What is the logic behind parking management at WDW?

[cuchu2005]

This past vacation was really confusing.

One day we would drive to rope drop to the T&TC and the parking assistants would guide us to the first parking lot to the right near the monorail track (best option to go walking to the monorail or ferry.

Other day they would send us to the far left ont the second parking lot. Still walking distance but a bit far away. Then we noticed just a few cars on the parking lot I described on the previous paragraph and wondered why they didn't send us there.

On other times they would make people park on a slot not sending a car behind that same slot (when you park in your slot facing the CM you stop at the line and another car will park behind you).

I know there has to be some logic, but it seemed absolutely random.

Does anyone know how they manage parking space?

Thanks.

Mx

 

[bobtabin]

Regarding parking behind you, they typically park the front of each row first then repeat that row and park behind you. This is all for safety and by the time they park behind you, the people will be directed to walk in front of their cars and will be out of your way. Regarding which lots they use; not sure really.

 

[Bluegrrl]

After tons of times parking at WDW, I can only conclude that there is no logic here.

 

[pickles521]

I was told once that part of it has to do with helping you find your lost car. If you can tell them about what time you arrived, they can tell you approximately where you parked. No idea if that's true...

 

[markmcalear]

We were at DHS in August, got there nice and early and had a space near the park entrance. We then left early afternoon and returned around 5pm only to be directed all the way to the back of the carpark even though the front section was less than half full. Then my friend arrived about 15 minutes behind me only to be directed to the front of the carpark!! Madness!!

 

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . Does anyone know how they manage parking space? . . .

1) The system is really quite simple.
2) From what I understand, the locations are logically split
. . . if you have Florida plates starting with A-C-Q-T-Y, it goes to #1 spots
. . . if you have Florida plates ending in 2-5-6-8, it goes to #2 spots
. . . if you have Florida plates and car is white, it goes to #3 spots
. . . if you have Florida plates and car is green, it goes to #4 spots
. . . if you have out-of-state plates from The North, it goes to #5 spots
. . . if you have out-of-state plates from The South, it goes to #6 spots
. . . all others go to #7 spots
3) Or maybe not.

 

[cuchu2005]

1) The system is really quite simple.
2) From what I understand, the locations are logically split
. . . if you have Florida plates starting with A-C-Q-T-Y, it goes to #1 spots
. . . if you have Florida plates ending in 2-5-6-8, it goes to #2 spots
. . . if you have Florida plates and car is white, it goes to #3 spots
. . . if you have Florida plates and car is green, it goes to #4 spots
. . . if you have out-of-state plates from The North, it goes to #5 spots
. . . if you have out-of-state plates from The South, it goes to #6 spots
. . . all others go to #7 spots
3) Or maybe not.

Lol! That is exactly what I thought. Just needed confirmation!

 

[tndisneyfan]

I thought the same thing on our last trip in October. My husband has a disability so he have a handicap tag. We arrived at Epcot early, around 8, and instead of going to the lot near the monorail we had to park in the other lot further over. It was actually CM parking, when we were leaving we were following CMs to their cars.

 

[puffkin]

I don't know the logic, but I still think the Disney parking gurus are geniuses. They can park a lot of people very efficiently and we have never had long waits getting into or out of a Disney parking lot. We somehow always manage to be the car that starts a new row, but even still it amazes me at the efficiency.

I just wish people would understand the concept to walk to the front of their car and then up that aisle. Amazes me at how dense people are when they put on their vacation blinders.

 

[becd]

I am going to have to chime in on this - in OCtober we went to AK around 4:30. The parking lot was absolutely dead EMPTY with tons of spots available at the front. Instead of letting me park there, I was directed to one of the farthest sections of the lot where I was almost by myself. Made no sense to me why I and to be all the way out there. Frankly it did not seem to be logical or efficient to me, but what do I know?

 

[disnut8]

I don't know the logic, but I still think the Disney parking gurus are geniuses. They can park a lot of people very efficiently and we have never had long waits getting into or out of a Disney parking lot. We somehow always manage to be the car that starts a new row, but even still it amazes me at the efficiency.

I just wish people would understand the concept to walk to the front of their car and then up that aisle. Amazes me at how dense people are when they put on their vacation blinders.

I have to agree with this (and not because you are from my hometown )

We stay offsite a bit and I don't like to drive to the parks but when we do, no matter what time of day or what the attendants want us to do versus what *we* want to do, we just do as we are told to do and it works out. Have we been at the very far end of a row? Yes. And we just walked back to where everyone else was. Have we had some long hikes at the end of the day? Yes but we knew our car would be there and safe.

I really do like Disney parking areas as once we are parked, we can easily open our doors without any interference from the cars on either side and just walk, yes, in front of our car and it's easy and safe.

And after Illuminations? I'd rather walk to my car than stand and wait for a bus.

 

[PeterPanic]

After tons of times parking at WDW, I can only conclude that there is no logic here.

Seriously? WDW has the most organized parking routine that I have ever seen anywhere. Why the park one parking area over another, might have something to do with the time one arrives and the expectations of crowds. Also might have to do with staffing on any given day. However, that said, I repeat, I have never seen a parking lot operated as efficiently and quickly as the WDW parking is handled.

Now, not everyone likes where they are told to park, but, that is the luck of the draw. I've seen people decide that they didn't want to park where the CM told them so they parked in a different row or closer to the tram. I've also seen those same people being escorted out of the parking lot by security.

 

[LBIJim]

I have no problem being directed anywhere in the theme park lots.

But I was kind of surprised in October. We arrived for a MNSSHP about 315pm, expecting to park far away, and instead were directed into the closest possible section. A very short walk to the TTC. It actually would have been backtracking to get to the nearest tram stop.

I suppose there's a reason why they do things the way they do, but I can't figure it out.

 

[lugnut33]

I am going to have to chime in on this - in OCtober we went to AK around 4:30. The parking lot was absolutely dead EMPTY with tons of spots available at the front. Instead of letting me park there, I was directed to one of the farthest sections of the lot where I was almost by myself. Made no sense to me why I and to be all the way out there. Frankly it did not seem to be logical or efficient to me, but what do I know?

I've had that happen lots of times there and I do something that Dis people would crucify me for.

 

[MickeyMinnie1971]

1) The system is really quite simple. 2) From what I understand, the locations are logically split . . . if you have Florida plates starting with A-C-Q-T-Y, it goes to #1 spots . . . if you have Florida plates ending in 2-5-6-8, it goes to #2 spots . . . if you have Florida plates and car is white, it goes to #3 spots . . . if you have Florida plates and car is green, it goes to #4 spots . . . if you have out-of-state plates from The North, it goes to #5 spots . . . if you have out-of-state plates from The South, it goes to #6 spots . . . all others go to #7 spots 3) Or maybe not.

I really wish this were true!

 

[nancy155]

I once could not recall where I had parked, went to a CM who asked what time I had arrived to the parking area that morning. I told them and they had a map according to times where in pretty precise area you should be parked.

 

[over50visits]

Don't know if it's an urban legend, but I often hear the story of the April 1 day (April Fool's Day) when they directed all the red Chevy rental cars to their own lane!! Imagine finding your rental car at the end of the day...

 

[smokeyblue]

For us it seems like when our legs and feet are feeling good and ready to go we get parked right by the tram lane. When we are tired and haggard from days of touring we end up at the very end of the lane.

 

[Tink575]

Don't know if it's an urban legend, but I often hear the story of the April 1 day (April Fool's Day) when they directed all the red Chevy rental cars to their own lane!! Imagine finding your rental car at the end of the day...

I heard about one April Fool's Day when they parked all white rental cars in one lot. I really do believe they used to do that.

 

[Tink575]

When we were there in Sep-Oct, they seemed to be parking cars in the Heroes Lot in the AM, then the Villians Lot around time for MNSSHP party goers.

One Memorial Day we drove in to Magic Kingdom about 11AM, we had a VFW sticker on the car (1994 Ford Escort with FL plates, still going strong with 40-50K original miles, and lovingly tended to by the Car Care Center) and a poppy hanging from the rear view mirror. They motioned us out of the line and sent us up to a spot right at the front of the lot. My veteran DH really appreciated that!