park passes in order to save $14 by parking at DTD.

 

[Polydweller]

Disney doesn't care. There is plenty of parking at DTD.

Huh?? Disney definitely does care, that's why there at no longer any buses from DTD to the park and that's why there is plenty of parking.

When there were the parking lots were so packed by people parking there instead of paying for parking that shoppers couldn't get in the lots. I went several times and couldn't get parking and gave up. Anyone there at that time would know how bad it was. It also wasn't a good situation at all for the stores and hurt their business. You can imagine the complaints from them to Disney.

Disney definitely does care and won't let that happen again.

 

[Polydweller]

From several bus drivers. All of whom told me that they have been instructed to tell those asking, how best to get to the parks from DTD. That's what I was told.

And bus drivers are suddenly reliable? It was because of the horrible parking situation, there was hardly a day you could park there after people discovered the 'free' parking. Always take the bus driver's facts with skepticism. They told you wrong.

 

[goofy4tink]

And bus drivers are suddenly reliable? It was because of the horrible parking situation, there was hardly a day you could park there after people discovered the 'free' parking. Always take the bus driver's facts with skepticism. They told you wrong.

And exactly who are you going to believe?? We're talking about buses here...so a bus driver is going to have a much more reliable answer than a run of the mill CM. I have to ask you....why are you assuming they are wrong?? Like I said before, but many seem to decide to ignore it since it doesn't give credence to their arguments, I have parked my car at DTD many times....over the past 6 years or so. And parking just hasn't been an issue early in the day...it's later on, late afternoon. And I think that even that has changed since the demise of Pleasure Island.

I seldom take a bus driver's info with skepticism when I'm asking about a bus issue. Now, a new DVC resort?? No, not so much!!!

 

[Thestraw]

And exactly who are you going to believe?? We're talking about buses here...so a bus driver is going to have a much more reliable answer than a run of the mill CM. I have to ask you....why are you assuming they are wrong?? Like I said before, but many seem to decide to ignore it since it doesn't give credence to their arguments, I have parked my car at DTD many times....over the past 6 years or so. And parking just hasn't been an issue early in the day...it's later on, late afternoon. And I think that even that has changed since the demise of Pleasure Island.

I seldom take a bus driver's info with skepticism when I'm asking about a bus issue. Now, a new DVC resort?? No, not so much!!!

So now you are defending facts gathered from bus drivers?? Really?? I think you are the one who "needs" to provide credence to YOUR arguments!!
You have a very bad attitude for being a MOD...just saying, have a magical day.

 

[kaytieeldr]

And bus drivers are suddenly reliable? It was because of the horrible parking situation, there was hardly a day you could park there after people discovered the 'free' parking. Always take the bus driver's facts with skepticism. They told you wrong.

Okay, well, how about: signage as you approach the Epcot bus area telling Guests which resort buses to take then transfer to another bus to DtD? These aren't (weren't) handwritten notes from bus drivers, they were official placards titled "How to Get to Downtown Disney".

 

[goofy4tink]

So now you are defending facts gathered from bus drivers?? Really?? I think you are the one who "needs" to provide credence to YOUR arguments!!
You have a very bad attitude for being a MOD...just saying, have a magical day.

Seriously??? A very bad attitude??? If you have an issue with me, my attitude or my moderating 'skills', please send a report to the webmasters at admin@wdwinfo.com
I'm sure they'll be able to help you.

Okay, well, how about: signage as you approach the Epcot bus area telling Guests which resort buses to take then transfer to another bus to DtD? These aren't (weren't) handwritten notes from bus drivers, they were official placards titled "How to Get to Downtown Disney".

True.
I'm just not sure why this is such a huge area of *******. If people want to park at DTD and then take 90 mins to get to a park, long after rope drop, then so be it. There is no way to prevent it. Just about the only way to prevent it would be to start charging for parking. They could give you validated parking for under 3 hrs of parking. Or for Cirque or DQ. Anything longer, especially prior to 4pm would be subject to a $15 parking charge.
If, and when, Disney decides to really care about parking free for park access at DTD, that is about all they can do.