Parking At A Resort and Taking The MonoRail

[Bocko57]

We are staying on at the All Star Movies. I was thinking of this: Driving to another Disney Resort (i.e. The Comtemporary) and parking there then riding the Monorail to Magic Kingdom. This will give us a chance to enjoy the monorail and avoid the parking at MK.

Thoughts?

 

[maggiegrace1]

What's this about being towed if you park there without a "legitimate" reason to be there? I thought that Disney's official stance was that anyone is welcome to visit any resort just to look around, as that person may be a potential guest in the future if he likes what he sees. How can one be welcome to visit just to look around if there is the possibility of being towed if they aren't there for a "legitimate" reason? :shrug:

Do they have people who walk around and chalk mark the tires of anyone without a resort guest tag, and then come back around and have the vehicle towed after what Disney determines to be a reasonable amount of time for a non-guest to be there?

They do not do anything...and I have never seen anyone towed ever..:shrug:

That is where the 3 hour pass came into play. If you were there to just visit and eat then they figured you weren't going to be there for more than 3 hours. If you needed more time you could always get another pass and repark.

I never got one..they just wave us through..sometimes they ask for ID..most of the time they just wave us through.

 

[joesheets]

This is starting to get annoying. In the past 12 months, I have visited the resorts (mainly the poly) aprox 15 times. Through all seasons (spring, summer, fall and winter) even a few days after x-mas. So I have been there during some of their busiest times. None of the times (in the past 12 months) have I gotten the 3 hour pass. I believe that they are not doing the pass thing anymore since I haven't gotten one. It hasn't been confirmed. Theory: You would think that if they were still doing it, as much as I have been there and as many of the deluxe resorts that I have visited, one of the guards would have given me the 3 hour pass. Lets move on class. Ok, You park at the Poly. You tell the gaurd "I am going to the Wyland gallery", he points the way for self parking or valet parking. You park in the self parking area. You park in a parking space that isn't a handicap space and doesn't have any type of sings stating for guest parking or 15 minute parking or anything like that. The security guard didn't give you a 3 hour pass or verbally give you any type of time frame. You are now allowed to park there as long as you want. No ifs ands or buts about it. They would have to have a valid reason for towing you. This means that you would have to have done something wrong. They can't just tow a vehicle because they deem it necessary. Think about it people. You were given permission to be there. You parked in an empty spot with no time designation. If they towed your car and you asked them why. They would have to give you a valid reason. What valid reason could they give you. It's rhetorical, they can't. Therefore, if they did tow your vehicle (in this example), they would open themselves up for problems such as potential law suits. Again, I am only addressing the issue of whether or not a car would be towed and nothing else.

 

[Mrs. Jobson]

Thanks Tigsmom:slurp:. It just seems that parking has been worse each and every time we visit and there are tons of cars without the pass. I just wish they would enforce it more. The last time we arrived to stay in the Contempory we couldn't find a spot to park that was anywhere near it so we lugged all of our gear across the parking lot. I remember seeing an old blue beat up truck that was covered with bumper stickers that didn't have a parking pass. We checked in (sometime around 4:00 pm), found our room, and rode the monorail over to the MK. We decided to walk back around 11:00 pm and passed the same truck still parked in the same spot!! There was no way that they were at the Contempory that long without actually staying there! Please, Please, Please just consider the other guests if you are parking at a resort that isn't your own!!

How do you know they weren't staying there? Just because they had a beat up truck doesn't mean they can't afford to stay there. Let's be nice.

 

[Dwarful]

Last summer we stayed at Boardwalk. We had to drive off property to pick up a prescription. We had a hard time finding our first spot and when we left and came back it was just as bad finding a spot. This summer we are at Yacht and don't plan on moving the van, esp. if parking is hard to come by. Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.

 

[marcriss]

This past December was the first time in five years that we didn't need an ADR to park at the Contemporary. They just waived us in. The other years we were asked for the time and location of our ADR which was checked on the list and we were given a blue 3-hour pass and told to park to the right of the guard booth.

Every time over the past 5 Decembers parking has been restricted on certain nights at the YC, where we stay. Signs are put out stating that parking is for hotel guests and not for Epcot or Hollywood Studios.

If the parks are busy they actively restrict parking. One time they couldn't find us on the list for Chef Mickey's because the concierge had gotten it for us that morning and they called upstairs to verify.

I'm not passing judgement, just saying that they can and do check to avoid having people park for the parks there.

 

[MyJo]

What about going to use the facilities?? :shrug:

We're staying in Animal Kingdom Lodge in the summer but were planning on doing some wee tours of other resorts and maybe using the swimming pools and stuff, is this allowed??

 

[bamillerpa]

Mrs Jobson-I only stated about the truck because it stood out from all of the other cars because of the bumper stickers and the condition it was in. I was in no way implying that they couldn't afford it, only that I noticed it because of it's condition and how it stood out. There could have been any number of cars there without the pass that was there just as long or longer. The truck just stood out because there was no less than twenty bumper stickers and a huge dent in the back meaning that I couldn't have mistaken it for any other vehicle there!! I once drove an old pinto that the windows wouldn't roll up, I am not being judgemental!!

 

[Mrs. Jobson]

No harm, no foul! Have a great weekend!

By the way, just talked to my husband and we just got our Magical Express packet in the mail. We are so excited!

 

[Mrs. Jobson]

What about going to use the facilities?? :shrug:

We're staying in Animal Kingdom Lodge in the summer but were planning on doing some wee tours of other resorts and maybe using the swimming pools and stuff, is this allowed??

Oh this is gonna get good! Remember the skit on SNL with Molly Shannon?

DON'T GET ME STARTED!!! DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED.

 

[njDizFan]

Do we have confirmation by anyone on this site that they were towed from a resort? Not just seeing a car get towed.

 

[joesheets]

What about going to use the facilities?? :shrug:

We're staying in Animal Kingdom Lodge in the summer but were planning on doing some wee tours of other resorts and maybe using the swimming pools and stuff, is this allowed??

You are allowed to tour the facilities, shops, bars, and restaurants but the pools are for that resort guests only. Now, can you tell the security guard (at the gate) that you are going to tour the facility and get clearance to park (not telling him that you are there to swim) and then go swimming. Yes. Is it morally right/wrong. I am not going to debate/discuss that. But can it be done or has it been done: YES. From my experiance, the only pool that they check resort id on is the yacht/beach club. I have seen people change into their bathing suits in the poly parking lot to use the pools. I have seen people change into their bathing suits in the Grand Floridian bathroom to use the pools. So again, CAN it be done: Yes. Should it be done: Your judgement. I am sure that the whole can it/should it be done debate will start up again. I got something for you all to discuss. Define guest pertaining to Disney. It can be a guest of the resort (i.e. someone who is paying to stay there) but can it mean someone that is eating at one of the restaurants? Let's say that you go to the Poly and eat dinner at O hana's ($33.00 a person), you drop $66.00 + tax for dinner for you and your loved one, then you spend another $40.00 for drinks at the bar and maybe even drop a few bucks at the boutique. Am I a guest then? Because if you answer yes, then you could argue the fact of using the pool. You would be arguing it on a technicality but still it COULD be argued. (Yes, I understand that the official definition of guest for pool use is someone that is staying at that hotel).

 

[Chezman1399]

What's this about being towed if you park there without a "legitimate" reason to be there? I thought that Disney's official stance was that anyone is welcome to visit any resort just to look around, as that person may be a potential guest in the future if he likes what he sees. How can one be welcome to visit just to look around if there is the possibility of being towed if they aren't there for a "legitimate" reason? :shrug:

Do they have people who walk around and chalk mark the tires of anyone without a resort guest tag, and then come back around and have the vehicle towed after what Disney determines to be a reasonable amount of time for a non-guest to be there?

Actually Disney's rule used to be that you can go visit any resort if you're staying at a Disney resort, not sure if that has changed, at least as far as parking goes. During busier times, some resorts will do 3 hour parking passes, with the Contemporary being the main culprit. What I was saying is that if having your car there when it's not suppose to be, like if they're handing out the 3 hour pass and it's expired and there is no room for actual resort guests to park that would be a major problem.

 

[mrbghd]

.1. You are now allowed to park there as long as you want.
2 They would have to have a valid reason for towing you. This means that you would have to have done something wrong. They can't just tow a vehicle because they deem it necessary.
3 They would have to give you a valid reason. .

I felt the need to correct you here. As to point 1 you are mistaken. If you say you are going to the bar to the security guard, that is the reason you are allowed to park there. You are allowed to park there as long as you are at the resort for that activity. When you leave the resort your permission is considered revoked. As to point 2 all property within WDW is private property. All vehicles are subject to towing at anytime WDW deems it neccessary and proper. Legally, they can in fact tow your vehicle just because they deem it neccessary. Remember your permission to use the parking lot at the Poly is based on your physical presence on the grounds of the Poly. If you are not there, your permission is withdrawn and even though they do not need a reason, WDW now has a reason to two your car. As to point 3, see point 2. The vehicle is on private property. As such if WDW deems it neccessary, your vehicle may be towed. If you feel that you are correct and I am wrong please let us know where you graduated law school from and when you were admitted to the bar.

AS to the moral issue, people that park at a hotel simply to avoid paying for parking are the WORST kind of CHEAPO there is. I sincerely hope that they get stuck on the monorail for 18 hours with a group that has not learned what deodrant is.

 

[joesheets]

To Mrbhd, Wow! I pose this question to you: How would they know that I have left the property? I tell the security guard that I am going to the bar, and after a while I take the monorail over to GF for a while. How will they know that? Do you think, they are going to tell any visitor who came there temporarily, it's now time to go? No, and they couldn't. What are they going to do, make an announcement over a pa system. Maybe send someone up to the bar to tell me to leave? Of course on the chance that the security guard remembered where I said that I was going or what I looked like. And then lets address the they don't need a reason thing. So I should go into business myself and open up a parking lot. Then make a deal with a towing company and give them the specific rights to tow cars from my lot, when I deem it necessary. I can have cars towed just because I want too and make a lot of money because of my deal with the towing company? I am not saying that Disney is/would do that but come on. You don't think that once that happened to an attorney, someone who is related to an attorney or someone who had a lot of money to waste for the principal of the matter wouldn't file suit? No, I am not an attorney but, I am pretty sure that if a car gets towed and the owner hasn't done anything wrong (that can be proven), like violating a time limit then said towers would have to answer for it.

 

[maggiegrace1]

I felt the need to correct you here. As to point 1 you are mistaken. If you say you are going to the bar to the security guard, that is the reason you are allowed to park there. You are allowed to park there as long as you are at the resort for that activity. When you leave the resort your permission is considered revoked. As to point 2 all property within WDW is private property. All vehicles are subject to towing at anytime WDW deems it neccessary and proper. Legally, they can in fact tow your vehicle just because they deem it neccessary. Remember your permission to use the parking lot at the Poly is based on your physical presence on the grounds of the Poly. If you are not there, your permission is withdrawn and even though they do not need a reason, WDW now has a reason to two your car. As to point 3, see point 2. The vehicle is on private property. As such if WDW deems it neccessary, your vehicle may be towed. If you feel that you are correct and I am wrong please let us know where you graduated law school from and when you were admitted to the bar.

AS to the moral issue, people that park at a hotel simply to avoid paying for parking are the WORST kind of CHEAPO there is. I sincerely hope that they get stuck on the monorail for 18 hours with a group that has not learned what deodrant is.

I do not park there to avoid paying the parking fee..I stay on property and get free parking..I park there because I loathe Disney Buses and hate the TTC center and the trams...:shrug:

 

[YankeeMouse]

Don't be so quick to judge people who are changing in the restrooms. With checkout at 11 a.m., we have occasionally had a later flight and changed in the restroom of the resort we have been staying at, and had our luggage in the car since it was post checkout and ended our stay poolside.

 

[HouCuseChickie]

Interesting thread...I'd always wondered about this. Many yrs ago when I lived in FL, a guy I was dating took me on a vaca to Disney. We stayed off property and every time we went to a park, he parked his car at the Contempo to avoid paying parking fees for the parks. It certainly didn't feel right :veryconfu (and I was young and stupid- moreso than now:ROFLOL, but we were never questioned or towed...but that was also a good 14 yrs ago and it sounds like they've tried to limit this...which I can now see why.

 

[mrbghd]

No, I am not an attorney but, I am pretty sure that if a car gets towed and the owner hasn't done anything wrong (that can be proven), like violating a time limit then said towers would have to answer for it.

Joe, you are right you are not an attorney! My point is not that they would tow your car, my point is that LEGALLY they CAN! Your analogy of starting a parking lot is flawed because the parking lot at the Poly services a specific enterprise. You are parking in the lot as a "guest" of that enterprise. They LEGALLY can tow you if they determine you are no longer a "guest" at that enterprise. They have a very low burden of proof as to this so an attorney or someone related to an attorney could file suit about being towed but barring some circumstance not discussed here, the suit would be dismissed. The owner of a vehicle who parks their vehicle on private property has very, very limited legal rights. With all of this being said the probability of being towed from a parking lot of a WDW hotel is minimal because it could deter future visitors from coming to the hotel. But LEGALLY towing a vehicle is within their rights.

 

[mrbghd]

I do not park there to avoid paying the parking fee..I stay on property and get free parking..I park there because I loathe Disney Buses and hate the TTC center and the trams...:shrug:

If you are not paying for the Poly or the Contemporary and you are parking their to avoid the busses, etc. You ARE A CHEAPO. Spend the money and stay at those resorts, otherwise leave the parking lots for those who have paid for them. Just because you rationalize it in your head does not mean that it is not classless and pathetic.

 

[maggiegrace1]

If you are not paying for the Poly or the Contemporary and you are parking their to avoid the busses, etc. You ARE A CHEAPO. Spend the money and stay at those resorts, otherwise leave the parking lots for those who have paid for them. Just because you rationalize it in your head does not mean that it is not classless and pathetic.

Far from cheap and classless and pathetic..you have no idea who I am or anything about my financial status...if Disney security is allowing me to park there and go to MK ..which I tell them I am doing...I will continue to do it.

I could care less if you like it or not and if it makes you mad....I am being given permission to do so by them.


So say what you want and call names..I will continue to do this until I am told at the security gate that I can not..and maybe I will get lucky and be there when you are and park in the last available spot and you do not have one...

Have a Magical Day!..:wave: