Parking at a resort

[Tinkerbell1989]

I hope this is an easy question to answer!

In December (I know, a hundred years away!), we want to book lunch or dinner at Chef Mickeys on either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day. We're not staying on-site, so won't have free parking; and we're not planning to leave the car there and go to a park (just in case anyone thought we might be!)

Will we have to pay for parking? We were wondering because we haven't ever parked in a resort for a ADR!

Thanks in advance!
xx

 

[GirlDreamer]

Yes they'll let you park at the resort for a reservation I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that they give you 3 hours of parking or something. Last time we had breakfast at Ohana with no problems. But then again we were staying on property, so we just showed our room key.

 

[wayneg]

They used to issue parking permits for 3 hours but not anymore, you just show ID on entry and goto the self park area.

 

[chmurf]

Beware of the Christmas season

In december 2012 Disney issued a restriction on parking at monorail resorts for the last 2 weeks of the year.
If they won't let you park at CR, you can either valet (for a fee) or park at TTC ($14)

If you've been to one of the parks that day and paid the $14 for parking, keep your parking receipt, you only pay once per day. Just show your receipt at the toll booth and you park for free at TTC.

You can try to go to CR, but if they turn you away (which is highly probable on christmas eve, as you're not a CR or Disney Resort guest) you'll need to park at TTC and waste a lot of valuable time driving back to TTC and then going to CR.
On the other hand, TTC could prove to be a problem if MK goes to phase 3 or 4 that day.

Your best bet would be to go to a guest relation in a park a few days before, and ask what would be best.

 

[greengeen]

We were told we couldn't park at the CR at Christmas time, even with a reservation and a DVC membership card (which normally gets us in any resort that has DVC Villas). They've gotten really strict because of abuses. So you should really plan to park at TTC.

Edited to add, this has also happened to us at Beach Club and Boardwalk, during peak seasons and special events.

 

[scoobydooby]

I think it all depends on capacity and your luck when you arrive. We parked at the Contemporary for Chef Mickeys on Xmas Eve and at the Grand Floridian for 1900 Park Fare on Xmas Day night in 2010. We only stayed about 3 hours, probably a bit less, at each resort. Did not use valet parking. Of course rules may have changed since 2010 but that was my experience then.

 

[Tinkerbell1989]

Thanks for all your replies I know we've got ages yet but its better to be prepared! X

 

[momto3gr8boys]

In addition to planning parking, make sure you call to book at 180 days out. Given the fact that resort guests will have an extra ten days worth of booking time there may not even be availability for CM at that point.

 

[Tinkerbell1989]

Oh yeh we will be booking at 180 days... but obviously thats not for a while yet! X

 

[Elise79]

We were staying at BLT just before Christmas this year - plan on parking elsewhere as they were turning lots of people away. As a resort guest it was so nice to see as on many occasions people abuse it (not saying you would) and we have come back and not been able to park which wasn't as issue this time despite the resort being at capacity.

You best bet is to park at the TTC and catch the monorail.

 

[seashoreCM]

Most of the "straightforward" suggestions run the chance of having to try more than one parking lot, for example try Magic Kingdom (TTC) first but if that is full then having to go around and try Contemporary (for Chef Mickey) second. This of course will take extra time.

One method that has the least chance of having to try more than one lot is to try Epcot first and take the monorails to Chef Mickey. This also requires planning more time but at least it is less hassle finding your way on the roads in the dark. (In the US, standard time, which is based on GMT, gets dark early in the afternoon in winter.)

 

[jns]

I sure if you can't park there you could drop everyone off and the driver go and park

 

[hunty]

Park at downtown Disney and get the Bus to the contemporary would be my choice, then after dinner get the boat to Fort Wilderness, and get the Bus back from there,


nice day out as well