Taking a Cab to GF before park opening?

[RMichael21]

Hey y'all! So, I have a trip coming up in about a month and we're staying at Universal. It's been sort of a tradition for us to take the monorail from the Grand Floridian to MK on our MK days. Last time, we took a cab from our off-site hotel to GF. But, over the past few years, I've noticed they've become stricter about letting people into the hotel at the front toll booth/gate, asking if we had a restaurant reservation.

What do I tell them at the gate if they don't let us in? I know we could go to the TTC, but it's a super important tradition for us, as GF holds a special place in our heart. Thanks for the help!

 

[slappy magoo]

I don't see why they'd give you a problem without a meal reservation. The lobby and gift shops and common areas are open to the general public. And it's not like the guards at GF never see a taxi. Clearly you're not there to bypass the TTC and park in the GF lot for free. You should be able to say "just wanted to look around/go to the gift shop" and be OK as long as the cab left within 3 hours which of course it will.

Now, having written that...why not go for a breakfast at GF? 1900 Park Fare is really good. Never had breakfast at the Grand Floridian Cafe but it's there. It's an option.

 

[Tuvalu]

Tell the truth. You may get a sympathetic guard who will let you in or have you park in the lot across the street.

But most likely you will be turned away without an ADR. All the monorail resorts are strict with parking due to guests trying to avoid the parking fee.

If you take a cab (as @slappy magoo assumes) you should have no issues being dropped off.

Edit: just noticed your thread title...cab should be ok!

 

[RMichael21]

I don't see why they'd give you a problem without a meal reservation. The lobby and gift shops and common areas are open to the general public. And it's not like the guards at GF never see a taxi. Clearly you're not there to bypass the TTC and park in the GF lot for free. You should be able to say "just wanted to look around/go to the gift shop" and be OK as long as the cab left within 3 hours which of course it will.

Now, having written that...why not go for a breakfast at GF? 1900 Park Fare is really good. Never had breakfast at the Grand Floridian Cafe but it's there. It's an option.

Tell the truth. You may get a sympathetic guard who will let you in or have you park in the lot across the street.

But most likely you will be turned away without an ADR. All the monorail resorts are strict with parking due to guests trying to avoid the parking fee.

If you take a cab (as @slappy magoo assumes) you should have no issues being dropped off.

Edit: just noticed your thread title...cab should be ok!

Thanks for the help!

 

[slappy magoo]

Another point...

Last time, we took a cab from our off-site hotel to GF. But, over the past few years, I've noticed they've become stricter about letting people into the hotel at the front toll booth/gate, asking if we had a restaurant reservation.

Just because security is asking if you have a reservation, this is not evidence that "they've become stricter." There are other reasons why they'd ask you if you have breakfast reservations, mostly having to do with parking.

Now you're arriving in a cab, so it stands to reason you're not trying to get away with free parking in a hotel lot. But I could easily imagine a cab driver telling friends or family "hey let's go to Disney World today; get in the back of the cab, I'll pretend we're driving to the Grand Floridian for breakfast or to look around, we'll park in the lot and take the monorail over." But if you DID have reservations (and in your case, if you invited your cab driver to join you for breakfast) then security knows that one space in their limited lot will be taken for up the next 3 hours by that car. They take the plate and after 3 hours if the car's still in the lot they can start to assume you were exploiting a breakfast to park without paying in the TTC lot and take any action they deem necessary.

Whatever your reason for going to the GF, they will ask what those reasons are so they can at least try to keep tabs of who's arriving by car, and when they depart. But just because they're asking if you have reservations, it doesn't mean they'll tell you to hit the road if you don't.

 

[righttrack]

Just say you're going to the gift shop

 

[Scott10]

I have never been turned away when informing the guard that we are visiting the resort for possible future vacation plans!