How to Avoid Paying for Disney World Parking

The average cost of a Walt Disney World vacation is climbing higher and higher. One way you might be interested in cutting down on costs is by trying to avoid parking fees. Fortunately, there are a couple of different hacks you can use to reduce or avoid parking fees at Walt Disney World. 

How Much Does it Cost to Park at Disney?

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Before we jump into how to avoid parking fees, is reducing these fees really worth it? To find that out, let’s first take a look at how much it costs to park at Disney World. 

Parking rates at Disney will depend on several factors, such as where you’re staying and if you’re opting for standard or preferred parking. Standard parking costs $25 per day, whereas preferred ranges anywhere from $45 to $50 depending on the size of your vehicle. Standard parking for oversized vehicles such as campers, RVs, and limousines cost $30 per day. 

Parking at both water parks, Disney Springs, and ESPN Wide World of Sports are all complimentary. Guests of Disney Springs can opt for valet parking for $20 if preferred. 

Resort stays are no longer charging for overnight parking. Fees for parking at Disney resorts were first put into place on bookings made March 21, 2018 and beyond. Starting on January 10, 2023, overnight self-parking will once again be offered complimentary to guests staying at Disney Resort hotels at Walt Disney World.

Read more: The Not So Known Disney Parking Secrets

Do DVC Members Get a Discount? 

Yes — usually. Disney Vacation Club members staying at a DVC Resort won’t be charged for overnight parking, regardless of whether they use points for their stay. DVC members who choose to stay at a different Disney resort other than a DVC resort will be charged a parking fee. 

If you’re not a DVC member, but staying at a Disney World resort hotel, you will receive complimentary standard parking at any of the four theme parks. 

Total Cost of Parking at Walt Disney World

So, if you’re staying at a Disney World resort hotel for five days, you will avoid any parking fees. If you’re not staying at a Disney World resort, you could be spending anywhere from $125 to $250 for theme park parking for the duration of your trip. While this isn’t the most expensive fee to come out of Disney, being able to reduce costs where you can is beneficial. Here are just a few of our Disney hacks to save you money on parking fees at Disney: 

Take an Uber From MCO

Disney’s Magical Express made it possible to avoid parking fees during your entire trip, as many guests would take advantage of the complimentary transportation to Walt Disney World and bus service throughout the duration of their stay. 

Unfortunately, that’s no longer the case. The new Mears Connect airport transportation offers roundtrip transportation ranging from $13.50 to $32 for both children and adults. Because of this fee, some families have opted to take either a Lyft or Uber to their Walt Disney World resort. This is one way you can save money on your Disney parking fees. 

Parking at Orlando International Airport costs anywhere from $10 to $19 per day. Depending on which Disney resort you’re staying at, this could save you a minimum of $15 per night on parking (excluding what you’ll pay at the theme parks, if applicable). You can leave your car at the airport for the duration of your trip and take advantage of an Uber instead. On average, transportation to and from MCO and Walt Disney World costs about $35. 

Even with the higher parking tier, this could be saving you around $100 on parking fees. 

Read more: How to Uber from Sanford Airport to Disney World

Park Hop

Alright, so technically you’re still paying for parking, but you’re able to reduce your costs if you park hop. When you purchase a parking pass, you’re buying it for the entire day. Best of all, this parking pass is okay to use at all four theme parks, just as long as it’s the same day. 

So if you visit Magic Kingdom in the morning and Epcot in the afternoon, you’ll be saving money as opposed to paying twice the amount for visiting the parks on two different days. This hack is great if you only want to visit the other parks for a few hours or to squeeze in one last attraction before your trip ends. 

Read more: One Day Epcot Touring Plan: Explore and Discover Everything in One Visit

Park at Disney Springs and Take a Bus Back

This hack will be time-consuming, but it’s available if you really are interested in cutting back at least some costs during your Walt Disney World vacation. Since parking is free at Disney Springs, you could park and take one of the shuttles back to the Disney resorts. Once at the resorts, you can go ahead and transfer to one of the parks you have a reservation for. 

Keep in mind that this hack should be used with caution. Even though Disney Springs is open later than most Disney parks, they will tow your car if you attempt to leave it overnight. 

Read more: SAVE Weekdays at Disney Springs

Be an Annual Passholder

Annual Passholders have a lot of benefits, one of which is getting free standard parking at all four Disney theme parks and resorts if they are visiting for dining reservations or other recreational experiences. 

If you’re local to Orlando or visit Disney World often enough, becoming an Annual Passholder can save you a lot of money in the long run and it’s an easy way to reduce your ongoing costs associated with parking fees at Disney. 

Do You Have Any Disney Parking Hacks? Let Us Know in the Comments!

Cutting costs where you can on your next Walt Disney World vacation is crucial. Have you tried any of these parking hacks before? Is there one you use that isn’t mentioned on this list? Let us know in the comments. 

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