Parking for Boardwalk nightlife

[KrazeeK120]

Wow, the transportation board has been my favorite place lately!

This time, my question is about the parking situation at the Boardwalk. I know normally you're only allowed to park at a resort for a couple of hours to eat or whatever if you're not staying there.

Do they have a separate place to park if you're there to visit the bars/clubs? We may be there for more than the allotted "meal time" and I don't want to be violating any policies!

 

[iluveeyore]

We went in May to have dinner and spend the evening at Jellyrolls - were there from 5pm to after midnight, never had an issue. We just made sure our resort parking paper was in the windshield, the car was still there when were ready to leave. I didn't know there was a 'time limit'. We told the guy at the gate we were there for dinner and Jellyrolls. We are going in January, but we will be leaving the car behind and using Disney transportation since we will all be drinking!

 

[OKW Lover]

It kind of depends on how busy the place is when you visit. Just pull in and the guard will direct you to the parking. You may find yourself being directed to the lot across the street or you may be allowed to park in the regular parking.

Valet is always an option.

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

It kind of depends on how busy the place is when you visit. Just pull in and the guard will direct you to the parking. You may find yourself being directed to the lot across the street or you may be allowed to park in the regular parking.

Valet is always an option.

That's good advice.

The parking policy at the BoardWalk varies depending on demand. If there's a big convention at the BoardWalk convention center, parking may be severely restricted. During the Food & Wine Festival, they try to prevent people from parking at BoardWalk for the back entrance to World Showcase.

Most of the time, parking for BoardWalk restaurants, bars, and nightclubs should not be a problem, especially if you're staying at a Disney resort and you have a Disney resort parking pass on your dashboard.

 

[Saskiwi]

Hi
First-time WDWers here, so please don't flame me - I'm NOT trying to avoid the $14 parking fee! this is a genuine query...
What if you are staying off-site and want to park at Boardwalk while checking out the restaurants/shops? Is there a time limit, or do we have to have a dining reservation like at the resorts?
I also like the idea of grabbing breakfast at the Boardwalk Bakery one morning as they open nice and early (we are early risers) and then hitting Epcot via the World Showcase entrance - is Park parking here possible if we are off-site guests?
I'm happy to pay my $14 but would like to avoid having to move the car again to the other Epcot car park.
It would be nice to catch the boat to HS one day from here too - but it all depends on parking options...

 

[DebbieB]

Hi
First-time WDWers here, so please don't flame me - I'm NOT trying to avoid the $14 parking fee! this is a genuine query...
What if you are staying off-site and want to park at Boardwalk while checking out the restaurants/shops? Is there a time limit, or do we have to have a dining reservation like at the resorts?
I also like the idea of grabbing breakfast at the Boardwalk Bakery one morning as they open nice and early (we are early risers) and then hitting Epcot via the World Showcase entrance - is Park parking here possible if we are off-site guests?
I'm happy to pay my $14 but would like to avoid having to move the car again to the other Epcot car park.
It would be nice to catch the boat to HS one day from here too - but it all depends on parking options...

There is a sign that there is no parking for theme parks. If you go to the bakery and then go into the World Showcase, you are parking there for a park. If you want to go to the bakery and then go to the park, you can move the car to the Epcot lot for park entrance. Or you can valet park, I think it's $15.

 

[LadyBeBop]

We'll be at WDW during F&W season. Staying offsite. I have a couple of questions.

1) If we want to enter Epcot via World Showcase, you can valet park at the Boardwalk? Or is it the Boardwalk resort.

2) Would it be a problem to park free at spend a couple of hours at Jellyrolls? We would have already visited a park already, so would it be OK to put the receipt in the windshield?

As always, many thanks.

 

[CarolMN]

We'll be at WDW during F&W season. Staying offsite. I have a couple of questions.

1) If we want to enter Epcot via World Showcase, you can valet park at the Boardwalk? Or is it the Boardwalk resort.

Boardwalk, Boardwalk Resort, BWV & BWI are ways of referring to the same general areaa. They are very strict about parking during Food & Wine, especially on the weekends. You may or may not be allowed in to valet park. Probably not unless you have a handicapped sticker / license plate. You will be most likely be directed to the lot across the street, which may be full

2) Would it be a problem to park free at spend a couple of hours at Jellyrolls? We would have already visited a park already, so would it be OK to put the receipt in the windshield?

As always, many thanks.

Not sure what you mean as there is no charge to self-park at a Disney resort, including the Boardwalk. A receipt from a theme park lot will not help you get you into the Boardwalk lot if they are restricting parking to Boardwalk hotel guests during Food & Wine.

If you mean you will have a receipt for valet parking from another resort for that same day, you wouldn't have to pay again to valet at the Boardwalk, However, you may not be allowed to do so if the lots are full. It just depends on what they have decided to do on the day you want to park there.

 

[goofy4tink]

We'll be at WDW during F&W season. Staying offsite. I have a couple of questions.

1) If we want to enter Epcot via World Showcase, you can valet park at the Boardwalk? Or is it the Boardwalk resort.

2) Would it be a problem to park free at spend a couple of hours at Jellyrolls? We would have already visited a park already, so would it be OK to put the receipt in the windshield?

As always, many thanks.

Food and Wine time is the hardest time frame to park at BW. If you don't have a BW parking permit, you won't get in..unless you are actually checking in at the resort that day...the guard has a list of those people.
If you aren't staying at BW, you will probably have to park across the street...it's a fairly long walk to the BW itself. Even regular parking is a hike for some!!
If you've already visited a park that day, and have paid to park? Won't make any difference if you want to park at a resort. Now, you could drive to DHS, park there...free since you've already paid to park in one resort. Just hold onto your parking receipt and show that at the park entrance. Then walk or boat over to BW, spend time there and walk back to DHS and get your car later on. The walk is under 20 mins and very pleasant unless it's 90 degrees and humid!!!

 

[LSchrow]

even on weekends last may (during the F&GF), the guards weren't letting non-resort guests through to park in the lot by the convention ctr.
weekdays were less consistent, but they were still more diligent than in previous years about directing cars away from that lot.
during the past few F&WFs, they checked our parking permit (especially the dates of stay), then we needed to show our KTW card and occasionally, driver's license to enter the lot.
honestly, we're thrilled that they turn those huge lines of cars away - resort guests should be able to find a decent parking spot, imho


as said, valet is a great option if not staying at the resort, but might be full during the F&WF.