Pay to park at Disney for a meal?

[katie111]

We are staying at Bonnet Creek this trip and have a reservation at Cape May for breakfast. Will I have to pay to park at the Beach Club or do they validate? Thanks!

 

[winthropf]

There is free parking and also valet parking for $15 per day. You will only be permitted to use the free parking for 2-3 hours.

 

[Kimberle]

No, you don't have to pay to park at a resort. You are "allowed" 3 hours. When you pull into the guard shack, s/he may ask for your ADR number and you'll most likely have to show an ID.

 

[atwmommy]

What if you are going to the free evening movie event or want to look around and catch the water parade?

 

[dmunsil]

What if you are going to the free evening movie event or want to look around and catch the water parade?

If it's very busy, they might not let you self-park for anything other than a meal reservation. If it's not too busy, they'll let you in for any decent reason (other than "I just wanted to take the monorail to the park" ), including "I just want to look around." Usually there will still be a 3-hour limit unless you valet park.

Actually, I've heard that at super-busy times they might not even let you self-park for a meal reservation! In those cases, you have the choice of going back where you came from and taking Disney transport or a cab, finding the nearest open parking lot and taking DT or a cab from there, or valet parking.

Does anyone know if they ever close so tight they won't let you valet park?

 

[Missyrose]

If it's very busy, they might not let you self-park for anything other than a meal reservation. If it's not too busy, they'll let you in for any decent reason (other than "I just wanted to take the monorail to the park" ), including "I just want to look around." Usually there will still be a 3-hour limit unless you valet park.

Actually, I've heard that at super-busy times they might not even let you self-park for a meal reservation! In those cases, you have the choice of going back where you came from and taking Disney transport or a cab, finding the nearest open parking lot and taking DT or a cab from there, or valet parking.

Does anyone know if they ever close so tight they won't let you valet park?

The tightest resort (in my experience at least) has always been CR. If you don't have an ADR that appears on their list at the guard shack, you're not getting in to self park OR valet. That's been the only resort we've been shut out from for valet parking.

 

[goofy4tink]

What if you are going to the free evening movie event or want to look around and catch the water parade?

None of those things entitle you to lengthy parking. The water parade would mean that you are looking at parking at one of the MK resorts. Free movies could be at any of the resorts. Even if you have a meal planned at a resort, you are expected to move your car after 3 or so hours. It's just not fair to those that are paying ridiculously high rates to stay at these resorts to be unable to find decent parking!
It is very easy to watch the water parade from MK, or to park at the TTC for that matter. But at the very least? Those that choose to park at these resorts really should try to be considerate and take the more distant parking spaces, leaving the spaces that are closer to the resort for those that are staying there.

 

[Alexander]

If it's very busy, they might not let you self-park for anything other than a meal reservation. If it's not too busy, they'll let you in for any decent reason (other than "I just wanted to take the monorail to the park" ), including "I just want to look around." Usually there will still be a 3-hour limit unless you valet park.

Actually, I've heard that at super-busy times they might not even let you self-park for a meal reservation! In those cases, you have the choice of going back where you came from and taking Disney transport or a cab, finding the nearest open parking lot and taking DT or a cab from there, or valet parking.

Does anyone know if they ever close so tight they won't let you valet park?

Yes, the Poly lot closes to anyone not staying there on special occasions that would draw people there, ie--4th of July Fireworks, etc. even if you have a reservation for dinner.