Staying off-site... Am I right about valet parking?

[Cree629]

Okay, so it looks like we may be staying offsite this November. On a couple of our park days we are either beginning or ending our day with an ADR at a monorail resort.

We'll be paying $15 per day to park in the park lots anyway, right, since we are off-site?

So, if I understand correctly, for the same(ish) price (plus tip, of course) we could valet park at the resort where we are either starting or ending our day and then use the monorail to get to/from the park. Is this accurate? If so, it seems like a no-brainer to me!

Thanks in advance!

 

[mmouse50]

it may depend on when your dining reservation is on whether you could park in the hotel lots. For Breakfast you probably won't have a problem because security will have a list of all reservations - if you have a reservation then security will give you a pass for 2 hour parking in the self service parking area. - just bypass that and valet park the car.

Dinner may be harder because if they are going by the reservations - they may not let you in until around your dinner reservation time.

 

[sharadoc]

Okay, so it looks like we may be staying offsite this November. On a couple of our park days we are either beginning or ending our day with an ADR at a monorail resort.

We'll be paying $15 per day to park in the park lots anyway, right, since we are off-site?

So, if I understand correctly, for the same(ish) price (plus tip, of course) we could valet park at the resort where we are either starting or ending our day and then use the monorail to get to/from the park. Is this accurate? If so, it seems like a no-brainer to me!

Thanks in advance!

Yes that's what we do. Once you pay for valet you have no time limit or requirement of a meal reservation. We like to valet at Boardwalk for visiting DHS and World Showcase. We like having ESPN, Big River Grille, Bakery and Seashore Sweets for our "nightcap" when the parks close. And we stay onsite and still think it's worth it.

 

[nugov2]

Yes, valet is $16 dollars. We did this and you can come and go. You don't have to have reservations...you could just be meeting a friend to get past the gate. We called the valet stand at CR and they told us we could absolutely park at valet and walk to the park, but to tell them at the gate we have reservations. We did just that and the person at the gate never checked a list and never gave us a 2 hour pass. The valet knew that we were only parking there to walk over to the park. We did this multiple times during our trip and never had an issue. My brother left every park day for a midday break and was able to drive right back in each day. This was just in June. Maybe it changes by time of year though. We thought this option was a great time saver. I have read on here where some feel it is wrong, but you are still paying to park so I don't really get the mentality. If WDW was truly against it....the valets wouldn't allow you to park and walk over to the park, but that is JMHO. I think this would be the same for parking in the morning and eating there at dinner.

 

[Cree629]

Dinner may be harder because if they are going by the reservations - they may not let you in until around your dinner reservation time.

So, are you saying you can't valet park at a resort without a dining reservation? I was under the impression that reservations only matter for free parking in the resort lots, not for valet parking. Am I mistaken?

 

[vicki_c]

So, are you saying you can't valet park at a resort without a dining reservation? I was under the impression that reservations only matter for free parking in the resort lots, not for valet parking. Am I mistaken?

No you are not. Anyone can valet for any reason, subject to space in the lots.

 

[aubriee]

I understand that if you have a handicap tag that valet parking is free. Correct? If so, what would you tip? Since you would get parking for free, I would assume you would tip more than usual? (Don't know if it matters, but we have annual passes, so even staying offsite, parking at the parks would be free anyway, so we are not trying to get out of paying the parking fee.)

Also sometimes my mom would be using her ECV, so we would be getting that out of the car and even though we really wouldn't need any help with it, I know the CMs would probably help get it out and together anyway. Sometimes if all we were doing is dining at the resort though, she would just use her cane and we'd leave the ECV in the car. How much would you tip in each instance? Also maybe a stupid question, but do you tip both when dropping the car off and then again when picking it up?

 

[Missyrose]

So, are you saying you can't valet park at a resort without a dining reservation? I was under the impression that reservations only matter for free parking in the resort lots, not for valet parking. Am I mistaken?

The resorts within walking distance to parks (CR, BC, YC, BWI) will sometimes turn people away at the security guard spot if you don't have a reservation of some kind. I've had it happen to me before.

I understand that if you have a handicap tag that valet parking is free. Correct? If so, what would you tip? Since you would get parking for free, I would assume you would tip more than usual? (Don't know if it matters, but we have annual passes, so even staying offsite parking at the parks would be free anyway, so we are not trying to get out of paying the parking fee.)

Also sometimes my mom would be using her ECV, so we would be getting that out of the car and even though we really wouldn't need any help with it, I know the CMs would probably help get it out and together anyway. Sometimes if all we were doing is dining at the resort though, she would just use her cane and we'd leave the ECV in the car. How much would you tip in each instance? Also maybe a stupid question, but do you tip both when dropping the car off and then again when picking it up?

Yes, you should tip even if you're getting free valet services with the handicap placard. The valet workers are providing the same service for you that they would be if you were paying, so they should be tipped accordingly.

 

[Alesia]

I understand that if you have a handicap tag that valet parking is free. Correct? If so, what would you tip? Since you would get parking for free, I would assume you would tip more than usual? (Don't know if it matters, but we have annual passes, so even staying offsite parking at the parks would be free anyway, so we are not trying to get out of paying the parking fee.)

Also sometimes my mom would be using her ECV, so we would be getting that out of the car and even though we really wouldn't need any help with it, I know the CMs would probably help get it out and together anyway. Sometimes if all we were doing is dining at the resort though, she would just use her cane and we'd leave the ECV in the car. How much would you tip in each instance? Also maybe a stupid question, but do you tip both when dropping the car off and then again when picking it up?

The standard tip is $2 when dropping off and $2 when picking up. If I were getting free parking, I would probably tip $4 or $5 each way.

 

[figment_jii]

It's also worth noting that once you've paid for valet, you can valet park again at any Disney resort without having to pay a second time. So let's say you valet at CR in the morning, then have dinner at the WL. You can valet at WL without having to pay $15 again. I did that a few times when breakfast/lunch was at one resort and dinner was at another. that

 

[goofy4tink]

it may depend on when your dining reservation is on whether you could park in the hotel lots. For Breakfast you probably won't have a problem because security will have a list of all reservations - if you have a reservation then security will give you a pass for 2 hour parking in the self service parking area. - just bypass that and valet park the car.

Dinner may be harder because if they are going by the reservations - they may not let you in until around your dinner reservation time.

Not usually. Most people are allowed into the resort parking area for any reason. Now, if it's an extremely busy time of year, you may have to be a paying guest of the resort in order to park. I know that during Food and Wine time, you can't park at BW, on weekends, unless you are staying there.
But those times aren't common. Anyone is welcome to pay to valet park at any resort. Yes, there 'could' be a time where you are denied based on huge numbers of cars there. But that just doesn't happen very often.

I understand that if you have a handicap tag that valet parking is free. Correct? If so, what would you tip? Since you would get parking for free, I would assume you would tip more than usual? (Don't know if it matters, but we have annual passes, so even staying offsite parking at the parks would be free anyway, so we are not trying to get out of paying the parking fee.)

Also sometimes my mom would be using her ECV, so we would be getting that out of the car and even though we really wouldn't need any help with it, I know the CMs would probably help get it out and together anyway. Sometimes if all we were doing is dining at the resort though, she would just use her cane and we'd leave the ECV in the car. How much would you tip in each instance? Also maybe a stupid question, but do you tip both when dropping the car off and then again when picking it up?

I would probably tip about $3-4 each way. I know that I tip $2-3 when I'm paying to park. My step-mother? Oh, she hands me a dollar bill every time. I then add another one or two!!! Geez.

 

[aubriee]

Yes, you should tip even if you're getting free valet services with the handicap placard. The valet workers are providing the same service for you that they would be if you were paying, so they should be tipped accordingly.

I knew you should tip. I was just wondering if since the handicap tag would give us free valet parking, if we should tip more than you would usually and if so how much more.

 

[Angie789]

Is it possible to pay for valet parking with a Disney gift card or is it cash only? Or maybe gift card for the parking and cash for the tip?

 

[Rainforest]

We will probably have to valet park at CR for a couple of early morning ADRs, so our names will be on the list anyway.

However, I have a question about the free valet parking for disabled/handicapped persons (but I know you must tip the valet parking attendant) - does anyone know if this is also for UK disabled badge holders as well? I will be there with someone who has mobility problems, and thus has a UK "Blue Badge".

Thanks.