[Question] Is there any way to get a good parking spot?

[MickeyIsMyne]

I swear every time I go to Disneyland I end up somewhere near 1K in the Mickey & Friends parking structure. And throughout the 72 mile walk to the escalators, I pass by hundreds of open spots that are much closer where people had parked earlier and then left. Is there a way to snag any of these? Like, if I park in the spot they direct me to, and then pull OUT of my spot a couple minutes later would I be able to somehow drive over to the closer spots or would the "1-way" arrows (or possibly an angry CM) prevent that? Are there any techniques at all to get a decent spot?

It just puts such a damper on my day to get the worst spot in the lot time and time again and to know at the end of the day that I still have that insane walk to endure before the hour long drive home. There must be some insider secret I'm missing out on. )

[DisneyIPresume]

Re: Is there any way to get a good parking spot?

It's simple. Park in Pumbaa or Gardenwalk. The stucture is horrible.

[Casey Jr]

Re: Is there any way to get a good parking spot?

get there early. I once got there at 7:40-ish when the park opened at 8:00. we timed it perfectly and the car was parked right next to the tram in the Pinnochio parking lot (at the base of Mickey & Friends)

[Datameister]

Re: Is there any way to get a good parking spot?

Take public transportation and don't park at all.

[bayougirl89]

Re: Is there any way to get a good parking spot?

It's simple. Park in Pumbaa or Gardenwalk. The stucture is horrible.

How do you go about parking in Pumbaa or gardenwalk? and is there tram service from there? I really hate parking in the structure, and do everything I can to avoid it. But right now me avoiding it means hubby drops me off at the Harbor drop off area and then goes and parks the car by himself. I would love to find a place to park where we could stay together.

[SCUBAbe]

Re: Is there any way to get a good parking spot?

The structure doesn't bother me. Walking doesn't bother me. I really don't understand the complaints about the structure.

[bayougirl89]

Re: Is there any way to get a good parking spot?

The structure doesn't bother me. Walking doesn't bother me. I really don't understand the complaints about the structure.

For me I have nothing against the structure itself. I just have phobia issues with spaces like that.

[OC2Epcot]

Re: Is there any way to get a good parking spot?

Well I know how some people do it ... When I was at the park yesterday, I watched several people ignore the CMs and drive down the next aisle and park where they wanted. Certainly not something I suggest, or do myself. I always park where the CMs tell me to park, and feel really lucky when I end up in a good spot. It's not fun when you are far away, but the garage doesn't bother me.

I actually did get the first spot on one recent trip, without having to ignore CMs ... so of course I took a picture. A good day at the park.

[HouseOfTheFuture]

Re: Is there any way to get a good parking spot?

I've never had to park in the garage and I'm really glad! Since when I go I stay in a hotel on Harbor i just have to park once, then walk to the park everyday. I can't imagine how chaotic it is to try and get out of that garage after the park closes. The trams look packed (just being at DTD is crazy), I can't imagine how bad the garage is. It seems like it would take a long time to get out of there.

One of the perks, I guess, to living 600 miles away and having to stay in a hotel I guess! :lol

[OC2Epcot]

Re: Is there any way to get a good parking spot?

I've never had to park in the garage and I'm really glad! Since when I go I stay in a hotel on Harbor i just have to park once, then walk to the park everyday. I can't imagine how chaotic it is to try and get out of that garage after the park closes. The trams look packed (just being at DTD is crazy), I can't imagine how bad the garage is. It seems like it would take a long time to get out of there. l

Actually I've never experienced a long time getting out of the garage. The wait is getting into the garage depending on the time of day you go. The garage is so large that when you leave everyone is spread out, so there isn't a long delay in getting out. It not like leaving a sporting event where the garages are much smaller.

[HouseOfTheFuture]

Re: Is there any way to get a good parking spot?

Actually I've never experienced a long time getting out of the garage. The wait is getting into the garage depending on the time of day you go. The garage is so large that when you leave everyone is spread out, so there isn't a long delay in getting out. It not like leaving a sporting event where the garages are much smaller.

I was sorta thinking about pro-sporting events. I've had terrible experiences in parking garages at those. Even college games. I guess I underestimated what a monstrosity the garage really is! Yet, they still need another one....Crazy stuff. Still glad I don't have to park.

[DisneyIPresume]

Re: Is there any way to get a good parking spot?

How do you go about parking in Pumbaa or gardenwalk? and is there tram service from there? I really hate parking in the structure, and do everything I can to avoid it. But right now me avoiding it means hubby drops me off at the Harbor drop off area and then goes and parks the car by himself. I would love to find a place to park where we could stay together.

They are both located off of Disney Way, between Harbor and the 5. If you come from the south these lots are much more easy to access than the structure is.

Both lots have "tram service" which consists of a fleet of chartered busses. But let me tell you this -- every time I've taken one of these busses to the parks I've overheard at least one person saying how much better they are than taking the tram. It's hard to understand I guess, but they load faster and you don't have to wait as long for one since they're all lined up and ready to go. J don't know but they are much better than the trams ever were. Even better than Timon, when that was open.

[NeverNeverland]

Re: Is there any way to get a good parking spot?

I know somebody who does go around the CMs to find a better spot. It always makes me nervous!! I don't recommend it lol

[Open_at_the_close]

Re: Is there any way to get a good parking spot?

My main advice would be to just get to the park earlier to get a better spot. I myself dont really mind. Usually in the structure there are a bunch of spots left open close to the escalators and my reasoning for that is that they're left open for handicapped parking. I know that the Chip 'N Dale lot is specifically for HC parking; but there are times that it fills up and they end up sending others with HC passes to the upper floors; but tend to send them to those spots closest to the elevators or escalators.

As for the people that completely disregard a CM's directions to park in a specific place, well.......I have quite a few things to say about inconsiderate, impatient, selfish people like that at the park; but that would go completely off topic!

[Queentitania19]

Re: Is there any way to get a good parking spot?

Definitely do NOT try to go around the CM's. My husband tried to do this once to get a better spot ( I was yelling at him the whole time to stop it) and we almost got T-boned by a car that was leaving. The rules are there for a reason. As for better parking I agree with the getting there super early plan.. or you can do what my parents do. They go and park where ever in the structure and then later in the evening when most of the early goers have gone home my dad goes and gets dinner (thereby avoiding paying for park food) and moves the car to the closest possible spots on the lower level. At that time of night it's perfectly safe to do because almost no one is coming in and the CM's don't care where you park. That way at the end of the night when you're tired you don't have to walk nearly as far. Public transportation is fine for some people but I always hate having to know schedules and being forced to leave at a specific time. I always stay in the hotels across the street and walk whenever possible.

Incidentally this always strikes me humorously as like the mall parking dilemma. People will stalk someone walking to their car or cut off someone and floor it to get to a close parking spot just so they can stop, get out and walk up and down the mall for 3 hours.... irony anyone? Disneyland is exactly the same thing only 10 times more walking... but for some reason that walk back to the car is what bugs people...hehehe.

[CSC]

Re: Is there any way to get a good parking spot?

I dunno - with the amount of walking I do in a day at Disneyland I really don't get bothered having to walk a couple minutes more inside of the parking structure. It's just one of those things that isn't worth me getting bothered about for 3 minutes of my day.

[Eternal Disney]

Re: Is there any way to get a good parking spot?

It's good exercise.

[VDT2010]

Re: Is there any way to get a good parking spot?

It really is just about luck. Sometimes, even if you are the first one there that day, they decide to start parking at the top or towards the back. Almost seems random. We got there at 11am once, and got a better spot than the group we met up with who arrived an hour earlier.

I wouldn't go around the CM's. There are security cameras everywhere (just look up), and security vehicles patrolling all the time. I'm sure they have every right to ask you to leave the parking structure. If you have trouble walking, I'm sure you can request a closer spot- Disney seems to always say yes when you ask for special accommodations.

[plagued]

Re: Is there any way to get a good parking spot?

*puts on a flame retardant suit* but i have gone to my directed spot and sat there for a moment, then pulled out pretending to leave, and simply parked in a closer spot..

i dont do it often (actually ive only done it once) because chances of finding another spot in the same row are slim..

[JesterMn]

Re: Is there any way to get a good parking spot?

Really, this many people hate the parking garage? Do they remember the huge, open lot before, where it was super easy to forget where you parked, it was hard to find your car, if it was raining there was no protection, your car roasted in the sun all day, and the 45-60 minutes or longer it took to get out at the end of the day as every single car in the lot had to squeeze through a single two lane exit?

I know the parking garage ain't pretty, but it really is better than what was there before.

My big question is, who gets to park on that first, ground level, inside the structure? It's seems to be a part of Chip & Dale (brown), but I've never been directed to park there, even at 1/2 before parking opening. What does it take to get there?