Question about exploring other resorts

[Cirlonde]

We will have a rental car for our next trip and I am interested in exploring some of the other resorts (specifically Wilderness Lodge and Animal Kingdom Lodge). We stayed at AKL last year, and had to scan our bands or show our parking permit whenever we would drive through the gate. Can anyone tell me how this works if you're not staying at the resort you visit?

Basically...will they let us park just to look around? Or are we better off taking the buses to get in?

Thanks so much!

 

[JennyDrake]

If you are going during a busy time when parking is at a premium, they may not let you in......

_I_ would take the buses. WL is a lovely boat ride from MK and AKL is a short bus ride from AK.

 

[bumbershoot]

In the past they wanted to see an ID and know what you're doing. Easy.

 

[NH-to-FL]

A few years ago in early December we drove our rental car up to the guard shack at the AKL with our Boardwalk parking pass prominently displayed and said we wanted to tour the resort. They let us in.

 

[mickeysimba]

Or just say you are grabbing a bite to eat. Never had a problem getting into the different resorts, but I am, in fact, always eating at them. : )

 

[wdwrich]

It can depend on the specific resort and the occupancy levels. The deluxe resorts with easy access to theme parks (Poly, CR, GF, Boardwalk, BC/YC) tend to be more strict about parking if you're not a guest there or don't have an ADR. Best advice is to drive up and ask the guard at the gate. Most times, they will probably allow you to park for a limited time to explore the resort.

 

[wilkeliza]

Just a heads up during Christmas time Grand Floridan does not allow outside guests to park. We were redirected to park at the TTC and ride the monorail over. Since we were already staying onsite the TTC was free. It is due to all the traffic with the gingerbread house. Same for BC/YC during Flower and Garden. We were told we could valet or we could park at DHS and take the Ferry Boat over..

 

[savannie]

We love to look at the resorts while we're there. We normally just ride the bus if we're staying onsite, but we've also driven when we were staying offsite. Like others, we just told the guard that we wanted to look around the resort. They asked for our I.D. and let us in. We have also asked for room tours at the welcome desk. They are happy to give a tour if they have a room open. There are tons of pictures online of each resort, but they're not quite the same as seeing the real thing, ya know? For example, the Contemporary never really appealed to me until I visited the Wave for breakfast one day. Once we walked around, I was hooked.

 

[Lynne M]

You won't have any problem at the moderates or values, or OKW or SSR or AKV. Parking is sometimes restricted at the monorail resorts and Epcot resorts during busy times.

 

[Cirlonde]

Thank you so much for all the replies! Makes me feel much less anxious about the process. This is only our second trip, so there's still a lot of stuff I don't have experience with and I was worried about wasting time if they wouldn't let us in.

We're leaving in *TWO* days (excited!). We've got an ADR at Trail's End for the day we want to explore Wilderness Lodge/Ft. Wilderness, but it's not until 6:30 and I want to get there early enough that there's still some daylight left. Then we're going to stay for Electrical Water Parade. When we visit AKL, we plan to eat at the Mara (zebra domes!!!), so I wouldn't be lying if I said we were going there to eat...just not at a place with a reservation.

Also, that's really great to know about the room tours! I didn't realize they would do that, but I totally agree with you about not being able to fully judge a resort just by the pictures. When we went last year, I was excited to stay at AKL for the animals. Then I saw the room! The pictures didn't do it justice. We loved it! We'd be staying there again this year, except in order to go back so soon, this trip had to be a budget trip. Any Disney vacation is better than no Disney vacation!

 

[Tigger's ally]

I just tell them that my favorite drink is calling my name at Territory Lounge and that I will be back through after a bit.