Parking and park closing

[Ryzer]

My wife, kids, and I are going to the parks for the first time. I had a question on parking and park closing. We are set for park opening at Animal Kingdom (AK). We are planning to park hop to Epcot or Magic Kingdom (MK) for the afternoon to evening time. I see that AK closes earlier than the other parks. Can we stay for park close at MK or Epcot and take a bus back to AK to pick up our vehicle in the parking lot even though that park has closed? Thanks for the help.

[reaganbetter]

Yes, you can leave your car at Animal Kingdom but logically it's more challenging with park hopping. Animal Kingdom closes the earliest. So, parking is at your own risk without the added security when the park is open. Disney ends transportation typically 1 hour to 1-hour ½ after each park closing. There are several other options. These are some that I came up with.
OPTION 1.
-Arrive at 11AM at EPCOT when they open and drop your car off.
-Take the FREE SHUTTLE Walt Disney World Bus from the EPCOT bus terminal to Animal Kingdom.
ALL buses are FREE for the general public to use. They run 1 hour before and 1 hour after each park closing. Sometimes 1 hour 1/2 if parks are busy.
-VISIT ANIMAL KINGDOM till like 2:00pm or 3:00pm and take FREE DISNEY BUS FROM THE TERMINAL TO MAGIC KINGDOM.
-VISIT MAGIC KINGDOM till 8:00pm. Unless, you plan to stay to 9:00pm park closing. MK reopens fireworks July 1st.
-TAKE THE DISNEY FREE SHUTTLE BUS TO EPCOT
-VISIT PARK AND GO HOME OR HOTEL. EPCOT is the park that closes late (between 10pm and 11pm) at night. Park hours are subject to change. They keep expanding for busy season. Epcot also does fireworks at end of each night. They start July 1st.

OPTION 2. VISIT ALL 4 PARKS IN ONE DAY WITH PARK HOPPING. IF you can get reservations.
-Arrive at 10AM at Hollywood Studios.
-Take the shuttle bus to Animal Kingdom. Stay there until 1:30pm.
-Depart by bus to Magic Kingdom. Arrive at Park by 2:00pm.
-Arrive Magic Kingdom. stay in park till 6pm.
-Take shuttle bus to Hollywood Studio. Stay at Hollywood till park closing at 8pm
-Take the FREE DISNEY SKYLINER, right outside the park entrance to EPCOT.
-Stay in Epcot to park closing.
-Use Skyliner back to Hollywood Studios.
----Disney guests and employees can use THE FREE WATER Shuttle on the huge lake. From Hollywood to Epcot.
Disney also shuttles to by water to BOARDWALK DISNEY for ice cream, shopping, and hotels located on the lake.

OPTION 3. DISNEY SPRINGS, FREE PARKING AND DISNEY BUS TERMINAL
DISNEY SPRINGS is now open 10AM-11pm everyday.
-They offer free Disney Shuttle Bus Service to all the parks. Buses run continuously until 1 hour after each park closure.
-Disney has a huge parking garage that is secure and FREE for public to use.
-Unlike the Disney Resorts, Disney Springs does not require a meal reservation requirement for public to park for FREE.
-Disney Springs is a 100% great alternative for people not wanting to pay $25.00 to leave car at the parks in the lot.
-Factory Outlet Shopping at Disney Springs, hospitality places of food and drinks.

SKYLINER: Is free for everyone to use around the lake for Epcot, Hollywood Studios, Rivera, and all the Disney Resorts including hotels. Great for after park food, drinks and shopping as well.
FREE DISNEY BOATS: Disney offers free boat shuttles (like a boat taxi without requiring $$$) to general public around the lake.
BUS: To all the resorts and parks
MONORAIL: Free tram shuttle to the resorts and Magic Kingdom park on the lake.
DISNEY FERRY: For Magic Kingdom only from the parking area to go arrows the lake.

FREE PUBLIC PARKING AT DISNEY RESORTS WITH A ONLINE OR MEAL RESERVATION.
-Disney offers FREE PUBLIC PARKING at any of the resorts. As long, as you have some type of lunch of dinner reservations at a restaurant.
This system is like a parking validation but not in writing. They take your word for it. You can get fined or towed if you don't meet this meal reservation requirement. Disney does have a way to figure out what people are cutting corners. Some resorts are gated like The Disney Floridian on the lake near Magic Kingdom. You simple show the online reservation you made to the guard at the booth or the guard has the reservation in the resort system to look you up.
MAJOR PERK. You can visit any of the parks and leave your car parked. (as long, as you meet hospitality requirement)

[DLandChris]

Sometimes they run buses back to AK later, but most likely not after MK closes. If you pay for parking at AK, save your receipt and usually you can show it at the other park, let them know you’re park hopping and they won’t charge you again. They have also been doing free parking if you’re staying at a resort, but I don’t know how long that’ll last. I guess the summary is to drive to the other park but you should be fine.