Hotel parking changes??

[bugsbunny]

From Thursday 10/25 to Tuesday 10/30 while I was at WDW, I found it almost impossible to park at some of the hotels. Each one would have a ridiculously long line snaking out of them and when you got up close to the gate, the shack would have a sign that basically said "....busy day...no reservation....no parking".

Found this to be at the Contemporary, Ft. Wilderness, Beach, and Yacht Club. Did not have this problem at the Wilderness Lodge. I did not go to any other hotels. Looking at the parking lots at the hotels, there were plenty of empty spaces, so I'm wondering if WDW is suddenly cracking down on people parking at the hotels as an alternative to paying at the parks?

I wanted to eat at the restaurants (had resv for a few) as well as take a walk through as some of the people with me had never seen the inside. And during Xmas, I know a lot of people like to go from hotel to hotel to check out the decorations. But at the Contemp, I was turned away because I had no reservations. Popped over to WL and had no problems. Beach and Yacht both had restrictions but they let me in anyway.

Is this new policy or did I just happen to catch these places being busy? Never ever ran into this problem on any past visit.

 

[Rob562]

It wouldn't surprise me that they've been restricting parking at all of the Epcot resorts lately because of Food & Wine at Epcot. Everyone trying to park conveniently to World Showcase and avoid the main Epcot lot.

You didn't mention it, but I know the Polynesian had construction going on recently that restricted available parking. That may have caused reverberations of free hotel parkers having to go to other hotels, thereby filling those places up.

-Rob

 

[jonesenon4]

first of all resort parking lots are for resort guest if you park there you are taking away spots from guests who have paid for them by staying at the resort.so my answer to you would be if you dont want to use the free parking at DTD or are to cheap to pay for parking like everyone else DONT GO.

 

[menamechris]

Epcot resorts have been under parking restrictions on the weekends for Food & Wine. This has become a pretty recent trend the last couple years. Magic Kingdom resorts will also do it on particularly busy holidays or weekends.

 

[Tip Top Club]

first of all resort parking lots are for resort guest if you park there you are taking away spots from guests who have paid for them by staying at the resort.so my answer to you would be if you dont want to use the free parking at DTD or are to cheap to pay for parking like everyone else DONT GO.

That is incorrect, resort guest parking is different then resort visitor parking. His point was completely valid and there was no need to be rude. I would guess that what rob said was correct that EPCOT resorts are currently restricting parking due to food and wine.

As far as the contemporary goes, this is the lot that gets restricted the most. Pretty much on any busy day at MK they will restrict this lot and tell everyone to park at MK parking. Poly is doing the same thing right now because they are down spaces as they are resurfacing all their lots at the moment.

My guess is you just got unlucky.

 

[jonesenon4]

i apologize if you thought i was being rude but resort lots are for people who are either registered guests ,visiting registered guest or dining at the resort.not for people who just don't want to pay for parking.

 

[rkelly42]

You could always just park at the TTC and walk over to the Poly, then take the resort monorail to GF or CR if they are restricting parking at the resorts on busy days. Does make it more of a pain for those that enjoy touring the resorts and have no intentions of using the parking for entering the parks.

 

[bugsbunny]

first of all resort parking lots are for resort guest if you park there you are taking away spots from guests who have paid for them by staying at the resort.so my answer to you would be if you dont want to use the free parking at DTD or are to cheap to pay for parking like everyone else DONT GO.

I'm laughing out loud. If in real life I had stopped to ask you why I could not park at the hotel today, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say there is no way you are going to answer me like that in person. But yes, the beauty of the Internet allows you to try and come off like some tough guy who will put me in my place and insult me with a nonsensical answer. Did I state in my post that I was trying to get into a park without paying for parking? No, I did not.

And If you are going to insult someone, at least give me the courtesy of using proper English. You are no doubt at least partially educated, so I would hope you could use capital letters to start your sentences, double space before starting the next sentence, and know where to put punctuation to prevent run on sentences. Instead, I see this as some 13 year old giving me lip.

I CLEARLY STATED, I was going to eat there, take pictures, and here's the shocker...spend money there!! Instead, you go right for the hammer of "you're cheap!".

As it was pointed out by others, when parking at these lots, visitors are directed to sectioned off visitors parking. Its the furthest lots from the hotel lobby and therefore, completely undesirable parking for a hotel guest. Furthermore, it does NOT take away from the dedicated up close lots for these paying hotel guests.

 

[Polydweller]

As it was pointed out by others, when parking at these lots, visitors are directed to sectioned off visitors parking. Its the furthest lots from the hotel lobby and therefore, completely undesirable parking for a hotel guest. Furthermore, it does NOT take away from the dedicated up close lots for these paying hotel guests.

That is not true for all resort hotels. There is no such thing as a visitor parking lot at the Polynesian for example. And I haven't heard of them at GF or CR. There are ones for visitors at at Epcot but that's because of visitors to the Boardwalk entertainment area not the resorts.

The fact is, it is true that the resort parking areas are for resort guests and ADRs only. At the monorail resorts people parking there to go to MK has become an increasing problem and Disney is well aware of it. Resort guests are finding it difficult to park at their home resort and that isn't good for Disney in the long run. They have been talking about things like hard closures (restricted to resort guests and ADRs only) for some time. They will definitely do this more frequently at busy times, and FLE previews are probably one of those, but it could become permanent.

Bugsbunny, no issues and never will be when you are there for an ADR.

 

[ugotzme]

Three big conventions that weekend.

 

[Sloan]

If in real life I had stopped to ask you why I could not park at the hotel today, I'm going to go out on a limb here and say there is no way you are going to answer me like that in person.

Don't be so sure - jonesenon4 self-identifies in their profile as a U.S. Postal Service worker

 

[luv]

first of all resort parking lots are for resort guest if you park there you are taking away spots from guests who have paid for them by staying at the resort.so my answer to you would be if you dont want to use the free parking at DTD or are to cheap to pay for parking like everyone else DONT GO.

This is completely untrue. Also, your exceedingly rude comments were based on assumptions you made up in your head and not on anything that poster said. You may wish to offer up your apologies...or not. I don't know. I would.

Parking is there for everyone visiting the resort, not just for people sleeping and eating there. The only people who pay to park in the hotels are those who use the valet service. The self-parking people aren't charged parking fees.

They will periodically restrict parking if a politician is there or some event is held that has tons of people looking to park for free at hotels instead of paying to park in the park lots. On those occasions, you can't get into the lot without a reservation...well, generally. I have, but not when politicians were there.

 

[thomas998]

This is completely untrue. Also, your exceedingly rude comments were based on assumptions you made up in your head and not on anything that poster said. You may wish to offer up your apologies...or not. I don't know. I would.

Parking is there for everyone visiting the resort, not just for people sleeping and eating there. The only people who pay to park in the hotels are those who use the valet service. The self-parking people aren't charged parking fees.

They will periodically restrict parking if a politician is there or some event is held that has tons of people looking to park for free at hotels instead of paying to park in the park lots. On those occasions, you can't get into the lot without a reservation...well, generally. I have, but not when politicians were there.

Actually your wrong, the parking is for people that have a valid reason to be at the hotel... either they are a guest at the hotel or have reservations there to eat. They may at their own discretion allow someone to simply park and look around but frankly as a person who likes to stay at the Contemporary I don't like the thought of them allowing unlimited traffic to wander around. The hotel is crowded enough during busy times with only the guests around, no need to increase the traffic with people that just want to look around.

And considering the price they charge to stay there I'm pretty confident that each and every guest there is paying for that parking even if they aren't using the valet service.

 

[jonesenon4]

thank you thomas for supporting my claim i was not trying to be rude just stating my opinion thats what these forums are for general discussion. yes bugs i would answer the same in person its my opinion and i do not need an english lesson from you. my family and i will be arriving dec.14 pm for details and you can ask me then and we can discuss it like adults in person.

 

[luv]

Actually your wrong, the parking is for people that have a valid reason to be at the hotel... either they are a guest at the hotel or have reservations there to eat. They may at their own discretion allow someone to simply park and look around but frankly as a person who likes to stay at the Contemporary I don't like the thought of them allowing unlimited traffic to wander around. The hotel is crowded enough during busy times with only the guests around, no need to increase the traffic with people that just want to look around.

And considering the price they charge to stay there I'm pretty confident that each and every guest there is paying for that parking even if they aren't using the valet service.

thank you thomas for supporting my claim i was not trying to be rude just stating my opinion thats what these forums are for general discussion. yes bugs i would answer the same in person its my opinion and i do not need an english lesson from you. my family and i will be arriving dec.14 pm for details and you can ask me then and we can discuss it like adults in person.

parking is for everyone going to the hotel.

The fact that Thomas doesn't like it doesn't make it untrue.

With rare exceptions, everyone is welcome to visit any hotel, even if they just want to look around. And they are welcome to park there, too.

If it makes you feel any better, Thomas, I never, ever want to be at the Contemporary. Even when I stayed there I didn't want to be there and did it only for the kids. I think it's a horrid place. So I won't be parking there at all. Promise.

 

[thomas998]

parking is for everyone going to the hotel.

The fact that Thomas doesn't like it doesn't make it untrue.

With rare exceptions, everyone is welcome to visit any hotel, even if they just want to look around. And they are welcome to park there, too.

If it makes you feel any better, Thomas, I never, ever want to be at the Contemporary. Even when I stayed there I didn't want to be there and did it only for the kids. I think it's a horrid place. So I won't be parking there at all. Promise.

Simply not liking the truth doesn't chage it. There is a reason they check to see why you are going into the parking lot, and a reason they only allow a specific amount of time for people that only have reservations to eat there, it isn't because everyone and his dog are welcome to use the parking lot as they wish.

 

[jonesenon4]

parking is for everyone going to the hotel.

The fact that Thomas doesn't like it doesn't make it untrue.

With rare exceptions, everyone is welcome to visit any hotel, even if they just want to look around. And they are welcome to park there, too.

If it makes you feel any better, Thomas, I never, ever want to be at the Contemporary. Even when I stayed there I didn't want to be there and did it only for the kids. I think it's a horrid place. So I won't be parking there at all. Promise.

once again i agree with thomas if resort parking was for everyone why is there a guard and a locked gate at every resort. why do they issue you a parking pass that must be displayed. and do you really think disney is going to pay someone just to be there? and can you imagine the theft rate if they just let everyone in without a reason and the legal problems that would cause. you may not like it but resort lots are for resort guest or diners.

 

[Nemo14]

We have visited at least one resort every trip for the past 12 years, and have never once been issued a parking pass. At times we've gone for lunch, at times just to look around, and once just to avoid riding the tram with an orthopedic boot on (a CM friend recommended we do this actually). We've always had to show a driver's licence, but never felt that we were not allowed or welcome in.

 

[MaryJaneP]

I will also agree with Thomas. Disney should reserve enough spaces for the actual guests staying at the resort and have a separate visitor only lot. For those with reservations at Cal Grill, a fixed number of spaces. Visitors get a time-limited parking dash placard. After time expires, tow offenders. Anyone who "hates" the contemporary probably doesn't "hate" the proximity of the parking lot as much. Maybe a tow truck that is made to look like Dumbo or a flat-bed that looks like the caterpillar from bugs life on site to help enforce parking requirements would be advisable.

 

[menamechris]

This thread has taken a bit of an odd turn. There really isn't a reason to debate whether Disney wants parking widely restricted or not at the resorts. Disney wants guests to be going into their resorts. Disney uses resort decorations as a form of advertising all the time. Generally, every winter Passholder Mickey Monitor invites passholders to tour the resorts and see the decorations. of course, this is with the hopes you will be buying and eating at one of them, but I am sure Disney knows only a fraction will.

In recent years, they have been restricting parking at the Epcot resorts for Food and Wine, as well as Flower & Garden on weekends, but beyond that, it's not a concern for them. Monorail resorts have also increased parking restrictions during extremely busy times and seasons. This is all with good reason, and they seem to be well aware, and happy to turn a blind eye to the few people cheating the system. Because honestly, that t-shirt in the gift shop, or burger and fries at Beaches & Cream will make the money lost on your parking fee a wash...