There are resorts to visit too!

[tfournier]

I have known so many people who decide to go to Disney and just go to the parks and water parks. If you do this, you are only getting half of the Disney experience. You need to visit all of the resorts, because each one of them has a completely different feel to it. It is like going to the Magic Kingdom and going to all of the different lands, FronteirLand, FantasyLand, ToonTown, and so-on. Look at it this way. WDW is just an extremely large Magic Kingdom. The parks are just a few of the different lands in WDW, but the resorts make up all of the rest. I don't know anybody who hasn't gone to all of the lands in the Magic Kingdom, so why shouldn't you go to all of the lands that WDW has to offer?

If you rent a car or drove down yourself, it is very easy to visit the resorts. All you need to do is drive yourself to a resort and show the guard at the front gate your Disney roomkey. Now, you have full access to that resort. Spend an hour or so there, and then move onto the next resort. It is a great experience for everybody. Sure, there are no thrill rides, or even rides at all, but it is an experience you will never forget. Experiencing the magic Disney has to offer is incredible.

 

[Amirah95]

Good that your brought this up because we stay offsite (at the moment) and was wondering if we could do some of the restaurants at some of the Disney resorts. We will not have a room key to get access. We don't want to use the pool or amenities, just the restaurants.

 

[tfournier]

All you need to do then is let the guard know that you are eating at the food court or restaurant

 

[A Mickeyfan]

Actually, if you are staying onsite, you get a parking pass from your resort & when you drive to another Disney one they normally just wave you on...you do not have to show your room key. There may be times (at the monorail resorts) when it is busy, you may have to tell them what you are there for, but your resort parking pass will do as ID.
When you aren't staying onsite, since 9/11, the guard will ask why you are there & to see a photo ID. They usually also jot down your licence plate number as well. If you are going to a monorail resort, they give you a 3 hour parking pass.

 

[mickeymousefan]

On our next trip, we plan on doing 2 days in the parks and 3 days doing other things, like Ft Wilderness and DTD. We will be dining at AKL, the BC, Poly and the CR . Staying at a deluxe isnt in our budget, so dining at their restaurants is a great way to see them.

 

[DisneyForLife]

I completely agree with this. I always make it a point to resort hop while there. Each hotel has their own theme and the detail is amazing. It is nice to take a rest from the parks and check out a few hotels for a day. The lobby's at Christmas are especially nice. Of course this works best without children. I tried it with the kids when they were younger and needless to say it was a very short visit.

 

[aimee11621]

I love to resort hop !!! We stayed at the CR in july got a good florida resident rate. On rainy afternoons I would board the monorail and shwoooshhh off to the POLY, GF. Scooped the hotels out and had early dinner at ohana no ps !!!!

Then went to the GF scooped out the joint and grabbed the boat to the ttc.

Next time around I will grab the buses to DTD and hop on the bus to WL or POR. Or maybe be daring and grab whatever bus may come first. eeeoooooo!!!!

that's enough daring stuff....

And guess what its F R E E!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[WeluvDisney2]

Can you swim in the pools at other Disney Resorts as well? Or do you have to swim at your own Resort?

 

[aimee11621]

Do'nt know rules of swimming pool etiquette. But I don't see why not we were'nt asked to show ID at the cr pool or any pool on site.

 

[Amirah95]

I have to find it where I read this. I read somewhere that you can only swim at your own resort. Can anyone confirm or correct me on this?

 

[karemore]

Resort pools are reserved fo guests of that resort only. Signs are posted at the pools and guests may be asked to show their room key at some popular pools.

DVC guests can pool hop, I don't know the exact conditions.

I love to resort hop if we have time. Next trip we plan to eat at Boma's and tour AKL, and visit Jellyrolls at the Boardwalk.

We will stay at CSR.

I'd like to see all the resorts eventually.

Karen

 

[Coach Rick]

I'm with you on this one. When I get to OKW in two weeks, I will definately be visiting BC, just to visit Beaches and Cream. Dying to hit that Kitchen Sink. I have a bet with someone that I can eat the whole thing....ok, the bet is with myself.

 

[Amirah95]

Hey Coach,

Did you get a one bedroom or a 2? Can you give us a little trip report when you get back?

 

[Tink03477]

A nice easy way to resort hop is to do the Monorail resorts. My son and I took the bus to Epcot and hopped on the monorail. We had breakfast at Koma (made a ressie the day before at the resort), checked out Poly and then all the rest of them. Koma is now a regular breakfast stop. My son LOVES the tonga toast! We also checked out Swan & dolphin, took the Friendship boat from MGM one day. From there we walked to Boardwalk, Y&B then Epcot. We finally found Beaches & Cream too! We probably spent about 2-3 hours touring. We loved it!!
We'll be checking out OKW on our next trip. We've visited PORS as well and ate the best pork and mashed pototoes ever at their food court! We visited the AKL once and WL. We had lunch at Whispering Pines too. Yummy! Of course we didn't do this all on 1 trip. As we have been going more often, we have more time to visit the whole World, not just the parks. It's a great experience and I recommend it to anyone!

 

[DJT]

We'll be staying onsite for the FIRST TIME ever in September! We are planning one day for resort hopping. We've done the resort hopping before and seen many of them when we stayed off site and drove to the resorts. Since we'll be staying on site, I was wondering if Disney transportation can get us to any of the resorts we want to visit. I'd like to not have to use our rental car, so we wouldn't have the hassle of doing the driving ourselves.

Donna

 

[The Sweetness]

Several times on past visits (last was about 5y ago), we valet parked at a resort near a park we wanted to visit that day and had breakfast there, then took the monorail, or boat over to the park for the day, and returning for our car at park closing. I tipped the vallet at drop off and pick up, and dont remember what I was charged to vallet in addition. I do know it was worth it. It made us feel special, compared to the 10,000 other families parking their cars in the lots of the park(s). Maybe since then the rules have changed, and this wont be allowed next time, but I will surely try. The worst that could happen id that Id be turned away, and park in the jungle with the other unfortunate ppl who couldnt pay $$$$$$$$$ to stay at the GF, or the Yacht club

 

[dj2]

Originally posted by DJT
We'll be staying onsite for the FIRST TIME ever in September! We are planning one day for resort hopping. We've done the resort hopping before and seen many of them when we stayed off site and drove to the resorts. Since we'll be staying on site, I was wondering if Disney transportation can get us to any of the resorts we want to visit. I'd like to not have to use our rental car, so we wouldn't have the hassle of doing the driving ourselves.

Donna

resort hopping to non-monorail resorts is probably done much easier with a car. you can get from, say, ASM to POR, but you have to take a bus and transfer at a park or at the TTC. it's just quicker to drive.

if you use a palm, you could download a wdw e-guide to help you figure out the best way to get from place to place.

http://www.eguidestogo.com/eguide/guides.html

 

[exnortherner]

I completely agree that you have to visit the resorts to fully appreciate the Disney experience. DW and I are Florida residents who visit WDW several times a year. Since our stays are mostly long weekends, we usually stay at the budget resorts (All Stars or Pop - it's only a place to sleep!). However, since we are both employed in the hospitality industry, we sometimes get great rates at the Dolphin/Swan which puts us within a short walk of the Beach Club, Yacht Club and Boardwalk.

After visiting the parks each day, we frequently plan our dinners at the other resorts. That way we get to dine in some great restaurants while visiting and relaxing in wonderfully themed resorts.

Recently we have visited and dined at BOMA at AKL, Cape May at Beach Club, Maya Grill at Coronado, 1900 Park Fare at GF.

Next month we will make two trips to WDW (Florida resident month) and dine at Ohana and once more at BOMA. Ohana will be a first for us and we are very excited.

 

[theresaruth]

I agree that resort hopping can be part of the Disney experience. Every year we plan to visit and dine (dinner) at a different resort, this year our plans include dining at Ohana/Poly, Beaches and Crean/Beach Club, Boma's/AKL, Oliviia's Cafe/OKW, we're staying at the WL so we will definately dine a Whispering Canyon and Artist Point and Chef Mickey's/Contemporrary. I can't wait...thanks to this board...

 

[lucy_love_]

hi

i have read alot of threads about the resorts being a good place to visit. i will have to take a look when im there. also it might help us decide where we want to stay next year.

love

lucy