Parking at Walt Disney World parks

[The Mom]

Just for informational purposes, as a DL annual passholder, I have always gotten a receipt when I park. I thought it had to do with being able to re-park if you left during the day. Your AP will not allow you to enter twice on the same day. I know from experience when a cast member scanned mine twice accidentally one morning. I'm sure they don't want you to run out and jump in a friend's car and get them in for free as well.

I did not know this. As you stated, it might be the same at WDW, and they may have been having problems with guests being denied a re-entrance. I'm one of those people who just park in the morning, and then use WDW transportation to park hop. But I can see where some might prefer to drive from park to park.

 

[monothingie]

Don’t they leave the toll gates unmanned after 6pm anyway? Seems like if they were concerned about free parking they would be charging all the way to 8:59pm

 

[dreamfinder]

Does this also apply to resort guests? I haven't driven to the parks since I could drive (so decades), but I recall it being the same way as the AP. You showed your resort slip, and they just waved you through. Is this possibly more related to somehow justifying/tracking the resort parking fees than anything on the AP side?

 

[RSoxNo1]

The receipt process is new, but in recent years they've been largely arbitrary about the extent they're going to harass the AP holders. Sometimes the wave you through, sometimes they scan, sometimes they scan and ask for ID.

I've complained about similar behavior to save 40 cents on a soda or to get a 17 cent button at Food and Wine, why should parking be any different?

I'm sure people are borrowing Annual Passes (or have been in the past) but the extent they're going to stop it seems silly. It's like the RFID chips on soda, removal of flexibility options for Fastpass+ that has to be booked 30-60 days in advance, or the $10 fee for a missed reservation that was made 180 days in advance. At some point they need to look at each of these problems as things they did to themselves.

Annual Passes - put a picture on them. It shows up at the entry gate (like Disneyland), it shows up when scanned at parking or at a kiosk where someone wants a discount. Also, forget the rule that the credit card has to match the annual pass if the individual is standing right there. You're being difficult for the sake of being difficult.

RFID chips on Soda - The amount of installation/infrastructure costs here was greater than $0, the frustration and dissatisfaction that arises from guests being nickled and dimed because some free soda goes out the window seems petty at best.

Fastpass+ - This one could be 6 pages long, but a hybrid of MaxPass and Fastpass+ is the way to go. 1 advanced booking per day for resort guests (and say a set # per year for AP holders). When you check into a park you get another Fastpass+ and you can always hold two at a time whether you use the kiosk or the app. Same day availability improves, the Tiers go away and you've kind of solved the "I have a fastpass for a nighttime show" problem.

ADRs: 60 days MAX please.

 

[Texas84]

I have an AP and I've been scanned once. Usually get waved through without even looking at my ID.

 

[briangaw]

I'm guessing this has more to do with accountability with CM's than anything else. It's easier to just see a pass or whatever and just wave someone through. Meanwhile executives sitting in offices are paranoid that the CM's are giving away free parking or worse charging for parking and pocketing the money.

This is 100% an internal and cash controls change. They already have the data on how many free parking spots or at least good estimate when they cross the data on AP use at the park gates and cross that with onsite hotel stays for the same AP folks you can get a good approximation. Probably a good audit recommendation they are implementing. Parking is sadly a great place for cash loss and such if there aren't good controls.

 

[larryz]

Next step: raise park admission prices by $20, but include parking with those tickets. Sell a "parking add-on" for APs. $200 seems fair.

 

[esskay]

Cant see this ever being a full time solution to anything. If they really want to start checking, the simplest thing to start with would be a nfc check on magic bands in the vehicle.

As you go through the entrance, photograph the plate and scan for any bands in the car - link those to the vehicle and the associated transaction or band scan at the kiosk window.

Do another photo check of the plate as they get closer to parking, if no bands are found and no transaction found, flag the car for manual check once parked. It's a cheap solution to a nonexistant problem.

 

[tissandtully]

The receipt process is new, but in recent years they've been largely arbitrary about the extent they're going to harass the AP holders. Sometimes the wave you through, sometimes they scan, sometimes they scan and ask for ID.

I've complained about similar behavior to save 40 cents on a soda or to get a 17 cent button at Food and Wine, why should parking be any different?

I'm sure people are borrowing Annual Passes (or have been in the past) but the extent they're going to stop it seems silly. It's like the RFID chips on soda, removal of flexibility options for Fastpass+ that has to be booked 30-60 days in advance, or the $10 fee for a missed reservation that was made 180 days in advance. At some point they need to look at each of these problems as things they did to themselves.

Annual Passes - put a picture on them. It shows up at the entry gate (like Disneyland), it shows up when scanned at parking or at a kiosk where someone wants a discount. Also, forget the rule that the credit card has to match the annual pass if the individual is standing right there. You're being difficult for the sake of being difficult.

RFID chips on Soda - The amount of installation/infrastructure costs here was greater than $0, the frustration and dissatisfaction that arises from guests being nickled and dimed because some free soda goes out the window seems petty at best.

Fastpass+ - This one could be 6 pages long, but a hybrid of MaxPass and Fastpass+ is the way to go. 1 advanced booking per day for resort guests (and say a set # per year for AP holders). When you check into a park you get another Fastpass+ and you can always hold two at a time whether you use the kiosk or the app. Same day availability improves, the Tiers go away and you've kind of solved the "I have a fastpass for a nighttime show" problem.

ADRs: 60 days MAX please.

FWIW, They do have the ability to add photos internally to AP. They usually do it for children's admission if there is difficulty getting a biometric scan.

 

[COProgressFan]

FWIW, They do have the ability to add photos internally to AP. They usually do it for children's admission if there is difficulty getting a biometric scan.

Yes, they usually have to do this for one or both of my kids because the biometrics never seem to work. It's frustrating though, because it still takes a few moments to find a CM with an ipad who can verify the picture.

Anyone remember the period in the early to mid 90's when photos were required for a multi-day hopper pass?

 

[HauntedPirate]

In the 10+ years that I or my wife had had APs, we have never received a receipt for parking. 95% of the time it's been show-and-go, with the other 5% show-AP-and-show ID-and-go. We have also never received a receipt for parking when we haven't been Annual Passholders but have stayed on-site. Certain people need to stop with the "they've always given a receipt" nonsense when multiple people can and have directly refuted it.

 

[Gillyanne]

Anyone remember the period in the early to mid 90's when photos were required for a multi-day hopper pass?

:: HAND RAISE :: I was thinking about this recently. I remember it being a tiny picture that was almost like what would come out of those toy printer (think game boy and the like) that were stuck onto the paper ticket....

 

[s8film40]

I’m at Epcot right now. Didn’t get a receipt on the way in, also didn’t notice other people getting them either. My wife scanned her magic band, not sure if that would make a difference versus just showing the pass.

 

[jpeden]

at a minimum they should print names on AP’s. The sharpie rubs off after a month in my wallet and they always argue with me it isn’t my AP.

 

[DisneyCane]

There is a decent chance that they are suspecting CMs of charging for parking and not actually entering it in the system. If they have to give a receipt to everybody and make it so the only free parking is given by a scanned AP or resort magic band it can help to police this. CMs in the lot can notice if cars are missing receipts.

Ages ago I was an assistant manager at a movie theatre. We would catch cashiers charging adult price and printing child tickets. We'd do it by occasionally having a manager take tickets. When adults would hand us child tickets we'd ask how much they were charged and who the cashier was. 99% of the time it was the cashier stealing, not the customer scamming.

 

[jaxonp]

This is a perfect time for them to have an AP Lane added.

 

[jaxonp]

Next step: raise park admission prices by $20, but include parking with those tickets. Sell a "parking add-on" for APs. $200 seems fair.

Shhhh

 

[EricsBiscuit]

I always have my id and AP ready when I pull up. There was a time when they knew my car and me and would just wave me through without even checking! Those days are long gone.

 

[s8film40]

On an unrelated note. When I drove in today they had the digital sign displaying a message, “due to inclement weather please self park”. In other words “it’s raining and we don’t want to stand in the lot and direct cars”. It was really great though, drove right up to the front and found a good spot!

 

[tonymu]

Yes, they usually have to do this for one or both of my kids because the biometrics never seem to work. It's frustrating though, because it still takes a few moments to find a CM with an ipad who can verify the picture.

Anyone remember the period in the early to mid 90's when photos were required for a multi-day hopper pass?

Yes!