Parking strategy for staying off site but eating at GF and going to MK - please advise

[ilovediznee]

This off-site thing is making my head spin! As a DVC member, this is so new to me so I'm having problems figuring out what to do - please read and advise.

The three of us (me - Mom, 2 teenagers) staying off site. The teens are going to the AK in the morning and I am going to Epcot. I am meeting the teens at the MK about 2pm. We are having dinner at the GF at 7:30, then back to the MK as it closes at midnight.

Ok, where do I park? One person's idea I read was good, saying we would be tired so park where we will be last - the Magic Kingdom, but everyone starts someplace else for the day. Do I drop the girls off at the TCC and just park at the MK and take the monorail over to Epcot, do my thing, meet them, go to dinner via the Monorail, all of us back to MK and then we leave so I'm not spending all my time driving to and from different places and the car stay in one place, OR do we all go the GF in the morning and valet park it for the day and each go our separate ways and all go back to the GF and leave from there after the park closes?

I want to avoid moving the car and not remembering where it is and make it simple.

Help!

 

[strat68]

I'd valet at GF or even park at the TTC. We did something similar a few years ago. Starting the day at EPCOT but attended Christmas Party that evening. So we parked at the TTC and used the monorail at to get around.

 

[joelkfla]

I would drop the kids at AK (just to be nice), and then park at TTC. ( I think maybe that's what you meant when you said drop the kids at TTC and park at MK, but you got your destinations mixed up.) I don't see any advantage to parking at GF.

If you don't want to drop the kids, buses are available from TTC to AK from one hour before AK opening until 9am.

 

[KrazeeK120]

I second the poster above me. Drop the kids at AK and park at the TTC. That would be the easiest thing to do.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Yeah, no bus from TTC to AK. Either the suggestion above - drop them off at AK before parking at the TTC, then they can bus and you can monorail (or exit through the IG and bus from BC) to MK; or valet at GF, then you monorail to Epcot and they monorail to MK/bus to AK.

 

[ilovediznee]

Thanks everyone! I do have a question. If I drop them off at the AK, how do I do that? Do I go up the person taking the parking money and just tell them and they direct me so I don't have to pay? Thanks.

 

[seashoreCM]

Yes, to drop them off at Animal Kingdom (or any theme park) you would tell (or ask) the person taking the parking money where you want to go, thank him/her, and drive on.

 

[goofy4tink]

Depending on how early you want to get to Epcot, I would drop the kids at AK, then drive to Epcot. If you don't care how soon you get to Epcot, then just drive to the CR, pay to valet park, then take the monorail to the TTC, and transfer to the Epcot line. When it's time to go to the MK, monorail back to TTC, transfer to the express line to MK. Then boat, or monorail to the GF for dinner, then back to MK after. And then just walk to the CR after you're done, get your car and head out.

joelkfla......didn't they move all the park buses over to the MK bus area? I know you 'used' to have to go to the TTC to get a bus, from MK, to AK and DHS. But I thought they stopped doing that. Did Disney put some buses to AK and DHS at TTC recently?

 

[joelkfla]

joelkfla......didn't they move all the park buses over to the MK bus area? I know you 'used' to have to go to the TTC to get a bus, from MK, to AK and DHS. But I thought they stopped doing that. Did Disney put some buses to AK and DHS at TTC recently?

Yes, the buses originate at MK, but they also stop at TTC on the way out until 9am, as a courtesy to Guests arriving by outside shuttle buses and cm's arriving by Lynx in the morning.

 

[goofy4tink]

Yes, the buses originate at MK, but they also stop at TTC on the way out until 9am, as a courtesy to Guests arriving by outside shuttle buses and cm's arriving by Lynx in the morning.

Well then....learn something new every day!!! Thanks for the clarification!!