EPCOT Parking – My SECRET Best Spot, Pricing, Tips

When planning a visit to EPCOT, parking is a key consideration. The EPCOT parking lot is vast and well-organized, with different sections named after beloved Disney characters from Finding Nemo, Guardians of the Galaxy, Wall-E, and Moana, to help guests remember where they parked.

There is a daily parking fee, however the standard parking fee is waived for Disney World resort guests and annual passholders. Regular parking is available for standard-sized vehicles, while preferred parking offers spots closer to the park entrance for a higher fee.

Although parking at EPCOT is easy and well-organized with the help of Cast Members, I will go over the best places to park, prices, as well as other tips and tricks for parking at EPCOT!

EPCOT Parking Lot Sections

EPCOT's parking lot is divided into several themed sections, each named after a popular Disney character, making it easy for guests to remember where they parked. These sections offer standard parking spaces and are part of the general parking area for regular-sized vehicles. Each lot is strategically organized to accommodate a large number of guests, and parking attendants are available to direct you to open spaces. These lots are the most common choice for visitors who don't mind a bit of walking or using the tram service to get to the park entrance.

For the best parking experience at EPCOT, guests who prefer convenience should consider opting for preferred parking, which is located near the front entrance. This allows for a shorter walk and quicker access to the park, especially useful during peak hours or after long days of exploring Disney World property. Preferred parking is located in sections closer to the entrance, reducing the walking distance to and from the park. This is especially helpful during busy seasons when the general parking lots can fill up quickly. The preferred parking option is ideal for visitors who want to maximize their time at EPCOT without the hassle of navigating the larger parking area. Preferred parking is often in high demand, so it’s recommended to arrive early if you plan to use this service.

However, if you're looking to save on parking fees, arriving early gives you the chance to park in standard sections such as Rocket, which are still relatively close. Additionally, parking lot trams are available to transport guests from more distant sections to the front gates.

EPCOT Parking Prices

READ MORE – Do You Need More Than One Day at EPCOT?

As for pricing, standard parking at EPCOT currently costs $30 per day for cars and motorcycles. If you opt for preferred parking, the rate is higher at $45 to $55 per day, depending on the season. Guests staying at Disney Resort hotels and Disney World annual passholders  receive complimentary standard parking, and EV charging stations are available in preferred parking areas. If Disney hotel guests or annual passholder wish to park in preferred parking, they are able to pay the difference between standard and preferred parking. Additionally, larger vehicles like campers, RVs, and buses incur a $35 parking fee. These prices are subject to change, so it's always a good idea to verify the rates before your visit.

Standard parking lots: 

• Crush (rows 201-216)
• Moana (rows 301-311), includes handicap/accessible parking spaces
• Dory (rows 401-417)
• Wall-E (rows 501-513)
• Gamora (rows 601-616)
• Rocket (rows 601-616)

Preferred parking lot:

• Hei Hei (rows 100-110)

Best Spots to Park at EPCOT

If you're driving to EPCOT, the first thing I always suggest is to get there as early as possible. That way, you will likely end up parking somewhere in the front half of the parking lot, which is almost always a short walk to the front of the park. If you are arriving to EPCOT later in the day, there is a chance that the parking lot Cast Members will direct you to the front of the parking lot if enough guests have left for the day. The Cast Members always do a great job of maximizing the parking lot spaces and directing traffic as seamlessly as possible.

Secondly, there may be a line of cars, sometimes two lines, to get into the parking lot. It may be tempting to rush to the line that appears to be moving faster, which in theory makes sense. However, whether or not you're in a rush to get into the park, it might be worth waiting in the “longer” line. This is for two possible reasons, the first being that each side of the line may only be moving faster for a short amount of time, and is alternating between a certain amount of cars at a time. I often joke that I always “pick the wrong line” when I'm entering the theme park gates or choosing a checkout line at the grocery store, because even though a line can seem shorter, sometimes it still takes longer. The second reason why it might be worth staying in the longer line is because the closer you are to the end of the parking lot row, the better! For example, if you're getting ready to park in the Crush lot, but you can see that all the cars are being sent to the very end of the row, it's worth waiting in the longer line while the other cars fill up the row! If you're parked towards the end of a row, it's so much easier to find your car at the end of the day, and you will have a short and direct walk to the front of the park!

Another thing to keep in mind is that there are multiple pathways to get to the front of EPCOT from some of the parking lots. It's easy to spot the pathway between the Moana and Hei Hei lots near the monorail tracks that leads straight to the front of EPCOT. However, notice on the map above that there are two small pathways coming from the Moana and Wall-E lots. These are convenient pathways to use when you park in those areas, because you can cut through your lot and use these pathways to walk to the EPCOT entrance from the side. Although these are very convenient, remember to make a sharp right turn when you leave EPCOT to retrace your steps to the car at the end of the day. Many times I get distracted and walk down the straight path and completely forget that I had parked on the opposite end of the Rocket lot!

Unless you park in a preferred parking space, it's hard to predict where you'll be directed to park. However, overall I always try to get as close to a direct pathway as possible, regardless of being in the front of the lot or the back. Even if you have to wait longer to find a spot, it can save you time and hassle trying to find your car at the end of the day, and you'll have a shorter and more direct path to and from the entrance. Similarly to the other Disney World theme parks, there will be parking trams that can help make the walk to and from the park easier. However, these trams can take extra time loading and unloading guests, so if you're in a rush and were able to snag a convenient parking spot near a direct pathway, I usually recommend walking.

Free Transportation to EPCOT

If you're debating whether or not you will rent or drive your car to Disney World, keep in mind that Disney World offers free and convenient transportation throughout Disney World property. The transportation system includes buses, monorails, boats, and the popular Skyliner gondolas, all of which connect the theme parks, water parks, Disney Resort hotels, and Disney Springs. T

he buses operate frequently and run between most destinations, providing a reliable and stress-free way to travel. The iconic monorail system links Magic Kingdom, EPCOT, and select resorts, while boats offer scenic rides to and from certain parks and hotels. The Disney Skyliner provides a unique aerial experience, connecting EPCOT and Disney's Hollywood Studios to several resorts. With these transportation options, guests can easily move around the resort, enjoy a seamless experience, and avoid the hassle of parking. If you plan on using Disney World's transportation services during your vacation, be sure to check out our complete guide to Disney World transportation to learn the ins and outs of how it works!

EPCOT is by far the easiest park to get to when it comes to both driving a car or using Disney World's transportation system. EPCOT is very centrally located on Disney World property, and is easily drivable between the theme parks, resorts, and Disney Springs. EPCOT is the only park where guests can take any mode of Disney World transportation! Guests can take the monorail, buses, boats, Skyliner, or even walk to EPCOT from some areas, making it just another reason why it's my favorite Disney World park!

Other EPCOT Parking Tips and Tricks

Taking into account everything we've gone over so far, you can probably tell that there are several options when it comes to parking at EPCOT. Since it's the easiest park to access, I often find myself visiting EPCOT not only because I love everything it has to offer, but because it's so easy to park hop to and from other parks, even the Magic Kingdom, which has the most complicated parking compared to anywhere else on Disney World property. Guests can take the monorail from the Magic Kingdom and several resorts to EPCOT very easily, which is not only convenient but fun. The track actually goes through some of EPCOT before driving into the station, which gives guests a fun aerial view as they head to the park. Guests can also use the Skyliner to get to EPCOT from Hollywood Studios or several incredible resorts, which is also a fun and unique mode of transportation.

If you're planning on staying at one of the amazing Disney World resorts during your next trip, I would consider one of the resorts located near EPCOT, as they can give you easy access to EPCOT as well as the convenient transportation throughout all of Disney World property. You can even walk to EPCOT from the resorts located in the BoardWalk area, which is a fun promenade of shops, restaurants, and bars which is fun for all ages.

Lastly, whether you're parking at EPCOT or any of the Disney World theme parks, I recommend using the car locator feature in the My Disney Experience app. Given the vast size of Disney's parking lots and the excitement of visiting the parks, it can be easy to forget exactly where you parked. The car locator feature makes it simple to track your car's location, so you don't have to worry about wandering around looking for your vehicle at the end of the day. To use the car locator, you can open the My Disney Experience app and navigate to the feature, typically found under the “More” menu. Sometimes you may even receive a notification from the My Disney Experience app letting you know that the feature is available for use. The app uses GPS to detect your location and suggests the parking lot and row you're parked in. You can manually enter additional details, such as the parking lot section or nearby markers, for extra accuracy.

Read More Disney Planning Advice!

For more information about the parks and the best planning information for your Disney trip, subscribe to our FREE Deals newsletter. We’ll provide you with helpful guides, all of the latest news, exclusive Disney deals, and access to the lowest-priced Disney tickets anywhere.