Driving to Chef Mickeys- Can we leave the car??

[shellybaxter]

Sorry to disagree, but not a misconception spread on the boards. I have personally asked at the CR, GF, BW if it's okay to valet park for the day and then go where you wish. Every single front desk and valet person said it was fine to do that. But, that there may be times of year when valet parking was limited to resort guests only (those paying to stay at the resort, not those just visiting).

This has been our experience as well. Once when parking at the Beach Club during Food and Wine festival we were told we could "park accross the street OR valet if we wanted to visit Epcot after our meal at Beaches and Cream." We've always been allowed to valet park for the day.

 

[La2kw]

We are deciding between breakfast at Chef Mickeys or breakfast at Crystal Palace.. We are staying onsite but since we are driving to FL this time, we will be using our own car rather than the bus system..

We are wanting to do breakfast on our MK day.. so if we drive to Chef Mickeys, can we leave our car there in the parking lot and take the monorail over to MK?? or do we have to take our car??

We arent trying to get out of paying parking as we are staying onsite and there is no charge anyways, but was thinking it would be nice to do this.. Is this something we will get in trouble for??

Much easier to hop the WDW bus from your resort and stroll on over to Chef Mickey's. They you don't have to worry about time limits or driving.

 

[islandsnoopy]

We've got a 7 am CHef Mickey's ADR and will be driving. We're planning to park at TTC and then walk over to the CR. What time does the TTC parking lot open? I couldn't find any info on the Disney website. Thanks in advance!

 

[DebbieB]

With BLT opening 8/4, I think they are going to be very strict about parking at the Contemporary, there really aren't alot of self parking spaces considering you have 2 towers.

 

[cigar95]

We've got a 7 am CHef Mickey's ADR and will be driving. We're planning to park at TTC and then walk over to the CR. What time does the TTC parking lot open? I couldn't find any info on the Disney website. Thanks in advance!

Just in case it isn't obvious, be aware that from the TTC you can't walk to the CR. You'd have to get to Magic Kingdom by boat or monorail, and from there you can walk. (Maybe you already knew that, but I couldn't be sure from your note.)

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Just in case it isn't obvious, be aware that from the TTC you can't walk to the CR. You'd have to get to Magic Kingdom by boat or monorail, and from there you can walk. (Maybe you already knew that, but I couldn't be sure from your note.)

Don't forget they can also take the Resort Monorail from the TTC right to the Contemporary. However before it arrives there it will stop at the Polynesian, Grand Floridian and Magic Kingdom.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Will the Resorts monorail be operating in time for a 7 AM Chef Mickey's reservation? Or will they need to drive to the Contemporary, then after breakfast the driver moves the car to the general lot?

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Will the Resorts monorail be operating in time for a 7 AM Chef Mickey's reservation? Or will they need to drive to the Contemporary, then after breakfast the driver moves the car to the general lot?

According to all the signs I have seen the Resort Monorail starts operating at 7:00 AM.

 

[Traveliz]

Yep, on several occasions. Once at the Polynesian. It was about 4pm. I did ask as I walked by if the car had a mechanical issue. No, I was told, it seemed that the car had been there since early that morning and there was no guest parking permit on it, so it was going away.
Then, at the CR I have seen a car towed...again, no parking permit to be seen and it was early evening.
I know that at BW (and probably at the YC/BC as well) you aren't allowed into the guest parking areas during the Food and Wine Festival dates on the weekends. There are guards up, with barriers and signage telling you that you have to be a resort resident in order to park there. I believe that is one of the times they blackout for Valet parking as well..have to be a resort guest in order to use valet services (but I could be wrong).
It was amazing to see how many upset people there were at the security house the day I was walking past (on my way to the Hess station). And a lot of those cars had Florida plates...so were most likely not staying there, but wanting to park there for easier access to Epcot, with no parking fees.

Seems odd though considering the last two times at the Poly and the last time at the Contemporary we were never given any permit at all for parking when we went in for shopping/dining - at the Contemporary it was for breakfast (Spring break week and two cars in our group) and at the Poly it was just for lunch (counter no reservations so no name attached to us). All of these times occured since April of this year.

Liz

 

[goofy4tink]

We've got a 7 am CHef Mickey's ADR and will be driving. We're planning to park at TTC and then walk over to the CR. What time does the TTC parking lot open? I couldn't find any info on the Disney website. Thanks in advance!

There is no way to walk from the TTC to CR...it just isn't allowed. No sidewalks. You would have to walk along the edge of the road and then on the road as you went under the water bridge. The resort monorail does start at 7am. Where are you stayin?? If it's onsite, you can get a bus to MK and then walk over to the CR...in plenty of time for that 7am ADR.

Seems odd though considering the last two times at the Poly and the last time at the Contemporary we were never given any permit at all for parking when we went in for shopping/dining - at the Contemporary it was for breakfast (Spring break week and two cars in our group) and at the Poly it was just for lunch (counter no reservations so no name attached to us). All of these times occured since April of this year.

Liz

And that's the issue. Disney posts signage, stating that parking at that particular resort is not provided for park access. Then, they allow people to park there!! But at other times, they enforce the rule. Drives me nuts. Personally, I don't care either way. But at least they could try for some consistency. I do know that you just can't park at the Epcot resorts during FandW...they turn you away if you don't have a key card for that particular resort or an active ADR.

 

[islandsnoopy]

goofy4tink: Thanks for the info. We're staying off-site soooo looks like we'll park at the CR and then have a "designated driver" to take the car to TTC after brkfst while the rest of our party walks to MK.

 

[goofy4tink]

goofy4tink: Thanks for the info. We're staying off-site soooo looks like we'll park at the CR and then have a "designated driver" to take the car to TTC after brkfst while the rest of our party walks to MK.

Exactly what you should do....thanks so much for doing the 'right thing'. It's really not a hardship to do that.

 

[cigar95]

goofy4tink: Thanks for the info. We're staying off-site soooo looks like we'll park at the CR and then have a "designated driver" to take the car to TTC after brkfst while the rest of our party walks to MK.

Make sure your driver knows the right way to get the car into the TTC lot from the CR - it's not obvious, and if he misses the turn, he'll have to go all the way down and back up World Drive again.

From leaving the CR, go past the Poly (Seven Seas Drive?), and then make a left turn, just like you were leaving the area. Just after you pass the Hess gas station / AAA Car Care Center, but just before you pass the Toll Plaza, you'll see a fairly small sign on the left that says something like "return to Magic Kingdom parking". You'll make a quick left turn, and it will take you right back into the main lot.

Don't miss that turn! Otherwise it's a pain to go a long way down World Drive, back up, and waiting in the Toll Plaza line all over again.

 

[islandsnoopy]

Make sure your driver knows the right way to get the car into the TTC lot from the CR - it's not obvious, and if he misses the turn, he'll have to go all the way down and back up World Drive again.

From leaving the CR, go past the Poly (Seven Seas Drive?), and then make a left turn, just like you were leaving the area. Just after you pass the Hess gas station / AAA Car Care Center, but just before you pass the Toll Plaza, you'll see a fairly small sign on the left that says something like "return to Magic Kingdom parking". You'll make a quick left turn, and it will take you right back into the main lot.

Don't miss that turn! Otherwise it's a pain to go a long way down World Drive, back up, and waiting in the Toll Plaza line all over again.

Thanks for the tip! I'm printing out the directions right now!