parking at the contemporary for dinner and going to MK after that

[Deb & Bill]

We have been to the Grand Floridian many times for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I was under the assumption that there was a designated parking area for diners, since we are always directed to the same parking lot. We have never parked at the Contemporary or Polynesian so I I'm not sure if they have designated spots or not.

No, there really isn't any designated parking for diners. It's just resort guests and villas guests (two parking lots, but one also has the valet parking in it).

We did park at the GF a few years ago while we dined at the Grand Floridian Cafe. We were given a three hour parking pass. They noted the time we arrived on the ticket that was placed in our window. The valet parker who checked us in told us we had three hours.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

No, there really isn't any designated parking for diners. It's just resort guests and villas guests (two parking lots, but one also has the valet parking in it).

We did park at the GF a few years ago while we dined at the Grand Floridian Cafe. We were given a three hour parking pass. They noted the time we arrived on the ticket that was placed in our window. The valet parker who checked us in told us we had three hours.

Then I suppose the CMs need to be more consistent in what they tell people. I have stayed at several resorts, but the park adjacent ones we prefer are Yacht and Beach Club. I have never stayed at Boardwalk. We always drive. I have never had an issue finding a place to park, and until recently (reading heated discussions here) have never thought about people who stay offsite parking at resorts to avoid paying for theme park parking. It's so far out of the scope of what I would do, I just didn't think about it. I don't spend a lot of time dwelling on what other people are doing; I suppose that's a personal flaw. The 1 time we "got away with" breaking the rules, we were up front with our intentions, and were told by the attendant it was fine, even after asking about the 3 hour limit. Had he said, "no, you have to drive to TTC to go to MK to get your children's picture taken", we would have done so. I've never received a 3 hour parking pass. Ever.. Since EVERY TIME we have eaten at or visited the GF we have been directed to the SAME parking lot, I assumed it was for visiting guests.

 

[kaytieeldr]

We did park at the GF a few years ago while we dined at the Grand Floridian Cafe. We were given a three hour parking pass. They noted the time we arrived on the ticket that was placed in our window. The valet parker who checked us in told us we had three hours.

Yay! I'm not crazy! I used Valet parking stUFF a Number of years ago, there was a paper on the dashboard with the time if arrived.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

until recently (reading heated discussions here) have never thought about people who stay offsite parking at resorts to avoid paying for theme park parking. It's so far out of the scope of what I would do, I just didn't think about it. I don't spend a lot of time dwelling on what other people are doing

I don't pay attention much either to what other people do on their vacation; I hardly really pay attention to anything people are talking about out and about in the parks unless they are right in front of me (sorta hard not to at that point).

Anyways--the DIS may give the impression of a higher prevalence rate of how often people do this and that but there are some things you can kinda expect people to do. Parking somewhere you probably shouldn't to avoid a parking fee is one of them. I do say avoid with emphasis. Some people park places because they didn't think anything of it like the OP who isn't sure why they should really have to move their vehicle and you who weren't advised you had to.

But yes there are people who purposefully do it (and people def. point blank ask that question here on the DIS) to avoid paying the Theme Park parking fee. Giving you the benefit of the doubt I'm guessing if you were told you needed to leave by X time you would do it and you'd pay the parking fee if you were still going to the theme parks. People who are doing it purposefully to avoid a fee usually aren't abiding by the honor rule if they were told they needed to be out by X time.

No it's not a personal flaw if you didn't consider it before the DIS though.

 

[Mambo Junkie]

Since I stay on property when going to the parks, I'm definitely not doing it to avoid parking fees. We stay on/off property because we go to other theme parks besides Disney World. With the exception of my faux pas this trip (I booked a Halloween party while still offsite - which I've already said we're parking at TTC and taking the monorail to GF), all of our park days are while onsite. Since we are only dining at the GF, then going to the Halloween party, it was just as convenient to park at TTC (though we have to pay). The main reason we parked at the GF before was because between the Ivy Trellis and 1900 Park Fare, we were already there for 5+ hours. (you can see the result in my avatar). The night before was Halloween and we had done the party, so we slept in, swam, then went to the GF around 1.
I can certainly understand if there is not enough parking at the resorts, but since we have never had this issue when staying on property, we just hadn't thought about it.

 

[DSLRuser]

To those who are saying or implying that it’s ok, ask yourself this question. How would you feel to go back to your home resort and find there is no parking? It does happen at the Boardwalk area and MK area resorts. And more often than you would think. I have it happen more times than I can count and it’s horrible because unlike you I don’t have another option.

i call BS. In my last 30 years of going very frequently, the parking lots were never "full" as in no parking, we have to turn cars away.

Yes. you may have to park a little further from the front door then you would like, but there is always room.

Admittedly, parking farther away does not bother me at all. i do in on purpose because i like to find a spot where i can minimize door dings. usually, the means an end spot farther away.

i get it. Boardwalk parking lot is not ideal because it is so far from front door. But not everyone can have a front row spot.

 

[DSLRuser]

Yay! I'm not crazy! I used Valet parking stUFF a Number of years ago, there was a paper on the dashboard with the time if arrived.

because valet charges by the day. 24 hour blocks.

 

[jackglick]

We stayed at BLT on July 3rd a couple of years ago. The lot of was full. We had to drive around about 20 minutes to park in the pouring rain. After the fireworks the lot cleared out. All of the people that used the resport parking lot for the theme parking lot. We paid top dollar to stay there on a holiday. That should have never have had happened. Disney should have been turning cars away or towing them.

 

[mckennarose]

I have never had an issue finding a place to park, and until recently (reading heated discussions here) have never thought about people who stay offsite parking at resorts to avoid paying for theme park parking.

But yes there are people who purposefully do it (and people def. point blank ask that question here on the DIS) to avoid paying the Theme Park parking fee.

The thing is that locals do it too. I remember seeing a well known YT-er doing it just a few years ago, before he got really big and before he started being invited to media events. He and his wife parked at the CR and walked. I believe they had AP's so parking at the TTC lot would be free, but it was the convenience factor of being able to walk. I don't think he does it now, or has for a while, but I haven't watched in an age and I don't know where he parks now. Just pointing out that people other than off-siters do it.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

The thing is that locals do it too. I remember seeing a well known YT-er doing it just a few years ago, before he got really big and before he started being invited to media events. He and his wife parked at the CR and walked. I believe they had AP's so parking at the TTC lot would be free, but it was the convenience factor of being able to walk. I don't think he does it now, or has for a while, but I haven't watched in an age and I don't know where he parks now. Just pointing out that people other than off-siters do it.

Of course but that wasn't what my particular comment was about. It was in relation to people who do it purposefully to avoid a parking fee because that's what the conversation/comment the poster was talking about. There sure are a wide variety of types of people who do this-avoiding paying a parking fee is but one so you're totally right about that! CR is in such a prime spot it wouldn't surprise me the variety of reasons people have.

 

[Dingdingding]

As asked by some here my experience. When we went to the Wave I opted to put my car at the TTC but regretted that immediately since we started at Epcot and had to go through security twice.

A few days later when we went to California Grill I parked at the Contemporary with the expectation of leaving right after that instead of hitting the parks again. It also was my proposal to my girlfriend and as she said yes we got drinks from both the restaurant as from other guest and I couldn't drive anymore. I asked at the check in desk if it was okay to keep it parked and get it back early in the morning. Not only was that okay but after checking that I was staying on site I could let it be parked for the whole day. I have to clarify that there were a lot of empty spaces in the parking lot and it was a special occasion, but that gave us the chance to go the magic kingdom (that had EMT till 12am) for some special engagement photos. We picked up the car at the end of the next day.

 

[marikujawa]

As asked by some here my experience. When we went to the Wave I opted to put my car at the TTC but regretted that immediately since we started at Epcot and had to go through security twice.

A few days later when we went to California Grill I parked at the Contemporary with the expectation of leaving right after that instead of hitting the parks again. It also was my proposal to my girlfriend and as she said yes we got drinks from both the restaurant as from other guest and I couldn't drive anymore. I asked at the check in check if it was okay to keep it parked and get it back early in the morning. Not only was that okay but after checking that I was staying on site I could let it be parked for the whole day. I have to clarify that there were a lot of empty spaces in the parking lot and it was a special occasion, but that gave us the chance to go the magic kingdom (that had EMT till 12am) for some special engagement photos. We picked up the car at the end of the next day.

Congratulations! Thanks for coming back and reporting your experience. When it comes to Disney, I think it always pays to ask, since CM's are given a great deal of discretion where policies are concerned. This can make people crazy because it takes some of the certainty out of planning, but in my experience it has always been the way Disney operates.

 

[Lilsia]

As asked by some here my experience. When we went to the Wave I opted to put my car at the TTC but regretted that immediately since we started at Epcot and had to go through security twice.

A few days later when we went to California Grill I parked at the Contemporary with the expectation of leaving right after that instead of hitting the parks again. It also was my proposal to my girlfriend and as she said yes we got drinks from both the restaurant as from other guest and I couldn't drive anymore. I asked at the check in desk if it was okay to keep it parked and get it back early in the morning. Not only was that okay but after checking that I was staying on site I could let it be parked for the whole day. I have to clarify that there were a lot of empty spaces in the parking lot and it was a special occasion, but that gave us the chance to go the magic kingdom (that had EMT till 12am) for some special engagement photos. We picked up the car at the end of the next day.

I can't imagine the legal ramifications if Disney told you that you had to drive your car out of there drunk. The only other option would be to tow it I guess. Glad that they were so nice and congrats.

 

[Deb & Bill]

because valet charges by the day. 24 hour blocks.

Not if you are using the TIW card.

 

[vinotinto]

But nobody (other than valet parking) pays to park during the day. Resort guests just pay for overnight parking. They need to charge for daytime parking unless you have a dining reservation at an onsite table service facility. Then you return to the guard shack with a validated parking ticket for no more than three hours (unless you are at a Victoria & Albert's dinner). If you stay four hours, you pay for that extra hour.

This is how it is in every city I have lived in. You get a ticket when you enter the lot. The restaurant validates xx amount of hours. You insert your ticket to leave the lot. If you stayed longer, you pay the additional hours with a credit card. For the life of me, I cannot understand why WDW hasn't done this.

I was sure this would be the next step after they started charging for overnight parking. Before, since overnight parking was a free perk, if you had to circle the lot to find a spot, at least it was free. But now that deluxe guests have to pay $25/night, I am sure they have been getting more complaints from those that have to circle.

Universal already does this at their hotels and the hourly rate amounts to a lot more than the overnight parking charge. It's a way to control so that there is parking availability for those that are willing to pay a certain amount and those who are staying at that hotel.

 

[TexasChick123]

Reviving an old thread here. We are planning on eating at Contempo Cafe and going to TOTWL in a few months (not over a holiday) and want to park at the Contemporary. We’ll be staying onsite. We’re DVC members and AP holders, so parking is free for us. I have no idea how long we’ll be there. Have any DVC members or AP holders had any issues parking at the Contemporary lately? I don’t know if there is any difference with being DVC/AP versus a regular guest.

 

[Aimeedyan]

Reviving an old thread here. We are planning on eating at Contempo Cafe and going to TOTWL in a few months (not over a holiday) and want to park at the Contemporary. We’ll be staying onsite. We’re DVC members and AP holders, so parking is free for us. I have no idea how long we’ll be there. Have any DVC members or AP holders had any issues parking at the Contemporary lately? I don’t know if there is any difference with being DVC/AP versus a regular guest.

I would be prepared for them to say to park at T&TC. I am AP and turned away at Poly recently when we wanted to visit Trader Sam's which also doesn't take reservations. Security guard even said "since you're AP, you can park for free at T&TC and monorail/walk over here."

You might get lucky, though! They are definitely not consistent (with those without dining reservations) and I know people who were able to park just to shop or look around while others were turned away.

 

[TexasChick123]

I would be prepared for them to say to park at T&TC. I am AP and turned away at Poly recently when we wanted to visit Trader Sam's which also doesn't take reservations. Security guard even said "since you're AP, you can park for free at T&TC and monorail/walk over here."

You might get lucky, though! They are definitely not consistent (with those without dining reservations) and I know people who were able to park just to shop or look around while others were turned away.

Thanks for the response. I’ll go in expecting them to turn us away to go to the TTC. If they let us park there, it’ll be great and unexpected. I would much rather park where we are going to be versus the TTC, but it won’t be my call. :/

 

[Deb & Bill]

Reviving an old thread here. We are planning on eating at Contempo Cafe and going to TOTWL in a few months (not over a holiday) and want to park at the Contemporary. We’ll be staying onsite. We’re DVC members and AP holders, so parking is free for us. I have no idea how long we’ll be there. Have any DVC members or AP holders had any issues parking at the Contemporary lately? I don’t know if there is any difference with being DVC/AP versus a regular guest.

DVC has instructed members going up to TOTWL that they must either be a guest of the resort or take Disney transportation to the resort. Parking at the resort isn't included. Just take transportation from your resort to the MK and walk over to BLT.

From the member website:

Highlights

It’s an ideal place to savor light bites and refreshing cocktails—and unforgettable views.
Access to this lounge—one of the vacation kingdom’s most unique spaces—is reserved for Members and their guests who are staying on that Member's reservation.
Top of the World Lounge offers sweeping views of Magic Kingdom park from the 16th floor of Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort.

Accessing the Lounge

This special access to Top of the World Lounge is available on a first-come, first-served basis until the lounge reaches capacity.
As the lounge is most popular during the Magic Kingdom fireworks, arriving as early as possible will offer Members the best chance of gaining admission to this exclusive experience.
Available to Eligible Members
Disney Vacation Club Members staying at any Disney-owned-and-operated hotel at Walt Disney World Resort (whether they booked with Vacation Points or cash) may enjoy access to this exclusive space just outside Magic Kingdom park.
Check in
Upon arrival, Members must check in at the Top of the World Lounge desk in the ground floor lobby.
At least one Member in the traveling party must accompany the group and present his or her current MagicBand or card in order to gain admission to the lounge and observation deck. A Disney Vacation Club Membership Card is also required to verify Membership.

Important Details

View details about parking, blockout dates, operating hours and more.
Parking
Parking is only available to those staying at Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Contemporary Resort or Disney’s Contemporary Resort. Members traveling from other Resorts must use Walt Disney World Transportation.
Parking will also be available for Guests renting the Top of the World Lounge for the duration of the event.
Hours
Current operating hours are 6:00 PM to midnight. Hours are subject to change.
Blockout dates
This benefit is offered into 2019, but these blockout dates apply:

• July 3: Available only to Members staying at Bay Lake Tower
• July 4: Closed for Private Member Event
• December 30: Available only to Members staying at Bay Lake Tower
• December 31: Closed for Private Member Event

Blockout dates are subject to change.