Taking advantage of free valet parking?

[slappy magoo]

Talking to a DVC member I occasionally work with, and he routinely does something I never really thought about, which was take advantage of the fact that DVC members get free valet parking in order to have breakfasts at monorail or Epcot resorts and then go from those resorts to the park du jour.

Now, I know the official line on parking at resorts, let 'em know you've got a meal ADR, they'l give you three hours to dine, look around and split, and I've never heard of anybody getting towed but that doesn't mean it won't happen, etc. etc. But I only ever talk about it in regards to regular parking, not valet parking. So I've no idea if using the valet parking option, complimentary for DVC members, will give you the ability to valet park indefinitely. Anyone else do this? Is it an issue? Has my coworker been lucky all this time?

Thanks in advance

 

[Master Yoda]

I have done this numerous times before and it has never been an issue. The first time we did this was at the Contemporary and I straight out asked the parking attendant if after breakfast if we needed to move the car to the TTC or if we could just take the monorail to MK for the entire day. He told us that there would be no problem with us leaving the car there the entire day. While this is far from official word from the mouse himself it has not been an issue for us and we do this multiple times per year.

One thing I would do when valet parking anywhere on property is remove your resort parking pass from your window. Put in your glove box or somewhere else that it can not be seen. The valet parking is handled by an outside company and they have a reputation of charging your resort account for parking when you park for free using your DVC or DDE membership if they see a resort parking pass.

 

[cemeb4dk]

I have done this twice, and only at boardwalk. Once I was staying at pop, and the other was off property for a golf trip and decided to go to ESPN for dinner. I juts showed my DVC card to gate officer and parked in the self park. Never did valet. I was never questioned or anything.

So if I am reading your post correctly, you are saying that when I drive down in November. I can drive to the contemporary and park there, valet or self park for the entire day? Since the second poster is saying remove your resort pass, did you just show your DVC card then. For me it doesn't have to be valet the slef park is fine, but if I have both as an option that would be great. This way I dont have to park and take monorail from TTC or the fairy or take resprt buses. Just drive to contemp and hop the monorail.

 

[slappy magoo]

I have done this twice, and only at boardwalk. Once I was staying at pop, and the other was off property for a golf trip and decided to go to ESPN for dinner. I juts showed my DVC card to gate officer and parked in the self park. Never did valet. I was never questioned or anything.

So if I am reading your post correctly, you are saying that when I drive down in November. I can drive to the contemporary and park there, valet or self park for the entire day? Since the second poster is saying remove your resort pass, did you just show your DVC card then. For me it doesn't have to be valet the slef park is fine, but if I have both as an option that would be great. This way I dont have to park and take monorail from TTC or the fairy or take resprt buses. Just drive to contemp and hop the monorail.

My point is, if you're a DVC member, one of the perks is free valet parking at the resorts that have valet parking. Now, when you self-park at any resort for a meal or to be a looky-loo, you're often told you can only park for 3 hours, to cut down on people trying to avoid the cost (if you're staying offsite) and/or the hassle of theme parks' lots. You might not get the 3hour shpiel if it's not a busy day or season, but technically, you're not supposed to use the resorts' lots to park for the day and go to a theme park. But supposedly, valet isn't held to that 3-hour window ever (?) I don't know if this is true, but I don't want to find out that it's not true the hard way, which is why I'm asking.

 

[cemeb4dk]

I just pulled this from the DVCmember website.

Valet Parking at the Walt Disney World® Resort
Valet parking is complimentary at Disney's BoardWalk Resort, Disney's Wilderness Lodge, and Disney's Beach Club Resort. Just show your Disney Vacation Club Member ID Card. Parking is not available for Theme Park access.
You'll be charged the daily fee of $7.00 for this service at any other valet parking operation at the Walt Disney World Resort. Once you've paid for the valet service, you'll receive unlimited valet parking for the remainder of the day. Whether or not you are charged to valet park, gratuities are still appropriate. There will be no charge for Guests with disabilities who have the proper permits.

 

[KingStefan]

Back when I had DDE, I asked at several places where we valet parked if there was a time limit if we were not guests of the resort, and was always told that there was not. I'm assuming this applies to all valet parking whether paid or not. I am confident it applies to DDE, and assume it also applies to DVC, but I cannot say 100% for sure from personal experience. However, Yoda's testimonty seems to bear that up.

I also have heard that if you leave your parking pass from another resort, that sometimes you will be mistakenly charged for valet parking, so be sure to put it in the glove box or somewhere.

What apparently happens is, you drive up and show your DDE or DVC card, the guy you show it to says OK, no problem, but doesn't park your car right away. Then a different guy comes along to park your car and sees your resort pass, and scans the bar code on it, because he doesn't know.

I have another question, though. Does being a guest of a DVC member entitle me to free valet parking? If I show my DVC room key, will that work? Or do you have to show your (edit: ) blue DVC membership card?

 

[cemeb4dk]

My DVC card is blue. We where always told that if your a guest of a DVC member you are entitled to all the benefits that the member is. Except for discount annual passes, and those larger things. But the way we where explained it, was that if I gave a trip to my brother (not a DVC member) he would be treated just as a member while he was there. Not really sure what that means anymore, as alot of the discounts at stores and restaurants have slimmed down alot in recent years. So I would assume your card would work for things like Valet still.

I guess where I am confused is that you guys are saying any resort that offers valet parking. Where as the DVC website says free valet parkign is only available at the DVC resorts.

 

[KingStefan]

My DVC card is blue. We where always told that if your a guest of a DVC member you are entitled to all the benefits that the member is. Except for discount annual passes, and those larger things. But the way we where explained it, was that if I gave a trip to my brother (not a DVC member) he would be treated just as a member while he was there. Not really sure what that means anymore, as alot of the discounts at stores and restaurants have slimmed down alot in recent years. So I would assume your card would work for things like Valet still...

Special events are excluded. For example, I was not allowed to attend a special preview of the AKL rooms for members only that was held last year when I was there, because I was a guest of a colleague. So I thought that maybe some priveleges didn't apply as well, but I don't know which (if any).