Magic Kingdom Accidentally Got Free Parking

[Brad Bishop]

I've noticed this entrance for about 25 years. I've only used it once and they weren't cheated out any money as I'm a pass holder and, at the time, was staying onsite.

The problem, to me, really stems from the strange way they setup the toll plaza for the Magic Kingdom. It's dumb and confusing. If you're staying at the Polynesian, Contemporary, or Grand Floridian then you have to veer right into this parking toll booth area and tell someone, "I'm going to my resort." It's not clear at all.

It's also dumb that, on the way back from your resort, you have to cross all the way over via Seven Seas Drive across the North end of the parking lot, in front of the Polynesian to make a left and start heading South to get where you're actually trying to go instead of taking the natural route which would be straight down World Drive.

The little U-turn back into the parking lot without hitting the tolls just makes it all the more strange.

It would have made more sense to me to put the parking toll booths in one of these two locations with an over/underpass off World Drive:

It may have just been a cost issue when the were first coming up with all of this in 1971 and it was easier to just stick with it than to fix it.

 

[kjb101791]

I did this once. It didn't matter since I had free parking anyway. I think I was trying to get to the Poly or something and missed where I was supposed to turn. I headed back towards the gates, then was able to use that little connector road just passed the gates to head back in. No idea what I did exactly, but it did happen. I feel like I started out getting in there by being near the neighborhood on property? Or possibly by Port Orleans Riverside and coming in that back-ish way.

 

[Brad Bishop]

...and since we're on the subject of weird traffic designs: The top end of Epcot looks like someone just went nuts with a French Curve:

It seems really over complicated for what it's supposed to do: get people into and out of Epcot's parking lot and provide a road there for people getting around the property.

As many of you know, and can see from the image above, if you're heading North on World Drive and take the Epcot exit then you head directly into the parking toll booths. If you're traveling South on World Drive then you have the more logical option of either going into the toll booths or continuing down Epcot Center Dr.

The way they did the Monorail for the entrance to Epcot has also always bugged me in that it just comes in midway through the parking lot when it seems like it would have been more aesthetically pleasing to have it border each side of that main tram area and the amount of monorail track would have been about the same (my hand-drawn blue lines above).

 

[marni1971]

When EPCOT Center opened, there was no direct link to I-4. EPCOT Center drive only linked to World Drive. Hence the convoluted design.

Same for the monorail line - they kept it tight to existing roads for ease of servicing and emergency access. No to mention the STOLport was still a viable concern in 1979, if not operational. The beams were kept far enough away from the approach path.

 

[The Empress Lilly]

...and since we're on the subject of weird traffic designs: The top end of Epcot looks like someone just went nuts with a French Curve:

View attachment 75990

It seems really over complicated for what it's supposed to do: get people into and out of Epcot's parking lot and provide a road there for people getting around the property.

As many of you know, and can see from the image above, if you're heading North on World Drive and take the Epcot exit then you head directly into the parking toll booths. If you're traveling South on World Drive then you have the more logical option of either going into the toll booths or continuing down Epcot Center Dr.

The way they did the Monorail for the entrance to Epcot has also always bugged me in that it just comes in midway through the parking lot when it seems like it would have been more aesthetically pleasing to have it border each side of that main tram area and the amount of monorail track would have been about the same (my hand-drawn blue lines above).

Yes, that monorail approach does look weird. It is my understanding that the whole of EPCOT Center was moved southwards a bit very late in the planning.

At some point, the monorail would've entered EPCOT almost from the side, while the car parking was off to the east. As EPCOT was moved, the monorail added a short southwards stretch, coming in midway through the parking lot, which was now all to the north of EPCOT.

 

[kelknight84]

As a former CM, the u-turn is so people leaving the car care center can easily return to the MK parking lot. Supposedly Hess or whoever owns it then/now came to an agreement with Disney that is was needed.

It is also handy for transportation CM's since the northwest corner of the MK lot is all cast parking and if we enter Reams road we can bypass a lot of the tourist traffic.

 

[marni1971]

Also remember there used to be a checkpoint on Vista Blvd east of Fort Wilderness (and IIRC the North service area) preventing access from those areas. In theory, as designed, anyone doing the U turn inside of the toll plaza would be inside of it legitimately.

 

[horizons82]

Also remember there used to be a checkpoint on Vista Blvd east of Fort Wilderness (and IIRC the North service area) preventing access from those areas. In theory, as designed, anyone doing the U turn inside of the toll plaza would be inside of it legitimately.

I remember this...I think my dad used to get WDW CM stickers for his car winshield (I remember them being red), and that he did have to go through a security checkpoint with the car sticker and (sometimes) his ID.

 

[photomatt]

I remember this...I think my dad used to get WDW CM stickers for his car winshield (I remember them being red), and that he did have to go through a security checkpoint with the car sticker and (sometimes) his ID.

The CM decals were red. They used to be required because there were security checkpoints that no longer exist. For example, if you entered the property from the far north (Reams Rd), you could only turn right to go to the CM parking, or left to go to the Center Building. I think it's now called Disney University. It's been awhile, so who knows. In order to go any further, you needed a CM decal. That guard shack is now gone, which means that anyone can keep going until they get to an intersection about a half mile down the road. If you go straight, you will see another guard shack and concrete barriers that rise out of the ground. You obviously need clearance to go past that, since that road leads to the MK and the CM entrance. You can turn left or right at that intersection and proceed with no issues.

As stated in a previous post, you can turn left at that intersection and take that road until you get to Seven Seas Drive. If you turn right there, you can go past the MK parking lot (which is on the left) and turn left when the road ends. That road is World Drive. If you continue on it you will see a U-turn just past car-care. If you take that U-turn, you will end up in the MK parking lot and not have to pay. It's easier just to get an annual pass and not worry about this.

 

[Communicore]

So anyone can enter the Reams CM entrance now without showing proof? I know a year ago I drove past Space Mountain towards the monorail shop and there used to be a checkpoint there and they moved it to the left now, much closer to the tunnel entrance.

 

[photomatt]

So anyone can enter the Reams CM entrance now without showing proof?

I have circled where the old guard shack used to be.

If you go straight, you are stopped by a guard. This is to prevent unauthorized vehicles from going to the tunnels. If you turn left, as indicated by my lame yellow arrow, you will go around the MK. You will soon see the Contemporary on your left, and you can turn right onto Seven Seas drive.

This post is for entertainment purposes only. No suggestion is being made to use this to avoid paying any fees.

 

[Brad Bishop]

What are you referring to with "tunnels"? The Utilidors?

 

[Britt]

We got free parking one of our days They were switching out attendants! Happened on my day to pay parking, so I was pretty happy! Haha! (We split parking costs with my inlaws)

 

[freediverdude]

Unless you're coming from the north, I think if you're trying to do that it's a lot easier to just go past Port Orleans, turn left, then turn right like you're going to the Contemporary, then turn left and go past the Polynesian, then turn left again and there's the little road before the toll booths. Still a lot of driving around just to get the parking, but whatever. One person I know stubbornly parks at Downtown Disney and takes a bus to a resort and then to the park to avoid the fee. Some people are just crazy like that. Your time is money people, lol.

 

[photomatt]

What are you referring to with "tunnels"? The Utilidors?

Yes. I was referring to the Utilidors. I apologize for having made a Disney-speak error. No pixie dust for me tonight.