EMH Parking at Animal Kingdom

[twoolle]

Hello! We will be staying at POR in a couple weeks and since we will have our car we plan to drive to the parks except MK. We also plan to do an EMH day at AK. I have heard the parking lot may not be open. We plan to leave POR around 7am for 8am EMH. Should we take our chances driving or fight the bus crowds? We have 4 children, 5 and under, including a 2 month old and really prefer our car so we have our own space. TIA!

 

[subtchr]

I don't know whether this would always happen, but I was arriving with a band on a charter bus early one day in June, and some parents of the kids were meeting us there. They said they arrived before the parking lot toll booths were open, so they just drove in, and didn't have to pay. YMMV, but they said there was nothing to keep them from driving into the lot.

 

[elgerber]

We have in the past had to wait a few minutes for the lot to open, but we were there a couple of weeks ago and had no problem getting into the parking lot around 7:20ish

 

[Alesia]

I don't know whether this would always happen, but I was arriving with a band on a charter bus early one day in June, and some parents of the kids were meeting us there. They said they arrived before the parking lot toll booths were open, so they just drove in, and didn't have to pay. YMMV, but they said there was nothing to keep them from driving into the lot.

At AK? That's surprising. What you describe is possible at the other parks, but the AK parking lot has a physical barrier.

 

[subtchr]

At AK? That's surprising. What you describe is possible at the other parks, but the AK parking lot has a physical barrier.

It was definitely AK. We had a group breakfast at RFC. By the time we got there on the bus the booths were open and we did pay for the bus, so I can't postively confirm what the parents did, just what they told me.

 

[twoolle]

Wou

We have in the past had to wait a few minutes for the lot to open, but we were there a couple of weeks ago and had no problem getting into the parking lot around 7:20ish

Would it have anything to do with expected crowds? Maybe in the summer they get the lot open? Worried they may not in september. .. when were your past trips that the lot wasn't open? TIA!

 

[elgerber]

Wou


Would it have anything to do with expected crowds? Maybe in the summer they get the lot open? Worried they may not in september. .. when were your past trips that the lot wasn't open? TIA!

Our last several trips were also in August.

 

[Robo]

The DAK parking lot is notorious for sometimes not opening "early."

It is the ONLY theme park lot where you might encounter this kind of problem.

After years of reports about this on these boards, there appears to be no rhyme or reason to
why or when this might happen.

The way around this is to "drive around the cones" if you beat the parking staff to the entrance.
But, the problem with that is if you happen to be the 7th or 8th car in a line of others
who REFUSE to "drive around the cones," you're not going to get in very soon.

The safest bet for AM EMH is taking the resort bus.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

Bag the car and take the bus. 15 minutes from POR early morning. Why worry about a car and parking.

 

[twoolle]

The DAK parking lot is notorious for sometimes not opening "early."

It is the ONLY theme park lot where you might encounter this kind of problem.

After years of reports about this on these boards, there appears to be no rhyme or reason to
why or when this might happen.

The way around this is to "drive around the cones" if you beat the parking staff to the entrance.
But, the problem with that is if you happen to be the 7th or 8th car in a line of others
who REFUSE to "drive around the cones," you're not going to get in very soon.

The safest bet for AM EMH is taking the resort bus.

Thanks, we will probably bus it. I have seen your messages about this problem but wasn't sure if it was still happening.

Bag the car and take the bus. 15 minutes from POR early morning. Why worry about a car and parking.

I think I worry more about buses, especially when trying to make RD I can't control the bus arrival ttime.bplus I worry about our 4 little ones getting in someone's way on the bus, or even getting trampled ha! At least in our car they are guaranteed a seat. I will admit...we are control freaks and that's why we prefer driving.