Free parking before checking into WDW hotel?

jd3921fl · Post by **jd3921fl** » Jan Mon 07, 2008 12:21 pm

Can you please advise if its possible to get into the Magic Kingdom without paying for parking before checking into Coronado Springs? Want to hit the park at opening but not check in til noonish time. Any advice? Is the print out reservation sufficient to show the guard?

Post by **Dr. Ravenscroft** » Jan Mon 07, 2008 12:34 pm

JS3901 and I parked in the Contemporary Parking lot for a couple of hours, we just told the security guard we were going to the California Grill. Granted you don't want to park there for the whole day but they will allow you into the parking lot. Just don't walk past the security desk on the way to the park.......WALK INTO THE CONTEMPORARY AND TAKE THE MONORAIL!!!

Esmeralda · Post by **Esmeralda** » Jan Mon 07, 2008 8:02 pm

Just tell them you're checking in (when you arrive at the Coronodo Springs). As long as it's the same day, we've never had any troubles. Have a fun trip!

Lion Sleeps Tonight · Post by **Lion Sleeps Tonight** » Jan Mon 07, 2008 8:14 pm

Yeah, tell them you're checking in. Chances are you won't even need a parking slip. Remember buses start running an hour before park opening. Have fun.

dimagineer · Post by **dimagineer** » Jan Mon 07, 2008 8:28 pm

I have been told you can check in early and when your room becomes available they will place your luggage in your room for you.

Lion Sleeps Tonight · Post by **Lion Sleeps Tonight** » Jan Tue 08, 2008 8:12 pm

Scratch that, buses start at 6am.

Yeah, they can probably store your bags for you, or you can just keep them in your car, and when you do get a room, you can call from there and have the bags delivered via a bellman.

Or if Coronado Springs does NGC (no guest contact), then they can deliver the bags to the room, you just have to request it.

yodiwan1 · Post by **yodiwan1** » Jan Wed 09, 2008 1:16 am

worse comes to worse, if you keep luggage in the trunk, park at downtown disney and take a bus from there, then later jsut take it back and drive to coronado.

jcodirewolf · Post by **jcodirewolf** » Jan Wed 09, 2008 10:22 am

I would go to CS and check-in, you won't have your room number until they are ready for you to go to it. But get your parking pass.

In general, you can lie and say your are going to GF or the wedding pavilion. I don't think anyone would notice you parking at the Pavillion at 8:30am. There is also a "back way" into MK which puts you on the road to CR, you can't get into the park parking lot, without going all the way around.

But it seems to me this all very complicated for something simple that you need to do anyway, and you'll get more input in to your room the earlier you check-in. As I recall about 5:15-5:30am they can start checking you into your hotel for the day.

I get the feeling the parking lot guards work like the ski lift operators do. They are pretty strict at the beginning of the day, and most likely again in the early afternoon.

Even if you have to pay for parking I bet you can get it refunded once you have your parking slip, just keep the receipt. I know that is how the Epcot Dinning Pass (or what ever it was called) worked. You had to pay for parking, but then you would get it refunded once you had a meal check.

johno

jd3921fl · Post by **jd3921fl** » Jan Wed 09, 2008 3:56 pm

The company line via email is that you have to pre reg starting at 8 am and get your parking pass for the day.

DisBeamer · Post by **DisBeamer** » Jan Thu 10, 2008 3:45 am

Is there a particular reason you don't want to check in before noon? Because as others have said, you can easily go check in, store your bags with bell services (if you want to) and get your parking pass as soon as you get there. To get into the CS parking lot, if you say you're checking in, the guard will either want to see your reservation and/or check your name in the computer anyway, so as long as it's the same day as you check in you shouldn't have a problem with access to the parking lot.

They won't have your room ready that early in the morning (most likely), but they may not have it ready at noon either since check in is 'officially' 3pm. That said, I checked in to the Wilderness Lodge one year at 9:30am and my room was available. Maybe you'll be lucky.

jd3921fl · Post by **jd3921fl** » Jan Thu 10, 2008 3:32 pm

I was just trying to avoid a side trip. Having to go to CS and then to MK and then back to CS. It's only a 1 nite stay. Easier to just go St8 to MK and to then to the room.
My experience with the guard at the resorts is that they never ask for a reservation confirmation or look you up in the computer. Usually your ID is good enuff with whatever reason you are stopping at that hotel..eating, looking around etc.

DisBeamer · Post by **DisBeamer** » Jan Fri 11, 2008 3:12 am

Ah I see. That makes sense.

I will say that the guards at both Port Orleans French Quarter and the Contemporary looked us up in the computer on our stay just before Christmas, though. And the last few times I'd stayed before that though (when they look at the id/last name, is when they're looking in the computer). Maybe I just get the tough guy guards.

Captain Schnemo · Post by **Captain Schnemo** » Jan Fri 11, 2008 5:09 am

I'd always park at the Polynesian. It's a nice place to come back to at night and walk on the beach on reflect on the day, plus I consider the monorail to be "ride".

Of course, that before those really annoying loud advertising messages in the monorail, but whatever.

This was pre-9/11, though, so maybe paranoia is higher now.

Subsonic Radio

Free parking before checking into WDW hotel?

Free parking before checking into WDW hotel?

Thanks for the info