What is the rumored change for resort parking?

[JACKNAG]

I thought you could always visit any Disney resort if you were staying on site , especially at Christmas , we just did 12/7 12/17 and had no problems,
No dining reservations , just told the guard we were visiting.

 

[DebbieB]

I thought you could always visit any Disney resort if you were staying on site , especially at Christmas , we just did 12/7 12/17 and had no problems,
No dining reservations , just told the guard we were visiting.

You can visit if there are spaces, but not to park to visit a theme park.

 

[KYMickey]

You can visit if there are spaces, but not to park to visit a theme park.

You are correct, that's what the policy is however they have no way to enforce it at the present time. You can say you are visiting the resort and park for free if there are parking spaces but then you can go on to MK or wherever and they have no way to track that you were only in the parking area for a couple of hours. It seems like that's what they are trying to eliminate.

 

[lockedoutlogic]

It depends where you're going...

But if you try to get into a "prime" spot...you are likely to be turned away without reservations

 

[dISNEYlOveer]

At Beach Club the other day, there is a sign before the guard house that said something like "This parking lot is limited to guests with dining reservations and hotel guests only due to demand." This has been happening lately at the MK resorts and the EP resorts

 

[wilkeliza]

You are correct, that's what the policy is however they have no way to enforce it at the present time. You can say you are visiting the resort and park for free if there are parking spaces but then you can go on to MK or wherever and they have no way to track that you were only in the parking area for a couple of hours. It seems like that's what they are trying to eliminate.

At a lot of the resorts close to parks they are combating it by telling you to park at the theme park and take a bus back. Most locals aren't going to drive out to WDW do go to a quick service so they usually have reservations for dinner. The only thing I can see causing an issue would be Trader Sam's but same you can park at DTD and take a resort bus to the Poly if you don't want to pay for TTC parking.

 

[AngiTN]

I saw something over the weekend that they will be running a test at Boardwalk to charge for parking for anyone not a Resort guest.
The same thing I saw said they ran a similar test at CR a few months back.
Now I can't remember where I saw it though
Nor did I see an amount that will be charged
And I was not clear on if they would allow those with ADR to park, or with an AP

 

[soniam]

I believe you pay for parking at Universal whether you are a guest there or not.

Argh you are right I was thinking of something else lol thanks for catching my mistake this is what happens when you are on here too late at night lol

Universal hotel guests get to park at City Walk for free; however, overnight parking is not allowed there. The hotels charge for parking per night. So, effectively, if you are staying at a Universal hotel, you have to pay for parking. AP holders (not sure if all APs or just some varieties) also get free parking at City Walk.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Universal hotel guests get to park at City Walk for free; however, overnight parking is not allowed there. The hotels charge for parking per night. So, effectively, if you are staying at a Universal hotel, you have to pay for parking. AP holders (not sure if all APs or just some varieties) also get free parking at City Walk.

Just some AP's get free parking.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

You are correct, that's what the policy is however they have no way to enforce it at the present time. You can say you are visiting the resort and park for free if there are parking spaces but then you can go on to MK or wherever and they have no way to track that you were only in the parking area for a couple of hours. It seems like that's what they are trying to eliminate.

Actually yes they can and do. One thing they some time do is give you a 3 hours pass....they also can record your plate number

There have been more and more reports of resorts towing cars. I watched 2 CM's walking though the CR parking lots with a clip boards, and pointing out which cars to tow to the tow truck operators.

I watched 2 cars go and 3 more indicated as going to be towed.



AKK

 

[Josh Hendy]

Actually yes they can and do. One thing they some time do is give you a 3 hours pass....they also can record your plate number

There have been more and more reports of resorts towing cars. I watched 2 CM's walking though the CR parking lots with a clip boards, and pointing out which cars to tow to the tow truck operators.

I watched 2 cars go and 3 more indicated as going to be towed.

AKK

I wonder ... if the majority of offenders are newbs who think they spotted a loophole then getting tough won't do Disney any good ... there will be a constant flow of more newbs to fall into the trap. The towing company will make money but the resort won't make money if they have to send CMs into the parking lot all the time to keep track of cars.

If the offenders tend to be AP holders then I guess they'll get through to them pretty quickly.

If the problem is getting worse than before then it may be that the parking fees are perceived by a growing number of customers as being completely out of whack. They may see it as an unfair cash grab which justifies an underhanded approach to avoiding the fees. So the big parking price increase which looked like free money on the Disney beancounter's spreadsheet has a hidden tax of enforcement costs, plus an intangible cost of ill will among a certain number of customers.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

You make some good points.

I don't know if it's more people trying to avoid parking fees or are they just clamping down and enforcing the rules.

I don't belive the CM costs would be much, especailly of the tow companies are paying to have the tow rights from WDW.

Parking if I remember is now $20.00 which is less then Uni and often alot less then ball parks, parking garages and other venues.

AKK

 

[DebbieB]

I saw something over the weekend that they will be running a test at Boardwalk to charge for parking for anyone not a Resort guest.
The same thing I saw said they ran a similar test at CR a few months back.
Now I can't remember where I saw it though
Nor did I see an amount that will be charged
And I was not clear on if they would allow those with ADR to park, or with an AP

I hope they do it. I haven't rented a car recently when staying at BWV but when I did parking could be a nightmare, especially on weekends. One time on a Saturday afternoon I came back with groceries and could not find a spot. I had left the groceries and my friend off at the door. Finally I just parked in a cm space by the convention center, there were a bunch empty until I could help her get the groceries to the room. Then I went back and found a space. You know all those cars are not for people visiting the boardwalk. It wasn't so bad when we had free valet but I'm not going to pay for valet parking when they are allowing anyone park there to go to Epcot.

When I had a standard view room, you could see people with strollers going from the parking lot in the direction of Epcot early in the morning, then there would be a mass exit after Illuminations. Most likely people staying offsite, there for the free parking and convenience.

They should do what they do at Downtown Disney at Disneyland. You get 2 hours free, 4 if you get a validation from a restaurant.
https://disneyland.disney.go.com/faq/downtown-disney-district/parking-cost/

 

[closetmickey]

They should do what they do at Downtown Disney at Disneyland. You get 2 hours free, 4 if you get a validation from a restaurant.
https://disneyland.disney.go.com/faq/downtown-disney-district/parking-cost/

Yes- they do a great job of keeping theme park visitors from using DTD at Disneyland to park. Seems like it would be pretty easy to implement at WDW hotels.

 

[lovethattink]

I saw something over the weekend that they will be running a test at Boardwalk to charge for parking for anyone not a Resort guest.
The same thing I saw said they ran a similar test at CR a few months back.
Now I can't remember where I saw it though
Nor did I see an amount that will be charged
And I was not clear on if they would allow those with ADR to park, or with an AP

Hmm. Maybe this is what was hinted to?

 

[HopperFan]

I saw something over the weekend that they will be running a test at Boardwalk to charge for parking for anyone not a Resort guest.
The same thing I saw said they ran a similar test at CR a few months back.
Now I can't remember where I saw it though
Nor did I see an amount that will be charged
And I was not clear on if they would allow those with ADR to park, or with an AP

Saw it too. It said a test for paid parking for non-resort guests. But does that mean WDW guests or Boardwalk guests?

Really is a simple issue to solve (and they should at MK/Epcot resorts). One lane for buses and MagicBands, one lane gets a ticket. On way out if you stayed more than 3 hours, you pay per hour. Rate has to be set in a way to make it unattractive to use for theme parks. There is no reason for a non-guest to be at a resort to eat or check it out for more than 3 hours.

 

[lovethattink]

Saw it too. It said a test for paid parking for non-resort guests. But does that mean WDW guests or Boardwalk guests?

.

Good question.

 

[Polydweller]

Saw it too. It said a test for paid parking for non-resort guests. But does that mean WDW guests or Boardwalk guests?

Really is a simple issue to solve (and they should at MK/Epcot resorts). One lane for buses and MagicBands, one lane gets a ticket. On way out if you stayed more than 3 hours, you pay per hour. Rate has to be set in a way to make it unattractive to use for theme parks. There is no reason for a non-guest to be at a resort to eat or check it out for more than 3 hours.

It's guests of that resorts or others with an ADR (there is a list of ADRs at the guard shack). Being a guest at a resort has always only given you parking rights at your resort and the parks, not other resorts.

I'm glad Disney is doing this. Parking at the Epcot and monorail resorts has become increasingly difficult as more and more people find ways around the rules. Unfortunate in some ways but it's always the case that some people ruin thing for the majority.

 

[lovethattink]

It's guests of that resorts or others with an ADR (there is a list of ADRs at the guard shack). Being a guest at a resort has always only given you parking rights at your resort and the parks, not other resorts.

I'm glad Disney is doing this. Parking at the Epcot and monorail resorts has become increasingly difficult as more and more people find ways around the rules. Unfortunate in some ways but it's always the case that some people ruin thing for the majority.

Thanks for the clarification.

 

[HopperFan]

It's guests of that resorts or others with an ADR (there is a list of ADRs at the guard shack). Being a guest at a resort has always only given you parking rights at your resort and the parks, not other resorts.

I'm glad Disney is doing this. Parking at the Epcot and monorail resorts has become increasingly difficult as more and more people find ways around the rules. Unfortunate in some ways but it's always the case that some people ruin thing for the majority.

Agree that is what makes sense. But right now all we have are independent announcements, no clarification from Disney that I have seen. All I see is a generic "Disney Resort Hotel Guests Self-parking at theme parks and Disney Resort hotels is complimentary for Disney Resort hotel Guests." In this context it is all hotels inclusive. Since they do consider the entire property a "resort" they will need to post the actual Hotel's name on the signage to be clear.

Until Disney makes announcement or it is in play, we just don't know any facts.

I do agree it is needed and for folks there for the right reasons it will have no affect on them.