Has anyone ever parked at the Contemporary to then walk over to the Magic Kingdom? Do they tell you no? Can you valet park and not have to worry? Do they tow cars in the visitor area?
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Parking at Contemporary
- Thread starter ISTCPilot1989
- Start date
CaptainAmerica
Well-Known Member
Official policy is that you're not allowed.
Unofficial policy is you can tell them that you're getting a meal at the Contempo Cafe and then walk over if you're unencumbered with scruples over lying to the guard. This won't work during conventions or other busy times, in which case the only way you're getting in is with a dining reservation.
Unofficial policy is you can tell them that you're getting a meal at the Contempo Cafe and then walk over if you're unencumbered with scruples over lying to the guard. This won't work during conventions or other busy times, in which case the only way you're getting in is with a dining reservation.
This tell them you are going to Contempo. Do you think I could do valet instead of the normal?
CAPTAIN HOOK
Well-Known Member
Either way you're only going to get a couple of hours before you start worrying about where your car will end up after they've towed it.
Rules are rules - you flaunt them then (a) there's no point in having them as everyone will do it and (b) you'll lose your car until you cough up the $$ to get it back.
Pay the parking fee and park in the parking lot
Rules are rules - you flaunt them then (a) there's no point in having them as everyone will do it and (b) you'll lose your car until you cough up the $$ to get it back.
Pay the parking fee and park in the parking lot
CaptainAmerica
Well-Known Member
I agree that rules are rules, and I wouldn't try doing this myself, but there's zero chance he'd actually get towed.
CAPTAIN HOOK
Well-Known Member
Would you risk it ?
CaptainAmerica
Well-Known Member
I wouldn't do it on principle, risk or no.
ImagineerDude
Well-Known Member
We have done this a couple of times BUT we always went back and paid at the TTC later in the day. We didn't want to get out of paying we just wanted to make sure we were there to see the opening show and told the guard we had a ressie at Chef Mickey's and they NEVER checked the list, even when we would just visit the Contempo before we knew that we could tell them we were just visiting 
If you tell them you are just visiting right before park opening though it might seem suspicious.
If you tell them you are just visiting right before park opening though it might seem suspicious.
Missymoe4
Well-Known Member
I have stayed at the Contemporary more times than I can count on one hand. The guards have definitely locked down the gate pretty securely. I don't know how too accepting they will be if you say you're just going to eat at the Contempo. They may even give you a "two hour" parking pass...which will do you no good. Between the Contemporary and BLT, parking is pretty tight.
Just follow the rules.
Just follow the rules.
Tonka's Skipper
Well-Known Member
I watched 2 tow trucks, working with CM's, pointing out cars and tow 3 cars from the parking lot.
As I was staying there I would not be happy if the lot was full and I could not find a space. It called common courtesy.
AKK
As I was staying there I would not be happy if the lot was full and I could not find a space. It called common courtesy.
AKK
Polydweller
Well-Known Member
I've seen the towing occur at the Poly as well. It does happen. But more importantly as you say it's about common courtesy and thinking about others.
Guests staying at the resort have only that option while visitors have several other. There is nothing worse than coming back to your home resort and finding the lot filled (it does happen folks and it is awful). Perhaps if it happened to the visitor at their home resort they'd be less willing to try to get around the rules at the resort they are visiting.
But, we now have a world in which people can't see beyond there own needs and have little to no concern for others and no interest in even considering the impact of their actions. Courtesy is fast disappearing and self-centeredness and selfishness are taking over.
sxeensweet
Love a little Disney every day!! ;)
That's not true! We have told them we were just visiting the resort or were coming to eat quick service (yes we really were doing these things at various resorts) and had no problem. You do not have to havea table service reservation or be a resort guess to park. We have done this at Contemporary, Poly, Wilderness, Grand Floridian etc. BUT WE NEVER DID IT TO JUST STAY PARKED THERE. WE
ALWAYS MOVED AND WENT TO TTC ETC IF WE WERE GOING BACK TO THE PARKS ETC. Just be courteous to others and do not break the rules. Use there parking only for valid reasons.
Tuvalu
Premium Member
Perhaps you travel at less-busy times? Because we have been turned away at both Contemporary and Poly when we just wanted to visit (not park, we were staying on-site.)That's not true! We have told them we were just visiting the resort or were coming to eat quick service (yes we really were doing these things at various resorts) and had no problem. You do not have to havea table service reservation or be a resort guess to park. We have done this at Contemporary, Poly, Wilderness, Grand Floridian etc. BUT WE NEVER DID IT TO JUST STAY PARKED THERE. WE
ALWAYS MOVED AND WENT TO TTC ETC IF WE WERE GOING BACK TO THE PARKS ETC. Just be courteous to others and do not break the rules. Use there parking only for valid reasons.
sxeensweet
Love a little Disney every day!! ;)
We always stay on site too (and are now DVC members) but use our car a lot. Maybe so as we always go Oct- Dec. sometime, but we have never been turned away even as recent as last November. We did it at Poly, Contemporary, and Wilderness this last trip.
There was several days we had ressies, BUT I am talking about the ones we did not and we went eat quick service and told them so. Also told them for 2 of them we were visiting which we were so we could stop in the giftshops etc. They gave us no problems and we were honest with them every time.
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s8film40
Well-Known Member
As has been mentioned the security guards to get fairly strict at certain times when the resort is busy. One option as already stated is valet parking. You could take this a step further and valet at another less busy resort earlier in the day, be sure to get a receipt when paying. You are then entitled to unlimited valet parking at all Disney resorts for the whole day. If the security guard gives you a hard time, advise them you have already pre-paid for valet parking. If they are unable to allow you into the resort they will be required to give you a refund for valet, this is far more complicated than it's worth and will require letting you into the resort anyways to get your refund. Since this is something that has already been paid for they are required to live up to the written terms on the valet ticket, so this should be a sure bet for parking.
GoofGoof
Premium Member
First, don't do it. It's not worth the risk. For what it costs for a Disney vacation what's another $15 for parking.
If you are going to do it anyway, here's my advice: It depends on the time of year, time of day and crowd levels. If you go at a busy time when the resort is near capacity they are very strict. My last stay at BLT we had a family member come to visit us and he had trouble at the gate. They tried to turn him away and I had to call down and explain that he was joining us for dinner and managed to get him a 4 hour parking pass. I have seen a tow truck in the parking lot towing a car, but I don't know if they were actual parking violators or just someone whose car wouldn't start.
If it's a less busy time you might get away with it by telling them you are eating at Contempo Cafe, but I have also seen them turning away anyone without an ADR. I don't think valet vs self parking really matters. You have to get past the parking gate for both. I guess maybe if you do get past there is less of a chance you will get towed if you valet park, but I don't really know.
I also think you have a much better shot if you are staying somewhere else on property and/or have an out of state license plate. My father in law was in a car with a Florida plate when he had trouble. They really are cracking down on locals looking to beat the $15 parking fee. If you are staying on property it's free to park anyway. It's also more suspicious if you are parking around park opening. If you show up at dinner time at least it seems more believable. We did stop in at CR one time for lunch (we really were just eating lunch, we were in the area and didn't even have park tickets). They gave us a 4 hour pass and let us in without a struggle. It was September so not a high crowd time.
If you are going to do it anyway, here's my advice: It depends on the time of year, time of day and crowd levels. If you go at a busy time when the resort is near capacity they are very strict. My last stay at BLT we had a family member come to visit us and he had trouble at the gate. They tried to turn him away and I had to call down and explain that he was joining us for dinner and managed to get him a 4 hour parking pass. I have seen a tow truck in the parking lot towing a car, but I don't know if they were actual parking violators or just someone whose car wouldn't start.
If it's a less busy time you might get away with it by telling them you are eating at Contempo Cafe, but I have also seen them turning away anyone without an ADR. I don't think valet vs self parking really matters. You have to get past the parking gate for both. I guess maybe if you do get past there is less of a chance you will get towed if you valet park, but I don't really know.
I also think you have a much better shot if you are staying somewhere else on property and/or have an out of state license plate. My father in law was in a car with a Florida plate when he had trouble. They really are cracking down on locals looking to beat the $15 parking fee. If you are staying on property it's free to park anyway. It's also more suspicious if you are parking around park opening. If you show up at dinner time at least it seems more believable. We did stop in at CR one time for lunch (we really were just eating lunch, we were in the area and didn't even have park tickets). They gave us a 4 hour pass and let us in without a struggle. It was September so not a high crowd time.
StarWarsGirl
Well-Known Member
When we've been staying at the resort, we've had friends visit us for the day and have just let the front desk know that they are spending the day with us, and they've been allowed to park there. Never had a problem with that.
That being said, unless you have specific arrangements (an ADR, a friend staying there, etc) I would NOT try it. You just never know. And you don't want to get your car towed.
That being said, unless you have specific arrangements (an ADR, a friend staying there, etc) I would NOT try it. You just never know. And you don't want to get your car towed.