On-property guests parking at other resorts to get to theme parks--yes or no? About This Page:

[Her Dotness]

First, even though Disney policy gives on-property resort guests the privilege of free parking at other resorts, I would sooooo not do this to get to a theme park easier at busy times of the year. And that got me thinking...is it really so okay? "Just because you can doesn't mean you should," yanno?

Disney's intent undoubtedly is to give on-property guests easy access to resort restaurants and shops as well as to encourage them to stay at a more expensive resort next time if given a chance to look around it. So, parking for a few hours at a resort other than where you're staying benefits you and Disney both and is reasonable.

However, when there are theme park lots and buses or monorail to transport guests to theme parks, is it really okay to use a resort parking lot to get to a theme park--spirit rather than letter of the law? Just because it's more convenient and no one will demand to know why exactly you want to park at that resort, is it fair to others, particularly those staying at the resort where you're planning to park?

The best "for example" is undoubtedly parking at the Grand Floridian (GF) to avoid the hassles of that geeenormous Magic Kingdom parking lot at the Transportation & Ticket Center (TTC). Since the next monorail stop from the GF is the MK, parking there and taking the monorail is certainly convenient if you'd simply rather use your car than the buses. Really, parking at any of the monorail Deluxes--GF, Polynesian or Contemporary (CR)--would work just as easily. The monorail ride from the others to the MK would be a bit longer. It's a pleasant ride, though, I think.

But is it okay? I'm not so sure it's as fair as I prefer to be after I thought more about doing this. I don't like to "game the system" to make things easier or more pleasant for me.

What do you think?

[LegoMom]

I personally wouldn't do it. It is too much like "gaming the system" and that's just not me.

Now, I've never had a car while at WDW, but it seems to me that in various things I've read, isn't parking at a resort only for specific reasons if you are not staying at that resort?? I know you have to stop at the gate house, but if you're not a guest you state that you are there for an ADR or maybe shopping and such. I'm not sure how it's enforced (if), but I thought you had a limit to the time you could be there.

Anyone?!....

[GingerJ]

Seems like more trouble than it's worth, really, IMHO. I mean, you're already getting to the parking lot of your own resort, driving around that confusing area, finding a new parking spot, then hiking to the monorail or boat or whatever. Then at night when you're tired you have to go through the whole rigmarole all over again.
Whether it's unfair...it actually has never occurred to me to do this, so I haven't given it any thought.
I have ridden the courtesy golf cart from Shades of Green to the Polynesian in order to ride the monorail a couple of times, but I don't think that's a problem for anyone, as we're not taking up their parking spaces all day long, and the monorail runs continuously.

Otherwise, I'll just ride the bus, thank you.

[CinderAbby]

Since Disney gives out three hour parking passes to those that do this, what do you think Disney's stand on it is? While I haven't seen it myself, a few people on the boards have mentioned seeing cars towed from the monorail resorts.

For us though, when we go to the MK, we park at the TTC. Even though Lenny uses a scooter it's just easier to get out of the car ang go up the ramp versus go through a building, navigate around people, wait for the elevator, wait at the platform, etc. Of course to, taking the express monorail, there are only two stops which saves time too IMO.

[shazza]

Agree - it's not the intent to let you use a resort lot to visit a park. The Contemporary is the most logical place to do this, because you can walk to MK. I know they were policing the parking heavily on our last visit.

We've also found the monorail transportation to be iffy, with lots of downtime.

[Her Dotness]

Originally Posted by CinderAbby

Since Disney gives out three hour parking passes to those that do this, what do you think Disney's stand on it is? While I haven't seen it myself, a few people on the boards have mentioned seeing cars towed from the monorail resorts.

Good point, Darlene. Last trip was the first we'd had a car on property. Now, I understand why our server asked if we needed a parking validation for our nearly 4-hour-long dinner at Victoria & Albert's. At the time, I just figured she asked that because we might be off-property. Silly Dot!

For us though, when we go to the MK, we park at the TTC. Even though Lenny uses a scooter it's just easier to get out of the car ang go up the ramp versus go through a building, navigate around people, wait for the elevator, wait at the platform, etc. Of course to, taking the express monorail, there are only two stops which saves time too IMO.

And I likely should have mentioned that's why we'd actually find parking at one if the monorail resorts easier and more convenient--DH, as you can see below, can't walk long distances and needs his scooter. We find the bus a hassle and not that comfy, also considerations for us.

So, maybe the question should be limited to popping into a theme park to pick up something you saw earlier and wish you'd bought. Grabbing a favorite CS lunch and hopping to another park as easy as it is to get from Boardwalk Inn, Beach Club or Yacht Club to Epcot and HS. You'd stay within that 3-hour range and not be parked there long. I'd still say that's gaming the system.

[WillCAD]

Originally Posted by Her Dotness

So, maybe the question should be limited to popping into a theme park to pick up something you saw earlier and wish you'd bought. Grabbing a favorite CS lunch and hopping to another park as easy as it is to get from Boardwalk Inn, Beach Club or Yacht Club to Epcot and HS. You'd stay within that 3-hour range and not be parked there long. I'd still say that's gaming the system.

Now this I have done, except that I park at Boardwalk - which has its own parking that's specifically for the use of non-Boardwalk Guests - and enter Epcot from there. But I only do it when I'm just going in for a couple of hours, not for all day; if I'm going to Epcot all day, or even half a day, I park in the main lot. I love Epcot's lot, it's the easiest of the 4 to navigate, on foot or driving.

At DHS and AK, I find it much easier to drive directly to the park, even if I'm only going in to buy something. It takes less time to park and walk to the gate than it would to wait for a bus or boat somewhere else and ride over.

MK is a different story. I have never needed to pop into MK for a brief time for shopping or dining. However, I have parked at Contemporary or Fort Wilderness to shop or dine there, and left my car longer while I've gone to other resorts or watched Wishes. With Contemporary's lot being much smaller since BLT was built, I tend to only do this at FW now, since there is plenty of parking there and it's meant for non-FW Guests anyway (for HDD and other activities).

Parking at a resort and taking a bus to the parks for all day? The only resort I'll do that from is the one where I'm actually staying.

[CinderAbby]

So, maybe the question should be limited to popping into a theme park to pick up something you saw earlier and wish you'd bought. Grabbing a favorite CS lunch and hopping to another park as easy as it is to get from Boardwalk Inn, Beach Club or Yacht Club to Epcot and HS. You'd stay within that 3-hour range and not be parked there long. I'd still say that's gaming the system.

I don't know that I would call it gaming the system if you're staying in the 3 hour window but IMO, it's just easier to park in the main lots of the theme parks. From any of the Epcot/DHS hotels, you have to walk or take the launch to the parks. DHS I wouldn't attempt to walk as I've heard it's a good 20 minute walk (it doesn't take me 20 minutes to park and get inside the park) and you could wait that long for a launch. Epcot isn't too bad from the Beach Club (we walked from the Beach Club to the Boarkwalk one night looking for pennies) but if you're going to FW from there, it's still a hike back and fourth. So in this case, I guess it's all in what you're comfortable doing. As I said, if you stay in the 3 hour window, I don't consider it gaming the system but I wouldn't do it either. It's just easier for us to use the main lots for the parks and the hotel lots for our dinners/resort exploring.

[Her Dotness]

Now, I'm thinking this was rather an odd topic. Oh, well...what we don't know until we ask...

I sure did learn lots from you car-parking veterans that I didn't know and wouldn't have thought to ask. Thanks much for the benefit of your experience! Maybe someone else inexperienced with the why's and what's of having a car at WDW will learn something, too.

[CinderAbby]

Now, I'm thinking this was rather an odd topic. Oh, well...what we don't know until we ask...

I don't think there's any such thing (odd topics) on here. As with lots of things at Disney, people will have different views. Some think nothing of going to a resort, valet parking and then going to a theme park all day saying "I've paid for the parking, I should be able to do it". Some people think nothing of taking old mugs back and reusing them. I don't agree with either one of those things but until they're brought up as threads, you really don't know what people think/do/etc. So I don't think of topics such as this as odd - more often than not I look at them as informational for those who don't know/aren't quite sure of something/whatever the case may be.