How does your resort know if you brought a car? Parking fee question

[AlohaNow]

This is a sincere question, as we are not frequent WDW visitors. Last year we went to MNSSHP, stayed one night at POR, and showed up in a rental car. With MDE and online check in you go right into your room, bypassing the front desk where normally you would be asked if you are parking a car, as resorts now charge for parking. How in the world do they know to charge you for parking or not when you go straight to your room? We drove to MK for the party and I don’t recall being charged for parking at MK or the resort. We weren’t trying to scam Disney or anything….they just never charged us in either place for parking. We’re staying at Pop in a few weeks and were having a discussion about how this works. Regulars, please regale us with your knowledge. Thanks!

 

[sam_gordon]

This is a sincere question, as we are not frequent WDW visitors. Last year we went to MNSSHP, stayed one night at POR, and showed up in a rental car. With MDE and online check in you go right into your room, bypassing the front desk where normally you would be asked if you are parking a car, as resorts now charge for parking. How in the world do they know to charge you for parking or not when you go straight to your room? We drove to MK for the party and I don’t recall being charged for parking at MK or the resort. We weren’t trying to scam Disney or anything….they just never charged us in either place for parking. We’re staying at Pop in a few weeks and were having a discussion about how this works. Regulars, please regale us with your knowledge. Thanks!

I'm assuming if you bring a car, at some point you need to get a parking pass for it. You then put the parking pass in the car window. If/when they do a sweep of the lot and find a car without a pass, then they (theoretically) tow it.

 

[Traveling on cc points]

You have to scan your magic band at the hatted entrance for it to open, I’m guessing that is how they would know.

 

[DLgal]

When you enter the gate, you scan your MB.

 

[Moliphino]

Who knows. They charged me for parking one trip when I didn't have a car and never entered the resort on anything other than a Disney bus.

 

[RanDIZ]

Our magic band was tapped when we entered with car and everything was charged to my acct for parking.

 

[SteveH]

Who knows. They charged me for parking one trip when I didn't have a car and never entered the resort on anything other than a Disney bus.

Yeah go figure, we went to DHS the day we checked in (to get MF boarding pass) then we went to POFQ, before we returned our rental car. Never got charged for that day, but I was fully expecting to.

 

[nw6675]

When arriving to the gate by car for the first time when checking in, do you talk to the gate person or is there a magic band only gate, too?

 

[OKW Lover]

I'm assuming if you bring a car, at some point you need to get a parking pass for it. You then put the parking pass in the car window. If/when they do a sweep of the lot and find a car without a pass, then they (theoretically) tow it.

There are no more parking passes to be put in car windows.

 

[OKW Lover]

When arriving to the gate by car for the first time when checking in, do you talk to the gate person or is there a magic band only gate, too?

When we stayed at VGF in September we were able to use the MB gate rather than talking to the guard.

 

[nw6675]

When we stayed at VGF in September we were able to use the MB gate rather than talking to the guard.

Thanks! We talked to the guard, but he confirmed that as well. He was so nice that he actually was the best part of checking in so far!

 

[pens4821]

We went in January last year. We had two cars arriving at different times. Never got charged for either. We gave our names and scanned our bands on arrival, but never moved the cars after that. Was expecting to see a charge after checkout for the two cars, but it never happened. Have read (as someone previously here said) that people have gotten charged when they didn't have a car there. You would think once you scan your band entering parking you'd get charged for your stay (and if you don't enter the parking lot then you wouldn't).

 

[DL1WDW2]

Theoretically your MB will not open gate and security guard will have to open for you. He will ask for name & ID and type info into their iPad to alert front desk of arrival and will be considered as checked in with car and going to room to open door.
So I wonder how it works if arriving with taxi, etc.
Magic Express from airport requires reservation and procedure that MB scan registers your arrival , perhaps?
We do so many things automatically , we forget we are being tracked silently.

 

[nw6675]

When we got here last night for the first time we told him we were checking in and the guard asked for magic band OR ID and said we could have gone through the automated gate. We had both, but gave ID and our parking fee is definitely on our folio this morning

 

[Ralph&Pam]

Yeah go figure, we went to DHS the day we checked in (to get MF boarding pass) then we went to POFQ, before we returned our rental car. Never got charged for that day, but I was fully expecting to.

Did you park the car at the resort overnight or return it the day of arrival? Resorts charge for overnight parking (except for the DVC case cited above). Day visitors to resorts are not charged. Guests staying at onsite resorts are not charged to park at theme parks, so you would not be charged to park at DHS either.

 

[PrincesCJM]

I have wondered that as well. Last June, we arrived via Magical Express and later rented a car at the Car Care Center. We had the car for 3 or 4 days then returned it. I was never charged for parking and should have been. I purposely checked because I was afraid I'd be charged for the whole trip

 

[ten6mom]

There are no more parking passes to be put in car windows.

First ever trip to WDW and am strongly considering grabbing a rental car. I know I will have to pay to park at the resort, but how do I NOT get charged again at each park if there is no visible parking pass? (I have no idea how all this works as I am a DL vet who walks everywhere while there).

Also, does anyone know... I currently have an Magical Express reservation but will they care if I get a rental car and don't end up using it?

 

[skeeter31]

First ever trip to WDW and am strongly considering grabbing a rental car. I know I will have to pay to park at the resort, but how do I NOT get charged again at each park if there is no visible parking pass? (I have no idea how all this works as I am a DL vet who walks everywhere while there).

Also, does anyone know... I currently have an Magical Express reservation but will they care if I get a rental car and don't end up using it?

When you drive into a park parking lot, they’ll scan your Magicband, recognize that you’re a resort guest, and you’ll be waved through.

 

[ten6mom]

When you drive into a park parking lot, they’ll scan your Magicband, recognize that you’re a resort guest, and you’ll be waved through.

Thank you! Sorry for all the questions all over the place!

 

[CarolynFH]

Also, does anyone know... I currently have an Magical Express reservation but will they care if I get a rental car and don't end up using it?

No, it won't be a problem. The ME reservations simply give them a rough idea of how many guests they can expect to transport to which resorts over the course of the day and night.