Off-site strategies and need-to-knows

[GatorChris]

I've got a conference the first full week of August that my whole family gets to go to, and so we're planning on staying a week after to do a WDW trip. Millennium Vista Cay is our condo, which fits a family of 5 amazingly well for $100 less per night than a Moderate with a Murphy bed (which wouldn't fit my teen kids anyway).

It's been 13 years since we've done a full, all-park WDW trip. The last few trips we've included a few Disney parks with our USO trips. We've done DL for over a decade which is easy to rope drop with all the surrounding hotels. But for WDW, I know that getting there early is harder.

I'm guessing we have to deal with a daily early entry at ever park from Disney Resort guests, right?

What time are we able to get into parking lots? I feel like back in 2020, we tried to get into Studios and had to loop around as the lot wasn't open yet.

Best options for Disney Springs parking? Or just getting there from a park and then coming back to the lot? When do the lots close?

I'm hearing a lot about extra evening hours, which we would love. Is that available for offsite guests?

How do I go about getting LL+ being offsite? And is it worth it since I resort guests can consume all the good stuff before we have our shot?

Thank you!

 

[Zaranthenia]

I'm guessing we have to deal with a daily early entry at ever park from Disney Resort guests, right?

Resort guests are able to enter 30 minutes before official park opening. All park hours are available in the My Disney Experience app so I'd recommend downloading that to get familiar with it. I still think rope dropping is worth it though but with teens it might be harder.

What time are we able to get into parking lots? I feel like back in 2020, we tried to get into Studios and had to loop around as the lot wasn't open yet.

Generally about an hour before official park opening, as an EV driver I get there extra early to ensure a charging spot and have been too early before

Best options for Disney Springs parking? Or just getting there from a park and then coming back to the lot? When do the lots close?

Sorry, not sure what you mean here! but Disney Springs transportation does not connect to the parks.

I'm hearing a lot about extra evening hours, which we would love. Is that available for offsite guests?

This is only for DELUXE resorts - so Poly, GF, Contemporary, and the DVCs. -BUT you can purchase an After Hours Ticket if the event is available while you're there. https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/events-tours/after-hours/

How do I go about getting LL+ being offsite? And is it worth it since I resort guests can consume all the good stuff before we have our shot?

You can purchase this 3 days before your park day in your My Disney Experience app, I'd suggest watching some YouTube videos if you are unfamiliar!

 

[patty57]

Pretty sure you can't bus from Disney Springs to any of the parks, only the resorts.
Editing to say that you may travel to the water parks from Disney Springs, although not sure about that.

 

[Draco0801]

Disney springs has no buses to park just the resorts. You can do Lightning lanes 3 days before on My Disney experience. We stay off site now and again but lately the parks have been so busy it was worth staying on site and getting the early entry and the bus shuttle We got a Disney springs hotel a couple of times that had 2 queens & pull-out sofa so it was worth the difference in price

 

[georgina]

DS has several free parking garages, with lights to indicate open spaces.

 

[Tom_E_D]

I'm hearing a lot about extra evening hours, which we would love. Is that available for offsite guests?

How do I go about getting LL+ being offsite? And is it worth it since I resort guests can consume all the good stuff before we have our shot?

Thank you!

Extended Evening hours are for Disney Deluxe resort guests only; offsite guests cannot attend. Disney After Hours events are open to anyone who buys a ticket for them. (They are not open to those who entered the park with only ordinary day tickets.) DHS will have one of those on August 6. Epcot will have them on August 7 and 14. MK will not have any "After Hours" events during early August, but the first Halloween party should start around then (schedule not yet out).

When buying LLMP and LLSP, you see what attractions are available at what times before you have to decide whether to buy or not. I would at least try to book something when you are first eligible and then decide if it is worth it to complete the purchase. You say you are staying a week to do an all-park trip. Assuming you buy multi-day dated tickets that are good for all your days, you should have a good selection of attractions for at least your last few days. It's the first few days you may not get what you want at the times you want.

 

[_19disnA]

There are no buses from Disney Springs to any park. If they offered that, the free DS parking lots would fill up with those planning to go all day to a park as a scheme to avoid paying for parking and there wouldn't be any space available for those who actually want to go to DS to shop/eat.

You also can't park for free at Contemporary/Poly/GF if you plan to go to MK. Disney has gotten wise to that scheme as well since people actually staying there would have trouble finding anywhere to park. Sometimes it sounds like time of day and how busy they are can make a difference from some of the comments I have seen in various threads here. In general, planning to park at a resort to avoid the parking fee is NOT a good idea. I would plan to drive to whatever park you plan to visit. What you CAN do is take the monorail from MK to Epcot (via TTC) if you want to leave you car in one place.

 

[LKing]

Best options for Disney Springs parking? Or just getting there from a park and then coming back to the lot? When do the lots close?

I could be wrong, but I don't think OP was trying to skirt paying for parking. It sounds like they are trying to figure out how to park in theme park parking, leave to go to Disney Springs, and return to the theme park parking lot. It sounds like they should either drive their car or take Disney transportation to a resort and then take a bus from the resort to Disney Springs. Is that correct?

Do the theme park parking lots stay open until an hour after park closing? If a park closes at 9 pm but there are extended hours for resort guests, does the lot close at 10 pm or an hour after the extended hours are over?

 

[scrappinginontario]

I could be wrong, but I don't think OP was trying to skirt paying for parking. It sounds like they are trying to figure out how to park in theme park parking, leave to go to Disney Springs, and return to the theme park parking lot. It sounds like they should either drive their car or take Disney transportation to a resort and then take a bus from the resort to Disney Springs. Is that correct?

You are correct, OP did not ask about parking at DS and getting transportation to a park.

Transportation from parks to DS was stopped in 2020 and has not returned. To go from a park to DS a guest will need to go to a resort and then take transportation from the resort to DS. In OP's case they have a vehicle so your best option @GatorChris is to drive your vehicle from the park you're at to DS.

Do the theme park parking lots stay open until an hour after park closing? If a park closes at 9 pm but there are extended hours for resort guests, does the lot close at 10 pm or an hour after the extended hours are over?

The parking lots are open as long as the park is open to any guests so yes, they remain open during EEH.

 

[AngieInOH]

Consider you will have to pay for parking at the parks which I believe is $30. Personally, I would take an Uber or Lyft.