Not Allowed to Go to Resorts Anymore If You Aren't Staying There?

[s8film40]

If you want to visit a monorail resort, park at the TTC and take the....monorail

Do the restaurants offer validation for parking there?

 

[JTT]

You can take an Uber to the resort.

 

[correcaminos]

Well we've been getting in for quick service for years. All we had to do was show our IDs and the let us in. I'm guessing it's just a new policy, but it really sucks.

Honestly you've been a little lucky with that particularly at CR. I know I put on my charm when we wanted to eat at Ample Hills a few weeks ago. I knew they could turn me away. Monorail resorts have always been harder on parking sans reservation of some sort.

 

[Lets Respect]

Do the restaurants offer validation for parking there?

I was replying to the OP who wanted to eat at Contempo

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

My understanding is the guards have ALWAYS been tough on parking at the Contemporary since its an easy walk to MK. I was "resort hopping" to check out Christmas decorations with a friend, and we had a hard time parking at the Grand Floridian without a reservation. The guard eventually let us in, and since its Christmas the parking lots are slammed as is, but its something to keep in mind.

Correct....the 3 most strict have been contemp, poly and boardwalk

 

[s8film40]

I was replying to the OP who wanted to eat at Contempo

Yeah I know I was just making a point that the alternative you’re offering could cost an extra $22.

 

[Lets Respect]

Yeah I know I was just making a point that the alternative you’re offering could cost an extra $22.

Sure. But the OP has an AP so parking would be free at the TTC

 

["El Gran Magnifico"]

Great. This will morph into the "Resort Hopper Pass" - for only $19.99 per day you get unlimited day parking at any Disney resort......subject to "conditions" of course (like a 3 hour max, on a first come basis, subject to availability etc). Can't wait.

It'll be available on MDE - you'll register the plate and it will be verified when you arrive (so rentals wont be exempt) - have a card on file - then they'll take a picture of your plate coming in and going out. Exceed the time? Bingo you get charged additional. Mickey will even record you a personal message sent right to your phone for those situations: "Golly Pal, you stayed an extra 15 minutes - that'll be $200 dollars please ha..ha."

 

[OneofThree]

Had lunch with the wife and kids at Sanaa last week to celebrate Fathers Day. After leaving there, we stopped by Boardwalk to see if we couldn't get some ice cream and it was posted on a large sign that parking was available for resort guests only. Guessing you need an ADR these days.

 

[s8film40]

Had lunch with the wife and kids at Sanaa last week to celebrate Fathers Day. After leaving there, we stopped by Boardwalk to see if we couldn't get some ice cream and it was posted on a large sign that parking was available for resort guests only. Guessing you need an ADR these days.

They usually use the parking lot across the street for day guests. Boardwalk just doesn't really have adequate parking. It doesn't help that it was originally marketed as like a second Downtown Disney a lot of people still think of it this way. I almost always just park at Yacht, Beach or Swan & Dolphin when going there. It's just easier and the walk is very short.

 

[slappy magoo]

I have no real clue, but I would think the hotels have a good idea each day how many of their guests have cars, and based on how many guests are checking in that day are using Magical Express, they can surmise how many guests how many of them will have cars. Based off of that, they can level off the amount of cars of people who aren't staying there can park, a bit like the way they level off park attendance. Up to a point, they can let anyone in, then they need to start threatening the 3 hour window, and at some point, they just need to prevent people from coming in unless they're staying there.

 

[HwdStudio]

Correct....the 3 most strict have been contemp, poly and boardwalk

And GF during the Holidays. I needed to run in and get some gingerbread but only guests of the hotel were being let in.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

And GF during the Holidays. I needed to run in and get some gingerbread but only guests of the hotel were being let in.

They have always had bad parking...it wasn’t planned out well at all.

If it wasn’t in a swamp - all those hotels would have been built on underground parking decks...but you can’t.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I have no real clue, but I would think the hotels have a good idea each day how many of their guests have cars, and based on how many guests are checking in that day are using Magical Express, they can surmise how many guests how many of them will have cars. Based off of that, they can level off the amount of cars of people who aren't staying there can park, a bit like the way they level off park attendance. Up to a point, they can let anyone in, then they need to start threatening the 3 hour window, and at some point, they just need to prevent people from coming in unless they're staying there.

They have a mountain of data to predict that...don’t forget the rfi bands and chips allow for tracking people as well...if you have a magic band, it wouldn’t be hard for them to detect you in the parking lot and find out you’re not staying there.

I think the problem is that they charge “overnight”...which is dumb because it doesn’t catch squatters...instead of day parking. Charging the same to park as the theme park parking lots would lock it off completely.

So it’s a game of sorts...as usual. They’d love you there for free when it’s slow...but want to charge you a fortune when demand is high. It’s like parking outside Fenway Park.

 

[slappy magoo]

I think the problem is that they charge “overnight”...which is dumb because it doesn’t catch squatters...instead of day parking. Charging the same to park as the theme park parking lots would lock it off completely.

So it’s a game of sorts...as usual. They’d love you there for free when it’s slow...but want to charge you a fortune when demand is high. It’s like parking outside Fenway Park.

But also charging to park in the hotel lots during the day could be, for them, counterproductive. They want people to drive over to the resorts for dining and shopping.

I don't know if charging $22 to park for a few hours at a monorail hotel would dissuade so many people from doing it that the bottom line isn't compensated by people who ARE willing to pay the parking fee to dine and shop.

They also want people to be able to futz around their hotels so they can wistfully go "next time, we're staying here." Charging them to be a looky-loo is not a good way to do that.

I would also think that, if you're staying on site, and you're already paying for parking, the idea that you can't park in another resort's lot to shop or eat - or worse, they might start to expect you to pay more on top of what you've already paid to park at your hotel - is going to stop some people from having the warm fuzzies when they think of WDW.

Which is why I'm thinking for the OP it's more of an anomaly - the parking cops already knew the lot was as full as it could get without inconveniencing guests who were staying there and have cars with them.

Here's what I'd like to see happen (after world peace of course, I'm not a savage) - when lots are full, a back...BACK section of TTC/Epcot lots be sectioned off for free 3 or 4 hour "hotel parking" with complimentary shuttles to those respective resorts. An attendant scans the plate or issues a ticket with a max time on it, if you stay longer, you pay, if you don't, you don't. This way the hotel lots don't necessarily get too full, people still get time at the resorts to dine or shop or just look around, it's still an inconvenience but by being "complimentary," people aren't angry, and that's more money to spend on stuff at the hotels.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

But also charging to park in the hotel lots during the day could be, for them, counterproductive. They want people to drive over to the resorts for dining and shopping.

I don't know if charging $22 to park for a few hours at a monorail hotel would dissuade so many people from doing it that the bottom line isn't compensated by people who ARE willing to pay the parking fee to dine and shop.

They also want people to be able to futz around their hotels so they can wistfully go "next time, we're staying here." Charging them to be a looky-loo is not a good way to do that.

I would also think that, if you're staying on site, and you're already paying for parking, the idea that you can't park in another resort's lot to shop or eat - or worse, they might start to expect you to pay more on top of what you've already paid to park at your hotel - is going to stop some people from having the warm fuzzies when they think of WDW.

Which is why I'm thinking for the OP it's more of an anomaly - the parking cops already knew the lot was as full as it could get without inconveniencing guests who were staying there and have cars with them.

Here's what I'd like to see happen (after world peace of course, I'm not a savage) - when lots are full, a back...BACK section of TTC/Epcot lots be sectioned off for free 3 or 4 hour "hotel parking" with complimentary shuttles to those respective resorts. An attendant scans the plate or issues a ticket with a max time on it, if you stay longer, you pay, if you don't, you don't. This way the hotel lots don't necessarily get too full, people still get time at the resorts to dine or shop or just look around, it's still an inconvenience but by being "complimentary," people aren't angry, and that's more money to spend on stuff at the hotels.

I think you are vastly overstating the “resort hopping” shoppers and diners.

It’s always been fewer people than you think because it takes effort. And the vast majority comes off disney transport anyway.

 

[Yert3]

If you want to visit a monorail resort, park at the TTC and take the....monorail

I’m aware of that, as I stated in my original post. Problem was we didn’t have the extra time to do that because we were short on time as it was.

 

[slappy magoo]

I think you are vastly overstating the “resort hopping” shoppers and diners.

It’s always been fewer people than you think because it takes effort. And the vast majority comes off disney transport anyway.

I admit I don't have any sort of statistics to back up how many people travel to WDW by car. But if they sometimes limit how many cars of non-guests are allowed to park at hotels to visit, then it must be a problem at least at times, so why not think about solutions? Indeed, they'd probably cite the amount of cars as a reason they started charging for parking (versus "we'd really like you to not have a car so you'll spend all of your vacation on our property").

And speaking from experience, it takes far less effort to visit other resorts when you have a car, which is why some people opt to have cars on their vacations.

 

[pax_65]

We stayed at the Contemporary with a car a few years back before the parking crackdown, and parking was a real problem. We would often have difficulty finding a parking space, and we watched TONS of people park in our lot and walk over to the Magic Kingdom. It is a shame, because I enjoy visiting resorts (especially around Christmas) but I understand the decision.

 

[Sirwalterraleigh]

I’m aware of that, as I stated in my original post. Problem was we didn’t have the extra time to do that because we were short on time as it was.

Or walk the 100 feet to the poly