Parking Strategy

[MFLetou]

I'm staying at POR and will have a rental car.

Here's my question. Does the parking pass I'll get specify which resort I'm staying at? If we wanted to go to MK, for example, could we simply park at GF or Contemp?

Would we have to say we are eating at one of those resorts? (which we may actually do?)

Sounds like the bus is the best way to MK, otherwise.

Any thoughts?

 

[fitzdisney]

Once you are on Disney property, the parking pass lets you come and go as you please. You can even park at any of the 4 themeparks for free with your resort parking pass. The only thing you can't do is get free Valet where it is offered. Example: WL, BW, BC

 

[Disney1976]

You could drive your car to the GF or Contemporary and say you want to look at one of the gift shops or something, but if you're staying on property and not on the monorail line, it might just be quicker to take the resort bus to the MK, instead of parking your vehicle all day at one of the monorail resorts, and then still having to deal with waiting on line for a monorail!

 

[fitzdisney]

Last time we were there, we drove to Poly and parked there and jumped on the Monorail from there since the parking lot is very close to the main building. Just tell them you are eating dinner at Ohana.

 

[aquaticmom]

 

[sunnygirl]

I believe that you can get a limited time parking pass to visit resorts to eat, etc., but you can't park there all day. All of the resort lots are gated, and the gate attendant will give you a pass for your windshield with a specific time limit on it (2 or 3 hours - I can't remember exactly). It's only fair given that the resort guests need a place to park and shouldn't be squeezed out by people parking there in order to visit the parks.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Depending on the time you want to visit the Magic Kingdom Monorail Resorts when using your rental car, you might not be allowed to park if your not staying there or don't have an ADR. The reason is their self parking lots can get very busy and they like to save those spots for guests staying there and for those with confirmed ADR's. Driving to a Resort to look around is a valid reason, however it depends on the time of year when you would want to do that. Also I would strongly advise against fitzdisney suggestion by saying you have an ADR, because they have lists of guests with ADR's at the security gate and they would see your not on there. Then they could say your not allowed to park because they might think you are going there to gain easy access to the Magic Kingdom, which is not allowed. I have also seen cars turned away at all times of the day so that can happen.

 

[Kick Save]

Here's my question. Does the parking pass I'll get specify which resort I'm staying at?

Yes it does.

If we wanted to go to MK, for example, could we simply park at GF or Contemp?

You could, but the resort lots specifically state parking is for resort guests only, not for theme park visitors.

Would we have to say we are eating at one of those resorts? (which we may actually do?)

If you have an ADR, then that's what you tell them, and you'll be given a 3 hour pass for your dashboard. (I think it 3 hours.)

Sounds like the bus is the best way to MK, otherwise.

The bus is the best way to the MK hands down. It drops you off at the front gate...no parking, no trams, no ferrys, and no monorails.

Any thoughts?

Take the bus.

 

[fitzdisney]

I didn't say to tell them you have an ADR, I said to say you are eating dinner at Ohana. You can eat at the restaurants that take ADR's without a ressie. They do take walk ups we have done it several times. Sometimes we drive down for the day just to eat dinner and then drive home and we don't have a ressie and many times we have eaten at Ohana without any problem from anyone.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I didn't say to tell them you have an ADR, I said to say you are eating dinner at Ohana. You can eat at the restaurants that take ADR's without a ressie. They do take walk ups we have done it several times. Sometimes we drive down for the day just to eat dinner and then drive home and we don't have a ressie and many times we have eaten at Ohana without any problem from anyone.

That would work better at restaurants that do not take ADR's where there are no lists to check. An example is the ESPN Club at the Boardwalk. They do not accept ADR's so if a guest not staying there said they were going to eat there, the security Cast Member would have to trust that they are really going there and not parking there to visit Epcot. You are right that guests could try to walk into Ohana without an ADR, however how do you know someone from Ohana might not tell the security their are full for the evening and are not accepting walk-ins. So incase someone drives up and says they want to do that the Cast Member might deny them from parking.

 

[Ilovestitch]

Lol.. my thoughts exactly... this should be interesting..

 

[SnackyStacky]

The policy is:

You may park in a parking lot of a resort where you're not staying if you have some sort of business there. (A meal, exploring the resort, shopping...) During periods of heavy attendance, a parking pass may be issued with a 3 hour time frame limit. Sometimes these passes are not given. Visiting theme parks does NOT constitute business at a resort.

That's the policy. Please don't turn this into a mud-slinging contest. It would be nice to see one of these die down without having to close it.

 

[goofy4tink]

Quite often there is signage, at the resort entrance, telling you that parking at that resort is for those staying there, or that have reservations for a meal...it is not for park access.
Park at the TTC, then take the monorail to the resort you want to eat at.

 

[sbell111]

It would be better to take the bus from your resort or drive to TTC. My wife and I always have a car in Orlando and always drive to the resorts. We use priority parking, so for Epcot, AK, and MGM, we park VERY close to the maig gates. At MK, we park in the front of the lot at TTC and either take the monorail or (preferably) the ferry to the park. I think that I prefer coming in from TTC to getting dropped off at MK by the buses because the approach it feels more 'magical'.

 

[seashoreCM]

Your resort parking pass gives you unlimited free parking at your resort and at the parks.

At other resorts you are still treated in the same manner as day guests, 3 hour parking pass for example.

Disney hints: http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm