Free parking and transportation from DTD to parks

[manning]

"If visiting the Disney theme parks, park at Downtown Disney. It's free. Then you can take the complimentary transportation buses throughout the resort to get to your desired park(s)."


This is published in the "Costco Connection" magazine Feb 2012 page 77.

Thank you Costco!!

 

[Dizny Dad]

Ever wonder why the price of admission to any of the parks is so high?

 

[Ken_Breadbox]

"If visiting the Disney theme parks, park at Downtown Disney. It's free. Then you can take the complimentary transportation buses throughout the resort to get to your desired park(s)."


This is published in the "Costco Connection" magazine Feb 2012 page 77.

Thank you Costco!!

Two things.

One, there is no direct DTD-to-park transportation for this very reason. So you're wasting, minimum, an hour of your time parking at DTD. How much is your time worth? Mine's worth a lot more than whatever Disney charges for parking (I wouldn't know as I've only ever stayed on site, which makes parking free everywhere.)

Two--Disney is within its rights to check that passengers on their busses are staying at Disney resorts. I haven't seen it happen, but I've heard it does. Not a risk I'd feel comfortable taking.

 

[zavandor]

The big problem with this strategy is that there are not buses early in the morning who travel to and from Downtown Disney. So it works only if you arrive late in the morning (I think I read at least 10:30).
So you won't be in a park before 11:00 - 11:30

Two--Disney is within its rights to check that passengers on their busses are staying at Disney resorts. I haven't seen it happen, but I've heard it does. Not a risk I'd feel comfortable taking.

I think that Disney transportation is free for everyone, even if you do not sleep in a Disney Hotel.

 

[Reddog1134]

In case it was missed, I'd like to point out that I think the OP is aware that this is not a recommended strategy (notice the angry faces).

Also, it's not the first time i've seen this strategy recommended in an online/print article.

 

[Thumper_Man]

In case it was missed, I'd like to point out that I think the OP is aware that this is not a recommended strategy (notice the angry faces).

Also, it's not the first time i've seen this strategy recommended in an online/print article.

ITA with this. OP was pointing out that Costco is giving out bad advice. Not asking if its allowed or the best way to get around it.

 

[Figment2]

A couple of years ago friends and I stayed at SSR and had a 9:30am breakfast reservation at Boma. We walked over to DTD about 8:30 to catch the AKL bus (we thought it was a great idea at the time).

We saw plenty of busses coming in and dropping and picking up people at the front (around bustop #1) but no AKL busses. After awhile we spotted someone sitting in a van so we wandered over to ask if there would be an AKL bus along soon. That's when we learned that the resort busses coming in were for those people who wanted to go to DTD early and to pick up people who wanted to go to the parks (and there were plenty of them).

They did send a bus for us and we got to BOMA in time. However, this is why it's getting harder and harder to find parking spaces at DTD as the day wears on.

Cyn

 

[manning]

ITA with this. OP was pointing out that Costco is giving out bad advice. Not asking if its allowed or the best way to get around it.

You got it.

They seriously believe I condone this? Wow! Evidently they didn't read my last sentence and faces.

More like drop Costco editors a note if you want.

 

[dunhill76]

My home resort is SSR and the DTD riders drive me crazy when taking disney buses it's a joke I wish they would check your room keys when boarding. Nothing better then renting a 2br villa and having people staying off resort sit on the bus while you carry 3 sleeping children but I'm not bitter I swear.

 

[Sammie]

dfuller@costco.com

Write the Editor.

 

[redrosesix]

"If visiting the Disney theme parks, park at Downtown Disney. It's free. Then you can take the complimentary transportation buses throughout the resort to get to your desired park(s)."


This is published in the "Costco Connection" magazine Feb 2012 page 77.

Thank you Costco!!

Holy Crow No wonder I can never find a parking space at DTD

 

[Thumper_Man]

You got it.

They seriously believe I condone this? Wow! Evidently they didn't read my last sentence and faces.

More like drop Costco editors a note if you want.

I dropped them an email. See if I get a response.

 

[Soon2B4]

I read that too! I couldn't believe they would actually recommend that! We stay onsite, but I would rather pay to park than go from DTD, to a resort, to a park and again in reverse at the end of the night. My Disney time is far to valuable. You are looking at hours of travel time.

 

[DVC California]

dfuller@costco.com

Write the Editor.

Let's all write and say we read that free overnight RV parking is available at Costco OBT with Lynx service to TTC.

 

[goofy4tink]

Let's all write and say we read that free overnight RV parking is available at Costco OBT with Lynx service to TTC.

Now, that's funny!!!

I did send off a nice, respectful email, letting the editor know exactly what they had been promoting and why it wasn't a good idea. We'll see what happens.

 

[Fish Almighty]

It sounds like a big pain. We stayed at the Regal Sun a while back and figured we would just walk to DTD and go to the parks instead of riding the hotel shuttle. When we found out that there weren't any direct busses to the parks, we gave up on that idea. The few times I've actually used the busses at DTD, it seemed to be more trouble than it was worth.

As long as the ferryboats to/from POFQ don't get crowded...