getting to Calif. Grill

[famcruisefun]

Trying to plan how to get to California grill for our 7:45 dinner reservations. We are staying at the Swan, and will probably be in EPCOT the day we have the reservations. (It's Sunday and I figure MK is going to be crowded - so we've planned EPCOT that day). I'm thinking we may just go back to the Swan and get in the rental car and drive. MK is open until 11 that night - so we may go over to the park after fireworks. Can we leave the car at the Contemporary and take the monorail to and from the park? How much is the parking?
I appreciate the help! Thanks!
Kelley

 

[sotoalf]

If the MK is open till 11 pm, then your best bet is taking the Epcot monorail to the TTC, and then the resort monorail to the Contemporary. On your way back catch the bus back to the Swan at the MK.

With MK open late, you have a perfect juncture point.

 

[madalex]

I think your idea of driving from Swan makes more sense (wouldn't you need to go back there anyway to freshen up before dinner?). You will be able to leave the car at Contemporary after dinner. There is no parking charge if you self-park; it will be $6 for the valet. From Contemporary, you can take the resort monorail to MK, but you can also walk.

 

[disney queen]

you could do both. freshen up and then take the MK bus from the swan. at MK walk or monorail to the contemp. don't forget there is an observation deck at the contemp that would make fireworks viewing wonderful! have fun and happy eating!

 

[ducklite]

You won't be allowed to leave your car there that long. If your dinner is at 7:45, you'll be arriving at about 7:30. THey'll give you a parking pass good for three hours. So it will expire before the fireworks begin. They can and do tow.

I'd take a bus from the Swan to the MK and walk or take the monorail to the CR. Then walk or take the monorail back to the MK. Then take the bus back to the Swan.

I would NOT walk from teh Swan to the Epcot monorail, that's 1 1/2 miles of walking, nad defeats the purpose of freshning up before a nice dinner.

Anne

 

[madalex]

Originally posted by ducklite
You won't be allowed to leave your car there that long. If your dinner is at 7:45, you'll be arriving at about 7:30. THey'll give you a parking pass good for three hours. So it will expire before the fireworks begin. They can and do tow.

I was not aware of this. Since we valet at our resort, we also valet at other resorts (there is no additional charge, except the tip) and I did not know there was a time limit on how long you can self park. I would think one could avoid this time limit by valet parking, but that costs money.

Otherwise, the bus to MK/monorail or walk to Contemporary makes the most sense.

 

[sotoalf]

I misunderstood: I thought you were heading to the Cali Grill directly from Epcot. If you're going back to the Swan to freshen up, by all means take the bus to the MK if it's open late, then the monorail. I suppose you could drive to the Contemporary, but I like to minimize use of my car while at WDW; it's a matter of opinion.

 

[postmanrings]

Just ate there 3-12-04 with a 6:30 PS. I drove there and all I had to do is show Id at the gate and I parked. We stayed until after Wishes (8:00pm) and left. We were not told of any parking time limit.

 

[famcruisefun]

Thank you for the great information. We're leaning toward taking the bus. I think it will depend what time we get back to the Swan to get ready - I imaging the bus ride from the Swan to MK is not short. If we're pressed for time we'll drive and valet - seems like with valet we may have a better chance of no time limit?
Thank you again! We can't wait to leave!
Kelley

 

[cjsmith]

Even with valet parking, they do indeed give you a time limit, especially during the day. We always valet, and have always been given a time limit. Last weekend they gave us 4 hours over the the Poly when we got there at 10 am. Now when we went for dinner at the California Grill, they didn't give us any limit like they do during the day. We asked about this and they said they don't always do this at night. We arrived at the hotel around 6:40 pm.

One thing to keep in mind, even if you do pay the valet parking fee over at the Swan, that won't translate to free parking at the Contemporary as the Swan isn't a Disney owned hotel. They will in turn charge you another $6 for valet parking. The only way you get valet parking at every Disney hotel is by having paid by fee at a Disney hotel.

 

[cjsmith]

Sorry, I didn't answer your question. I would drive from the Swan over the The Comtemporary and leave my car there, either valet or self parking. They won't bust your chops if your car is there for an extra half hour.
You may not really be able to make it over to the parks for that long however after dinner. Even though you have PS for 7:45, you won't sit down at this time. There could be as much as a 30 minute wait for your table at the California Grill at this time of night, especially if it's on a weekend. Dinner will then take 1.5 to 2 hours depending on how many courses you order. If you don't sit down until 8:15, you may not be done until around 10:15. By the time you catch the monorail and get over to the parks, it will be so close to closing time.

 

[EmmasGrammy]

If you do drive your own car DO NOT self park. It is definately worth the $6.00 to valet park. The self parking is so far away it's ridiculous! If they only give you a 3 hr. limit, you'll use 1/2 hr. to get from the self parking lot to the resort. (Okay, maybe I'm exaggerating alittle!!!) But it's a hefty little stroll. I say....Valet!

 

[Uncleromulus]

Funny how everyones parking experience is different--mostly depending on the day/time/season they are at WDW.
All the times we've gone to the Contemporary for dinner, we have nearly always been given a 3-hour pass (self-park) and many times been required to produce a PS # at the guard gate. This is usually on a Saturday nite, around 7:00-8:00 PM. But once we were waived right on in--no questions, no pass. And at Valet, we've never been given any time limit.