Is there parking at Disney Springs?

[wideeyedwonder]

I've canceled our day at the Kenedy Space Center, as we will be in the area again in January, and I'd rather go when more of the buss tours open up. So now I have a free day *before* our "official" WDW stay...since I already have a rental car, my thought is that we could get lunch at The Boathouse (a tradition for us), shop around Disney Springs, maybe get an Aquacar ride, maybe do horse back riding at Fort Wilderness.

The question is, what should I do for parking? Forgive my naiveté, we've never had a car while on property, so I really know nothing about where to park while at WDW.

 

[LiteBrite]

Yes, there is free parking at Disney Springs - two big garages and a surface lot.

 

[FCDub]

Full parking info available right on their site:

https://www.disneysprings.com/parking-and-transportation/

 

[MrKnight]

Yes, there are two large parking garages at DS, follow the roadway signs to parking and the lanes will feed you into the nearest parking garage. It's worth noting that parking at DS can get very congested especially on weekends due to locals driving in..

 

[wideeyedwonder]

Yes, there are two large parking garages at DS, follow the roadway signs to parking and the lanes will feed you into the nearest parking garage. It's worth noting that parking at DS can get very congested especially on weekends due to locals driving in..

Thanks! It will be Monday of Memorial Day weekend, so I may be doomed.

 

[LiteBrite]

Thanks! It will be Monday of Memorial Day weekend, so I may be doomed.

Getting there early is your best bet - the garages open earlier than the shops, about an hour earlier I think - somebody correct me if I'm wrong about that.

 

[philharmagic fan]

We're locals and go once or twice per month, generally on Friday, sometimes Saturday. We time it so we arrive around 9:30am and there are still several hundred spaces on each of the 5 levels of the Lime garage. By the time we're through security, down the escalators, and over to our first stop (World of Disney), it's just about 10am (when most shops open).

 

[MrKnight]

Thanks! It will be Monday of Memorial Day weekend, so I may be doomed.

Where are you staying? On-site or off-site? If you have access to transportation to DS it may be worth using it over driving..

 

[wideeyedwonder]

Where are you staying? On-site or off-site? If you have access to transportation to DS it may be worth using it over driving..

So we are staying on-site the following 9 nights, and had originally planned to visit the Kennedy Space Center the day before. As part of that plan, we booked 2 nights at the MCO Hilton, after which, we are going to take the ME to our resort (Wilderness Lodge). However, with most of the Kennedy Center's bus tours still missing due to COVID-19, we decided to just do a Disney Springs day instead, and maybe get over to fort wilderness for some horseback riding. Since I had already booked a car for the Kennedy Space Center, I thought that we'd just use that for the day trip to DS, assuming that parking was available.

I know it sounds crazy, driving a rental from the MCO Hilton to DS for the day, drive back, stay another night at the MCO Hilton, then ME back to Disney for our "real" stay, but hey, as my family says, "let's be flexible".

 

[joelkfla]

Yes, there is free parking at Disney Springs - two big garages and a surface lot.

Yes, there are two large parking garages at DS, follow the roadway signs to parking and the lanes will feed you into the nearest parking garage. It's worth noting that parking at DS can get very congested especially on weekends due to locals driving in..

There are 3 garages at DS: Orange, Lime, & Grapefruit.

Grapefruit is across Buena Vista Blvd., and is connected by pedestrian bridges to DS, but it's a rather long walk. Better to park in Orange or Lime if there's room.

 

[MrKnight]

There are 3 garages at DS: Orange, Lime, & Grapefruit.

Grapefruit is across Buena Vista Blvd., and is connected by pedestrian bridges to DS, but it's a rather long walk. Better to park in Orange or Lime if there's room.

The Grapefruit garage is primarily Cast Member parking. I did not mention it as to not confuse the OP.

 

[joelkfla]

The Grapefruit garage is primarily Cast Member parking. I did not mention it as to not confuse the OP.

OK, I didn't know that. I thought cast parking was still between the gas station and Cast Services. When approaching DS from the west on BVD, signage seems to encourage Guests into Grapefruit, especially with the elimination of the left turn into Lime.

 

[MrKnight]

OK, I didn't know that. I thought cast parking was still between the gas station and Cast Services. When approaching DS from the west on BVD, signage seems to encourage Guests into Grapefruit, especially with the elimination of the left turn into Lime.

It's primarily for CM parking, and occasionally also used as overflow parking for guests. Should always go to Orange and Lime first, and if those are full then cars are directed to Grapefruit..

 

[sam_gordon]

Unless it's changed (it's been a couple years since we've been), there are signs showing how many available spots are in each garage, then in the garage, how many spots on each floor, and red/green lights above each spot to show if there's availability in that row before you even turn down it. I know other places have this, but it was unusual to us. I really liked it.

 

[joelkfla]

Unless it's changed (it's been a couple years since we've been), there are signs showing how many available spots are in each garage, then in the garage, how many spots on each floor, and red/green lights above each spot to show if there's availability in that row before you even turn down it. I know other places have this, but it was unusual to us. I really liked it.

I don't recall seeing them for the entire garage, but they're still there for the floors and rows, except the ground floor. I think they're not entirely accurate, but they give a good general idea of what's available. Just don't be surprised to find nothing open in a row that says it has a 1 or 2 available.

 

[spicedparrot]

Have they reopened the Valet Parking? It used to be outside of marketplace.

 

[cedricandsophie]

We are here now. We are staying at Boulder ridge but drive to disney springs for dinner. The line to get into garages is long especially on weekends. But there always seems to be space on the higher floors. Just leave enough time if you have a dinner reservation because you also have to go through security.

 

[djbogue]

Do you have to park in the garages? Can't you park in the surface lots.

 

[joelkfla]

Do you have to park in the garages? Can't you park in the surface lots.

The big Strawberry lot behind DS is now cast parking only, but I think the other 2 lots at the West Side are open.