Can I not visit other resorts unless I have dining reservation?

[Heffalump12]

Good evening all! Trying to plan for our upcoming trip and I just came across the Know Before You Go section of the resorts and it says you have to have dining reservations to visit a resort. View here https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/experience-updates/resorts/
So does that mean I can’t go look at the beautiful easter eggs at GF during our mid-day break at MK? I can’t then mosey on over to Capt Cook’s for dinner? Can someone elaborate on this please? Should I make some kind of ADR at GF ASAP? I guess the Poly guests are happy to not have locals jamming up Trader Sams huh?

 

[RoseGold]

You can't get into parking lots with your car, but you can use Disney transportation. Or walk from TTC. Both of those resorts have a lot of looky loos, no big deal.

 

[nonnadisney]

If you use Disney transportation you can. As an example if you leave MK and take the monorail to both resorts than go back to the TTC to get your car or take a bus back to your resort.

 

[ppony]

They just don’t allow resort hopping right now if you do it w/ a car you need to park there. Lyft/Uber or Disney busses will be no problem.

 

[bocaj1431]

Does this also apply to their quick service food locactions?

 

[Turksmom]

Does this also apply to their quick service food locactions?

You can't drive your own car to a resort for quick service. You can take Disney transportation.
* I know someone is going to comment that they just told the guard they were going to the quick service or to shop and were let in with no problem, but that's the exception, not the rule. Don't count on it!

 

[_19disnA]

I agree. People try to get out of paying to park at MK by parking for free at one of the monorail resorts and Disney is wise to that. I am sure the guards hear all sorts of clever explanations why someone should be able to park there. Similarly for the resorts near Epcot or HS. If you ride Disney transportation, no one is going to ask where you are going or where you are staying.

 

[Heffalump12]

You can't get into parking lots with your car, but you can use Disney transportation. Or walk from TTC. Both of those resorts have a lot of looky loos, no big deal.

Yeah I thought it was parking also but the website explicitly says “visit” and the plan disney panel website also reiterated what I mentioned when a guest asked “Can you visit a Disney hotel without having a room or dinner reservations? Just want to go for drinks”. They were answered with a definitive NO, https://plandisney.disney.go.com/question/visit-disney-hotel-without-having-room-dinner-450273/. Of course this was in May 2021 so things may have changed. Is this a way to maybe thwart the amount of guests visiting the resorts? Anyone been rejected when trying to use Disney transportation to visit a Disney resort without ADR? Really appreciate the responses!

 

[Turksmom]

I've never had a trip where I haven't visited another resort (including September of 2020, so that answer is strange). I've always used Disney transportation and never even been questioned. I've also never been questioned at the resort I am staying at when arriving by Disney transportation.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

What we've learned over recent years, the more appealing the parking is at the resort with regard to a theme park, the stricter they are in not allowing people to park who are not staying at that resort. The monorail resorts are not going to allow you to park just to see the resort or do quick service. But bussing there, walking there, or using other Disney transportation is not a problem. There are even reports of Uber/Lyft being turned away for drop-offs, but we've not had the experience first-hand. We usually have our own car.

 

[Heffalump12]

I agree. People try to get out of paying to park at MK by parking for free at one of the monorail resorts and Disney is wise to that. I am sure the guards hear all sorts of clever explanations why someone should be able to park there. Similarly for the resorts near Epcot or HS. If you ride Disney transportation, no one is going to ask where you are going or where you are staying.

Sorry, saw your reply after I posted last response. Ok sounds good! I would think that a lot of folks on Dis would be warning everyone if they got rejected from Disney transportation. I got a little panicked when I read that. I specifically planned an April trip in hopes I could see the Easter eggs…. Whew!

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Sorry, saw your reply after I posted last response. Ok sounds good! I would think that a lot of folks on Dis would be warning everyone if they got rejected from Disney transportation. I got a little panicked when I read that. I specifically planned an April trip in hopes I could see the Easter eggs…. Whew!

No, the restrictions seem to be around parking at the resorts. Not visiting them.....

 

[_19disnA]

Yeah I thought it was parking also but the website explicitly says “visit” and the plan disney panel website.................

Also good to remember none of these 'panels' are stating official Disney policy. Some of those websites are constantly stating things incorrectly. Can't speak to the context of their remarks, but clearly there is a difference between 'visiting' and 'parking' at a Disney resort. When you board the monorail (for example), no one from Disney asks you where you are staying or where you are going. You might want to shop/eat/check out the resort and it doesn't matter which form of Disney transportation you used to get there.

Parking your personal vehicle is restricted at certain resorts to prevent people from gaming the parking fees at places like MK or Epcot. Apparently some people tried to use the QS food pickup as one of the newer excuses to park on the property and then walk to MK.

 

[drusba]

The rules are still the same as pre-pandemic. You can go to any resort using Disney transportation, e.g., you get on a bus to a resort at MK and no one is going to stop you because you are not staying at that resort, or even ask you that question. (Note, a little more than a few decades ago you actually had to show your room key for the applicable resort to get on a resort bus to that resort, but that rule has long been gone.)

You can drive and park at a resort at which you are not a resident as long as you have an acceptable excuse for doing so: such as a restaurant reservation, or you are among those who will be attending a special event at the resort (e.g., at BWV some convention group event), or you will actually be visiting someone staying at the resort (which that person needs to set up for your entry before you arrive), or at any resort with a golf course you can enter if you are going to the course. If you have already valet parked for the day at your home resort, you can also go to any other resort that has valet parking and valet park at that resort (no extra charge if you are already being charged for it at home resort) and it matters not whether you have any other acceptable excuse for parking at the resort, e.g., you can valet park in that situation even if you ar using the resort just to get to a park.

Note also, that even if you have a valid excuse for entry to park at a resort, such as a restaurant reservation, you face a three hour parking limit (inapplicable to valet parking or to a special event that will lasts more than three hours) which is generally enforced at any near park resorts, such as the MK resorts, Epcot resorts, and Studio resorts (at least Riviera), and also at AK.

Despite any of the rules, sometimes a gate guard might let you in despite lack of one the acceptable excuses for doing so.

 

[RoseGold]

Another acceptable excuse is to meet with DVC, which will likely be selling the new VGF building by then. It's not a lie if it's true. Also would work for RIV.

 

[tofubeast]

There is no signage when you exit the monorail saying that only hotel guests or those with ADRs can explore the resort. What the Panelist said does match what is linked on the website, but if that really was the rule, they'd have it posted (and would be swiping magic bands etc). As others have said, the only issue is if you try and park. We viewed the holiday decorations at GH and Polynesian with no issue when taking the monorail. Heck, the doorman at the Polynesian even gave us leis! (We will be guests there next month, so we consider it an early welcome.)

 

[Mrs.AMC]

Yeah I thought it was parking also but the website explicitly says “visit” and the plan disney panel website also reiterated what I mentioned when a guest asked “Can you visit a Disney hotel without having a room or dinner reservations? Just want to go for drinks”. They were answered with a definitive NO, https://plandisney.disney.go.com/question/visit-disney-hotel-without-having-room-dinner-450273/. Of course this was in May 2021 so things may have changed. Is this a way to maybe thwart the amount of guests visiting the resorts? Anyone been rejected when trying to use Disney transportation to visit a Disney resort without ADR? Really appreciate the responses!

They are wrong. Things have not changed. They do not restrict the riders on a Poly bus, for instance, to those staying at the Poly or those with an ADR. They don't even check/ask.

 

[musicguy856]

There are many reasons to take a bus to another resort you’re not staying at. One day I left my car at MK and hopped to Epcot and then HS. The quickest way to avoid the MK exit crowds was to bus to Poly from HS and walk to TTC from there.

 

[bocaj1431]

You can't drive your own car to a resort for quick service. You can take Disney transportation.
* I know someone is going to comment that they just told the guard they were going to the quick service or to shop and were let in with no problem, but that's the exception, not the rule. Don't count on it!

Thank you for adding the note about the guard. I don’t want to waste time driving all the way there and then having to drive back to our hotel. Makes sense to just plan to use the DW transportation.

 

[bocaj1431]

Also good to remember none of these 'panels' are stating official Disney policy. Some of those websites are constantly stating things incorrectly. Can't speak to the context of their remarks, but clearly there is a difference between 'visiting' and 'parking' at a Disney resort. When you board the monorail (for example), no one from Disney asks you where you are staying or where you are going. You might want to shop/eat/check out the resort and it doesn't matter which form of Disney transportation you used to get there.

Parking your personal vehicle is restricted at certain resorts to prevent people from gaming the parking fees at places like MK or Epcot. Apparently some people tried to use the QS food pickup as one of the newer excuses to park on the property and then walk to MK.

I was not planning on using QS as an excuse. We love the beignets at POFQ and every trip we always stop by for some. In the past driving and parking there to purchase them has never been a problem. I called DW to find out if that had changed and after 2+ hrs I finally gave up. Was just looking for clarification.