Is it true you can't visit resorts you're not staying at if you don't have a dining reservation?

[DisSurfer878]

We wanted to visit the Lounge at Ale and Compass one night.

 

[CarolynFH]

We wanted to visit the Lounge at Ale and Compass one night.

As long as you arrive via Disney transportation or on foot (e.g. walking from Epcot or DHS), you’re fine. They just won’t let you park a car there unless you have an ADR.

 

[mickey916]

I know that I've heard that to be the case at the monorail resorts as well as the Epcot area resorts...what about POFQ, anyone with any experience driving there?...hoping to get some beignets.

 

[DisSurfer878]

As long as you arrive via Disney transportation or on foot (e.g. walking from Epcot or DHS), you’re fine. They just won’t let you park a car there unless you have an ADR.

That's no issue for us as we won't have a car, thanks! We would just be bummed if we couldn't visit a few places around the resorts

 

[0FF TO NEVERLAND]

You can visit any resort you want. They don’t check any resort status waiting for buses,boats etc.
To park you need a ADR

 

[SteveH]

The resorts you may get turned away from with your car or Uber/Lyft without an ADR tend to be the ones around MK & Epcot. As people try to use those locations to bypass TTC, etc. But there were people turned away from Wilderness Lodge if they drove up too, covid changed a lot of things and thinge continue to change.

 

[a1tinkfans]

Disney springs boat to pofq and POR.. great boat ride too.

 

[evilqueenmindy]

If you are driving, explain at the guard shack, they might let you in. I visited AKL one afternoon to check out the property, I went to wilderness lodge to get something from their gift shop, back when ESPN club was open I went to boardwalk to visit that.

 

[jtopp]

Not sure how much truth there is to that statement. We went to Olivia's at OKW in December, without a reservation. We were in the area and just stopped by, not even staying on property.

 

[tinabina919]

We are here now and have been using Uber/lyft to resort hop and we have had no issues. Our driver last night actually mentioned how the resort entrance gate guards have been so much more lenient with them since Magical Express has ended.

 

[CarolynFH]

Not sure how much truth there is to that statement. We went to Olivia's at OKW in December, without a reservation. We were in the area and just stopped by, not even staying on property.

Yes, I think the chance of being turned away is greater at resorts with direct walking, monorail or Skyliner access to parks, not so much at resorts where transportation to parks is bus only.

 

[mickey916]

Yes, I think the chance of being turned away is greater at resorts with direct walking, monorail or Skyliner access to parks, not so much at resorts where transportation to parks is bus only.

I expect that to be the case too! I'll report back after my attempts at resort hopping in April.

 

[Disney loving Iowan]

There is a guy who does a MK live stream every morning and always parks at the GF. I didn't think that was allowed?

 

[mickey916]

I have a feeling sometimes the vloggers get special consideration since they provide free advertising for Disney so that wouldn't surprise me.

 

[_19disnA]

When entering/exiting Disney transportation they never ask where you are staying/going. However, Disney is wise to those who think they can 'game' the system and drive to a resort for free and then walk to a nearby park to avoid the parking fees.

I can't speak to what special perks some blogger gets who is really providing Disney with free advertising.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

There is a guy who does a MK live stream every morning and always parks at the GF. I didn't think that was allowed?

It's not. If he has an annual pass that entitles him to free Magic Kingdom parking, you could arguably make the ethical case that he's not doing anything wrong per se, but it's absolutely against the rules.

 

[Clare]

I agree with the general rules others have stated.

Here was our recent experience: We were able to park at both Coronado and Riverside on Sunday by explaining that we just wanted to check out the property, gift shop, food court, etc.! The guards were very friendly and welcomed us on in.

On the same day, we were able to park at the Beach Club, but only because we had a reservation for brunch. They checked ID and looked up the reservation details before letting us proceed. There was a sign indicating that parking was only allowed for guests or those with ADRs.

 

[mickey916]

I agree with the general rules others have stated.

Here was our recent experience: We were able to park at both Coronado and Riverside on Sunday by explaining that we just wanted to check out the property, gift shop, food court, etc.! The guards were very friendly and welcomed us on in.

On the same day, we were able to park at the Beach Club, but only because we had a reservation for brunch. They checked ID and looked up the reservation details before letting us proceed. There was a sign indicating that parking was not allowed for guests or those without ADRs.

Thank you! That's very helpful. We're planning on Three Bridges for dinner on our arrival day and probably beignets for arrival "brunch" so that 's great to know we can likely park at both places.

 

[Shannon12]

On the same day, we were able to park at the Beach Club, but only because we had a reservation for brunch. They checked ID and looked up the reservation details before letting us proceed. There was a sign indicating that parking was only allowed for guests or those with ADRs.

Does Beach Club have a tiny parking lot like Boardwalk? That may be a reason for the strictness there.

 

[Dis Dragon]

They have strictness for the Epcot area hotels because you have direct access to two parks from there.