Parking (parks/hotels)

Walt Disney World
1

We’re driving to the parks and staying on-site at the Dolphin. I’ve seen it mentioned that the parking fee at the parks is waived for guests who are staying on-site.

We’ll be arriving around noon and want to maximize our time in the park (planning a half-day at HS). If we head straight to the park and pay for parking, would the hotel not charge us for the first night? Or would we need to check into the hotel first, figure out the arrangements with parking, then drive to the park (or take hotel transportation/walk)? I figure the latter is probably easiest, but just wondering if anyone had any experience with the former…

2

If you pay at the park, you should be able to have it refunded at the front desk. You definitely can at a Disney hotel but I’m not certain about the Swan/Dolphin.

Again, I don’t know if this applies but you can have your magic band scanned to prove you are staying onsite. Dolphin doesn’t get magic bands though I don’t think. I’m not sure if they could scan your ticket instead.

3

For the Swan and Dolphin, you have to show your room key to get the free parking at the parks. Since they are not technically Disney properties, I personally wouldn’t expect you’d have a ton of luck getting them to waive the self-parking fee for your first night. You’d probably have a decent chance of showing your reservation confirmation to the parking gate at HS and them letting you in for free however.

4

Thanks for the feedback! I shot them an email but haven’t heard anything back yet.

I figure we’re spending this much money on the vacation that the parking fee is probably worth paying to save that time wasted outside the park. And if it can get waived/refunded, even better.

5

You won’t have to pay for parking at the park. But you might have to pay and then get a refund if you don’t have anything they can scan.

Since your reservation is linked to MDE, then if you already have a magic band at home you could take that and it will show the resort reservation.

If not, you will be able to get the parking fee refunded when you go to the Dolphin.

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