Can off site guest visit Disney hotels? If so, how?

[riu girl]

Situation:
Staying on site and plan on watching Wishes and EWP at the Poly beach NYE. A friend (and his 3 children) would like to join us for the fireworks but are staying off site.
1. Can he visit us at POP and use disney transport to go to/from Poly with us?
OR
2. Can he meet us at the Poly (not using Disney transport) and watch fireworks/EWP with us at the POlY beach?

His trip is spur of the moment, his wife passed away recently and he doesn't want to be at home for Christmas, so is driving himiself and 3 kids (ages 3-7) to Florida for Christmas holidays. I just want this trip to be extra special for them considering the circumstances.
Any info would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you
Suzy

 

[dreamscometrue47]

Off site guests can visit any Disney resort. If driving to the Poly, your friend will probably get a 3 hour parking pass. I have stayed offsite and visited friends and family at the Poly, POR, and Beach Club and have always had no trouble at all. I just told the gate person that I'm visiting and received my parking pass no problem.

 

[funseekears]

we hav done it for many years at Christmas, never a problem at any property.

 

[Sammie]

There are certain times at the monorail resorts and holidays are some of these times, that you will not be allowed to park at the Polynesian unless you have an ADR for a meal there. He can meet you at Pop, and go with you.

He could also park at the TTC and walk over to the Polynesian.

 

[riu girl]

I assume that this would be one of those time (Dec 31 early evening). So perhaps I should simply tell him to park at the TTC and walk over.
My ?:
1. Is there a fee to park at the TTC?
2. Does the TTC parking lot ever become full and therefore, people are turned away?
3. How long of a walk is it from TTC to the Polynesian?

Thank you
Suzy

 

[Sammie]

I assume that this would be one of those time (Dec 31 early evening). So perhaps I should simply tell him to park at the TTC and walk over.
My ?:
1. Is there a fee to park at the TTC?
2. Does the TTC parking lot ever become full and therefore, people are turned away?
3. How long of a walk is it from TTC to the Polynesian?

Thank you
Suzy

Yes that will definitely change everything since this is New Years Eve ( I missed that in your first post), I seriously doubt anyone will be allowed at the Polynesian to watch fireworks except Polynesian guests and those with dining reservations.
This is also the policy for the 4th of July.

Also due to this being NYE the parking lots to the parks very possibly will be closed too due to the crowds. On most special days you have to be in the park very early in the day to even get in, and at times even Disney resort guests are turned away. The walk is not the long but I really don't see you being able to do this on NYE.

The TTC parking lot is the same for the Magic Kingdom so yes you would have to pay to get in, but I can tell you the crowds will be very large that day. His best chance is to meet you at your resort and go with you, and even then you might not get in without a dining reservation or being a guest there.

Sorry I can't share better news but this is a very crowded day.

 

[riu girl]

I seriously doubt anyone will be allowed at the Polynesian to watch fireworks except Polynesian guests and those with dining reservations.
This is also the policy for the 4th of July.


O dear, maybe I had better just tell them to forget it and meet them in a park later in the week.

BUT , what about ME, we are staying at the POP and are hoping to take disney transport over to the Poly to watch the early fireworks (8:30) as well as the Electrical Water Pagent 9(pm).

Do you think I will be able to? I don't have an ADR at Poly for NYE!!!!

If the parks are not letting in any guests due to capacity, will they still be running busses from POP to ???? I was planning on taking that bus around 6 pm, going around on monorail for an hour or so and then going to the POly beach to watch the fireworks!!! YIKES if I can't.

Any thoughts/suggestions???? I'm sure it would be too late to get an NYE ADR at the Poly.

Suzy V

 

[Sammie]

If the Magic Kingdom park is closed due to capacity for everyone, then your buses from Pop will not run over there. They will only run to pick people up leaving the MK not going to the MK.

And yes it will be too late to get an ADR at the Polynesian unless they have a cancellation.

All I can suggest if to try. As to your friend I definitely would recommend coming on another day and then you will be able to met and go watch with no problems especially after New Year's Day.

Most everyone on these days either goes to the parks really early and then stay all day to be sure they can, or they stay at their resort.

 

[bigbabyblues]

I didn't think you were allowed to be on the Poly beach unless you were staying there? That's what I was told when I posted a question about watching the fireworks from there after our dinner at O'Hana (we were onsite but at CBR).

 

[riu girl]

I was under the impression that you could tour any hotel you wanted and therefore, watch the fireworks from the Poly Beach.

maybe we should simply schd. watching the fireworks on a less busy night (other then NYE).

Or maybe we should take a bus from POP to DTD and then a bus to the Poly from there. That would get us to the POLY NYE wouldn't it, if there are no busses running from POP to MK (due to MK being at capacity NYE).

Any thoughts anyone?????

Thank you

Suzy

 

[doubletrouble_vb]

It's beginning to sound like your best bet would be to call the Polynesian on this one....followed by POP.

And...it does seem like one option might be to go to EPCOT and change monorails at the TTC to go to the Polynesian or the Grand Floridian that way.
The busses might not be running to and from your resort to the Magic Kingdom but it does seem the monorail would have to run to the TTC to return TTC based guests back to their cars and hotels.

 

[Denmark]

Why not pay to stay at Poly, and then use the beach, afterall the beach should only be for the guests of this resort!

 

[Sammie]

It's beginning to sound like your best bet would be to call the Polynesian on this one....followed by POP.

And...it does seem like one option might be to go to EPCOT and change monorails at the TTC to go to the Polynesian or the Grand Floridian that way.
The busses might not be running to and from your resort to the Magic Kingdom but it does seem the monorail would have to run to the TTC to return TTC based guests back to their cars and hotels.

The problem with this, on special holidays when it is really crowded they check IDs as you get off the monorail. It really is only that on special nights they try to keep the crowds down and preserve the experience for the guests that are staying there. Also at that time of night on NYE, Epcot could be closed also due to the crowds.

As to calling the Polynesian they will tell you the same info, I have friends that work there. Even working there, unless they are scheduled to work that night, they are not allowed on the property, same on the 4th of July.

On the 4th of July they also had security on 4 wheelers checking ID's also.

 

[Principessa1284]

Very simple way around this: Have him park at DTD (free free!!), take the disney buses to MK or TTC, and take the monorail to the Poly. Even as guests at CBR we had trouble getting into Poly just to take pictures infront of the pretty waterfall (normally our christmas card picture) without any sort of reservation on a normal day. (You see, I am a poor, poor college student so I have weaseled my way out of paying for parking at WDW, and because it's ludicris to actually charge someone that much to park their car for a few hours.) Hope I could help!!

 

[Sammie]

Very simple way around this: Have him park at DTD (free free!!), take the disney buses to MK or TTC, and take the monorail to the Poly. Even as guests at CBR we had trouble getting into Poly just to take pictures infront of the pretty waterfall (normally our christmas card picture) without any sort of reservation on a normal day. (You see, I am a poor, poor college student so I have weaseled my way out of paying for parking at WDW, and because it's ludicris to actually charge someone that much to park their car for a few hours.) Hope I could help!!

This would work on normal days but on NYE or 4th of July they increase security and at times check IDs as you get off the monorail, no Polynesian ID, they ask you to get back on the monorail. I have been there when they do this.

It is also possible due to this being NYE they will suspect people to park at DD to do this and check IDs to get on the Polynesian bus. With rooms being over $400 per night during holidays you can understand them wanting to control the crowds.

 

[riu girl]

I think what I wil do is perhaps scrap the plan to see Wishes and EWP on NYE and set it up for another night.
Suzy V