Parking for steam trains tour at MK?

[GetGlowing]

I have a question about parking for the Steam Trains tour at the Magic Kingdom.

You have to check in for the tour before 7:30 a.m. Will the MK parking lot and monorails/ferries be running at 7am or even before? This is a non-EMH morning?

I have seen suggestions elsewhere to park at the Contemporary and use the walkway to the MK, but I know the resorts frown on park visitors parking there for the day. We do have handicapped tags so would be using valet at Contemporary if we park there. Complicating matters is that my dad will have a ECV, so that will require getting there earlier to get it out of the car and put together.

Just looking for some guidance or experience about what to do in this situation. Complicating things even more is that I will not be along (boys trip only) so I need to firmly and clearly communicate the parking strategy to them! lol

 

[dburg30]

We were actually told by the folks either at city hall, or the reservation department for the tours to park at the CR. They told us to tell them what we were doing and there wouldnt be an issue (steam train tours are very small numbers). Now we werent planning on leaving MK at that point, so we actually did valet at CR so we werent breaking any 'rules'. But I'm sure we wouldve been just fine.

 

[Endeavour105]

I have a question about parking for the Steam Trains tour at the Magic Kingdom.

You have to check in for the tour before 7:30 a.m. Will the MK parking lot and monorails/ferries be running at 7am or even before? This is a non-EMH morning?

I have seen suggestions elsewhere to park at the Contemporary and use the walkway to the MK, but I know the resorts frown on park visitors parking there for the day. We do have handicapped tags so would be using valet at Contemporary if we park there. Complicating matters is that my dad will have a ECV, so that will require getting there earlier to get it out of the car and put together.

Just looking for some guidance or experience about what to do in this situation. Complicating things even more is that I will not be along (boys trip only) so I need to firmly and clearly communicate the parking strategy to them! lol

Boats will not be running, however the resort monorails begin running at 7am. The express monorail does not start running until 8:30am - the same time as the boats.

 

[seashoreCM]

Park at the normal location (MK lot; Transportation & Ticket Center) and take the resort monorail. Get there extra early for such purposes as unloading the scooter, etc.

OT: If Disney finds an unauthorized handicapped car in a nondescript non-handicapped space, would Disney give/get it back to the guest free?

 

[GetGlowing]

OT: If Disney finds an unauthorized handicapped car in a nondescript non-handicapped space, would Disney give/get it back to the guest free?

Not sure what you mean here?

 

[GetGlowing]

We were actually told by the folks either at city hall, or the reservation department for the tours to park at the CR.

I just called the tour department to ask this question (not sure why I didn't think of that! lol) and the agent said to park at the Contemporary. You have to check in a 7:15, so you really need to get parked by 6:45 or 7:00.

 

[dburg30]

They almost always have someone late, or the monorails are late etc. Jim (our tour guide, and a GREAT guy) was telling us a story about when the monorail didnt get some folks there til about 30 minutes late. They actually had to have someone escort those folks back to catch up with the tour, which they had already missed some of. It's an early one and they cant wait, that part has to be on time because one of the trains they use is rather important for the opening of the park

 

[truck1]

From what I understand, and I am planning on taking the tour (slightly OT) is that of the 4 trains, 1 (Lilly Belle) is dedicated to the MK opening every day.It cannot be used for anything else, because the safety restraints to keep guests in the cars have been removed so the characters can get off on the left side of the cars, ifo Main Street Station. One of the other 3 trains(Roy O Disney, Walter E Disney or Rogger Broggie) usually makes the pick up at MSS for the tour.If the tour waited for everyone to show up, it throws the scheduling off of the Lilly Belles run in the morn, since the train would have the opening char. on it, or near by.( I think the characters are picked up in either Toontown or dropped off at the round house in the morn.)
If for some reason, one of the other engines are out of service, then the Lily Belle is pulled from her normal cars, after the show and moved to the other train.(assmuming that the extra train is needed).This has happened a few time recently as the other engines have gone out for extended periods for boiler xrays, and rehab, leaving 2 usuable trains.

 

[Elana]

We did the tour a few years ago. We had driven to the Contemporary to eat earlier in the week. We asked and they showed us where to park. It was very close to the walk way. Since we were staying on site, we had a parking pass from our resort. There were no problems. Yes, get there early. You might want to inform them that you will have an EVC.

If memory serves me, there is not a lot of walking once you get on the train. You do some walking at the roundhouse. Also, the tour group sits at the back of the train, but the EVCs and wheelchairs are at the front of the train. Make sure they take a camera.

 

[travelin' tigger]

We just did the tour 2 days ago and it was great!! We left OKW at 6:45 and parked at MK parking with a AAA pass (the 1st ones there!). Walked up to the resort monorail that was sitting in the station, but didn't board until 10 minutes later. After stopping at the Poly and GF, arrived at the front of MK at exactly 7:15 and met out tour guide George. BTW, there were only a total of 3 of us on the tour which was awesome!!

 

[GetGlowing]

That's great info. Thanks!!

 

[GetGlowing]

So we had our steam trains tour today and it was ~FABULOUS!~

We parked at Contemporary and they directed us to the lot just inside the gate that was closest to the MK walkway. It was very convenient. We weren't given any parking pass. We were in the park all day. At the end of the day we returned to the Contemporary and went up to the 4th Floor balcony to watch fireworks (which were also ~Fabulous!~ from up there).