Is it really worth $25 a day to park at Walt Disney World?

[bryanb]

I have no clue what they charge, but about how much would it cost, with tip, for a round trip?

If I'm offsite, I usually stay somewhere in the I-4 / S. Apoopka Vineland area, just on the eastern border of WDW. One-way price is about $7, plus a couple of bucks for tip (at your discretion)... though it could be more during high demand times.

In the past, I'd rent a car for ~$40 a day, plus tax, plus $25 for theme park parking, plus $20 for off-site resort parking, plus gasoline. And as all of this adds up, that's why I usually choose not to rent a car. It's not just the $25, but it's the $25 added onto everything else.

Disclaimer: I'm now an annual passholder, so I've gotten used to paying $0/day to park. I think I'm also considering how dismaying it would be to go back to paying a la carte for parking after having it included in my pass. It makes that expensive AP seem more like a "value!"

 

[Captainkidd76]

If you're staying fairly close to the parks, it's cheaper to take a Lyft than it is to pay for parking. Since we drive down, that's probably going to be our plan from now on.

Depends. If you plan on going back to the hotel during the day and going back at night, it could get pricey. That's what we're trying to figure out right now.

 

[bigbabyblues]

Well, we drive to FL and stay offsite, so we really have to pay it. I would rather pay for parking at a park than pay to park at a severely overpriced Disney resort. I guess we could use Lyft or Uber, but there are 4 of us, so that means the XL, unless I am mistaken. I have never been in a taxi or used Lyft/Uber, and I don't really think I want to. The $25/day is high IMO, but it is what it is. We paid $900 total for 9 nights in our condo in June, so even if you add in the parking fee, it is a lot cheaper than a value resort with plenty of space.

 

[goofy4tink]

It's interesting to see varying thoughts here. I know that I'll always have an AP in hand. My dd is now a f/t CM so I'm there even more than I used to be. I don't feel the huge need to stay on-site anymore though. I now almost always rent a car, so paying an addlt $13+ just to park a car at my resort is nuts! Resort prices have gone up, making it hard to get a value for less than $125 a night...add on that parking fee and it's now what a moderate cost just a few years ago. At least I can use my AP to avoid paying to park in the parks when I stay off-site. I can get a decent room for around $75 a night (which includes a $9 daily resort fee), on 192, about 6 mins from AK. It takes me about 15 mins to get to MK. Yes, if I stay onsite and don't have a car, it works out to about the same, after adding my room costs and the car costs. BUT.....I can do the off-site stuff I want to do, I come and go on my time frame.
Do I think parking fees at the parks will deter people from driving, or even going to, the parks? Nope. Parking at WDW is still less than our area Six Flags. BUT, when you start adding up the total addtl cost of your trip now, vs 5 yrs ago? That may have you rethinking your vacation plans. As long as people aren't hit with an addtl $75 a day (total of all increases) that they can actually see, you probably won't see any downturn in attendance. The parks are always crowded now..no more slow times of year. It's pretty obvious that people don't really mind the increases. At least, not yet!!!

 

[a1tinkfans]

I despise parking fees and UPcharge fees Everywhere.. including the hotel I recently stayed out.. valet only, 29 a nite and an Xtra 30/day for resort fees.. I really don’t want the paper or a bottle of water etc
But... it seems to part of the travel costs
these days.
So, I choose to bite the bullet and Enjoy the
Getaway rather than make it a Sticking point!
Do I think it’s wrong, DISpicably nickel and diming, YUP!

 

[rg35]

We've always rented cars, but now we drive down. We are DVC members so we have never had to pay for resort or theme park parking.

Disney buses are convenient, but it's a slow way of getting around. We like to go back and forth at our leisure to the parks and to Disney springs in the evenings sometimes, so Lyft/Uber would also start to add up anyway. So even if we had to pay for parking it would be worth it for us because the convenience factor and the time savings factor.

 

[jova]

If you are staying onsite, how does free parking at the parks work? Do you go in a special line and scan your magic band? Or are all lines manned and they scan your band for you? Haven’t had a car at Disney in over 10 years, when they just use to wave you through if you had a parking pass from the resort in the window. On another note, can you use a KTTWC to scan in for parking, open gate at resort, scan for FP+, or open room door? My husband does not like wearing magicbands. Thanks for the help.

 

[FCDub]

If you are staying onsite, how does free parking at the parks work? Do you go in a special line and scan your magic band? Or are all lines manned and they scan your band for you? Haven’t had a car at Disney in over 10 years, when they just use to wave you through if you had a parking pass from the resort in the window. On another note, can you use a KTTWC to scan in for parking, open gate at resort, scan for FP+, or open room door? My husband does not like wearing magicbands. Thanks for the help.

You can scan your band (or plastic card, if you request one) at any gate.

 

[CERS]

If you are staying onsite, how does free parking at the parks work? Do you go in a special line and scan your magic band? Or are all lines manned and they scan your band for you? Haven’t had a car at Disney in over 10 years, when they just use to wave you through if you had a parking pass from the resort in the window. On another note, can you use a KTTWC to scan in for parking, open gate at resort, scan for FP+, or open room door? My husband does not like wearing magicbands. Thanks for the help.

Remember there's no longer Free Parking. It is included with your resort parking fee, but you'll need to pay for parking at your hotel if your reservation is on or after an specific date (can't remember the exact date).

 

[jova]

You can scan your band (or plastic card, if you request one) at any gate.

Remember there's no longer Free Parking. It is included with your resort parking fee, but you'll need to pay for parking at your hotel if your reservation is on or after an specific date (can't remember the exact date).

Thanks, I know about all the parking fees. I'm more interested in how the process works as we haven't had a car there for years and the last time we did, there were no magic bands. At the resort, they gave you something to put in your window, then when you drove up to the manned booths, they just waved you through when they saw the parking pass.

 

[writerguyfl]

Disney transportation may not be immediate, or exactly every 20 minutes, but it is regular throughout the day from before parks open until after they close. Other than the Hotel Plaza Boulevard buse, no other property offers nearly as frequent service. Generally, there are two or three scheduled buses in the morning to one park, and two or three scheduled buses back in the evening. Miss those, or want to ride at a different time? You're on your own.

Plus, many off-site shuttles only go to one theme park. Typically, it's Epcot. From there, you have to transfer to Disney transportation (bus or monorail) to reach the other three theme parks.

 

[North of Mouse]

Worth? What's that??

Everyone's definition of worth can be different. What about all the other charges? Ticket prices, food prices, hard ticket prices, etc. etc.

 

[winthropf]

Depends. If you plan on going back to the hotel during the day and going back at night, it could get pricey. That's what we're trying to figure out right now.

As long as you keep your receipt you only have to pay once per day, even if you move to a different park.

 

[Wubar]

If you don't feel it is worth it, then don't park there. Easy. You could get a friend or family member to drop you off for free. Use lyft/uber and dance around availability and surge pricing. Splurge on Minnie vans or a taxi. Stay on site and use Disney buses. Or walk. There are options, although they are limited.

 

[QuestMom]

So, the paper parking passes from the resorts are a thing of the past? It seems rather time consuming to have to scan everyone's magic band as they enter the parking lot. I read that it was going to be a gradual transition. Are any resorts still issuing paper passes? Also, are the lines entering the parking lots moving slower as a result of everyone having to scan?

 

[MillauFr]

So, the paper parking passes from the resorts are a thing of the past? It seems rather time consuming to have to scan everyone's magic band as they enter the parking lot. I read that it was going to be a gradual transition. Are any resorts still issuing paper passes? Also, are the lines entering the parking lots moving slower as a result of everyone having to scan?

Why would they scan everyone's magic bands? Wouldn't they just scan the drivers?

 

[QuestMom]

Sorry I wasn't clear. I meant scan every driver's Magic Band. In the past, they would just quickly look at the pass on the windshield and wave most people through (unless someone was staying off property and needed to pay). Sometimes we didn't even have to stop, we'd just slow down, they'd look at the pass and wave us through. It just seems like it would be slower if they have to scan someone in each car.

 

[MillauFr]

Sorry I wasn't clear. I meant scan every driver's Magic Band. In the past, they would just quickly look at the pass on the windshield and wave most people through (unless someone was staying off property and needed to pay). Sometimes we didn't even have to stop, we'd just slow down, they'd look at the pass and wave us through. It just seems like it would be slower if they have to scan someone in each car.

They should have Sunpass only lanes to speed up the traffic flow. They could just bill your account for the parking fees.

 

[georgina]

As long as you keep your receipt you only have to pay once per day, even if you move to a different park.

Correct, but I think the response about being pricey was about taking Uber/Lyft back and forth several times a day.

(They quoted this one - If you're staying fairly close to the parks, it's cheaper to take a Lyft than it is to pay for parking. Since we drive down, that's probably going to be our plan from now on.)

 

[kandb]

The economy is good and people are vacationing more, so Disney, like a lot of other companies are upping fees/prices wherever they can. It is what it is.