Disabled Parking at Universal

[DeejP]

Hi, we are doing a split stay at WDW and then at universal. I know WDW have introduced parking charges at their resorts, although thankfully we booked before the date they will charge. However, I know that Universal charge at their resorts - does anyone know if it’s free for disabled (as WDW will be). I’m trying to work out whether it’s worth getting a disabled permit when we are there, as we only really use the car for travel to and from the airport.
Thanks in advance
Deb

 

[Hoodie]

It doesn't look like it on their website. It looks like it's a flat charge.

 

[nikkislaght]

If you live state side , there are some states that will allow you to use your disable placard. Im not sure what policies are in place if you are coming from overseas.. I would contact the DMW in the county where U is and contact the hotel you are staying in directly to get the most current information ..

Hope you have a great trip.

 

[Mrsjvb]

no it is not free for disabled. I wanna say its $24 a night..we stayed at Portofino and at the time had a valid Handicapped placard.

 

[DeejP]

Thanks for your help.

 

[Dream Finder]

Unfortunately, Loews charges for all overnight parking. The fee depends on which resort - and whether you Valet at the higher levels. Parking at Cabana Bay is $12 per night (self park only - no Valet).

 

[DisneyOma]

Where's the info that states placard-using people don't have to pay at WDW?

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/parking/

 

[lanejudy]

Where's the info that states placard-using people don't have to pay at WDW?

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/parking/

I don't believe the website actually states parking is complimentary with disabled tags, that info has come from calls to Guest Services. At least, that's what I've gathered from the big thread on the Resorts Forum.

But did they ever officially state on the website that Resort valet parking was free in the past? It may be one of those things that they do but it's never officially stated.

 

[mamabunny]

@DisneyOma

I haven't seen it come up online yet, but I did reach out to the GM at POFQ via email this week, and asked him (John Berko) directly.

His office responded in less than 24 hours:

We look forward to seeing you in the future. At this time the parking fee is waived for those guests traveling with a disability. Please ensure that you have your placard when you are arriving at the resort. Should you see a charge on your account please stop by the Front Desk and we will be happy to assist you.


Todd Kubicki

Resort Duty Manager
Disney's Port Orleans Resort
"Where Disney Magic Flows With Southern Charm"​

 

[OurBigTrip]

I don’t understand the whole free surface parking for the disabled. It makes some degree of sense for valet, as the disability may make it extremely difficult to even get to a handicapped spot.

 

[SueM in MN]

I don’t understand the whole free surface parking for the disabled. It makes some degree of sense for valet, as the disability may make it extremely difficult to even get to a handicapped spot.

I don’t understand surface parking free for guests with disabilities. I don’t think it’s free at the parks (we always stay on site, have APs and are DVC members, so it is free for us at any rate).
The only ‘paid’ parking we get free in Minnesota with a handicapped parking permit is meters. If we park in a paid ramp, we pay the same as everyone else.

Most hotels do offer free valet parking for guests with handicapped parking permits in our experience. The reason is that the handicapped parking is the closest to the entrance, but is often more than 200 feet from the entrance.
By offering free valet parking, there is less issue with the distance and they don’t have to worry about people who are not quickly mobile possibly getting hit by cars pulling up to the entrance to unload.

 

[DeejP]

Where's the info that states placard-using people don't have to pay at WDW?

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/parking/

I haven’t seen it online BUT it was in an article I saw about the introduction of parking fees at WDW. I’ll try and find it again.

 

[DeejP]

Where's the info that states placard-using people don't have to pay at WDW?

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/parking/

Found it - it was in a DIS article I read on Facebook. Here is a copy of the relevant part........

Complimentary self-parking will remain for the following:

• Guests with disabilities
• Cast Members staying as guests
• Guests traveling as part of a group or convention
• Guests staying at campsites at Fort Wilderness.
• Guests who wish to dine, shop, enjoy activities, or visit a resort for the day

Guest who make their Resort reservations prior to March 21, 2018, will not be charged for overnight parking.

 

[DeejP]

Where's the info that states placard-using people don't have to pay at WDW?

https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/parking/

Sorry, me again. The full article is in the WDW section of the DIS - go to resorts and it’s there as a recent news story about the introduction of parking fees at resorts.

 

[mamabunny]

I don’t understand the whole free surface parking for the disabled. It makes some degree of sense for valet, as the disability may make it extremely difficult to even get to a handicapped spot.

My guess is that Disney is counting on Guests who have a disability continuing to use the marked HA parking places at the Resorts. That's a much smaller population to begin with, and much easier for them to track as well.

It could be that the majority of HA parkers use the internal transport system at WDW, accomplishing what *appears* to be Disney's goal of getting Resort Guest cars off the road and out of the theme park parking lots. *If* that's the case, then Disney saw no reason to risk a PR issue (and the resulting sure-to-be unfortunate optics) for charging HA parkers when they are already doing what (I believe) Disney wants them to do.

We have always been of the "park it and leave it" group when we drive to WDW; we typically don't leave property once we arrive, and use Disney's internal transportation system exclusively during our stay.

 

[OurBigTrip]

My guess is that Disney is counting on Guests who have a disability continuing to use the marked HA parking places at the Resorts. That's a much smaller population to begin with, and much easier for them to track as well.

It could be that the majority of HA parkers use the internal transport system at WDW, accomplishing what *appears* to be Disney's goal of getting Resort Guest cars off the road and out of the theme park parking lots. *If* that's the case, then Disney saw no reason to risk a PR issue (and the resulting sure-to-be unfortunate optics) for charging HA parkers when they are already doing what (I believe) Disney wants them to do.

We have always been of the "park it and leave it" group when we drive to WDW; we typically don't leave property once we arrive, and use Disney's internal transportation system exclusively during our stay.

My point is that it shouldn’t be “bad optic” to have a disabled person pay what everyone else pays for a spot in a parking lot.

 

[gap2368]

My guess is that Disney is counting on Guests who have a disability continuing to use the marked HA parking places at the Resorts. That's a much smaller population to begin with, and much easier for them to track as well.

It could be that the majority of HA parkers use the internal transport system at WDW, accomplishing what *appears* to be Disney's goal of getting Resort Guest cars off the road and out of the theme park parking lots. *If* that's the case, then Disney saw no reason to risk a PR issue (and the resulting sure-to-be unfortunate optics) for charging HA parkers when they are already doing what (I believe) Disney wants them to do.

We have always been of the "park it and leave it" group when we drive to WDW; we typically don't leave property once we arrive, and use Disney's internal transportation system exclusively during our stay.

I too am one of these park it and leave it groups In all of my years going to Disney I have only been off Disney property one time ( and that was going to the ER and then I can right back and I did not drive off my self). I do not see any difference in my self-parking my car and someone with a HC parking their car, I can see them giving HC people free vala parking ( I get it too when the lot was full at a hotel before) but to say one group has to pay but another group does not just does not sit right with me.

My point is that it shouldn’t be “bad optic” to have a disabled person pay what everyone else pays for a spot in a parking lot.

. I agree with this 100% if they want cars off the road I am fine leaving my keys at the hotel until my last day. I hate driving with a passion they can keep my keys and I will take the bus system any day ( one of the very few reasons why I stay at Disney and pay a lot more money)

 

[mamabunny]

My point is that it shouldn’t be “bad optic” to have a disabled person pay what everyone else pays for a spot in a parking lot.

I agree - I'm only trying to look at this from the perspective of *why* Disney might have made that decision.

My point is that *if* Disney is charging Resort Guests parking because they tend to get out and drive around at WDW, and clog up the roadways, and take up Theme Park parking spots that could be available for off-site Guests, and (again) *if* the majority of the HA population is doing what @gap2368 and I do - parking our cars, and not moving them because we use only Disney transportation during the length of our stay - then the HA population is not causing the problem that Disney is hoping to solve by charging for surface parking at Resorts.

Yes, that's a lot of *ifs* and I have zero information to support that theory. It's based solely on observation and my experience in the corporate world.

But I won't lie to you - as long as Disney gives me a free pass for HA parking, I'm glad to take it. Like many other folks around here, I drive to WDW because it's easier to bring everything with me in my personal vehicle than it is to fly. (and my hubby works for a major airline, so I can fly any class, any cabin, any time I want to) On average, parking fees (based on today's rates) will add at least $200 on average per trip to my costs. That's $200 less I have for shopping at Disney Springs; I would much rather go shopping than pay parking fees.

I suppose if you really want to pay those fees, just don't show your HA placard when checking in, and then you will pay like everyone else.

 

[OurBigTrip]

I agree - I'm only trying to look at this from the perspective of *why* Disney might have made that decision.

My point is that *if* Disney is charging Resort Guests parking because they tend to get out and drive around at WDW, and clog up the roadways, and take up Theme Park parking spots that could be available for off-site Guests, and (again) *if* the majority of the HA population is doing what @gap2368 and I do - parking our cars, and not moving them because we use only Disney transportation during the length of our stay - then the HA population is not causing the problem that Disney is hoping to solve by charging for surface parking at Resorts.

Yes, that's a lot of *ifs* and I have zero information to support that theory. It's based solely on observation and my experience in the corporate world.

But I won't lie to you - as long as Disney gives me a free pass for HA parking, I'm glad to take it. Like many other folks around here, I drive to WDW because it's easier to bring everything with me in my personal vehicle than it is to fly. (and my hubby works for a major airline, so I can fly any class, any cabin, any time I want to) On average, parking fees (based on today's rates) will add at least $200 on average per trip to my costs. That's $200 less I have for shopping at Disney Springs; I would much rather go shopping than pay parking fees.

I suppose if you really want to pay those fees, just don't show your HA placard when checking in, and then you will pay like everyone else.

Don’t get me wrong - of course if it’s offered, you should take it. I don’t have a placard, but if I did, I would certinly not offer to pay the fee if they’re saying it’s a free with a placard. I just don’t think they should be offering it...all of us would rather spend the money on something other than parking.

And I have to admit, I was a little taken aback at the OP, as it came off, to me at least, as if she didn’t really need the placard, but if it got her free parking at Universal, she’d get one.

 

[Chickenlady]

My feelings on the subject lean more toward the point that WDW is using the free handicapped parking as a means of softening the blow of the lack of handicapped parking spaces at the resorts. I know everyone has said that they never have trouble parking but we very rarely have been able to find a handicapped spot anywhere near our room in the evening when we return to our resorts (values or mod). It might be because we can only travel during school breaks but handicapped spaces are few and far between in the evenings, unless you try at the front desk area...and our room is never, never close to that! If I had to pay for parking, you bet I'd be raising the roof if we couldn't find a handicapped space near our room. So, for now with free parking..we'll take what we can get.