Just read this whole thing. Whew.
Yes it can get expensive paying for parking, but those of us staying onsite pay for it too- its built into our room charges.
Lucky you did some research and found out about the parking fees, now you can build them into your trip budget! Some people don't even realise there are fees to park when going to the parks, but even parks like Six Flags charge for parking...
And I sure would hate to pay for a towing fee or ticket instead of a parking fee- that would cost even more!
Don't risk it- just save up for it!
Have fun!
I think this is the best answer. The OP found out, knows about it now, can budget for it!
I budget our trips in chunks...this is the parking (for Universal resort, that is, since we have yet to stay offsite for our WDW vacation portion) chunk, this is the tips chunk, this is that, etc etc. When you know you have that money and it's earmarked for a specific thing, it's awesome! And I always over budget for each bit, so I have the chance to bring some money home and put it back in the Trips account.
She does seem to be under the impression that it is more than $14 per day (maybe because it is more at Universal--is that correct?).
No, not really. Well, unless you're paying ~$15 to park at the onsite resort and then driving over to the parks parking lot and paying about the same amount again, but I don't think anyone does that. Doesn't make sense. The walk from the parking lot isn't much different than the walk from the resorts, and the parking lot doesn't have boats or pedi-cabs or shuttles from it!
I also just found out TODAY that a Tables in Wonderland card can cover parking if you dine in the park. Since we usually do, that's another way for me to get more for my parking dollars.
Of course, there are very specific hours and rules set up for that.
To quote the immortal words of some rapper whose name escapes me because I never knew it, "Don't start no {edit}, won't be no {edit}."
All I've ever heard was "don't start none won't be none", and I've heard it from Will Smith....
So unfair!!! What do they have against small cars?????
stir
Ha!
Maybe you can look in to the cost of your current hotel, factor in discount codes and parking and see if staying off site makes sense.
He said they are getting the timeshare free, though they might pay for the dues. Doubt that compares to the parking cost total to make it worth it to stay onsite...
Maybe it is hit-or-miss.
It's absolutely hit or miss. We went for breakfast at Kona, and on the way out I asked Concierge for info on how to get to the MK area parking lot (to spend our last couple hours of our vacation at MK), and I was told specifically by two CMs at the desk (with another CM listening and nodding) that it would be silly to move the car, that they've never had anyone towed for parking too long, and that I should just leave my car. And they never gave me info on how to get to the other lot. So...we left the car.
Doubt I'd do it again, and I definitely wouldn't do it without a similar conversation with the CMs, but it was not the answer I was expecting (especially since I'd ASKED them for info...this was our first trip, and most of the trip we'd just been following my WDW-fanatic family around), and I wouldn't expect it in the future. But it does paint a picture of it all being VERY hit or miss!
This 3 hour parking pass thing should really be put to rest at this point but I know I won't be able to do that. This pass may have existed at some point in history, but now it is pretty much Urban Disney legend.
I've never seen it either, but others have, so it's not a myth.
What is the purpose of leaving this thread open? In other areas of DIS they have specific info on refillable resort mugs or pool hopping and they state what the facts are and still allow people to ask questions about scenarios that have not been addressed. I just don't see why people want to continue to just dredge this until everyone has been mocked or irritated.
Because those threads get UGLY. This topic is just relatively annoying. Nowhere near the ugliness of pools and mugs (and tips).
But I say, just go with glocon's info! Now you know, so now you can budget!
(oh, and if you're meeting someone, do NOT park at DTD etc etc. a local relative of ours texted me the whole way from getting to DTD parking, getting in the line for transport, getting somewhere, walking, getting into the gates, etc....it took OVER 2 hours for her family to get to us after hitting Disney property. OMG. Don't do that to someone you're meeting....I would have paid for their parking if I'd known it was going to take them that long to avoid the parking fees....)
