PLEASE SHARE -What is it like to resort park now?

[snappy]

Got back yesterday (Saturday April 28th) from a 6 night stay at Pop Century. My reservation was made in late 2017. I verbally reminded the front desk CM that I was not supposed to pay for any parking. I was not charged for parking.

My car was driven almost each day going from place to place, and I parked it in the exact same spot each night. It was obvious I was staying away from pedestrian traffic with backpacks and also other cars (door dings). We hand washed the car just before the trip and it is garaged. Tonight we washed the car mostly because of all the bug guts on the front end, hood, and windshield.

I don't know what this means, but someone put a white dot of paint on the upper driver's side corner of the windshield. While washing the car, I thought it was a drop of white bird poop.....it was not. I had to scrape it off the windshield. I don't know what it means, but I wanted to share this detail and see if others have it too. Because I did not see it until after I left Pop, I could not survey any other cars in the lot.

Thanks for sharing and posting the exact location of the white dot. Hopefully other guests with a vehicle will read this, check it out on their vehicle, and post here.

 

[AngiTN]

Having made this trip many times with the same basic habits, I provided the information to see if others experienced the same thing. "Challking" cars was mentioned in an earlier post which provided me with a little extra motivation to mention my discovery. I have never, ever had this happen before.

That was me that posted that. I may not have been clear, or I just assumed others knew what chalking meant, and I shouldn't have done that. They chalk tires, not cars. Chalk mark on tire, chalk mark on pavement. This can tell them if cars are moved. If it stays lined up for an excessive period of time and that car is not a car that belongs to a registered guest, they know it's a questionable car and proceed from there. Disney is not going to intentionally mark the body of someone's car.

 

[otterpop]

I don't know what this means, but someone put a white dot of paint on the upper driver's side corner of the windshield. While washing the car, I thought it was a drop of white bird poop.....it was not. I had to scrape it off the windshield. I don't know what it means, but I wanted to share this detail and see if others have it too. Because I did not see it until after I left Pop, I could not survey any other cars in the lot.

Some new, firsthand info! Thanks for posting your observations.

So if they are marking cars, then this goes against (or maybe in combination with?) what a few others are saying.

It seems like there might be multiple ways Disney is trying to keep track of things.

This is a good reminder that info posted on these boards is worth a grain of salt until confirmed by Disney; as we all know, “a bus driver told me” just isn’t good enough!

 

[otterpop]

That was me that posted that. I may not have been clear, or I just assumed others knew what chalking meant, and I shouldn't have done that. They chalk tires, not cars. Chalk mark on tire, chalk mark on pavement. This can tell them if cars are moved. If it stays lined up for an excessive period of time and that car is not a car that belongs to a registered guest, they know it's a questionable car and proceed from there. Disney is not going to intentionally mark the body of someone's car.

I agree about marking the body of the car, but the OP did say windshield...

Could be another piece of the puzzle!

 

[Petalnick]

Does anybody know how it works if you are from the Uk. We booked a two night stay at the CBR. We booked at the end of March so assumed we would need to pay for parking. Have now read that if you live in the UK you don’t need to pay for parking. Will they just know by our home address we don’t need to pay?

 

[PrincessV]

This is all great information. At this point, although I want to use online check in, I am still concerned about being charged for parking (we booked back in December) when we check out. I wonder if it's worth a stop at the desk anyway just to be sure we aren't going to be dealing with a headache when we leave. Or would we know after the first night if they're attempting to charge us?

I have a one-night stay coming up, that I booked before the cutoff and should have free parking... I absolutely plan on visiting the front desk at some point to make sure I'm not being charged.

I don't know what this means, but someone put a white dot of paint on the upper driver's side corner of the windshield. While washing the car, I thought it was a drop of white bird poop.....it was not. I had to scrape it off the windshield.

On the WINDSHIELD?! Not cool. Thanks for the heads up - I'll keep an eye out on my next trip.

 

[AngiTN]

I agree about marking the body of the car, but the OP did say windshield...

Could be another piece of the puzzle!

I again made an error in assuming. My definition of body of car includes the glass.

It's still a permanent mark on the surface of a person's vehicle. I simply do not believe Disney is going to mark a person's vehicle intentionally, beyond a chalk mark on a tire, which will wash away with water. And it's a tire. Not glass or body.

 

[MusicalAstronaut]

I agree with you. But....

The real reason for pay to park may go far beyond just the instant cash it creates. I believe they're focused more now than ever before on keeping us on property. Fees may reduce the number of guests who choose to rent a car to go visit the competition, eat and shop off site. Note how ME is still free.

They welcome outsiders to come in for the day and spend money at the resorts with open arms. Why not? Might turn an offsite Disney fan into an onsite one.

100000% this. It's really frustrating for someone like me who normally drives down (I usually go solo and prefer to have my car with me) because that's an extra $100+ to stay on property. I don't use ME but it's part of the cost of staying at Disney. I'm trying a nice off-site hotel next week to see how I like it!

 

[BridgetBordeaux]

Any updates this past week?

 

[disneyfreak89]

Don't they still issue a piece of paper that you put on your dash indicating your a resort guest???

 

[AngiTN]

Don't they still issue a piece of paper that you put on your dash indicating your a resort guest???

Rarely

 

[evilqueenmindy]

Well, my sister and I and her in-laws will be doing a toddlers first day trip on Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. We have breakfast reservations at O’hana, and are not staying over. I expect, when we arrive, to have explained to me what this dining reservation entitles me to, parking wise. (We have APs, so moving to the TTC is not a problem) I’m not sure if there is a time limit attached to it or not, or how it is enforced, but I will report back.
For what it’s worth tho, I’ve sat at ESPN club on a football day for the entire afternoon. I’ve arrived at 5pm at contemporary for a 6pm Cali grill reservation, had drinks in the bar waiting for a table, not lingered over dinner, watched fireworks, which I’m allowed to do, and come down stairs to collect my car at 10:30pm, with no sneaking into MK or other shenanigans. So I’m not sure what kind of time limits should be enforced for meals and such, when Disney meals themselves can go so long.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Well, my sister and I and her in-laws will be doing a toddlers first day trip on Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. We have breakfast reservations at O’hana, and are not staying over. I expect, when we arrive, to have explained to me what this dining reservation entitles me to, parking wise. (We have APs, so moving to the TTC is not a problem) I’m not sure if there is a time limit attached to it or not, or how it is enforced, but I will report back.
For what it’s worth tho, I’ve sat at ESPN club on a football day for the entire afternoon. I’ve arrived at 5pm at contemporary for a 6pm Cali grill reservation, had drinks in the bar waiting for a table, not lingered over dinner, watched fireworks, which I’m allowed to do, and come down stairs to collect my car at 10:30pm, with no sneaking into MK or other shenanigans. So I’m not sure what kind of time limits should be enforced for meals and such, when Disney meals themselves can go so long.

You will probably be permitted to park for up to three hours if for any time at all for the holiday weekend. You might want to just park at the TTC and be gone with it. They could require you to valet park.

 

[PrincessV]

Don't they still issue a piece of paper that you put on your dash indicating your a resort guest???

I haven't received one in years - the expectation is that you'll use your MB to enter the resort and get free parking at the parks, so no need for the paper.

 

[disneyfreak89]

I haven't received one in years - the expectation is that you'll use your MB to enter the resort and get free parking at the parks, so no need for the paper.

We received one end of 2016. I always assumed it was a clear indication you were a resort guest, they also waived us through at the gates heading to the parks when they saw it in the window. Now what do they do, stop every vehicle and scan your MB?

 

[dansdad]

We received one end of 2016. I always assumed it was a clear indication you were a resort guest, they also waived us through at the gates heading to the parks when they saw it in the window. Now what do they do, stop every vehicle and scan your MB?

Yes.

 

[AngiTN]

We received one end of 2016. I always assumed it was a clear indication you were a resort guest, they also waived us through at the gates heading to the parks when they saw it in the window. Now what do they do, stop every vehicle and scan your MB?

Usually, though sometimes I've been told that they even wave through when they see a MB

I always surprises me they just take the word for it when the Uber drivers say they are there to drop off. What does stop someone from saying they are there to drop off and then parking? Not suggesting it at all, just wondering what stops someone from doing that at the park? I've always wondered why they haven't placed something on the windshield of drop offs that have to be taken up by parking lot attendants

 

[dansdad]

Usually, though sometimes I've been told that they even wave through when they see a MB

I always surprises me they just take the word for it when the Uber drivers say they are there to drop off. What does stop someone from saying they are there to drop off and then parking? Not suggesting it at all, just wondering what stops someone from doing that at the park? I've always wondered why they haven't placed something on the windshield of drop offs that have to be taken up by parking lot attendants

Taxis, Ubers and locals that are just dropping off don't go into the line for parking. They have a spot to drop off and/or pick up.

 

[Deb & Bill]

Amazingly enough, we received a paper parking pass when we arrived at the GF yesterday.

 

[AngiTN]

Taxis, Ubers and locals that are just dropping off don't go into the line for parking. They have a spot to drop off and/or pick up.

Yes, but they could, is what I'm saying. There's not a separate attendant to go through, you go through whatever one you want. Then, once you pull away from the attendant stand you are on total control of what lane you get in, what direction you head. There's nothing that stops a car from getting in the parking lane, instead of the drop off lane.