Parking at The Boardwalk

[Lisa_Lollipop]

Hopefully a quick and easy question (which despite extensive googling I can't seem to find the answer to!)

We are hoping to be in Epcot for the final Illuminations on 30th September but would like to park up at The Boardwalk and enter via International Gateway... is it possible to park there if we aren't hotel quests/don't have a ADR? We will have been to DHS earlier in the day so will have already paid for Disney parking... will this cover it or would we need to pay again?

Any knowledge greatly appreciated!

[RockTheDots]

Since Disney have introduced paid parking for hotel guests they're a lot stricter on letting non-resort guests park at the resorts. I think you're only allowed to park at a resort if you're staying there or you have an ADR. They will stop you at the gate to ask why you're visiting and scan your magic band to check for reservations. I think the official line is you can park for free for 3 hours if you have an ADR.

[vampiress88]

I wanted to just have a walk round boardwalk. Hadn’t got an adr as spur of the moment thing and they wouldn’t let me park. Was quite cross but hey ho

[grommitt]

The boardwalk is very strict on parking due to it's proximity to EPCOT and i doubt if you will be able to park without an ADR.
If you have already paid for parking then why do you not want to use the main car park?

[Lisa_Lollipop]

I thought this might be the case... we parked there with no problem back in 2016 just to have a wander around but this was before they introduced resort parking fees.

We were thinking it would be easier to leave via International Gateway after Illuminations finished... I am assuming being the last night the park is going to be heaving! (Nothing to do with avoiding paying parking, just to make life easier if possible!)

[mick]

In the 15+ years we've been on here I've seen this question asked lots of times but generally "just to have a look round" rather than "park up there to visit EPCOT".

For every time the first question is asked the answers have polarised equally between "only 3 hours if you have an ADR" to "Just rock up and they'll let you in". Parking at a resort just to visit a park though is not usually welcomed.

How about an alternative idea? As you've already paid to park at HS that day just drive to EPCOT and use the same ticket? Then enter Boardwalk for a walk round through the IG.

Mick

[Lisa_Lollipop]

Originally Posted by mick

In the 15+ years we've been on here I've seen this question asked lots of times but generally "just to have a look round" rather than "park up there to visit EPCOT".

For every time the first question is asked the answers have polarised equally between "only 3 hours if you have an ADR" to "Just rock up and they'll let you in". Parking at a resort just to visit a park though is not usually welcomed.

How about an alternative idea? As you've already paid to park at HS that day just drive to EPCOT and use the same ticket? Then enter Boardwalk for a walk round through the IG.

Mick

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Thanks Mick! Our thinking was to access Epcot via The Boardwalk to avoid the crowds at the main entrance due to it being the last night of Illuminations but perhaps this was a silly idea all round and that's the only option... thanks all for the input as always

[mattyped]

Or you could use the skyline from another park or resort that'll dump you behind france.

[Lisa_Lollipop]

Originally Posted by mattyped

Or you could use the skyline from another park or resort that'll dump you behind france.

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Ooo now that is an interesting idea!

[chmurf]

interesting idea, for sure, but if your initial concern was avoiding possibly large crowds by parking near international gateway, you also need to consider that, the skyliner may be used by those who stay at POP, AoA, or CBR, and that might be even busier (think lines)

walking out of EPCOT at the front gate after illuminations is rather painless, even if it's crowded.
it's slow moving, alright, but it's moving (compared to a line for a monorail, or skyliner for that matter) where it might be a standstill

the skyliner option sure sounds nice, if you want, for example, to leave your car at DHS
you'll get to take the skyliner up to International gateway

for the journey back to your car at DHS, if it's too busy at the skyliner, you still have the friendship boat option, or even the 25 minutes walk back to DHS


as far as I'm concerned, I'm not too hyped by the skyliner
I would just drive to epcot, show my DHS receipt at the toll plaza, to get free parking (you only pay once a day) and go the "regular" way

now, looking at your sig, and your pretrippie, I see you'll be with a 23 months old, so that means stroller.
I would go the path of least resistance, and exit epcot with the flow, to the front of the parc, so I'd definitely park at the EPCOT parking lot