Driving to the hotels to view the decorations

[ptmoberg]

Hi All,

I am planning on visiting Disney on my own from December 13-18th. One of the things I want to do is see the decorations at all the resorts. I will have a rental car and will want to use that to travel between locations, in order to save time. Since I will be staying on-property, will security at each resort give me a hard time when I tell them I am there just to look at the decorations?

Thanks,

Paul

 

[oogieboogie]

When you stay on-site, you'll be given a parking pass that you put on your dashboard. This lets security at all the resorts and parks know that you're a guest at a resort. If the parking lot isn't full, they'll just wave you thru most of the time. The MK resorts will most likely give you a 3-hr parking pass that is enforced but that's because a lot of people try to get free parking at the resort and then go to MK instead.

You shouldn't have any problems. Have fun.

 

[CaipiraBob]

If you are staying on-ground, ask about using valet parking for your excursion. You can do it specifically that one time for the charge. It's usually $6 a day unless it's been raised. It doesn't matter how many resorts you use that day. That way you just pull up to the front, check your car and explore. I usually tip $2 on retrieval, but that's up to you.

I figure for the convenience of not having to walk what could feel like "miles" by the end of the evening from the parking lots, it's well worth it. That way, you remember the evening for the event, not for the parking.

Have fun...

 

[swilshire]

We've done this many times. We usually combine a trip to see the decorations with a meal. The guard may ask to see your ID or may note your tag number. Other than that, no problem at all.

Most of the resorts have convenient self-park. We never did find it late one evening at the Grand Floridian, but maybe others won't be so directionally challenged.

Sheila

 

[rachael95]

DH and I will be there beginning the 21st, but the rest of the family won't be here until the 26th. When do the decorations for Christmas get taken down? If we bring everyone around will the decorations still be up a few days after Christmas?

 

[Very Excited]

We will be staying off-site. Can we still visit different resorts/hotels on site to see decorations? If so, can we drive? Will we be let in?!!

 

[swilshire]

rachael95,

The decorations seem to stay up in the resorts longer than the parks. I would guess they stay up in the resorts at least a few days into January. In the parks they start slowly coming down right after the holiday. It amazed us to go to the same park two days in a row and see the changes made overnight.

Sheila

 

[dzneelvr]

Another option is to park at the TTC and hop a monorail around the lagoon for those resorts. You'd save valet parking and time. DTD is another central location to park at and then bus around to the various resorts.
Don't forget to take the boat trip between MGM and EPCOT, you will see the Boardwalk, Swan, Dolphin, Yacht club,etc. all lit up from a lake view (do it at night).
Have a wonderful time!

 

[rachael95]

Thanks everyone, that will help a lot.