PHOTOS - Grapefruit Parking Garage construction update

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.

Walt dApr 17, 2019

Huh?