Osborne Lights transportation issue

[Magpie]

I'm going to be attempting to see the Osborne Lights both this Saturday and Sunday. So I won't be able to park in DHS? What is the latest I could get there to park? I'll only be in Disney for 3 days and I hate the idea of going to DHS super early to park and then use the buses all day...but I don't know if parking at Epcot and walking/boating over will be any easier either. This is crazy!

Walking from Epcot really is quite easy, for most folks. At 1.2 miles (from the International Gateway at the back of Epcot to the front of HS), it's about the same as walking all the way around the World Showcase, if that helps put it in perspective. It'll take you about 15 to 25 minutes, depending on how quickly you walk (some people are fast walkers, others amble).

Make sure you valet park (25$ for the day) at an Epcot RESORT, though, not in the Epcot parking lot. The Epcot resorts are Boardwalk, Beach Club, Yacht Club and the Swan and Dolphin. If you don't pay the valet fee, it's free, but limited to 3 hours (which likely won't be enough) - the 3 hour pass is intended for people dining at the resort or just visiting to look at the decorations, visit the shops, etc. Parking at Boardwalk, btw, will shorten the length of your walk by about 5 or 10 minutes.

The reason you should park at the resort is because parking in the Epcot lot means you'll either have to cross the length of Epcot to get to the walking path/boat (meaning you'll need a park hopper/AP), or you'll have to take a park-to-park bus from the front of the park. And since Epcot sometimes closes sooner than Hollywood Studios, getting back to your car will involve more busses.

 

[Figmentmommy]

Walking from Epcot really is quite easy, for most folks. At 1.2 miles (from the International Gateway at the back of Epcot to the front of HS), it's about the same as walking all the way around the World Showcase, if that helps put it in perspective. It'll take you about 15 to 25 minutes, depending on how quickly you walk (some people are fast walkers, others amble).

Make sure you valet park (25$ for the day) at an Epcot RESORT, though, not in the Epcot parking lot. The Epcot resorts are Boardwalk, Beach Club, Yacht Club and the Swan and Dolphin. If you don't pay the valet fee, it's free, but limited to 3 hours (which likely won't be enough) - the 3 hour pass is intended for people dining at the resort or just visiting to look at the decorations, visit the shops, etc. Parking at Boardwalk, btw, will shorten the length of your walk by about 5 or 10 minutes.

The reason you should park at the resort is because parking in the Epcot lot means you'll either have to cross the length of Epcot to get to the walking path/boat (meaning you'll need a park hopper/AP), or you'll have to take a park-to-park bus from the front of the park. And since Epcot sometimes closes sooner than Hollywood Studios, getting back to your car will involve more busses.

We were turned away from parking at Boardwalk even to visit there for a few hours. They were limiting parking to resort guests and those with dining reservations. Valet was available.

 

[Figmentmommy]

Or park at HS early in the day and use buses (or Uber!) to go to AK then back to HS in the afternoon, and your car will already be where you need it at the end of the day.

We did this Friday. Parked at DHS in the morning around 9:15. Took the bus to MK for the day then back to DHS around 5:30. It went very smoothly.

 

[Magpie]

We were turned away from parking at Boardwalk even to visit there for a few hours. They were limiting parking to resort guests and those with dining reservations. Valet was available.

Probably too many people were trying to park there, thinking they could run over to Hollywood Studios and back within the 3 hour limit. 25 dollars for a full day of valet parking isn't so bad, though, considering it's 20 dollars for a day's parking in the theme park lots. (Though it occurs to me now that that 25 dollar fee for resort valet might be out of date - maybe someone who's used it recently can confirm?)

 

[gluestickgirl]

Just to clarify - can you valet park at the Epcot resorts without a reservation? We are doing HS on our arrival day next week (so no chance of arriving early) and are trying to come up with a good strategy to get around the possible parking nightmare.

 

[okilydokily]

Probably too many people were trying to park there, thinking they could run over to Hollywood Studios and back within the 3 hour limit. 25 dollars for a full day of valet parking isn't so bad, though, considering it's 20 dollars for a day's parking in the theme park lots. (Though it occurs to me now that that 25 dollar fee for resort valet might be out of date - maybe someone who's used it recently can confirm?)

I have had a lot of resorts where the guard doesn't want to let me in to just look around and shop, even in non peak times. I once took my son after baseball practice and forgot extra shoes. I stopped into AoA to get some Crocs or flip flops for him before going to a park and the guy acted like it was against the rules to let me in to buy $40 Crocs. I don't feel like I should have even explained myself to him what I was doing there, but I had to just to get in to park. I guess I understand a lot of people try to skirt parking fees, but I showed him my AP as I pulled up. Point is, it is not unusual to get turned away to park at a resort unless you are a guest or have a reservation.

 

[SparklePixie]

I'm going to be attempting to see the Osborne Lights both this Saturday and Sunday. So I won't be able to park in DHS? What is the latest I could get there to park? I'll only be in Disney for 3 days and I hate the idea of going to DHS super early to park and then use the buses all day...but I don't know if parking at Epcot and walking/boating over will be any easier either. This is crazy!

People are reporting the parking lot is being closed as early as 4:30.

 

[SparklePixie]

I would do whatever you can to avoid having to sit in traffic, whether it be on a bus or in your personal car. Starting the day at Epcot and then walking to DHS would be the best bet or if that is not an option, valet park at one of the Epcot resorts ($25 + tip) and walk the path. I think it will be a smoother process that way and the easiest.

 

[okilydokily]

I would do whatever you can to avoid having to sit in traffic, whether it be on a bus or in your personal car. Starting the day at Epcot and then walking to DHS would be the best bet or if that is not an option, valet park at one of the Epcot resorts ($25 + tip) and walk the path. I think it will be a smoother process that way and the easiest.

I am still on the old Premium AP until I renew. I thought there was free valet included with that, but I can't find info on it for the life of me. Does anyone know if that is true? It might have just been at DS, I know I have never used that benefit.

 

[DisDreamsAshley]

People are reporting the parking lot is being closed as early as 4:30.

We just got back from WDW on Sunday. We went to go park one day at 1pm and the lot was closed already, another day we went at 11:30am and it was closed and being rerouted to Epcot already. We ended up parking at the Polynesian and busing over on the second night, as we wanted to watching Holiday Wishes from there after. We waited for 50 minutes at the end of the night for a bus to take us back. The line was longer than I've seen values at the MK by time we got on a bus! In the 50 minutes we waited, we only saw 2 buses for this resort, and lucky we made it on the 2nd. If we were to do it again, I'd probably go the taxi route.

 

[SparklePixie]

We just got back from WDW on Sunday. We went to go park one day at 1pm and the lot was closed already, another day we went at 11:30am and it was closed and being rerouted to Epcot already. We ended up parking at the Polynesian and busing over on the second night, as we wanted to watching Holiday Wishes from there after. We waited for 50 minutes at the end of the night for a bus to take us back. The line was longer than I've seen values at the MK by time we got on a bus! In the 50 minutes we waited, we only saw 2 buses for this resort, and lucky we made it on the 2nd. If we were to do it again, I'd probably go the taxi route.

Wow, that is early!

 

[mickeyfanachey1999]

Just to be clear, there is no walking path from the monorail to Hollywood Studios. You have to go through Epcot, which means you'd need to have a park hopper ticket.

Thanks for clarifying. I sometimes forget not everyone enjoys looking at google maps of WDW for transportation options in their spare time.

 

[hakepb]

I am still on the old Premium AP until I renew. I thought there was free valet included with that, but I can't find info on it for the life of me. Does anyone know if that is true? It might have just been at DS, I know I have never used that benefit.

AFIK, the only "free" valet parking is 3 hours of free valet with TIW and a validating receipt.
(I believe there is also a wheelchair tag or plate exception)

And valet does allow "hopping" so you only pay the fee once per day (plus tip)

 

[AngiTN]

We were turned away from parking at Boardwalk even to visit there for a few hours. They were limiting parking to resort guests and those with dining reservations. Valet was available.

How does that work for the Boardwalk restaurants that do not take ADR?

 

[epcotty]

So are there buses to Boardwalk, Beach Club, Yacht Club, Swan and Dolphin from the Epcot parking lot?

 

[siskaren]

So are there buses to Boardwalk, Beach Club, Yacht Club, Swan and Dolphin from the Epcot parking lot?

Nope.

 

[Nermel9]

Maybe I'll just park at MK and use the monorail and buses all day since MK is open until 1 am. I hate trying to park at the Epcot resorts without a reservation, the Boardwalk people are never cool about it.

Although there is that parking lot across the street for the Boardwalk, and there isn't a guard there, right?

 

[Mainemama]

We went from the Magic Kingdom to DHS Friday night via the monorail to Epcot and the walking path to DHS. I was glad we chose to use that route after I saw the lines stretching both directions to get into DHS via bus or car. That place was a madhouse Friday night and when we left at 7:46 there was still a lot of people coming in. Seeing the Osbourne Lights was really cool but if I had ever seen them before there is no way I would have attempted that on Friday night.

How long did this take? This my plan at the moment, thanks to all the posters that have prepared me for the reality of bus transportation to lights right now!

 

[dISNEYlOveer]

I would park at HS in the morning and take an AKL bus and then an AK bus (if there is no direct bus to AK, or just take Uber). I've heard stories of parking lot at HS closing as early as 12pm. I was there last Saturday (12/12) and parked there around 9:30 am and were in the Television lot (a 5 minute tram ride) and kept the car there for the day while we toured resort decorations, and then came back for the lights, and drove home from there. OH, and I've heard of people saying the resorts (especially MK resorts) not letting people park there (even for valet) during the holidays unless they have an ADR, or in a few cases only resort guests.

 

[Figmentmommy]

How does that work for the Boardwalk restaurants that do not take ADR?

My thoughts exactly. When I inquired about this afterwards, Concierge at our resort said that you should expect to take the bus. We were headed to the Boardwalk from a park so we just decided to skip it when we were turned away. Really didn't feel like spending more money to valet.