Parking in Resorts Strategy/Question

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.
Using the scenario presented by the post above, exactly how are they going to know the car is limited to 4 hours?

Notice her father is using her band to park at her resort where she has no car parked. He would use the automatic gate to enter with the MB
 
Using the scenario presented by the post above, exactly how are they going to know the car is limited to 4 hours?

Notice her father is using her band to park at her resort where she has no car parked. He would use the automatic gate to enter with the MB
I was talking about the original question, with making a dining reservation. They will write down your license plate when you check in at the gate for those.

Regarding the other scenario, I believe they do take your license plate when you check in the first time. I'm not sure what they would do if they see a car that hasn't checked in to the hotel through either a dining or room reservation.
 
I was talking about the original question, with making a dining reservation. They will write down your license plate when you check in at the gate for those.

Regarding the other scenario, I believe they do take your license plate when you check in the first time. I'm not sure what they would do if they see a car that hasn't checked in to the hotel through either a dining or room reservation.
They do not take your license plate
they don’t even look at it
 

They've taken mine every time I stayed at a resort with a car.
Stayed at one since ride share started? Or since they quit giving parking slips? We’ve never had them look at our tag in years. Last time we drove was a few months ago. They can’t even effectively track who has vehicles to correctly charge parking fees
 
Stayed at one since ride share started? Or since they quit giving parking slips? We’ve never had them look at our tag in years. Last time we drove was a few months ago. They can’t even effectively track who has vehicles to correctly charge parking fees
This was since covid-reopening, so definitely in the era of rideshare. When I checked in, the guard looked up my reservation and then walked to the back of my car to get the plate. They didn't give a parking slip or anything else, and they correctly did not charge me since I was staying on my DVC points.
 
This was since covid-reopening, so definitely in the era of rideshare. When I checked in, the guard looked up my reservation and then walked to the back of my car to get the plate. They didn't give a parking slip or anything else, and they correctly did not charge me since I was staying on my DVC points.
Maybe it’s a DVC resort deal? We don’t stay DVC
 
Maybe it’s a DVC resort deal? We don’t stay DVC
Yeah I'm not sure. It's a small sample size, and from everything I see it depends on who is working the gate that day more than anything else.
 
I’m not a stickler about parking rules but I wouldn’t try to park at contemporary in this situation. As others noted the monorail resorts are most likely to enforce time limits. They will almost certainly check your reservation and see you are hours early and turn you away. I guess you could tell them what you’re doing and they might let you park but be prepared to drive back to ttc.
 
We find it difficult to find a HA parking spot when staying at BLT. Even regular parking spots can be short on supply. The gate guards check our ID and magic bands when we arrive. Parking spots are for those staying at a resort or dining at a resort. TTC was created for MK parking.
 
I have another question that doesn't warrant its own thread. DH and I are staying at the Dolphin in a few weeks - we will have a car because we are driving. My niece is staying at the GF with her two kids - single mom, so we are coming to help her out. Will we be able to drop groceries off to her on our arrival night? I know she wants some food for breakfast, but they are flying. We're not interested in parking at GF to go to the parks (and it won't even be a park day for us), but I wouldn't mind taking a peek at her room :teeth: Is there a way she can clear us for a drop-off when she checks in (she will arrive before we do that day)? Otherwise, she could do a grocery order, but I'm trying to save her some hassle. I think she is planning to take the shuttle, so no grocery stop, not that she would want to do that with kids after flying anyway. We might not know for sure until we try it, but I don't want her counting on the food for breakfast and we can't get it to her.

I know worst case we could park at TTC and monorail to her - it just doesn't sound fun with bags of groceries after driving most of the day. Or maybe she could add me or DH to her room since she will only have one adult and two kids?

Thanks for any ideas/experiences I haven't thought of!
 
I have another question that doesn't warrant its own thread. DH and I are staying at the Dolphin in a few weeks - we will have a car because we are driving. My niece is staying at the GF with her two kids - single mom, so we are coming to help her out. Will we be able to drop groceries off to her on our arrival night? I know she wants some food for breakfast, but they are flying. We're not interested in parking at GF to go to the parks (and it won't even be a park day for us), but I wouldn't mind taking a peek at her room :teeth: Is there a way she can clear us for a drop-off when she checks in (she will arrive before we do that day)? Otherwise, she could do a grocery order, but I'm trying to save her some hassle. I think she is planning to take the shuttle, so no grocery stop, not that she would want to do that with kids after flying anyway. We might not know for sure until we try it, but I don't want her counting on the food for breakfast and we can't get it to her.

I know worst case we could park at TTC and monorail to her - it just doesn't sound fun with bags of groceries after driving most of the day. Or maybe she could add me or DH to her room since she will only have one adult and two kids?

Thanks for any ideas/experiences I haven't thought of!
I don't think you'll have an issue with a short term drop off of groceries. Just explain your situation and I believe you will be fine.
Edit to note no advance phone calls necessary IMO!
 
Or maybe she could add me or DH to her room since she will only have one adult and two kids?
This would be the simple no cost solution unless she is staying on a Disney Package which includes tickets vs a room only reservation.

If she is on a Disney Package then you would need to just have her name as listed on her reservation and you are able to visit her at the GF.

You would just need to show a photo ID at the GF gate and the CM can verify her reservation and direct you where to park. You can also pull up to the Portico. and drop off your Grocery bags.

Dave
 
I'm DVC and live in Florida so we drive- about 8 on property trips per year. We often stay non-DVC as well. I have never seen anyone look at my license plate- as a guest or dining.
There are cameras aimed at your plate as you drive in. You may not see them write it down, but eventually they do or they have it recorded. However they also charge guests for parking who don't have a car, so the system is definitely flawed. No real consistency.
 
I have another question that doesn't warrant its own thread. DH and I are staying at the Dolphin in a few weeks - we will have a car because we are driving. My niece is staying at the GF with her two kids - single mom, so we are coming to help her out. Will we be able to drop groceries off to her on our arrival night? I know she wants some food for breakfast, but they are flying. We're not interested in parking at GF to go to the parks (and it won't even be a park day for us), but I wouldn't mind taking a peek at her room :teeth: Is there a way she can clear us for a drop-off when she checks in (she will arrive before we do that day)? Otherwise, she could do a grocery order, but I'm trying to save her some hassle. I think she is planning to take the shuttle, so no grocery stop, not that she would want to do that with kids after flying anyway. We might not know for sure until we try it, but I don't want her counting on the food for breakfast and we can't get it to her.

I know worst case we could park at TTC and monorail to her - it just doesn't sound fun with bags of groceries after driving most of the day. Or maybe she could add me or DH to her room since she will only have one adult and two kids?

Thanks for any ideas/experiences I haven't thought of!

Does your niece have a room-only reservation? If so, she could add just one of you to the reservation now. If she adds both of you, she will have to pay a nightly, extra adult charge. If she has a package reservation, she can ask the front desk CM to add your name when she checks in.
 
So i had a similar situation recently. Was staying at Beach Club and had tickets for Mickeys Not So Scary. We had a 5 o’clock reservation at Grand Floridan cafe the night of the party. We wanted to drive there and leave the car there so we didn’t have to deal with all the crowds when leaving the party. The day before, based on recommendations from here, we went to the Grand and asked about leaving our car there thru the party after dinner for several hours. We were told by the parking attendant if you pay for valet you can leave your car there as long as you want. They said “someone is here 24/7 so as long as you pay you can leave your car”. We arrived at the Grand an hour and a half prior to dinner so we could enjoy the Enchanted Rose.
No judgment for people here please we did what was suggested and told by cast members what was allowed
 







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