Parking before check in

[linskypens]

We are headed straight to DS on our first day in order to make RD. Can you show the attendant that you have a resort reservation through MDE on your phone in order to not have to pay parking?
Or would we have to go to resort first?

 

[maxiesmom]

From what I understand you will have to pay, but they will refund you the money at your resort when you check in.

 

[Donna M]

I have shown them my reservation and had no problem not paying, but that was a few years ago, so things may have changed.

 

[grimley1968]

From what I understand you will have to pay, but they will refund you the money at your resort when you check in.

This is true. OP, if you do need to pay, just hold on to the receipt they give you and present that to your resort when you check in. It took me all of 2 minutes when I did this a few years ago. Well worth being out the parking fee in cash for a few hours to avoid having to check in first if you're in a hurry to get to a park.

 

[linskypens]

Just talked to the resort and they told me it was not refundable

 

[Richard M Nixon]

Ouch, I was planning on trying to do this.

 

[bumbershoot]

Just talked to the resort and they told me it was not refundable

There's no real way to talk to anyone at a resort, so it was 99.9999% probable you were talking to a random CM saying they were at the resort. They don't know how the resorts work, how the parks work. They are at a call center and might not even be in Florida.

That said, I would go to the resort first, do the checkin process and stash my bags with Luggage/Bell Services, and then go hit rope drop.

 

[linskypens]

Well i i called the resort directly, and they answered Disneys all star music resort, so im pretty sure i got someone as i have called the resorts directly before......

 

[ssei7802]

We always checked in at the resort before 7 AM to get the parking pass or take Disney transportation for rope drop. A few times we even got a room that early.

 

[goofy4tink]

Well i i called the resort directly, and they answered Disneys all star music resort, so im pretty sure i got someone as i have called the resorts directly before......

Nope, there is one call center, that answers all the calls for all the resorts. If there is something resort specific, they will transfer you. But that doesn't happen very often. Even if you're in your room, and you call down to the front desk, you are getting that call center. It drives us all nuts. I have been given a number that goes directly to the resort, and is very different than the one you see normally. I was told that it will get me right to the resort, to speak to the person I needed to speak to. And that all calls to the other numbers go to a call center. Which is why there is so much bad info given out when you call the 'resort'...these people don't seem to have the training needed to give accurate info.

 

[linskypens]

Thanks everyone, I think i will see what time I can get the kid out of bed and into the car, we have a two hour ride that morning, so if its after 745 when we pull onto property, i think ill eat the 17 bucks!

 

[Betty Rohrer]

if you are using a dining plan you will have to check in at your resort for that to be available to you

 

[linskypens]

Not on the plan, really the ONLY reason i would have to check in first is the parking pass.
we were planning on DS until 2, check in, swim, Hoop de doo at 615, MK after