Hanging at the Boardwalk - getting back out?

[Johnnyboy]

I love hanging out at World Showcase in the evenings and I'd love to go over to the Boardwalk after that, say to Jellyrolls which I hear great things about.

My question: I'm staying off-premises and I'm parked at Epcot. Can I get back to my car long after WS closes? I may stay til midnight or longer but can I get back through Epcot and back to my car?

If not, where can I park?

 

[tigsmom]

Park at the boardwalk. Its an entertainment/shopping/eating area and you can park for free. You can go in and out of Epcot from the International Gateway.

You do not need a special parking permit to do so.

(Boardwalk - resort, boardwalk - public area).

 

[Rob562]

I love hanging out at World Showcase in the evenings and I'd love to go over to the Boardwalk after that, say to Jellyrolls which I hear great things about.

My question: I'm staying off-premises and I'm parked at Epcot. Can I get back to my car long after WS closes? I may stay til midnight or longer but can I get back through Epcot and back to my car?

If not, where can I park?

You can park for free at the Boardwalk. Just get your car from the Epcot lot and move it over before you go to Jellyrolls.

If you were going back through Epcot within an hour of park closing, then you'd have no problem cutting back through Epcot. But after an hour, it gets pretty dicey. (Maintenance can't come out to work in the park until it's been cleared of Guests, so they want to clear it as soon as they can after giving Guests a reasonable time to exit the park.)

-Rob

 

[BuzzComplexCM]

Just be prepared to walk.

Security at the Boardwalk can be kind of weird as well. Sometimes they will allow you to park right in the lot at the hotel, and sometimes they want you to park across the street in a different lot.

However, if you are a DVC member you get free valet parking.

 

[tigsmom]

Just be prepared to walk.

Security at the Boardwalk can be kind of weird as well. Sometimes they will allow you to park right in the lot at the hotel, and sometimes they want you to park across the street in a different lot.

However, if you are a DVC member you get free valet parking.

There is a public lot and then a valet lot and a self park lot for the Boardwalk Resort. When we stayed there 2 summers ago they moved the valet lot to the farthest one and moved the public lot closer. Things change so they could have moved them around again. :lol:

 

[Boray]

I know where the boardwalk parking lot is, we parked there last year and walked around the boardwalk for a few hours. My question is, is there a maximum length of time you can park there? Theoretically, you could park there and enter Epcot through the international gateway when the World Showcase opens and stay there all day, then go to the Boardwalk after Epcot closes and spend the evening hours there (then you don't have to move your car from one area to the other). I realize this saves on parking (and Disney may not be too happy with that) but is it possible to park there all day? Do you need to get a special permit to park longer than say 2 hours? Just wondering...

 

[BuzzComplexCM]

There is a public lot and then a valet lot and a self park lot for the Boardwalk Resort. When we stayed there 2 summers ago they moved the valet lot to the farthest one and moved the public lot closer. Things change so they could have moved them around again. :lol:

It does change alot. What I posted is based on what I experienced since 2005 through just the other day.

There are three lots:
Two in the Boardwalk itself (Valet Lot and Self-Parking).
Public Lot/Cast Lot which is across the street from the Security Gate.

Depending on the time of year/how crowded the parks are you might be able to park in the self-parking or you may be instructed to go across the street. Valet parking is always choice seeing as how you pay for it, unless you are DVC when it's free. Also, be sure to have a picture ID, security guards at the hotel require seeing one before you park.

 

[tigsmom]

I know where the boardwalk parking lot is, we parked there last year and walked around the boardwalk for a few hours. My question is, is there a maximum length of time you can park there? Theoretically, you could park there and enter Epcot through the international gateway when the World Showcase opens and stay there all day, then go to the Boardwalk after Epcot closes and spend the evening hours there (then you don't have to move your car from one area to the other). I realize this saves on parking (and Disney may not be too happy with that) but is it possible to park there all day? Do you need to get a special permit to park longer than say 2 hours? Just wondering...

Nope, no time limit (or so we were told). Its open, like DTD, to the public for shopping, eating and entertainment.

 

[BuzzComplexCM]

I know where the boardwalk parking lot is, we parked there last year and walked around the boardwalk for a few hours. My question is, is there a maximum length of time you can park there? Theoretically, you could park there and enter Epcot through the international gateway when the World Showcase opens and stay there all day, then go to the Boardwalk after Epcot closes and spend the evening hours there (then you don't have to move your car from one area to the other). I realize this saves on parking (and Disney may not be too happy with that) but is it possible to park there all day? Do you need to get a special permit to park longer than say 2 hours? Just wondering...

No need to worry about a time limit. I park at Boardwalk all the time when I go to Epcot or MGM. Some of the resorts give you a two hour parking permit, like the Contemporary and Polynesian (these are the two that I know of). Last I saw the Boardwalk didn't.

Also you don't need to worry about moving your car as well. Once you got a spot, get out, lock the doors, and enjoy the day!!!

 

[coltow]

We parked there too. On the last trip we used the valet. We ate at ESPN and then headed in for some EMH. The self parking lot was a ways away so by using valet it saved us the long walk to the parking lot when we were done.

 

[slappy magoo]

I know where the boardwalk parking lot is, we parked there last year and walked around the boardwalk for a few hours. My question is, is there a maximum length of time you can park there? Theoretically, you could park there and enter Epcot through the international gateway when the World Showcase opens and stay there all day, then go to the Boardwalk after Epcot closes and spend the evening hours there (then you don't have to move your car from one area to the other). I realize this saves on parking (and Disney may not be too happy with that) but is it possible to park there all day? Do you need to get a special permit to park longer than say 2 hours? Just wondering...

Just guessing, but I think, during park-operating hours, people get a temporary permit to park there for a few hours, as if to explore the resorts, have dinner at Spoodles, etc. Otherwise, lots of people would be trying to avoid the $10 parking fee in the Epcot lot this way, and not only clog that lot, but also deny WDW some more sawbucks...

However, the later it gets in the day, the more I suspect they don't enforce the temporary parking as much, figuring anybody who is parking there in the late afternoon or evening is probably planning to go back to the Boardwalk area after the park closes, just like you're planning. And once the parks close, if you drive over there, there shouldn't be any hassle or any limit (only problem might be if it's a popular night, it might be hard to find a spot).

 

[tigsmom]

Just guessing, but I think, during park-operating hours, people get a temporary permit to park there for a few hours, as if to explore the resorts, have dinner at Spoodles, etc. Otherwise, lots of people would be trying to avoid the $10 parking fee in the Epcot lot this way, and not only clog that lot, but also deny WDW some more sawbucks...

However, the later it gets in the day, the more I suspect they don't enforce the temporary parking as much, figuring anybody who is parking there in the late afternoon or evening is probably planning to go back to the Boardwalk area after the park closes, just like you're planning. And once the parks close, if you drive over there, there shouldn't be any hassle or any limit (only problem might be if it's a popular night, it might be hard to find a spot).

Nope, there is no time limit. The boardwalk is an open area for locals as well as non resort guests to enjoy too. That lot is separate from the resort lot (although you can valet park and hang out all day too) and is a first come, first served situation. They will let you know when its full and turn you away.