Overflow parking (near handicapped parking area)

[CarolineB]

I went to EPCOT on Friday late in the day and showed my GAC (which I know is for rides and not parking.) The reason I show it is I want the parking attendants to know that I want to go to the overflow handicapped parking area or whatever it's called (it's next to the handicapped area) so I can just walk in to the entrance from there and not have to take my wheelchair on the tram. It seems like it's an efficient way of letting the parking lot CM's know that I have a wheelchair or need some special assistance. On Friday like many other visits, I was able to park closer to the entrance of EPCOT and avoid having to pick up my wheel chair and get it on and off the tram.

Two days later (today), I went to EPCOT mid-day and, for whatever reason, that wasn't an option and I parked where the CM instructed me to. The CM rightfully said that the GAC was for rides only. I explained that I have a wheelchair and didn't want to take it on a tram. I was then given an empty spot closest to the tram (the empty spot had been saved with a cone) in a row that was already full.

Since I was parking a good bit away from the entrance, I decided to take the tram and just fold the wheelchair up. While waiting for the tram, everyone at the tram stop watched this car load of people yelling at the parking attendants because they weren't letting them proceed to the handicap overflow parking. They showed their GAC and didn't have a handicap plaque for their car. We didn't catch the rest of their concerns.

In some ways, I understand why the car load of people were upset even though I don't think they should have been causing a scene and stopping traffic. They refused to move their car into the row and were asking to see a supervisor. I kind of wish the parking lot attendants would be consistent with the parking -- either you never get to park in the overflow area and walk in or you always can. The overflow area that I'm talking about is near the handicapped area and typically, you just keep going straight when everyone else is filing into their assigned rows and the next attendant that you see directs you to the row that they want you to park in.

Does anyone else have experience with this?

 

[Cheshire Figment]

No. But since you have a wheelchair, why not get a disabled permit. If you go here you can print out the form, fill in the top area, and take it to your doctor. The tag is good for five years and there is no fee.

 

[CarolineB]

No. But since you have a wheelchair, why not get a disabled permit. If you go here you can print out the form, fill in the top area, and take it to your doctor. The tag is good for five years and there is no fee.

I currently don't have a dr. for myself and because I've never been wheel chair bound, I've never asked a previous dr. for a disabled permit. I push the wheel chair and sit when I can -- I have pulled muscles in my feet -- the wheel chair really helps so I don't have to stand as much. I also share the wheel chair with my son who has autism and wants to sit in the chair if there's really big crowds. I will ask his dr. about the disabled permit when I see her this week. Thank you for providing the link -- it can't hurt to ask.

 

[Mama Who]

Two days later (today), I went to EPCOT mid-day and, for whatever reason, that wasn't an option and I parked where the CM instructed me to. The CM rightfully said that the GAC was for rides only. I explained that I have a wheelchair and didn't want to take it on a tram. I was then given an empty spot closest to the tram (the empty spot had been saved with a cone) in a row that was already full.

Since I was parking a good bit away from the entrance, I decided to take the tram and just fold the wheelchair up. While waiting for the tram, everyone at the tram stop watched this car load of people yelling at the parking attendants because they weren't letting them proceed to the handicap overflow parking. They showed their GAC and didn't have a handicap plaque for their car. We didn't catch the rest of their concerns.

In some ways, I understand why the car load of people were upset even though I don't think they should have been causing a scene and stopping traffic. They refused to move their car into the row and were asking to see a supervisor. I kind of wish the parking lot attendants would be consistent with the parking -- either you never get to park in the overflow area and walk in or you always can. The overflow area that I'm talking about is near the handicapped area and typically, you just keep going straight when everyone else is filing into their assigned rows and the next attendant that you see directs you to the row that they want you to park in.

Does anyone else have experience with this?

I think the bolded is key. You showed your GAC, explained your needs and got what the attendant thought they could most reasonably give you. The car load of angry people probably got the same thing- what the attendant thought was most reasonable. The problem is we don't know *what* was on their GAC. Maybe it said they couldn't climb stairs or were visually impaired- neither of which would entitle them to the same accommodation as a person using a wheelchair.

I could imagine a lot of reasons that access to that lot might be limited- park capacity, maybe? When the parks are half full you can probably afford to be more flexible about who you give those spots to. When it's full, they probably have to be held for those who need them most.

 

[SueM in MN]

I went to EPCOT on Friday late in the day and showed my GAC (which I know is for rides and not parking.) The reason I show it is I want the parking attendants to know that I want to go to the overflow handicapped parking area or whatever it's called (it's next to the handicapped area) so I can just walk in to the entrance from there and not have to take my wheelchair on the tram. It seems like it's an efficient way of letting the parking lot CM's know that I have a wheelchair or need some special assistance. On Friday like many other visits, I was able to park closer to the entrance of EPCOT and avoid having to pick up my wheel chair and get it on and off the tram.

Two days later (today), I went to EPCOT mid-day and, for whatever reason, that wasn't an option and I parked where the CM instructed me to. The CM rightfully said that the GAC was for rides only. I explained that I have a wheelchair and didn't want to take it on a tram. I was then given an empty spot closest to the tram (the empty spot had been saved with a cone) in a row that was already full.

Since I was parking a good bit away from the entrance, I decided to take the tram and just fold the wheelchair up. While waiting for the tram, everyone at the tram stop watched this car load of people yelling at the parking attendants because they weren't letting them proceed to the handicap overflow parking. They showed their GAC and didn't have a handicap plaque for their car. We didn't catch the rest of their concerns.

In some ways, I understand why the car load of people were upset even though I don't think they should have been causing a scene and stopping traffic. They refused to move their car into the row and were asking to see a supervisor. I kind of wish the parking lot attendants would be consistent with the parking -- either you never get to park in the overflow area and walk in or you always can. The overflow area that I'm talking about is near the handicapped area and typically, you just keep going straight when everyone else is filing into their assigned rows and the next attendant that you see directs you to the row that they want you to park in.

Does anyone else have experience with this?

The reason they probably let you park there the first time was the part I bolded - you had a wheelchair you did not want to fold and put on the tram.

Showing a GAC probably confuses things rather than making it easier - my suggestion if you don't have a handicapped parking permit is just to explain that you have a wheelchair and do not have a handicapped parking permit.

I obviously don't know what issues those people had, but WDW actually suggests on their website and literature that people who are able to step up and get on the parking lot tram will have a shorter walking distance parking in the regular lot and taking the tram.

I know that parking lot very well. We often drive to Epcot and park there. Our daughter has a handicapped parking permit and we need the extra space in the handicapped spots to bring her wheelchair next to our vehicle so we don't have to carry her more than a short distance.

If we arrive later in the morning or early afternoon, the marked handicapped and closer unmarked spots are sometimes/often full. That means we have to park way out (which is not a big problem for us because we push her wheelchair).
The issue for us is that if we don't have the more spacious handicapped spot, we have to pull partway into the spot, get her wheelchair out and get her into the wheelchair, then one of us stays safely out of the way with her while the other pulls the vehicle all the way into the spot.
The alternative would be for DH to let DD and me out and then park somewhere else. Despite having a handicapped parking permit, a person who can't ride the tram and a non folding wheelchair, that has sometimes been the only option available to us because parking lot CMs let us know the lot was full.

This is an issue at every park at certain times. We have had the issue most often at Disney's Hollywood Studios, but have run into it at every park.

So, my guess is that the lot was full or near full when you asked or that the CM who gave you a spot of the row was doing the best they could offer.
I can't really think of any reason that a person with a GAC would be better served in the medical parking area. If their concern was walking, the distance walked in that lot is often further than walking to the end of the row in the regular lot to get onto a tram.

 

[KPeveler]

Just agreeing with Sue that it is entirely possible that the overflow parking was full - we have had that experience more than once. Also, the parking employees probably have no idea what the GAC stamps mean, so they may not have understood what you were looking for.

If you require close parking, you really should get a tag. I realize you do not use a wheelchair full time, but the vast majority of people with parking tags do not use a wheelchair full time.

 

[I Love Pluto]

We had trouble several times in November - we have a handicapped tag - but ALL parking was full, EVEN THE OVERFLOW PARKING.

I have an ECV, so I cannot get on the tram. I wish they would have spaces on the trams for wheelchairs & ECVs. Then we wouldn't all have to park in one HC lot, which is usually full. I would LOVE to pull in any lot, park, take the tram to the front gate, and just be happy. The need for a Handicapped area on the trams is great. I wonder if anyone ever thought of this.

We couldn't find parking in any HC lot - or the overflow lot - so many times, we turned the car toward our resort & took the bus. We have a lift on our car - making it easier to drive than take the bus. The bus has to delay other people so that I can board. We were trying to avoid this.

My guess is that the CMs saw a situation such as this with a good number of guests. Faced with no HC availability for those WITH tags - I can understand why they stopped others.

 

[CarolineB]

The reason that I show the GAC when approaching the parking area is that in my experience, when I don't show anything, the CMs just try to rush you to park but when I show the GAC it alerts them that I have a concern -- the CMs then most of the time, will give you a chance to let you know what you want.

 

[POOHsie]

Last time I was at Epcot with my ECV they were only filling the lots on the right side of the big ball. That was OK for the thousands of regular spots, but all the handicap spaces on the right side were completely full. I circled round and round, hoping for someone leaving, but nobody was at that time. There was no way to cross over to the handicap lot on the left side. So I had to exit the park and re-enter, then explain to the attendant, who allowed me to go to the handicap lot on the left. It was tough, though, with all the people walking in the road on the left towards the park gates, as I literally had to drive along with them. I like it so much better at the other parks, where you're directed to a completely different road and a completely different area, in order to access the handicap lot.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

I'm going to echo PP. Get a disability tag. It doesn't matter that you're not 100% in a wheelchair. You have mobility issues and that's enough. You don't have to use it at every parking lot you park in, just when you think you will need it.