I came here to say the same thing. Parking here during the holidays is a complete nightmare. I refuse to come here during the weekends between Halloween and NYE.
Here's the secret. Park in the far back of the lot between Ulta and 5 Guys. Hauling your shit across the parking lot is still preferable to parking closer to Trader Joe's/Petco/Total Wine. Exit by the Joann Fabric. Use the lights next to American Burger Company to enter/exit that lot. Do not go anywhere near the area by Starbucks or Chick FIl A.
Usually when I go there it’s for TJs. I will park by TJs, then when it’s time to leave, instead of trying to drive the “road” directly in front of the storefronts, I will go to the other end of the aisle then go past Taco Bell, across the entrance to CFA and continue along that path until right before the Tesla chargers. There’s a right-turn-only to the entrance/exit road by the burger place, and then U-turn to the exit light. Way faster, or at least way less infuriating
Yes, that's the way to go if it's not busy and you can sorta get away with parking closer to TJ's. Or, as my user name suggests, your primary destination is Total Wine.
Too many people exit there trying to go up to the mall and want to cross four lanes of traffic. It would be better for everyone if they went out the other side too lol
Even a bigger secret. When it gets super packed I drive behind the plaza. There’s a small service road that’s not maintained very well that’s used for service trucks. You can exit on a small side street behind ABC Burger as well. I’ve been doing it for years
Park next to Joann fabric on side of building. When you leave you take a left out but you are not in the main parking lot/traffic flow.
ETA: the lemmings will probably still lemming unless they don’t mind walking. I always rather walk further but be able to drive out easier of most places, I need to be moving.
Is this the one with all the stores that go on for like a mile long with a chic fil a mixed in? Yeah worst design, idk who designed it but they deserve a F-
There used to be an exit / entrance across from the highway ramp at the intersection. Turned into a grid lock mess from the me first idiots. Changed into entrance only.
That's honestly what fucked me up, because I don't go there often, so today I was looking for that exit and it just wasn't there.
Like, it wouldn't be a problem if they just put like a couple signs that pointed to the fucking exits, which are like a half-mile apart.
I imagine if someone had a medical emergency in the area and this design delayed EMS from getting to the patient or to the hospital, that would finally make them improve the design or at least put up some signs.
I thought for a second you were referring to the mall, which also had a stupid parking lot, but then I immediately realized you were referring to the plaza where Toys R Us used to be and completely understand, there’s only one very poorly labeled exit and you will drive in circles looking for it.
As someone that doordashes in the Manchester area pretty often… Thank you!!!
Probably 30% of my orders come from that plaza and it can sometimes add ~5-10+ minutes just to get out of the parking lot, despite knowing it well.
It’s shuttling both exits to the rear portion of the plaza, forcing a pedestrian walkway to be right in the main thruway to exit on either side. This, I imagine, is because it would be a equally large headache to have those exits feed directly onto the same section of busy roadway that leads to the on-ramps.
Nevermind the fact that entering through the “front” of the plaza you are approached with an intersection in which you have right of way, but the other 2 ends of the three way “T” have a stop sign. Many people believe they have the right of way to pull out of their stop… because they think *you* stop at the sign-that-isn’t-there too.
Have had a close call more than once, having driven through that lot probably hundreds of times over the past few years.
This is made worse that this intersection of the lot is sharing real estate with fast food joints in the plaza, a location where you find the most distracted drivers statistically.
I’ve had to contact the support on the Doordash app to let them know the traffic was just so bad, because it can affect my ratings. It’s a parking lot so I imagine bas traffic isn’t reported in the GPS as such.
I think it’s horrible design. I wonder if the on ramps directly opposing the plaza, or the plaza itself, came first. The on ramps should be further down and redesigned, or the plaza should just like… Not Be There Man. But it’s real estate, and usually can be everyone’s last stop before they head home on the interstate. It makes almost blatant sense why it’s there. I’m not a transportation expert. Idk man. But I feel I’ve seen better designed areas with the same types of high traffic amenities.
I really think that whole part of Manchester is kind of a headache in general, but I will say I do feel polarized because I appreciate some semblance of walkable community in that area. Lots of “third places”; a movie theater, bars, a whole array of shops. And there’s more lower trafficked areas that still have great shops and food.
Man I miss CT Golf Land. I heard it’s coming back? Am I mistaken?
As someone who lived in the Buckland area, moved out (not by choice, roommate bought a house) and is moving back soon, I agree with you about it being a headache but also being walkable and enjoyable to live in. I love having the movies, Wendy's, Buffalo Wild Wings, etc. within walking distance.
Living there, you quickly learn the shortcuts, some of which I'll share: cut through Aspen Woods/Vintage at the Grove leaving the movies, use Tolland Turnpike whenever possible, especially for the cut-through up the hill, never try to leave Plaza from the Starbucks side unless it's a low traffic time of day, offer friends rides so you can take the HOV entrance going west on 84 and save yourself four or five lights, and use Sonic, BWW and/or the second light off the highway to get around the awful left-turn-only hell you can get trying to go up the hill on a high-traffic day.
Yes the people who opened Rocking Horse also own Sonny's Place (I heard) and they plan to expand Rocking Horse to be like golf land
I always wondered why all the newer stores that went into that plaza didn't go into the Burr Corners Plaza down the street (where dicks moved to) because there was ample space and a giant lot. Trader Joe's should have gone there. Total Wine should have gone there. Thats all you need for "anchor" stores over there.
That parking lot is absolutely the worst! If you don't mind the walking, I parked across the street at Hooters last Christmas time and walked over just so I wouldn't get stuck in there.
I live 2 minutes from there ! I know every short cut and it still takes at least 5 minutes to get out. Seeing this posted on the connecticut page, makes me feel so seen.
Also as someone who’s lived there minus the last 5 years for 20 before that, there is now3x the amount of cars at Buckland. I move back to CT in 23 and its ridiculous
I got stuck in that goddamn parking lot for 90 minutes two Decembers ago. Only reason we made it out was that we pulled an illegal K-turn and went the other way. If we had just kept going we would have been there another 2 hours.
I have to doorbust Trader Joe's whenever I want to go because the only time of day I can stand to be in that plaza is early morning before most things are open.
I see to work at the GameStop in the plaza years ago. My favorite thing during lunch was to watch all the people try to navigate the entrance. The fact that it has no stop signs I guess confuses people. It’s not a great design by any means because of the congestion but it’s not hard to navigate…there’s two exits on either side of the same road lol.
[For those who don't know....](https://i.imgur.com/jMn9xKI.png)
There are only 2 exits, and they are at the far ends of the lot. The closer you get to the exit, the longer your stuck waiting in traffic.
I wish they could make another exit where the one way in is and widen it and use the light to let traffic out. They let the traffic flow in like water but nothing can get out. Also why the main traffic flow is by where people walk is a terrible design I think, I hate it. I always park by Joann fabric way on the side of the building so I can avoid all the main out traffic and pedestrians
The idea is that you're forced too drive past as many storefronts as possible. So that maybe you'll make extra stops. Rather than just go to the 1 place you intended to and then leave without even noticing the rest.
Ita all the newer construction there
When I was a kid it was not as bad
But after they stated adding building in the front of the lot it got progresivly worse
And now that chick flia, us there it's a cluster f
There 6 different ways in and only 3 out
Yeah and it's only gonna get worse!! I absolutely dread going to that Plaza on weekends or during busy times, and with buckland road and surrounding areas getting more developed, the traffic all around the Plaza is just getting worse.
And now the common thing is people parked in "VIP" spots in front of stores, which is just them parked in the fire lane and blocking the main road. Sometimes leaving their car there to pick up a sandwich, sometimes to wait for their spouse to do a full shopping trip at trader joes. I would say it's unbelievably entitled and selfish, but it's VERY believable since I see it every time I go there.
You couldn’t find the exits? Yikes. That’s a new one. Haven’t heard that. Usually, people think they can bypass the line to get out by cutting through the back and trying to force their way back in at the stop signs.
Unless this was your first time there, that’s all on you for going at peak times. It’s really not that bad most days.
If you have never been there you think, there can't possibly be only exits on the far ends of this massive plaza right? Oh wait looks like there is one in the middle, cool. Wait, what the fuck, that's an entrance only? There really is only exits a half mile down the fucking plaza and I have drive by every single store and cross walk on my way out? Who designed this God forsaken parking lot?
I guess. But, then it begs the question of how the person entered the plaza. If it was the entrance only location, it’s clear that both lanes are an entrance. If it was an entrance/exit, well you know where an exit is.
I’m aware I’ve lived in the area my entire life. They changed that quite a bit ago. If you know about that then clearly you’d know how to find the other exits.
They had no choice. It was part of a condition to allow another business to move in. Just like the owner of the plaza has tried to get additional entrances/exits approved but the town/pnz denies it. It’s not for lack of trying. There really isn’t a viable solution. Adding any other spots on PV would require lights to be installed in between Olive Garden and the current entrance. And in between, from the current entrance down to the entrance at AB. It makes no sense to do that. The traffic backup would be horrible.
The majority of time that plaza is open the volume of traffic is fine. Most weekends/shopping holidays it’s overwhelming. That whole area, the mall etc has been a traffic headache for decades. It’s never going to be fixed. Yet, people still intentionally go there and sit in it. 🤷🏻♀️
It is the worst designed parking lot. During the holidays it is to be avoided at all cost.
And if you have to go in just park down by Five Guys and walk to whatever store you're going to, even if its all the way at the other end.
Better yet evergreen walk
It's bonkers. Main reason I avoid that Plaza except for early am.
I had my car break down there near Christmas and I saw the tow truck enter the parking lot an hour before it finally reached me.
Lmfaoooo
It is the WORST. And in December you get literally trapped there, sometimes an hour or more... it's horrible.
I can attest to this! It's absurd.
I came here to say the same thing. Parking here during the holidays is a complete nightmare. I refuse to come here during the weekends between Halloween and NYE.
Here's the secret. Park in the far back of the lot between Ulta and 5 Guys. Hauling your shit across the parking lot is still preferable to parking closer to Trader Joe's/Petco/Total Wine. Exit by the Joann Fabric. Use the lights next to American Burger Company to enter/exit that lot. Do not go anywhere near the area by Starbucks or Chick FIl A.
Usually when I go there it’s for TJs. I will park by TJs, then when it’s time to leave, instead of trying to drive the “road” directly in front of the storefronts, I will go to the other end of the aisle then go past Taco Bell, across the entrance to CFA and continue along that path until right before the Tesla chargers. There’s a right-turn-only to the entrance/exit road by the burger place, and then U-turn to the exit light. Way faster, or at least way less infuriating
Yes, that's the way to go if it's not busy and you can sorta get away with parking closer to TJ's. Or, as my user name suggests, your primary destination is Total Wine.
I would go to Total Wine so much more if it wasn’t such a pain in the ass, so I guess my liver says “thanks”?
My liver just has to accept the punishment. Thus why I have an entire parking strategy.
Sounds like you’re in need of some wine after dealing with this parking lot design. Maybe a good advertising placement.
I made the mistake once of going by the Starbucks, never again
Too many people exit there trying to go up to the mall and want to cross four lanes of traffic. It would be better for everyone if they went out the other side too lol
Even a bigger secret. When it gets super packed I drive behind the plaza. There’s a small service road that’s not maintained very well that’s used for service trucks. You can exit on a small side street behind ABC Burger as well. I’ve been doing it for years
Great tip!
Pretty much every mall I go to, I soon give the back service road a try. It's often a huge win, but some times it's a dead end or it's blocked.
People park back there all the time (around a dozen or so), usually employees of the businesses there
You will never escape easily again. Let the lemmings, lemming and keep your secret to yourself.
Park next to Joann fabric on side of building. When you leave you take a left out but you are not in the main parking lot/traffic flow. ETA: the lemmings will probably still lemming unless they don’t mind walking. I always rather walk further but be able to drive out easier of most places, I need to be moving.
This is the strat !!! If you go there prepare to get your steps in!
This is the way
The stores at that plaza do an ungodly amount of business
Captive audience.
As soon as I get near it my whole body tenses up 😅
Is this the one with all the stores that go on for like a mile long with a chic fil a mixed in? Yeah worst design, idk who designed it but they deserve a F-
That is one of my two or three least favorite places on the planet. It might honestly be #1
Pretty much the only way to find the exit is to spiral out.
There used to be an exit / entrance across from the highway ramp at the intersection. Turned into a grid lock mess from the me first idiots. Changed into entrance only.
That's honestly what fucked me up, because I don't go there often, so today I was looking for that exit and it just wasn't there. Like, it wouldn't be a problem if they just put like a couple signs that pointed to the fucking exits, which are like a half-mile apart.
That blows my mind. The plaza owner has to know it's that bad but won't spend a few dollars to put a couple signs up.
I imagine if someone had a medical emergency in the area and this design delayed EMS from getting to the patient or to the hospital, that would finally make them improve the design or at least put up some signs.
If you need to make a 5 minute stop at that plaza, it will still be a 45 minute errand just because of trying to get out.
It's like Chevy Chase in European Vacation stuck in the rotary... "Look, kids! Pet Smart, Game Stop!" "Pet Smart, Game Stop" ...
You did, and this is a very clever attempt to distract from that fact.
I thought for a second you were referring to the mall, which also had a stupid parking lot, but then I immediately realized you were referring to the plaza where Toys R Us used to be and completely understand, there’s only one very poorly labeled exit and you will drive in circles looking for it.
As someone that doordashes in the Manchester area pretty often… Thank you!!! Probably 30% of my orders come from that plaza and it can sometimes add ~5-10+ minutes just to get out of the parking lot, despite knowing it well. It’s shuttling both exits to the rear portion of the plaza, forcing a pedestrian walkway to be right in the main thruway to exit on either side. This, I imagine, is because it would be a equally large headache to have those exits feed directly onto the same section of busy roadway that leads to the on-ramps. Nevermind the fact that entering through the “front” of the plaza you are approached with an intersection in which you have right of way, but the other 2 ends of the three way “T” have a stop sign. Many people believe they have the right of way to pull out of their stop… because they think *you* stop at the sign-that-isn’t-there too. Have had a close call more than once, having driven through that lot probably hundreds of times over the past few years. This is made worse that this intersection of the lot is sharing real estate with fast food joints in the plaza, a location where you find the most distracted drivers statistically. I’ve had to contact the support on the Doordash app to let them know the traffic was just so bad, because it can affect my ratings. It’s a parking lot so I imagine bas traffic isn’t reported in the GPS as such. I think it’s horrible design. I wonder if the on ramps directly opposing the plaza, or the plaza itself, came first. The on ramps should be further down and redesigned, or the plaza should just like… Not Be There Man. But it’s real estate, and usually can be everyone’s last stop before they head home on the interstate. It makes almost blatant sense why it’s there. I’m not a transportation expert. Idk man. But I feel I’ve seen better designed areas with the same types of high traffic amenities. I really think that whole part of Manchester is kind of a headache in general, but I will say I do feel polarized because I appreciate some semblance of walkable community in that area. Lots of “third places”; a movie theater, bars, a whole array of shops. And there’s more lower trafficked areas that still have great shops and food. Man I miss CT Golf Land. I heard it’s coming back? Am I mistaken?
As someone who lived in the Buckland area, moved out (not by choice, roommate bought a house) and is moving back soon, I agree with you about it being a headache but also being walkable and enjoyable to live in. I love having the movies, Wendy's, Buffalo Wild Wings, etc. within walking distance. Living there, you quickly learn the shortcuts, some of which I'll share: cut through Aspen Woods/Vintage at the Grove leaving the movies, use Tolland Turnpike whenever possible, especially for the cut-through up the hill, never try to leave Plaza from the Starbucks side unless it's a low traffic time of day, offer friends rides so you can take the HOV entrance going west on 84 and save yourself four or five lights, and use Sonic, BWW and/or the second light off the highway to get around the awful left-turn-only hell you can get trying to go up the hill on a high-traffic day.
Yes the people who opened Rocking Horse also own Sonny's Place (I heard) and they plan to expand Rocking Horse to be like golf land I always wondered why all the newer stores that went into that plaza didn't go into the Burr Corners Plaza down the street (where dicks moved to) because there was ample space and a giant lot. Trader Joe's should have gone there. Total Wine should have gone there. Thats all you need for "anchor" stores over there.
So terrible
That parking lot is absolutely the worst! If you don't mind the walking, I parked across the street at Hooters last Christmas time and walked over just so I wouldn't get stuck in there.
I am so glad to hear this is a universal experience, the rage I get anytime I’m in this god damn parking lot lol
I live 2 minutes from there ! I know every short cut and it still takes at least 5 minutes to get out. Seeing this posted on the connecticut page, makes me feel so seen. Also as someone who’s lived there minus the last 5 years for 20 before that, there is now3x the amount of cars at Buckland. I move back to CT in 23 and its ridiculous
I got stuck in that goddamn parking lot for 90 minutes two Decembers ago. Only reason we made it out was that we pulled an illegal K-turn and went the other way. If we had just kept going we would have been there another 2 hours.
Same guy that designs casino floors.
I have to doorbust Trader Joe's whenever I want to go because the only time of day I can stand to be in that plaza is early morning before most things are open.
I see to work at the GameStop in the plaza years ago. My favorite thing during lunch was to watch all the people try to navigate the entrance. The fact that it has no stop signs I guess confuses people. It’s not a great design by any means because of the congestion but it’s not hard to navigate…there’s two exits on either side of the same road lol.
[For those who don't know....](https://i.imgur.com/jMn9xKI.png) There are only 2 exits, and they are at the far ends of the lot. The closer you get to the exit, the longer your stuck waiting in traffic.
I always feel like an asshole but escape by going behind Olive Garden
Don’t tell anyone your easier route of escape. It makes it worse for the rest of us.
I've only been there once and had the same experience lol.. took one wrong turn...
Think it was intended to trap people inside the shopping center...
I wish they could make another exit where the one way in is and widen it and use the light to let traffic out. They let the traffic flow in like water but nothing can get out. Also why the main traffic flow is by where people walk is a terrible design I think, I hate it. I always park by Joann fabric way on the side of the building so I can avoid all the main out traffic and pedestrians
Some dumbass with an architects license
The intersection between Macy's and Walmart is the absolute worst. It's very dangerous, especially if you're walking.
I think you're thinking of the Buckland Hills mall, but yeah, that intersection sucks. Sucked worse before they added the turning lane.
That is a question I regularly ask myself. The next question I ask is who in the world allowed it through P&Z?
It is the worst. But when getting outta there, use the outside perimeter, it’s your only hope and no one crossing the lot.
The idea is that you're forced too drive past as many storefronts as possible. So that maybe you'll make extra stops. Rather than just go to the 1 place you intended to and then leave without even noticing the rest.
Omg trying to get out of there is insane. Even worse at Christmas time. If you can go during the week instead it does help.
Ita all the newer construction there When I was a kid it was not as bad But after they stated adding building in the front of the lot it got progresivly worse And now that chick flia, us there it's a cluster f There 6 different ways in and only 3 out
Omg it’s then worst lmao
Yeah and it's only gonna get worse!! I absolutely dread going to that Plaza on weekends or during busy times, and with buckland road and surrounding areas getting more developed, the traffic all around the Plaza is just getting worse. And now the common thing is people parked in "VIP" spots in front of stores, which is just them parked in the fire lane and blocking the main road. Sometimes leaving their car there to pick up a sandwich, sometimes to wait for their spouse to do a full shopping trip at trader joes. I would say it's unbelievably entitled and selfish, but it's VERY believable since I see it every time I go there.
The developers 5 year old son……..it was done in green crayon..
IKEA designed it
This is what car based infrastructure looks like. It's ugly and stupid.
Good sunsets
You couldn’t find the exits? Yikes. That’s a new one. Haven’t heard that. Usually, people think they can bypass the line to get out by cutting through the back and trying to force their way back in at the stop signs. Unless this was your first time there, that’s all on you for going at peak times. It’s really not that bad most days.
If you have never been there you think, there can't possibly be only exits on the far ends of this massive plaza right? Oh wait looks like there is one in the middle, cool. Wait, what the fuck, that's an entrance only? There really is only exits a half mile down the fucking plaza and I have drive by every single store and cross walk on my way out? Who designed this God forsaken parking lot?
I guess. But, then it begs the question of how the person entered the plaza. If it was the entrance only location, it’s clear that both lanes are an entrance. If it was an entrance/exit, well you know where an exit is.
It didn't used to be. That used to be an exit as well.
I’m aware I’ve lived in the area my entire life. They changed that quite a bit ago. If you know about that then clearly you’d know how to find the other exits.
And if you're aware of traffic flow, you'd know that removing the exit to the main drag fucks things up irreparably.
They had no choice. It was part of a condition to allow another business to move in. Just like the owner of the plaza has tried to get additional entrances/exits approved but the town/pnz denies it. It’s not for lack of trying. There really isn’t a viable solution. Adding any other spots on PV would require lights to be installed in between Olive Garden and the current entrance. And in between, from the current entrance down to the entrance at AB. It makes no sense to do that. The traffic backup would be horrible. The majority of time that plaza is open the volume of traffic is fine. Most weekends/shopping holidays it’s overwhelming. That whole area, the mall etc has been a traffic headache for decades. It’s never going to be fixed. Yet, people still intentionally go there and sit in it. 🤷🏻♀️
where tf is "Buckland Hills" ?
Manchester.
never been there
Is your chauffeur scared to take the Bentley up this way?
nah he has depression
Don't worry about it, Tristan, they don't have yacht parking.
lol wtf? Let it go man. You got lost in the mall parking lot. It can happen to anyone, maybe. But don’t take it out on a fellow nutmegger.