Parking at a Resort/Going to a Park

[Colleen27]

I know Disney has rules in place to prevent offsite guests from doing this to avoid paying for parking at the theme parks, but do they also apply to guests of other WDW resorts? Would it be okay to drive to Wilderness Lodge for dinner, take the boat to the Magic Kingdom for the evening, and come back for the car when we're ready to call it a night?

Usually we rely entirely on Disney transportation and this is only going to be our second trip with a car so I'm still working out the best ways to get from point A to point B and on to point C. We're staying at ASMu and planning a mid-day break, followed by dinner at WL and an evening in the MK, and driving to dinner would be so much easier than busing to the MK and transferring to a boat to get to the restaurant.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I think as long as you pay for valet parking that would be fine.

 

[Luvchefmic]

I know Disney has rules in place to prevent offsite guests from doing this to avoid paying for parking at the theme parks, but do they also apply to guests of other WDW resorts? Would it be okay to drive to Wilderness Lodge for dinner, take the boat to the Magic Kingdom for the evening, and come back for the car when we're ready to call it a night?

Usually we rely entirely on Disney transportation and this is only going to be our second trip with a car so I'm still working out the best ways to get from point A to point B and on to point C. We're staying at ASMu and planning a mid-day break, followed by dinner at WL and an evening in the MK, and driving to dinner would be so much easier than busing to the MK and transferring to a boat to get to the restaurant.

Not unless you pay for valet parking. You eat you move the vehicle that's what is expected no matter where you are staying. The reasoning is not that you are trying to beat paying to park at MK ( since it's free for you ) but that if 100 people do this that is 100 parking spaces that should be available for those staying at the resort that will be tied up.

 

[itchin2go]

I think as long as you pay for valet parking that would be fine.

I have valet parked at restaurants all day with no problem. They *may* let you self-park without paying for valet, but I believe the rule is 3 hours, and as PP stated above, it is frowned on. Easiest to pay the valet fee, be squarely within the rules, and still do what's most convenient for you.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I have valet parked at restaurants all day with no problem. They *may* let you self-park without paying for valet, but I believe the rule is 3 hours, and as PP stated above, it is frowned on. Easiest to pay the valet fee, be squarely within the rules, and still do what's most convenient for you.

Right, you get the 3 hours with an ADR. But I like to play it safe and just pay the valet fee if I know I am going to be there longer.

 

[cgattis]

I have valet parked at restaurants all day with no problem. They *may* let you self-park without paying for valet, but I believe the rule is 3 hours, and as PP stated above, it is frowned on. Easiest to pay the valet fee, be squarely within the rules, and still do what's most convenient for you.

Are you sure that's actually "squarely within the rules?" Usually valet parking is just sort of a "premium experience" (like concierge level) for the place you actually are (like that particular resort or restaurant). I'd be surprised if the actual intent is that it covers theme park parking. Not that I care--at least it's not taking a spot from a guest. Just sayin.

 

[wdwrich]

Are you sure that's actually "squarely within the rules?" Usually valet parking is just sort of a "premium experience" (like concierge level) for the place you actually are (like that particular resort or restaurant). I'd be surprised if the actual intent is that it covers theme park parking. Not that I care--at least it's not taking a spot from a guest. Just sayin.

Yes, it's okay to pay to valet park and leave the car while you go to a theme park. On occasion during busy times or if a convention is taking place at the Contemporary, they will restrict even valet parking. But normally, it's okay. Note that it does cost more to valet at a resort than it does to park at the theme park lots.

 

[itchin2go]

Are you sure that's actually "squarely within the rules?" Usually valet parking is just sort of a "premium experience" (like concierge level) for the place you actually are (like that particular resort or restaurant). I'd be surprised if the actual intent is that it covers theme park parking. Not that I care--at least it's not taking a spot from a guest. Just sayin.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/parking/
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/parking/

I don't see anything prohibiting it.

I'm not suggesting someone use it for theme park parking. However, there are those times when you're dining at a Disney resort, and then then going to a theme park, when it would be a hassle to park at the first place, move the car, and then park it at the second place. Valet parking is a nice compromise for those times. You pay a fee, you can do what's more convenient for you, but you're not interfering with resort amenities for resort guests.

For the most part, if you're only going to a theme park, it's not going to be more convenient/efficient to park at a resort. It's mainly when there's a resort dining/theme park combo.

Regardless, when I have pulled up at a resort and requested to valet park, they don't bat an eyelash, or ask me why.

I know this is a hot button topic, but when someone asks me, I'm going to tell them my experience. I'm not going to suggest that they break any rules, and if I thought this were breaking a rule, I wouldn't suggest it. Disney's wording on their website, coupled with my personal experience strongly indicate to me that it's not a big deal at all to valet park at a resort and leave your car there. We left our car overnight once. YMMV.

 

[nugov2]

we used valet at CR to go to MK with no issue. We didn't need to be sneaky about it. As long as it is excessively busy they have no issue with it. Colleen I would just use valet. You can even move resorts or come and go with your paid valet for the day.

 

[Colleen27]

Good to know. I'm not sure we'll end up sticking to the plan anyway - with it being so hot in June I'm not making ADRs, so I'm thinking Territory Lounge as a good no-ADR meal if we do want a full dinner - but paying for valet is well worth not having to muck about with getting to WL on Disney transport or moving the car after dinner.

 

[mom2mickeyfan]

Last summer I was travelling with some extended family that was using 2 scooters. I told them they could valet park at the Contemporary and walk to MK for a pre-park RD ADR and so they would not have the trouble of using the monorail at park closing. When they pulled up to the guard house and told the female guard what they were going to do, she told them it was not allowed and had never been allowed. We came in about 10 minutes after them and had a different guard. We didn't say we were parking to go to MK. We said we were headed to the Contemporary and had no trouble getting in. The valet attendant knew what we were doing and had no problem with it. We plan to do the same for our next trip but have worried about what to say to the guard to make sure we aren't turned away.

 

[River Country]

I have done this for years but it only occurs when I have an ADR at a resort with easy access to a park. i.e. I have a breakfast ADR at 1900PF I pull up to the GF tell them my ADR time go to breakfast and then get on the monorail to the MK. I have also used Valet when traveling with my parents because of a mobility issue. If I have no ADR at an accessible resort then I just park in the main lot with either my parents handicapped pass if they are with us or I get the AAA diamond parking pass. I never had any issues

 

[mom2mickeyfan]

I have done this for years but it only occurs when I have an ADR at a resort with easy access to a park. i.e. I have a breakfast ADR at 1900PF I pull up to the GF tell them my ADR time go to breakfast and then get on the monorail to the MK. I have also used Valet when traveling with my parents because of a mobility issue. If I have no ADR at an accessible resort then I just park in the main lot with either my parents handicapped pass if they are with us or I get the AAA diamond parking pass. I never had any issues

Mention AAA parking, is it true that the AAA diamond parking is gone away?

 

[aaarcher86]

Mention AAA parking, is it true that the AAA diamond parking is gone away?

Yes. All AAA perks are gone.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Just to note, they can turn you away from valet parking if you don't have an ADR if the crowds are high etc.

Not really relevant here since the OP has an ADR, but thought I would mention it.

 

[Colleen27]

Just to note, they can turn you away from valet parking if you don't have an ADR if the crowds are high etc.

Not really relevant here since the OP has an ADR, but thought I would mention it.

Actually, I don't have an ADR - I'm planning on dinner at Territory Lounge, which doesn't take ADRs. I doubt that will come into play since we're planning on an early dinner (right when the lounge opens) and WL is more out of the way than CR or even the other monorail resorts, but it is still good to know.

 

[River Country]

Yes. All AAA perks are gone.

as of when I used it in November last year

 

[aaarcher86]

as of when I used it in November last year

Beginning of this year. Disney and AAA severed ties last year and finished the year with perks.

 

[itchin2go]

Actually, I don't have an ADR - I'm planning on dinner at Territory Lounge, which doesn't take ADRs. I doubt that will come into play since we're planning on an early dinner (right when the lounge opens) and WL is more out of the way than CR or even the other monorail resorts, but it is still good to know.

When you pull up and they ask what you're there for, just say you're dining at the resort. If they ask where, state where. I don't think you'll have a problem.

As I read through these responses, it occurred to me that (contrary to what I said before), we never pull up and say, "We'd like to valet park." Instead, we're always dining at a resort, so we just say, "We have a reservation for X," or, "We're having dinner here tonight." Sometimes, they have extra questions (like scanning our Magic Band or seeing a Driver's License). Many times, they'll tell us we can self park (and will gesture to the area) or valet park. If we're going to be parked for awhile (i.e. going to a theme park after), we'll valet. (I've read the horror stories here of towing - don't know if they're true, but better safe than sorry, and I'm not looking to break the rules anyway). If we're just there for dinner, we'll self park. I can only think of one time that I wasn't offered the option of self-parking, and that was at the Grand Floridian, and I think it was for dinner at 1900 Park Fare, but I'm not sure.

 

[staceyeileen]

Are you sure that's actually "squarely within the rules?"

I bet it's in the WDW parking rule book right next to the 3-hour ADR limit.