The Controversial $2 Disney World Parking Hack

It is no secret that parking at a Walt Disney World theme park can be pricey, and depending on the Park, time consuming.

But what if we told you there was a way to skip the hefty parking fees and save some time during your next trip to the theme parks? A parking hack is going viral on social media that promises just that…

@everythingdisney133 took to TikTok in response to a video asking “What’s a piece of information that you learned that feels illegal to know?” sharing one way Guests visiting Walt Disney World can park for just $2 and likely even enter the theme parks quicker.

In the video, user @everythingdisney133 shares that one way to bypass theme park parking areas is to start your day at a Disney Resort. Of course, entering any Disney Resort requires a stop at the security booth. In the video, the recommendation for arriving is to mobile order something inexpensive from the Resort’s quick-service dining location so that you are parking there to pick up your order:

@everythingdisney133

#duet with @Kirk How to Park At Disney For Only $1.99! 😱✨ #disney #disneytiktok #disneyparks #fyp #fypシ #fypage #disneyworld

♬ original sound – Kirk • Theme Park Expert

By doing this, you can order something for as little as $1.99 (as seen in the video above with the purchase of a small chocolate Nesquik) thereby giving you access to parking. In the case of a Resort like Disney’s Contemporary Resort, parking there will be closer than the Transportation and Ticket Center, and with the short walkway nearby, you can skip the monorail or ferry altogether and walk into Magic Kingdom Park in just a few minutes.

For the other Walt Disney World theme parks, the EPCOT Area Resorts are in easy walking distance to the Park”s International Gateway entrance. These resorts are also in walking distance to Disney’s Hollywood Studios, but not any closer than the parking lot would be. Disney’s Animal Kingdom does not have any Resorts that are close enough to walk, but the Disney Park is a very short bus ride from Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.

While this hack might be new to some Guests who stumble upon the TikTok, others have been using the trick for years, which is why some Disney theme park fans are concerned about the hack being shared so publicly. In the past, Disney has been known to change rules if they are being taken advantage of, so some are worried that could happen if too many Guests use the “$2 parking hack.”

We should point out that while the hack does often work, there have always been some restrictions for Guests parking at Resorts depending on events at the given Resort, capacity limits, and crowd levels. During peak seasons at Walt Disney World and major holidays, parking at Resorts could be limited to Guests staying at those Resorts, and there have been instances in the past of Cast Members giving Guests tags to hang in their vehicles giving them a set time to park at the Resort.

As for Disney’s official parking rules, preferred parking in theme park lots runs $45-50 per day while standard parking costs $25 per day. There are parking fees for Guests staying overnight at Walt Disney World Resort hotels which vary by the Resort, but those Guests are able to park in the theme parks free of charge. Parking is also included with select Annual Passes.