New Parking Impacts Rope Drop Strategy at MK

[jenniferhouston2]

If you drive a vehicle for Rope Drop at the Magic Kingdom, be aware that the early morning parking has been modified, causing you an additional 10 to 15 minute commute. Disney has now introduced "preferred parking" at the MK, for $45. Disney has now allotted front parking lot immediately in front of the TTC (in front of the underpass you walk under to reach the TTC) for "preferred parking" spaces. The early morning Rope Droppers previously were allowed to park there.

When we arrived at 6:45 am, the closest we were allowed to park was in the Zurg 400 series parking spaces. With no trams running that early, it did add about 5- 10 minutes to our usual trip to the TTC, but we are moderately fast walkers.

Just a heads up!

 

[Robo]

I clicked "Like" on the above post for the valuable info that it contains.

But, it doesn't mean that I "Like" what it means for guests.
(Sad, actually.)

 

[hiroMYhero]

Preferred parking has been in effect for a number of months now and depending on the day and/or season, the parking lot CMs still direct regular non-preferred parking guests to park in the “front lot.”

On a Saturday in September, we arrived a little after 7:00a for an 8:00 KTTK tour and all cars entering at that time were directed to park in the preferred parking area. When high crowd levels are anticipated or if the OP experienced this during Spring Break, then the preferred parking would be enforced at park open with open spaces filled in later by regular guests.

 

[Duck143]

If you can believe it, in 2016 we showed up so early for PPO at BOG and parked in a Cast Member parking lot by accident. We seriously walked in with a guy in a Goofy costume.

 

[hiroMYhero]

If you can believe it, in 2016 we showed up so early for PPO at BOG and parked in a Cast Member parking lot by accident. We seriously walked in with a guy in a Goofy costume.

Interesting because all CMs park behind MK and are bused to the entrance of the utilidors before they change into costumes. Goofy may have been out in the lot for a media event.

 

[Duck143]

Interesting because all CMs park behind MK and are bused to the entrance of the utilidors before they change into costumes. Goofy may have been out in the lot for a media event.

I have no idea how we even got in that lot, but they were looking at us a little funny as we walked over. It was so early and I think we missed a sign or something, so we drove straight when we were supposed to take a right and ended up in CM parking and walked over. There was a rail that lifted when we went through. Yup, we were a bit confused!

 

[jenniferhouston2]

If you can believe it, in 2016 we showed up so early for PPO at BOG and parked in a Cast Member parking lot by accident. We seriously walked in with a guy in a Goofy costume.

Laughing at this. Do not feel badly. We did the same thing a few years ago. Back then, there was CM parking immediately to the west of the guest parking. We were there super early and missed a turn, and ended up parking with the cast members (which made for a much longer walk than usual--so definitely not an advantage!)

 

[NashvilleMama]

An interesting and maybe just weird one-off note, when we went a few weeks back for Early Morning Magic, no one was at the parking booths (7am arrival time) so we didn't have to pay - and the cast members directed us to park in the preferred parking lot. Sooooo that was a nice bonus.

 

[CAS239]

This really isn't anything new. The preferred parking has been around for a little over 2 years now. It took the place of AAA parking and some of the up front space.

MK just needs to fill in the lagoon and build parking garages..but I'm sure I'm in the minority on that one lol

 

[CAS239]

An interesting and maybe just weird one-off note, when we went a few weeks back for Early Morning Magic, no one was at the parking booths (7am arrival time) so we didn't have to pay - and the cast members directed us to park in the preferred parking lot. Sooooo that was a nice bonus.

If you arrive real early or sometimes late in the afternoon then sometimes the CM's at the parking booths are gone meaning you can park for free

 

[jenniferhouston2]

If you arrive real early or sometimes late in the afternoon then sometimes the CM's at the parking booths are gone meaning you can park for free

We find that every time we are there before 7am, the collection booths are always unmanned, and you can park for free.
This has always astounded me.

Disney seems so desperate to monetize every opportunity, yet they will not place minimum wage workers to collect $22 per car, an hour earlier, beginning at 6 am?

 

[mickeyluv'r]

We recently parked at MK over Easter week. I think there IS a staff only parking lot at the front of the MK parking lot. It was blocked off with gated entry. Perhaps they are CM's at the Poly or GF? On prior trips we've seen (what appear to be staff) crossing the street by the Poly.

On a slightly off-topic side note....on one of our days, the Express monorail was backed up. A CM was loudly saying over the PA that the monorail wait was 20+ minutes, but MK buses were continuously departing. The vast majority of folks completely ignored the announcement and headed up the monorail ramp, which was completely full of people waiting. Sure enough, there was zero wait for our bus! As soon as one was full, another was lined up right behind it.

Along the same lines, while riding the parking lot tram: the CM had to repeat himself many times before folks listened, "The tram is full. If you are waiting, please stand behind the yellow line. The tram can't move until everyone is behind the yellow line." Folks just completely ignored him when he kept repeating the last sentence over and over. It was kind of amazing just how utterly oblivious some folks are.

 

[HopperFan]

This really isn't anything new. The preferred parking has been around for a little over 2 years now. It took the place of AAA parking and some of the up front space.

MK just needs to fill in the lagoon and build parking garages..but I'm sure I'm in the minority on that one lol

YUP^ The only thing really new about it is the price increase ........ which didn't stop it from filling up Easter week. We were trying to do the math on the take that day, cha-ching! While it took AAA parking it also impacted Handicapped parking pushing a large number of those back farther and to the far east lot.

 

[AngiTN]

Preferred parking has been in effect for a number of months now and depending on the day and/or season, the parking lot CMs still direct regular non-preferred parking guests to park in the “front lot.”

On a Saturday in September, we arrived a little after 7:00a for an 8:00 KTTK tour and all cars entering at that time were directed to park in the preferred parking area. When high crowd levels are anticipated or if the OP experienced this during Spring Break, then the preferred parking would be enforced at park open with open spaces filled in later by regular guests.

I was thinking that too. Preferred parking has been around for what, a year, right? It's gone up though. Used to be the AAA Gold parking areas, I think. Man, did we love that pass. Didn't find anything else AAA worthwhile but used that thing, since it was back when we still drove.

 

[jenniferhouston2]

I was thinking that too. Preferred parking has been around for what, a year, right? It's gone up though. Used to be the AAA Gold parking areas, I think. Man, did we love that pass. Didn't find anything else AAA worthwhile but used that thing, since it was back when we still drove.

While preferred parking has been around for some time, Disney only displaced the early morning parking (before or at 7am) in the last week. Prior to this past weekend, we were always there at or before 7am, and always were parking within that front center "preferred" parking area---but no more...now you will have to trek from Zurg parking.

 

[Stasieki]

I was thinking that too. Preferred parking has been around for what, a year, right? It's gone up though. Used to be the AAA Gold parking areas, I think. Man, did we love that pass. Didn't find anything else AAA worthwhile but used that thing, since it was back when we still drove.

It was AAA Diamond parking... man I miss those days. I had an infant at the time and we lived in Jacksonville so went often. Was so helpful. I remember those being sold on Ebay too. LOL

 

[HopperFan]

If you drive a vehicle for Rope Drop at the Magic Kingdom, be aware that the early morning parking has been modified, causing you an additional 10 to 15 minute commute. Disney has now introduced "preferred parking" at the MK, for $45. Disney has now allotted front parking lot immediately in front of the TTC (in front of the underpass you walk under to reach the TTC) for "preferred parking" spaces. The early morning Rope Droppers previously were allowed to park there.

When we arrived at 6:45 am, the closest we were allowed to park was in the Zurg 400 series parking spaces. With no trams running that early, it did add about 5- 10 minutes to our usual trip to the TTC, but we are moderately fast walkers.

Just a heads up!

While preferred parking has been around for some time, Disney only displaced the early morning parking (before or at 7am) in the last week. Prior to this past weekend, we were always there at or before 7am, and always were parking within that front center "preferred" parking area---but no more...now you will have to trek from Zurg parking.

Your second post makes it clearer what happened but I think it's not that you were displaced ... it's that they are now selling Preferred with ease, filling all the available space so a past "policy" of letting some early arrivers park in "Preferred" for free is no longer happening.

Preferred started and still is in Aladdin (I think the area you are speaking of) and Jafar. Sadly both those areas up front used to be for Handicapped Parking because MK is severely short on those in their official blue line/sign area. Once Preferred came they shifted those folks to Zurg (former AAA Parking). Zurg can be a longer walk for those who utilize the Handicapped lot ~ was never a good option.

We noticed this trip for the first time in awhile we were directed to back rows of Jafar one day arriving around 11 with Preferred in front of us, then on the next day arriving at 9 we were the front row of Jafar. Aladdin was all Preferred, and maybe they sold Preferred to fill Jafar .. we didn't come back to car until midnight so not sure how full it got.

To help visualize:

NOTE: While it says all lots are walking distance this certainly isn't a good scale to know just how far. We once had to walk after a party and well ........... it can be far and very dark at night.

 

[jenniferhouston2]

it's that they are now selling Preferred with ease, filling all the available space so a past "policy" of letting some early arrivers park in "Preferred" for free is no longer happening.

Yes. This! Thanks for the helpful map

 

[FastPasser.]

If you can believe it, in 2016 we showed up so early for PPO at BOG and parked in a Cast Member parking lot by accident. We seriously walked in with a guy in a Goofy costume.

Unless they moved it, the large CM lot at TTC is at the far side towards the Poly, how in the world did you end up there?

 

[ELLH]

To help visualize:

<snip>

Thanks for that map. Many times I've tried to express details about parking but just had to say "front" or "back".

Channeling my inner Wayne Campbell: "The map shall be used. Oh, yes... it shall be used."