Driving to the parks.

[kcarp]

Hi,

We have always used Disney Transportation to all the parks. This year we will be driving to the parks. My question is, do you park at the park you plan on going to that day or do you park at the same park every day and hop around on Disney Transportation? Can you park at hotels all day if you are not a guest there?

Thanks

 

[Sinderelli]

We always drive to Disney and use our car instead of relying on Disney transportation. We drove to the park in the morning, and used the monorail for traveling to Chek Mickey's, O'hanas, etc. I guess you could do the same for park to park travel. we always liked the convenience of having our car there so a lot of the times we would drive where we needed to go if we could not get there by monorail or ferry. This time we are flying though....will have to get used to planning around the transportation schedules!

 

[Deb & Bill]

Resort parking is for the guests of the resort. They may allow you to park at the resort if you are dining there, but none of the resort offer parking for theme park guests.

If you are staying on Disney property in a Disney resort, you will get a parking permit that will allow you to park at any theme park. At MK you will need to park at the Ticket and Transportation Center and ride the tram to the TTC from your parking area. Then take the boat or monorail over to the MK.

If you are not staying on Disney property (this includes the DTD resorts), you will not get a parking permit and you will have to pay to park each day. But you only have to pay once. So if you park first at TTC and then move over to AK, you just show your parking receipt for the first part of the day. Max you will have to pay is $9 per day for theme park parking.

 

[kcarp]

Thanks for the info. I have another question. When we go to the Boardwalk do they have a separate parking lot or you can park at one of the hotels?

 

[Deb & Bill]

If you are going to the Boardwalk to shop or dine or just look around, there is parking across the street from the Boardwalk. When you drive in (by the Hess station) the parking is on the right, the hotel on the left. Don't drive in by the guard shack.

 

[Sylvester McBean]

they'll allow you to park at a resort if you present ID. but the parking pass is only good for 3 hours. you can be towed after that. if you have your own car, don't rely on WDW transportation. you can be anywhere much faster than that on your own.

 

[bubba73]

I would recommend driving to the parks that you want to go to for the day. Now, the exception is if you are at MK and want to go to EPCOT, then you can take the Monorail. But if you are wanting to go to MGM or AK, the best way to get there is to drive. I tried to use Disney Transportation to get from MK to go to MGM and there was not a direct route. I would have to go to one of the resorts and then take another bus to get to MGM. That would take too much time for me.

 

[eeyoreiscool]

If we are going to different parks, we just drive to each park and usually don't use Disney's transportation. We have found the wait times are too long and we can get places quicker by driving ourselves.

 

[Boater]

they'll allow you to park at a resort if you present ID. but the parking pass is only good for 3 hours. you can be towed after that. if you have your own car, don't rely on WDW transportation. you can be anywhere much faster than that on your own.

I have heard this so many times and I have not once been given a 3 hour pass. And I go to the Boardwalk at once a month for lunch.
I just stop at the gaurd shack and say I'm have lunch, and they say have a good time.

 

[The Sweetness]

Is it no longer allowed to valet park your car at any deluxe resort (GF, Polly, Yacht Club...) and p/u your car at the end of the day? I last did this 6y ago, and wasnt charged, only what I wanted to tip. I understand that there is a charge now, but is it no longer allowed?

 

[Deb & Bill]

If you want to eat, dine, shop, take part in the activities of a resort, you should be able to park there. However, all the deluxe resorts that are connected or very close to a theme park have signs that state they they are sorry but they cannot provide parking for the theme parks. Leave the parking at the resorts to the resort guests who are staying there or using the resort services. If you plan to eat at a deluxe resort and then go to the theme park, move your car over to the theme park parking lot after you finish eating. It is a real pain to be a guest at the deluxe resort and you can't find a parking place to park your car.

It will cost more to valet park your car (between the fee and the tip) than to pay for the theme park parking lot.

 

[sammielynn]

We always drive to the parks and many times have hopped from one park to the other using the Disney Transportation. I really never thought of driving from one park to the other. I don't know if it saves time to just drive yourself, but we have never had a problem hopping from one park to another.
Seems that it would take some time to just get to your car. Interesting thought but it seems everyone else here thinks it saves time to drive. We generally go in late May and the crowds have not been bad and have never had to wait long for a bus.

 

[kcarp]

Seems that it would take some time to just get to your car. Interesting thought but it seems everyone else here thinks it saves time to drive.

That's what I was thinking, but I never did the driving. I guess it depends on what park you are transferring too.

 

[kaelarad]

I park at the park where the EMH are. If we are not going to EMH we park where we will end our day.