Parking at resort with dining reservation question...

[jk and ek]

How much earlier before your ADR time are you allowed to self park at the resort with the restaurant?

For example, if I have an O'hana reservation on a particular day for 5pm, what's the earliest I could arrive that day to park at Poly?

Thanks in advance!

 

[sleepydog25]

I don't believe there are any hard and fast rules regarding when to show up for your dining reservations (though I believe there is some time limit mentioned somewhere in the Disney universe that suggests 3-hours--others will likely correct me). However, if you showed up for a 5 p.m. dinner reservation at 3 p.m., the CM might question why you're there so early. As with most things in life, just use a common-sense approach, and you'll likely have no issues. Have fun and bon apetit!

 

[Mazz519]

We have showed up a hour before and they let you right in..... Your supposed to only have a few hours 3 or 4 but from my past experience no really checks that

 

[mom2rtk]

Are you wanting to go to park at the Poly and go to the MK for the day?

 

[sponica]

It also depends on the time of year, around the holidays, they may redirect you to parking at the TTC.

 

[jk and ek]

Are you wanting to go to park at the Poly and go to the MK for the day?

haha...maaaaaaaybe.....

I mean...if its not something we can do, we'll probably just pay for valet early in the day.

This will be for the first week of December.

 

[Disneypro1]

You can park at the resort many hours before your dining reservation. Doesn’t matter. Some folks spend the whole day exploring a resort or whatever. Just can’t park all night.
If I had an adr for 5. Then you could park at the poly as early as say 0800 if you wanted. The deluxe resorts has a lot to see and do.

 

[jk and ek]

I'll give it a shot, then! The worst they can do is say no and we end up paying for valet anyway.

 

[marikujawa]

We don't usually park at the monorail resorts during the day, but I thought we saw signs (at least at the Contemporary) that say parking at those resorts is not to be used for people going to the theme parks. In any event, I'm pretty sure that's the rule. I've seen a lot of "parking rules" on these threads - if they're rules that the poster "thinks" should be in effect, then I'm not persuaded. But when Disney states its own rule (resort parking is not to be used for theme park access), then I think that rule should be followed regardless of whether or not you may be caught. On the other hand, if you're upfront with the security guard about what you intend to do and the guard tells you it's okay, then that should be fine. There are less busy times of the year when the parking restrictions are relaxed.

 

[Deb & Bill]

We don't usually park at the monorail resorts during the day, but I thought we saw signs (at least at the Contemporary) that say parking at those resorts is not to be used for people going to the theme parks. In any event, I'm pretty sure that's the rule. I've seen a lot of "parking rules" on these threads - if they're rules that the poster "thinks" should be in effect, then I'm not persuaded. But when Disney states its own rule (resort parking is not to be used for theme park access), then I think that rule should be followed regardless of whether or not you may be caught. On the other hand, if you're upfront with the security guard about what you intend to do and the guard tells you it's okay, then that should be fine. There are less busy times of the year when the parking restrictions are relaxed.

The signs I usually see at the entrance to the resorts is something like "We are sorry that we cannot provide theme park parking. Parking is limited to guests of the resort."

 

[gharter]

We have arrived at a resort an hour before our ADR to look around and enjoy. At GF, we love to listen to the Jazz band before and after our meal.
During busy times, you may not be able to park at the resort if you aren't staying there.
Other times, it is expected that you are parking there to look at the resort or dine. Not go to the theme parks.
If you were staying at the resort and had trouble finding a parking place because many people came to the resort to "dine" and then headed to the park, how would you feel?