Free Parking Before Check-In?

[rastahomie]

If you arrive on-site before check-in on your arrival day, are you allowed to park for free as if you were already an on-site guest? Or are you expected to pay before you're officially checked in?

Looking at my sample itinerary, it appears I'll be arriving in Orlando around 2ish, and will probably check out Disney Springs or something to burn a couple of hours before check-in.

 

[KT0191]

Parking is free for everyone at Disney Springs so no worries there.

 

[danielocha30]

disney spring has free parking, the parks will either let you in or make you pay is up to the guy on the gate, BUT you can get a reimbursement at guest relations at the park BEFORE the parking close which is way earlier that the park closing time, after you have checked in they will probably just scan your magic band and ask for the parking receipt

 

[loves to dive]

You can do on line check in and you are a guest.

 

[nkereina]

Side note - keep in mind that even though the stated check-in time is 3pm or 4pm, you can technically check-in any time that day (after 6am). Your room might not be ready yet, but they can still check you in which gives you access to tickets, dining credits, etc. They will text you when your room is ready. And by 2pm, I would suspect your room could be ready anyhow.

 

[bumbershoot]

DS is free to all.

If wanting to hit a park...you can do the checkin process as early as 6am. So do that.

you'll want to drop off your gas anyway with bell services. There have been thefts from cars in the past. Replacing everything is a lot more expensive than a few bucks to tip the Bell Services people.

 

[rastahomie]

Color me surprised that DS has free parking for everyone!

 

[Tigger's ally]

Color me surprised that DS has free parking for everyone!

Free and good parking. Love the signs that tell you how many spots open on each floor and the lights in the rows to show openings. Nice addition to what was virtually a pain in the you know where parking fiasco formerly known as Downtown Disney.

 

[ncc1701]

Color me surprised that DS has free parking for everyone!

A way to get non-Disney guests and locals in to check it out and hopefully spend some money. Plus there is no bus from DS to any of the parks.

 

[Reuben Varzea]

Color me surprised that DS has free parking for everyone!

The only place you need to pay for parking (and even this is only if you're not staying at a resort) is at a park itself. Even if you wanted to go to resort you're staying at and just walk around, you can go before you're check-in time and there shouldn't be a problem. Heck... even without a hotel reservation, you can usual drive up to any of the parks and say you just want to check out the resort and park for a couple of hours without much worry.

 

[disnut8]

If you arrive on-site before check-in on your arrival day, are you allowed to park for free as if you were already an on-site guest? Or are you expected to pay before you're officially checked in?

Looking at my sample itinerary, it appears I'll be arriving in Orlando around 2ish, and will probably check out Disney Springs or something to burn a couple of hours before check-in.

If you are arriving at 2ish, just go to your resort and check in. Or, do online check in to speed up the process. If you do that, you can note the approximate time you will be arriving (I'd put it at 1 PM) and you might have a room ready when you arrive. We usually arrive around 11:30 and have been able to have a room that early.

 

[disnut8]

Color me surprised that DS has free parking for everyone!

It's a shopping area and it's been free parking for a very long time. However, you cannot take Disney transportation from there directly to a park. That was discontinued a while ago since people were parking for free and clogging up the lots and not shopping.