Just a couple of years ago, Disney decided to implement parking charges for overnight guests at their various resorts and hotels at Disney World. As one can imagine, Disney guests were not thrilled by the news of DVC parking fees. The change also caused confusion over who would and who would not be responsible for paying these new overnight parking charges and has led many DVC members to wonder if DVC members pay for parking.
Resort and Hotel Parking
DVC members are mostly exempt from overnight parking charges at Disney resorts and hotels. DVC members parking at any DVC Resort do not pay for overnight parking. DVC members also do not pay for parking if using points to stay at other Walt Disney World Resort hotels.
Disney’s official policy states the following regarding overnight parking for DVC members:
“Members will not be charged for standard overnight self-parking when staying in a Disney Vacation Club Deluxe Villa at Walt Disney World Resort, Disney’s Vero Beach Resort or Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort, regardless of whether they use Vacation Points or another form of payment. Members also will not be charged to park when using Reservation Points to stay at a Walt Disney World Resort hotel.”
Many DVC owners have pointed out that being exempt from parking charges while staying at a DVC Resort is only fair as the DVC annual dues already cover the costs for parking facilities maintenance and refurbishments as well as daily security and everyday maintenance. For this reason, it is unlikely that Disney will ever change the complimentary parking policy for DVC direct or resale owners. You can see a table view of the fee structure below:
| Parking | DVC Owner | DVC Renter | Hotel Guest | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overnight at Villas | Points | No | No | Yes |
| Cash | No | |||
| Overnight at non-DVC Villas | Points | No | Yes | |
| Cash | Yes | |||
| Valet | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Theme Parks | No | No | No | |
| Day Resort Visit | No | No | No | |
Why “Mostly” Exempt?
DVC members staying at a non-DVC resort and paying cash for their stay will be responsible for overnight parking fees. However, to reiterate, if using points to stay at a Disney World Resort hotel, DVC members are exempt from overnight parking charges.
What Are The DVC Parking Fees?
Standard overnight parking charges for Disney resorts and hotels are as follows:
- Disney Value Resorts: $15 per night
- Disney Moderate Resorts: $20 per night
- Disney Deluxe and Deluxe Villa Resorts: $25 per night
What About Valet?
DVC members do not receive free Valet Parking, whether staying at the resort with points or not. Valet Parking fees are currently $39 at participating Disney resorts for all guests.
What If I’m Just Visiting For The Day?
Day guests receive complimentary parking when visiting Disney resorts or hotels throughout Disney World. Guests popping in for a meal, some shopping or to meet friends do not pay for daily parking.
When Disney implemented their overnight parking charges in 2018 it definitely caused some backlash from guests. However, Disney was sure not to change their complimentary parking policy for day guests to ensure that these guests would continue to frequent the resorts to enjoy shopping, dining and entertainment at the resorts and hotels. The patronage of non-overnight guests is an important part of Disney’s resort and hotel business that they likely do not want to jeopardize.
Theme Park Parking
Theme park pricing has continued to fluctuate over the years. Currently standard daily parking for each of the four Disney World theme parks is $25.
All guests (DVC and non-DVC) staying at any of the Disney World resorts or hotels receive complimentary theme park parking for the length of their stay. Guests also have the option to use the various forms of complimentary transportation services at the resorts and hotels. For more information on how to get around Disney World see How To Get To Each Disney World Theme Park.
Guests with select annual passes also receive complimentary theme park parking throughout the year.
Although Disney has recently changed its policy for overnight parking at their resorts and hotels, one of the great perks of owning DVC is that DVC members do not pay for parking on most occasions throughout the Walt Disney World Resort.
For more information on Disney’s parking policies, visit Disney’s Parking Information page.
Katherine Rand
DVC Shop Editorial Team
