Resort parking with direct to room check-in

[Hyphen677]

We're staying at Port Orleans Riverside and will have a car. I did the direct to room check in yesterday but didn't see anything listed about resort parking. I know that there's a fee but can someone tell me if we need to get a placard from the front desk indicating that we're overnight guests or if our MagicBands will get us into a parking lot and Disney will just charge the card I put on file? Thank you!

 

[rwdavis2]

They normally don't give placards any more. You use your magic band to open the gate.

 

[sarehm]

We just returned from POR and they no longer make you put anything in your windshield. We got the text notification that our room was ready as we pulled in to the Disney complex!

 

[thanxfornoticin]

That's an interesting question. They've done away with the placards for several years now - but how do they know if you do or don't have a car? You might want to check your account during your stay (which should be visible on MDE) to see if you're being charged.

 

[KayaWildfire]

That's an interesting question. They've done away with the placards for several years now - but how do they know if you do or don't have a car? You might want to check your account during your stay (which should be visible on MDE) to see if you're being charged.

They don't, that's why checking your bill at the end of your trip is essential. We were charged for parking on both of most recent trips. We had a car once and once we never did at any point.

 

[Chickenlady]

Without the placard, how do the parking attendants at the theme parks know that you are resort guest and don't need to pay to park?

 

[loves to dive]

Without the placard, how do the parking attendants at the theme parks know that you are resort guest and don't need to pay to park?

They scan your magic band and it tells them.

 

[Chickenlady]

They scan your magic band and it tells them.

Thanks Loves to dive! Bummer though...it will take more time to scanner the band than it did just to hold up the placard and get waved through.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Thanks Loves to dive! Bummer though...it will take more time to scanner the band than it did just to hold up the placard and get waved through.

Actually, we've found them to be pretty efficient - if you have the magic band ready to go, they'll have the scanner and can move you through.

 

[SamFaniam]

That's an interesting question. They've done away with the placards for several years now - but how do they know if you do or don't have a car? You might want to check your account during your stay (which should be visible on MDE) to see if you're being charged.

I assume that they monitor whether you use your magic band to open the gate. And if you do, then there’s an assumption that you’re doing so because you have a vehicle. Now, because there might be a reason for you to do that besides parking a car at the resort, you would want to check your account. On our last trip we did rent a car for one day. DH went to pick it up at the car care Center, came back, and I assume opened the gate with a magic band, and then we returned it that evening. So, we never actually parked it at the resort. Beginning on that day, there was a parking charge added to our account. But we were able to settle that without issue.