Parking at swan or dolphin going to epcot

dianemb

DIS Veteran
Joined
Oct 16, 2003
Messages
804
On our last day we get out plane at 7pm. I'd like to have breakfast at POFQ, our resort and then go to EPCOT for a late lunch before we head to the airport. Can we park at either the Swan or Dolphin and walk into the world showcase? Any suggestionss would be great.

THANKS!!!!!
 
You 'can' do this, but they are discouraging this type of activity with the implementation of a $7.00 parking charge.

If you are staying onsite the parking at the parks is free, so you would be better off parking at Epcot.
 
I would like not to have to walk throught future world to go to the world showcase that's why I was thinking of parking at eirther the Swan or Dolphin. Is either one closer to the world showcase?

THANKS AGAIN!!!!!
 
I would think the distance of walking through FW and the distance of crossing either BW or BC would be similar. Again, I'd think to save on parking it would just be easier to park at Epcot.
 

You can park in EPCOT for free. The walk from the S/D to the WS is at least as long as the walk through FW to get to the WS. You could take the boat but you'll still have some walking. EPCOT has the parking lot tram but you'll have to walk from the parking lot to the boat dock.

If you want to have breakfast in FRESH your plan is good otherwise just park in the EPCOT lot.
 
dianemb said:
I would like not to have to walk throught future world to go to the world showcase that's why I was thinking of parking at eirther the Swan or Dolphin. Is either one closer to the world showcase?

THANKS AGAIN!!!!!
Why park at S/D and pay $7 when you could park at Epcot for free? :confused3
 
You can park at the Boardwalk. We do this all the time when we go to Epcot for the afternoon. It's easier to escape at night through the back entrance than to fight the crowds through FW. Also, the prevents us from having to pay to park. If we go for the day, we park at the front. We live in Orlando and lots of times will just go for dinner.
 
jacncaitsmom said:
You can park at the Boardwalk. We do this all the time when we go to Epcot for the afternoon. It's easier to escape at night through the back entrance than to fight the crowds through FW. Also, the prevents us from having to pay to park. If we go for the day, we park at the front. We live in Orlando and lots of times will just go for dinner.

You may do this, but it's not what's supposed to be done. Parking at the Epcot resort is supposed to be for resort guests and those using the dining/bar facilities not for free parking for those going into the parks. If everyone did this there wouldn't be any parking for those who are actually paying to stay at these deluxe resorts!
 
Doesn't the World Showcase not even open until 11:00am? If you get there before then you'll only be herded back up to the front.

And I agree, BW parking is for guests using the Boardwalk facilities, not people going to Epcot. If you're having dinner at the Flying Fish and want to walk over just before Illuminations starts, I see nothing wrong with that. But to park at the BW for the day to go to Epcot-that's just wrong.

Anne
 
sounds like your leaving for home right after dinner at epcot? If so, I'm guessing you will have luggage with you? I DO NOT recommend leaving luggage in your car at any parking lot, especially one of the parks, parking lot's. We lost an expensive camera in the car at epcot lot in march 05'. Our fault for forgetting it in the car. According to the police & security this certainly was NOT the 1st time a car was broken into in the lots.

Good luck, mky princess:
 
It is my understanding (confirmed by Reservations-or at least one CM there) that if you pay for valet parking at any resort, you can use valet parking at any other resort for that day. Don't know whether they encourage it or not, but that seems to be the policy, and it seems fair to me.
 
Rupsend said:
It is my understanding (confirmed by Reservations-or at least one CM there) that if you pay for valet parking at any resort, you can use valet parking at any other resort for that day. Don't know whether they encourage it or not, but that seems to be the policy, and it seems fair to me.

This is absolutely the case! :)

Anne
 
I go to the various resorts on a daily basis to do deliveries. Most of them now hand out a parking pass that will only allow you to park for a specified time period. For instance, if you have a PS on the Boardwalk, you get a pass for 3 hours. They are trying to cut down on the number of people parking at the resorts to avoid paying the parking fee at the theme parks.
 
Rupsend said:
It is my understanding (confirmed by Reservations-or at least one CM there) that if you pay for valet parking at any resort, you can use valet parking at any other resort for that day. Don't know whether they encourage it or not, but that seems to be the policy, and it seems fair to me.

This is indeed true, however many of the resorts will still give you a 3 hour parking pass which the valet does see and you're technically supposed to only stay at the resort for 3 hours. When we've gone from the Yacht Club to the Contemporary or Poly we've always been given these passes even though we have the valet parking pass as well. I guess this cuts down for those who valet at one resort and then park at say the Yacht & Beach Club resorts for Epcot. There's a sign right at the guard gate at these resort about not parking here for Epcot.
That's why you get free parking at all parks when you have any kind of parking pass from any of the Disney resorts.
 
i thought i read that self parking for swan/dolphin is now $12 for everyone, even if your staying there ???
 
S/D charges $7 for self parking, $14 for valet (which is treated separately if you already paid for valet at a WDW resort for that day).

Of course you have the option to take the bus from your resort and stow your luggage there. May take a few minutes to pick it up but probably the safest way (and cheapest way) to go. By the time you walk or take the boat back from Epcot to an Epcot resort, especially the S/D which are the LAST stops before the boat goes onto MGM, you could have taken a bus back to POFQ.

Keep in mind that the walk from the Int'l Gateway to the S/D will take about 20 minutes or so. The boat ride will be about the same since it stops at the YC/BC and BW first, (that doesn't include "waiting" time for the boat). After walking through Epcot you're really not going to want to walk all the way to the S/D afterwards.
 
I agree with other posts...park in Epcot.

last time I stayed at BW. we had to park so far away..

and sure some of that was due to guests who were not registered at BW.

with potential crowds this month, think valet is the way I will be going this vacation....
 
The walk from S/D to International Gateway is only 10 minutes going across the Boardwalk, but I think the only way you can stay parked there all day is to pay for valet parking. It sounds like it may be cheaper to do valet at the Boardwalk.
 














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