What happens if you leave your car in a theme park lot overnight?

[Aimros]

What would happen if we decided to drive our rental car, and park at let's say, Epcot for the day, but end up finding it's easier to take the bus back to our resort if we park hop (or drink too much around the world ). What is the policy on cars being left in the theme park lots overnight? Do they get towed? Just curious.

 

[cheerbabe55]

Yep. They get towed.

 

[Aimros]

Interesting... so does anyone know if this happens quite often? it seems like Disney would be calling tow trucks every night.

 

[Disneywedding2010]

Interesting... so does anyone know if this happens quite often? it seems like Disney would be calling tow trucks every night.

Disey more then likely has a contract with a local tow company. Most companies (i.e. such as Lowes) have policies that if a vehicle is left over night it will be towed. I personally wouldn't risk it.

 

[carlyle688]

I had to do it once. We told security that we had to leave our car overnight and they said it was ok. It was several years ago so I don't remember if they put a note or anything on it saying not to tow it.

 

[Aimros]

I guess it was more curiosity than anything... I figured with park hopping people might even forget they brought their rental car and parked it in some other theme park lot and not feel like going back to get it. That would be a bummer having to pay to get it back.

 

[Belle & Ariel]

I can't believe they would tow. It would cause a lot of angry guests.
I do not recall signs stating the policy, so they could have problems if they do tow. My daughter works at the mall and often the girls go to one of their homes after work and if they are opening some might leave their car. They also do this at college (not in dorm lots) rather than each driving. I would think it would be treated the same at Disney. Without signs posted saying this will happen, how could it be done?
My son had a medical emergency once at DHS and they offered to drive us back to our resort. Nothing was said about a problem leaving my car there.
Is this being stated from firsthand experience or is someone just speculating?

 

[seashoreCM]

Hmmmm. Now, would Disney chauffeur you over to the lot to get the car if all the buses (or monorail) had stopped running for the evening?

As opposed to your being willing to wait for the buses to resume running come dawn?

 

[Otter49]

Florida has very specific statutes regarding the towing of vehicles from private property.

Among other things, signs specifying the tow conditions as well as the name and phone number of the towing company are required by law. These signs must be posted within 5 feet of the public right of way at each access barrier.

The owner of an unlawfully towed vehicle is entitled to recover the towing and storage fees as well as recovery for damages, court costs, and attorney fees.

Further, the property owner would be subject to a $500 fine.

But from a practical standpoint, why would Disney bother, unless a vehicle is truly abandoned? The vehicle would have been parked with Disney's permission, and to my knowledge, there is no signage prohibiting overnight parking.

 

[aeryn]

A few years ago I asked this question and was told that cars can stay overnight one night, security will note the car/location and if it is there a second night after the parks are emptied/closed it will be towed at that point.

 

[Aimros]

A few years ago I asked this question and was told that cars can stay overnight one night, security will note the car/location and if it is there a second night after the parks are emptied/closed it will be towed at that point.

I think this sounds like it would make the most sense. I can imagine it happens quite often where you go to a park really early, hop to another and stay really late, and forget about your car especially if you have been using Disney transportation as well as your car during your vacation.

 

[joelkfla]

Hmmmm. Now, would Disney chauffeur you over to the lot to get the car if all the buses (or monorail) had stopped running for the evening?

It's pretty much impossible to get stranded at a park for the night. A few buses are kept around to transport stragglers to wherever they're going until the gates are locked.

If a guest's partying at a resort past midnight ... maybe. Buses run from DTD to the resorts until 2 a.m., but at some time they start running only when there are guests to take home, and I don't know what time that is.

 

[joelnkelly]

Mickey, Donald and goofy will take it for a joy ride, it might not be at the same spot you left it though.

 

[T16GEM]

Hmmmm. Now, would Disney chauffeur you over to the lot to get the car if all the buses (or monorail) had stopped running for the evening?

As opposed to your being willing to wait for the buses to resume running come dawn?

Yes the security does, we were there a few years ago and I can't remember what the reason was for us being so late getting back to our car, but anyway the last bus (at that time) had gone and we had park hopped from DHS to AK I think, we stopped by a security truck and they were more than happy to take us back to our car at DHS, they said that they do it a lot for people, they also drive people around the lots if they have forgotten where they are parked.

HTH

 

[bradk]

there's actually a pretty lengthy thread on this from a few months ago.. somewhere.

one night probably won't hurt. i wouldn't risk going beyond that. it becomes a security threat and there are abandonment laws, which I think is 48 hours in FL? I have it in the other thread.

aforementioned thread: http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2548324

 

[Cheshire Figment]

At TL we have sometimes had Guests leave a car overnight. The Guest would come to a Guest Relations window and give us the information, which we would pass on to Security. Basically if it is only one night it will be OK, but if it is there a second night Security will take some action. They might contact the rental car agency to see if there is a problem.