How does Disney Travel / Parking Work?

[matt1902]

Hi All

I know that you get charged a daily rate at the big 3 for parking if you are not staying in a Disney hotel (we are not), and that you can use the monorails to travel between the big 3 throughout the day (if you have the ticket that allows you to hop), but was wondering if anyone can help with the following questions?

> Is there free transport between the big 3 and Blizzard, Typhoon and Animal Kingdom?
> If not, are you charged to park at these 3 other parks?
> What time does the monorail between the parks operate until?
> If you go to one of the big 3, leave (in your car) and then return to that same one later in the day, are you charged for parking for a 2nd time?
> Anyone know of any cheeky tricks to avoid the parking charges at the parks (as I hear it is something like $14 per day)?

Thanks

 

[Tony Toon]

The parking is charged once per day only at Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom. You are given a ticket to display and show this at any of the other Disney parks you visit that day. You can then park for no extra charge. If you visit for the first time later in the day, very often the toll booths are closed and you can park for free, but it depends how busy it is: busy periods the booths stay open longer.

There is no charge to park at Blizzard Beach, Typhoon Lagoon or Downtown Disney.

You don't pay for parking if you're an Annual Pass holder. In the past when we've visited for more than 2 weeks one of us has bought an AP for the fringe benefits such as free parking, Tables in Wonderland, discount in shops, discount on tours etc. They fairly mount up and the savings for a family of 4 like us, easily make up for the additional cost.

You can always try and be cheeky, and try to park at the Yacht Club, Beach Club or Boardwalk Villas for free and then enter Epcot through the International Gateway. We've also done this and only been turned back at Christmas/New Year and July 4th.

Transport is available everywhere - just there are more buses to and from some places than others. As well as buses and the monorail there are also ferries and water buses that can get you from one place to another and allow a wee change of scene.

Mrs TT

 

[Goofyish]

Monorail only takes you between Epcot and Magic Kingdom. You need to get buses to get to the other 2 main parks or waterparks (may be via a resort and not direct).
You can use the Friendship boats to get from Studios to Epcot too. You can actually walk from Epcot to Studios if you are feeling fit - leave Epcot from the Internation Gateway entrance between the UK and France, follow the path through the Boardwalk resort and keep going to Studios.

I wouldn't advise trying to park at a resort to get out of paying the parking charge - some resorts will only give you limited parking pass and it's not really fair on the majority of honest guests. In the scale of things the parking charges is a small percentage of your holiday costs