How tightly should resort access be controlled?

[Stargazer65]

Resort access is definitely going to be limited in the future, and I think most of us think some restriction is good. I wanted to see how much restriction people here generally prefer. I think the first option on the poll is what we expect. The second option on the poll is a rumored possibility, but most do not think that would happen. The third option on the poll is something I completely made up. Maybe it sounds snobbish, but it's really just a matter of getting what you paid for.

Edited to add a fourth option that should be really popular

 

[MyDogTink]

Just off the top of my head, as a DVC member I want the ability to visit the community hall at other DVC resorts. Poly doesn’t have a community hall so I’d like to visit the one at BLT.

I think all pools should be restricted to hotel guests with enforcement of wristbands. There’s been a lot of development of additional guest occupancy without increase in amenities. You can argue that the Island Tower added a pool, but in reality the additional guest occupancy is adding stress to the feature pool.

I’ve also believed that the monorail to MK should have a reserved car for GF.

 

[Kingkonig]

Personally I think “staying in the Disney bubble/at a resort, or having an ADR at the restaurant” is good enough. Keep pools separate of course, but there’s quick service restaurants at some resorts we like to go to even when not staying there, as well as shopping.

 

[Kingkonig]

Also regarding tiered access, I can’t imagine that being a possibility. Not only is enforcement difficult, it prevents Disney from trying to sell DVC (or upsell moderate/value hotel guests to “see what you are missing?”)

Also makes it harder to fill dining reservations if you’re only relying on deluxe guests.

 

[Stargazer65]

Also makes it harder to fill dining reservations if you’re only relying on deluxe guests.

Anyone can make a dining reservation anywhere, it doesn't matter where you stay. To me, that automatically makes you a resort guest when you make a reservation there. (Edit: Meaning, you can go to the resort, not that you can use all the facilities like pools, etc...)

 

[marmentrout85]

It will be a ton of work if they restrict things too much. They'd theoretically need a checkpoint at every potential sidewalk entry point at every resort. For example, I don't know how feasible it is to try and stop people from entering the grounds of the Grand Floridian via the walking path from Magic Kingdom. Same goes to The Contemporary/Bay Lake Tower and the Poly. They'd also need to stop people from leaving Epcot and entering the areas of Boardwalk, Yacht Club, and Beach Club. Also you'd need a checkpoint at every Skyliner stop. Also wouldn't be very feasible to try and prevent people walking onto Riviera property from Caribbean Beach and vice-versa. I'm not much of a runner, but I sure wouldn't want my phone or magic band checked multiple times at different checkpoints while I'm out for a run around Seven Seas Lagoon, or between Epcot and Hollywood Studios, etc.

 

[Mommb]

I don't see any reason to restrict access to the resort grounds, shops, and restaurants. Allowing people to visit other resorts will encourage them to consider coming back to stay at those resorts. I agree that pool access should be limited to guests at that resort, since pools are an amenity of staying at a resort.

Disney has limited access by car to some resorts at some times to reduce crowding in the parking lots. This makes sense because parking should be available for resort guests.

I could see the value in adding some priority for resort guests for dining, but don't support limiting dining to resort guests.

The recently announced changes apply only to resort buses from Disney Springs, and only to restricting bus access to people staying on property. This makes resort bus access an amenity of staying on property, which is reasonable.

 

[Brian Noble]

Honestly? I am not even sure I'm a fan of the new Disney Springs restrictions, though I understand why they are necessary. The idea of e.g. tiered access in particular rubs me the wrong way, and that's despite being in the "upper tier."

 

[Stargazer65]

It will be a ton of work if they restrict things too much. They'd theoretically need a checkpoint at every potential sidewalk entry point at every resort. For example, I don't know how feasible it is to try and stop people from entering the grounds of the Grand Floridian via the walking path from Magic Kingdom. Same goes to The Contemporary/Bay Lake Tower and the Poly. They'd also need to stop people from leaving Epcot and entering the areas of Boardwalk, Yacht Club, and Beach Club. Also you'd need a checkpoint at every Skyliner stop. Also wouldn't be very feasible to try and prevent people walking onto Riviera property from Caribbean Beach and vice-versa. I'm not much of a runner, but I sure wouldn't want my phone or magic band checked multiple times at different checkpoints while I'm out for a run around Seven Seas Lagoon, or between Epcot and Hollywood Studios, etc.

They could just use an automated system with proximity detectors linked to the magic bands. If an inmate of WDW goes into an unauthorized zone, the magic band would give them a really painful shock until they flee back to wherever they came from.

 

[aka Charles]

For Disney transportation my thoughts are generally these:
(In a perfect world and assuming Disney is able and willing to enforce it, lol)

Guests with an ADR but not staying at a Disney resort should have access to Disney transportation from 2 hours before to 4 hours after the reservation time.
That should be plenty of time to get to the resort where they have the reservation, enjoy the meal, have some after dinner drinks, and return.
The ADR should be linked to the MDE app/Magicband of each guest on the reservation in order for each guest to get access to the Disney transportation.
If they cancel the ADR after getting on the Disney transportation then they should be charged a cancellation fee per person for the ADR and their access to Disney transportation should be cancelled immediately (i.e.-no return trip, time to call an Uber).

All Disney resort guests should have access to all Disney transportation, with the following exceptions...
At the Magic Kingdom and TTC, from the start of the evening fireworks, the resort monorail should be limited to only guests staying at a monorail resort.
At Epcot, from the start of the evening fireworks, the skyliner should be limited to only guests staying at a skyliner resort.
At Hollywood Studios, from 30 minutes before closing, the skyliner should be limited to only guests staying at a skyliner resort.
The resort reservation should be linked to the MDE app/Magicband of each guest in order for them to get access to the Disney transportation.

Park guests not staying at a Disney resort, but with a paid ticket for that day or an AP on a non-blackout day, should have access to Disney transportation between the parks and resorts, but not Disney Springs, during the parks' operating hours only, and with the same exceptions listed above.
The park ticket/AP should be linked to the MDE app/Magicband of each guest in order for them to get access to the Disney transportation.

As far as access to resort amenities like the pools and things like fireworks viewing from the resort beaches, these should be strictly limited to the registered guests of that resort only!
Period!

Since this is not a perfect world, all I can say is... Good Luck and have a nice day!

.

 

[fla4fun]

I’ve also believed that the monorail to MK should have a reserved car for GF.

Way back in the dark ages, the resort monorail was split by resort, with two cars for CR, two for Poly, and two for GF. I remember the cast member at the head of the MK line would sort people out, and occasionally go down the line asking for people for a specific resort to fill space. This was before they had all the walking paths though. If I remember correctly, CR was the front two, Poly the middle, and GF the end when leaving MK and they would only open the doors for that particular resort when unloading. Nothing had to be scanned because your resort was written right on your resort ID, so it was glance and point, glance and point, until the monorail was full. I want to say this was right after they switched from the all seated monorails to the standing room monorails, but I could be mistaken on the timeline. I don’t know why it was discontinued, but I imagine it was very chaotic at park close (we never stay until park close unless we are at a hotel we can walk to from the park).

 

[sotoalf]

At the Magic Kingdom and TTC, from the start of the evening fireworks, the resort monorail should be limited to only guests staying at a monorail resort.

So you're suggesting to keep other Disney resort guests at monorail stations for 20 minutes?

(I'm not being sarcastic. I want to make sure I understand you correctly).

 

[disneydreamer1980]

The one thing I really hate about the Poly (one of my home resorts, and my favorite resort) is how crowded it is with non resort guests. We pay a lot of points/money to stay there, we should be able to move freely around the resort without bumping into a million lookey-loos. What the solution is to this, I don’t know, but even though I chose number one in the poll I’d be all for the bottom one, although I know that’ll never happen.

 

[lanejudy]

Anyone can make a dining reservation anywhere, it doesn't matter where you stay. To me, that automatically makes you a resort guest when you make a reservation there.

Watch your wording here! Based on your statement above, you would open up pools and fitness centers to anyone with a dining reservation.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I've seen a lot of chatter across the threads and prior threads (like when talking about the gingerbread house) with respects to the term guest.

There's theme park guest
There's Disney resort property guest and any person who is on Disney owned land (be it at DL or WDW) becomes that, people who golf, people who go to mini golf, water parks, etc.
There's Disney hotel guest

They all mean different things and people don't necessarily realize when they talk about everything how that plays into it when they say guest.

Someone staying off site (or is local) but going to the theme parks is both a theme park guest and a resort property guest. Someone staying on site but not Disney owned hotel can be that as well.

Someone who is only going for a dining reservation is only a Disney resort property guest (if they are not going to a theme park and are not staying on site at one of Disney's owned hotels).

A guest that is staying at a Disney hotel but is not going to the parks is not a theme park guest but is a Disney resort guest as well as a hotel guest.

A guest that is staying at a Disney hotel but is not going anywhere beyond their hotel is a Disney resort property guest but not the same way that others would be. While they are on the property their comings and goings are already intentionally limited to their hotel they are staying at.

A guest that is staying at a Disney hotel and is only going to other Disney owned hotels (they don't even go to Disney Springs for shopping) is like that grey area where they are only considered a Disney hotel guest but they are only going to other Disney hotels. They are also a Disney resort property guest.

Access varies so much depending on whom you are talking about and the purposes of the individual. They also require different approaches when wanting a certain outcome. I said it on another thread but Disney's resort property is not a gated community. It never has been intended that way and won't be that way. This is why you have certain points become restricted like hotels because it is a means they can control, same as their own transportation. But some people apply their grievances as is Disney is this gated community, it's not.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

It's amazing to me how this one relatively simple change at Disney Springs is being extrapolated into so many other things people are "predicting" are "definitely coming next". We have no idea about most of these things!! Right now, the DS change only impacts off-site guests who park free at DS, and want to use buses or boats to get to a Disney resort without an ADR. They can actually achieve what they want to achieve if they park at a theme park and pay the fee for the day. I see absolutely no scenarios moving forward where they decide to 'tier' resort accesses based on where you're staying, onsite or off. It makes no sense, and some of these suggestions would be near-impossible to implement! I expect the DS change is a way to slightly curb a Disney hack of non-resort guests parking free and using Disney parks/resorts/pools/bars. Nothing else changes, and most likely won't be changing. I'm OK with that. Disney is complicated enough for some reservations - don't make it worse with things that have minimal impact on the overall experiences.....

 

[Mr_Woodchuck]

Watch your wording here! Based on your statement above, you would open up pools and fitness centers to anyone with a dining reservation.

gotta work off those calories somehow!!

 

[Stargazer65]

gotta work off those calories somehow!!

lol...now I have to clean off the coffee I spewed on my monitor!

 

[zackiedawg]

Honestly, I tend to agree that I don't foresee any changes to resort access coming because of this Disney Springs change. Overall, I think access to Disney Resorts from theme parks will remain the same, parking directly at resorts has always had restrictions which are likely to continue as always, and especially travel for Disney resort guests to other Disney resorts will and should remain completely open even from Disney Springs, as is the case with these new Disney Springs enforcements.

Access to resort amenities like pools and gyms was always intended to be for guests of those resorts, and in the case of DVC, originally allowed to pool hop to other DVC resorts but that has likely ended for good.

Disney Springs was always facing the extra hurdle of being an open, local shopping and entertaining district, which is why it offered free parking to draw in locals and off-site guests to enjoy the restaurants, stores, and entertainment there. Disney transportation to and from Disney Springs was meant to transport guests at Disney resorts to that district for the same purpose. What was NOT intended was for off-site and local visitors to Disney Springs to take advantage of free parking to then transfer to free Disney transportation for the purpose of accessing Disney parks via connected resorts or bus transfers, or to a lesser extent, to utilize Disney Resort amenities meant only for the guests of that resort.

The new policy directly addresses using Disney Springs as a free-parking hub to get to the parks, while keeping access to Disney resorts for all on-site guests the same, and even still allowing off-site and local guests to visit Disney Resort properties via the parks. As it should be - I can't see them wanting to take the restrictions any further at this point.

 

[hardcorestitch]

Killing all resort hopping will reduce given to the Mouse… if anything, I’d only restrict pools and some limited activities like fireworks viewing to such guests.