Visiting resorts when staying off-site

[Doogan]

We have visited other resorts when staying on-site and we've visited resorts while staying off-site but with dinner reservations. If we just want to visit the Polynesian resort without dinner reservations, can we get in without paying for parking?

 

[Lynne M]

There's never a charge for self-parking at the Disney resorts. The guard at the entrance to the Poly will ask for a photo ID, but you'll likely not have a problem parking there without having an ADR. They will sometimes issue a 3-hour parking pass if it's a busy time of year.

I should add that at very busy times of year, the guards can be a bit stricter about allowing entry to the lots at the monorail resorts. On the unlikely chance that you're turned away from the Poly lot, you can park at the TTC (the Magic Kingdom's lot) and walk from there to the Poly. You will be charged the parking fee for the MK lot if you do park there.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Even though we were staying onsite at the Boardwalk Inn when we parked at the Polynesian to eat at the Kona Island Sushi Bar, over there they don't accept ADR's and that means we wouldn't be on any list at the guard shack of guests with ADR's. However each time we told them where we were going all they asked was to see one of our KTTW cards and then saw our Boardwalk Inn parking pass before letting us go and park.

 

[Doogan]

Let me refine my question a bit. I'm more concerned with getting past the Magic Kingdom parking toll booth. Can I just tell them I'm just going to look around at the Poly and they'll let me in without paying for parking? Wouldn't this be an easy way for dishonest people to get to the MK parking lot without paying? Do the attendants in the parking lot check for a windshield tag or something saying that you did not sneak in?

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

Whenever I stayed at the Contemporary or Polynesian on the day we checked-in and drove up to the Magic Kingdom toll gates, we told the Cast Member working there that we were going to check-in and let us drive without any problems. So if you tell them you are going to visit the Polynesian they should let go through without paying.

 

[kathy884]

You are typically just given a three hour parking pass. That is what keeps people from parking at a resort and going to the parks when they aren't staying there. And no you don't need a dining reservation. Last time we went to the Polynesian I just told the parking attendant that we came over to shop. We looked in gift shops, rode the monerail around, and had a Dole Whip and sat out by the beach.