driving from resort to park

[MUNUMom]

Can anyone tell me if there are dedicated lines for resort guests at the booths for parking at the parks or do you just pick a lane and wait? I am thinking of getting a car to go from resort to parks to save time, but since it will be the holiday season, it might be just as fast to use Disney transportation if i have to wait to get into the parking lots. Any thoughts?

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

You just pick any lane, so with that being said there are no special lanes for onsite guests who drive to the parks.

 

[Stinky_Pete]

I love having a car, but don't go during holidays or other peak times. I've never really noticed a back-up at the parking lot booths, however, I arrive either a half hour or so before a park opens or sometime in the middle of the day - never really at a peak time.

My advice would be to arrive early to avoid crowds during busy times.

 

[disnut8]

No dedicated lines for resort guests. Be aware that you can have the parking attendant on either side so be prepared to slide your parking pass over to the other side of the windshield if necessary.

You could also just follow us to the lines. Go in one that we don't go to. We get the slowest line everytime.

 

[WillCAD]

There are no dedicated lanes for on-site Guests (although that has been something that frequent WDW Guests have wanted for many years!)

However, the wait to get into the parking lots is not usually long, only a few minutes. During busy times of the year when the WDW transportation system is overloaded, it is definitley a better option to self-drive to the parks and avoid the crush of people at the bus stops. This is especially true after park closing, when the busses are mobbed with thousands of tired, cranky people trying to get back to their resorts; you may still have to wait for a parking lot tram, but once you get into your car, everybody gets a seat, and nobody has to stand on the way back to the resort.

 

[raven69david]

I love having a car, but don't go during holidays or other peak times.

+1

We've never gone without a rental car and never will. We enjoy the luxury of using the car to go and come as we please. For you SoG, WL, CR, Poly & GF peeps, you just simply tell them that you're staying at one of those resorts and they will let you go without charging you the fee. Just a little FYI for someone who may have been wondering this and is new to the board.

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

For you SoG, WL, CR, Poly & GF peeps, you just simply tell them that you're staying at one of those resorts and they will let you go without charging you the fee. Just a little FYI for someone who may have been wondering this and is new to the board.

This is actually a perk for anyone staying in any of the Disney resorts. Parking at the parks is free for resort guests. You can't just tell them, though, you have to show them your parking pass. You'll get this at check-in if you tell the desk clerk you have a car.

EDIT: Oh, oh, oh! Sorry, I just figured out what you were saying. You mean tell them you're on your way to check in and you won't have to pay.

 

[fla4fun]

Keep in mind that if you are traveling during peak peak season (such as Christmas week) the parks may close due to capacity. There are several levels of closure, with the first being off property guests. It can get very confusing and congested around the toll booths when this starts to occur, especially if the parking lot you are trying to get in to doesn't have any empty spaces left. During those holiday time periods, you are really better off taking Disney transportation unless you plan to be at the park when it opens.

 

[Court475]

We are staying at SSR. From what I've read, it might be best to drive to MGM and Epcot, but take the bus to MK. Thoughts anyone?

 

[Stinky_Pete]

I pretty much always take the bus to the MK. It drops you right at the entrance. If you drive you must then take the ferry or monorail to the entrance. That can be fun, but if you are planning on staying at the park until closing there will be huge back-ups at the ferry and lines for the monorail.

 

[WillCAD]

We are staying at SSR. From what I've read, it might be best to drive to MGM and Epcot, but take the bus to MK. Thoughts anyone?

For the most part, it's a bit more convenient and quicker to take the bus to MK, because if you drive, you still have a monorail or ferryboat ride to get from the parking lot to the park gates. This doesn't bother me, since I love both the monorail and the ferryboat across the Seven Seas Lagoon, so I always drive to MK, too.

However, at park closing time, the wait for a bus at MK can be very, very, [and one more] VERY long, especially during the crowded holiday season when the park is bursting at the seams with people.

 

[Cool-Beans]

You just pick a lane. With the exception of the MK, driving is almost always faster than taking the bus.

 

[Stinky_Pete]

However, at park closing time, the wait for a bus at MK can be very, very, [and one more] VERY long, especially during the crowded holiday season when the park is bursting at the seams with people.

Very good point. All the public transport will be stretched to maximum at closing.

The only time I left MK at closing we took the ferry and I just remember the process seemed very long - waiting for the boat, waiting while hundreds of people boarded, etc. I'm sure the bus wouldn't be any better at closing, amd might seem worse. My solution is that I don't stay till closing, or if I do I linger on Main Street.