• On Mar 26, 2022
    Soraya from FL Asked Please note that experiences, policies, pricing and other offerings are subject to change and may have changed since the date of this answer.

    Are we allowed to park at Disney World hotel resorts to dine at the restaurants on hotel property without having dining reservations? We want to try doing walk-ups for Chef Mickey but want to make sure we’ll be able to park in the parking lot to eat there.

    Hi Soraya! Welcome to planDisney!

    Part of the magic of Walt Disney World is not only found at the theme parks but also at the resort hotels as well. With each one being themed differently, you can get a truly unique experience with each hotel you stay at. If you haven’t done so yet, I highly recommend a resort-only stay on a future visit. My family took one last year and we stayed at Disney’s Beach Club Resort. We took advantage of Stormalong Bay by relaxing at the pool and enjoying many of the restaurants at the resort. We even hopped on the Disney Skyliner and took an evening trip over to Disney’s Riviera Resort for a quick tour. With you living fairly close by, I would plan a staycation sometime soon!

    Parking at the resorts can be tricky without a room or dining reservation. Since the phased reopening, Disney has been firmer on parking policies. To be guaranteed a parking spot, you will need to show proof of a dining reservation. There are times when the guard will let you park if you inform them of your intentions (walk-up list at Chef Mickey's), but I would not count on this. Disney’s Contemporary Resort is known to be strict because of its proximity to the Magic Kingdom Park. Some Guests will state they are planning on dining at the resort, and then walk over to the Magic Kingdom for the day to not have to pay for parking at the Ticket and Transportation Center. 

    One thing that worked for me in the past was to place a mobile order at one of the onsite dining locations. For this resort, try placing an order at Contempo Café for a dessert to enjoy later. Then, when you pull up to the guard, show them the order on your My Disney Experience App and they may let you park to retrieve your order. This worked for me when I was picking up food from Kona Café at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, but I have heard that this method does not always guarantee a parking spot either. 

    One guaranteed option to get over to Chef Mickey's is to pay for parking at the Ticket and Transportation Center and hop on the resort monorail to Disney’s Contemporary Resort. I have done this before when we wanted to do a monorail resort crawl and did not have an active dining reservation. It was fun to use the monorail to get from place to place and can feel like an attraction by itself. 

    Soraya, I hope this information helps you on your upcoming visit! Keep checking the My Disney Experience App for a dining reservation to pop up for Chef Mickey's. You never know when some pixie dust will come your way!

    See ya real soon!
    Greg

thumbnail image for Greg

Meet the Panelist: Greg, South Carolina

Hello friends! Greg here from Charleston, SC. I am a Disney-loving husband and dad to two wonderful daughters. Walt Disney World Resort offers everything you want in a vacation and touches all the senses. From the sights to sounds and even the smells, there is something for everyone to enjoy! When our family is not riding "it’s a small world" or going on a Journey Into Imagination With Figment, we are readily planning our next Walt Disney World Resort vacation. Learn More About Greg

Didn't find what you were looking for? Click the Ask a Question button to open the Ask a Question dialogue box. If you are not logged in a dialogue box will appear to signin in order to ask a question.

To submit your question, please log in now if you have not already done so.

Ask a QuestionOpens the Ask a Question dialog box.
x

Update Browser

For a better experience browsing this website, please download an updated version of Internet Explorer.


Or you can continue browsing without updating.