When heading off to Walt Disney World, one thing you think about is if you need a car or not. And part of that decision has to be understanding parking at Walt Disney World. It is a lot to take in, so I'm going to try and break it down a little bit. Hopefully, I'll make it easier to understand...hopefully.
Parking at Walt Disney World Resort Hotels
Great news! Disney has ENDED the policy of paying for parking at the Disney World Resorts starting on January 10, 2023! YAY! It was a terrible policy and felt like a money grab more than anything.
I feel like they listened to the fans and are trying to build up some goodwill after the Bob Chapek years. I don't care why they did it, I'm just glad they did!
Parking at Disney World Resorts is once again FREE!
Parking At The Parks
Parking your car at the parks is another topic. If you are staying at a resort, I'm not sure you should drive to the parks. Disney provides transportation to get around the resort, and it's free. FREE! That is not a word you will hear often in this article.
If you are driving to the parks, then parking fees are as follows as of the time of this article:
- Preferred Parking (car or motorcycle)
- Regular Season - $45/day
- Peak Season - $50/day
- Standard Parking (car or motorcycle) - $25/day
- Oversized Vehicle Parking - $30/day
You only pay this fee once a day and it is good for all four parks. So if you start in the Magic Kingdom and pay the parking fee, and then decide to go to Epcot, you don't have to pay the fee at Epcot. Which is pretty nice if you are gonna park hop.
Standard parking is included if you are staying at a Walt Disney World Resort and select Annual Pass holders. You can pay extra for preferred parking (which is the difference, and currently is $25).
There are also handicapped spots at the parks, and a few electric vehicles charging stations. To use the charging stations you need a credit card or a pre-paid ChargePoint card. The cost to charge at these stations is $0.35 per kilowatt hour, with a minimum service amount of $1.50. The spots are limited.
Disney Springs And Water Parks
The good news here is that parking at Disney Springs and the water parks are free to all visitors to those locations.
Valet parking is available at Disney Springs for $20 a day.
One thing to keep in mind is that you cannot park at Disney Springs and then catch a bus to a park. Disney frowns on that. Your car can be towed if you are caught. No one wants that on a vacation.
Final Thoughts
As you can see, parking is definitely a thing at Walt Disney World. I personally never take a car. I just grab the Magical Express to my resort, and then take the buses everywhere. It takes a little extra time, but hey, it's free. Sometimes I'll grab a Lyft if I need to be someplace a specific time. The buses can be slow.
No need to stress out about parking. Just know the facts before you make the decision to drive. And budget money to take handle the additional costs. (I really need to take my own advice!)
What do you think about parking in Walt Disney World? Leave a comment and let me know!
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