Can I park at other resorts just to check them out?

[chicagodisneyguy]

Did you read the rule in the attached? The rule does explicitly say shopping or enjoying activities is allowed. Also parking at BLT is explicitly allowed for TOTWL when open, if space allows.

Also I followed up and said that it is unlikely to be allowed by the guard given that usually they are at or near capacity. Similar language exists on the WDW site: https://www.disneyholidays.com/walt-disney-world/faq/parking/

I know everyone seems to say the hard rule is when you have dining reservations on here. However, that is when you will be pretty much guaranteed entrance to the parking lot (even sometimes there have been restrictions for that though rare), not the only time. I've been told yes and no when parking but it was always because at capacity, not because it was explicitly not allowed. For instance WL to eat at Geyser Point they let me park, even though I had no reservation. Though I have also been turned away when they are at capacity and asked to park at the Theme Park. But never have I been told once I'm not allowed to park without a dinning reservation, just explicitly told that they are only allowing resort guests to park for the time being because parking is at capacity.

Edit: Adding link and language on the US site: https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/guest-services/parking/

I feel like you are bolding the words that fit the park anywhere opinion. How I think Disney actually intends it

• Standard self-parking is complimentary for day Guests while they enjoy SELECT dining, shopping, entertainment and recreation experiences at Disney Resort hotels.

I don't think they want shopping for a Disney pin at Contemporary at 630am and hope they just leave and not walk to the park.

They've done a lot of things like painting at TOTW or other special events at the Contemporary or BLT. That's who gets the free parking. Jonny motel 6 staying at his dad's place but "wants" a T-shirt (that he won't buy) doesn't get access to the parking lot....or shouldn't.

 

[crvetter]

Is parking explicitly allowed at every resort for shopping or enjoying activities? Is parking for anything else besides TOTWL at BLT? The signs posted at every resort state the same thing: no parking unless you are a hotel guest or have a dining reservation, BLT and TOTWL are the only written exceptions to the rule.

"Day Guests" are those individuals invited by a current resort guest to spend the day with them at the resort.

https://plandisney.disney.go.com/qu...est-resident-visit-during-resort-stay-480810/

Not every resort has that sign at all times. But I will ultimately disagree on the meaning here. But if we are quoting Plan Disney they state the same thing I did
https://plandisney.disney.go.com/qu...rking-free-day-guests-enjoying-dining-576794/

Edit: I personally don't trust plan Disney. Just showing however an interpretation on that site is exactly the OP's request.

 

[crvetter]

I feel like you are bolding the words that fit the park anywhere opinion. How I think Disney actually intends it

• Standard self-parking is complimentary for day Guests while they enjoy SELECT dining, shopping, entertainment and recreation experiences at Disney Resort hotels.

I don't think they want shopping for a Disney pin at Contemporary at 630am and hope they just leave and not walk to the park.

They've done a lot of things like painting at TOTW or other special events at the Contemporary or BLT. That's who gets the free parking. Jonny motel 6 staying at his dad's place but "wants" a T-shirt (that he won't buy) doesn't get access to the parking lot....or shouldn't.

I take that to mean allowing them to enforce discretion. As again I stated in my posts the gate attendant ultimately has the ability to enforce parking restrictions as needed. But there is no blanket policy (as suggested in this thread) that parking is a "no" unless you have a dining reservation.

Edit: On the bolding I didn't intentionally do that given I bolded in the first section. Again I have stated the following in my posts:

However, the caveat to that is the gate agent has final say and more often than not you’ll find them turning you away at near park resorts.

Also I followed up and said that it is unlikely to be allowed by the guard given that usually they are at or near capacity.

 

[Boopuff]

We were turned away from GF (this was 1st week of Dec).

 

[chicagodisneyguy]

I take that to mean allowing them to enforce discretion. As again I stated in my posts the gate attendant ultimately has the ability to enforce parking restrictions as needed. But there is no blanket policy (as suggested in this thread) that parking is a "no" unless you have a dining reservation.

Edit: On the bolding I didn't intentionally do that given I bolded in the first section. Again I have stated the following in my posts:

I guess I don't get why people continually suggest to try things Disney Disney doesn't want people to do. Sure, a random Tuesday where no one is there you might get a nice guard who says "go ahead". But they don't want people shopping at the.contempory AND parking there. They really should put in pay parking gates. Anyone they want in won't pay. Anyone who tries to scam gets a $49+ fee.

 

[achinforsomebacon]

Finally, there’s walking - the TTC is right next to the Poly. The Contemporary/BLT is a short walk from MK & the GF is a longer but very pretty walk in the opposite direction from the MK. The GF & the Poly are right next door to each other & you can walk between them.

I don't think you can walk from GF to Poly right now with the construction. It's still a quick monorail ride away as long as you're going in the right direction.

 

[CarolynFH]

I don't think you can walk from GF to Poly right now with the construction. It's still a quick monorail ride away as long as you're going in the right direction.

Poly to GF take the monorail.

GF to Poly take the launch (that goes MK to GF to Poly to MK).

 

[DisTravels]

There's basically zero chance of you being allowed to park at Contemporary, Polynesian, Grand Floridian, Wilderness Lodge, BoardWalk, Beach Club or Riviera unless you have a room reservation or a dining reservation. All are within walking distance or monorail / boat / Skyliner transport of theme parks. Too many people would use the resort lots for park access, and they simply aren't equipped for that traffic.

YMMV - We've visited and parked at Boardwalk and Beach Club without a room or dining reservation.

If you're staying at a DVC resort you get free parking at the parks, so I don't believe you'd save any money parking at a DVC resort vs parking at the theme parks?

 

[sndral]

I don't think you can walk from GF to Poly right now with the construction. It's still a quick monorail ride away as long as you're going in the right direction.

When I last stayed at the VGF you had to use the ‘temporary’ path that was longer & crossed Floridian way twice - but you could still walk between the two. Probably just as well it’s closed, it was pretty dark at night & the temporary crosswalks weren’t very well lit - it felt a bit dicey the couple of times we walked it at night. I assume once they open the Poly Tower in Dec. they’ll reopen a path between the resorts - not helpful for OP who’s going next week, though.
Until the path reopens I agree w/ @CarolynFH monorail from Poly to GF & boat from GF to Poly.

 

[DonMacGregor]

YMMV - We've visited and parked at Boardwalk and Beach Club without a room or dining reservation.

If you're staying at a DVC resort you get free parking at the parks, so I don't believe you'd save any money parking at a DVC resort vs parking at the theme parks?

Guests at all WDW resorts enjoy free theme park parking. The policy is in place to keep non-resort guests from parking at the hotels for free and then taking Disney transportation to the theme parks to avoid paying to park. An unfortunate side effect is that it also prevents those who have no intentions to visit a theme park and only want to visit the resort (without a dining reservation) from parking at the resorts either.

It’s the same reason there are zero busses between Disney Springs and any theme parks and why the Skyliner likely won’t ever connect to DS as long as it’s easy to connect to HS or Epcot.

Of the Epcot resorts, Boardwalk seems to be the most lenient. They have a convention center and their parking lot is massive. Beach Club, on the other hand, has a pretty small parking lot and we’ve been several times when the lot next the Villas was almost completely full.

 

[DisTravels]

Guests at all WDW resorts enjoy free theme park parking. The policy is in place to keep non-resort guests from parking at the hotels for free and then taking Disney transportation to the theme parks to avoid paying to park. An unfortunate side effect is that it also prevents those who have no intentions to visit a theme park and only want to visit the resort (without a dining reservation) from parking at the resorts either.

Replied to the, "basically zero chance" comment.

If are staying at another DVC property and a DVC member, leniency is probably more likely due to the guards knowing that there is no financial benefit for you parking at the resort to take a ride on the monorail, boat or Skyliner. How busy the DVC resort is/full the lot is may also be a factor.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

Wow, some interesting thoughts on this thread! In my opinion, the bottom line for the OP is simple: Most of the time if you drive to a WDW resort without a room or dining reservation, you're likely to be turned away from free parking. Most resorts seem to allow valet parking if you wish to pay the fee. There might be an occasion based on the particular resort and the time of year (less crowded times) when a guard might allow you to enter to 'look around'. But, if you drive to BLT or Poly or AKL etc, without a reservation, you should be prepared to be denied access to the parking lot. It's why we'd recommend a plan that doesn't involve having to park your car at a resort to look around or shop or do a quick serve. It's likely to make the day simpler!

 

[DonMacGregor]

Wow, some interesting thoughts on this thread! In my opinion, the bottom line for the OP is simple: Most of the time if you drive to a WDW resort without a room or dining reservation, you're likely to be turned away from free parking. Most resorts seem to allow valet parking if you wish to pay the fee. There might be an occasion based on the particular resort and the time of year (less crowded times) when a guard might allow you to enter to 'look around'. But, if you drive to BLT or Poly or AKL etc, without a reservation, you should be prepared to be denied access to the parking lot. It's why we'd recommend a plan that doesn't involve having to park your car at a resort to look around or shop or do a quick serve. It's likely to make the day simpler!

Well-said. The easiest, safest, “guaranteed to work” strategy is to park at Disney Springs, take a resort bus to either an MK or Epcot-area resort, and simply hit all the resorts in that area. Either by Monorail (MK) or walking/Skyliner (Epcot). You can also hit OKW and the Port Orleans resorts via boat from DS and walk to SSR.

By parking at DS, you can access just about every resort in “groups” with the main exceptions being the All Stars and Coronado (and of course AKL).

 

[CarolynFH]

Of the Epcot resorts, Boardwalk seems to be the most lenient. They have a convention center and their parking lot is massive. Beach Club, on the other hand, has a pretty small parking lot

I’m sorry, I just have to dispute your comment that the BW parking lot is “massive.” Especially after they removed a section for the Skyliner turn station, it’s not much larger than the Yacht & Beach lots put together, and it has to serve two hotels (BW Inn and Villas) plus the convention center just like the Yacht & Beach lots do. (If you look at a satellite map, do not include the large lot on the other side of Epcot Resorts Blvd.) We have spent too much time driving round and round looking for a spot, only to see a mass migration out after Epcot closes!

I truly wish Disney would implement paid parking for the BW lot, comped for hotel guests, of course, and with a limited time (2-3 hours) covered by a table-service restaurant meal, so that if someone wants to park all day their bill will be higher than the daily charge at a park. They should do the same for the Yacht & Beach lot. Yes, The Boardwalk was promoted by Disney as a destination in and of itself, but that was years ago, and that time is over.

 

[DonMacGregor]

I’m sorry, I just have to dispute your comment that the BW parking lot is “massive.” Especially after they removed a section for the Skyliner turn station, it’s not much larger than the Yacht & Beach lots put together, and it has to serve two hotels (BW Inn and Villas) plus the convention center just like the Yacht & Beach lots do. (If you look at a satellite map, do not include the large lot on the other side of Epcot Resorts Blvd.) We have spent too much time driving round and round looking for a spot, only to see a mass migration out after Epcot closes!

I've never seen the far end of the BW lot, between the turn station and the tennis courts completely full, and I guess we've been lucky when we have visited to dine at Flying Fish. We have, however, had to park a mile away at BC and have cursed the fact that they often let trucks with trailers and motorhomes take up 4 or 5 spots in the lot closest to the Villas. The really tough one is Grand Floridian. You practically HAVE to valet if you're having dinner there.

Suffice it to say that parking is a premium at almost EVERY MK and Epcot resort.

 

[CarolynFH]

Suffice it to say that parking is a premium at almost EVERY MK and Epcot resort.

Exactly! (Except that I wouldn’t say “almost.”)

 

[DonMacGregor]

Exactly! (Except that I wouldn’t say “almost.”)

You have to qualify everything or someone will come along and point out the one exception to the rule.

 

[zackiedawg]

I almost always mix in resort hopping on my stays, but usually try to use the Disney transportation as much as possible just for the sheer convenience, even though I drive to Disney and have my car available always. I just like letting Disney get me there so I can enjoy drinks, or simply relax. Resorts that have transportation options other than busses are always my favorite - especially boats.

But I do occasionally drive - most notably to the more 'disconnected' resorts like Coronado and AK Lodge. I haven't had any problems as a DVC member staying on site with those two without any reservations - I just say I'm DVC, staying at 'x', and want to enjoy the ambiance of the resort and grab a drink.

If I'm at a DVC and decide to use valet, then I tend to drive a little more often, since the valet charge is per-day, so visiting other DVC resorts that have valet services is convenient - and they're much more likely to get you in even at the park-adjacent resorts if you note you're already on valet for the day and intend to valet there.

 

[Ashlotte]

I guess I don't get why people continually suggest to try things Disney Disney doesn't want people to do. Sure, a random Tuesday where no one is there you might get a nice guard who says "go ahead". But they don't want people shopping at the.contempory AND parking there. They really should put in pay parking gates. Anyone they want in won't pay. Anyone who tries to scam gets a $49+ fee.

It seems like this could be solved with some designated short term parking spots for people with dining reservations or who wish to shop.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

It seems like this could be solved with some designated short term parking spots for people with dining reservations or who wish to shop.

Seems unnecessary since Disney offers complimentary transportation if someone wants to shop. And with how tight parking seems to be, especially at the monorail resorts and some EPCOT resorts, not sure they'd find a place for temp parking like that. The priority needs to be enough parking for guests staying at a resort, followed by those who need to park a few hours for dining.