Don't tell anyone I did this! And can it still be done now??

[wlodge_man]

So "back in the day", probably late 90's, I decided to drive to WL for lunch, as I was in the area for business. The nice gentleman at the booth on Timberline Dr asked me what I was doing, told him I was visiting to have lunch and away I went. Ate at Roaring Forks, took in the sights of the lobby and just enjoyed my brief visit. I then had the bright idea of taking a bus to TTC to visit the monorail resorts. Did a stop at all 3 resorts; back to the TTC and then bus back to WL.
So I know that the transportation is for guests only, which I was not. But I'm wondering, with Magic Bands, security checkpoints - would I be doing hard time in Disney jail if I tried this today? Let's just keep this between us.

 

[Monty]

Transportation around WDW is available to anyone. They haven't had that restriction as long as I've been going (I started in 2001).

 

[epcotisbest]

So "back in the day", probably late 90's, I decided to drive to WL for lunch, as I was in the area for business. The nice gentleman at the booth on Timberline Dr asked me what I was doing, told him I was visiting to have lunch and away I went. Ate at Roaring Forks, took in the sights of the lobby and just enjoyed my brief visit. I then had the bright idea of taking a bus to TTC to visit the monorail resorts. Did a stop at all 3 resorts; back to the TTC and then bus back to WL.
So I know that the transportation is for guests only, which I was not. But I'm wondering, with Magic Bands, security checkpoints - would I be doing hard time in Disney jail if I tried this today? Let's just keep this between us.

Disney transportation is available to everyone. Where did you get the idea it was not?

 

[CaptainAmerica]

So "back in the day", probably late 90's, I decided to drive to WL for lunch, as I was in the area for business. The nice gentleman at the booth on Timberline Dr asked me what I was doing, told him I was visiting to have lunch and away I went. Ate at Roaring Forks, took in the sights of the lobby and just enjoyed my brief visit. I then had the bright idea of taking a bus to TTC to visit the monorail resorts. Did a stop at all 3 resorts; back to the TTC and then bus back to WL.
So I know that the transportation is for guests only, which I was not. But I'm wondering, with Magic Bands, security checkpoints - would I be doing hard time in Disney jail if I tried this today? Let's just keep this between us.

This would have only been a problem if you went to one of the parks, as you would have been dodging the parking fee.

 

[epcotisbest]

Transportation around WDW is available to anyone. They haven't had that restriction as long as I've been going (I started in 2001).

We have been resort hopping, riding the boats, busses and monorails since 1983. OP was doing nothing wrong, but thought he was getting away with something.

 

[epcotisbest]

This would have only been a problem if you went to one of the parks, as you would have been dodging the parking fee.

Right. Going to a resort, then heading to a park to avoid parking fee at the parks is a whole different thing.

 

[wlodge_man]

I guess I'll never be a bad@$$ after all. For whatever reason, my old grey cells though this was the policy; I stand corrected. And I'll tell my wife she should have married the lead singer from that garage band!

 

[epcotisbest]

I guess I'll never be a bad@$$ after all. For whatever reason, my old grey cells though this was the policy; I stand corrected. And I'll tell my wife she should have married the lead singer from that garage band!

Funny. But yeah, Disney wants people staying offsite to visit too. Their money is still good.

 

[drizgirl]

Whether they allow you to park at a resort without an ADR or reservation is highly variable. Depends on the resort. Depends on how full the parking lot is.

 

[Heppenheimer]

Disney transportation is available to everyone. Where did you get the idea it was not?

Let me start with a caveat... my last experience with this system was when I was 7 in the early 1980s, so between my imperfect memory and childhood understanding of the old system, I could be completely wrong.

But anyways, back then, I believe you "officially" needed to show a valid "passport" (what they used to call a general, combined ticket) or resort-issued ID (which was just a little card with your name on it) to use any of the Disney transportation system. I remember my dad telling us they we needed to use the ID on days when we didn't plan to visit the parks. I also don't remember any cast member ever checking for our ID.

 

[epcotisbest]

Let me start with a caveat... my last experience with this system was when I was 7 in the early 1980s, so between my imperfect memory and childhood understanding of the old system, I could be completely wrong.

But anyways, back then, I believe you "officially" needed to show a valid "passport" (what they used to call a general, combined ticket) or resort-issued ID (which was just a little card with your name on it) to use any of the Disney transportation system. I remember my dad telling us they we needed to use the ID on days when we didn't plan to visit the parks. I also don't remember any cast member ever checking for our ID.

Yeah, that could have happened. I am no expert at all. And I am guessing that someday, and probably in the not so distant future, they will figure out how to charge for, or limit transportation for day guests.

 

[Gabe1]

Transportation around WDW is available to anyone. They haven't had that restriction as long as I've been going (I started in 2001).

Let me start with a caveat... my last experience with this system was when I was 7 in the early 1980s, so between my imperfect memory and childhood understanding of the old system, I could be completely wrong.

But anyways, back then, I believe you "officially" needed to show a valid "passport" (what they used to call a general, combined ticket) or resort-issued ID (which was just a little card with your name on it) to use any of the Disney transportation system. I remember my dad telling us they we needed to use the ID on days when we didn't plan to visit the parks. I also don't remember any cast member ever checking for our ID.

It has been a long while since Disney gave up on who was allowed to use their transportation. I have my ticket booklet (child) my Sis' and both of my folks. It had tickets in there to ride the buses. In 1986 I stayed offsite with my Mom. We purchased a daily pass to ride the buses around the property, MK, monorail resorts and Down Town Disney. We only did that one day when we quickly noticed the bus driver did not request anyone's tickets .

By about 1990 we were always staying on site vs occasionally. When we checked into the only moderate the Caribbean we were all given a resort ID and told we needed to show this card anytime we boarded any transportation on property and we would then not be charged. Again, that lasted one bus trip 'cause nobody enforced that. It has been years since I heard that from the CMs at the registration desk.

 

[scottieRoss]

In the 80's, you were supposed to have a ticket to ride transportation at Walt Disney World. In fact, the Walt Disney Productions did not own the transportion network, it was owned by Retlaw Enterprises. Retlaw was the Disney family company that owned the Walt Disney name (and licensed it to Walt Disney Productions), the Disneyland railroad and monorail, and WDW transportation. Walt Disney Productions collected revenue from guests for Retlaw. Your ticketbooks gave the amount paid to Retlaw in the fine print.

 

[Chi84]

We started visiting WDW in 1984 and have gone almost every year since. At some point, we had to show the Key to the World card (one per family) to board the buses, and the boat transportation to the resorts from Disney Springs had signs up saying it was for guests of those resorts only. The boat operators asked to see one KTTW card per family. I don't remember when this changed, but since the signs are gone and no one is checking, I assume Disney is okay with anyone on property using the transportation system.

I'm sure Disney doesn't want people to use the transportation system to avoid paying parking fees at the parks, but they don't seem to be in a hurry to close this loophole. Right now, Disney Springs is a free and unsecured entry point to the entire system. I'm very surprised Disney hasn't addressed this in some fashion.

 

[JIMINYCR]

Well they certainly make you think that by being a guest, booking a resort room, you are getting the privilege of using their transportation and its restricted to guests only. I always thought that one day the crowds will get overwhelmingly large and the system will start to get overburdened, to the point that they will require proof of guest status to ride.

 

[tigger731]

My first two trips to WDW in 1990 & 1991, it was hit or miss on the drivers asking for tickets to use the buses

 

[lazyboy97o]

I recall still seeing fine print saying hotel buses were for guests and that room keys would be checked around 2008. The only time I ever encountered it was, I think, 2006 at Pleasure Island near closing time. That though seemed more like getting the inebriated to the right hotel versus actually restricting access.

 

[nickys]

Well... it is a benefit to be able to be picked up at your resort by a Disney bus every 15-20 minutes. Off site guests do not have that benefit. Could someone pay to park at a theme park, and then visit resorts by bus? Sure! But why? Going by car would be faster in almost every case, notable exception for the monorail resorts.
BTW, resort hopping for visits is allowed, but if you take your car, they might not let you in. Especially at Deluxe resorts. We visited a couple in our January trip and at both Wilderness Lodge and Boardwalk we were first told parking was very limited (also sign posted at gate), but after the guard scanned our magic bands (we were staying at POFQ) the guards decided there was room for us to visit.

Didn’t you just answer your own question?

Why would people pay to park at the parks and then visit resorts by bus? Well so they didn’t have a problem getting in to the parking lots at the resorts.

If they have an ADR then fair enough, drive. But if you just want to visit and look around, it makes sense to do it as a break from a near-by park.

 

[NYwdwfan]

For nostalgia’s sake: this is the back of my dad’s ticket from 1980 from the Contemporary (found it while I was cleaning a few months ago and it’s on a shelf in the living room):

 

[BalooChicago]

Is there a bus to/from WL to TTC still? Tried going TTC to Fort Wilderness on our last trip (Monorail from Epcot) and found there wasn’t a bus. (At least according to the CM we asked - Ended up resort monorail > contemporary boat > FW)