International Gateway while NOT staying at an Epcot resort

[Smugpugmug]

For parking, yes; but if I was getting dropped off? Again why do they care. I’m not taking up a parking spot and might want to check out the resort of their food offerings to decide if I want to stay there next time. Just seems odd they wouldn’t allow someone to be dropped off.

Yes they would turn you away. I've tried it at Polynesian and I was told to go to the TTC. I even tried it once at Yacht Club as I was doing a fireworks cruise and was turned away.

 

[jennab]

Nope, you need an ADR, counter service would get turned away.

I might try next time and see. Maybe it’s also dependent on timing like rope drop vs another random time of day. Be kind of weird with Uber/lyft where the rate is pre-set based on drop off point. Like drop me at the security gate then I guess

 

[jennab]

Yes they would turn you away. I've tried it at Polynesian and I was told to park at TTC. I even tried it once at Yacht Club as I was doing a fireworks cruise and was turned away.

That was parking so makes sense. I’m talking no need to park, just being dropped off. Also I suppose Poly is walkable to TTC so I could see them saying that….

 

[Smugpugmug]

That was parking so makes sense. I’m talking no need to park, just being dropped off. Also I suppose Poly is walkable to TTC so I could see them saying that….

Sorry I was about to edit my post to say that I was trying to be dropped off. Wrote out the wrong word : p

 

[Dave006]

I don’t understand this. If someone is trying to park their car, sure. But if I just want to be dropped off by a rideshare who is that hurting? I’m not taking up a parking spot and maybe I really want to stop at their resort store or grab some food on my way through.

Well it is not just you and one rideshare vehicle. It would be thousands of guests per day. The resorts tend to be slightly more flexible during the day but not at park open or park close.

Same thing at the CR next to MK. There were so many guests trying to use the CR drop off to walk to MK the traffic caused a major traffic jam in the morning and at park close. Then it spread to GF when that walkway opened.

Disney even had to restrict Mobile Orders since guests would make a Mobile Order to get into the resorts and then cancel the order. See it starts simple but then guests start to abuse the options.

Dave

 

[GADisneyDad14]

Generally speaking Disney’s management of the close to park/transportation resorts is to discourage them from being rideshare drop offs. Congestion is already bad enough at peak times for resort guests. Plus general parking management - nothing really stopping driver X from saying “dropping off” and then proceed to park all day long. Obviously most rideshare drivers wouldn’t cheat like that but all it takes is a few to create a problem.

But like anything with Disney, enforcement can vary on the time of day, the particular guard, parking needs at the resort at the time, events, etc. Personally we’re usually using Uber black or similar (so usually a professional driver/vehicle) and other than a couple of times being questioned we’re usually waved right through.

But you could easily be denied access too as is frequently reported around here. And most rideshare drivers are not going to risk getting on Disney’s bad side by dropping you off right there at the gate or shortly after doing a uturn around.

 

[jennab]

Well it is not just you and one rideshare vehicle. It would be thousands of guests per day. The resorts tend to be slightly more flexible during the day but not at park open or park close.

Same thing at the CR next to MK. There were so many guests trying to use the CR drop off to walk to MK the traffic caused a major traffic jam in the morning and at park close. Then it spread to GF when that walkway opened.

Disney even had to restrict Mobile Orders since guests would make a Mobile Order to get into the resorts and then cancel the order. See it starts simple but then guests start to abuse the options.

Dave

I have only done it for drop off when I have an actual ADR, but I’ve done it for pickup numerous times when I’m not staying at a resort (like from Poly, BLT, BC, etc). I guess what’s the difference? They are coming in to pick me up even though I’m not staying there but can’t drop off? Just seems odd to me. I can see though if it got out as a “trick” how that could be problematic though. Definitely not something I’d try to do daily. In most cases just Uber directly to the park!

 

[gottalovepluto]

I might try next time and see. Maybe it’s also dependent on timing like rope drop vs another random time of day. Be kind of weird with Uber/lyft where the rate is pre-set based on drop off point. Like drop me at the security gate then I guess

Sometimes Security lets people in. Sometimes they do not. If your rideshare driver isn’t allowed to drop you where you ordered the car to RIP your rideshare rating.

As for why- because you aren’t the first person to think of this. These hotels don’t need 50 rideshares showing up dropping people off every morning. It’s not fair to their paying customers to essentially turn the hotel front into a theme park entrance which is why the policy is in place. You can get dropped at Swolphin because there is not enough demand for theme park access via there that it affects their operations.

 

[Smugpugmug]

Disney even had to restrict Mobile Orders since guests would make a Mobile Order to get into the resorts and then cancel the order. See it starts simple but then guests start to abuse the options.

Dave

Can confirm this. I was at BLT this weekend and you had to be staying at the Contemporary to do a mobile order for Contempo Cafe.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

If your rideshare driver isn’t allowed to drop you where you ordered the car to RIP your rideshare rating.

lol, I was going to say the same thing, that’s a good way to get a low rating.

Unrelated, I’ve had 242 ratings and I’m on a life long mission to find the one driver that gave me one star.

 

[Dave006]

Just seems odd to me. I can see though if it got out as a “trick” how that could be problematic though.

It already got out as a "trick" as soon as Uber and Lyft start operating in Orlando. Guests did not want to use the ridehare dropoffs at the Park parking lots.

When the CR stopped allowing massive park opening guest drop offs ridehares started stopping and dropping guests on World drive just outside of the Resort Bus loop. It got crazy and not safe for a while but Disney and the Sheriff Dept got it to stop.

The Crescent lake resorts have always been impacted by "extra" guests entering the IG beyond the guests at the Epcot resorts. For a while there was an issue at the Swan & Dolphin hotels over the use of their self parking lots. They fixed it by always charging high prices to park and not allowing in and out for anyone that was not staying at one of the resorts.

I’ve done it for pickup numerous times when I’m not staying at a resort (like from Poly, BLT, BC, etc). I guess what’s the difference?

Disney knows this and when it gets to be a problem they have a simple solution.

Dave

 

[Reninows]

We’ve taken a bus to HS then skyliner to Epcot to get to dining in that area.

 

[focusondisney]

I’ve done it for pickup numerous times when I’m not staying at a resort (like from Poly, BLT, BC, etc). I guess what’s the difference? They are coming in to pick me up even though I’m not staying there but can’t drop off?

There aren’t that many pick ups all happening in the same 30-45 minutes. Generally speaking, the driver doesn’t know if the customer is staying at the resort so neither will the guard. But if BC suddenly had a couple hundred ride shares trying to get in to do a pick up right after Epcot fireworks end every night, you can bet they’ll figure out how to start restricting that too.

 

[Becky Mouse]

For parking, yes; but if I was getting dropped off? Again why do they care. I’m not taking up a parking spot and might want to check out the resort of their food offerings to decide if I want to stay there next time. Just seems odd they wouldn’t allow someone to be dropped off.

If I was paying deluxe prices to stay at that resort, I would probably feel annoyed if hundreds of cars were pulling up at 7am to drop people off so they could walk through the hotel I was staying at. I don't know, maybe that's just me. But, in my opinion, if you want the perk of staying at Epcot-area resort, then stay there or stay at a resort that's on the Skyliner. Otherwise, enter through the main entrance.

 

[kiford]

I mean, I do GET why WDW restricts access to the IG- they want it to be seen as a semi-exclusive perk of the Epcot resorts.

They don't restrict access to the IG; they restrict access to the parking lots at the resorts that are close to it. Anyone can use the IG; you just can't take your car into the resort parking lots or use it as a drop-off point for taxi/rideshare unless you have a resort reservation or ADR. It's in no way a semi-exclusive perk of the Epcot resorts. You can get there using the Skyliner from AoA, Pop Century, CBR, Riviera or HS or boat from HS or if you just happen to be in the Epcot resort area including S&D by taking a bus from another park or DS.

 

[focusondisney]

I mean, I do GET why WDW restricts access to the IG- they want it to be seen as a semi-exclusive perk of the Epcot resorts.

Semi exclusive to 11 resorts (that BTW have no way to get to the main entrance gate) & anyone who wants to come from Studios.

 

[WEDWDW]

Originally the International Gateway WAS a perk of the Crescent Lake Resorts because they were the only thing back there.

It was opened when Yacht & Beach Club were built so Y&B Club Guests wouldn't have to bus all the way to the front of Epcot.

But when DHS opened the IG became just as much of a regular entrance to Epcot as the main Epcot entrance.

 

[AstroBlasters]

I have only done it for drop off when I have an actual ADR, but I’ve done it for pickup numerous times when I’m not staying at a resort (like from Poly, BLT, BC, etc). I guess what’s the difference? They are coming in to pick me up even though I’m not staying there but can’t drop off? Just seems odd to me. I can see though if it got out as a “trick” how that could be problematic though. Definitely not something I’d try to do daily. In most cases just Uber directly to the park!

I think it’s pretty understandable that if you are paying a lot of money or using your DVC points to stay at Beach Club or Boardwalk that you would not want you lobby, amenities, and walkways flooded by guests of other resorts.

I’m not sure why people think “OH it’s just my family what is the big deal?” NO. It would be hundreds of families and would be a huge deal…. that is literally why they had to make a policy about it.

 

[WEDWDW]

I think it’s pretty understandable that if you are paying a lot of money or using your DVC points to stay at Beach Club or Boardwalk that you would not want you lobby, amenities, and walkways flooded by guests of other resorts.

I’m not sure why people think “OH it’s just my family what is the big deal?” NO. It would be hundreds of families and would be a huge deal…. that is literally why they had to make a policy about it.

Agree.

The acceptable way is to Skyliner or FriendShip or walk from DHS.

 

[traveler9]

There aren’t that many pick ups all happening in the same 30-45 minutes. Generally speaking, the driver doesn’t know if the customer is staying at the resort so neither will the guard. But if BC suddenly had a couple hundred ride shares trying to get in to do a pick up right after Epcot fireworks end every night, you can bet they’ll figure out how to start restricting that too.

Uber drivers can’t see your last name so wouldn’t be able to give it to the guard - good luck with restricting pickups.