Parking at Polynesian and Contemporary

Hello All-

Quick question, if you have dinner reservations at O’Hana and California Grill and not staying at those resorts, can you park at the respective resorts for the evening, and is it free if already paying parking fees at resort we are staying? Also, is there any length of period of time for the parking, i.e., after both dinners we plan on going to MK until close. Any info would be appreciated. Thanks.

We have parked at GF and Poly for dining reservations, but not Contemporary. When you enter the lot, there is a guard who you show your dining reservation to, and they will let you in. I believe at GF, they gave us a slip of paper to display in the car and we had (I believe) 3 hours to park there for free (you can also do this if you just want to visit a resort, which we did with WL and AKL). I don’t remember getting the paper at the Polynesian, but I may be wrong about that (or it may depend on the guard you get).

Also, you can park at the TTC for both (parking included with your resort stay) and take the monorail to the resorts, then on to MK. That way you don’t have to stress about time limits.

You can also opt to Valet park which is around $33 but is good for the entire day so you don’t have to worry about time limits and someone kindly brings you your vehicle at the end of a long day with the AC running and opening doors.

thanks for the info!

thank you

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If you self park at contemporary, I’m pretty sure no one checks or cares when you leave. Once we were through the gate I could decide whether to stop at valet or drive to the lot. When leaving no one asked anything at the gate.

Does anyone have differing experiences?

From the WDW Magic Forums in 2015:

  • I watched 2 tow trucks, working with CM’s, pointing out cars and tow 3 cars from the parking lot.
  • I’ve seen the towing occur at the Poly as well. It does happen.
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Ok that’s not good…

Yeah, but what time of year? And who knows how long those cars had been there…

We’ve parked at Poly & Contemporary both with and without ADRs. The folks at the gate will let you in even if you just say you want to shop. It’s not a problem and there’s no one checking how long you’ve been there or marking your tires.

I have no idea what time of year. And I have no idea how long the cars had been there.

I’m only passing on that people HAVE seen cars towed.

I wouldn’t risk it which is why I valet park. Then I don’t have to worry about it.

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Since valet is good for all day at any resort, if I had a valet from akl for Sana’a lunch, and then wanted to head to CR, Wouk day I still need an adr to get in or would the valet pass be sufficient?

And is valet still open at park close?

Valet pass should be sufficient. And yes, I’ve had them get my car at park close.

Pretty sure one of those posts was me! Or if not, I have certainly posted similar experiences.

It was just after New Year I think, but certainly between Christmas Eve to around the 5th January, that we saw cars towed at the Contemporary. Three altogether, at around 6pm. Word from the security guys was they had been there all day since a breakfast ADR. Likely they had been given a time limit or were repeat offenders. But three times that vacation we ended up parking in the CM parking lot when returning in the evening from offsite, staying at Bay Lake. One time they gave us free valet parking.

It’s not uncommon for the Boardwalk, Beach Club and Yacht Club to turn people away, especially during food and wine but also at other times.

There have been an increasing number of reports of people being turned away from resorts over the last year or so, since the parking fees came in. AKL is another one that features. It all comes down to how busy those parking lots are when you arrive.

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It was Christmas season but early in December 2017 that Yacht Club would not allow us to park there to visit even though we were staying at Fort Wilderness. We had to valet park. That was the year I asked to valet park at Contemporary to eat/shop and the guard gave me a difficult time for not having an ADR. He finally let me through and the valet people said if you’re paying to valet park, they shouldn’t give you a hard time.

I’ve had no trouble/questions at Poly or GF when using valet parking.

I like doing it because I like the QS options at the Monorail resorts AND I love someone going to get my car at the end of the day. :slight_smile:

General FYI for anyone who may not know: Valet Parking is free if you have a Tables in Wonderland ADR. Save your receipt but take a picture of it if you need it because valet parking folks keep it.

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