Downtown Disney

[Disfan1968]

We are supposed to be eating dinner on Monday, 8/4 at Rainforest in DTD. We will be taking a boat from OKW to DTD.

Since a PP posted the Marketplace dock is closed, I am gathering the only dock open for resort boat arrivals is all the way down at Cirque Du Soleil, or is the Pleasure Island dock still in service?

EDIT: Looks like PI dock is still in service, so that cuts the walk to dinner down some. As far as being herded like a cow, I'll just have to strap on my udders.

 

[juliebug1997]

We were there at the end of May and it was a mess! We took the boat from POR to PI and it felt like we were cattle being herded in between construction walls. I would avoid it until it is finished to be honest!

This times a trillion.

 

[BABY_EINSTEIN'S_MOM]

It's not as bad during the week, but on the weekend we had Cirque tickets and ended up having to valet park just to get a spot!

 

[Ulysses]

DW and I have been several times throughout the re-vamp that's going on, and during the spring it wasn't too bad, but right now, walking from end-to-end can be a little daunting because everyone walking either way are bottle-necked right in front of Paradiso 37.

It wouldn't be so bad if there weren't the lines to get into restaurants right there, plus the people that seem to be oblivious the narrow space people are allowed to walk that decide to stop right in the middle to discuss where they might eat.

If it weren't for that space between T-Rex and Paradiso, it wouldn't really be that bad.

But if you are driving your own car, it can be a nightmare trying to park. The last three times DW and I went; we walked (from Saratoga Springs), took a bus or took a cab.

 

[Mickey28]

We were there for the 4th and we went in the early evening. If driving the $20 to valet is well worth it. We also went one morning around opening and self parking was easy with plenty of spaces. The construction did not bother us, but we didn't ventur over to the Pleasure Island side either.

 

[Disney Queenie]

Is there a map, that spell out where these docks are in relation to the stores, Disney Quest etc. ?
I have a reservation at Fultons, and then we were hoping to DQ. I want to figure out the logistics involved with this.

YOOO HOOO ROBO, do you have one of you famous maps for this? Pretty please, with a cherry on top!

 

[L&Lfan]

We are doing the balloon attraction and dinner at Raglan Road in late September. Hope things will be a little less messy by then.

 

[SLK1]

I just posted about this (before I saw yours). It's horrible. Stay away, unless you're taking a Disney bus. Definitely not worth the headache. Sorry, but I have a very sour taste after visiting there and trying to navigate it - and I'm a local!!! Won't be going back ANYTIME soon. I hope the outcome is worth the disaster that is there now.

 

[kohlby]

Any ideas how long it will be a mess?

We're going to Disney Quest at least twice on our next trip in mid-Sept- maybe even three times. It would be on weekdays in the afternoon. We are staying at the Dolphin, but I've heard even doing the bus isn't the greatest option since they share a bus with so many other resorts. We will have a car.

We aren't simply not going to go - since it's the first time we have water parks and more and our kids will love Disney Quest. (We also have some other places we will want to go to, Ghirradelli, Lego Store, and Once Upon a Toy are always on our must-do list.

 

[ZehnJahren]

We're staying offsite very near DTD, but we already decided that we will take a cab to DTD and back. Not going to chance the mess, especially in a rental car that could be banged into. We will probably walk to SSR to get the return cab though, and to take a look at the resort.

 

[I-4Bound]

We did Disney Quest in early June and parked in the lot near Cirque with no problem at 11:30 in the morning. I don't know if the parking situation has changed since last month. On another evening, we parked in the casting office parking lot across the street from the Marketplace and had no problem getting in, just a bit longer walk. We all agreed that it was way easier to park across the street than circle around forever and hope to find a space in the main lot!

 

[Clare Voince]

I will be using the valet at BWI.. if I want to do valet at Downtown Disney, do I get charged again, or is it like valet at the other resorts, where you only pay once?

 

[LetsGoToo]

We did Disney Quest in early June and parked in the lot near Cirque with no problem at 11:30 in the morning. I don't know if the parking situation has changed since last month. On another evening, we parked in the casting office parking lot across the street from the Marketplace and had no problem getting in, just a bit longer walk. We all agreed that it was way easier to park across the street than circle around forever and hope to find a space in the main lot!

Parking at casting is so much easier unless you want to go to the west side. I park there every time now.

 

[Grumpy92]

Construction/Rehab will be hopefully be completed in the Fall of 2015.
These challenges will be in place for the coming year. We need to just settle in and do our best.

 

[arlsdimples]

We have an appointment at BBB in DTD on the Friday morning of our trip. The appointment is at 11:30. I know DH will rather drive since we will actually have a car. Anyone have recommendations at to when to try to arrive and where to park. We were planning originally on getting there a little before 11:00 anyway. We have not been to DTD in probably at least 4 years so I'm sure it will be interesting, just trying to keep the frustrating to a minimum.

 

[mggeary]

Never been. We are planning a half day either Thu or Fri AM for BBB, shopping and lunch at Wolfgang puck. Will probably make a 9:30am BBB appt and cab it from GF and back. Fri works better for our schedule than Thu. Will there be any significant crowd difference from 9:30-1pm Thus vs Fri?

 

[jsrj21]

Great post!!!!
My family and I are going on August 4th for 10 days and we have the QSDP - which means we will eat at WPE quite a bit - we LOVE the food there!! I've been a bit concerned about the parking situation but we will not let it hamper our trip. I'm getting a rental car too so I will just have to decide if we'll ride over or take the bus - but it seems like if we go for lunch we may be OK. Anything in the evening or at night, we'll just take the bus over I guess.

Have to keep reminding myself that "progress" is good.....

 

[DisneyLvr55]

If you want to go, and want to get a parking spot without having to drive around for 30 minutes... What time should you get there? What time do the shops open?

 

[WeCantWait]

Does anybody know if there is any handicapped parking available? We have reservations at Fultons for our arrival night but my husband is having mobility issues at the moment. Maybe I should just cancel and eat elsewhere.

 

[Ulysses]

Does anybody know if there is any handicapped parking available? We have reservations at Fultons for our arrival night but my husband is having mobility issues at the moment. Maybe I should just cancel and eat elsewhere.

There is definitely handicapped parking available. But as with any handicapped parking, there is only so much of it to go around.

The past few times I've gone to DTD with my father-in-law, he has a handicap parking pass and hasn't had any issues parking.