EPCOT Parking Guide | Tips, Discounts & Best Spots
With the amount of eating, drinking and fun you'll be having at EPCOT, knowing where to park and what options are available will be essential to optimizing your day.
This EPCOT Parking Guide will breakdown everything you need to know about parking at EPCOT before heading out for a day at this incredible theme park.
Topics, Tips & Deals We'll Cover On EPCOT Parking:
- How Much Does Parking Cost At EPCOT?
- What Time Does The EPCOT Parking Lot Open?
- Where Is EPCOT Parking?
- What Is Preferred Parking? Is It Worth It?
- Is Handicap Parking Available?
- Is EV Parking/Charging Available?
- Where Is The Best Place To Park At EPCOT?
- EPCOT Parking Deals & Discounts
How Much Does Parking Cost At EPCOT?
Parking fees at EPCOT are divided into three different categories depending on what type of vehicle you're driving.
- Standard Parking (for cars and motorcyles): $30
- Oversized Parking (oversized vehicles like RV's and trucks): $35
- Preferred Parking: $40 $50 or $55 depending on day and season
Preferred Parking can vary in price depending on when you'll be visiting EPCOT.
Weekends and holidays, especially around Christmas and New Year's, will typically see Preferred Parking near the top end of the posted range, if not higher.
Unlike Standard and Oversized Parking, Preferred Parking does not have a fixed price, but we typically see it fall within the range mentioned above.
What Time Does The EPCOT Parking Lot Open?
The EPCOT parking lot typically opens one hour before the earliest scheduled park opening time.
This means that if EPCOT is scheduled to open for "Early Park Admission" at 8:30AM and general park admission is schedule to begin at 9:00AM, then the EPCOT parking lot will open at 7:30AM.
We've seen EPCOT open as early as an hour and a half before the earliest scheduled park opening time on occasion, so if you really want to be amongst the first into the EPCOT parking lot consider arriving even earlier.
Arriving too early to EPCOT isn't a big deal at all either!
You'll just have to sit in your car outside the toll booths until Disney employees are ready to start letting guests through. Just make sure you don't need to use a restroom or get hungry!
It's also important to note that even though the parking lot may open 60-90 minutes before the park, there are still ways to get onto EPCOT property even earlier.
EPCOT is directly connected via a walking path from the BoardWalk resort and if you're coming to EPCOT on foot you'll be amongst the first to access the park.
Where Is EPCOT Parking?
EPCOT Parking is conveniently located right outside of the theme park.
This is unlike Magic Kingdom where there are actually multiple places to park and you'll need to take a monorail, bus or ferry boat to access the park.
You aren't restricted to just parking at the main EPCOT parking lot however and do have a few other options to consider.
You can also easily access EPCOT by parking at the Ticket & Transportation Center or Disney's Hollywood Studios. EPCOT is connected to Hollywood Studios via the Skyliner and the Ticket & Transportation Center via monorail.
If you'll be ending your day at Hollywood Studios then it might make sense to park there and then take the Skyliner over to EPCOT. Same goes for if you'd like to end your day at Magic Kingdom - you can park your car at the Ticket & Transportation Center then take the monorail to EPCOT.
If you don't want to drive your car back and fourth between multiple parks then this is a great way to avoid doing so.
If you park your car at the theme park you'd like to end your day at then you'll have a much shorter journey back to your car after a long, exhausting day at Disney.
Is Preferred Parking Available? Is It Worth It?
Preferred Parking is available, and while we typically skip out on paying the premium, EPCOT is the one park we'd consider upgrading for.
EPCOT has a massive parking lot, and if you're parked in one of the far corners on a hot day it becomes quite a miserable trek to/from your car.
We also find ourselves walking more at EPCOT than any of the other Disney parks as we normally take a few laps World Showcase during festival season.
More often than not we still pass on Preferred Parking, but there are certainly times when we've regretted not paying for the upgrade after a 25,000+ step day at EPCOT!
Is Handicap Parking Available?
Handicap parking is available at EPCOT and is located in the Heihei section of the lot, nearest to the main entrance. This is known as the Medical Lot.
To access the Medical Lot you must show a handicap placard or parking permit to the Disney cast members working at the toll booths. From there you will be given instructions on how to navigate to the handicap parking area.
Handicap parking is not complimentary and there are typically no discounts available either.
You should expect to pay the same prices as general parking if you'll be using handicap parking.
Is EV Parking/Charging Available?
EV parking and charging is available, but chargers are extremely limited.
Unfortunately, there are only 4 EV chargers at EPCOT, but we're hoping more are added soon.
For a park that is about the focuses so much on "the future" we'd think there would be a lot more EV chargers readily available.
These spots also fill up very fast, so you'll have trouble finding an open charger unless you arrive early in the morning or later in the afternoon/evening when folks begin to leave the park.
If you do manage to snag an EV parking spot you'll have one of the best parking spots in all of EPCOT! EV parking is located at the very front of EPCOT parking in the Heihei lot.
Where Is The Best Place To Park At EPCOT?
Despite being able to park at Hollywood Studios or the Ticket & Transportation Center for easy access to EPCOT, we recommend parking in the main lot right outside of the park.
The Heihei section of the EPCOT parking lot is going to be the best place to car, but unless you're arriving within the last two hours of the park's operation hours, you won't be able to choose what section you'd like to park at.
The parking staff at EPCOT typically stop directing traffic about 120-90 minutes before the park is scheduled to close, which means you'll have your pick of parking spots.
If the EPCOT parking attendants aren't out directing traffic then head straight to the Heihei section!
For most of the day however, you'll find yourself at the mercy of the EPCOT parking attendants choosing where you'll need to park.
If you're truly concerned about parking too far from the entrance then upgrading to Preferred Parking is always going to be your best bet.
EPCOT Parking Deals & Discounts
As of now there are no deals or discounts on EPCOT parking unless you are either an Annual Passholder or staying at a hotel on Disney property.
There are a few ways to get free parking including being a Walt Disney World Annual Passholders who currently receive complimentary parking at all Disney theme parks.
If you happen to have a friend or relative who is an Annual Passholder, then it might be worth it to ask them to ride with you to the parks! Only one person in your vehicle needs to be an Annual Passholder in order to receive free parking.
If you're staying at any Disney hotel then you'll also receive complimentary parking beginning on your check-in date through your check-out day.
Remember to tell the cast members at the parking booths that you're staying at a Disney hotel so they can lookup your reservation details and give you free parking!
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