Restrictions on Quick Service Access?

[TJsMomSarahJane]

I know that for a time, Disney was not allowing members of the public to go to a resort they were not staying at, unless they had an ADR. Is this still the case? For example, could someone staying off site be able to go to a quick service restaurant at a Disney resort? (We'd be travelling by Uber, not on Disney transportation from a park.)

 

[holden]

If you are concerned you could Uber to Disney Springs and then take a bus to a resort.

 

[Aimeedyan]

They have never restricted people from visiting the resorts, they just often won't let you park your personal car there without a dining reservation.

 

[HashberryOTG]

I suggest using Disney transportation. Most of the time cars (including Ubers) are turned away at the gate if they cannot verify your reservation for table service or resort stay. You will never be turned away on Disney transportation.

 

[1lilspark]

If you drive/ride share you can’t visit without a resort stay or adr however you can go via transportation we’ve skyliner to CBR for dinner when staying at pop in January and bussed to POFQ from riverside for benights twice earlier this month

 

[Simba's Mom]

I'm also concerned about this. In the past, when we stayed at OKW, we'd drive over to POR or POFQ to eat in the food court. Obviously, no reservations. We have a trip coming up soon, and are hoping they'd let us in at those hotels. We can't make reservations, as I said. Also, the hotels don't offer "walking" to a theme park (like Contemporary, Grand Floridian, Beach Club Villas. People say to use Disney transportation, but we're not going to spend all that time, perhaps 2 hours round trip, just to eat in a food court. We'd much rather take a 10 minute drive. Any ideas of our chances of being let in?

 

[Her Dotness]

Not much chance if your trip is very soon unless Disney opens resort access more.

We sat behind several cars in November that engaged in a 5-10 minute discussion with the guard and then swung a u-turn to leave the resort. We'd never witnessed this before.

And, DH had to present both ID and his MB to verify our ADR at several resorts.

So, no, I wouldn't try it without a backup plan.

 

[CarolynFH]

Resorts that are walking distance to parks or are on the monorail or Skyliner are the most difficult, even for rideshare vehicles, especially near rope drop time. Resorts that are bus-only to the parks are much more likely to allow entry of rideshare or even a private vehicle - I don't think I've read any reports of anyone being turned away from POR or POFQ, for instance. @Her Dotness, which resort was this where you witnessed those turnarounds?

 

[TJsMomSarahJane]

If you are concerned you could Uber to Disney Springs and then take a bus to a resort.

Great idea - thank you!

Not much chance if your trip is very soon unless Disney opens resort access more.

December, so we do have a while.

 

[HashberryOTG]

I have heard of folks, for the most part, being able to get into those non-park resorts with their vehicles. But have a backup plan if they deny entry.

 

[Her Dotness]

@Her Dotness, which resort was this where you witnessed those turnarounds?

Two at BC/YC. One BC for lunch, the other Yachtsman dinner.

Another may have been Riviera, not sure. ETA: Oops! It was at BWI for Trattoria breakfast.

Then, we saw a couple cars do u-turns out of the GF as we approached the returning guest gate. Those might've been people at the gate for something else as we didn't witness a lengthy discussion with the guard for either.

Mostly thought so many turnarounds were odd as we'd never before seen any.

 

[CarolynFH]

Two at BC/YC. One BC for lunch, the other Yachtsman dinner.

Another may have been Riviera, not sure.

Then, we saw a couple cars do u-turns out of the GF as we approached the returning guest gate. Those might've been people at the gate for something else as we didn't witness a lengthy discussion with the guard for either.

Mostly thought so many turnarounds were odd as we'd never before seen any.

So all of them were near park or monorail/Skyliner resorts. Hopefully the bus-only resorts like POR and POFQ are more accessible, at least for rideshare.

 

[Her Dotness]

So all of them were near park or monorail/Skyliner resorts. Hopefully the bus-only resorts like POR and POFQ are more accessible, at least for rideshare.

Yup, which led me to wonder if the pandemic gave Disney a good reason to limit access by car as a below-radar method to crack down on people abusing resort parking for park access.

 

[Simba's Mom]

Resorts that are walking distance to parks or are on the monorail or Skyliner are the most difficult, even for rideshare vehicles, especially near rope drop time. Resorts that are bus-only to the parks are much more likely to allow entry of rideshare or even a private vehicle - I don't think I've read any reports of anyone being turned away from POR or POFQ, for instance.

I so hope you're correct. Besides, if they scan our MBs at the gate, they'll see that we're staying on site. Don't you get free parking at the theme parks if you're staying on site? If so, why would we try to sneak into a hotel parking lot for the free access to the parks?

 

[Disneylover99]

So all of them were near park or monorail/Skyliner resorts. Hopefully the bus-only resorts like POR and POFQ are more accessible, at least for rideshare.

I can't see them turning people away at POR or POFQ.

 

[Disneylover99]

Yup, which led me to wonder if the pandemic gave Disney a good reason to limit access by car as a below-radar method to crack down on people abusing resort parking for park access.

I don’t know. They were already cracking down on this at Monorail, Epcot and Skyliner resorts before the pandemic.

 

[CarolynFH]

I don’t know. They were already cracking down on this at Monorail, Epcot and Skyliner resorts before the pandemic.

Yes, even before the pandemic people were trying to work around not being allowed to be dropped off at BW to walk to DHS for the RotR BG lottery. I think the reopening gave Disney an opportunity to include that rule in the list of reopening restrictions and publicize it. I still see posts from people concerned that it’s an absolute ban on visiting resorts they’re not staying at, so including it in the reopening rules was obviously effective.

 

[Her Dotness]

I don’t know. They were already cracking down on this at Monorail, Epcot and Skyliner resorts before the pandemic.

True, but not nearly so obviously.

Each resort gate near a theme park (maybe others, too, dunno) has a sign saying admittance requires a room or dining reservation.

One guard mentioned that it makes his role much easier. We didn't ask why, figuring that meant he could simply say no entry to all lacking a reservation.

My guess was Disney may have implemented this in part to reduce having to summon tow trucks for people who are there "to tour the resort and shop." Translation: Park here to more conveniently slip over to the nearby theme park.

 

[AUDramaQueen]

I'm also concerned about this. In the past, when we stayed at OKW, we'd drive over to POR or POFQ to eat in the food court. Obviously, no reservations. We have a trip coming up soon, and are hoping they'd let us in at those hotels. We can't make reservations, as I said. Also, the hotels don't offer "walking" to a theme park (like Contemporary, Grand Floridian, Beach Club Villas. People say to use Disney transportation, but we're not going to spend all that time, perhaps 2 hours round trip, just to eat in a food court. We'd much rather take a 10 minute drive. Any ideas of our chances of being let in?

This doesn't work for the Epcot or MK resorts, but does of either of those food courts accept mobile order? That might give you a little more plausibility/begging power at the gate.

Too many people were doing this and canceling the mobile order as a workaround to park at those other resorts, but it may work at PO since they really only have special access to Disney Springs. Might be worth a shot...

 

[only hope]

POR should be ok in the evenings Yeehaw Bob is there at the very least.