Can you park at the Grand Floridian and then take the monorail into MK?

[fastmb02]

I'm not asking this to avoid paying for parking (really!!)--I just thought if this was possible it might be a nice ride and a good way to avoid some of the hassles of self parking (we're staying off site this trip). I don't want to risk having our rental car get towed. TIA!

 

[Mickey_Maniac]

I believe they will only allow you to park there for about 3-4 hours.

 

[TDC Nala]

They'll allow you to park there from 3-4 hours if you have a PS at a resort restaurant. I don't know how they go about determining whether you actually have a PS or not.

The Grand Floridian has the World's worst self-parking lot. It is located across the street from the resort and half of it is cast parking. It was extremely difficult finding a space there during the day (was there for the high tea).

 

[DaveH]

Last spring we drove to AKL to check it out. The guard had a PS list at the gate. I don't know at GF.

 

[Uncleromulus]

To answer your question directly--most likely at the GF you'll get a parking pass good for 3 hours. Unknown what would happen if you exceeded that limit by a whole lot--but I personally wouldn't want to risk it. Especially with signs now at the monorail resorts saying quite clearly that the hotel parking lots are not intended for theme park purposes.
Here's what we do. We do park at the MK lot--but then walk over to the Poly (there is a walkway) and after we eat breakfast at Kona Cafe, we take the monorail to the MK.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

fastmb02,
Simply stated, the parking at the monorail resorts or the Epcot resorts is for people staying there and paying for the accomodations and closeness of the parks. They also allow you to park there if you have a ps at that resort. They allow 3 hours, you must be on a ps list, if you exceed the three hours they can and will tow the car. If you are not on the ps list you will not be allowed to enter.

 

[ducklite]

If you want to park in the GF lot as a way to avoid the hassles of self parking, pay to get a room there.

Anne

 

[Tinky]

Not this again.....
i think we could cut the poster a little slack. They merely posed the question.
JMHO but ducklite c'mon, your response was a little ummmm "snippy?"

 

[Mskanga]

I personally saw cars being towed last year from the POLY, don't know how long they had been there for though.

 

[sgtdisney]

I have been able to park at Monorail hotels without having PS reservations in advance. I have driven up to both CR and the Polynesian and just informed the guard that I was planning on visiting the resort and the gift shops, or that I had planned on eating in a restaurant. They have never seemed to have a problem with that. They usually have given me a 3 hour parking pass, which was fine since I wasn't planning on being there that long anyway. On our trip earlier this month, I went to CR for Chef Mickey's without PSs and I explained that to the guard and they just waved me in. Of course this was at almost 9PM at night as well. Conversely on the same trip, we went to the GF for a PS at 1900 Park Fare and they did infact check the computer to verify my name on the PS list. However, if you really are at the resort to spend money and not abuse the parking situation, I can't see Disney refusing that....

That being said, I would not recommend going to a monorail hotel and planning on parking there for the day and going to MK. The hotel parking lot is reserved first for the hotel guests and then for people using facilities at that hotel. If you plan on going to MK I would definately use the MK parking lot and going from there.

 

[ducklite]

Originally posted by Tinky
Not this again.....
i think we could cut the poster a little slack. They merely posed the question.
JMHO but ducklite c'mon, your response was a little ummmm "snippy?"

You'd be snippy too if you had driven around and around trying to find a parking spot when you are a paying guest of a deluxe resort in that resort's parking lot because of all the people who decide that they can spend $19.99 a night for them and their six kids plus a couple of distnat relatives to stay at some place out on 192, then take up the parking spaces at the deluxe hotels so they can "avoid the hassles".

Anne

 

[CaliforniaDreaming]

I know, in particular, the Grand Floridian (self AND valet) lots are always pretty full. Forget about trying to find a self parking space some nights even if you are a resort guest.

On the 4th of July, after the fireworks, the line for valet parking was from the valet desk and curved around all the way to the main building. It was full of people complaining about having to pay $6 for 45 minutes of parking. Hello, people!!! Well, yours truly was not happy standing in line - and thankfully, one of the valet recognized us. Our car was pulled up a minute or two later. And, of course, a few people saw what happened and weren't too happy. But, we were paying resort guests, and I think it was very nice that the valet remembered that and helped us out. (the next day, I asked him how the tips were the night before, he said that most people didn't give him anything!).

 

[CarolMN]

Originally posted by CaliforniaDreaming
I know, in particular, the Grand Floridian (self AND valet) lots are always pretty full. Forget about trying to find a self parking space some nights even if you are a resort guest.

On the 4th of July, after the fireworks, the line for valet parking was from the valet desk and curved around all the way to the main building. It was full of people complaining about having to pay $6 for 45 minutes of parking. Hello, people!!! Well, yours truly was not happy standing in line - and thankfully, one of the valet recognized us. Our car was pulled up a minute or two later. And, of course, a few people saw what happened and weren't too happy. But, we were paying resort guests, and I think it was very nice that the valet remembered that and helped us out. (the next day, I asked him how the tips were the night before, he said that most people didn't give him anything!).

That's really disappointing! The valets work hard and they don't get paid very much. They depend on tips to make up the difference.

I wish Disney would just start charging those not actually saying at a deluxe resort $10 or $15 to park. Perhaps they could allow those who are visiting to shop or eat to use the receipt (on that same day only) as a "credit" towards their bill. IMHO, that would "redirect" a lot of people back to the lots where they belong!

 

[Mouse Man]

Originally posted by fastmb02
I just thought if this was possible it might be a nice ride and a good way to avoid some of the hassles of self parking (we're staying off site this trip). TIA!

The best way to avoid those hassles is to stay onsite. Otherwise, enjoy the self-parking.