Parking at resorts vs at the theme park parking lots

[DisneyparkFreak]

So lets say I go to Chef Mickey's for breakfast and park my rental car at the contemporary... then i go to the magic kingdom all day. Can i leave the car at the resort and just walk over?

 

[smk]

So lets say I go to Chef Mickey's for breakfast and park my rental car at the contemporary... then i go to the magic kingdom all day. Can i leave the car at the resort and just walk over?

No. If you are staying at a WDW resort just use the bus to get there for breakfast or I think you will risk having your car towed. Too many people would try to park at a resort to avoid the parking fee charged to enter and park at the parks.

 

[Monty]

You are allowed to park at a resort you're not staying at for up to three hours. After which you risk being towed. If you like having access to your car, move it to the regular parking after breakfast.

If you are staying at another WDW resort, you don't have to pay for parking wherever you go on property, but they don't want non-Contemporary guests parking there. It would make parking problematic for the people who are staying there.

 

[tigsmom]

So lets say I go to Chef Mickey's for breakfast and park my rental car at the contemporary... then i go to the magic kingdom all day. Can i leave the car at the resort and just walk over?

You can, but you stand the chance that it won't be there when you get back. They have been known to tow cars away that are not registered at the monorail resorts and are left there all day. Why not park at the TTC and take the monorail over?

 

[slappy magoo]

So lets say I go to Chef Mickey's for breakfast and park my rental car at the contemporary... then i go to the magic kingdom all day. Can i leave the car at the resort and just walk over?

Are you staying onsite or off?

 

[DisneyparkFreak]

I'm going to be staying at the Swan/Dolphin. We chose to rent a car this time vs using Disney transportation because we hate having to ride the buses when they are super packed after the park closes or having to wait 3-4 buses before we can go back to our resort. This way we control the insanity.

I like the idea of parking at the TTC and then the monorail.

 

[disneygirl76]

So lets say I go to Chef Mickey's for breakfast and park my rental car at the contemporary... then i go to the magic kingdom all day. Can i leave the car at the resort and just walk over?

This is a huge topic on the boards. There are a great deal of opinions on this matter. The answer to your question is no, you can not. When you go through the security gate at the Contemporary they will give you a pass and that will say for dining. If you are there all day, your vehicle is subject to be towed. One of the major issues with this, is that what is stopping everyone from doing that. Avoid paying for parking then in the lots. And what about the people who pay the prices to stay at the Deluxe Resorts and they can't find parking b/c everyone is parking there. You can see how this becomes a hot topic on the boards. My recommendation is to park at the TTC and taking the monorail over. That would be the easiest thing. Have a great trip! :wave:

 

[slappy magoo]

This is just an assumption on my part, and we all know what happens when you assume. But I think when people park in resort lots, the odds are better their car won't be towed, if they have a free parking pass, which you would get if you're staying at Swan or Dolphin. Ironically, you WILL have to pay to park in the Swan and Dolphin lot, but you'll get a pass that will grant you free parking in the theme park lots. Since Disney's not going to be losing any money by you not parking in the MK lot, they may be more willing to turn a blind eye. They'd probably be more likely to tow a car if the owners were staying completely offsite, and clearly trying to use the Contemporary lot to avoid paying for parking. But just because I think this is how the WDW lot cops feel doesn't necessarily mean I'm right. And how much would it suck were I wrong, you went for it, and got towed?

 

[Billy6]

When I had ressies at Chef Mickey's, I used valet parking at the Contemporary. It is good for all day parking and is about the same as theme park parking. Give or take a few bucks for tips. Then I just hopped on the Monorail or walked over to MK. Saves the risk of a tow, as everyone has said. If you go to another park, you can always valet park at a closer resort that offers it. Its good for all day parking....

 

[mickeysbrother]

So lets say I go to Chef Mickey's for breakfast and park my rental car at the contemporary... then i go to the magic kingdom all day. Can i leave the car at the resort and just walk over?

This is my story!!!! I used to always park at the Dolphin Resort... They never used to have a security guard in that hotel so parking was free... But now they have a guard... My mom and i now park across the street at The boardwalk. Just tell the guard you are having breakfast and voila FREE PARKING... I have been to Disney 41 times and never have i had a problem parking at a hotel...

 

[fireworkz]

These are no longer given out at any of the resorts.

I can help confirm this is true. Three trips (all off-site) in the last three years, parked at Contemporary on the one day we had Chef Mickey breakfast reservations, also parked at Boardwalk each time. They do not give you any kind of a pass, they simply ask why you are there, they direct you to a parking lot designated for non-resort guests (usually the furthest from the resort building). No pass, no tracking of any kind.

Three years ago they asked for your name, driver's license and seem to check a clipboard to verify you had a reservation booked, but even then they said nothing about a time limit, didn't give you a pass, nor is there any signage warning of a time limit. In the last two years they simply ask why your there are send you to the furthest parking lot and that's it.

I've stayed there all day with no problems, no ticket, no tow. I only do this on days I have a dining reservation at that resort and feel if I'm paying close to $100 for dining, my parking is included. Besides I'm in a lot no one staying at that resort would find desirable. It's like a three to four minute walk from the building!

So I doubt they do any towing anymore. After all if security doesn't warn you, and there is no clearly marked signage Disney has no legal right to tow your vehicle.

 

[Diane Hughess]

I always stay on property, so I have a paper in my window which states my resort, and the dates I am staying. I always park at the Poly or Contemp. when I have a meal ressie, and leave my car there for the rest of the day. Like others have said, the guard just asks why we're there, and at the Contemp., they direct us to a lot. At the Poly we just park wherever. I had NO idea I could be towed! Yikes! I've also parked at the Boardwalk and Yacht Club for extended hours..

 

[tampabrad]

Disney should really try to change their policy on this.

If you are staying on property, you should be able to park at YOUR resort and all of the parks. If you choose to drive to another resort, you should pay a parking fee equal to the fee at the parks. If you leave within a certain amout of time, the fee will be reimbursed.

If you are not staying on property, you should have to pay to park at the parks and the resorts. Resort parking should cost more than at the parks so people wont want to leave their cars there all day. If you leave your car at a resort for more than an established time, you do not get reimbursed.

 

[wdwfan22]

I always stay on property, so I have a paper in my window which states my resort, and the dates I am staying. I always park at the Poly or Contemp. when I have a meal ressie, and leave my car there for the rest of the day. Like others have said, the guard just asks why we're there, and at the Contemp., they direct us to a lot. At the Poly we just park wherever. I had NO idea I could be towed! Yikes! I've also parked at the Boardwalk and Yacht Club for extended hours..

You can park at the Boardwalk for as long as you like, since they bill it as an attraction. However at the other resorts you run the risk of being towed. I have seen them tow Disney Resort Guests during busy periods at the Contemporary, due to Contemporary Guests not being able to find places to park.

 

[wdwfan22]

I can help confirm this is true. Three trips (all off-site) in the last three years, parked at Contemporary on the one day we had Chef Mickey breakfast reservations, also parked at Boardwalk each time. They do not give you any kind of a pass, they simply ask why you are there, they direct you to a parking lot designated for non-resort guests (usually the furthest from the resort building). No pass, no tracking of any kind.

Three years ago they asked for your name, driver's license and seem to check a clipboard to verify you had a reservation booked, but even then they said nothing about a time limit, didn't give you a pass, nor is there any signage warning of a time limit. In the last two years they simply ask why your there are send you to the furthest parking lot and that's it.

I've stayed there all day with no problems, no ticket, no tow. I only do this on days I have a dining reservation at that resort and feel if I'm paying close to $100 for dining, my parking is included. Besides I'm in a lot no one staying at that resort would find desirable. It's like a three to four minute walk from the building!

So I doubt they do any towing anymore. After all if security doesn't warn you, and there is no clearly marked signage Disney has no legal right to tow your vehicle.

You are warned when you pull into the lot, there is a sign that states Contemporary Resort Guests parking only. While most of the time you don't have to worry about being towed, it has happened and it has happened to other Disney Resort Guests.

 

[gcurling]

If you are staying on property, you should be able to park at YOUR resort and all of the parks. If you choose to drive to another resort, you should pay a parking fee equal to the fee at the parks. If you leave within a certain amout of time, the fee will be reimbursed.

Seriously? So, in addition to resort security guards handling cash or credit cards for each guest coming to dine, and thus holding up the line of vehicles trying to get into (and out of) the resort, you are going to burden your resort guests (your best customers) with having to pay and get reimbursed over and over during their vacation each time they dine at another resort?

 

[ElvisMickey]

Just my two cents on this. Technically...are you supposed to park at the hotels? No. Can you? Yes. I always park at the Contemporary or Polynesian when I'm going to the Magic Kingdom. If I'm going to EPCOT, I park at the Boardwalk. I just don't tell the guard exactly what I'm doing. I will tell the guard that I'm meeting friends at the hotel for breakfast, night time cocktails, whatever. Just don't tell them that you're parking there to go to the parks. It's never an issue and they let me in. I've been doing this for at least 10 years and I've never been towed. However I should mention that I always stay on property at one of the other resorts. I don't know if this would work for off-site guests.

 

[WDWLocal]

We would park at the contemporary all the time and never have we been towed, but then again we usually Dont go all day more like half the day, but that was in 2008. Now the annual Pass admits us free parking there is no need.

 

[tigsmom]

You can park at the Boardwalk for as long as you like, since they bill it as an attraction. However at the other resorts you run the risk of being towed. I have seen them tow Disney Resort Guests during busy periods at the Contemporary, due to Contemporary Guests not being able to find places to park.

Technically you have to park in the public lot and not the Inn lot which is different.

We get around all of this by valet parking, you pay once and can move your car to any valet lot. We usually use Disney transportation to everywhere but DTD and if we are staying out late and want to avoid the bus rush at the end of the night (especially EMH's at 3 am!).

 

[awilliams4]

I'm going to be staying at the Swan/Dolphin. We chose to rent a car this time vs using Disney transportation because we hate having to ride the buses when they are super packed after the park closes or having to wait 3-4 buses before we can go back to our resort. This way we control the insanity.

I like the idea of parking at the TTC and then the monorail.

We stayed at the Swan or Dolphin for 8 years straight during Thanksgiving. Arriving the day before Thanksgiving and leaving the Friday morning 8 days after Thanksgiving.

We never had to wait for a 2nd bus ever.