Parking on arrival day

[pharaoh]

Hi guys! I have a question and couldn't find the answer.

I've got a short trip booked for next week, arriving on 1/6 and leaving on 1/8. I'll be staying at ASM. To maximize my time at the parks, I'm going to drive up really early on 1/6 so I can arrive to DHS around park open time.

My question is that since I'll be hitting the park before I check in, will I have to pay for parking? Or can I go to ASM early in the morning to check in and get my parking pass and then head out to the park?

Really looking to avoid that parking fee lol. Thanks for any info!

 

[Trekkie]

When you get to Disney property, I'd recommend going to your resort, first. (For one thing, I don't know if you'll have to. I don't know if your tickets will be programmed into your Magic Bands, until you go to the resort.)

When you get to the resort, you'll come to a security booth. Tell the guard that you're chacking in. You'll have to show ID. He'll have a list of the people who are checking in that day. He'll give you a parking pass.

You park (or use the valet). Go to the front desk. Check in.

If they have a room available, they'll check you into a room right then. (You don't have to wait till their 3:00 check in time, to check in.)

If they don;t have a room available, (and they might well not. Early in the morning, the only way they'll have a room, is if the room was vacant, last night.), then they'll still check you in, anyway, you just don't have a room.

Either way, you can just leave your car at the resort, and take Disney transportation to whatever park you want to go to. (You're even go for Extra Magic Hours, if you want.)

(If you really want to drive to whichever park it is, you can. The guy in the toll booth who collects the parking fee will let you into whichever park's parking area you drive to. You're a Disney Resort guest, and that parking pass the security guard gave you is good at your resort, and at the parks. But I think you'll find Disney transportation to be preferable.)

If they didn't have a room when you checked in, then when a room does become available, they'll send you a text message, telling you that your room is ready, and telling you which room number you have. You don't have to go back to the front desk a second time, your Magic Band will unlock whichever room they assigned you.

 

[Trekkie]

deleted.

 

[pharaoh]

Ok, thank you Trekkie! I have been to WDW many times and I am an AP holder so I wasn't really thinking about getting into the park, just thinking about parking at the park.

I didn't think I would be able to check in so early (probably around 7 or 8AM. I will be driving from Miami probably around 5AM) but it sounds like I can do just that! Thanks for the advice.

 

[MouseLover]

So is parking at the parks free to Disney Resort guests from the moment of arrival through departure?

For example, if I'm staying 3 nights, do I get free parking for 3 days, or for 4?
Thanks

 

[pharaoh]

Your parking pass will list both your arrival date and your departure date, so even after you check out on your departure day, as long as you keep your parking pass, you will be able to use free parking for the rest of the day.

The arrival thing is new to me but according to what Trekkie posted, I should be able to get my parking pass from security, and even check in early (although my room might not yet be ready), as long as it's on the day of my arrival.

When is your trip MouseLover? I'll keep you posted.

 

[Trekkie]

As far as I'm aware, nothing I posted is new. In fact, it comes from trips I made, before Magic Bands.

In those days, you had to check in at the resort, before you went to the park. Because, until you checked in at the resort, you didn't have park tickets. (Your room key was your park ticket). Therefore, they had to have the ability to give people a room key, even though they didn't have a room, yet.

 

[MouseLover]

My trip is in June.

 

[bigbabyblues]

You can check in anytime after the computers roll over to the new day. We always check in around 7:15 or 7:30 a.m.

 

[pharaoh]

As far as I'm aware, nothing I posted is new. In fact, it comes from trips I made, before Magic Bands.

In those days, you had to check in at the resort, before you went to the park. Because, until you checked in at the resort, you didn't have park tickets. (Your room key was your park ticket). Therefore, they had to have the ability to give people a room key, even though they didn't have a room, yet.

I didn't mean your info was new. I meant that I personally didn't know it, so it was something new I learned.

 

[pharaoh]

You can check in anytime after the computers roll over to the new day. We always check in around 7:15 or 7:30 a.m.

Nice! Thanks very much! I feel better about this now.

 

[illinidp]

You can complete the check in process after 6 AM. While you won't get your room unless it just happened to be empty the night before you can take care of everything else including getting your parking pass, activating room charging privileges, and activating your dining credits (if applicable).

 

[happymommy]

Ok, thank you Trekkie! I have been to WDW many times and I am an AP holder so I wasn't really thinking about getting into the park, just thinking about parking at the park.

I didn't think I would be able to check in so early (probably around 7 or 8AM. I will be driving from Miami probably around 5AM) but it sounds like I can do just that! Thanks for the advice.

If I recall correctly, AP holders get free parking at the parks anyway, don't they?

 

[Trekkie]

If I recall correctly, AP holders get free parking at the parks anyway, don't they?

Yep. Unless they've changed it.

(Although I think that's only with the Annual Pass, on up. The Seasonal pass and down don't include it.)

 

[pharaoh]

Yep! I have a Florids Resident Seasonal Pass, so no free parking for me.

 

[bookgirl]

Ok, thank you Trekkie! I have been to WDW many times and I am an AP holder so I wasn't really thinking about getting into the park, just thinking about parking at the park.

I didn't think I would be able to check in so early (probably around 7 or 8AM. I will be driving from Miami probably around 5AM) but it sounds like I can do just that! Thanks for the advice.

I've checked in at 7 am before. No worries.