Parking at the Boardwalk

[NotTooGoofy]

One of the things that surprised me at my family's last visit to WDW in Dec is that it now seems only people staying at the Boardwalk resort can park in the parking lot. Is this true? It used to be if you stayed at any Disney resort you could visit and park at any other resort. If you can't park at the Boardwalk unless you're staying there, what is the quickest way to get from a resort to the Boardwalk?

thanks,

 

[ducklite]

You can park there IF you are going to eat at one of the restaurants there. You may NOT park there to visit Epcot or MGM.

Please be considerate and use the lot across the street rather than the main lot. That should be saved for BW guests who might have a lot of groceries or luggage to haul in to their unit or room. (Unless you are there at a REALLY slow time and the lot is almost empty of course).

Anne

 

[DebbieB]

We stayed there in December and if the lot was crowded, there was a sign on the road before you turn into Boardwalk directing boardwalk parking to the lot across the street (on the right side of the road just past the Boardwalk entrance).

 

[Bojangles]

Originally posted by NotTooGoofy
If you can't park at the Boardwalk unless you're staying there, what is the quickest way to get from a resort to the Boardwalk?

You could walk there from Epcot or take the boat from MGM (which would probably be the fastest way) Or take a bus there fr omone of the parks.

 

[Sammie]

Originally posted by NotTooGoofy
One of the things that surprised me at my family's last visit to WDW in Dec is that it now seems only people staying at the Boardwalk resort can park in the parking lot. Is this true? It used to be if you stayed at any Disney resort you could visit and park at any other resort. If you can't park at the Boardwalk unless you're staying there, what is the quickest way to get from a resort to the Boardwalk?

thanks,

The privilige was abused and it has gotten to the point at resorts that border parks, that the paying guest could not find a place to park.

The quickest way is taxi, the cost about $10.

 

[Connears]

During the holidays(including NYE and Christmas) they will not allow you to park at Boardwalk unless you are a guest(we tried last NYE day). Other quieter times, there is not a problem. If you find it a real problem. You can easily park at Swan and just walk over the bridge and in 2 minutes you are there. You can also park at BC/YC, but they may also turn you away unless you have PS. New Years Day we were allowed to park at BC without PS, just said we were going to eat there.
Connears

 

[freediverdude]

Well what happens if you have a priority seating for one of the restaurants at the Boardwalk? They tell you that you can't even park in the lot across the street?? I would be hopping mad if they told me that I couldn't even park across the street, and that I would have to go back to my resort and take a bus, if I was pulling in there just before a priority seating.

 

[tzvdmd]

Not quite as mad as I am when I stay there and cant find a parking spot.

 

[ducklite]

I would imagine like all the other resorts with parking problems, the security people have a list of all the PS guests, and give you a three hour parking pass.

We've been "checked in" like that at the CR, the Polynesian, and the AKL.

Anne

 

[georgina]

I've never actually driven to the boardwalk, but I always thought there was some type of general parking, like they have for Downtown Disney. From this thread, I now gather that's not true. I was hoping to get an Illuminations cruise this year, and was planning to drive there for it. Now I'm not sure what we'll do. I can't imagine that we'd want to walk back into Epcot after Illuminations (would they even let us?) to get to the main parking lot. We've never been questioned when parking at the BC to eat at Cape May, even during the busy summer months.

 

[freediverdude]

Well I wasn't saying that I would be mad if I couldn't park in the main lot, because I would like for resort guests to have that lot, but I was saying if they told me I couldn't even park in the lot across the street, and were telling me that I had to go back to my resort and take a bus, then I would be hopping mad. If that happened, I would probably try and make the security guard call the restaurant for me and explain why I wouldn't be there for my priority seating. I understand that I guess there isn't enough parking there, and Disney should do something about that if they can, but on the other hand too, people who purchased BWV knew they were purchasing a resort attached to a general entertainment complex that would have extra visitors. I'm sure the flaming will start, but if you didn't know that and purchased BWV, then please raise your hand, and you might be able to get out of your DVC contract LOL.

 

[Bojangles]

well freediverdude, there is probably enough parking for the people that are staying at the BW and for those that have PS or going to the clubs. However, there are a lot people that park there to avoid paying parking fees or because they think it is more convenient to leave from there after Illuminations. While staying at the CR, we watched the resort parking lot empty out after the fireworks. We paid well over $300/night and had to park in the middle of nowhere.

 

[freediverdude]

Well, I guess if the people parking in the resort lots are really parked there for less than 3 hours, then there's probably not much the resort can do about it, because they're following the rules put in place by Disney. I don't ever go into the theme park after parking in the resort lots myself, but if the people parking there do eat a meal in the resort and then walk over to the theme park and see something and come back within 3 hours, then according to Disney I don't think they're breaking the rules, and it would be difficult to stop them from doing that. The only real way to stop it would be to have to show a resort ID at the monorail station or walkway into Magic Kingdom or Epcot, which would cause problems with having certain special events, or people traveling between the monorail resorts, and having to put staff at those locations to check ID cards, and such. So if you have an idea of what they could do, I guess let us know. Maybe assigned parking for the resort rooms? But then you'd get people with more than one car, or somebody parked in their spot and causing a hassle.....so more hassles.

 

[ducklite]

I think that parking on the resort side of the BW should be exclusively for resort guests, all others would have to park across the street, with exceptions for physically challenged guests of course.

That in itself makes it far less convenient, and I think might deter many. Thye could also charge a parking fee for those who were not BW guests, and refund it if you make a purchase at the BW. That would also deter those looking for a free, convenient parking spot.

Anne

 

[jmkst58]

Originally posted by ducklite
Thye could also charge a parking fee for those who were not BW guests, and refund it if you make a purchase at the BW. That would also deter those looking for a free, convenient parking spot.

Anne

Brilliant idea Anne. I love that. Charge a pretty hefty fee, but then if within 3 hours of entering....you supply a receipt from any purchase from the resort...within the time that you were there...then your money will be refunded. Brilliant! There are loopholes, but I'm sure that it would deter many.

 

[DebbieB]

Originally posted by freediverdude
Well I wasn't saying that I would be mad if I couldn't park in the main lot, because I would like for resort guests to have that lot, but I was saying if they told me I couldn't even park in the lot across the street, and were telling me that I had to go back to my resort and take a bus, then I would be hopping mad. If that happened, I would probably try and make the security guard call the restaurant for me and explain why I wouldn't be there for my priority seating. I understand that I guess there isn't enough parking there, and Disney should do something about that if they can, but on the other hand too, people who purchased BWV knew they were purchasing a resort attached to a general entertainment complex that would have extra visitors. I'm sure the flaming will start, but if you didn't know that and purchased BWV, then please raise your hand, and you might be able to get out of your DVC contract LOL.

I haven't heard anyone say that they couldn't get into the lot across the street, I believe it's large. I think it would only be a problem on a major holiday like New Years Eve.

I am a DVC member at BWV and it is frustrating when you have to go round and round to find a spot in the regular lot. They have given members free valet parking to help ease the problem. They have also announced that they are turning 200 of the 400 valet spaces into self parking (that lot is rarely full). I wish they would dedicate a section of the lot to hotel guest parking. I don't think the problem is people parking there for the Boardwalk, it's people parking there and going to Epcot. I've never seen them issue 3 hour passes like the do at the MK resorts. I don't think they want to discourage business for the Boardwalk establishments.

If you have a PS, check for a sign before you turn left into BW. If there's a sign indicating to go straight, then park in the lot across the street (it's on the right about a block down the road). If not, then you maybe able to get into the main lot, tell the guard you have a PS.

 

[WIcruizer]

Guilty as charged. We park in the BW parking lot all the time to visit ESPN, walk around the BW, and yes even take the ferry over to MGM. Frankly, I never knew that's NOT what the parking lot is to be used for. The man at the gate never turned us away, so I had no idea.

Seems like it's an issue of poor planning by Disney to me. They set up this area where they want to attract people, similar to DTD, yet also use the area for resort parking. If they want me to go there and spend money, seems foolish to make me take a bus there or park a mile away. In any case, even with what I know now I will continue parking there. If Disney says it's ok, it must be ok. I will circle to find the best spot.

If you use the resort as a member of DVC, I suggest you take it up with them if it's a big problem. They do have valet parking correct?

 

[freediverdude]

Ducklite, that's a good idea, but I don't think it would discourage people who are going to eat a meal at the Boardwalk or Contemporary, and/or even just walk over to see the fireworks and/or visit the gift shops inside the theme park in the evening, which is what I think one of the big complaints is. People would still say, "Oh, it's ok, we'll get the parking for free as long as we show our meal receipt." Or even make sure to buy some little trinket for the kid in the gift shop in the resort just to get the parking for free. And people would still see it as being able to avoid the crowds at the front of the park at closing. So I have a feeling it wouldn't deter all that many. But I agree that the parking lot closest to the Boardwalk should be for resort guests only, and the lot across the street should be for Boardwalk visitors. I think that in itself would ease the complaints. They probably should put up some signs directing the Boardwalk visitors to that parking lot, and maybe try to make a separate entrance to the Boardwalk from that lot or something. That would funnel the visitors in separately from the resort guests, and make the resort area a lot more quiet I think.

 

[tzvdmd]

Sorry I didnt make my post clearer. Its not the people that have PS for a meal or the ones that hang out at the BW that bother me. It is the people that file out if the park at the end of the day.
Not just the BW but which ever resort that will save them paying a parking fee for the day.

 

[WIcruizer]

Guilty of that as well. We enjoy the nice peaceful boat trip to and from MGM...get a nice view of the area from a different prospective... Again, never realized you weren't supposed to do this. But I guess until or unless Disney tells me we can't do that, I'll keep taking the boat.