Epcot via International Gateway

[CLEO Z]

We are staying offsite during the Food & Wine Festival at Epcot. I'm anticipating some park hopping that involves going to the World Showcase in the evening for food. I'd like to avoid the trek through FW, by accessing the boat to the International Gateway.

First, is it feasible to park at Boardwalk, boat to HS, then boat to Epcot, then back to Boardwalk to get the car? Since there are shops, can non-resort guests park at the Boardwalk?

Or should we just drive to both parks?

Thanks!

 

[skelooch]

The simple answer is no, parking at any resorts soley to access a parks is not allowed.

 

[Cdn Friends of Pooh]

We are staying offsite during the Food & Wine Festival at Epcot. I'm anticipating some park hopping that involves going to the World Showcase in the evening for food. I'd like to avoid the trek through FW, by accessing the boat to the International Gateway.

First, is it feasible to park at Boardwalk, boat to HS, then boat to Epcot, then back to Boardwalk to get the car? Since there are shops, can non-resort guests park at the Boardwalk?

Or should we just drive to both parks?

Thanks!

skelooch is right ... if you are planning on parking there just to go to Epcot, the answer is no ... however, you can park at the different resorts but only for a short period of time (usually a 3 hr max) to facilitate guests going to that resort to eat and/or shop.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Someone correct me if I am wrong but doesn't the Boardwalk turn away cars from parking there during the Food & Wine Festival if they are not staying there or don't have confirmed ADR's? So my advice to the OP is to drive and park their car at Epcot.

 

[grimley1968]

The others are right: no parking at BWI without staying there, except for temporary parking for a short time (way too short to do what you're talking about).

However, you don't necessarily need to drive to both parks. Just park at one, then boat (or walk) to the other park, and return to the original park to get the car later. In between you can get off at the resorts to shop/eat there, or go on in the IG entrance and eat in World Showcase. The only way to avoid the trek through Future World in EPCOT, though, would be to park at DHS, then boat over to the IG entrance at EPCOT.

 

[skelooch]

IMHO the best way to do what the OP wants to do, would be park at DHS, do the park, take boat to EPCOT and return to DHS by boat.
Just make sure you get back to DHS within an hour of park closing so you don't have to walk to your car.
Time permitting you could walk over to the Boardwalk from EPCOT and then take boat to DHS

 

[goofy4tink]

Someone correct me if I am wrong but doesn't the Boardwalk turn away cars from parking there during the Food & Wine Festival if they are not staying there or don't have confirmed ADR's? So my advice to the OP is to drive and park their car at Epcot.

Yep. While there are times of year you may actually be able to park directly at BW, Food and Wine Festival time is most definately not one of them. Security is stringent about watching who parks there. They do allow you to park across from the Boardwalk, behind the Hess Station, but that's a fair hike if you're headed to a park.
I would suggest just parking at a park, the way you're supposed to, and then go from there.
Parking at resorts, for park entry, is not allowed.

 

[Cdn Friends of Pooh]

Someone correct me if I am wrong but doesn't the Boardwalk turn away cars from parking there during the Food & Wine Festival if they are not staying there or don't have confirmed ADR's? So my advice to the OP is to drive and park their car at Epcot.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Yep. While there are times of year you may actually be able to park directly at BW, Food and Wine Festival time is most definately not one of them. Security is stringent about watching who parks there. They do allow you to park across from the Boardwalk, behind the Hess Station, but that's a fair hike if you're headed to a park.
I would suggest just parking at a park, the way you're supposed to, and then go from there.
Parking at resorts, for park entry, is not allowed.

Thank you for confirming that.

 

[goofy4tink]

Thank you for confirming that.

I have been there, at that time of year, and watched the unhappy people that were being turned away by security. They actually had barriers up to prevent non-resort guests from trying to get into the guest parking area. People were not amused that they had to park across the street. I actually overheard one guy yelling at the guard. He shouted..'Do you realize how long the walk to Epcot is from here???? And you want me to walk anothe 10 mins??? I paid a lot of money for this trip and I don't want to walk that far!!!' Really, seriously..that's what he said. The security guard didn't much care. Told him that he needed a BW/BWV room key in order to get any further.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I have been there, at that time of year, and watched the unhappy people that were being turned away by security. They actually had barriers up to prevent non-resort guests from trying to get into the guest parking area. People were not amused that they had to park across the street. I actually overheard one guy yelling at the guard. He shouted..'Do you realize how long the walk to Epcot is from here???? And you want me to walk anothe 10 mins??? I paid a lot of money for this trip and I don't want to walk that far!!!' Really, seriously..that's what he said. The security guard didn't much care. Told him that he needed a BW/BWV room key in order to get any further.

A few years ago on New Years Eve we went to just visit the Boardwalk and had to park in the parking lot behind the Hess, however it wasn't that bad considering all the amount of walking we do at WDW. Also despite still being across the street and etc, we were still given a 3 hour pass with the time written down that we arrived at.

 

[sharadoc]

Also a clarification - you can board the boat at Epcot and just stay on it until DHS when it's time to go home. The boat goes Epcot, Boardwalk, Yacht/Beach, Swan/Dolphin, DHS and back again.