How late can we visit a resort?

[aprylann28]

Hi,

We are going to Disney World for the first time in December 2018. It is a fairly short trip, and we are staying off site. On our arrival day we were thinking about having dinner and then touring the monorail resorts to see the Christmas decorations. But I was wondering if there is a specific time that the resorts stop letting guests who are not staying there in so I can make sure to plan accordingly.

Thanks for your help.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

No, there is no cut-off time when they start prohibiting off-site guests from visiting resorts.

 

[Lynne M]

Nope, the resorts are open to the public 24/7.

 

[aprylann28]

Thank you for your replies. It's good to know we won't have to rush through things on our arrival night.

 

[Wild4Walt]

Keep in mind that a lot of shops/restaurants/bars close at 11p. Not all, but the later you go the more you may run into that.

 

[cadawson]

to see the Christmas decorations

May I also suggest you visit Disney Springs? My DD and I saw the amazing display of Christmas trees - it’s a trail of trees- very nice to see all the details. Have fun!

 

[BK2014]

Be sure to know when the monorail and other transportation options will stop running if you will be relying on those.

 

[DSLRuser]

while the lobby is 24 / 7....most shops close at 11pm or so....and most bars by 12am.......

if you are just a random person walking around a resort at 1am with no room at that resort, i would question if you actually belonged there

 

[rg35]

while the lobby is 24 / 7....most shops close at 11pm or so....and most bars by 12am.......

if you are just a random person walking around a resort at 1am with no room at that resort, i would question if you actually belonged there

How would you determine if they "belonged there" or not? Would you actually go up to them and ask them "oh hey, do you have a room here?" What other factors than someone walking around a hotel at that hour (which isn't out of the ordinary when people are on vacation) would make you question whether or not they should be there or not?

 

[tnolan]

Be sure to know when the monorail and other transportation options will stop running if you will be relying on those.

Defintely this. One time, years ago, we had gone to one resort to have a late dinner and weren't paying attention to when the monorail stopped running, so we were in effect stranded. One of the Disney buses was kind enough to pick us up and deliver us back to our hotel even though it was not one of his regular stops.

 

[Scott MC]

Also, there is lovely background music at many (if not all) of the resorts, and we've found that they turn that off at 11 or 12. It's not the most important thing but it adds to the holiday atmosphere.

 

[aprylann28]

Thank you everyone for all the tips. Our current plan was to eat dinner around 5:00 pm and be at the first resort maybe around 7:00 pm, and be completely done around 11 pm. We're not planning on going to any bars or restaurants in the resorts, although shopping may be something we would like to do. I just didn't want to show up to the last resort around 10:00 and be told they were closed to off site guests for the night.

 

[aprylann28]

May I also suggest you visit Disney Springs? My DD and I saw the amazing display of Christmas trees - it’s a trail of trees- very nice to see all the details. Have fun!

Thank you. We have been debating between going to Disney Springs or doing our own resort Christmas tour. We are only going to be there for five days including our arrival and departure days, and our three full days are going to be spent in parks. We would like to do both, but just aren't sure if we will be able to squeeze both in.

 

[DIS_MIKE]

I was in the POP lobby around 2:30 in the morning and it was a ghost town with one person at the desk. I was waiting for the DME bus to pick me up. Gotta love the new 4-hour rule to get you back to MCO.

 

[dansdad]

I was in the POP lobby around 2:30 in the morning and it was a ghost town with one person at the desk. I was waiting for the DME bus to pick me up. Gotta love the new 4-hour rule to get you back to MCO.

They've gone back to 3 hours for domestic flights.

 

[DIS_MIKE]

Oh did they? That's good to know!

 

[DSLRuser]

How would you determine if they "belonged there" or not? Would you actually go up to them and ask them "oh hey, do you have a room here?" What other factors than someone walking around a hotel at that hour (which isn't out of the ordinary when people are on vacation) would make you question whether or not they should be there or not?

I would not. I would hope security does. The old saying...."nothing good happens after 1am" holds true here.

 

[s.r.disney nut]

How would you determine if they "belonged there" or not? Would you actually go up to them and ask them "oh hey, do you have a room here?" What other factors than someone walking around a hotel at that hour (which isn't out of the ordinary when people are on vacation) would make you question whether or not they should be there or not?

 

[AngiTN]

I would not. I would hope security does. The old saying...."nothing good happens after 1am" holds true here.

They will not. Disney has guests from all over the world. Where they are in totally different time zones and as such arrive at all hours of the day. Your 1 AM is not 1 AM to someone arriving from the other side of the world. Security has no reason to question someone just because they are up at a time you think they should not be. Thank goodness.

Not to mention, there are places at Disney that are open past 1 AM. Surely you do not truly think everyone should be tucked in their rooms at 1 AM

 

[DSLRuser]

They will not. Disney has guests from all over the world. Where they are in totally different time zones and as such arrive at all hours of the day. Your 1 AM is not 1 AM to someone arriving from the other side of the world. Security has no reason to question someone just because they are up at a time you think they should not be. Thank goodness.

Not to mention, there are places at Disney that are open past 1 AM. Surely you do not truly think everyone should be tucked in their rooms at 1 AM

Since you clearly ignore the word "most" in my 1st post

while the lobby is 24 / 7....most shops close at 11pm or so....and most bars by 12am.......

and do not understand how generalities work.........you are awesome and know everything. I defer to you on all issues.