Parking - Epcot & Boardwalk

[BrianD]

If I walk over to Boardwalk after Epcot closes, can I then later get back to my car in the Epcot parking lot?

Thanks!!!

 

[zurgswife]

If the park is closed you won't be able to walk back to your car...

 

[drusba]

If actually closed you cannot get back. That depends on time. Park officially closes at 9, but that is when Illuminations starts. Guests leaving after Illuminations usually don't fully clear out until 10; even then restaurants still have some left and last guests do not leave until 10:30 or even after at which time the park is in fact shut down making it impossible to get through.

 

[Lynnºoº]

If you are planning on patronizing the Boardwalk, you should park your car at the Boardwalk instead of at Epcot. When you go through the entrance drive gate for the Boardwalk, just let the guard know that you are going to the Boardwalk. You will be allowed to park in the Boardwalk parking lot for free. Then you can leave from the Boardwalk when you are ready, instead of having to go back through Epcot.

If you arrive before the World Showcase opens, you are still allowed to enter from the International Gateway. You will just have to walk all the way through and go directly to Future World.

Depending on how crowded it is down there, you may get a time limit for how long you can park at the Boardwalk (this has never happened to me at the Boardwalk, but it has happened when we parked at YC to eat). If this is the case, you can just swing around and park at Epcot instead.

If you have to park in the Epcot lot, ask at the International Gateway entrance how long they remain open. Then you can plan your return.

Good luck!

 

[drusba]

Boardwalk lot is not that easy to get into. The original poster appears to be someone going to Epcot most of the day and then to BW. The main BW lot has a sign outside that says it is not for going to Epcot all day and they have been checking and asking during the day time, when nothing is really going on at the boardwalk, to assure that is not occurring. It is easier to get in during the evening if you are just going over to Illuminations but plan to spend most of your time at BW because they assume people coming in the evening are going to be spending time at BW. The reason they started doing the limitation is because huge numbers were filling up the BW lot to go to Epcot resulting in an inconvenience to the guests who pay to stay at BW as they could not find parking in the day.

 

[BrianD]

Thank you all for your responses!

Basically, it sounds like that though the Boardwalk is just a short walk away from the WS, unless you are staying at an Epcot resort, you really can't just walk out of Epcot after Illuminations over to the Boardwalk. I guess you need to walk all the way out of the front of Epcot and drive your car over to the Boardwalk. What a pain in the butt.

What about another strategy? Do buses run between the TTC to the Boardwalk (or even the Epcot resorts) late in the evening? Could we just in the morning park in the MK/TTC parking lot, take the monorail over to Epcot, and then late that night take a bus from the Boardwalk to the TTC to be re-united with our car? Does this sound do-able?

Thanks!!

 

[EpcotBill]

The TTC is no longer the transportation hub it once was. Unless this changed recently (and things change constantly at WDW) there's no bus between TTC and BW.
Another option is to park at Downtown Disney. Take the bus from there to Epcot. Watch Illuminations from the bridge between France and UK. Leave through the International Gateway and walk to BW. You can get a bus back to Downtown Disney from there.

 

[CarolMN]

Originally posted by EpcotBill
The TTC is no longer the transportation hub it once was. Unless this changed recently (and things change constantly at WDW) there's no bus between TTC and BW.
Another option is to park at Downtown Disney. Take the bus from there to Epcot. Watch Illuminations from the bridge between France and UK. Leave through the International Gateway and walk to BW. You can get a bus back to Downtown Disney from there.

There are no buses from DD to any of the major parks. Those were discontinued because most of the riders were guests of the DD Hotels.

If the OP doesn't want to move his car, my advice is to just take a cab from the Boardwalk to the car in the EPCOT parking lot. Cabs are plentiful at the Boardwalk and the cost will be under $10, including a generous tip.

 

[EpcotBill]

See, things are constantly changing.
I would just drive myself. It's much easier and faster. But don't do it if you're drinking.

 

[Lynnºoº]

The DD buses are now like the TTC buses. They have service to/from all of the resorts. So, as was mentioned above, you can park at DD and then take a bus to BW or YC or BC and walk (very short walk!) to Epcot. Then you can leave the BW at whatever time you want and catch a bus to DD. They run continuously until very late (after midnight).

I just thought of another option ......you can park your car at EPCOT first thing in the morning when you arrive. When you are ready to head to the BW, or at least late afternoon, go move your car to the BW parking lot. You really do want to visit the BW, so there is no reason why you can't park there. If you want to head back to EPCOT for any reason after you have parked your car at BW, just walk over there.