Parking for MK at Contemporary?

[chrisney]

If you are eating at the resort, after they check your name simply inform them that you are valet parking. There is no time limit for you with this service. Be aware that the charge is $6, and it is customary to tip the parker. An additional benefit is that you are entitled to valet parking at any other resort during the course of the day at no additional charge beyond the tips. Be aware that this pertains only to resort parking. It does not include valet parking at Downtown Disney (that is a separate charge).

 

[Uncleromulus]

Safari Steve:
Suppose one just wanted to park to eat breakfast (or lunch, or even dinner) w/o a PS?? Since 1975 I've never made PS for a breakfast meal. Would they deny access to someone who just wanted to eat breakfast?? Or, maybe a "newbie" to WDW who just wanted to see the Contemporary Resort??
I can see the parking pass thing to prevent people using it as a parking lot for the MK. But to deny access completely--that's going a bit too far.

 

[seemickeysoon]

Good point, Unc!! We do NOT have a reservation for breakfast (and can't get one)...we were considering trying anyway...but all these "rules" are scaring me off! Aren't there a bunch of shops in the Contemporary too? If they want people to go to their shops and eat, gotta let em park!

The valet thing is a possible solution - thanks chrisney...but do you think you must have a reservation to use the valet parking?

Thanks!

 

[A Mickeyfan]

Seemickeysoon.... No I didn't know you...I am a Sharon L ... small world!! Had I known your baby was that old, I never would have said carrier.... I know I had one of mine in the front carrier, but he was 7 months at the time...big weight difference! The idea of having your husband meet you sounds good....but it will take him some time to get back around to go into the MK parking lot, then board the tram to walk over to the TTC to meet you. I think I would go with the Valet idea for $6.00.... If you go & tell them that you don't have a PS for Chef Mickey, but are hoping to get in, they may let you, especially that you will be paying the $6.00 for the parking....it isn't like you are trying to park for free to get to the MK. If you do that, you may also be better off walking to the MK from the Contemporary...... it would be much easier with the 2 strollers. It is a short walk. You also need to take into consideration what happens when you leave the park..... If your car is in the MK lot, your husband will again have to leave you at the TTC, get back to the car (depending on time of leaving...it can be a while before catching the tram). If you do the Valet, you can just walk over to the Contemporary.....it will save a lot of time.....to me it would be worth the $6.00 plus tip.......

 

[Uncleromulus]

Seeingmickeysoon: A good question. To get to the valet you need to get past the guard at the front entrance--where it appears the list of PS names are kept.
Anybody know the answer??

 

[DisneyKidds]

You do not have to have a PS to be given access to any resort. You can tell them you are just going to walk around or you can tell them you are going to get something to eat. There have been times that security has checked their clipboard when we arrive and have a PS, but more often than not they don't. Whether you are going to just walk around or have a meal (PS or not) they may give you a 3 hour pass. They will not deny you access. We have probably driven to the GF/CR/BC/BW/Poly a hundred times over the past couple of years. Somethimes we have a PS for a meal, sometimes we don't. We have never been denied access.

 

[jfulcer]

1. You can still get a 3 hour pass to go in for Breakfast, PS or not. All you need to do is tell them you are eating there and you get the pass.

2. Parking in Valet at CR to go to MK still is really, IMHO, beating the system. The valet is for Resort guests not wishing to self-park their cars, not for someone wishing to avoid the trams at TTC.

3. Why not walk from your parked car? DD always wants to use the tram whenever we go, but we also still have a stroller for our other DD. So DW will walk with the stroller while we ride. In all the times we did this at ALL the resorts, DW has made it no more than 5 minutes after we did. On the trip from the park, it's enough time for us to start the car up and get the AC going nice and cool. This is even if we parked out at some of the furthest spots. Really if you think about it, you are going to be walking ALL day in the parks, what is a little extra 5-10 minute walk? When DD sometimes does the walk, she loves to wave at the people riding the tram. I understand being tired at the end of the day, but since both kids are in the stroller, you adults are the only ones who will have to hoof it.

Have fun!

 

[robinb]

Originally posted by DisneyKidds
We have never been denied access.

Sometimes the CR does deny access to parking. I stayed at the CR in June/July of 2002 during a karate championship. We walked out of the resort to the MK one morning and saw cars backed up all the way past the waterway underpass. The CR had set aside some parking for attendees but many, many people were doing a U-Turn around the guard station to find parking elsewhere. I suspect that in that instance unless people had pre-arranged parking or a PS for the CR they were turned away.

FWIW, even with all the checks in place the parking lot always cleared out after the MK Fireworks. I don't think there was a mass exodius of Comtemporary guests leaving their own parking lot .

 

[DisneyKidds]

Sometimes the CR does deny access to parking.

Yes, it is possible that there could be a special event that might make parking more difficult, but in general Disney does not deny access to any of their resorts.

If a lot is full, it is full, and people will have to find other parking. No getting around that.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

I don't want to sound like I am starting an arguement, but the Valet Parking isn't just for resort guests. It is also for people who are dining there. Once you pay that $6.00 fee, they cnnot tell you that you only have 3 hours to eat there. You are entitled to that spot for the day. I am a Disney Dining Experience Club Card holder and a while ago they announced in one of the newsletters that if you are a card holder & eating at one of the resturants in the resorts, you can actually use the Valet for free. A few years ago when the Valet was free it was for resort guests only. Yes, it is true the regular parking will fill up. I don't think I have ever seen the Valet fill up. I am not trying to tell someone to beat the system.....like I said.... I have stayed at the Contemporary and was not able to find a spot. Only spots open were the Valet. I had to drive around & around for at least 15 minutes or so following people to see if a spot would open up...... it wasn't fun with 3 small tired kids either. Sorry if this sounds like an attact....it isn't meant to be.

 

[jfulcer]

Originally posted by A Mickeyfan
I don't want to sound like I am starting an arguement, but the Valet Parking isn't just for resort guests.

If you are referencing my post where I mentioned that Valet parking is for Resort guests, then I should say I agree with you, it's not just for people that are <i>staying there</i>.

When I say Resort guest I mean someone staying there, someone eating there, someone shopping there, etc. I agree that you should have that valet spot for as long as you want it - even if you are at the resort for the whole day (Water skiiing, dining, touring the resort, etc)

What is not included, IMHO, is someone who goes there for breakfast, then heads over to the park for the whole day.

 

[JC Butterfly]

I am booking a spa experience at the GF and want to follow with dinner at Victoria & Albert's. If I want to park there for the afternoon, it would greatly exceed the "3 hour window". Does that mean that valet parking is my only option? Or what else could I do?

Thanks,

Brenda

 

[Uncleromulus]

Short of carrying everything on a Disney Bus--not much else you can do.
Or you could try to reason with the guard at the gate. I did that once when we parked at the Poly and told them we'd be longer than 3 hours because we wanted to hang aroung their pool most of the aftrenoon (we're vacation club, and were pool hopping). The guard laughed at me, and we got the standard 3 hour pass---

But not to fret--. Valet parking at GF is just fine, and as a bonus, it's free when you get the valet stub validated at V&A.

 

[ahutton]

I knew there was a reason I loved valet - even if I had to pay for it! Just to not have to worry about a window it is well worth $6 for a day. We have done this and then spent a day monorail resort hopping, having meals, shopping and playing... We've never been turned away from valet either.