Visiting Resorts - how and okay?

[WDWRids]

Hi - we will be down in Sept and staying off site. Is it okay to "visit" the WDW resorts and walk around the property? Heard lots of neat things to do and see at the resorts.

How is the best way to get to them?

Any great "not to miss" things to see?

Thanks

 

[Exhilen]

You can always visit any resort along Disney property, but the only thing they do not allow is swimming in the resort's pools if you are not staying at their resort. You also can eat at any of the resort's many restaurants, so there is definitely no problem looking around.

And as for getting to them, unless you have a shuttle taking you to a Disney park where you can transfer to either the buses, monorail, or a boat to the resorts, you're basically stuck using either a rental car or cab.

As far as cool resorts to visit, there are general public view areas of the animals in the Savannah at AKL. Otherwise, I have heard that some of the grounds at the Moderate resorts are just gorgeous to take a stroll through such as both of the Port Orleans resorts and Coronado. That's what I'm going to be doing in my upcoming trip - checking out the different resorts. You'll definitely have fun doing so.

 

[grimley1968]

Yes, you can, as long as you don't swim at a resort you're not staying at! (no pool hopping).

Disney very much encourages guests to go around the resort lobbies, eat at the resort restaurants, etc. After all, they make money off it, especially if it convinces people to stay at those resorts later.

To get to Contemporary, Polynesian and Grand Florida, get on the resort monorail at Magic Kingdom or at the TTC.

To get to Beach Club/Yacht Club, Boardwalk Inn, or Swan/Dolphin, you can walk or boat between the rear entrance to EPCOT and the Studios.

To get to Wilderness Lodge and Fort Wilderness, you can take a boat from Magic Kingdom.

Other resorts you will generally need to take a bus or drive.

 

[Verstehen]

I recommend Boardwalk for visiting. Kouzzina is a delicious restaurant. Wilderness Lodge has a beautiful lobby. I always try to do at least one meal at a hotel I'm not staying at when I visit for more than a day. It's a nice treat.

 

[magicaldisney]

If you are at DTD at all you can walk to SSR, and boat to OKW, POR, and POFQ.

 

[WDWRids]

Outstanding!! Think we will spend a day exploring the other resorts. SO EXCITED!!!

 

[Bonniec]

Does anyone recommend a good loop for checking out the resorts? I want to go on a snack binge (Dole Whips at Poly, Zebra Domes at Ft. W, Bakery at Boardwalk, etc).

I found one online somewhere but it only covers the few closest to MK.

 

[Missytara]

I go the week after Thanksgiving and tour the resorts to see the decorations, have a nice lunch/dinner and have a cocktail. This past year, I did an 8 day, no parks, all resorts trip and it was a blast!

I do the monorail loop and end up at GF for dinner. Take the ferry over to WL and I have a cocktail in the lounge; beautiful atmosphere. I take the bus back to DTD and take the water taxi back to POR.

BC/YC/BW/Swalphin - end with dinner at Kouzzina's. Bus back to DTD.

On AK day, since they close early, take the bus to AKL and go over to Kidani Village for dinner at Sanaa.

The other ones I catch when I can.

 

[WDWRids]

Great plan! Thanks for the transportation route - that helps alot!!! Next year we plan to stay on site so I wanted to tour the resorts to see which one I liked the best.

 

[Missytara]

Great plan! Thanks for the transportation route - that helps alot!!! Next year we plan to stay on site so I wanted to tour the resorts to see which one I liked the best.

Definately utilize the transporation.

The other one I forgot is the boat from Epcot or DHS to the BW/YC/BC/Swalphin loop. Lovely ride.

 

[nkereina]

Does anyone recommend a good loop for checking out the resorts? I want to go on a snack binge (Dole Whips at Poly, Zebra Domes at Ft. W, Bakery at Boardwalk, etc).

I found one online somewhere but it only covers the few closest to MK.

I spent one night at WDW and didn't do any parks. We took a bus to DHS and then took the boat to the boardwalk area and walked around BW, YC/BC and Swan/Dolphin. I'd recommend doing this at night because the boardwalk was dead in the afternoon and I hear there is more going on at night. We also took the monorail between Contemporary, GF and Poly and watched the fireworks at MK from the Poly beach.

 

[disneygal58]

It really is one of our favorite things to do. AKL is not to be missed.

 

[Traveliz]

We tend to visit the resorts when we are conveniently located near them anyway. For example if we are going to dine at a monorail resort or go to the Poly for fireworks we buffer in some extra time to take the monorail loop of the hotels and get off at each one.

If we are at DHS we tend to go to ESPN for lunch or afternoon break and you can hit the Boardwalk resorts then.. or alternatively sometimes after we finish Epcot in the morning we head to the Yacht and Beach and then grab a bus to DTD.

Unless I am looking for something special I typically don't visit the values or mods. Occasionally I will take the boat from DTD to Port Orleans and then grab a bus from there somewhere else but that is mostly because I like the boat ride.

Liz

 

[joecatz]

Yes, you can, as long as you don't swim at a resort you're not staying at! (no pool hopping).
.

Actually, I believe if you are staying onsite, the only pools exclusive to those resorts guests are AK, Y/BC and BLT. You can swim at any of the other pools as long as youa re staying at another disney resort.

 

[It'sWDW4me]

Actually, I believe if you are staying onsite, the only pools exclusive to those resorts guests are AK, Y/BC and BLT. You can swim at any of the other pools as long as youa re staying at another disney resort.

Nope. This may have been true many years ago but there's been a no pool hopping rule in place for at least the past 5 years or so.

Even DVC owners are not allowed to hop to the BC/YC pool (and possibly others).

 

[stephmarty]

Actually, I believe if you are staying onsite, the only pools exclusive to those resorts guests are AK, Y/BC and BLT. You can swim at any of the other pools as long as youa re staying at another disney resort.

Oh, no. Why'd you have to go and say that? Here we go...

 

[Traveliz]

Nope. This may have been true many years ago but there's been a no pool hopping rule in place for at least the past 5 years or so.

Even DVC owners are not allowed to hop to the BC/YC pool (and possibly others).

Its been way over 5 years -- it was in the 90s that they allowed it. Ahhh those were the days.

Liz

 

[goofy4tink]

Actually, I believe if you are staying onsite, the only pools exclusive to those resorts guests are AK, Y/BC and BLT. You can swim at any of the other pools as long as youa re staying at another disney resort.

Just to be sure everyone gets the correct info....pool hopping is not allowed to any pool...doesn't matter where you are stay. The only people entitled to pool hop are DVC owners, staying on points. And even they are limited to certain pools...with some blackout dates.


So......if you want to visit other resorts, this is how I do it every year in order to check out the holiday stuff.
I go to MK, hop on the monorail. Head over to the CR. From there I take the boat to WL, then back to the CR. Onto the monorail, over to the Polynesian and then GF.
Then, if I want to check out more, when I get done with GF, I can get on the bus to BW at MK, and then do the loop around that lake and check out BW, S/D and YC/BC.

You can take the bus to AKL and check out both Kidani and Jambo House, from any park.
You can do the same for the moderate and value resorts as well. It's a fun way to spend a few hours.

 

[Missytara]

Thank you goofy4tink; it is nice to reiterate the correct information.

It burns my butter when someone posts "they believe that...." and it is totally incorrect. Especially like pool hopping that can kill a thread completely when there is so much good information on here as well.

 

[goofy4tink]

Thank you goofy4tink; it is nice to reiterate the correct information.

It burns my butter when someone posts "they believe that...." and it is totally incorrect. Especially like pool hopping that can kill a thread completely when there is so much good information on here as well.

And that is why there is no pixiedust over on the Transportation Board!!!!