I - Day Parking

future_navy_mom

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Dec 9, 2011
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We are staying at the Navy Lodge in Annapolis for I-Day. Just wanted to here from you who are experienced with I-Day in previous years. What was your experience with parking for I-Day? We are just now thinking through the concerns of being 10 minutes away and getting him there on time. Would love to hear some advise on how to best plan for this.

Thank you ahead of time.
 
Do you have a DS or DD being inducted? If so, you will be there earlier than all of the other curious onlookers. Usually, you park at Navy / Marine Corps Stadium and they bus you over to the Yard. At the hour that you have to report, there will be tons of parking there.

Even if you don't have an incoming Plebe, the stadium is your best parking spot.
 
Agreed, Stadium is the best.

Do you have a DoD sticker?

If so, you can park at Hubbard Hall or fire station and walk across College Creek bridge and Alumi Hall is right there.
 
Agreed, Stadium is the best.

Do you have a DoD sticker?

Military bases -- at least in the Washington, DC area -- are no longer issuing or requiring stickers. They are doing away w/stickers b/c everyone has to show ID anyway, which makes the stickers somewhat redundant. It's cost effective not to have to print the stickers or have people who have to hand them out.

So, if you have a military ID, you're ok regardless of your car -- or at least SHOULD BE.:smile:
 
If you have a handicapped card, as my parents did, they were able to go into an office area adjacent to the main gate and secure something that enabled them to park directly on the USNA grounds for I-Day. They arrived a day early to get this so that they wouldn't be winging it on I-Day. Even with that, parking was very scarce on the yard and the hotel shuttle is a good source of travel. Of course, this was 2 years ago, so not sure if it is the same. Plan to arrive early for everything and wait in lines. Traffic is crazy with lots of one ways and dead ends.
 
I haven't heard of all Navy Installations doing away with DOD stickers, it is up to each base commanding officer.

Hurricane12, et. al., are they doing away with DOD decals?
 
I haven't heard of all Navy Installations doing away with DOD stickers, it is up to each base commanding officer.

Hurricane12, et. al., are they doing away with DOD decals?

I was surprised to hear this as well. 2012 has decals to park on the yard, 2013 is getting them. Considering the nightmare that is parking on the yard now, I can't imagine what it'd be like sans decals (presumably still have class year stickers, but still).
 
  • Stadium is best with lots of spaces. Get there early with time to kill. Shuttles run about every 15 minutes to Alumni Hall. Don't leave the camera in the car! I did and still hearing about it. If it is still the same when your Mid arrives and standing around outside Alumni Hall they will be ushered in. Report might be 0800 but you show up at 0715 and they will point them to the door. Believe me they can spot a Plebe a mile off. Spend some time under the tents across from the entrance.
 
I was surprised to hear this as well. 2012 has decals to park on the yard, 2013 is getting them. Considering the nightmare that is parking on the yard now, I can't imagine what it'd be like sans decals (presumably still have class year stickers, but still).

I suppose there could be "parking" stickers. But for military bases where parking really isn't an issue (which is the case for most bases), you don't need a sticker to get on base (i.e. Quantico, Ft. Myer, Bolling, etc.) It WILL be interesting to see what happens when folks who can't get stickers (b/c many bases no longer hand them out) want to drive onto USNA. I guess I'll check before we try . . . :rolleyes:
 
usna1985,

Where are you finding that information? The only information that I know is that the Army is no longer requiring DOD Decals (this is at the Service and Installation Commanding Officer's discretion), with that said, the only bases that I have heard that do not require decals are the Army Installations within the Military District of Washington -- which is not the same as the Naval District of Washington.

It is a very bad idea to remove decals because if a base requires them, then looks like you are out of luck.
 
The not issuing stickers issue has been reversed (as far as I've heard) because that is how the DoD fulfills its responsibility to the states for all vehicles to be emissions compliant. In doing so, it allows active duty to not have to register their vehicles with in (typically) 30 days of arrival at a new duty station.
 
For those not otherwise involved in the military, the general rule for parking on the Yard at USNA is that parents of current mids are permitted to do that on MOST occasions by showing the special ID card issued to them. I-day in the past has not been NOT one of those days, so while you can drop people off, due to overall congestion on the Yard, you can't drive on.

There are some exceptions made for those with handicap stickers, but the person with the handicap has to be in the vehicle, so you can't just borrow a handicap placard from a relative.

Generally, parking at the stadium is the best alternative on I-day if your hotel is not within DTA and you are not otherwise associated with the military and therefore don't have those other parking stickers being discussed above.

Read the instructions provided with the PTR package to determine the specific recommendations for this year, since what was done in the past few years may not be exactly the same this year.
 
usna1985,

Where are you finding that information? The only information that I know is that the Army is no longer requiring DOD Decals (this is at the Service and Installation Commanding Officer's discretion), with that said, the only bases that I have heard that do not require decals are the Army Installations within the Military District of Washington -- which is not the same as the Naval District of Washington.

It is a very bad idea to remove decals because if a base requires them, then looks like you are out of luck.

We ran into this at "joint base" Ft Myer (USA)/Henderson Hall (USMC), when we went to get a sticker for a new car. They said they weren't issuing them. When we went to Quantico sans sticker, no problem. An active duty friend who works at "the hospital formerly known as Bethesda Naval" :smile: said she'd heard the same thing, although it's technically an Army base now.

I don't think they're telling people to remove stickers, just not issuing new ones, at least around here. If the policy has been rescinded, it's been in the last 4 weeks, b/c that's when we were told stickers were no longer available.

It seems odd to only make it in one area or one service. Military people transit all of the time especially in areas such as DC with lots of bases of all services, and having different policies seems non-sensical. I could see issuing base stickers or some sticker that allows parking on particular bases, I suppose . . .

Finally, I'm only reporting our experience. Not saying I necessarily agree or disagree.
 
I am not sure why DOD decided to leave it up to each Service (or even subordinate to that) to decide whether decals will be enforced since it affects all Services jointly.

As in the past, parking on the Yard is not authorized unless you have a DOD Decal or handicap pass. On I-Day, showing a Permit to Report authorization and ID card (normally) can allow you to drive on to the Yard for drop-off ONLY, however, parking is not allowed.
 
Alumni Hall Parking

I am not sure why DOD decided to leave it up to each Service (or even subordinate to that) to decide whether decals will be enforced since it affects all Services jointly.

As in the past, parking on the Yard is not authorized unless you have a DOD Decal or handicap pass. On I-Day, showing a Permit to Report authorization and ID card (normally) can allow you to drive on to the Yard for drop-off ONLY, however, parking is not allowed.

Does parking at Alumni Hall constitute parking on the yard? I'm asking because it looks like there is a parking lot next to the hall.
Thanks...
 
^^ If you have to drive through one of the security gates that surround the Yard, then the same rules would apply that I mentioned earlier. Once on the property of the Naval Academy, there are no other checkpoints to determine who parks where.
 
We were able to park on the yard for I-Day and PPW last year with a military ID and were instructed to place our rental car contract on the dashboard.
 
Correct, a rental agreement and military ID are normally accepted in lieu of a DOD Decal.
 
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