Visiting WDW Resorts if you are a NON-Guest

[♥Tinkerbell♥]

Ok... I remember long ago reading on a website that it is possible to visit some of the Disney Hotel Resorts if you are not even a guest.... that you get a PARKING/SHOPPING pass for a few hours or something?/??

We are not staying on a WDW property but I have always wanted to visit and with it being the holiday season I would LOVE to take some pictures of that GINGERBREAD tree...

So anyone know if this is possible and any suggestions as to which ones to visit???

 

[Grumpy92]

You just pull up to the resort security gatehouse. Pull out your Drivers License. Tell them you are there to dine, shop or visit the resort for a few hours. They will allow in. At the Grand, self parking is across the street from the resort or they have valet up close.

At some resorts like the Poly they will give you a special parking pass. They do have the right to turn you down. For instance if the hotel is hosting a large conference, but they usually direct you to someplace else to park.

 

[♥Tinkerbell♥]

Any suggestions on which resorts to visit during the holiday season??? Our first day down there we are coming in around lunch time.. and I didnt want to waste the park tickets for just a half day... but wanted to still spend some time having FUN at Disney...

We were thinking about heading downtown Disney later that night... but still needed something to do earlier on that day...

 

[stitchaholic]

AKL is definitly worth the visit although off the beaten path a little, the poly and grand floridian are beautiful as well, the WL is also a great resort

 

[TLinden16]

I'm going to move this to our resort board.

 

[chartle]

Any suggestions on which resorts to visit during the holiday season??? Our first day down there we are coming in around lunch time.. and I didnt want to waste the park tickets for just a half day... but wanted to still spend some time having FUN at Disney

Just a quick comment on "wasting" a park ticket for just half a day.

You may not realize that adding a day to a 4 or more day MYW ticket only costs around $5 per ticket. So I wouldn't call spending $5 for half a day a waste.

The only way this wouldn't work is if you already have the max 10 day ticket or are using left over days from an old ticket.

But besides that plus one to what everyone else is saying about visiting the resorts.

One other option if you are going to spend a lot of time touring the resorts and don't want to move your car is to pay the $14 to park at the TTC and take the Monorail to all the Magic Kingdom resorts and then if you wanted to see some of the Epcot resorts, take a bus from the MK to anyone of them and tour around there.

One thing you need to know is that no resort buses go to the TTC so you would have to get back to the MK to catch a ferry or Monorail back to your car. If you do this don't wait until the MK closes to avoid the rush.

 

[ms mouse]

The WL is beautiful and the GF is a must. You could park at the WL look around then take the boat to the GF see the gingerbread house then go back to the WL.

 

[CLR4321]

You can visit the resorts for dining and shopping. The only exception I know of is BLT, which is locked down like a fortress. I tried to coerce the people sitting at the entrance to let me in just to sneak a peak, and they said they couldn't let me in.

 

[Lynne M]

You can visit the resorts for dining and shopping. The only exception I know of is BLT, which is locked down like a fortress. I tried to coerce the people sitting at the entrance to let me in just to sneak a peak, and they said they couldn't let me in.

There's really not much to see at BLT, it's just guest rooms in the tower. That's why only those with resort IDs are allowed in.

All of the dining and shopping for both the Contemporary and BLT are located in the CR tower. Well, except for the lounge at the top of the BLT tower, but that's only open to DVC members staying at BLT. There just aren't any facilities for non-guests to use there, and nothing to see but corridors with guest room doors.

 

[figment_jii]

We visited every Disney resort on our trip last week. At the front gate we were asked to show either our Driver's License and/or KTTW (I know non-guests won't have this). In most cases, the guard just looked at the driver's license and let us in without any problems.

The best decorations were at the Deluxe resorts. There was gingerbread at the Grand Floridian, Boardwalk, Beach Club, and Contemporary. There was a mini-village at the Yacht Club. The WL and AKL had huge trees. The moderates and values were also decorated, usually with wreaths or trees.

If your not going during the holiday season, then the deluxe resorts probably have the most variety in decor. As others have said, the WL and AKL have amazing lobbies with interesting woodwork and/or decor.

 

[garettdoyle]

I suggest parking at the Ticket/Transportation Center and doing a monorail/boat tour of the Magic Kingdom resorts. You could easily spend an afternoon visiting all the resorts. Visit GF, Poly, Contemporary by monorail and take a boat ride from Contemporary or MK to Wilderness Lodge and/or Fort Wilderness. We always enjoy going resort hoping, regardless of the time of year. I much prefer this to Downtown Disney.

 

[♥Tinkerbell♥]

Just a quick comment on "wasting" a park ticket for just half a day.

You may not realize that adding a day to a 4 or more day MYW ticket only costs around $5 per ticket. So I wouldn't call spending $5 for half a day a waste.

Actually we have a Touch of Magic ticket.. so only 2 days no upgrading sadly.... it was all we could afford last minute and just before christmas...

----

Thanks everyone for their suggestions.... I really like the idea of taking the monorail around the MK resorts that actually sounds like a GREAT idea...

Honestly we have never had the chance to look around the WDW resorts cause we normally just spend all the time at the parks or make some beach trips to Daytona... so this will be a nice change... and not so fast paced as the parks...

So...there is gingerbread at the Grand Floridian, Boardwalk, Beach Club, and Contemporary?? all of them??? I thought it was just at the Contemporary??/

 

[CinderellaDreamer]

Actually we have a Touch of Magic ticket.. so only 2 days no upgrading sadly.... it was all we could afford last minute and just before christmas...

So...there is gingerbread at the Grand Floridian, Boardwalk, Beach Club, and Contemporary?? all of them??? I thought it was just at the Contemporary??/

We have four day military tickets that cannot be upgraded either. We are coming in a day early and are going to do the exact same thing that you are! I am really looking forward to seeing the gingerbread displays. I plan on going to GF, Cont., Boardwalk, Beach and Yacht to see all of their displays. They have had some nice pictures on some of the Disney blogs. I particularly like the chocolate/gingerbread carousel at the Beach Club. My kids love to look for the hidden Mickeys on the displays. We are going to have a late brunch at Cape May's Cafe and then tour around gingerbread displays. Have you thought of doing a fun character meal outside of the parks? Most are breakfast, but there are a few for dinner. Or a meal at AK or WL to see the decor there. We were also thinking of doing Hoop-de-doo at Ft. Wilderness. The first show is at 5:30, so I like doing it on a non-park day so that we can spend our entire day at the parks when we do have tickets. There are a lot of other activities at the Fort that you could do in the afternoon leading up to your meal there. DTD and the Boardwalk are lots of fun too.

I'm looking forward to our non-park day! I can enjoy the other fun things at Disney without feeling that I am not fully taking advantage of my four days of park tickets! (which I am very grateful to have the four days, but it is not enough for me!)

 

[ms mouse]

IMO the CR is a bit disappointing. I would rather go to the WL, its nice with the large tree and big fireplaces. They also usually have photopass people so you can get your picture taken in front of the tree. The large gingerbread house is at the GF.

 

[jakeybake]

Any suggestions on which resorts to visit during the holiday season??? Our first day down there we are coming in around lunch time.. and I didnt want to waste the park tickets for just a half day... but wanted to still spend some time having FUN at Disney...

We were thinking about heading downtown Disney later that night... but still needed something to do earlier on that day...

I was there in a conference from 12/4-12/8. I had planned to take a picture in front of every single resort Christmas tree. A little surprise for my kids. I'm happy to say that I pulled it off with ease. I was staying at Pop (hated it!) so all I would do was flash my room key at the security booth and tell them that I wanted to visit the resort and see the decorations and they let me in without issue. It was as simple as that.

And just for the record the most beautiful Christmas decorations were at the GF and WL. The rest were just ok, though Coronado Springs was pretty nice, just not on par with the others. The CR was the lamest of all.

J

 

[♥Tinkerbell♥]

Ok... so I was looking at the different resorts and with having little children I was thinking that it might be cool to visit Fort Wilderness...

I was noticing that they have a Petting Zoo, Ranch with horses, Wagon Rides, even a campfire with chuckwagon!!!...

So I was wondering if you are a non WDW resort guest if you are even allowed to use these activities... I mean of course we would pay for the use.. but I was wonder if you need to have resort ID or something to be able to use the activities at Fort Wilderness....

 

[shalom]

I was noticing that they have a Petting Zoo, Ranch with horses, Wagon Rides, even a campfire with chuckwagon!!!...

I was told that the petting zoo is long gone.

So I was wondering if you are a non WDW resort guest if you are even allowed to use these activities...

Generally depends on who you ask. Some of them clearly "no" -- the safaris at Animal Kingdom Lodge, for instance, where you have to be staying, not just in a Disney resort, but in the AKL, or even in the AKL at concierge level. And there are plenty of people who stay at the resorts who are convinced no one but someone staying there should do any of that stuff.

I suspect it's on par with visiting the resorts -- when it isn't busy, the guard just checks your license and waves you in. But when it is busy, you have to be staying or dining there to get in. Same with renting stuff. During the busy season, it's reserved for people staying onsite. When it's slow, they're willing to let visitors use it. In terms of the Fort Wilderness stuff, I've heard it both ways -- that anyone can rent it, and that you have to show a key first.

There's a camping sub-board; you might ask there.