parking when heading to International Gateway

PARichards

PARichards

Active Member
The plan: self, DH, and 4DDs to finish up at AK around 5:30 then drive to Epcot to snack/eat dinner around the WS.

Dilemma: it just occurred to me we might be better off entering thru the IG. But where to park? Can we park at the Boardwalk or Beach Club?And if we park at either resort, how long of a walk from there to the IG? We don't plan to do much more than play Agent P's in UK, eat in Morocco then take the boat across the lake to ride Maelstrom before heading back to the resort to rest for RD the next day. It's likely our only chance to see the WS, as we only have 4 days for the parks, and I'm looking for the easiest/fastest way to get in and out of Epcot- TIA!
 
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Nemo14

Nemo14

Well-Known Member
NiarrNDisney said:
1) Yes you do have to pay for parking at the parks if you choose to take your own vehicle, otherwise as a guest of the resort you have free forms of transportation available to take you to the parks.

2) The International Gateway is only available to resort guests staying at one of the Crescent Lake Resorts and guests traveling between Epcot and the Hollywood Studios.

3) If you are going to visit or dine at the Boardwalk and/or the surrounding Crescent Lake resorts you are allowed to park in the specific guest lot for the Boardwalk as well as the guest lots found at the other resorts.
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No, you do not have to pay for parking if you are a resort guest, and any guest can enter through the International Gateway.
 
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PARichards

PARichards

Active Member
Original Poster
NiarrNDisney said:
1) Yes you do have to pay for parking at the parks if you choose to take your own vehicle, otherwise as a guest of the resort you have free forms of transportation available to take you to the parks.

2) The International Gateway is only available to resort guests staying at one of the Crescent Lake Resorts and guests traveling between Epcot and the Hollywood Studios.

3) If you are going to visit or dine at the Boardwalk and/or the surrounding Crescent Lake resorts you are allowed to park in the specific guest lot for the Boardwalk as well as the guest lots found at the other resorts.
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Nemo14 said:
No, you do not have to pay for parking if you are a resort guest, and any guest can enter through the International Gateway.
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Um... :confused: + :facepalm: +:hungover: = what?
 
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NiarrNDisney

NiarrNDisney

Well-Known Member
Nemo14 said:
No, you do not have to pay for parking if you are a resort guest, and any guest can enter through the International Gateway.
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This must be new or its just been a really long time since I rented a car when staying at a Disney owned property (06' I believe, I have been staying offsite or at our town house villa near by since 08')

But yes any guest can enter through the International Gateway but you are not welcome to park at any of the resorts to do so!
 
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BrianV

BrianV

Well-Known Member
I always thought that disney resort guests could park for free at any of the parks. Parking at hotels, other than their own, however, was only for if you had business there. This could include dining or shopping. I don't think that includes park hopping.
 
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G

GrammieBee

Well-Known Member
Unless it is the Food and Wine Festival there should be no problem parking at Boardwalk. Boardwalk is an entertainment area not limited to guests of the resorts around Crescent Lake. Also,you do not have to walk thru the Boardwalk Inn to gain access to the boardwalk.

The International Gateway is open to all guests and, yes, parking at any of the parks is free to Disney resort guests. You get a plackard to place on your dashboard. It has the dates of your stay on it.

At one time you could park at any resort. However, that has not been allowed for many years. You now need a valid reason, such as a dinner reservation, why you are visiting a particular resort. There are usually a couple of exceptions such as Boardwalk.
 
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Wishes 1971

Wishes 1971

Member
PARichards said:
Um... if we are staying at a Disney resort we need to pay for parking at the parks daily? I'm so confused now!



I did not intend to start a debate thread, just seeking a little advice. I was under the impression that the Boardwalk and IG are open to non(Epcot)resort guests. Again, I was just wanting a couple of hours for dinner in the WS, as we won't have any other opportunity to check it out, and was looking for a possible way to make it happen, what with the whole schlepping of 4 kids around ;)

Thanks to everyone else for the advice- I'm sure that after stressing about it, the time will come and the kids/DH will be too tired to press on and we'll end up back at our resort instead :cat: Sounds like we might take our chances with parking at the Boardwalk. Knowing my kids, they'll be begging to eat something as we walk thru there and we'll skip the park entirely.
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No...you are correct. If you are a resort guest, and drive to the parks.....you will not have to pay to park. We have done this in the past as well.
 
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PARichards

PARichards

Active Member
Original Poster
GrammieBee said:
Unless it is the Food and Wine Festival there should be no problem parking at Boardwalk. Boardwalk is an entertainment area not limited to guests of the resorts around Crescent Lake. Also,you do not have to walk thru the Boardwalk Inn to gain access to the boardwalk.

The International Gateway is open to all guests and, yes, parking at any of the parks is free to Disney resort guests. You get a plackard to place on your dashboard. It has the dates of your stay on it.

At one time you could park at any resort. However, that has not been allowed for many years. You now need a valid reason, such as a dinner reservation, why you are visiting a particular resort. There are usually a couple of exceptions such as Boardwalk.
Click to expand...

TY for the clarification- I was starting to think I was just assuming/imagining that free parking at the parks was an included "perk" of staying onsite.
 
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LAM378

LAM378

Well-Known Member
If you valet the car there is no time limit and no resort will give you any issues. It's $20 + tip. Totally defeats the purpose of free parking for resort guests but I have/will happily pay for that convenience at times (and I'm only lugging one kid around) :D.
 
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rob0519

rob0519

Well-Known Member
LAM378 said:
If you valet the car there is no time limit and no resort will give you any issues. It's $20 + tip. Totally defeats the purpose of free parking for resort guests but I have/will happily pay for that convenience at times (and I'm only lugging one kid around) :D.
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I've done valet parking many times. Worth the money for the convenience. Also, if you have a valid handicap placard, it's free.
 
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rt06

rt06

Well-Known Member
From my experience, you can't park at BC/YC without an ADR.

Boardwalk, on the other hand, I would just tell security I was headed to ESPN Club. No problem at all.
 
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cw1982

cw1982

Well-Known Member
Honestly, the distance from the front gate at Epcot to WS is really not that far. The back entry might be closer to WS, but considering how much of a roundabout way you'd have to go to get there, I would just get the walking over with at the front gate and keep it moving. If you walk straight from Spaceship Earth to the edge of WS, it's maybe a ten minute walk at most. Sure, it's a little farther to get to the back of WS from there, but you'd still be saving time over riding the boats from HS and it would take about as long as walking from the Epcot resorts but with less hassle.
 
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