SIGH...I need parking help

[vixen101485]

I dont like to ask touring questions on here but I havent the foggiest what to do in this situation. I have called every number I can find to get an answer and there has to be an alternative to the 3 hour rule. I am hoping someone on here can give me solution

Situation set up....
Meghyn is taking the Albatross cruise out of the Yacht Club on the Friday we will be there. She has to be there at 9AM for check in. She is done at 11;30 ok, cutting the 3 hours close already since we will probably park at about 8;30 or so and by the time we get back to the car ourselves.

NOW COMES THE DIFFICULT PART......
Donnie's dad and step mom are joining us for the day to tour a few resorts (I will set up a meet for SGTer's later ;) ) They want to see Meghyn get off the boat and will park at Yacht Club Valet for that (They dont walk well) I am sure they will want to look around a bit so our 3 our parking time will probably run into about 4.5 just for there. AFter that we were planning on going over to the WL and impress them. (they are a tough sell) Here is where we will probably go to WC and have some fun till about 3;30 or so. (parking here is not a problem time wise)
Then we want to head over AKL to impress them yet again and will probably only be there until around 6 (after storytelling time hopefully)

OK....my issue is. We can not ride them in our car since it usually has a ton of traveling stuff in the back seat (plus step mom is a fussball and gives that sniff thing when there is something she doesnt approve of) I do not plan on having to sterilize the car for them while on vacation.
We want to take their car (its a caddy:D :) from YC to WL to AKL and dont know where to leave our car for the day that is convienent to the YC. The only alternatives I came up with are.

........ Valet parking for us at the YC -$10(can you leave the car there all day?)
.......... Park at Epcot -Free and take the bus to the YC ---we would prob have to be at Epcot no later then 8 to make sure we are at the YC marina by 9 (NOT my favorite choice) cant cut thru Epcot since they dont open until 9 that day
..........park at the Boardwalk??????that is my 1st choice, but do they have public parking for more then the 3 hours.? I called the resort (I couldnt find a number for the main gate/entry to the shopping area) and she kept asking the same question over and over "are you staying here" I did have the presence of mind to ask what do ppl do when they are not resort guests but want to go to the clubs and such at the actual Boardwalk. --answer, you can only park for 3 hours. I know ppl have to spend more time then that shopping, eating , and clubbing there that arent staying there.
I did see on the satellite image that there are 2 large lots and a small one right near the entry arch and another one across the street Epcot Road(?)that didnt have a guard booth. Is that a CM lot?

I asked something similar to the YC/BC and got the same answer of well you can ask the guard when you come in. NOT good enuf, considering I have to have Meghyn somewhere at a certain time or I am out 30 bucks and will have a crabby kid cause she didnt get to go on the boat (it aint gonna wait) and are meeting someone afterwards, I need a definite answer. We dont have a cell so we cant call them to change plans last second or vice versa, so everything HAS to be set up in advance.
..........last alternative, use both cars (pain and waste of gas) but I still have the over 3 hour prob at YC

SIGH...sorry such a long tirade, I am usually good at this stuff but this one has me stumped...>HEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLPPPPP!

OH....PM me with an answer if you dont want to post it here

[Shorty82]

The answer about valet parking varies. The rules for parking is no more than 3 hours normally but according to some on Board X that doesn't apply to valet and others say it does apply.

The Boardwalk has a public parking lot across the street somewhere from their main hotel guest lot. I would think that would be your best bet for parking. There's no limit there AFAIK and you won't be taking a spot from a resort guest.

You could tell the guard when you get there what you're doing and they may allow an exception to the 3 hour rule. Also, enforcement of the limit varies on the resort and time of year. During more crowded times they are usually stricter than at the less crowded times, though I've heard that YC/BC is pretty strict most of the time due to the number of things there for non-resort guests to do. They don't want the main parking lots filled up with non-resort guests leaving no good place to park for the resort guests.

[vixen101485]

The answer about valet parking varies. The rules for parking is no more than 3 hours normally but according to some on Board X that doesn't apply to valet and others say it does apply.
This part is easier to find out

The Boardwalk has a public parking lot across the street somewhere from their main hotel guest lot. I would think that would be your best bet for parking. There's no limit there AFAIK and you won't be taking a spot from a resort guest.
See...that is what I thot too, we had thot about going to the Boardwalk last fall and were told there was but wound up not going.

You could tell the guard when you get there what you're doing and they may allow an exception to the 3 hour rule. Also, enforcement of the limit varies on the resort and time of year. During more crowded times they are usually stricter than at the less crowded times, though I've heard that YC/BC is pretty strict most of the time due to the number of things there for non-resort guests to do. They don't want the main parking lots filled up with non-resort guests leaving no good place to park for the resort guests.

I know all the rules and that is why I am asking on here if there is an alternative. I just dont want to take the chance of a guard saying no and we are stuck and out the money for Meghyn's cruise. Like I said we wont be able to contact the In-laws after we leave home 6 days before and HAVE to have all this planned ahead.

[Andover82]

Are the inlaws meeting you at the start of the Albatross cruise or at the end? If they meet you at YC around 11:15 or so, then they can park there until about 2:15, right? So, what if you park at YC to drop your daughter off for the cruise, then drive over to Epcot to park? You could then cut through Epcot to get back to YC, and you could go in their car to all the stuff you want to do without worrying about your car. When you're done for the day, you could either have them drop you at Epcot or you could take a bus back to get your car.

[vixen101485]

I did some more research and did find out that you can valet park for the whole day.
But it was pretty funny, that you suggest that Andover. LOL Donnie got home from work earlier and I was putting this out before him and he came up with the same solution. I played around with the distance on the maps and it is 1/2 walk from the YC to EP International Gateway. And 1 mile from YC to the Studios. The best I can come up with is park at the Studios and toss her in the stroller (wonder if the resort would store it for me for the 3 hours? ZAZU, would they? ) and walk over to YC. This way we dont have to double back to YC.

I would still prefer to park at Boardwalk if I can but gotta do what ya gotta do/

[Cheshire Figment]

One thing that should help is if you are staying at a Disney Resort. Make sure your Resort Parking Card is on the dashboard.

The real strictness is for people who are not entitled to free parking who are trying to get around the $100.00 daily parking fee at the Theme Parks.

The lot across the street from Y&B is the Cast Parking.

My understanding is that if you park in a resort lot and you have a currently valid parking pass from any of the resorts there is no problem.

What I would suggest is when you come to the YC gate tell the Guard that you are taking your daughter to the Albatross Cruise (He may even have a list of the participants and verify the name). He will then let you through. If he gives you a temporary pass take it and then hide it. Park in the YC lot and walk over to the meeting point. If someone is patrolling the lot they will see a currently valid Disney Resort Parking Pass and leave you alone.

The only time you may have a real problem is during a very crowded time of year.

And, as an alternative, there is the Y&B Convention Center parking.

[Anna]

The real strictness is for people who are not entitled to free parking who are trying to get around the $100.00 daily parking fee at the Theme Parks.

Wow the parking fees are getting really steep.

[vixen101485]

OH MY GOSH...I didnt even notice that. Chessy you are slipping there dude. :p: LOL. FUNNY!

I am staying off site so no length of stay resort guest paper to stick on my dash. Not that it would matter anyway. Even if you do have one for say POP, you can only still park the 3 hour limit at POFQ.

The lot that I wasnt sure whether it was CM or not is across Epcot Resort rd/blvd from the Boardwalk on that side of Cresent Lake. I think I am just either going to drop her off then go park and walk back or just gonna park at the Studios and either walk or take the boat or bus over. Do the non-walking forms of transportation start running back to the resorts at 8;30 in the morning? The park opens at 9 that day so I know they will be going to but can you get on one coming from there? And how long does the bus take? I know the boat is around 20 minutes and walking around the same. Right????? OH I am soooooo confused now. Too much thinking. We really need a cell phone.

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

Glad I don't drive there, a hundred bucks a day to park seems a bit much!!!
(hehehe)

[Randy B]

Glad I don't drive there, a hundred bucks a day to park seems a bit much!!!
(hehehe)

It definately makes the free parking for no site guests a big benefit. Heck that would more than cover the cost of my campsite several times over. :D: :D: :D:

Randy