Parking Situation for "Day Guests" Summer 2023

[Beacon Joe]

What is the deal with parking at a WDW resort hotel nowadays? Are we back to the days when anybody can park at a resort hotel? And how does WDW Co. define a "day guest?"

The WDW Parking page states:

Resort Hotels​

Complimentary Self-Parking

Enjoy complimentary self-parking at Disney Resort hotels. Here’s what to know:

• Beginning the evening of January 10, 2023, overnight self-parking is complimentary to Guests staying at Disney Resort hotels at Walt Disney World Resort.
• Standard self-parking is complimentary for day Guests while they enjoy select dining, shopping, entertainment and recreation experiences at Disney Resort hotels.
• Complimentary standard parking is available to Guests staying at The Campsites at Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort. Each campsite provides parking space for one (1) motorized vehicle.

Self-parking is complimentary for day guests again? When did this happen?

And more importantly, what's the fine print? Because it's not really clear on WDW's site. And I can't imagine the current company is permitting free parking again for anybody, without conditions. So...

1. What does Disney consider a "day guest?"
2. What is considered a "select dining, shopping, entertainment or recreation experience" at a WDW hotel?

For example, if somebody is just driving onto property for an afternoon to go to Trader Sam's, would that person be allowed to park at a Disney hotel?

Or if somebody is spending a few hours at Typhoon Lagoon, and wants to take a break in the afternoon by monorail hopping and shopping at the hotels, would that person be allowed to park at a Disney hotel?

Or would that person need a restaurant reservation at a given resort in order to park there?

Mods, please merge this with an older thread if something similar exists. I searched, but didn't find anything.

 

[drizgirl]

Day guests are those visiting without a reservation. It's free, it's always been free. But being free doesn't mean they will let you through the gates without an ADR.

Even overnight parking is free for registered guests.

Being allowed to park is very much a YMMV situation. Generally what I hear is that hotels near the parks or on the Skyliner line are much harder to get past the guard shack without a reservation (for obvious reasons, people trying to park there for park access).

 

[Ayla]

Day parking has always been free for day guests at resorts.

 

[Raxel7851]

Day parking has always been free for day guests at resorts.

It’s only “Free” if the guard lets you in to park.

 

[Beacon Joe]

Day parking has always been free for day guests at resorts.

I'm pretty certain that they wouldn't let non-hotel residents park at hotels and that there were discussions here about that very topic, for a good chunk of the last 3 years.

I know we've had issues even while we were staying at a WDW hotel and drove over to other WDW hotels. I had a particularly frustrating encounter straight out of a Kafka novel when we were staying at the GF and drove over to visit friends at the AoA ~ 8 years ago.

@drizgirl - So, in essence, having an ADR is a best practice in order to park at a hotel you're not staying at, so we're back to the pre-2020 norms, correct?

 

[Ayla]

I'm pretty certain that they wouldn't let non-hotel residents park at hotels and that there were discussions here about that very topic, for a good chunk of the last 3 years.

I know we've had issues even while we were staying at a WDW hotel and drove over to other WDW hotels. I had a particularly frustrating encounter straight out of a Kafka novel when we were staying at the GF and drove over to visit friends at the AoA ~ 8 years ago.

@drizgirl - So, in essence, having an ADR is a best practice in order to park at a hotel you're not staying at, so we're back to the pre-2020 norms, correct?

Covid was the exception for entry, as you well know. Parking has always been free for day guests (and is now free for overnight guests, again) and it all depends on the guard on whether you get in or not.

 

[drizgirl]

I'm pretty certain that they wouldn't let non-hotel residents park at hotels and that there were discussions here about that very topic, for a good chunk of the last 3 years.

I know we've had issues even while we were staying at a WDW hotel and drove over to other WDW hotels. I had a particularly frustrating encounter straight out of a Kafka novel when we were staying at the GF and drove over to visit friends at the AoA ~ 8 years ago.

@drizgirl - So, in essence, having an ADR is a best practice in order to park at a hotel you're not staying at, so we're back to the pre-2020 norms, correct?

Pretty much back to 2020 norms, except that it's probably harder to get past the guard shack without an ADR, except Skyliner resorts have been added to the "hard to get in" list.

 

[JIMINYCR]

You will find that during peak seasons and holidays when the resorts get slammed and parking needs for resort guests increase, the access will be more limited.

 

[Hakunamatata]

You will find that during peak seasons and holidays when the resorts get slammed and parking needs for resort guests increase, the access will be more limited.

Exactly this. For example during special holiday fireworks you arent getting into a Monorail resort without a reservation. During other times you can role up to the Poly and let them know you are going to try to get into Trader Sams and depending on capacities they may or may not let you in.

 

[Tha Realest]

It’s been inconsistent. I’ve been turned away at hotels when we just wanted to visit the gift shop, and not pressed at all when parking at GF, Boardwalk when I had a dining reservation (only looked at my ID, so unless they had my name memorized, couldn’t have verified I was being truthful )

 

[Beacon Joe]

Not so interesting or unexpected update, but yeah it's really just up to the gate guard. Attempted parking at 2 monorail resorts. I was quickly turned away at the first. Pulling up I figured I might be let in since the parking lot was as empty as everywhere else I saw during our short foray onto property. Got in and parked just fine at the second resort.

One resort did have a sign up that was far more detailed than the WDW web site parking page and it clearly noted they'd only let people with ADRs park. Would be nice if the WDW parking page actually used the same precise language on that sign so "guests" wouldn't be left scratching their heads.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

Funny thing...in 2019 we were at WDW the week Galaxy's Edge opened. We stayed part of the week at the Contemporary, and even though we were PAID guests of the hotel, we were NOT allowed to park in the main parking lot.

The main parking lot was never filled during the time were there.

It was pretty outrageous, to be honest. Later in the week we ate dinner at the Wave. The main parking lot was still blocked off, and it was still empty.

The hotel did host some kind of Star Wars event one night, and we did see some folks wearing some pretty neat costumes arrive that night, but that was it.

 

[MickeyLuv'r]

1. What does Disney consider a "day guest?"
2. What is considered a "select dining, shopping, entertainment or recreation experience" at a WDW hotel?

For example, if somebody is just driving onto property for an afternoon to go to Trader Sam's, would that person be allowed to park at a Disney hotel?

Or if somebody is spending a few hours at Typhoon Lagoon, and wants to take a break in the afternoon by monorail hopping and shopping at the hotels, would that person be allowed to park at a Disney hotel?

Or would that person need a restaurant reservation at a given resort in order to park there?

Mods, please merge this with an older thread if something similar exists. I searched, but didn't find anything.

1. Yes, someone visiting Trader Sam's = a day guest. Basically anyone who is not an overnight guest. It can be someone who is coming to eat, shop and/or visiting friends who ARE staying onsite.

2. Trader Sam's is a great example. You might also ask to get a Dole whip or buy something at the Poly gift shop. Most times, we have not been turned away if we planned to eat at one of the hotels, even if we just planned to eat at the quick serve place. Sometimes we have. It is up to the discretion of the guard.

What the hotels tend to frown upon is if you try to park at the prime hotels in the morning. The guards tend to assume you are there to get out of paying for theme park parking. Once in a while the hotels also host big events- like in the convention spaces, and they are also a bit strict. The few times we've been turned away, that is often what they've told us. We tend to show up at like 4pm though, so tends to be okay.

Also, I don't know if this still happens, but they used to turn people away from evening parking at the BWK/BC/YC during the Food and Wine Festival, especially on the weekends.

If you have a dining reservation, you should be allowed to park at the hotel for 3 hours.

 

[DisneyFanatic12]

1. Yes, someone visiting Trader Sam's = a day guest. Basically anyone who is not an overnight guest. It can be someone who is coming to eat, shop and/or visiting friends who ARE staying onsite.

2. Trader Sam's is a great example. You might also ask to get a Dole whip or buy something at the Poly gift shop. Most times, we have not been turned away if we planned to eat at one of the hotels, even if we just planned to eat at the quick serve place. Sometimes we have. It is up to the discretion of the guard.

What the hotels tend to frown upon is if you try to park at the prime hotels in the morning. The guards tend to assume you are there to get out of paying for theme park parking. Once in a while the hotels also host big events- like in the convention spaces, and they are also a bit strict. The few times we've been turned away, that is often what they've told us. We tend to show up at like 4pm though, so tends to be okay.

Also, I don't know if this still happens, but they used to turn people away from evening parking at the BWK/BC/YC during the Food and Wine Festival, especially on the weekends.

If you have a dining reservation, you should be allowed to park at the hotel for 3 hours.

Oh, and to add to your post, if the resort is not accepting day guests due to overwhelming parking demand from overnight guests it will almost always be posted on a sign outside the resort. I personally like walking to the resorts (whoever possible), but as long as the foldable sign isn’t out I’ve never had an issue recently.