how to save on parking at parks?

[disneyguest123]

we are staying in a hotel that is a couple of miles away from Disney and planning to take their shuttle buses to parks. Unfortunately their buses run only two times a day at 9 am and 5 pm and we would like to see fireworks in the evening. So based on that I have the following questions
1. we'll be renting a car and can just drive to disney to see fireworks, but would hate to pay $14 just to see fireworks, I've heard that if you leave the parking lot late, you don't have to pay parking after closing, is it true?
2. How long of a walk is it from parking to the actual parks? I assume they have shuttle buses? we have an older person with us, she cannot walk much
3. what time are fireworks on Feb in Parks?

 

[neatokimmo]

If you go to disney.com you can see the firework schedule.

You pay for parking before you park. So unless they shut down the parking booths at a certain time, they'll get you when you go in. They don't care when you leave.

An AP provides free parking, it might be cheaper to buy one for one person in your group than to pay $14 a day in parking.

 

[sidious]

In February the fireworks usually start at 7 on a weekday. Remember that the Kingdom closes at around at during the off peak seasons.The parking attendant at the front usually would make you pay when you get inside, and do not really care when you leave as long as it is not 2 hours past all park closings.If your not staying on Disney property you probably would have to pay full for parking. You still ask for a senior citizens discount, you may get a generous Cast Member

 

[disneyguest123]

An AP provides free parking, it might be cheaper to buy one for one person in your group than to pay $14 a day in parking.

Sorry, don't know what AP is ( Annual pass?)We are planning to buy just that packaged ticket for 7 days, Wonder what the AP and 7day package price difference is

 

[DisneySouvenir]

If you park at downtown disney or one of the hotels and take the bus in from there you may be able to avoid paying a fee for parking

 

[DisneySouvenir]

Oh yeah, if you go in just before the park closes just for the fireworks at Epcot, the parking collectors are usually done for the night, and you just glide right in as well. My wife and 3 kids have done this multiple times

 

[DawnM]

Parking at the Disney hotels won't work as they only let you park for 2 hours typically unless you are staying there.

You can take a bus from DTD to a hotel and then from a hotel to one of the parks, but it would involve a bus change. Busses no longer go from DTD to the parks.

We have only done this once, but it wasn't to avoid a parking fee as we had APs.....it was to meet up with the rest of the family who had already left and gone to the waterparks and didn't want to come back to pick us up!

Dawn

If you park at downtown disney or one of the hotels and take the bus in from there you may be able to avoid paying a fee for parking

 

[SandrA9810]

The parking booths close 2hrs prior to park closing. If you would really like to see the fireworks, my suggestion would to use the shuttle service, go back to your hotel and grab something to eat, then drive back to the parks in your car.

Since the fireworks are the last thing that go off, You'll have about an hour or so to park, get into the park for a good viewing spot and watch the fireworks.


The other option would to utilize the Lynx bus system. Depending on where your hotel is, you could just buy a 7 day pass online for the bus. And the lynx bus runs late into the evening since so many cast members use it. And it goes all the way to the TTC. So if you're in another park, just use the Disney Transportation back to the TTC.

 

[neatokimmo]

Can you see MK's fireworks pretty well from the area outside the ticket turnstiles?

We are only going the one day. I'd love to see them more than once, even from a distance.

 

[lucigo]

You could have dinner at the contemporary or the poly and then watch the fireworks from there, saves on parking but costs more in that you are buying meals

 

[kaytieeldr]

That's actually not a bad idea, lucigo! They could eat at the snack bar at either location - possibly even share fewer meals than they have diners, and kill two birds with one stone (eat, and stick around on the beach or dock area to watch the fireworks). As long as they don't exceed the three hour limit, it should be not a problem.

 

[tink2dw]

Ask about the AAA parking pass.

 

[WDWAurora]

The AAA parking pass does not get you free parking-just access to a special area of the parking lot. Without APs or staying on WDW grounds, you still have to pay the $14. As someone suggested, upgrading one person to an AP may be worth it for the discounts and free parking.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

In February the fireworks usually start at 7 on a weekday. Remember that the Kingdom closes at around at during the off peak seasons.The parking attendant at the front usually would make you pay when you get inside, and do not really care when you leave as long as it is not 2 hours past all park closings.If your not staying on Disney property you probably would have to pay full for parking. You still ask for a senior citizens discount, you may get a generous Cast Member

Wishes Fireworks are hardly ever at 7:00 in the evening. There have been times in the past where they showed Wishes at 7:00 prior to a MNSSHP or a MVMCP, but they stopped that a couple of years ago to save money and don't shoes regular wishes on those night anymore.

Everynight of February, 2010, Wishes are being shown at 8:00 p.m.

 

[PrincessTiffany]

If you park at downtown disney or one of the hotels and take the bus in from there you may be able to avoid paying a fee for parking

There is no direct service between Downtown Disney and the parks. They stopped that service a few years ago because so many people were trying to get out of paying for parking. And as the other poster said, there's a time limit when you are a non-resort guest parking at a resort.

 

[SandrA9810]

It's just one of those things you have to include in your budget if you plan on staying off site.

And if the shuttle picks up at 9am... well you'll probably lose an hour in the morning and several hours at night that you could be in the park. DAK is the only park I can think of that you can do from 9-5 and accomplish everything.

The only other option is to use lynx bus to get to the TTC. They start running from 6am till 10pm or later. It's 2$ per adult, kids ride free with adults, and seniors pay 1$.

 

[KristiKelly]

Someone mentioned earlier about an annual pass. Here is a price comparison:

7 day base ticket $249.21
7 day ticket w/hopper $304.59
Annual Pass $520.79

Although the AP is obviously more expensive, you would go free parking and not have to worry about using the busses. I wouldn't want to be restricted to 9:00 dropoff and 5:00 pickup.

Also, you get 10% discount at World of Disney @ Downtown Disney.

10-20% off at some of the restaurants.

Also, you can really good AP rates at WDW resorts if you wanted to stay onsite.

Happy planning and enjoy your trip!

 

[DVCBELLE]

You didn't say when you are going or where you are staying - but have you considered the value resorts?

They probably are about the same price as what you are paying and would include free parking at the parks.

 

[hsmamato2]

BTW, you can't catch a disney bus from DTD to a park, if you wanted to take this ridiculously long route to a park,it cancels out any 'savings' on parking fees,due to the fact you've paid xxx amount for park tix,and NOT using them to the full b/c you're riding buses for 2 hours is wasting more money than just paying to park. Same with coming back one hour before the show. In reality,you'll have wasted SO MUCH TIME trying to avoid that 14.00,(prime vacation time!) that you'll have in actuality wasted far more 'ticket use time'! GEt it? it's how Disney works,on purpose!
SO OP enjoy your time,use it well,have some fun! these places are SO BIG,that parking,walking in,etc takes WAY MORE TIME than you think it will. So all this traveling and wangling,to see a 15 minute show,and then more traveling to get back out with all the crowds.....what a waste of time.(and money)

 

[SandrA9810]

i know every ins and out disney secret. But i would never tell some one else that. Whether you do it yourself is one thing and should be kept to yourself.

And btw, your directions are slightly wrong.