Capturing Sunrise at WDW

[happyleesh]

Hi all. We're heading to POFQ in September and I'd love to get up early a few mornings and capture the sun rising at a few different resorts - what's the best way to get around that early? Will the resorts let me "in/around" if I'm not staying there? (hoping to get to the waterfront area at GF, boardwalk at YCBC, etc) Anyone tried this or have any other ideas?

 

[goopysolelady]

Hi all. We're heading to POFQ in September and I'd love to get up early a few mornings and capture the sun rising at a few different resorts - what's the best way to get around that early? Will the resorts let me "in/around" if I'm not staying there? (hoping to get to the waterfront area at GF, boardwalk at YCBC, etc) Anyone tried this or have any other ideas?

Not sure if that's possible unless you take a cab. Shouldn't be a reason for the buses to be running before sunrise but they may. If so, you could take your resort bus to MK or TTC and then the monorail (if it's running that early). Same for BW/YCBC...take bus to HS and use the walkway to BW. Hopefully someone else can be of more help. Sunset pictures are my favorite and I LOVE being out at the resort that early...it's SO quiet and peaceful! Good luck and please post photos when you return!

 

[zackiedawg]

Hi all. We're heading to POFQ in September and I'd love to get up early a few mornings and capture the sun rising at a few different resorts - what's the best way to get around that early? Will the resorts let me "in/around" if I'm not staying there? (hoping to get to the waterfront area at GF, boardwalk at YCBC, etc) Anyone tried this or have any other ideas?

It will be difficult without a car...but if you have your car, it will be easier. Some of the resorts should be easy - the Epcot resort area, for example - go to Boardwalk and mention you're there to visit, and they'll direct you to the visitor's lot...you can park and walk in and around to whichever resort you want. If you're staying at another Disney resort, you'll have less difficulty as the white parking tag on your dash gives security a warmer feeling that you're not up to something malicious. If you have any difficulty with a guard by telling them you're just there for the sunrise, you could come up with a cover story - such as saying that you're there for early breakfast at the restaurant of that resort but wanted to get there early to go photograph the sunrise. For any of the MK resorts, you can pick one to park at, or even see if the MK parking is open (it does open an hour or so before the park opens, maybe more, not sure if it's in time for sunrise though)...I find Polynesian good because you can be headed there for character breakfast and arriving early, then easily walk over to Grand Floridian if you wanted. Decide where you want the sun to rise, and pick the resort that faces the right direction (water sunrises are good from Contemporary and Ft. Wilderness, whereas Polynesian and GF get a Contemporary themed sunrise angle; Beach/Yacht Club gets a Boardwalk sunrise).

I tend to be more of a sunset visitor myself, but when traveling between resorts with my car, I always use the restaurant line, as I think there's less resistance or questioning about why you're visiting when you have a clear connection for being there. It should be perfectly legal to say you're just visiting, but better to have a reason that doesn't cause a guard having a bad day to hold you up or turn you away.