OK, maybe a dumb question...

[Robin"D"]

This is one of the 1st times that we will have a car going to WDW, we are staying @ AKL, here 's the question, because we are staying on property, do we get to park @ the 4 parks for free? Or should we use WDW transportation?
We are going to try all the different restaurant @ the other resorts on this trip. One of the reasons for the car, plus we got a "GREAT deal.

This is DW 1st trip for the holidays and we are so looking forward to this trip:
Dec 3 ~ 10...with a ticket for MMVMCP

so do we get to park for free if we drive to the parks?

Thanks

Robin & Angel "D"

 

[JMLBrats]

Yes unless something has changed in the last year. Anyone staying on property has always been allowed to park for free in the theme park lots.

 

[WilsonFlyer]

Parking is free for on-site guests all the time everywhere (except valet, of course). We drive all the time now and NEVER use Disney transportation (except the monorail). I simply won't get on a bus anymore. Driving is WAY easier, WAY faster and just WAY better for us. I can be anywhere on-property in < 15 minutes from any room any where. Most hops are closer to 10 minutes. Yes, AKV is on the fringes and we stay there almost 50% of the time and the same applies from there. Even better, we can usually park directly below our room and basically jump to the elevator!

WARNING: You'll never want to be without a car again. Once you've had one and learn your way around property, you WILL be SPOILED.

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

YES! You can park for free!

You will be given a rather plain piece of 8 1/2 X 11 by paper.

It will have the name of your resort and the dates of your stay. Plus, the guards will ask you your name to make sure you are on "the list" as you go to check-in.

When you go to park at the parks...they basically wave you on through.

I find when driving that I don't always drive to the parks. Its just kind of according to where we are staying, and what we are doing that day.

Do consider taking the bus to MK for AKL because you will be dropped at the door instead of getting on transportation at the TTC. The other side of it though...monorails and boats are cool. Sounds silly, but its true.

 

[Robin"D"]

WARNING: You'll never want to be without a car again. Once you've had one and learn your way around property, you WILL be SPOILED.[/QUOTE]

TOO LATE!!

Thanks for all the replies.... 35 days

Robin & Angel "D"

 

[castleri]

We almost always have a car and other than for off property shopping or going to water parks almost never use it. It will be helpful to be able to go to other resorts to eat and we would use it for that if we planned meals at other than the monorail or epcot resorts. We have just never had the bus issues that some people seem to have and actually enjoy using them rather than being stuck getting out of a parking lot at closing with hundreds of people who often don't have a clue about where they are going and thus are cutting back and forth at the last moment. Being able to either use the Disney transportation or your own is definitely a plus since it gives you a lot more freedom. hope you have a great trip.

 

[Robin"D"]

We almost always have a car and other than for off property shopping or going to water parks almost never use it. It will be helpful to be able to go to other resorts to eat and we would use it for that if we planned meals at other than the monorail or epcot resorts. We have just never had the bus issues that some people seem to have and actually enjoy using them rather than being stuck getting out of a parking lot at closing with hundreds of people who often don't have a clue about where they are going and thus are cutting back and forth at the last moment. Being able to either use the Disney transportation or your own is definitely a plus since it gives you a lot more freedom. hope you have a great trip.

Thank you & we will!!!

Robin & Angel "D"

 

[sweetdana]

ESP at AK. A car is a super time saver.

I would use Dis tran to the closest park to you; in this case AK. but all others, esp other resort ressies.. car for sure.

I LOVE the option of Dis trans, but 90% use rental car.

 

[Robin"D"]

ESP at AK. A car is a super time saver.

I would use Dis tran to the closest park to you; in this case AK. but all others, esp other resort ressies.. car for sure.

I LOVE the option of Dis trans, but 90% use rental car.

We love AKL, but it is the farest resort away for everything, other reason we are getting a car, next vist maybe BWV or SSPR???

Robin & Angel "D"

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

Hubby figures that after he has driven all day to get to Disney, and knows he's got to drive all day to get home...he'll let Disney do the driving!

It just all depends! There are logistics either way.

From Kidani Village -- we drove almost everywhere. Our room was about a million miles from the bus stop, but our car was just a short elevator ride away.

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

We rarely have a car during our trips, but did have one for the trip we just got back from. (A niece was getting married in Winter Park, which was the reason for being in Florida. Couldn't be that close, though, and not spend a few days at Disney.)

Having a car does spoil you. It's especially nice when you're going to a restaurant at another resort and can avoid that whole transfer-at-a-park mess with the buses. I took advantage of having the car and made several breakfast reservations during this trip. I usually don't do breakfasts a resort restaurants because it's a pain to get there on time.

We have a Tables in Wonderland card, so it was also nice to be spoiled by the free valet parking when we went to Captain's Grill and Boma.

I have mixed feelings about driving to the parks, though. I'm not a fan of parking lot trams. Waiting for them can be just as much of a PITN as taking a bus. I especially dislike the parking-TTC arrangement at MK, where the lot is large enough that you don't have a lot of choice about taking the tram. Then you've got to wait again to get the monorail/ferry to the gate. Taking the bus to MK seems a lot more convenient to me.

At the other parks, where the walk isn't as far from parking if you don't want to wait for a crowded tram, I didn't mind driving.

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

Our room was about a million miles from the bus stop, but our car was just a short elevator ride away.

You must have had the same room we were in. I so wished we had a car on that trip, and will never do AKV again without one. The walk to the lobby and the bus stop was a real trek.

 

[BirdsOfPreyDave]

Oh, thought of another thing I felt spoiled by.

Even on the trips when we have gotten a car in the past, it's usually only been for a few days. (The days when we're doing Sea World or Universal, or have other plans off property.) We usually get the car from an on-site location. This was the first time since DME was introduced (2005?) that we haven't taken the bus from the airport to the resort.

I set my GPS for Saratoga Springs and left from the rental car garage expecting to get to the resort about an hour later. When we pulled into the gate, we both looked at the clock and said, "there's no way we're here already!" DME has always seemed like such a convenience in the past, but I have to tell you -- even with picking up our luggage and getting the car -- it's the quickest we've ever gotten to our resort. On the way from the airport, I laughingly told my partner we'd have to stop at four other resorts before heading to SSR because it's the only way I know how to get there from the airport.

 

[DisneyHotDog]

Yes....parking is free. I like to park at one of the hotels that are on the monorail line and take that. Rather than having to first park and then take the tram to the monorail.

 

[Mickey'sApprentice]

Yes....parking is free. I like to park at one of the hotels that are on the monorail line and take that. Rather than having to first park and then take the tram to the monorail.

Please don't encourage that. We like to stay at BWV, and it is a popular place for non-guest to park. Sometimes, the hotel guest can't find a space!

 

[castleri]

Please don't encourage that. We like to stay at BWV, and it is a popular place for non-guest to park. Sometimes, the hotel guest can't find a space!

Second this thought - parking at monorail resorts should be for those staying there and for those who may be there for a meal not for going to the MK if staying at another resort. I second the part about BWV also. Have only stayed there twice but from our standard view room it was obvious that parking was a problem for a lot of people. We were fortunate and found a place in the lot next to the valet area and just left the car there the whole time we were there. I did see others who were having a problem finding a space in the other lot.

 

[Robin"D"]

Yes....parking is free. I like to park at one of the hotels that are on the monorail line and take that. Rather than having to first park and then take the tram to the monorail.

We do love Disney Transportation, and think it is a great perk when you are staying on property. And we will be using it. But with our schedule, eating around the world and resorts, we have to look @ all the options; when & when to park & leave for our reservations.
Thank you all for the inputs.
Hope all on the East coast stay warm and not to much snow where you are....but with the snow.....that just means the season is getting closer/ and our trip is getting closer as well.....

Robin & Angel "D"