This Disney World Hotel Is Cracking Down on Parking

You may not realize it if it’s your first trip to Disney World, but parking can be a little more difficult than you may realize.

When you drive up to Magic Kingdom, you’ve got to park at the Transportation and Ticket Center (TTC) and then take the Monorail or Ferryboat to and from the park, rather than just parking and walking right up. There are also some restrictions on parking at Disney World hotels if you’re not a guest there, and one hotel specifically is really cracking down this holiday season.

If you’re staying at a Disney World hotel or have a dining reservation there, you’ll have no issues parking at that hotel. In the past, we’ve also been allowed to park if we’re running in quickly to pick up a mobile order, or buy some beignets at Port Orleans French Quarter (we’ve done that maaaany times).

However, parking is generally prohibited at Disney World hotels if you’re not staying there or don’t have a dining reservation, and that especially comes true during the holiday season when the hotels are decorated all pretty and everyone wants to stop by to see the incredible gingerbread house displays — especially at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa.

That won’t be possible now though, as Disney now has a message on their website when you go to search the hotel. The message states that guests wishing to see the gingerbread display must park at the Transportation and Ticket Center and take the Resort Monorail over to the hotel.

While this may be common knowledge for guests who have been to Disney World many times, it can be quite the surprise if you’ve never been and are just thinking you’ll be able to drive up and see the gingerbread creations at any of the Disney World hotels. We encourage you instead to park at the TTC, travel around on the Monorail, and then take buses or other modes of Disney transportation to check out the other hotels, then take a bus back to Magic Kingdom to get back to the TTC when you’re done exploring. OR you can park for free at Disney Springs and take the bus to a hotel and start your journey there!