Parking in Resorts Strategy/Question

[Sbunit81]

Hi everyone

In the past (way pre-Covid), I would utilize a strategy when going to the Magic Kingdom by parking our rental car in the Contemporary and walking over. I know times and rules have changed and things have become more stringent in regards to parking in Resorts that you are not staying or dining in.

My question is, however, Can I park in the Contemporary for instance if I have a dining reservation in the hotel later in the day? I would like to park my car there in the morning and go spend the day in the Magic Kingdom then we have dinner reservations later that same evening in California Grill. Do you think that would be allowed or are they going to not allow me because the reservation is much later in the day? I am thinking of employing that same strategy in other resorts that are close to their corresponding theme parks. Thanks for any input/advise

 

[mom2rtk]

No they will not let you do that.

You will need to park at the TTC and monorail to the park and then walk over for dinner. You can monorail back to the TTC after dinner.

They also will not let you do that at the other resorts near parks either. They cracked down substantially because of people doing this very thing.

 

[Skippyboo]

Are you staying onsite? Because if you are you can just park in the parking lots for the parks. It’s free for onsite guests.

 

[Her Dotness]

You're generally allowed into a resort for ADR parking only about 15-20 minutes before your ADR time.

I agree with the PP who said they won't let you in that early.

We've seen cars towed from the near-park resorts. Observed one man arguing that he'd "only left it there for a moment to go into Epcot." Disney has gotten much stricter about such parking violations.

 

[Sbunit81]

Yes I am staying onsite, at the Boardwalk. Looks like much has changed since we were last at Disney Pre-pandemic. Thanks for the heads up everyone!

 

[Sbunit81]

As an alternative strategy, Are there any issues with walking over to the contemporary from the Magic Kingdom and calling an Uber to pick us up from the contemporary to go home? How about vice versa, can we have an Uber drop us off at the contemporary so we can walk over to the Magic Kingdom? We are just trying to avoid the hassle (at least in our point of view) of the TTC. It is more efficient for us to just walk and catch a ride.

 

[maltdizzy]

Are there any issues with walking over to the contemporary from the Magic Kingdom and calling an Uber to pick us up from the contemporary to go home?

That is allowed.

How about vice versa, can we have an Uber drop us off at the contemporary so we can walk over to the Magic Kingdom?

That is not allowed. You cannot park or arrive by ride-share at a WDW resort hotel without being a guest at that hotel or having an ADR.

People abusing the system to park or arrive and head to the parks is the very reason they instigated this rule. Hotel guests are provided with complimentary parking at the parks and/or free bus/boat transportation right to the park gates, that seems fair enough.

 

[Sbunit81]

That is allowed.



That is not allowed. You cannot park or arrive by ride-share at a WDW resort hotel without being a guest at that hotel or having an ADR.

People abusing the system top park or arrive and head to the parks is the very reason they instigated this rule.

Ok, great to know. Thanks again for the heads up so we can plan our days accordingly without any surprises or hiccups!

 

[HopperFan]

Yes I am staying onsite, at the Boardwalk. Looks like much has changed since we were last at Disney Pre-pandemic. Thanks for the heads up everyone!

Parking at resorts to walk to the park for the day has not been okay for many years pre-COVID. Parking is for guests sleeping there and for a few hours if eating there with an ADR, not for park guests.

As an alternative strategy, Are there any issues with walking over to the contemporary from the Magic Kingdom and calling an Uber to pick us up from the contemporary to go home? How about vice versa, can we have an Uber drop us off at the contemporary so we can walk over to the Magic Kingdom? We are just trying to avoid the hassle (at least in our point of view) of the TTC. It is more efficient for us to just walk and catch a ride.

Most reports I've seen are the guard will not let the uber inside to drop you off if you can't scan as a resort guest or with impending ADR.

I would imagine they might let them in to pick you up UNLESS they match up the pickup name to the Resort/Dining guest list. I've heard there are drivers who refuse to do this since they might get refused entry and lose money on it.


If you won't use Disney buses then use the Minnie Vans, they can drop you at the Magic Kingdom.

 

[Sbunit81]

Parking at resorts to walk to the park for the day has not been okay for many years pre-COVID. Parking is for guests sleeping there and for a few hours if eating there with an ADR, not for park guests.



Most reports I've seen are the guard will not let the uber inside to drop you off if you can't scan as a resort guest or with impending ADR.

I would imagine they might let them in to pick you up UNLESS they match up the pickup name to the Resort/Dining guest list. I've heard there are drivers who refuse to do this since they might get refused entry and lose money on it.


If you won't use Disney buses then use the Minnie Vans, they can drop you at the Magic Kingdom.

Where do Minnie Vans drop you off at the Magic Kingdom? Can you also summon them to pick you up from the Magic Kingdom or any other theme park? If so where are the drop off/pick up points?

 

[HopperFan]

Where do Minnie Vans drop you off at the Magic Kingdom? Can you also summon them to pick you up from the Magic Kingdom or any other theme park? If so where are the drop off/pick up points?

They drop you off at the bus depot right at the Magic Kingdom. Can't get closer. They can go much closer than any other ride share or where you can drive on property. Like they can go direct to Hoop Dee Doo. They operated under the Lyft business but the vehicles are Disney's and the drivers are CMs.

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/minnie-van/#drawer-card-drawerMinnieVanService

Here are more details on where they go ...

https://www.wdwinfo.com/disney-world/transportation/minnie-vans.htm

 

[Mrs.AMC]

Yes I am staying onsite, at the Boardwalk. Looks like much has changed since we were last at Disney Pre-pandemic. Thanks for the heads up everyone!

Nope. it's never changed. Just because Disney has no enforcement in place doesn't mean it's ok to do. It's always been bad form, ok I'll say it, rude, to take up space at a resort you are not a guest of to go off to a theme park. Guess you've never returned to the Resort only to have no where to park at BWI? Imagine you did, only to find out a bunch of those cars are not for guests who are guests of the resort but for people who just decided to park there for a way around using the bus or to skirt out on paying for parking or whatever reason. You'd be pretty ticked off if you had to say park at DS and bus back to BWI because you couldn't park at BWI wouldn't you? Don't take up a parking spot at a resort if you aren't doing business AT that resort. Please be considerate of others. It's ALWAYS been that way. Pre-covid, Post-covid. Courtesy has never changed.

 

[burg]

How about using valet service to leave the car at hotels with valet? Would that require an ADR or is it fine as valet costs more than park parking and CMs get the tips on top?

 

[Bjkandma]

You can no longer enter resort parking lots without a resort reservation or dining reservation. Not even valet parking. A dining reservation only allows a three hour parking time limit.

 

[Bjkandma]

You can no longer enter resort parking lots without a resort reservation or dining reservation. Not even valet parking. A dining reservation only allows a three hour parking time limit.

A dining reservation has a three hour parking limit at the resort. When going through security gate, reservation is verified - they actually have a clipboard with information listed.

 

[Mrs.AMC]

You can no longer enter resort parking lots without a resort reservation or dining reservation. Not even valet parking. A dining reservation only allows a three hour parking time limit.

If you valet park for your ADR you can leave the car there for the day.

 

[ucf_knight]

As an alternative strategy, Are there any issues with walking over to the contemporary from the Magic Kingdom and calling an Uber to pick us up from the contemporary to go home? How about vice versa, can we have an Uber drop us off at the contemporary so we can walk over to the Magic Kingdom? We are just trying to avoid the hassle (at least in our point of view) of the TTC. It is more efficient for us to just walk and catch a ride.

We absolutely hate going to MK if we have to park at the TTC. It’s such an ordeal especially with kids and strollers. We only go to MK when staying at an MK resort. When not at an MK resort we just enjoy the other parks. We haven’t utilized the Minnie van service which I think we’d try next trip possibly to get to MK.

 

[Mrs.AMC]

We absolutely hate going to MK if we have to park at the TTC. It’s such an ordeal especially with kids and strollers. We only go to MK when staying at an MK resort. When not at an MK resort we just enjoy the other parks. We haven’t utilized the Minnie van service which I think we’d try next trip possibly to get to MK.

Why can’t you ride a bus which does not go to TTC?

 

[Distriv]

I have a similar question that probably doesn't warrant its own thread so I'll toss it here:

I'm staying at Polynesian in December and my dad is staying at Boardwalk. He's going to come over to Polynesian for breakfast at Kona and then we're going to head to Magic Kingdom. He has a rental car and I do not.

Can I just give him a Magic Band assigned to my resort reservation to use to get into the parking lot? We're both DVC members staying on our own points so there's not issue around paying for the parking.

 

[jimmymc]

No, they are very strict about parking limits at the monorail resorts. You can only enter right before your dining reservation and you have about 4 hours to eat and leave.

Resorts that aren't near parks tend to be more lenient, but it can depend on who is working the gate that day.