Can you visit disney resorts if staying offsite?

[Wile E coyote]

We will be staying at windsor hills in december and would like to visit some of the didney reorts to see the decorations. Is this allowed?

 

[calgarygary]

Absolutely. Just advise the guard when entering the property that you are just visiting to view the decorations.

 

[auroraarielella]

you can also visit to eat, or use marina activities. Just not pool hop.

 

[michaelwilliammidd]

If you don't want to drive to each, you can park at DTD and take the bus to whatever resort you want to visit.

 

[Wile E coyote]

Thanks everyone.

 

[tednvon]

Hi,

A "hotel tour" is one of the really fun things we do with guests who come to see us in Florida...first is a "monorail tour." We usually start at the Polynesian as it is easiet to park. We wander around the Poly and Ohhh and Ahhh at the plants, walk out the beach, grab some Kona coffee at the coffee stand and hop the monorail, which is fun in itself, to the Grand Floridian. This is quite a place, so spend some time just wandering, go outside to the gardens and pick up "room price sheet" at the front desk to see how incredible much money you are saving by staying in big house or condo instead of a small room!!!!
Great lunch or dinner at the GF Cafe or just get a snack...

Next stop is the Contemporary...not as fancy as the GF but some of the best pictures of family we have are taken outside the rear of the hotel on the Mickey brass statue with the two big circles you can sit in...

Then hop in the car and head for Wilderness Lodge...just really cool place...
Then don't miss a car trip to animal Kingdom Lodge...be sure to ask staff where you go to see the animals...really fun...and Boma's is THE BEST for a great Disney buffet.

And like the other folks said...all free, no charge and you mingle right with all the folks paying $200 to $500/night for a room..(or $1200/night for 2 bedroom suite at Christmas...wow)

Enjoy...Ted

 

[neonurse]

Can you ride the monorail without actually being at MK for the day or can you get on from the parking lot at MK? I thought you had to go through security first, then up to the monorail track. Since we are not staying on property we would need to pay for parking right?? Still not bad for a night out...$11!!

 

[Lisa P.]

If you park at a monorail resort, you may ride the monorail. When going through the MK parking gate, stay to the far right. Tell the attendant which resort you are visiting and they will wave you through to the road to the resort. At the resort, ask the gate guard for a visitor's parking pass, which is good for a couple hours for free. They allow this so you can eat, shop or rent boats at the re$ort$. Just get back to your car in the allotted time.

This is not recommended during peak holiday periods without a meal reservation as I've read that they may send you back to the TTC otherwise, if the resort's parking lot is very full. But we've never been turned away. Those gated guard shacks are not there to keep the public out. They are there so that they may keep a record of the car plate #'s of those who come in and to avoid having people park for free all day at the resorts while visiting the theme parks. So enjoy your visits.

 

[neonurse]

Thanks Lisa P. I didn't know that. Looking forward to doing it our first night.

 

[Camno's Mama]

We did the Christmas decorations thing last year. It was nice...we had our character breakfast and Chef Mickey's and then rode the monorail around to GF, Contemporary and Polynesian. Then we drove around after that and saw some of the other resorts. It was a nice, relaxing thing to do. We would just tell the people at the guard gates that we wanted to look around and they waved us right through.

It's probably good for business on Disney's part...it'll make you want to stay there!

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Here is some caution about visiting the Resorts in December, if you are going to be driving to each of them. During that time the Deluxe Resorts might not let you park if you're not staying there, or don't have any ADR's scheduled. The reason is because they can get very busy they want limit the parking spaces for guests staying there and for guests with ADR's, which also includes valet parking spaces. However this might not happen at all, you got to remember that this might happen.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

I forgot to mention that during my families stays at the Contemporary in the month of December I have seen a lot of cars at the gate that were told to turn around and leave. It did not matter weather it was is in the morning, afternoon or evening, because it was heavily being enforced.