Does WDW not charge for parking at the Theme Parks after a certin time?

[WDW FAN 4 LIFE]

Whenever my family & I are driving back to the Contemporary around 7:00 or 8:00 PM we obviously have to go threw the Magic Kingdom gates. Well how come when I see cars going to park at the TTC around those times they never pay the $9.00 for parking? Does WDW say if you go to a Theme Park at a certin time of the day you won't be charged, because the Cast Members are just waiving the cars threw. Also I don't think those are WDW Resort guests because if they were being waived threw how could they have time to show their Resort ID cards? Anyway has anyone else noticed that & what are your thoughts on this subject?

Next vacation to Walt Disney World
August 8-19, 2006 at Disney's Contemporary Resort.

 

[napnet]

When you stay at like Pop Century or other resorts they give you a parking pass thats rather large and noticable. you leave it on your dash and they always wave me through without slowing down

 

[mousermerf]

Also - anyone going to a park for jsut a few hours (prior to close) is most likely not a dayt guest.

As napnet said, there are other Disney resort guests, then all the AP's, people who are park-hopping (who paid earlier), and the CM's. Only seasonal AP's and people coming in for just that park for those last few hours ("new" guests for the day) would need to stop and pay. At that hour, those are few and far between.

 

[WDW FAN 4 LIFE]

I do know that WDW gives parking passes for their guests to place on their dash boards of their cars, but I am asking for guests who maybe staying off site are they charged for parking thier cars at the Magic Kingdom or any of the other parks at a certin time?

Next vacation to Walt Disney World
August 8-19, 2006 at Disney's Contemporary Resort.

 

[mousermerf]

Until park closing they charge for parking. During slow periods i have seen the booths unmanned/waving everyone through one hour prior to closing.

 

[WDW FAN 4 LIFE]

Also - anyone going to a park for jsut a few hours (prior to close) is most likely not a dayt guest.

As napnet said, there are other Disney resort guests, then all the AP's, people who are park-hopping (who paid earlier), and the CM's. Only seasonal AP's and people coming in for just that park for those last few hours ("new" guests for the day) would need to stop and pay. At that hour, those are few and far between.

You could be right about those types of people, but what I don't get is this. Let's say someone is comming to the Magic Kingdom for the 1st time that day at 7:00 PM & a Cast Member is waiving people threw because to me it seams like they don't check the cars for parking passes or etc. So how do they to make those people pay the $9.00?

Next vacation to Walt Disney World
August 8-19, 2006 at Disney's Contemporary Resort.

 

[napnet]

You could be right about those types of people, but what I don't get is this. Let's say someone is comming to the Magic Kingdom for the 1st time that day at 7:00 PM & a Cast Member is waiving people threw because to me it seams like they don't check the cars for parking passes or etc. So how do they to make those people pay the $9.00?

Either the CM wants to be fired or is just lazy but they will make you pay unless you have one of the LARGE parking passes from the resorts or being an AP or CM. They do not just let people in for free in the morning... they are charged unless they are what i just listed.

 

[WDW FAN 4 LIFE]

I believe what you said, but from what I have seen it looks like the Cast Members might have a hard time stoping cars that should pay. The way I came to that conclusion is because I have not seen cars stoped at the Magic Kingdom gates, but after what you just said it was one of those explinations.

Next vacation to Walt Disney World
August 8-19, 2006 at Disney's Contemporary Resort.

 

[MissM]

Also if you're park hopping and you drove over from another lot, you'll already have the parking pass for the day and they wave you through. (You pay once per day for parking no matter how many parks you visit.)

Now I have been waved through before later in the day - after 4pm or so - without having to pay but I've also been stopped to pay as well. Just depends. There's no set policy that says after a certain time parking is free but some CM's will let you slide since you only have a few hours and really, it's a lot for a couple hours. Some won't. Don't count on it.

Like mentioned, AP holders (full not seasonal) and resort guests get free parking as well.
-m

 

[mickey04]

Usually they stop collecting an hour or two before closing, from what I've seen. I went to MGM around 5 last night (for a 7:00 closing) and there was no one at the ticket booth. Can't speak for busier times of the year, but lately I've seen this at all the parks.

 

[peter11435]

Usually they stop collecting an hour or two before closing, from what I've seen. I went to MGM around 5 last night (for a 7:00 closing) and there was no one at the ticket booth. Can't speak for busier times of the year, but lately I've seen this at all the parks.

Thats about right. The usually stgop collecting about 1-2 hours before park closing.

 

[GoofyMom2]

Last year we went to MK in the AM and actually beat any CM at the parking so we didn't have to pay (Thank my father who insisted we leave at the crack of dawn because he insisited it could take an hour to drive 3 miles) We had a PS for Crystal Palace for 8:10, before the park opened.

We ended up leaving in the afternoon for a rest for a few hours (did I mention the crack of dawn part???) so when we went back to MK in the evening we obviously didn't have a parking receipt from earlier. So, the CM at the ticket booth told us if we could name 3 dwarves, we could park for free.....my father was stumped, but we were yelling names for the backseat....it was pretty funny!