Parking Distances for the DVC Resorts

[Caskbill]

It seems the issue of parking for the WDW DVC resorts comes up often enough that it's probably worth trying to 'catalog' the actual resorts.

So, excluding Valet parking and only considering Self-Park, I would rate the average villa to the average parking spot in this order from closest to furthest.

Closest: OKW
Next Closest: SSR
Next: BCV
Next: BWV (using the BWV side door, not going through the lobby)
Furthest: VWL (especially since general parking is several rows past handicap and valet parking rows.)


Any thoughts?

 

[dianeschlicht]

LOL, Bill, you are a man of details!

 

[OneMoreTry]

LOL, Bill, you are a man of details!

Yes, but they come in so handy in some of the resort wars.

 

[thelobstershanty]

If the topic is parking at WDW DVC resorts, how can you not count valet parking. That is a parking option at 3 of the WDW DVC resorts. It is also an option that many members use.

 

[MiaSRN62]

If the topic is parking at WDW DVC resorts, how can you not count valet parking

We forgot (on two different occasions) things in our van when we stayed on BWV. We drive down from PA.
The first time my dh walked ALL the way to the valet parking lot to retrieve it (in the rain I might add). The second time, a CM happened to be passing by my dh on his way to the valet parking lot again and offered to give him a lift in one of those golf carts they motor around in. My husband was quite grateful to be saved from the long walk and just happened to get lucky a CM was passing by him. There was no reason for us to use valet parking just to retrieve these items on 2 seperate occasions.

 

[thelobstershanty]

We forgot (on two different occasions) things in our van when we stayed on BWV. We drive down from PA.
The first time my dh walked ALL the way to the valet parking lot to retrieve it (in the rain I might add). The second time, a CM happened to be passing by my dh on his way to the valet parking lot again and offered to give him a lift in one of those golf carts they motor around in. My husband was quite grateful to be saved from the long walk and just happened to get lucky a CM was passing by him. There was no reason for us to use valet parking just to retrieve these items on 2 seperate occasions.

You should have called down to the valet desk, they would have brought the car up to the front entrance, you could have gotten your items and then they would have vaket parked your car again. We would obviously tip for this service. Well worth it. Your DH would never have felt a single rain drop or walked farher than the resorts valet booth, which is a few steps from the front door. A valet tip is only a few dollars. Again well worth it for the convenience, IMO.
This is why vaket parking can not be omitted from a discussion of WDW DVC resort parking. Valet parking is a an additional option at 3 of the WDW DVC resorts This is an option that a lot of DVC members value and use to it's full advantage.

 

[SoCalKDG]

It seems the issue of parking for the WDW DVC resorts comes up often enough that it's probably worth trying to 'catalog' the actual resorts.

So, excluding Valet parking and only considering Self-Park, I would rate the average villa to the average parking spot in this order from closest to furthest.

Any thoughts?

Yep, I'd never exclude Valet Parking. Having you car waiting for you, nicely cooled, or being treated like royalty when dropping off your car, Valet parking should head your list. I'd have the resorts with Valet parking at the top of the list, then closest parking lots next. Motel 6 has the closest parking lots, but they don't have Valet parking.

 

[MiaSRN62]

You should have called down to the valet desk, they would have brought the car up to the front entrance, you could have gotten your items and then they would have vaket parked your car again. We would obviously tip for this service. Well worth it.

Personally.....never would consider this. I'm sure others would do this and that is fine. We would have felt like we were purely wasting their time if they brought the van around just so we could hop in and hop out. And to tip just so dh could retrieve a stuffed Tigger from the car for my youngest......never would have considered this route.
Now the golf cart idea......that works for us. Valet is something we can live without---we prefer a closer parking lot for going back and forth to the car for little things personally. That's just us. But thanks for the suggestion.

 

[dianeschlicht]

Personally.....never would consider this. I'm sure others would do this and that is fine. We would have felt like we were purely wasting their time if they brought the van around just so we could hop in and hop out. And to tip just so dh could retrieve a stuffed Tigger from the car for my youngest......never would have considered this route.
Now the golf cart idea......that works for us. Valet is something we can live without---we prefer a closer parking lot for going back and forth to the car for little things personally. That's just us. But thanks for the suggestion.

That would be us too. DH refuses to use valet parking anywhere, and hates to be so far from the car. He even thought SSR parking lots were too far away!

 

[CarolMN]

I appreciate the exclusion of valet parking - we seldom use it.

I was surprised to see that self-parking for VWL is farther than that for the BWV. With all the fuss there is about parking at the BWV, I never would have guessed that another DVC resort would take the "honors".

That said, I don't mind walking a bit to get to the car even half as much as I mind driving around looking for a parking place!

Best wishes -

 

[sleepydog25]

Okay, maybe I'm the odd ball here , but I don't consider walking a relatively short distance (even the farthest out spots in VWL) a real issue. Not counting those with health issues, is it really that much of a bother to walk an extra hundred yards or so? I know some of you will cite the heat, the humidity, young kids (I have a DD4), but I walk a lot farther than that in most cities after parking. Then again, I'm the kind of guy who doesn't believe in cruising store parking lots for the closest spot when I can park 30 yards further back and be in the store while others are still searching for a space. I've seen numerous threads in here about parking, but it's the absolute last thing I think about while on vacation.

 

[Granny]

Bill...you've managed to find a whole new angle on the resort wars!!

I agree with your list, even though it puts VWL at the bottom ::

Maybe the walk is worse at Vero or HH??

Yes, the walk to the vehicle at VWL in July can be a bit of a hike. We do use valet parking all the time, but for those who refuse to do so, I can see where it would be somewhat tiresome.

However, in pouring over satellite photos, I do see that it is about 3 1/2 feet shorter walk than BCV to International Gateway!

 

[kathleena]

I don't consider parking an issue either. It is what it is and I don't go to WDW to escape walking so no matter to me.

I guess what I'm saying is - close parking or no, I don't consider it a perk and it's not a consideration of staying at a resort.

Now having your bags taken up to your room vs having to carry them - priceless. (Or $2-3 per bag, depending how you look at it )

 

[dianeschlicht]

I don't consider parking an issue either. It is what it is and I don't go to WDW to escape walking so no matter to me.

I guess what I'm saying is - close parking or no, I don't consider it a perk and it's not a consideration of staying at a resort.

Now having your bags taken up to your room vs having to carry them - priceless. (Or $2-3 per bag, depending how you look at it )

LOL, but that is a perk at ALL the DVC resorts!

 

[MiaSRN62]

Now having your bags taken up to your room vs having to carry them - priceless

Even at the park-at-your-door resorts (OKW/SSR), the bellhops will take your luggage up to your room for ya. We've done this before a couple of times. We didn't last year because we had a ground floor 1 bedroom and the trunk of the van was literally 20 feet from the front door

but I don't consider walking a relatively short distance (even the farthest out spots in VWL) a real issue.

I don't either sleepydog. It's just that sometimes you read how people complain it's so far to walk from certain buildings at OKW to the HH......BUT, they're fine with the 10-20+ min walk to Epcot or MGM ? I just think some people pick and choose what they consider acceptable walking distances for them (i.e. parking lots ?).
I simply mentioned the walking distance to the BW parking lot because valet was brought up. While it can be a nice perk, we're just not the type of people who feel right calling up valet just so we can retrieve a book or a stuffed animal (or whatever) from our van ? When we plan on going to another resort for dinner or for offsite shopping, yep, we would most assuredly utilize valet over walking the distance to the parking lot. But for little stuff, we just don't feel comfortable doing that. Some may feel we're being stubborn and just simply refuse to do it That's ok.

Granny says : Bill...you've managed to find a whole new angle on the resort wars!!

lol
I'm honestly not trying to slant one resort over another. I feel they ALL have different amenities to offer. It's just that with a resort that offers valet, one is really committed to using that for every little thing that may come up. There are wait times involved with valet---so gotta factor that in. For some, it's not big deal and I respect that. Others might find valet a slight hassle. It's just personal preference & just wanted to give another perspective.

 

[CarolMN]

...(snip).....Maybe the walk is worse at Vero or HH?? .....

Haven't been to HH so can't comment on that. However, IMHO, the parking at VB requires the least amount of walking of all the other DVC resorts. Parking is under the rooms/villas, so all you have to walk is to the elevators. Even if you are not lucky enough to get the very closest spot, the elevators are only a few steps away!

OOPS! Just re-read your post. If you were just adding fuel to the "parking wars", please just ignore this post.

Best wishes -

 

[crisi]

Rather than resort wars, I look at it as additional variables when deciding where is right to stay FOR YOU. For those of us that don't have cars while at Disney, it really doesn't matter if VWL parking is at Epcot. Just like if I spend little time in the room, it doesn't matter what the view is, or if I never order room service, I really don't care if its provided.

But its good information IF I care.

 

[Duckfan-in-Chicago]

We stay mostly at the BWV in the off-season. When we first started going, trying to get a spot in the early evening in the first lot was a pain-we would either have to circle the lot, or park across the street. If you can't park there, it doesn't make a difference how close the lot is. I don't know if they made the lot bigger when they added the BCV, but there were times when we went to the BC and the lot was full, also. Now we just valet it and include that into the cost of the trip. We always call when we leave the room.

 

[DisneyKidds]

We spend a lot of time at both the BCV and VWL, and I wouldn't be surprised if the BC and WL were pretty close.

I don't think you can include SSR and OKW as equals to BCV, BWV and VWL in the analysis, either .

Sure, the parking may be closest to the villas, but you have to walk a mile to get to the pool, or you have to jump in the car and drive yourself there as we did at SSR on our last trip. At the other resorts you park your car and then you don't really need it unless you are leaving the resort.

 

[thelobstershanty]

we're just not the type of people who feel right calling up valet just so we can retrieve a book or a stuffed animal (or whatever) from our van ? When we plan on going to another resort for dinner or for offsite shopping, yep, we would most assuredly utilize valet over walking the distance to the parking lot. But for little stuff, we just don't feel comfortable doing that. Some may feel we're being stubborn and just simply refuse to do it That's ok.


lol
I'm honestly not trying to slant one resort over another. I feel they ALL have different amenities to offer. It's just that with a resort that offers valet, one is really committed to using that for every little thing that may come up. There are wait times involved with valet---so gotta factor that in. For some, it's not big deal and I respect that. Others might find valet a slight hassle. It's just personal preference & just wanted to give another perspective.

I do not think you are stubborn that is just your opinion and I respect that. But you are not taking full advantage of valet parking either. People have their cars brought up and then reparked all the time. The valets don't care. The more cars they retrieve and park in a day means the more tips they make.
I can't see where using valet is a hassle though. All you have to do is call a few minutes before leaving your room and your car will be waiting for you. We enjoy using valet for everytime we need our car. It's like Jeeves bring the car around.