Although I wouldn't park in the cast members' lot, I think a discussion amongst Disney goers have been to park at the Water Parks/Downtown Disney and take the transportation to theme parks..
Get a AAA pass and you can also get special VIP designated parking (charge of $14 per day for parking).
Mary2e
Oct 21, 10, 3:09 pm
I really wish you wouldn't post this kind of stuff. You're not helping anyone.
No wonder it's become nearly impossible to get a parking spot at Downtown Disney. All the cheapos are parking there :( They are going to ruin it for the rest of us and Disney will ultimately start charging for parking there as well.
The AAA pass is given to people who book packages via AAA. Some clubs give them for buying 4 or 5 day tickets, but most do not.
Ancien Maestro
Oct 21, 10, 6:34 pm
Parking discussions are all over the internet.. besides, isn't savings what FT is all about?
btw.. www.disboards.com is political, you won't get too many insider tips as they censor at a drop of a hat. I think FT will serve this niche well, and it would be wise to build and collect savings tips here.
Mary2e
Oct 21, 10, 8:20 pm
I'm not a great fan of disboards, but they have a point censoring subjects that amount to avoidance of paying the parking at the expense of the other guests. They serve their purpose, and that's to house a wealth of information that doesn't amount to stealing.
Downtown Disney is a shopping and dining venue with free parking. If people start parking there and taking the buses to the parks just to save $14, Disney is going to start charging for that parking too.
I can give you a list of similar loopholes that are now closed because of people abusing them - and it getting out on the internet. That's why they're removed from disboards. Did you try posting it there and it was deleted and that's why you're calling it political? If you mention refillable mugs on that board it will go poof as well.
I don't think FT is the replacement disboards for sharing unethical behavior.
ETA: I looked you up on disboards :) Seems your posts about skirting the rules are getting deleted - and rightfully so. Apparently that kid swap isn't kosher, and neither is the parking issue. I'm guessing you didn't appreciate it being removed from there, so you're going to post it here. :( :( :( :(
Ancien Maestro
Oct 21, 10, 9:16 pm
Did they remove the kid swap as well.. Actually, the grandma on reservations line from Disney gave me that tip..
I simply asked if someone has experienced the scenarios, because the Disney employee shared it with me. The Disney employee said it saved her plenty of time and was allowed.. encouraging me to do the same.
I think discussion is important.. asking questions and exploring issues is the heart of why some of these forums exists. There is censorship happening at www.disboards.com, and I confirm that the answers to my many questions were not found at this site, but by many other sites out on the internet. Probably some of the answers to my questions were posted, but censored out by www.disboards.com.. I found that you can't even explore a question on a no-no topic, and not end up getting punished for it.. yes, I've only asked questions respectfully.
Personally, we will not be taking advantage of the parking loophole.. but I'm interested in discussing it and asking questions about it. I don't agree with it, but I've got a problem when you can't even ask a question on a very legitimate internet wide topic.
So I'm interested Mary2e.. what other similar loopholes have been closed over the years.
Mary2e
Oct 22, 10, 11:19 am
They only censor what is considered ethically wrong or stealing from Disney.
You got punished? That's why you started posting all this stuff here? Now I get it.
FT is mostly a site about points and miles and maximizing both. Not a place, IMHO, where these types of things should be discussed.
The refillable mug "loophole" was closed when it was all over the internet that you could use them on multiple trips. Now they have different mugs every year.
You used to be able to park at the hotels and then too many people trying to save a buck started overwhelming the parking lots and now you can't get in unless you're staying at one of the hotels.
You used to be able to get a reservation at a princess breakfast without paying upfront until some people started hording them and then selling the reservation number on ebay.
I could go on and on.
BTW - based upon the posts of yours that I've read, you probably would find an enormous amount of money saving information on disboards on the budget board.
Ancien Maestro
Oct 22, 10, 11:47 am
I plan to use all the internet sites for reference when researching savings tips for our personal trip. I've used all resources including calling Disney directly.. I should talk to them directly about parking. Other topics, I've verified directly with Mouse central.
I've been posting on FT before disboards. Remember, you referred me to disboards.. so you know what you say isn't true.. my postings have been respectful and unique.. I use forums to gather info and share money savings tips.
Ethically wrong or stealing.. I don't condone either.. Nothing unlawful, or anything against Disney Policy has been discussed here knowingly, or not verified by Disney. I would be open to discussion if such rules exist.. Questions I do have.. are any signs posted at the Water Parks asking patrons not to park if attending the theme parks? Downtown Disney?
Mary2e
Oct 22, 10, 2:40 pm
Ethically wrong or stealing.. I don't condone either.. Nothing unlawful, or anything against Disney Policy has been discussed here knowingly, or not verified by Disney. I would be open to discussion if such rules exist.. Questions I do have.. are any signs posted at the Water Parks asking patrons not to park if attending the theme parks? Downtown Disney?@:-)use of Disney transportation, including the buses from downtown disney, is for use of resort guests and annual pass holders @:-)
Admission to the theme parks, IIRC, does not include using the transportation system except to/from the parking lots into the theme parks. Whether or not it's enforced is an entirely different issue.
That's why your posts went poof on the disboards. Talk about how to park at a hotel at it will go poof too.
CokeandTaco
Oct 22, 10, 3:48 pm
@:-)use of Disney transportation, including the buses from downtown disney, is for use of resort guests and annual pass holders @:-)
I agree with you on this. If Disney is selling this as a benefit for staying on property or buying an annual pass, then parking for all @ DD is probably a no no.
I do realize $14 a day per car can add up over 5-10-15 days @ the parks. This is why you get the annual pass. But isn't it more convenient to park closer to the parks, once you factor in bus travel time? There is value to parking in WDW. Please correct me if I am wrong.
As a child I actually remember parking, taking the tram from the lot, and then jumping on the monorail to the Magic Kingdom. It was all part of my wonderful WDW experience.
Saving money is great, but not the only factor when planning a vacation.
This thread has been very informative, thanks to all.
CarolDisney1
Oct 22, 10, 5:14 pm
Let's see you spend a few grand to get to Disney... and then waste a few hours EVERY day to save $14.
Penny wise and Pound Foolish anyone?
Disney is wise to these tricks and has done the following
1. Buses from these places do NOT go directly to the park. You get to go from one of them to a hotel, catch another bus/monorail/boat to the park.
2. Buses do not start running FROM these places to the hotels until an hour or so after the places open which at least at DTD is a good hour to two hours after the park opens... Just in time for the most crowded part of the day : ) (The early morning buses are NOT on a loop. The bus dropping off guests may very well NOT be taking guests anyplace and won't let you board) (Have fun in line when you arrive at the busiest time)
3. Be prepared to demonstrate "Lying 101" in front of your kids! The one time I was taking a 10 AM bus back from DTD (Had gone there to get my AP) the bus drive quizzed the family about what they were doing extensively. They got off!
4. Disney is mointoring the lots. Your car there day after day after day for LONG periods of time will probably get the "warning" notice. (I have read of folks who got the warning) Will they tow... Well since no one I know has been brave enough to try it the day after the "warning" ..... let us know what happens if you push it!
5. Return to the parking lot after a long day at the parks. Buses stop going to the water parks an hour after closing...In other words at park closing... There are NO buses to the water parks. (with the possible exception of AK) YOu are going to have to ask them to take you there... (Think they might be a little curious?) To get to DTD... take bus 1 to the hotel, wait on bus 2 to DTD. Since Disney doesn't coordiante like a city bus plan on another hour of your day...
Considering the cost of your time in the park.. WHY? You saved $14, but gave up several hours in the parks....
Ancien Maestro
Oct 22, 10, 6:58 pm
Thanks to all for the information.. I asked these questions on www.disboards.com, and the thread got censored. I didn't know why, but it is clear now that the answers are black and white. This thread is useful on FT so that this topic can be steered clear of www.disboards.com where the pixie dust will make any questions or inquiries dissappear.
As an update.. Yes there is free parking at Walt Disney World for the following situations:
-Annual passholders get parking included in their passes.
-Visitors staying onsite hotel gets parking no charge
Staying offsite or don't have an annual pass?
-Free Parking at DTD when you visit DTD
-Free Parking at Typhoon Lagoon when you visit Typhoon Lagoon
-Free Parking at Blizzard Beach when you visit Blizzard Beach
-Free Parking at Water Park Fun and More Venues including Disney's Wide World of Sport, Golfing, Mac Donalds, etc (to be verified by FTers)
Off limits is use of transportation if you are not staying onsite.. Mary2e, do you have a link of Disney Policy Rules and Regulations (I'll look for it later and post a link)? Off limits is the Local's Know Magic Kingdom Cast Parking Lot. Off limits is parking at DTD, and water parks and visiting theme parks exclusively (still needs determination if passengers of a vehicle visit DTD, waterparks.. are they allowed to visit theme parks as part of the trip.. based on Mary2e's clause, the answer looks like no).
Staying offsite: Ride a shuttle bus provided by the hotel to WDW, get a cab, or get dropped off by family members at designated passenger loading zones to avoid parking charges.
Although I wouldn't park in the cast members' lot, I think a discussion amongst Disney goers have been to park at the Water Parks/Downtown Disney and take the transportation to theme parks..
Get a AAA pass and you can also get special VIP designated parking (charge of $14 per day for parking).
Thanks to all for the information.. I asked these questions on www.disboards.com, and the thread got censored. I didn't know why, but it is clear now that the answers are black and white. This thread is useful on FT so that this topic can be steered clear of www.disboards.com where the pixie dust will make any questions or inquiries dissappear.
.
Perhaps because there is no question in your first post? That's not a question that's an "announcement of how to get around paying"
You did not ask a question on how to reduce your parking fees here. You posted "ways to break the Disney 'rules'" If you do that on DISBoards they censor.
Ancien Maestro
Oct 24, 10, 8:14 pm
Mary2e and I were talking about the nature of my post on www.disboards.com. Your quotes of my post are from this forum..
So I've gone back to see what I posted on disboards, and the post was of the following.. I included the www.themeparksinsider.com link and asked if anyone has parked at the waterparks and attended the theme parks as described per the link?
Indeed I asked a question, probing the possibility of parking at the water parks and riding the bus to the theme parks. Some answers came back on the disboard forum that indeed some have taken advantage of the parking.. so I thought, ok, that maybe a loophole Disney is allowing to accomodate patrons whose budget was tight to attend theme parks. Then the thread on disboards went poof like Pixie Dust. I did post a question here on FT if there signs clearly posting not to park at waterparks if attending Theme Parks.. Mary2e came back and answered, it was against terms and conditions (Disney Policy) to do so.. So I honestly didn't know that Disney policy explicitly stated that visitors were not allowed to use the transportation system.. and that it was off limits.
The thread title here on Flyer Talk states.. Free Parking at Disney World.. Indeed there is free parking at Disney World..
-Annual passholders get parking included in their passes.
-Visitors staying onsite hotel gets parking no charge
Staying offsite or don't have an annual pass?
-Free Parking at DTD when you visit DTD
-Free Parking at Typhoon Lagoon when you visit Typhoon Lagoon
-Free Parking at Blizzard Beach when you visit Blizzard Beach
-Free Parking at Water Park Fun and More Venues including Disney's Wide World of Sport, Golfing, Mac Donalds, etc (to be verified by FTers)
Maybe I posted the obvious to seasoned FTers and Disney goers, but at one time.. i.e. since Mary2e clarified Disney Policy.. IMH knowledge, I did not know parking at Water Parks and riding buses to theme parks was against Disney Policy. If someone would have answered on disboards or FT that it was against Disney Policy, I would have respectfully accepted that it was an improper parking area. Again, up until Mary2e stated Disney Policy, I thought these tips found all over the internet regarding parking at waterparks and DTD was a legal way of obtaining parking at Disney World.. I want to state that this is not the case now in my mind.
Maybe we can get a link to Terms and Conditions/Disney Policy.. I've googled, but nothing surfaced. I often study Terms and Conditions.. as one of the experts on Fairmont Hotels and Resorts Presidents' Club here on FT I've studied Terms & Conditions of various loyalty programs for about 8 years now.. I'd like to comb Disney's Terms and Conditions, and see whats there. If someone can provide a link, that would be greatly appreciated.
SRQ Guy
Oct 25, 10, 9:12 am
There is a perfectly legitimate way for anyone to park for free at the Magic Kingdom. Sadly I've been politely asked not to share it. :D
tide
Oct 27, 10, 10:53 pm
There is a perfectly legitimate way for anyone to park for free at the Magic Kingdom. Sadly I've been politely asked not to share it. :D
I've never tried it but perhaps what you're talking about can be plainly viewed via Google Map's satellite view of the MK parking lot. In it, one can see a car taking a ramp that avoids the parking booth
Ancien Maestro
Oct 27, 10, 11:10 pm
There is a perfectly legitimate way for anyone to park for free at the Magic Kingdom. Sadly I've been politely asked not to share it. :D
I got the notes before your edit..:D besides, my first post to the thread shows that your directions are commonplace knowledge at Theme Park Insiders.. If you haven't noticed, its identical directions.:D
OrangeCountyCommuter
Oct 30, 10, 11:53 am
Wrong thread SORRY!
robtking
Nov 23, 10, 9:34 pm
There is a perfectly legitimate way for anyone to park for free at the Magic Kingdom. Sadly I've been politely asked not to share it. :D
You know that road says something along the lines of 'Cast Members Only' right?
uastarflyer
Nov 24, 10, 2:10 am
You used to be able to park at the hotels and then too many people trying to save a buck started overwhelming the parking lots and now you can't get in unless you're staying at one of the hotels.
Related to this: I have a character b'fast reservation at Contemporary Resort (I'm staying at a Hilton). If I drive to the hotel and valet the car can it stay there all day while I go to Magic Kingdom?
I don't care so much about the $ (if I did I would skip Disney altogether), but more the efficiency (avoid multiple drive/park)
Mary2e
Nov 24, 10, 9:06 am
Technically, no, but unless it's super high season, you can do this. The last I checked, valet was something like $8 or $10, plus the tip.
As well, once you pay at one hotel, you can valet at any of the other hotels the same day without paying again.
Word of warning.... be armed with your reservation number. I have had my reservation checked against a list before being allowed to park, particularly at the Contemporary and also at the Yacht/Beach clubs. Sometimes they don't check, but if it's busy you can bet they will.
Ancien Maestro
Nov 24, 10, 11:03 am
You know that road says something along the lines of 'Cast Members Only' right?
OrangeCountyCommuter before editing said the same thing you did and deleted it. It gets confusing as there are a couple of entrances, one with a cast member sign, and one with a parking return sign. Click on the link on my first post for instructions SRQ guy was referring to..
uastarflyer
Nov 24, 10, 11:19 am
Technically, no, but unless it's super high season, you can do this. The last I checked, valet was something like $8 or $10, plus the tip.
As well, once you pay at one hotel, you can valet at any of the other hotels the same day without paying again.
Word of warning.... be armed with your reservation number. I have had my reservation checked against a list before being allowed to park, particularly at the Contemporary and also at the Yacht/Beach clubs. Sometimes they don't check, but if it's busy you can bet they will.
Thanks - yes I'm there super high season (Christmas week) and yes I will bring my reservation number, thanks for pointing that out. Will see how it goes!
SRQ Guy
Nov 24, 10, 11:24 am
You know that road says something along the lines of 'Cast Members Only' right?
The entrance that I was talking about most certainly does not have such a sign.
Ancien Maestro
Nov 24, 10, 11:27 am
Thanks - yes I'm there super high season (Christmas week) and yes I will bring my reservation number, thanks for pointing that out. Will see how it goes!
This is a good tip.. We've got reservations at a few resort restaurants over Christmas Break as well. I assume its the dining reservations number that they'll be checking. If the valet works.. then it will cost pretty much the same with tip as parking at a theme park.
Can you self park for free at the resort if you have a dining reservation? How long?
Mary2e
Nov 24, 10, 12:20 pm
Thanks - yes I'm there super high season (Christmas week) and yes I will bring my reservation number, thanks for pointing that out. Will see how it goes!Definitely have that reservation number ready. As well, while not likely, they may actually limit the time you are allowed to valet park. I don't think it will happen, but be prepared just in case.
Expect to be questioned when you get to the gate and also have your ID (driver's license) handy to be able to park.
Only onsite guests don't need to show id.
Mary2e
Nov 24, 10, 12:23 pm
This is a good tip.. We've got reservations at a few resort restaurants over Christmas Break as well. I assume its the dining reservations number that they'll be checking. If the valet works.. then it will cost pretty much the same with tip as parking at a theme park.
Can you self park for free at the resort if you have a dining reservation? How long?Yes, you can park for free, however, they will direct you to a special daily lot and technically, the parking is only for a few hours.
I would not mess with this during Christmas week, because if you're trying to do it, you can imagine how many others are also trying to do it. They will be checking.
Disney knows it happens and is prepared to make sure people aren't in the lots for too long.
Ancien Maestro
Nov 24, 10, 3:34 pm
Yes, you can park for free, however, they will direct you to a special daily lot and technically, the parking is only for a few hours.
I would not mess with this during Christmas week, because if you're trying to do it, you can imagine how many others are also trying to do it. They will be checking.
Disney knows it happens and is prepared to make sure people aren't in the lots for too long.
Do they give you a parking pass with a time limit? How would a patron know how much time they've got left? Seems maybe that a patron can park, eat, go to a theme park and come back?
Mary2e
Nov 24, 10, 10:18 pm
You get a parking pass with a time on it. The limit is 2 or 3 hours.
A patron would know because it's clearly marked on the pass that's given.
Under normal operations it's not a big issue, but I can tell you from staying at the Contemporary and also being an onsite guest at another hotel but having dinner reservations, that if it is busy, they are going to check you quite thoroughly and make sure their parking lot is used by people going to the hotel and not the Magic Kingdom.
It's not that big a lot, and with the new tower and convention center activities, there aren't that many extra spaces.
Ancien Maestro
Nov 25, 10, 5:44 pm
So the valet at the resort has a time restriction too on high season?
Mary2e
Nov 26, 10, 8:52 am
I'm not certain as I don't often even look at the ticket, but I believe there is.
The difference is that it's not likely they will check the cars in the valet lot for time expiration like they do in the regular lot.
But I don't know what they do during the holidays. The only times I was there for a big holiday (NYE, Independence Day) we were at a hotel near the MK and didn't have to worry about parking because we were able to either walk or use the small resort launches to the park.
Ancien Maestro
Nov 26, 10, 9:01 pm
I probably won't try either.. but it's good to know.. ^
I guess valet isn't free neither.. so there is a bit of incentive for the hotel to take in the extra revenue.
bebopmonokee
Jan 4, 11, 9:24 am
I love hearing all these people talk about how unethical it is to get around parking fees at Disney. What is unethical is how much they charge to park then charge you a fortune to get in the park. The biggest problem I have is that I've looked into getting a weekday annual pass to Disney which will cost me $180 for the pass and it dosen't include parking. That's outragess, it would cost me more to park during the year then the pass itself. If disney wasn't so greedy then I would prob agree with you. What you can do to get around parking is park at Downtown Disney and use Lynx bus
flyerwife
Jan 4, 11, 1:07 pm
I love hearing all these people talk about how unethical it is to get around parking fees at Disney. What is unethical is how much they charge to park then charge you a fortune to get in the park. The biggest problem I have is that I've looked into getting a weekday annual pass to Disney which will cost me $180 for the pass and it dosen't include parking. That's outragess, it would cost me more to park during the year then the pass itself. If disney wasn't so greedy then I would prob agree with you. What you can do to get around parking is park at Downtown Disney and use Lynx bus
Not trying to defend Disney's parking rates, but have you been to an NFL game lately??? The epitome of greed.
DJ_Iceman
Jan 4, 11, 7:36 pm
I love hearing all these people talk about how unethical it is to get around parking fees at Disney. What is unethical is how much they charge to park then charge you a fortune to get in the park.
I fail to see how that is unethical at all. If you think the price is too high (for tickets, parking, or both) then simply don't go. It's an Econ 101 lesson in supply and demand, and what would be unethical (to Disney's stockholders) would be to artificially limit or lower prices.
toomanybooks
Jan 4, 11, 9:36 pm
I was at Disneyland with my son from 12/18 to 12/24; when the weather was nice, the place was PACKED. I'm sure when we return to WDW, the place will be packed again.
There seem to be plenty of people willing to pay what Disney wants to charge. Folks unwilling to pay the freight can stay home.
Ancien Maestro
Jan 6, 11, 12:50 pm
I love hearing all these people talk about how unethical it is to get around parking fees at Disney. What is unethical is how much they charge to park then charge you a fortune to get in the park. The biggest problem I have is that I've looked into getting a weekday annual pass to Disney which will cost me $180 for the pass and it dosen't include parking. That's outragess, it would cost me more to park during the year then the pass itself. If disney wasn't so greedy then I would prob agree with you. What you can do to get around parking is park at Downtown Disney and use Lynx bus
Welcome to FT! I've recently discovered parking Downtown Disney and using the bus transportation is against policy.. The buses are meant only for patrons staying onsite.. However, there is legitimate free parking solutions.. check out my first post on this thread.. SRQGuy has confirmed this.
WillCAD
Jan 9, 11, 6:41 am
I love hearing all these people talk about how unethical it is to get around parking fees at Disney. What is unethical is how much they charge to park then charge you a fortune to get in the park. The biggest problem I have is that I've looked into getting a weekday annual pass to Disney which will cost me $180 for the pass and it dosen't include parking. That's outragess, it would cost me more to park during the year then the pass itself. If disney wasn't so greedy then I would prob agree with you. What you can do to get around parking is park at Downtown Disney and use Lynx bus
Yeah, and it's unethical how credit card companies have been charging such high interest and overlimit fees and late fees, so let's start a thread on how to get a credit card, charge a bunch of stuff, and then skip on the bill without getting caught.
And Hiltons and Gaylords charge WAY too much for their rooms, which is unethical, so let's start a thread on how to skip out on the bills at expensive hotels without getting caught. And how to steal stuff from the rooms.
Oh, and those expensive restaurants, WOW, it's really unethical for high-end steak houses and Italian and French places to charge so much for their meals, so let's start a thread on how to do a dine-and-dash at a $200 restaurant without getting caught.
Just because something costs more than YOU think it should cost doesn't make it outrageous or unethical.
And theft is theft. No justification is sufficient to keep you out of jail if you shoplift, and no justification is sufficient to keep your car from getting towed away from Downtown Disney or one of the WDW resorts if you are discovered violating Disney's policy that there is no theme park parking at DTD or the resorts.
Disney's policy is that there is no theme park parking at the resorts or Downtown Disney. And they do enforce it; I have personally seen cars getting towed from the Polynesian and Contemporary lots because their 3-hour parking passes expired. Never personally seen one get towed from DTD, but I do see tow trucks in or near the DTD lots sometimes. I guess it's a lot harder to enforce the rule at DTD because you don't get a parking pass there.
Welcome to FT! I've recently discovered parking Downtown Disney and using the bus transportation is against policy.. The buses are meant only for patrons staying onsite.. However, there is legitimate free parking solutions.. check out my first post on this thread.. SRQGuy has confirmed this.
Actually, use of the WDW transportation system is free to anyone with legitimate business at WDW, NOT just for those staying on site.
Off-site Guests come into the parks all the time and do a bit of park-hopping, or need to get out of a park to have lunch or dinner at a resort, then return, so use of the buses, boats, and monorails is freely available to those folks. Basically, anyone who holds a valid WDW ticket is allowed to use the transportation system; it used to say so on the backs of the tickets, before WDW change over to the current magnetic strip ticket media in the late 1990s. That's been the policy at least since I started going to WDW in 1990.
Oh, and if you are able to use the roads to avoid the toll plaza at Magic Kingdom and park in the lot without paying, you could still get towed. See, when you're staying at a WDW resort, you get a parking pass which is good at the parks for the duration of your stay. And when you pay to park at the parks, you get a daily parking pass. But if your car is in the MK lot with no parking pass, it's obvious that you didn't pay the fee and aren't staying on-site, and they can tow you. Again, I've never personally witnessed this, but it's possible. And it's a pretty big risk to take when on vacation; getting towed and having to spend half a day getting my car back, not to mention paying fines and towing fees and cab fare to the tow company's lot, would really cast a pall on my vacation.
Flews
Jan 9, 11, 7:21 am
Our last WDW vacation in December cost more than $10,000. While self parking was in fact included in our resort rate, valet parking wasn't. Either way, it really wouldn't have mattered. A few extra bucks for parking each day is nothing relative to how much we were already spending. I leave that much or more for the maid every morning...
Cheers,
Ancien Maestro
Jan 9, 11, 8:05 am
Actually, use of the WDW transportation system is free to anyone with legitimate business at WDW, NOT just for those staying on site.
Oh, and if you are able to use the roads to avoid the toll plaza at Magic Kingdom and park in the lot without paying, you could still get towed. See, when you're staying at a WDW resort, you get a parking pass which is good at the parks for the duration of your stay. And when you pay to park at the parks, you get a daily parking pass. But if your car is in the MK lot with no parking pass, it's obvious that you didn't pay the fee and aren't staying on-site, and they can tow you. Again, I've never personally witnessed this, but it's possible. And it's a pretty big risk to take when on vacation; getting towed and having to spend half a day getting my car back, not to mention paying fines and towing fees and cab fare to the tow company's lot, would really cast a pall on my vacation.
I'll leave this discussion with Mary2e, who earlier on the thread mentioned that in the Ticket T&C of WDW, that the transportation to and from Downtown Disney to resorts are reserved only for guests staying at resorts.
No parking pass is issued when parking at the theme parks.. an optional receipt is issued for accounting purposes and not required to be displayed. Once you're in the theme park parking lot, it would be impossible to enforce even with paid customers who paid and who didn't. The result, paid customers would run just as much of a risk getting towed. So enforcement is assumed to happen at the tolls.
Markieg
Jan 10, 11, 4:28 pm
I leave that much or more for the maid every morning...
Bigshot!
I humbly suggest this is not typical at these properties...
Flews
Jan 11, 11, 6:03 am
Bigshot!
I humbly suggest this is not typical at these properties...
I just feel these are generally the folks who do the grunt work for the lowest wages.
Plus, in our case, they really deserve it. Let's just say it can get pretty ugly in a hotel suite when you are travelling with 2-year-old twins!
Cheers,
Ancien Maestro
Jan 11, 11, 10:56 am
FWIW.. upon good service, we tipped the maid a lump sum at the end of the trip, last time we stayed onsite at Disney World.
Tipping doesn't have to be necessarily for trades who traditionally require tips. We tip to those who deserve it.. and its' good to be generous when warranted.
WillCAD
Jan 11, 11, 11:33 am
Bigshot!
I humbly suggest this is not typical at these properties...
It's pretty common. It may be more common at WDW resorts than in the rest of the world; there are numerous web sites out there devoted to cutsey, printable tip envelopes, commonly called "Mousekeeping envelopes". Google it. Some of the envelopes are actually quite nice.
I just feel these are generally the folks who do the grunt work for the lowest wages.
Plus, in our case, they really deserve it. Let's just say it can get pretty ugly in a hotel suite when you are travelling with 2-year-old twins!
Cheers,
Boy, would it be nice if more people thought the way you do.
On the other hand, big tip or not, there is a limit to how much mess it is reasonable to leave in a hotel room for the housekeepers to clean up. They still have to get through their room assignments in a fixed amount of time.
FWIW.. upon good service, we tipped the maid a lump sum at the end of the trip, last time we stayed onsite at Disney World.
Tipping doesn't have to be necessarily for trades who traditionally require tips. We tip to those who deserve it.. and its' good to be generous when warranted.
AM, I suggest you revise your habit slightly. Your housekeeping staff does not remain the same day after day; it changes, because shifts are variable and staff is reallocated at WDW resorts constantly to cover rooms as people check in and out. Thus, leaving a tip at the end of your stay might give someone who didn't work on your room at all the whole wad, while stiffing those who DID work on your room.
Daily tips are much more likely to go to exactly the right person.
Ancien Maestro
Jan 11, 11, 12:17 pm
It's pretty common. It may be more common at WDW resorts than in the rest of the world; there are numerous web sites out there devoted to cutsey, printable tip envelopes, commonly called "Mousekeeping envelopes". Google it. Some of the envelopes are actually quite nice.
Boy, would it be nice if more people thought the way you do.
On the other hand, big tip or not, there is a limit to how much mess it is reasonable to leave in a hotel room for the housekeepers to clean up. They still have to get through their room assignments in a fixed amount of time.
AM, I suggest you revise your habit slightly. Your housekeeping staff does not remain the same day after day; it changes, because shifts are variable and staff is reallocated at WDW resorts constantly to cover rooms as people check in and out. Thus, leaving a tip at the end of your stay might give someone who didn't work on your room at all the whole wad, while stiffing those who DID work on your room.
Daily tips are much more likely to go to exactly the right person.
Boy.. how the mind forget details over the years.. Somehow we made sure it was the main maid that did up the room when we lump summed the tip.. in fact, we may have handed the maid the tip personally. Its been awhile.
toomanybooks
Jan 18, 11, 10:01 am
But if your car is in the MK lot with no parking pass, it's obvious that you didn't pay the fee and aren't staying on-site, and they can tow you.
I agree with you 100% about "theft is theft," but what I've bolded above is not correct.
Annual passholders get free parking at the parks and we don't get a pass to put on the dashboard; we just show the AP at the gate.
One of the best perks of the AP, especially when my son and I are Hilton hotel-hopping to re-up my status.
SRQ Guy
Jan 20, 11, 9:40 am
Off-site Guests come into the parks all the time and do a bit of park-hopping, or need to get out of a park to have lunch or dinner at a resort, then return, so use of the buses, boats, and monorails is freely available to those folks. Basically, anyone who holds a valid WDW ticket is allowed to use the transportation system; it used to say so on the backs of the tickets, before WDW change over to the current magnetic strip ticket media in the late 1990s. That's been the policy at least since I started going to WDW in 1990.
There are no restrictions on using the transportation system. You don't need a park ticket, nor do you need to be an on-site hotel guest.
Oh, and if you are able to use the roads to avoid the toll plaza at Magic Kingdom and park in the lot without paying, you could still get towed. See, when you're staying at a WDW resort, you get a parking pass which is good at the parks for the duration of your stay. And when you pay to park at the parks, you get a daily parking pass. But if your car is in the MK lot with no parking pass, it's obvious that you didn't pay the fee and aren't staying on-site, and they can tow you. Again, I've never personally witnessed this, but it's possible. And it's a pretty big risk to take when on vacation; getting towed and having to spend half a day getting my car back, not to mention paying fines and towing fees and cab fare to the tow company's lot, would really cast a pall on my vacation.
False. There is no requirement to display a parking pass at the theme parks. I have an annual pass (well had, it just expired) and they just wave you right through the entrance when they see the annual pass. There's nothing to display. Nor do they require display of the receipt if you do pay.
As for towing those who park at DTD and go to the theme parks, I'm not sure how they could differentiate between DTD customers and theme-park attendees, so I really doubt they'll tow there. They do tow at the resorts if you overstay the 3-hour parking pass for dining.
Ancien Maestro
Jan 20, 11, 6:39 pm
There are no restrictions on using the transportation system. You don't need a park ticket, nor do you need to be an on-site hotel guest.
SRQ Guy! The main FT treasure map man.:cool:
So your opinion would be that its possible to park Downtown Disney for free and travel by bus to the resorts, then connecting to parks?
Mary2e quoted transportation restriction within Disney rules.. but I have no idea what source it comes from.
SRQ Guy
Jan 21, 11, 9:06 am
So your opinion would be that its possible to park Downtown Disney for free and travel by bus to the resorts, then connecting to parks?
While technically possible, it is explicitly forbidden by Disney. As I noted, there's really no way for them to enforce this rule, though.
Mary2e
Jan 21, 11, 11:27 am
There are no restrictions on using the transportation system. You don't need a park ticket, nor do you need to be an on-site hotel guest.
Actually, there is. Read the back of the admission ticket as well as the transportation guide.
It explicitly says "transportation is provided for guests of WDW and ticket holders" or something to that effect.
SRQ Guy
Jan 21, 11, 12:16 pm
It explicitly says "transportation is provided for guests of WDW and ticket holders" or something to that effect.
Sure it does. But nowhere does it forbid others from using it. Disney is generally very explicit about forbidden behavior, just like they explicitly forbid parking at DTD to attend the theme parks. Heck they even have an explicit dress code for the parks. If they wanted to forbid non-guests and non-ticketholders from riding, they would do so explicitly.
Mary2e
Jan 21, 11, 1:33 pm
I'm going to disagree with you here. I don't have the time to dig thru the piles of stuff I have to find the exact verbiage right now :)
But I will agree that in most cases, it is very difficult for them to police - if not nearly impossible.
But if too many people start doing it, they always manage to find a way to lock it up - eventually.
If too many people start parking at DTD to get elsewhere on the property, parking there is going to change, and it won't be for the better :(
Ancien Maestro
Jan 21, 11, 2:07 pm
While technically possible, it is explicitly forbidden by Disney. As I noted, there's really no way for them to enforce this rule, though.
Sorry.. I missed the source where its explicitly forbidden.. Is it on signs in the parking lot? Where does it say its' specifically forbidden?
IMHO DTD lots were still relatively full when we were there and the shopping area didn't look like there were alot of people at all.. equation.. people park, and go to theme parks. I disagree with this behavior (my background being a Commercial Property Owner and peeved when people park in our parking lots and walk accross the street to businesses who don't have parking), the parking taken up by theme park goers, are hurting businesses because potential customers can't find convenient parking at DTD.
WillCAD
Jan 22, 11, 7:54 am
There are no restrictions on using the transportation system. You don't need a park ticket, nor do you need to be an on-site hotel guest.
You know, you're probably right about that. I've never seen any restrictions posted or printed. Of course, there are temporary restrictions put into place quite often; a prime example is the CMs who stand at the TTC monorail station prior to MK opening, checking tickets and ADRs; the Express monorail and ferryboats don't start running till about 90 mins before park opening, but the Resorts monorail generally opens earlier to allow Guests the opportunity to get to early breakfast ressies at the monorail resorts. If you don't have an ADR, they don't let you on the monorail. No tickey, not ridey.
I've also heard stories that, when the parks close for capacity on certain super-crowded days of year like New Year Eve or 4th of July, Disney bus drivers check resort IDs as pax board at the Disney resorts, because on-site Guests can still get into the parks when they close for capacity (there are several stages of closing, and the first is that off-site Guests are locked out, then on-site Guests are locked out in later stages).
False. There is no requirement to display a parking pass at the theme parks. I have an annual pass (well had, it just expired) and they just wave you right through the entrance when they see the annual pass. There's nothing to display. Nor do they require display of the receipt if you do pay.
As for towing those who park at DTD and go to the theme parks, I'm not sure how they could differentiate between DTD customers and theme-park attendees, so I really doubt they'll tow there. They do tow at the resorts if you overstay the 3-hour parking pass for dining.
I guess they changed it then. It's been several years since I stayed off-site and parked at the parks; I recall being given those colored parking passes for the windshield when I paid or showed my AP, but maybe they did away with that.
Sorry.. I missed the source where its explicitly forbidden.. Is it on signs in the parking lot? Where does it say its' specifically forbidden?
IMHO DTD lots were still relatively full when we were there and the shopping area didn't look like there were alot of people at all.. equation.. people park, and go to theme parks. I disagree with this behavior (my background being a Commercial Property Owner and peeved when people park in our parking lots and walk accross the street to businesses who don't have parking), the parking taken up by theme park goers, are hurting businesses because potential customers can't find convenient parking at DTD.
I don't remember if I've ever seen such a sign at DTD, but I do know for certain that such signs saying, "No parking is provided here for the theme parks" or words to that effect, are in place at all of the deluxe-level resorts in the Magic Kingdom and Epcot areas, and at Animal Kingdom Lodge.
I agree with your disagreement. And so does Disney, which is why the buses that used to run between DTD and the theme parks were discontinued, oh, I think around ten years ago or so. They were getting fed up with locals coming to DTD, parking for free, and taking the Disney bus to the parks.
Not only that, but at the time, there was only one bus depot at DTD, in the Marketplace area, which caused all of those locals to concentrate their cars in the Marketplace parking lots, which are the smallest of the DTD lots. It's easier now, with the Pleasure Island bus depot in place, which is convenient to the larger West Side parking lot, and for a while it was really easy, because there is a bus depot down at the western end of DTD near Cirque de Soliel, but I haven't seen a bus use that depot for years. It may be out of service entirely, or maybe it's only used during the peak seasons or late at night after the last show of Cirque lets out.
Ancien Maestro
Jan 23, 11, 2:52 pm
Not only that, but at the time, there was only one bus depot at DTD, in the Marketplace area, which caused all of those locals to concentrate their cars in the Marketplace parking lots, which are the smallest of the DTD lots. It's easier now, with the Pleasure Island bus depot in place, which is convenient to the larger West Side parking lot, and for a while it was really easy, because there is a bus depot down at the western end of DTD near Cirque de Soliel, but I haven't seen a bus use that depot for years. It may be out of service entirely, or maybe it's only used during the peak seasons or late at night after the last show of Cirque lets out.
WDW sounds like they just made it harder for ticket holders to use DTD as a free parking lot, without explicitly forbidding the practice through policy. Yes, riding a bus to a resort and then another bus to a theme park is inconvenient.. but this hasn't stopped the practice of parking DTD to attend a theme park. I know Carol1Disney mentioned that the bus drivers' ask patrons if they are staying at a resort, in order to ride the bus.. I'm surprised there isn't policy published against this practice.