The Wave info needed...

[acarsme123]

If we don't even have dinner reservations, could we just tell the gate guard we want to valet park? Getting back to our Universal hotel at the end of After Hours quickly is a consideration of mine. I'm not sure how much more time we would save by valet parking at Contemporary vs just using the ferry to go back to TTC considering it will be 1am.

They can always valet park at the Contemporary. I often get a beer or 2 and a sandwich at the Wave bar before parties. If they are offsite and would have to pay for parking at the TTC, valet is not much more.

Another option is just to Uber or Lyft to/from the Contemporary.

 

[acarsme123]

Yeah I was curious if we could just still valet park at The Contemporary if we didn't have some kind of dinner reservation? Would the gate guards allow that I wonder?

I think you would have been fine timing-wise, but I agree that it makes more sense to not eat a full dinner before the dessert party.

I would still recommend parking at the Contemporary, though! Walking back to your car (or hotel room for me, since we usually stay at Contempo) is the BEST. Last year we stayed till close at MVMCP and then walked back to our room loving life and feeling sorry for the crowds of exhausted people waiting in line for transportation. Maybe you could do appetizers at the Wave so you can still park there?

 

[bumbershoot]

Plus I wanted to be able to valet so we could just walk back to the car after the AH event since it gets out so late.

You can still valet.

I'm sure we are going to have to sleep in for our first Universal day on Tuesday, but hopefully since we have Express Pass it won't be too much of an issue. I dunno, never done this Universal thing before so we'll see.

So you’re checking in, having food, leaving universal for...basically, dessert...then going back and you’ll be sleeping in for your first day at universal? I hope it works for you, but that’s not how I’d do a new theme park. I set my new experiences up for success, and that involves being there in all the fun, and getting up early for the early entrance your onsite resort will have. (At least I assume you’re onsite) Express Pass will ease some of the pain, especially if you’re onsite deluxe and have the unlimited EP.

When I’m at universal I never even think about Disney, or I try not to! Just too relaxing and fun there.

Someday try The Wave, though. It’s really good.

 

[acarsme123]

No...we are also doing the After Hours event at Magic Kingdom that goes from 10pm-1am to get our Disney fix in. I'm honestly not that excited about Universal....our son has just been wanting to go for a long time. My wife and I are more Disney fans.

So you’re checking in, having food, leaving universal for...basically, dessert...then going back and you’ll be sleeping in for your first day at universal? I hope it works for you, but that’s not how I’d do a new theme park.

 

[acarsme123]

Yes we are on-site at RP, so unlimited express pass. Universal is also open until 9pm the first day we go. Worst case scenario if we don't get into park until noon, that's still 9 hours. We are usually done by that amount of time on any given day anyways. Plus we have all day Wednesday, and most of the day Thursday (animal kingdom After Hours on Thursday), as well as some time in the morning on departure day on Friday.

So you’re checking in, having food, leaving universal for...basically, dessert...then going back and you’ll be sleeping in for your first day at universal? I hope it works for you, but that’s not how I’d do a new theme park. I set my new experiences up for success, and that involves being there in all the fun, and getting up early for the early entrance your onsite resort will have. (At least I assume you’re onsite) Express Pass will ease some of the pain, especially if you’re onsite deluxe and have the unlimited EP.

When I’m at universal I never even think about Disney, or I try not to! Just too relaxing and fun there.

Someday try The Wave, though. It’s really good.

 

[Ladyandthepuppies]

You should still be able to valet without a reservation. I was thinking about when parking restrictions are in place (usually December) and non-resort guests / guests without reservations get turned away. I’m not sure if the parking restrictions ever apply to valet, anyway- it’s not relevant to the OP since they’re going in March, but out of curiosity, does anyone else know if the seasonal parking restrictions apply to valet?

 

[bchbetha]

Just Uber or Lyft over. You’ll avoid any parking challenges. Just get dropped off/picked up at the Contemporary.