Parking at a WDW resort if you are staying at a different WDW resort

[doxxie]

I know some of the resorts offer a 3 hour pass to park there so you can go in and eat or whatnot. If we are staying onsite and have a resort parking pass, can we park at a different resort for more than 3 hours?

 

[iluveeyore]

Someone can correct me, but I have never heard of a time limit if you are a resort guest. We just use the parking pass we get on check-in, and we have parked at other resorts for longer than three hours before - the car was still there when we returned. (Did this when we went to Beach Club, walked to Epcot for afternoon, came back and had dinner at Cape May's then went back to OKW).

 

[Tiggs14]

You can park anywhere on Disney property for free by showing them your Key To The World card.

 

[maxiesmom]

You can park for free, but yes, you are still limited to 3 hours of parking at a different Disney resort. That is to keep people from parking at a resort like the Poly, and then hopping on the monorail and heading over to the Magic Kingdom for the day.

If you are eating at a different resort than your own, you will be given a 3 hour parking pass.

 

[Kim1964]

I think it depends on the resort. When we ate at Ohana a few years ago, we got a 3 hour parking permit (we were staying onsite). That is the only place I've ever gotten a parking permit. We've parked at CR for Chef Mickey many times and only had to show our KTTW cards and photo ID and we parked without any time limit. When not staying there, we've parked at ASMu, CSR, CBR, POR, and AKL without any time limits.

 

[DisTwix]

I think it depends on the resort. When we ate at Ohana a few years ago, we got a 3 hour parking permit (we were staying onsite). That is the only place I've ever gotten a parking permit. We've parked at CR for Chef Mickey many times and only had to show our KTTW cards and photo ID and we parked without any time limit. When not staying there, we've parked at ASMu, CSR, CBR, POR, and AKL without any time limits.

Agreed - we ate @ The Yachtsman on Monday, simply showed our KTTW card, our resort parking pass, and were waved on in. We parked, had supper, then wandered around. There was no mention of a time limit (we ended up parking there for about 5 hours), and when we got there @ 5:30 pm, the lot was in no way full.

 

[doxxie]

Thanks! It probably does depend on the resort. Maybe Poly with it being so convenient more people try to take advantage of the parking. Last time we were staying off-site and went around to several different resorts and walked around, saw the geyser at WL and ate beignets at Port Orleans. I don't remember getting anything at those at all but we may have. Of course we weren't there more than three hours all together so it didn't matter.

 

[maxiesmom]

The official policy is that parking at a resort other than your own is limited to 3 hours. Now if the parks are not that busy, they may decide to not hassle you about it, or not even give you a parking pass.

They are usually the most strict about this at the Poly, the Contemporary, and at any Boardwalk resorts. Which does make sense as these are the resorts people would be the most liable to park at intending to go to the parks. Which is not what the resort parking lots are for.

If the guard doesn't hassle you about it or give you a parking pass, then don't worry. However if they do give you a parking pass you best abide by the time limit. Otherwise your car may end up towed.

 

[RMulieri]

During the Food and Wine Festival, The Epcot resorts tend to ENFORCE time limits so people won't park at those resorts and disappear in Epcot for hours and hours.I have to say, nothing irks me more as a BC resort guest, not to be able to find parking in the Self parking lot because people not staying there use it for themepark access

 

[GaSleepingBeautyFan]

The official policy is that parking at a resort other than your own is limited to 3 hours. Now if the parks are not that busy, they may decide to not hassle you about it, or not even give you a parking pass.

They are usually the most strict about this at the Poly, the Contemporary, and at any Boardwalk resorts. Which does make sense as these are the resorts people would be the most liable to park at intending to go to the parks. Which is not what the resort parking lots are for.

If the guard doesn't hassle you about it or give you a parking pass, then don't worry. However if they do give you a parking pass you best abide by the time limit. Otherwise your car may end up towed.

I can vouch for the CR towing cars. We stayed there in Sept. 08 and actually saw someone checking the car windows for either the CR resort parking pass or the 3 hour parking pass. We came back 4 hours later and witnessed a car being towed from the lot.

 

[Danauk]

I also think it depends on the time of year as well as the resort. When we have been over christmas and new year we were given a 3 hour pass at the contemporary and Grand Floridian. We were at the Beach Club were there was a sign saying no resort parking and they were giving out the 3 hour passes there too. We saw several cars beingtowed from the lot.

 

[somethingblue]

I've been to WDW three times; each time we have had a breakfast at one of the monorail resorts, taken the monorail to MK, and come back at the end of the day. We have never been given a three hour parking pass at any resorts we've eaten at...Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Wilderness Lodge, the resort that hosts Yachtsman's Steakhouse. We always park in "visitor parking". I did not know that this was possibly not allowed...no one has ever told us otherwise, or given us a parking pass of any sort!

It really doesn't make sense to me that they would give you a time limit like that. What if you were going to visit your friend who was staying at that resort and you two were going to lounge around the hotel all day? Would they still give you a pass like this?

 

[Traveliz]

Yes you can park for free and you may get a three hour pass or you may not. On NYE at the Poly we got a pass but the time was unlimited and yes we stayed for the fireworks and the car was still there when we got back.

Spring Break we had two cars going into the Contemporary for breakfast and we were waved in and not given any type of pass.

Beach Club has waved us in as well.

It just depends.

Liz

 

[maxiesmom]

I've been to WDW three times; each time we have had a breakfast at one of the monorail resorts, taken the monorail to MK, and come back at the end of the day. We have never been given a three hour parking pass at any resorts we've eaten at...Grand Floridian, Polynesian, Wilderness Lodge, the resort that hosts Yachtsman's Steakhouse. We always park in "visitor parking". I did not know that this was possibly not allowed...no one has ever told us otherwise, or given us a parking pass of any sort!

It really doesn't make sense to me that they would give you a time limit like that. What if you were going to visit your friend who was staying at that resort and you two were going to lounge around the hotel all day? Would they still give you a pass like this?

Your friend would still have to go by the guard at the gate to the resort parking lot. I'm thinking you would have to get them a day pass from the front desk.

It does make sense that they restrict the parking at resort hotels. The parking space at them is very limited. How would you like it if you were staying at the Contemporary but couldn't find a place to park, because so many people parked there instead of in a theme park parking lot? The Contemporary is within walking distance of MK, so many people would decide to park there and just walk to the Magic Kingdom, instead of having to deal with the busses.

The lot at the Contemporay can barely hold the guests of that resort, plus the cars of the people there for meals, let alone have to hold those who want to park there all day long.

 

[BradyBz12]

We stay on-site and usually during the slower season (early December) and any time we've gone over to the Contemp or Poly for dinner we've been given a 3 hour parking pass. Contemporary was particularly strict and actually checked our ADRs before they would give us the pass.

We have not gotten them at AKL or BW - although at BW we are also usually parked in the very last lot, which is still a pretty good hike to the resort.

The time limit is really to ensure that people aren't trying to skirt the $14 parking fee at the parks (which loads of people would do). It's the same reason there are no longer buses from DTD directly to any of the parks.

Without them the EP/MK resorts lots would be chuck full of people wanting "free parking" with no room for the people actually staying at those resorts.