Up until now, Disneyland has offered two hours of free parking to anyone in the Downtown Disney lots, which actually are the closest lots to the Disneyland theme parks. Visitors could extend the free parking period to four hours with a validation from participating stores and restaurants in the shopping and dining district.
That made the Downtown Disney lots an attractive parking space for locals — especially annual passholders — making a quick trip to the parks. With a validation, visitors could park in the close-in Downtown Disney lots for up to five hours... and still pay less than the $20 cost of parking in the Mickey and Friends or Toy Story parking lots — Disneyland's designated lots for theme park visitors.
Even worse — or better, depending upon your point of view — Disneyland typically opened the gates on Downtown Disney's parking payment booths late in the evening, effectively allowing anyone who left after that point to enjoy free parking for the entire day in those lots. Yes, many annual passholders whose passes do not include parking are aware of that loophole, and have used it to avoid paying any daily parking fee.
Under the new policy, which takes effect August 16, getting the two hours of free parking will require a validation... which in turn will requiring spending at least $20 at any Downtown Disney location. To get the four hours, you'll need a validation from either a table service restaurant or the AMC Theatres.
There will be a 15-minute "grace period" — essentially just enough time to drop someone near the security check. After that, parking will cost $6 for each 30 minute period, to up a maximum of $48, which is what you'll pay for a lost ticket, too. The current maximum has been $36.
Oh, and don't be surprised when Disney uses that extra parking revenue to ensure that the gates remain down on the Downtown Disney toll booths until well after park close, ensuring that no park visitors get free parking at the resort anymore.
At the Walt Disney World Resort, Disney provides free parking in garages at Disney Springs, its former Downtown Disney. But Disney World's much larger shopping and dining district stands miles away from any of the four WDW theme parks, and there is no direct bus service to any of the parks from Disney Springs, making it highly inefficient to use those garages as free parking for trips to the Walt Disney World theme parks.
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However, I doubt this will result in a change in the staffing of the parking lot toll booths. There has to be a return on that investment in labor hours and I suspect that they'll still raise the gates early on select evenings because the number of paid parking tickets will be minimal, just like before.
Will this deter abuse, absolutely. The beauty of this arrangement is the fact that one night some Annual Passholder will think they're going to get a freebie, but unexpected circumstances will mean the toll booths are staffed and they'll be forced to pony up.
Disney Springs is a different situation.
I wonder if they eventually will do away with all Downtown Disney parking. Convert the parking lots into new Resort Hotels. Visitors to Downtown Disney will either have to pay the flat theme park parking fee or get valet parking at the resorts.
As with all Disney loopholes, those that are flaunted and abused will be quickly closed. The free parking is still necessary to make DTD accommodating to locals, but the more stringent rules regarding validation will make sure it's no longer abused.
I was prepared to pay, but no one was there.
I agree automated stations could be installed.
Then again, if you are there to eat or shop, get the validation. It is not that hard to spend $20 at Downtown Disney.
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