Possible parking "caution" at the Contemporary Resort

[Uncleromulus]

I found this little gem on another Board:

http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=22019410&postcount=11

IT would be a real shame if someone with long awaited confirmed ADR"s at California Grill showed up (in good faith) at the proper time and was then told "Sorry!! NO parking for YOU today!!!

 

[BCV23]

It would be a shame indeed. Let's hope it doesn't come to that! Although I think it's fun to go by monorail to dinner from the Polynesian or GF, I wouldn't enjoy looping all the way back to MK parking, taking the tram and then making almost the whole resort circuit to get to dinner!

We enjoyed dinner there a week ago Sunday. Although our sons dropped DIL and me off before parking, DS1 didn't mention any particular problem parking. But I'm sure it can become crazy around the Holidays.

At least there's always valet.

 

[fla4fun]

It would be a shame indeed. Let's hope it doesn't come to that! Although I think it's fun to go by monorail to dinner from the Polynesian or GF, I wouldn't enjoy looping all the way back to MK parking, taking the tram and then making almost the whole resort circuit to get to dinner!

We enjoyed dinner there a week ago Sunday. Although our sons dropped DIL and me off before parking, DS1 didn't mention any particular problem parking. But I'm sure it can become crazy around the Holidays.

At least there's always valet.

If the entire thread had been linked, and not just my one post, I did mention later that I was not offered the choice of valet parking the day I was turned away. Only guests with a CR KTTW were being allowed in that day and all other cars were being turned around at the guard station.

Granted, I've eaten dozens and dozens of meals at CR, and only been turned away the one time. But the fact that it did happen proves that if the circumstances are just right, only guests of the hotel may be allowed to park at CR. With the reduced parking due to the construction, I can only imagine that parking is even tighter now than it was when this happened to me. It never hurts to have a backup plan, especially around the holidays, or if CR has a big convention in house.

 

[BCV23]

Was it the 4th of July, Christmas or NYE? We have dinner at CG every trip and that has yet to happen to us. It must have been very disappointing for you!

BTW our last three trips have been May, Oct and Nov all of which have been after the mystery construction began. But not overly busy times of course.

 

[Luv2Roam]

It's a rarity, but I have had this happen at Boardwalk, Contemp and Beach or Yacht Club when we wanted to go in for dining or shopping. Not a room guest? Turn yourself around. (All on different day and even years.)

 

[BCV23]

It's a rarity, but I have had this happen at Boardwalk, Contemp and Beach or Yacht Club when we wanted to go in for dining or shopping. Not a room guest? Turn yourself around. (All on different day and even years.)

Did you have dining reservations in place?

 

[sandym718]

Yikes, that would really stink. Even if you were early for your ADR by 15 minutes, I would imagine having to drive to the TTC, wait, board and ride the monorail around would make you late.

Now, with BC/YC and the Boardwalk - how else would you get there? Onsite guests could take a bus I guess - but I think from it's convuluted if you're going resort to resort. And if you drove over not knowing, I'd think you'd miss your entire ADR. What about offsite guests? (I'm assuming this was with an ADR)

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

At least there's always valet.

Actually once you are turned away from parking at any WDW Resort, that includes the valet parking lot.

It never hurts to have a backup plan, especially around the holidays, or if CR has a big convention in house.

I have noticed in my stays at the Contemporary around this time, that there are not to many conventions in general to be held there, compared to other months of the year. So if anyone gets turned away it would because the Resort is generally very busy with guests just going to eat there and with events like MVMCP going on the Magic Kingdom they like to turn away guests who are just going to visit or don't have any ADR's, because they would not have a valid reason to be visiting the Contemporary at that time.

 

[BCV23]

Actually once you are turned away from parking at any WDW Resort, that includes the valet parking lot.

But the thing is we've never been turned away from a resort when we've had a dining reservation. This is in many stays from 1983 on and many dinners at various resorts. And from the good Uncle's first post, I didn't know that fla4fun had been refused valet as well.

Have you ever been denied parking at a resort at which you have a dining reservation?

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

But the thing is we've never been turned away from a resort when we've had a dining reservation. This is in many stays from 1983 on and many dinners at various resorts. And from the good Uncle's first post, I didn't know that fla4fun had been refused valet as well.

Have you ever been denied parking at a resort at which you have a dining reservation?

No we have not. The point I was making is that if a guest is turned away from parking at a Resort if they had an ADR and they suggested that they would valet park, so they would not take up a spot in the self parking lot does not matter. Because once they are turned away there is nothing they can do. I agree it does sound weird to turn away a guest with an ADR, however WDW must be doing it for a reason.

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

I wonder if there is a way to call ahead of time and find out? I am meeting my parents and my cousins there for CM's breakfast on a Saturday (last weekend of Christmas break, so could be busy) for a "birthday party" for my DD -soon- to -be- 9 and that will be THREE cars added in the lot. I was planning on valet, since I have the DDE card, but the others may want to self park.

Hmmm, I am thinking maybe we should meeet at the TTC anyway, and ride over on the monorail. My parents haven't been to WDW since *I* was a kid, and my cousins live in Orlando but have never taken their 3 kids to WDW! Cruel, aren't they?

Anyway, I will call ahead to the CR and ask about the parking situation on saturday morning. And I WILL get the name of whoever I speak to! I hate when I forget to do that.

 

[Uncleromulus]

And the valet parking thing--I have DDE, so I sort of "paid for" valet parking in advance!!
And I wonder if California Grill would even let you in if you were turned away and then took almost an hour to get back?? And don't they have a credit card confirmation thing??? If you just got fed up with the whole sad affair and just gave up and canceled 10 minutes before your ADR time, would you lose that??

Personally I think it's a PRETTY SORRY situation if you can't drive to a hotel restaurant where you have reservations and park your car. A most unpleasant suprise. Should Disney Dining begin to "suggest" that folks NOT drive to the CR?? Wrong as that whole "turn away" policy is, at least the guest would have some advance notice.

 

[Matt'sMom]

Personally, I guess I don't see where it would be such a big deal--provided one does not arrive at the last minute, and only then find out the CR lot is filled to capacity/closed to non-resort guests. If traveling at peak times, one should realize that it is a possibility, and plan to arrive early accordingly.

It is very simple & convenient, if staying anywhere on-site at WDW, to just take WDW transportation to either MK... or the CR directly (if on the monorail loop or via boat from WL/WC. If coming in from off site, simply allow plenty of time and be prepared for the possibility that you may need to park in the TTC lot and take the resort monorail.

Tis the season. Go prepared, and with the understanding that there will likely be crowds at WDW (both in the parks and at many of the resorts). Having an ADR in place does not guarantee that one will receive free parking at a given resort--it simply means that you have a set time after which you may be seated at the next available table. You are less likely to be disappointed if you go in with reasonable expectations.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

My advice to anyone with upcoming ADR's at the Contemporary and had planned on driving there, is to leave a bit earlier then expected and just drive right to the TTC and park there. I have a feeling that the chances of getting turned away with an ADR are slim, however based on this thread and the one in the Theme Park & Attractions board we know that could happen. So to be on the safe side by parking at the TTC right away you don't need to avoid being told sorry you need to park at the TTC when arriving at the Contemporary. Of course like it has been said anyone staying onsite can take WDW Transportation to the Magic Kingdom and either walk or take the Resort Monorail to the Contemporary. However not everyone likes to do that and not everyone stays onsite, so I guess this message can also go out to those staying offsite with future ADR's at the Contemporary.

 

[Uncleromulus]

And how might this wonderful message go out?? Relatively few WDW guests read these boards.

 

[BCV23]

Agreed.

I also don't think it is all that easy to just change your plans "accordingly." Leaving the CR to go to TTC parking involved either finding the return lane which comes up rather suddenly or driving as far as Buena Vista BLVD to turn around. I bet a fair number of guests would have trouble getting back to the TTC lot. Then the tram, wait for the resort monorail and make 3 stops before the CR. It could easily add an hour. As for using buses to the MK, when we go to CG we are dressed up a bit and neat and pretty. Taking a bus would make me feel grungy! I know that's a personal thing but....

I hope fla4fun lets us know what day this occurred. I've seen guards turn guests away from the Polynesian on the 4th if they didn't have reservations (checked with a list) but even on that very busy day, guests could get in with a reservation.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

And how might this wonderful message go out?? Relatively few WDW guests read these boards.

I realize that. I meant it as a general comment and if people who post here happen to read it, good for them. As for the ones who don't read Disboards, all I can say is if they have ADR's at the Contemporary hopefully they won't be turned away so there would be no problems.

 

[BCV23]

Oh, and one other thought about the current parking situation at the CR. I don't think many parking spots were lost for construction compared to the number of rooms taken out of circulation with about a third of the resort gone.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Then the tram, wait for the resort monorail and make 3 stops before the CR. It could easily add an hour.

I was thinking about that before and what if those guests took the Express Monorail from the TTC to the Magic Kingdom and from there transfer to the Resort Monorail, or does that not make any sense?

Oh, and one other thought about the current parking situation at the CR. I don't think many parking spots were lost for construction compared to the number of rooms taken out of circulation with about a third of the resort gone.

During my last two stays at the Contemporary, I noticed that the huge fence in the parking lot is taking up a lot more spots then you think.

 

[fla4fun]

I hope fla4fun lets us know what day this occurred. I've seen guards turn guests away from the Polynesian on the 4th if they didn't have reservations (checked with a list) but even on that very busy day, guests could get in with a reservation.

My incident occured during a combination of Spring Break and CR having a large in house convention. I really hadn't anticipated a problem, because I've even eaten Christmas and Thanksgiving dinners there, and not had a problem getting in. So it was a surprise to me at the time. I don't know if there's any way to get a list of conventions heading into CR, but having worked for a destination management company, you would be surprised how many conventions are booked immediately before and after major holidays. A friend of mine who is still in the business is working a large convention from 12/26-12/31, but that one is at another Orlando convention resort, not on Disney property. Just goes to show they can come at any time.