Refused access to the World Showcase entrance to Epcot from Beach Club?

[DisneyWishes14]

Wow, to say that's inconvenient is a massive understatement. I would imagine a lot of EP resort guests are utilizing EP EMH and to not allow them to simply walk back to their resorts is pretty bonkers. OP, please let us know if you speak with a manager about your experience. I would also encourage you to write to guest services if you've already left WDW. The higher-ups in WDW need to know what happened.

 

[tjmw2727]

Wow - we have stayed at an Epcot resort so many times and often stayed until the bitter end of emh and also took our time leaving on NYE a few times and never had an issue leaving by the IG. I would definitely speak with someone at your resort or even Epcot guest relations to see why.

My dd's were even let back into Epcot after hours to access the IG and get to the BWV. They had originally planned to go to MK for EMH but there was a monorail shutdown and the buses were mobbed so they changed their mind. Then they realized Epcot had just closed and they may have to go to MK after all but my older dd asked the security guard at Epcot and he let them enter and exit with specific instructions to make it quick!

Even the boat captain will tell you that the boats run for an hour and after that you can walk back

Sorry OP

 

[MrKnight]

This is definitely not normal. It sounds like either the CMs misinformed you (training issue on their part) OR there could have been as special situation happening that particular night (private event not open to public, construction, etc.).

As stated previously, the IG entrance/exit is one of the primary perks of staying at an EC area resort, hence, if I would have a immediately requested to speak to a manager on the spot for clarification.

 

[ClapYourHands]

So many times the on-site vs off-site debate comes down to convenience. In terms of rooms, pools, customer service, etc. there are non-Disney hotels and resorts that match or exceed Disney Deluxes, and do so at a lower price. The primary value of the Epcot resorts is proximity...and I'm sure Disney knows this full well.

Take away easy access to the parks, and who is going to pay $600/night to stay there? I mean, go to TTC and transfer? What was that CM thinking? Even the value resorts have direct buses.

 

[WEDWDW]

What was that CM thinking?

My best "guess" is it was new CMs and,because PM EMH had ended,they had been instructed to tell Guests that World Showcase was now closed and to "funnel" Guests toward the Maingate and they were not specifically instructed about the "exception" being Crescent Lake Resort Guests needing to access the IG.

 

[fhtpdw20]

I did not have a problem in the evening, but in 2016, I could not enter World Showcase in the morning because they were filming for Christmas. Security would not let anyone through the locked gate before you get to IG at the scheduled opening time. I went back to guest service who called a cab (free of charge to me) so that I could get to front of the park in time to make Destinations tour. That tour meets over by the front of World Show Case, so had to do additional walking through Future World.

 

[holden]

Definitely address this with someone at EP. That doesn’t sound right at all.

 

[Kaufeegurl]

Hi all,

Just wondering if anyone had any experience of the confusion we had when leaving Epcot today to return to our resort -

OP - please keep us updated on Disney's response to your situation. I'm sure there are many of us who will be/are staying at BC and would like to know what happened and if this is going to be a regular occurence. Thx!

 

[PlutoTheDog89]

I probably would have smiled and kept walking

In all seriousness... this sounds like miscommunication or maybe gondola construction. Regardless... it's unacceptable to pay $600+ to stay at BC and to not have the BIGGEST perk of staying there available to you. They should have supplied buses if that were the case.

 

[AngiTN]

Unless OP was trying to leave in the middle of the night there was nothing going on with gondola construction. The Boardwalk itself was still alive with activity well past the end of EMH at Epcot and I was up packing till at least 2:00 so I can say for sure there was nothing going on in that regards. I hope they've spoken to someone of authority at the resort and/or the park and can come back with some update. I'm positive it was a mix up. Not that it makes it any better by any means, a mix up like this should never happen. Even the worse trained CP should know they can let guests out the IG, even if it means scanning the bands to see they are staying back there (since the scanners tell them what Resort a guest is at)

 

[Jon84]

I probably would have smiled and kept walking

Ditto, the OP implies they were in FW so likely there would be a few other routes they could have worked around this misinformed CM. To think that guests should to via TTC is outrageous, there would always be a bus.

The 'secret entrance' into BC is worthless if I can't haul my tired *** back to bed via IG!

If for any reason IG was going to close early, I'd assume there would be some kind of sign when entering the parks (through both ends) advising of the closure.

 

[Tiffer]

My two children (in their 20's) stayed for EMH in Epcot on 8/28/18, we were staying at the Dolphin. They had the same experience when trying to leave via the International Gateway. They left through the front entrance and asked a bus driver to drop them because they had no other way to get back to the Dolphin (other than paying for a ride share). They were lucky that a kind bus driver, assigned to another route, took pity on them and drove them back.

 

[AngiTN]

Ditto, the OP implies they were in FW so likely there would be a few other routes they could have worked around this misinformed CM. To think that guests should to via TTC is outrageous, there would always be a bus.

If for any reason IG was going to close early, I'd assume there would be some kind of sign when entering the parks (through both ends) advising of the closure.

And there was most certainly not. And at 10:15, as I was leaving 45 min before the end of EMH, there was a very long line of guests still entering the park for EMH. No one told any of them they were not going to be able to leave that way.

Wonder what would happen if a guest refused to go any other way? Not creating a disturbance of course, just quietly standing still, not moving along.

 

[HelenParr]

This is very discouraging. Two different, recent EMH nights with guests being told they cannot exit through IG is pretty good proof that this is planned, not the result of CM confusion.

For the Epcot resorts (let alone Epcot) to fail to warn guests is entirely unacceptable. I would be at the lobby seeking a manager for a valid explanation. I hope Disney resolves or clarifies soon.

 

[WEDWDW]

To think that guests should to via TTC is outrageous

I would say SUPER outrageous since there are no Resort buses at TTC!lol

 

[FSU Girl]

My two children (in their 20's) stayed for EMH in Epcot on 8/28/18, we were staying at the Dolphin. They had the same experience when trying to leave via the International Gateway. They left through the front entrance and asked a bus driver to drop them because they had no other way to get back to the Dolphin (other than paying for a ride share). They were lucky that a kind bus driver, assigned to another route, took pity on them and drove them back.

Did they talk to anyone about this? That's really concerning that they are preventing people from getting back to their hotels through there. That gate is a huge advantage for staying there and I don't think those hotels are worth their crazy costs if this is being eliminated

 

[gillep]

And there was most certainly not. And at 10:15, as I was leaving 45 min before the end of EMH, there was a very long line of guests still entering the park for EMH. No one told any of them they were not going to be able to leave that way.

Wonder what would happen if a guest refused to go any other way? Not creating a disturbance of course, just quietly standing still, not moving along.

I hope it was just some very confused CMs. I was at an after hours DVC event at Epcot in July and one CM would not allow us to go further into World Showcase to exit, I informed him that my only option to exit to my resort was to exit through the International Gateway, he called over someone else and they said no issue and let us go.

 

[AngiTN]

This is very discouraging. Two different, recent EMH nights with guests being told they cannot exit through IG is pretty good proof that this is planned, not the result of CM confusion.

For the Epcot resorts (let alone Epcot) to fail to warn guests is entirely unacceptable. I would be at the lobby seeking a manager for a valid explanation. I hope Disney resolves or clarifies soon.

Hardly. It's good proof of bad training.

Especially based on this

I hope it was just some very confused CMs. I was at an after hours DVC event at Epcot in July and one CM would not allow us to go further into World Showcase to exit, I informed him that my only option to exit to my resort was to exit through the International Gateway, he called over someone else and they said no issue and let us go.

 

[Office_Angel]

This is a real shame and quite disappointing. I will be staying at the BC in the next couple of weeks and while it is a lovely resort the IG is the massive plus for my DH and I (particularly during the F&W Festival). I will be very interested to hear if there is a official explanation for this.

OP - I am so sorry you had such a struggle to get back o your resort, its not really the Disney Magic you hope for

OA

 

[WEDWDW]

I informed him that my only option to exit to my resort was to exit through the International Gateway, he called over someone else and they said no issue and let us go.

This-just ask for a Manager.

It just looks like the Managers are not EMPHASIZING with the CMs that Crescent Lake Resort Guests are ALWAYS allowed to exit through the IG.