Disney parking strategy
 

We will be staying outside Disney, and will drive in. Can we park at the Swan, Dolphin or Beach & Yacht Club resorts, and take a boat to MGM or Epcot? Will our car be towed if we are not hotel guests? What if we intend to mini-golf at Fantasia? I'm not trying to save money, just time, and would enjoy a less crowded boat ride to the parking lot trams.

In order to park at the Disney resorts you need to have a parking permit displayed on your dashboard indicating that you're staying at that resort. Otherwise you will be towed. Think about it, while trying to avoid the crowds to the main parking lot, you'd be helping make the transportation MORE crowded for the resort guests. It's only fair!

Dan, If you are not staying at a hotel but wish to visit (for dinner, etc.) they will issue you a 3 hour temporary parking permit. I could not tell you what happens if you exceed the 3 hours though. If any one else does I would like to know as well. One exception, I believe is the boardwalk as they have many people that just like to visit the boardwalk, and you may be able to walk to fantasia mini golf from there.

That sounds like a pain in the ass. Disney has wonderful free transportation for guests staying on property. Leave your car in the hotel parking lot and use Disneys transportation. Why do you want to get into your car, drive to another resort, and then use public transportation? Makes no sense.

Are you kidding?

Dan:<BR><BR>Look, I don't know how early you plan getting up, but if you do, try the valet parking at the Poly. If you do it early, there are no lines and you can just walk upstairs and catch the tram back to Epcot. It will costs less than $20.00 all day (it may even be cheapr than $15.00). I did this in May when I had to catch a early character breakfast at the Magic Kingdom and it worked smoothly.

On our last trip we rented our car and then parked it at the airport and took the shuttle bus to our hotel. Very easy for the return!

We parked at the regular parking. No problems.Little passenger trains are ready to pick you up at your car en drop you off at the entrance of Epcott or at the boat to MGM.

If you are not a guest of a Disney owned hotel, you may not park there.<BR><BR>However, it is commonly known that you may park at the Dolphin or Swan (which are Sheraton/Westin owned properties) for free and use their transportation!

I know that it's unfair for non-guests to park in the resort parking lots. BUT . . . it sure saves time and money! The first time we did this was when we were going to EPCOT. We got lost and ended up in the Boardwalk parking lot. The guy guarding the gate told us that it was okay to park in their lot and walk into EPCOT. So we did. Then one night we were going to the Magic Kingdom and decided to try our luck out at the Polynesian. Again the man at the gate said it was fine for us to park there. Maybe we were lucky that the gate guards didn't seem to care where we parked.

Unfortunately, since 9-11, most guard gates are supposed to ask for ID before entering the resorts parking lots, and unless you are a registered guest, they wont let you in.