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Melaniee
12-08-2004, 09:16 PM
I swear EVERYTIME I go, no matter the time of day, we end up at the end of the row on the other side of the bridge. There's simply no forgetting or leaving things in the car anymore, is there?

Anyway, is there an HONEST secret to better parking now?

TIA

ETA: OOH GOODY! I just remembered I'm driving someone with a handicapped plackard this week...yay! But please still answer if you know...

Opus1guy
12-08-2004, 10:00 PM
Anyway, is there an HONEST secret to better parking now?

A Club 33 membership will get you complimentary valet parking (valued at over $40 a day) at Disney's Grand Californian hotel, or special up-front (ground level close to the tram stop...basically near handicap parking) in the Mickey & Friends garage.

It's a really expensive way...but it's honest! ;)

evilchild666
12-08-2004, 11:34 PM
this is a really big help in the mornings when everone is just showing up... when driving up the big hill to the level you are going to, get in the left lane, everyone goes to the right and ends up at the end of the row where as you will end up in the front of the next row...works everytime for me.

SoCalDude
12-08-2004, 11:37 PM
Every so often I see somebody say something along the lines of flashing the AP to the attendant that you first see after the toll booths - not sure what if anything this does. Maybe somebody knows what I am talking about - I sure do not lol....

Stupid_American
12-09-2004, 05:42 AM
Good Kharma

DaddyB
12-09-2004, 06:05 AM
this is a really big help in the mornings when everone is just showing up... when driving up the big hill to the level you are going to, get in the left lane, everyone goes to the right and ends up at the end of the row where as you will end up in the front of the next row...works everytime for me.

But that left side can be on the opposite side of the garage from the elevators, while the right side can be only a couple rows away. I always stick to the right! funny!

stan4d_steph
12-09-2004, 06:19 AM
Typically you'll get closer to the entrance if you keep to the right. The righthand side is the outside lane, so will go farther toward the escalator side of the garage. However, it's always up to luck whether or not you'll be at the end of a row or not.

Alex S.
12-09-2004, 06:27 AM
this is a really big help in the mornings when everone is just showing up... when driving up the big hill to the level you are going to, get in the left lane, everyone goes to the right and ends up at the end of the row where as you will end up in the front of the next row...works everytime for me.

Unless they're doing the second fill of the first lane. Then you could end up at the front of that one as opposed to the end of the next one. Front to back is always more of a luck proposition.

We tend to stay to the right because it means you'll be on the lower level they're parking. Generally this isn't such a big deal, but it pretty much guarantees you'll stay off the roof.

For us, the best indicator of how good our spot will be is how long we expect to stay. A 90-minute visit guarantees the spot closest to the escalators. A 14-hour visit guarantees getting the final spot on a floor (actually, worst we've done is third-to-last). So, the more tired you'll be when returning to the car, the worse the parking spot.

lisap
12-09-2004, 06:53 AM
Some folks I know, when they see they are going to be parked in the last spot on a particular level, will exit the structure and re-enter in order to be among the first in the next level. This only works when you are positive they have filled all of that level and are ready to move on to the next.

I've been tempted to try it, but--what's a hundred or so more extra steps. ;)

Melaniee
12-09-2004, 07:38 AM
Thank you for all the great suggestions!

Alex Stroup - I hear you about the Murphy's Law aspect. I think my last all-day-with-toddler alone visit I was about as far away from the elevators as it was possible to be!

Now to decide which to try next week. LOL.

the mad hatter
12-09-2004, 07:50 AM
Just get a baseball bat and run around the parking lot screaming "Walt told me to do it", and i'm sure you'll get a few cars to clear out of there so you can get a good spot. :)

tod
12-09-2004, 07:53 AM
The Lovely Mrs. tod, when faced with the prospect of parking at the far back end of a level, has been known to wave bye-bye to the parking people, head to the exit, drive around the block, and come back a few minutes later and park in a much better space on a different level.

--t

nightdesigns
12-09-2004, 08:01 AM
DTD, 3 hours free! That's my preferred parking. Heck, even if i stay for 4 hours, still still cheaper than the structure.

Darkbeer
12-09-2004, 08:28 AM
^And you can get 5 hours free with purchase of food or drink at a Downtown Disney establishment. (3 hours free, plus 2 additional hours free with validation).

SCUBAbe
12-09-2004, 08:38 AM
I've never really thought about it. I suppose it's not a big deal where I end up in the structure. I little extra walking has never hurt me...:)

cstephens
12-09-2004, 10:00 AM
Parking lot lottery, that's what we call it. Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.

DJ_MENTOS
12-09-2004, 11:02 AM
You can always ask at the toll booth. If I am honestly only going to be there for an hour or two, I'll say, "I'm only going to be here for an hour [or two] is there anyway that I can park on this level [chip & dale]" It's usually a 50/50 chance. Depends on who's working it, and if it's mad crazy or kinda slow.

It's honest because you're leaving it up to them.

zugzug15
12-09-2004, 11:29 AM
well the best parking IMO is the timon lot. unless they redirect you to the structure (which I hate).

sediment
12-09-2004, 11:43 AM
You can get there really early and park real close to the Disneyland entrance. First, you'd have to go back in time about seven years or so.

Vegitabeta
12-09-2004, 11:46 AM
Can you not just sleep outside the parking lot in your car, then you'll be the first one there? :D

kbanmen
12-09-2004, 12:00 PM
we ALWAYS go on the right side of the line up the ramp..hubby told me this..we end up alot closer to the elevators and at the other garage..not the FAR AWAY one..works for us every time anyways

DCAWhites
12-09-2004, 12:39 PM
Parking on chip and dale isn't the greatest, the detour to the tram area once you exit the structure is long, especially if you have to go to the bathroom before the tram. Best spot is probably the handicapped parking on the 2nd level, or a spot near there, with similar areas on higher levels taking a bit longer to get down the escalators.

tod
12-09-2004, 01:08 PM
If you ask me, the best spaces are what The tod Family calls "Golden Spaces": The three or four non-angled spaces at the ends of the aisles facing toward the escalators.

The rest are... lesser.

--t

SoCalDude
12-09-2004, 07:34 PM
Some folks I know, when they see they are going to be parked in the last spot on a particular level, will exit the structure and re-enter in order to be among the first in the next level. This only works when you are positive they have filled all of that level and are ready to move on to the next.
We were actually going to do this today - we got there and they had us park at the exact oppsite far corner, last row juuuust about as far away as possible from the elevators as you could be. We sat in the car for a minute and thought no way were we going to park that far away - so we deided to exit out and come back in and get in the front on the next level. While we were driving to the exit my wife reminded me we ALWAYS see empty spots up in the front when we are going to the elevator, so we went for it - all the rows were blocked off by cones but the first row, so down it wewent and actually got a spot right next to the handicapped spot - go figure. We seriously went from about as far away as possible to just about as close as possible.

VickiC
12-09-2004, 08:48 PM
Parking structure night mare today. My MIL came by the house at 10 am. I put the 2 year old's car seat in her car and they head off to DL. I picked the older kid up from school later and hooked up with her. Had a yummy dinner at Blue Bayou and headed back to the parking structure with her and both kids. That when we realized she had the 2 year old's car seat in her car on a different level and on opposite sides of the parking structure from my car. Had to all go to her car, no way to drive over to my car since the only way out is all the way down so had to lug the car seat back to the elevator and down to my car..