Offsite friends visiting Disney resort (Parking question)

[2Tiggies]

The title states the question.

We have a few friends who are going to meet up with us at various points of our trip this year. What are the rules with them parking if they want to pop into the resort to meet us for a meal/drink? Or is it just better to meet them at a park?

 

[wilma-bride]

If they are meeting you at the resort for a meal or drink, I don't think there would be any problem with them parking for a couple of hours. I don't think there are any real hard and fast rules but you are able to park up at a resort to have a look around so I would think 'visiting friends' would be a perfectly acceptable reason.

Now, if you're talking about them using your pool, that's a different matter

 

[wayneg]

Doesn't matter if you are staying onsite or offsite the resorts are open to anyone. In all the years we have been visiting we have only ever been questioned once, it was at the Boardwalk, not kidding when I say the man at the gate looked around 90+ year old, don't think he understood my accent or he could even hear me but he just kept asking who we were visiting, which room I wanted etc, I ended up just driving past him, no security came thankfully
Every other time, which must be 100+ they just asked for ID and pointed me to self park.
Disney would never stop people wanting to come in and spend money

 

[RDP]

Its not a problem, my parents stay off site and have visited us many times in our Disney resort to baby sit or join us for a meal. They just need to show ID at the gate.

 

[2Tiggies]

Thanks all for confirming it's ok.

Joh, no, lol! Definitely not planning on swimming with friends! We have friends spending a couple of days at the same resort as us and spending time with them and I'm already trying to jam pack the schedule so that we do NOT end up at the pool together

I ended up just driving past him, no security came thankfully

Disney would never stop people wanting to come in and spend money

Wayne!
Thanks I just wanted to check. We were thinking drinks and a meal and on another occasion, possibly a different resort (i.e. not the one we are staying at) but I needed to make sure that they wouldn't have issues or incur costs for parking as I am not sure that all of them have AP's

 

[wayneg]

Wayne!
Thanks I just wanted to check. We were thinking drinks and a meal and on another occasion, possibly a different resort (i.e. not the one we are staying at) but I needed to make sure that they wouldn't have issues or incur costs for parking as I am not sure that all of them have AP's

Only parking fees are if you use Valet parking, free self park at all resorts. They used to issue a 3 hour pass but stop handing those out years ago, now they just ask to see ID.
Only restrictions are holiday seasons at resorts around the monorail. We once arrived at GF at Xmas (just for a look around with DMIL who had never been) there was a sign up explaining due to shortage of parking space they were only allowing GF guests to park, thankfully they still allowed us to park.
Restaurants, bars & shops are open to anyone so they all allow parking.