Do you have anyone who has ever driven to Yuntai by themselves? Can you drive directly to the top of Yuntai without taking the cable car? Is there a free parking place on top ?

No free parking.

There is parking, but it's not free. You need to pay first when you come out with the parking card.

There are parking places on the cloud top, but I don't know if they are free. Wait a little longer and there will be more professional answers to your questions.

I have been to the Yunding Plateau countless times. Some parking lots require a membership card or hotel guests to enter, and they are free. Other parking lots have started to charge a symbolic fee this year, whereas they used to be free. You can drive directly to the top, but the mountain road above the cable car station is very steep and the turns are sharp. Those who are not skilled in driving should be extremely careful. Many cars that drive up there end up with a burnt smell, which damages the car. When driving downhill, it is necessary to use engine braking to slow down and to take the turns slowly without swerving.