OT- Am I breaching Disney Parking Ettiquette

[Lawrence Cooper]

I am posting this in this forum as I am not sure this is something I want to post in the General Theme Park Strategies category because, 1) I don't want to get myself into too much trouble, and 2) I don't want to give away the farm if it's OK. Anyway, my wife and I had this debate regarding the use of valet parking when not actually going to visit the hotel. For example, when going to the MK, I like to valet at GF and take the monorail from there. Likewise, when I go to Epcot or MGM, I'll valet at BW. I much prefer the valet experience than parking in the lots and taking the tram, etc. or the transportation center.

My wife thinks this is wrong and that is not what it's intended for. I feel like the valet is offered for a fee (which incidently is lower than parking at the parks) plus I give the valet a $2 tip for getting my car. I realize people who stay at the resorts may object to non-resort guests using the service, but I am interested in what everyone else thinks. For the record, I ran my "scheme" by the valet stand people and they all said that it is fine, and they don't know why more people do not do it that way.

Thoughts?

 

[Chuck S]

I guess I just don't understand the reason for parking at a resort and paying to valet. If you're saying onsite at SSR, the buses are free, and easier to access than the monorail when you consider the rush of people at park closing. We usually drive to the other parks, parking at the parks is free if you're staying onsite.

 

[Sammie]

Interesting question. There are always two sides to these types of questions. Your side: Disney allows it therefore it is ok, if they did not like it they would stop it.

Your wife's side and I join her that valet if a service provided for the resort guests and that includes those dining there.

My personal opinion is that if more and more people one of two things will happen. Valet will become more expensive to discourage people for using it to access the parks, or they will eliminate it completey regardless of cost to all except those staying there. I would hate to see either of those happen.

I also agree with Chuck, unless I am dining at another resort I see no advantage to valet parking. I don't have to use the trams as I use my resort transportation directly to the front of the park.

Are you staying off property that you are using the trams?

 

[Lawrence Cooper]

Typically in the past we have been staying off site, although we are now DVC members. However, even when staying at SSR or another property, I still think I'd prefer to take my car and valet rather than using the buses and dealing with the waits (having a car is one of the reasons we always drive vs. flying)

 

[DVC-Don]

Not sure if it's faster to go to a resort and then retrieve a car from valet. One time we were at the GF for an evening PS there and we waited a good 20 - 25 min for our car to be brought to us. Personally, I only valet if I have a function or staying at the resort.

 

[childsplay]

I don't have much experience with this, in the 10 years we have been going to Disney I have valet parked a grand total of one time...but i thought I read somewhere awhile back that if you weren't staying at the GF resort they were only allowing you to valet for a set period of time, like 3 hours or something... to try and prevent people from doing this.

 

[Plutofan]

Do they allow you to do this at those resorts? I know that the Contemporary and Poly are not the ones that you are talking about. When we went in June of 2005 we had reservations at a restaurant at the Contemporary and Poly. When we entered the parking lot we were told at the gate that we were only allowed to park for 3 hours. Due to the restricted parking after 9/11 you could not park your car there all day and use the monorail. They actually checked the reservation listings before they let us in to make sure we were telling the truth. One time on the trip we tried to get in the Contemporary parking lot without having restaurant reservations and they would not let us in.

 

[wisbucky]

I find this a very interesting subject as I have never used valet and have always used the Disney buses. It seems that Lawrence Cooper does have a valid idea here. However; if everyone did this I can see that Disney would certianly put an end to it very quickly. DH thought that there was a minimum of 3 hour parking at the GF if you were not a resort guest. And on the other hand do I really want to pay for valet when I can use the buses for free.

I find it such a relief at the end of a day at MK to have to only walk down to the buses, maybe wait a little bit, once on it is non stop to my resort. No transfers, no driving, and no extra expenses for the day. Stress free as I see it.

 

[Doctor P]

I agree wisbucky. We headed for the exit at MK at 12:10 am on NYE. It took us 25 minutes to get out the front gate. That means 12:35 am. We had our head on the pillows at OKW by 12:50 am using the Disney bus system. We had the same experience in 2002 at Epcot. The people who were going to get home the latest that night were, believe it or not, those at WL, Polynesian, and GF, and those who drove. Those who rode the Disney buses were in and out quickly and without the hassle of riding back to the Transportation and Ticket Center (or waiting for a monorail or boat to get back to the resort). We have been quite happy with bus service, and this last trip is the first one we havent had the option of using a car so we havent' been forced into using the bus system.

 

[Sammie]

I agree completely. I know in our extended family group we have those that use Disney transportation and those that drive. Regardless of which resort we stayed at, those that used Disney transportation almost always got home first. So I think it's less about it being quicker to have your own car and more about a control situation of I want to drive instead of ride.

 

[Dean]

I believe Disney considers it inappropriate to valet park, or otherwise, for the purpose of going to the parks. If they expressly allow it, that's one thing. If they simply don't stop it just because they don't know about it, that's another. And there are many in between issues. Maybe one is going to lunch on the way to the park or dinner on the way out, that certainly would alter the issues quite a bit.

 

[Cruelladeville]

I agree that this is not an appropriate use of valet parking. Having said that, I have to admit that I have occasionally used valet parking in the same way. At Christmas, I ate dinner at Flying Fish and then walked into Epcot to watch the fireworks, before I picked up my car in valet parking. It just was a spur-of-the-moment thing, but it was so much fun that later in the week I did the same thing at Poly. And, as a DVC member who used valet parking every day(for free), that when I went to Poly, I didn't pay because I had been in valet parking that day at WLV. You are not supposed to do that, but I did it anyway, so I can't very well flame you for doing something wrong, when I did it too.

 

[Julia M]

well, we did it twice last month.

We drove from the Poly to the Beach Club, and used valet parking to walk around the resort and see the Gingerbread creations (we went to Beach Club, Yacht Club and Boardwalk)

We then walked into Epcot to eat dinner at Le Cellier.

It worked so well for us that we did it again when going to the Candlelight Processional and dinner.

However, we used valet parking during our entire stay at the Poly, so no one seemed to think it was a big deal. Probably it also helped that we weren't valet parking at 8am, until 11pm!!

julia

 

[Doctor P]

I know that Beach Club had signs up about using their lots to go to theme parks. I don't remember the wording of the signs (I am sure someone does), but unless it is EXPRESSLY allowed then I think using any resort parking (valet included) to go to a theme park is inappropriate. I would also assert that doing so is a quick way to get the free valet parking perk removed.

 

[Lawrence Cooper]

For the record, as I mentioned above, I have traditionally stayed offsite, although now that I am a DVC member, I will usually be staying at the DVC resorts. Also, because I usually stay offsite, I was not aware that there is, in fact, a free valet parking perk (I thought all guests need to pay to valet instead of the free self-parking option).

I have always paid to valet and do not mind doing so. Also, as I mentioned, I have asked the valet people about this, and they have told me that it is fine and they don't know why more people don't do this. True, I have only asked at BW and GF, but these are the only places I have valet'd to go into parks. I do notice when we go to CR for CM breakfast that they ask questions, and limit the parking to 3 hours.

In my defense regarding this, I'd also like to point out that I am surprised to hear so many recommendations for the bus service. Like I said, I have never really stayed on site before and always have my car in Orlando so I have never really needed the bus service. However, I note that in doing my research before buying into DVC (and researching their other properties) I would estimate that more than half of any complaints concern poor bus service. I AM NOT SAYING THAT EVERYONE COMPLAINS ABOUT BUS/TRANSPORTATION SERVICE, just that of those who DO have complaints about something, it is often about long waits for busses.

When I leave the parks with my kids (DD5 and DS3), they are usually exhausted. I would much rather wait a few minutes for a monorail that takes me to a hotel where someone will get my car (a service for which I have paid and will tip) rather than waiting 15-25 minutes or longer for a bus which may be over-crowded.

 

[Chuck S]

"This thread is off topic for the DVC board. Your initial question had been addressed and the thread is closed."