VIDEO - Drive through of the new Grapefruit Parking Garage at Disney Springs

Apr 15, 2019 in "Disney Springs"

Forum Forums Tweet Share Tweet Share

Gallery / 14 Photos
Disney Springs Grapefruit Garage opening day

See all 14

Posted: Monday April 15, 2019 9:45am ET by WDWMAGIC Staff

The Grapefruit Parking Garage at Disney Springs is now open to guests, located directly across from the existing Lime garage and providing additional capacity and a direct entrance into the Marketplace.

Grapefruit Garage at Disney Springs

Grapefruit Garage features the upgraded smart parking system, which offers information about space availability on each floor, and then individual space availability within each row. The new system also details accessible parking availability on each level.

Disney Springs Grapefruit Garage opening day

There are more than 600 spaces per level, spread across 5 levels. Grapefruit Garage will be the primary parking location for Cast Members working at Disney Springs, freeing up space for guests in the closer Orange Garage.

Disney Springs Grapefruit Garage opening day

Like the other two Disney Springs garages, Grapefruit also includes electric vehicle chargers, and in this garage it is on the third level.

Disney Springs Grapefruit Garage opening day

As with Lime and Orange, a pedestrian bridge links the garage to Disney Springs, and in the case of Grapefruit it takes you directly into the Marketplace between Basin and World of Disney.

Disney Springs Grapefruit Garage opening day

Grapefruit Pedestrian bridge

The approximately 5 minute walk takes you over Buena Vista Dr., and although enclosed, is not covered.

Grapefruit Pedestrian bridge

There is a stop halfway that gives access to the Disney casting Center.

Entering Marketplace from the Grapefruit bridge

Entrance to the Grapefruit bridge

As for which garage to park in - Orange Garage remains your best option for the West Side and The Landing. Lime is well positioned for Town Center, and Grapefruit is great for the Marketplace. If you think you will visit all three, Orange remains the best option due to its larger size and very easy access from both I4 and the theme park side of Buena Vista Drive,

The Grapefruit bridge will put you near to World of Disney

See the video below for a drive-through of the Grapefruit Parking Garage at Disney Springs.

Discuss on the Forums

Get Walt Disney World News Delivered to Your Inbox

mergatroidOct 02, 2019

Indeed, done that many times. Used to be a pain when we were visiting the AMC for a movie having to get there extra early to get a decent parking spot.

DisoneSep 28, 2019

With you on that 100%. Like I said I ignored the signs directing me to grapefruit and went to Orange. Question for all: Coming from hotel plaza Blvd not sure grapefruit is even an option unless you pass it and double back. Correct?

DisoneSep 28, 2019

I wonder how long it would have taken you to park if you had gone to grapefruit? But I like you would have gone into orange and regardless of what the signs say. Last time I was there I ignored the signs directing me to grapefruit. Went into orange. But I locked out more than you did. The sign said level three had one parking spot. I pulled into level 3 and thanks to the lighting system I found that one parking spot lickety-split. Bonus it was right next to the Coca-Cola side of orange garage. But even at 10 minutes, parking here is definitely light years better then it ever was. I remember the days you just driving to the surface lots and you'd have to drive in circles, doing the slow creepy crawl behind a pedestrian hoping they were going to a car.

mm121Sep 19, 2019

How's this new garage been working out? How's the overall parking situation now?

DisneyCaneJun 04, 2019

I noticed today in Orange that the new guide light system seems to flash the light when a space is taken for a long time. I saw a few flashing with cars parked and others flashing where there was some equipment parked. My guess is that this is how they track employee parking.

jt04Apr 30, 2019

How was parking over the weekend with all the End Game AMC madness? Anyone have a first hand account if garages were at capacity?

PG 134Apr 18, 2019

1. Cast Members/Employees are allowed to park anywhere in new garage and all surface parking(excluding valet lots). I believe there is a rule allowing use of 1st/2nd floors of Orange if shift is before 2PM(memory is a little fuzzy on that one). 2. Disney does not have a vehicle registry for Cast Memebers/Employees(excluding company owned vehicles). 3. Disney cannot use the Florida state-related License/Registration system for something like CM/Employee parking lot enforcement. The company has to have a really good reason to look up plates. I have personally heard many requests denied. 4. Company Management will occasionally stand at Garage exits into Springs to find CMs/Employees who are parking in the garages. That is how they would audit staff. It is obvious when people are in costume, costume under clothing, and/or visible company IDs. 5. It is possible for the garages to use plate readers for crime prevention/apprehension reasons like any of the billion cameras on property. Reality is that they would be losing a lot of staff if they went hardcore on parking enforcement. It has been a long time since I've been at Springs frequently but you're more likely to see a higher amount of non-Disney employees using the wrong parking location than Cast Members.

mm121Apr 17, 2019

I know DS is employees not cast, I should have said workers to encompass all. Disney is still the property manager so like at other malls their personal can track and punish. Simon malls will send warnings and tickets to employees at their malls through the mail when they are caught not parking in the proper zones and I'm sure repeat offenders could be reported to their employers as well.

Jon81ukApr 17, 2019

Don't forget a majority of Disney Springs employees/staff are NOT cast, they are employed by third parties. Therefore it would need to be Disney feeding back to tenants to ask their staff to not park in the closest location. It night happen but yes success may be difficult. Also I would hope there is signage (as well as descriptions on the website etc) that state where the best place is for handicap parking. In theory there shouldn't be any wheelchair parking in the new garage due to the distance to the stores etc.

winstongatorApr 17, 2019

I like the garages, and hugely prefer Disney springs to downtown Disney. We went summer 2015 or 2016 and parking was a nightmare. The traffic flow seems improved too. I like that the garages shield the springs area from the road. The extra space will help. We were there in March and it was packed, but not as packed as thanksgiving week when we parked way back in the partners lot. What’s the total number of parking spaces difference from say 2014 to now? For those that have it, DS is a neat spot to look at old satellite imagery.

mm121Apr 17, 2019

Somewhere in these threads there was talk of the garages getting entry exit liscence plate readers. These could be used to track and then punish employees who park consistently outside of designated cast parking areas

mm121Apr 17, 2019

While that's the theory. The way its labeled guests unfamiliar with the Disney Springs parking choices will probably just follow signs that say to Parking not knowing that Grapefruit is the LEAST desirable option.

DisoneApr 17, 2019

They built it to accomdate casting and partners building (which is more Disney offices then by day and Springs by night. I do not think they will be very success getting springs cast to park there. But hey...... Maybe.