Parking at different hotels

[Ted Daggett]

I didn’t actually say theat was official policy. However, parking is subject to availability. They really need to make sure there is availability for resort guests to park, otherwise people will not be happy.

You can park to visit a resort. But if you are not staying there and do not have an ADR, then the guard is entitled to say “sorry, no room”.

Last year we were staying at Port Orleans - Riverside, and we drove to POLY because we were going to rent one of the Boston Whalers to drive around Seven Seas Lagoon/Bay Lake, and the parking attendant said that I could not park in the lot. He said that I needed to park in the MK parking lot and take the monorail to the POLY.

 

[TrojanUSC]

STRONGLY consider taking an Uber/Lyft from resort to resort, then rely on Disney transportation for any resort-to-park needs. For a couple of bucks, this will save you 30 minutes of travel time.

 

[DisAl]

Sure. I think it's gauche to show up in a hotel where you're not a guest just to gawk around. Disney bans people from pool hopping for this very reason. Obviously pool hopping is against the rules and resort hopping is not, so it's different in that regard, but it think both are equally tasteless.

Exceptions for those with dining reservations as well as the Boardwalk, which is intended to be public space.

Do you buy a car without a test drive? Would you buy a house sight unseen?
Makes sense to me to make a visit to a resort if you are considering it for a future trip.
Especially since the cost of a WDW vacation seems to be approaching the cost of a car or house.

 

[jaklgreen]

Sure. I think it's gauche to show up in a hotel where you're not a guest just to gawk around. Disney bans people from pool hopping for this very reason. Obviously pool hopping is against the rules and resort hopping is not, so it's different in that regard, but it think both are equally tasteless.

Exceptions for those with dining reservations as well as the Boardwalk, which is intended to be public space.

I think this is true for almost every place except for WDW. They have always encouraged people to come and look around, eat, and shop at the resorts. What better promotion can there be. Using the amenities like the pool are, of course, different. But to have a look around does not take anything away from those staying there. Especially since most people are at the parks during the day. The only other exception that I can think of is Las Vegas. They definitely want you to come into their hotel and gamble, eat, and shop at their resorts. Do you feel the same way about Vegas, that people should stick to their own hotel?

 

[TrojanUSC]

Sure. I think it's gauche to show up in a hotel where you're not a guest just to gawk around. Disney bans people from pool hopping for this very reason. Obviously pool hopping is against the rules and resort hopping is not, so it's different in that regard, but it think both are equally tasteless.

Exceptions for those with dining reservations as well as the Boardwalk, which is intended to be public space.

They literally sell a discount card (Tables In Wonderland) that encourages people to go to their resorts to eat.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

They literally sell a discount card (Tables In Wonderland) that encourages people to go to their resorts to eat.

As I said several times in this thread, I have no problem with folks going to a restaurant for a meal. Maybe you should catch up on the full conversation before commenting on one post out of context.

I DO have a problem when I'm staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge and I can't find a seat in the lobby because people show up two hours before their Boma reservation, take their shoes off, sprawl their crap over an entire section of furniture, plug their bejeweled iPhone in, and stare at the screen for hours. That's not a hypothetical, it's a nightly occurrence.

 

[correcaminos]

Sure. I think it's gauche to show up in a hotel where you're not a guest just to gawk around. Disney bans people from pool hopping for this very reason. Obviously pool hopping is against the rules and resort hopping is not, so it's different in that regard, but it think both are equally tasteless.

Exceptions for those with dining reservations as well as the Boardwalk, which is intended to be public space.

Well except if you are DVC, then pool hopping is allowed at a bunch of pools...

I tend to eat and buy things when gawking around too. I think Disney likes that

 

[slappy magoo]

That's exactly my point. If you want to roam the savannas at Animal Kingdom Lodge or lounge in the lobby of Wilderness Lodge or linger by the ginger bread house at the Grand Floridian, then pay to stay there. Those public spaces are resort amenities that are no different than the pool in my opinion. It's part of what you're paying for if you're a resort guest and should be reserved for their use.

Why is crowding up a hotel lobby any better than crowding up a hotel pool?

WDW wants you to visit the other hotels so you get all envious and think "oh man we have got to come back...and next time, we stay HERE."
All the previous technically-verboten-but-not-stopped pool hopping put a crimp in that, as well as made it harder for guests staying at the resort to use the facilities themselves.
So for WDW allowing you to visit the resorts without allowing you pool access is the best of both worlds, a look-with-your-eyes-not-with-your-hands approach to upsell you to another trip. The "wow" factor when you enter through the lobby does the job far better than any official or fan video or photo or online review
And even without meal reservations, the shops are enticing for a lot of guests, even if merch has become more generic at many resorts, there are always some things you only find at the resort in question.

 

[TrojanUSC]

As I said several times in this thread, I have no problem with folks going to a restaurant for a meal. Maybe you should catch up on the full conversation before commenting on one post out of context.

I DO have a problem when I'm staying at Animal Kingdom Lodge and I can't find a seat in the lobby because people show up two hours before their Boma reservation, take their shoes off, sprawl their crap over an entire section of furniture, plug their bejeweled iPhone in, and stare at the screen for hours. That's not a hypothetical, it's a nightly occurrence.

I do agree with that sentiment, but don't really know what the solution is. Also, not to stereotype, but I really don't think the people you're talking about are the ones who drove themselves.

 

[fluffy]

I hardly think going to a "resort" that you are not a guest of is tacky. Many times people go to see if they ever want to stay there. What can be wrong with checking a place out before booking it. I do agree that "pool hoping" should not be allowed for the reason of overcrowding but just going to a resort to dine or look around seems pretty reasonable to me.

 

[Dad 2 M & M]

For something like the gingerbread displays, I can't really criticize anyone for going around to look when Disney not only permits it, but actually promotes it in a way by mentioning "resort hopping" and giving transportation details on its own parks blog: https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/b...splays-decorate-the-walt-disney-world-resort/

I think the point was pertaining to whether or not parking at the resorts was permitted without being a guest or an ADR.

Copied directly from your link:

Note: Parking at the Walt Disney World Resort hotels is for the exclusive use of guests with confirmed rooms, dining and recreation reservations. However, bus transportation is available from each of the four parks and Disney Springs. Guests may also park at the Ticket and Transportation Center and visit Epcot, Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa and Disney’s Contemporary Resort via the Walt Disney World Resort Monorail.

 

[Dad 2 M & M]

I hardly think going to a "resort" that you are not a guest of is tacky. Many times people go to see if they ever want to stay there. What can be wrong with checking a place out before booking it. I do agree that "pool hoping" should not be allowed for the reason of overcrowding but just going to a resort to dine or look around seems pretty reasonable to me.

I don't think it's tacky to check out a resort either, but wouldn't have any issue of I was turned away by the guard. The original question in this thread was if it was okay to park at Poly in the morning, use the resorts transportation during the day, and return at night for a dinner ressie.... having a diner ressie and leaving a car in there all day is different from checking out the joint...

 

[Dad 2 M & M]

Last year we were staying at Port Orleans - Riverside, and we drove to POLY because we were going to rent one of the Boston Whalers to drive around Seven Seas Lagoon/Bay Lake, and the parking attendant said that I could not park in the lot. He said that I needed to park in the MK parking lot and take the monorail to the POLY.

It is a short walk from the TTC to the Poly.......walk "left" of the ferry and you'll be there in no time.....

I know that wasn't your point, but thought I'd suggest that info

 

[Hockey89]

Do you buy a car without a test drive? Would you buy a house sight unseen?
Makes sense to me to make a visit to a resort if you are considering it for a future trip.
Especially since the cost of a WDW vacation seems to be approaching the cost of a car or house.

yeah, not even remotely the same thing....

 

[Dave B]

Also they will almost certainly not let you park at the Poly more than say an hour before your ADR. Parking at a resort is fine for the duration of an ADR and looking around the resort, it isn’t OK to park there all day.

Now at certain resorts they probably won’t bother. At the monorail resorts and Epcot resorts they certainly will. And will often refuse entry without an imminent ADR. And I’ve seen cars towed from the Contemporary for parking for breakfast and the car still being there at 4pm.

We just came back two weeks ago and had ZERO issues going to other hotels. We had a 8pm dinner res for Ohana and we parked at 1pm with no issues, checked out hotel, went to Magic Kingdom and came back to eat, then went back and closed the park, the security guard scanned my band and said enjoy

 

[Dave B]

yeah, not even remotely the same thing....

Exactly the same thing

 

[Dave B]

I didn’t actually say theat was official policy. However, parking is subject to availability. They really need to make sure there is availability for resort guests to park, otherwise people will not be happy.

You can park to visit a resort. But if you are not staying there and do not have an ADR, then the guard is entitled to say “sorry, no room”.

So we went to a different resort almost everyday on our 10 day trip, we were not denied one time, we drove up, said we were there to check out hotel and eat and they asked for my ID and said have fun, spend a lot of money and let us in, every single day

 

[Dave B]

Sure. I think it's gauche to show up in a hotel where you're not a guest just to gawk around. Disney bans people from pool hopping for this very reason. Obviously pool hopping is against the rules and resort hopping is not, so it's different in that regard, but it think both are equally tasteless.

Exceptions for those with dining reservations as well as the Boardwalk, which is intended to be public space.

There were no signs that said pool for guest only, with the exception of Beach and Yacht club, on our last trip a couple weeks ago, we ate and swam at: AoA, Pop, Contemporary, Poly, Wilderness and Port Orleans(both of them) It did surprise me we could swim at poly, the people who work there actually opened the gate for us and said have fun

 

[PG 134]

We just came back two weeks ago and had ZERO issues going to other hotels. We had a 8pm dinner res for Ohana and we parked at 1pm with no issues, checked out hotel, went to Magic Kingdom and came back to eat, then went back and closed the park, the security guard scanned my band and said enjoy

Scanning a Magicband displays your name, resort reservation, dinning reservations, and any special status(CM, DVC, AP, Castaway, and such) if they exist. If you fit into any of those categories, chances of being rejected for parking are very small.

 

[yaksplat]

Why is crowding up a hotel lobby any better than crowding up a hotel pool?

One is breathing the same air, the other is sharing a warm bath. Which would you choose with a random stranger?