Parking !!

[HookedOnDiz]

It is not easy to try to inform people of the rules when each and every time someone pipes up with a " gee, I parked here, there were no signs" stuff. It just invites people to try to get around the system.

I'm assuming you were referring to my post. If that's the case then maybe allow me to clarify:

We parked in a lot across from the GF. There were no signs stating that the general public was prohibited from parking in the lot or that there was a time limit for parking in the lot. There was no attendant in the lot as well. Something tells me that if there was a serious problem with people parking in that lot so that they can eat at the GF and then take the monorail to parks for a couple of hours then Disney at the very least would post a sign reminding people not to park there.

I think that the "get around the system" crack was tad harsh... afterall, we were already staying at the AKL and we paid to have lunch at the GF and we parked there for less than 3 hours so even if there was a time limit we were not exceeding it.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by HookedOnDiz
I'm assuming you were referring to my post. If that's the case then maybe allow me to clarify:

We parked in a lot across from the GF. There were no signs stating that the general public was prohibited from parking in the lot or that there was a time limit for parking in the lot. There was no attendant in the lot as well. Something tells me that if there was a serious problem with people parking in that lot so that they can eat at the GF and then take the monorail to parks for a couple of hours then Disney at the very least would post a sign reminding people not to park there.

I think that the "get around the system" crack was tad harsh... afterall, we were already staying at the AKL and we paid to have lunch at the GF and we parked there for less than 3 hours so even if there was a time limit we were not exceeding it.

No Tom, I was not referring to you, in fact, I just read your post two minutes ago. I was speaking in general.

And, most of the monorail resorts do have a sign indicating that parking is not allowed at the resort for the purpose of going to the parks. It is usually posted as you pass the security gate.

 

[kylara]

If you have friends staying on property that you are meeting, I would ask at the hotels if you can park in their lot for the day.

Burleygirl, your friends might want to explain the situation when they check-in. I have twice gotten parking passes when my family is in town staying at Disney. I live in near WDW so I do not stay on property with them, but I go over and meet them every day when they are here. Last summer my sister, bil and nieces stayed at the PO when Disney was doing the special for AP holders where you could get family a room at the AP discount but not have to stay. When my sister checked in, she asked for a parking pass for my car. She explained that she didn't have one, but that I would be meeting them each day to go to the park and to bring my sister to the grocery store and on other errands. The CM have me the parking pass and also did up an extra room key for me so I could get through the gate each day.

Then in January when my mom and step dad came, the CM at CBR did the same thing. She gave me a parking pass for my dash and a key to the room so I could get through the gate each morning.

I think what helped is that both times my family did not have a car on property. I was their transportation any time they needed to go off property.

 

[wdwdvcdad]

If you pay to valet, you can stay there as long as you like, and do whatever you wish.

 

[LKS]

I just wanted to add that using Disney Transportation is not only a perk of staying on property - that also comes with having a park hopper or AP. So, as long as you are EITHER a property guest, or have a multi-day pass you can ride to and from all the hotels you want. The problem, as I see it, comes in when you consider that you are taking up a parking space at a hotel all day instead of in the public parking where you really belong. Many of the hotels have limited parking, and the guests who are paying to stay there should not have to spend ages searching for a spot because it's full of non guests. Some hotels with the worst problems in this are are trying to limit it by timing the passes etc..., others, like the all stars, are not particulary popular since they are farther away from the parks (time is money at WDW, you know), so they can afford to be looser on their policies.

Anyway, just pointing out that it is likely not transportation the hotel parkers are out of policy on (as long as they have a multi-day pass), it's the actual parking spot.

 

[BurleyGirl]

I sincerely thank everyone who replied on my behalf--the good, the bad, and the ugly

 

[disneyfan551]

you guys crack me up!!!

 

[serenababy]

Am I understanding correctly - if you have a Park Hopper Plus Pass, you can park at the Disney hotels even if you are not a Disney hotel guest? I'm sooo confused

 

[skiwee1]

Originally posted by serenababy
Am I understanding correctly - if you have a Park Hopper Plus Pass, you can park at the Disney hotels even if you are not a Disney hotel guest? I'm sooo confused

No you cannot. You have to be a guest of that resort to use their parking. What you can do is have use of the WDW transportation IF you have a valide park hopper pass. That includes buses, boats, and monorail.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by serenababy
Am I understanding correctly - if you have a Park Hopper Plus Pass, you can park at the Disney hotels even if you are not a Disney hotel guest? I'm sooo confused

No, resort parking is for resort guests who have paid to stay on site and enjoy the perqs that come with it.

 

[katrina1122]

A few observations from someone who never has a car in disney....
1) there are no buses directly from dtd to parks anymore? is that what I'm reading...does that mean you can only get there from your resort or the ttc? that's just silly.
2) someone mentioned taking a boat from the wildnerness to the poly to catch the monorail to mk, but wanted to drive to save time to make spectro, fyi the boat from wildnerness does not go to the poly it goes directly to the mk its faster to take the boat
3) this whole parking debate has gotten a bit out of hand. I wholeheartedly agree that if you aren't staying on resort you don't have the free parking priveleges that resort guests enjoy unless you are eating at a resort. Otherwise you pay the $7 to park and just be done with it. Sure it might be nice to meet up with your friends who are off resort, take advantage of your onsite priveledges what have you, but why start opening a huge can of worms. We may stay off resort and sure I hate to lose an additional $7/day, but more than likely I'll be getting a cheaper hotel rate, so i'll make it up in that price. Sure maybe you are eating breakfast with a friend, but there are plenty of places to eat, justify it how you will its still slipping through the cracks. In the end do as you please, but just know that you have to live with your decision, "you" being anyone who chooses to not pay to park.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by katrina1122
A few observations from someone who never has a car in disney....
1) there are no buses directly from dtd to parks anymore? is that what I'm reading...does that mean you can only get there from your resort or the ttc? that's just silly.
2) someone mentioned taking a boat from the wildnerness to the poly to catch the monorail to mk, but wanted to drive to save time to make spectro, fyi the boat from wildnerness does not go to the poly it goes directly to the mk its faster to take the boat
3) this whole parking debate has gotten a bit out of hand. I wholeheartedly agree that if you aren't staying on resort you don't have the free parking priveleges that resort guests enjoy unless you are eating at a resort. Otherwise you pay the $7 to park and just be done with it. Sure it might be nice to meet up with your friends who are off resort, take advantage of your onsite priveledges what have you, but why start opening a huge can of worms. We may stay off resort and sure I hate to lose an additional $7/day, but more than likely I'll be getting a cheaper hotel rate, so i'll make it up in that price. Sure maybe you are eating breakfast with a friend, but there are plenty of places to eat, justify it how you will its still slipping through the cracks. In the end do as you please, but just know that you have to live with your decision, "you" being anyone who chooses to not pay to park.

Nope no more busses from DD to the parks. That stopped folks from offsite hotels from parking at DD and taking the bus to the parks, thereby avoiding the parking fee. It was, as you so aptly put it, slipping throught the cracks. Shoppers at DD were getting upset that they could not find a parking space, no small complaint, IMHO.

Valet parking at resorts was free until offsite guests were abusing the free service. Now, we have a 6.00 per day valet fee.
Again, the slipping through the cracks scenario.

I like your post, you made great sense.