To spend €50 extra for the short term car park or 'brave' the long term at Dublin Aiport?

[pontipinemum]

I have a weekend away booked early in the new year. I am meeting friends at our destination but I will be flying alone.

Going out is fine, it will be early afternoon. But coming home I will land in around 10pm.

When we travel as a family we always use the L.T. car park and for this weekend it would be €35

The short term (which is 'drop and go') is €84

I'm just uneasy about going off to the L.T. car park which will be terribly lit alone. It would be nice to go straight into the multi story car park beside the terminal and have someone hand me my keys.

YABU - park in the long term
YANBU - park in the short term

If you can afford it then do it.

It depends if you can easily afford it!

Not going to vote because neither option is reasonable or unreasonable. If you can afford it and want to pay for it, crack on. It doesn't matter what anyone else would or wouldn't do.

Just do what you want, OP - you don't need anyone else's permission.

@BoredZelda @GertrudePerkinsPaperyThing I can afford it. I am by no means rich and this weekend is already costing a fortune so the €50 could be spent on that. But this is not a regular occurrence for me, I don't think I have been on a weekend away without DH in about 7 years.

Is there an off site parking company that takes you and collects you in a minibus?

I'd park short term. When you get back you just want to go to your car and drive off, not wait for a shuttle late at night on your own. Any delays and you'll be later than that.

I hadn't realised that short term was an option for weekend stays, I assumed it would be limited to 24 hours or an exorbitant price.

I'm heading away tomorrow and am using Drop & Go, I've used it once before and it's brilliant!!
It's absolutely worth the money to me, especially if you are getting in late.
Getting in late and having to trek to the LT car park... no thanks!!

I used to use the drop and go when Quick Park used to do it. I must say it was nice not having to mind my keys!!

@EarthlyNightshade it would be crazy money if you just parked there without booking - I know of a few people that did that.

@Adulthumanfemale70 no, I would drive to a 'drop' point in the car park then hand my car and my keys over to an attendant. When I get back in (they have flight times/ details) my car will be waiting for me. No mini bus

The drop and go service at Dublin airport is fantastic. Well worth the extra money.

They're obviously really pushing the drop and go because short term parking cost alone is more expensive, which seems weird to me.
We went away in Sept and didn't use D&G (think it was booked out) and found it really hard to find a parking space in the short term car park (even with a booking paid for). So for that fact alone it's worth it.

Honestly, when I did use it, it was so easy and hassle free - go for it @pontipinemum.

Definitely short-term it's a more pleasant and convenient way to end your trip.

@TaraMock I spotted that and thought it was strange since someone needs to be working to do it. But then thought IDK where they actually park the car could well be in one of the LT car parks.

I think I will, as I said I can afford it but that is only a recent enough thing so I still find it strange to spend money a bit more freely.

I booked the short term. Yes I was way over thinking this. But having spare cash and not doing everything as cheap as possible is a fairly new thing for me

I've always used the red car park - and with flights getting in later than that on occasion AND with a two hour drive ahead of me - and never found it scary or problematic. Yes a bit of a pain in the ass, but not so much that I would waste money on doing otherwise. The safety aspect wouldn't even occur to me. Honestly, I think that's a bit feeble, whatever about the time saving aspect.

It's worth it for a weekend away . Now if it was 2 weeks is when the price is exorbitant. But what about the Red Car Park . It 's not as expensive and perfectly safe.

I thought the red would be similar but just closer.

I've booked the drop off one. I think knowing someone will mind my keys and then be able to just go straight on the road home is too tempting. I'm not too far, about 1.5hr drive but it will have been a long weekend!!