DABIGCHEEZ
Well-Known Member
You can enter property on World Dr. and then drive over and exit on Hotel Plaza Blvd. still without paying a penny...
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What can you do at Disney without spending anything at all.
- Thread starter POLY LOVER
- Start date
GoofGoof
Premium Member
I think his point is how do you know where the people who eat there are staying? You are assuming all of the poorly behaved people are not hotel guests. Some may be and some probably aren't.
If someone who isn't staying at the resort eats at the restaurant at AKL I really don't see the problem with them sitting in the lobby either waiting for their table to be ready or post meal before they leave. Without those non-resort guests the restaurants would close. It's the nature of the beast of having restaurants on site.
Interested to keep reading suggestions.
We plan to spend our first day out of the parks. We want to spend some time in the resort pool, get a few drinks, go to Disney Springs and walk around, hopefully catch some entertainment, and then get an inexpensive meal there (counter service). If we have lots of time, I'd like to check out Animal Kingdom Lodge.
We plan to spend our first day out of the parks. We want to spend some time in the resort pool, get a few drinks, go to Disney Springs and walk around, hopefully catch some entertainment, and then get an inexpensive meal there (counter service). If we have lots of time, I'd like to check out Animal Kingdom Lodge.
21stamps
Well-Known Member
I agree with the people who are saying non resort guests shouldn't hang out in the lobby or around the resort for extended periods of time.
It's my biggest complaint about Poly and GF.
We were staying at GF in late November, the lobby was always PACKED, the line for a photo in front of the Christmas tree was always too long, there was barely ever a spot to even sit down and enjoy the atmosphere. These weren't resort guests, they had shopping bags with them, and they camped for quite some time.
Yes, these are "public" areas, but be respectful and realize that people are also staying at that resort. Those people may actually want to sit on a lobby sofa and enjoy their surroundings as well. I'm not at all saying "Don't Go!" Only to be respectful.
Oh, and the resort launches at park closing time- drives me nuts when non resort guests use them. There is absolutely no reason to do so.
One thing that I really enjoyed about Wilderness Lodge- the lobby was never overwhelming as Poly and GF are. I'm sure it's because of the transportation options to get there.
It's my biggest complaint about Poly and GF.
We were staying at GF in late November, the lobby was always PACKED, the line for a photo in front of the Christmas tree was always too long, there was barely ever a spot to even sit down and enjoy the atmosphere. These weren't resort guests, they had shopping bags with them, and they camped for quite some time.
Yes, these are "public" areas, but be respectful and realize that people are also staying at that resort. Those people may actually want to sit on a lobby sofa and enjoy their surroundings as well. I'm not at all saying "Don't Go!" Only to be respectful.
Oh, and the resort launches at park closing time- drives me nuts when non resort guests use them. There is absolutely no reason to do so.
One thing that I really enjoyed about Wilderness Lodge- the lobby was never overwhelming as Poly and GF are. I'm sure it's because of the transportation options to get there.
Grimley1968
Well-Known Member
This costs some money, but isn't terribly expensive: one thing we like to do on our departure day before heading back up to the Turnpike is to eat one last breakfast at either Kona Cafe in the Poly or Whispering Canyon in WL. It's usually a big enough breakfast that we can pretty much skip lunch on the drive back and go until dinner. Since these places need an ADR (we make it the night before), we usually have to show up early, and usually don't get seated exactly at the ADR time, so there will be a bit of a wait in the lobby for us. We don't have shopping bags with us, so I'm not sure we're that obvious to resort guests being vigilant about non-resort guests in the lobby.
RustySpork
Oscar Mayer Memer
I completely disagree with this premise. In my opinion, as long as the resorts are open to the public the public should be able to enjoy them. Resorts aren't members only clubs after all. Imagine how much more difficult it would be to get in-park ADRs if non-resort guests suddenly couldn't access resort restaurants and shopping. I get you're not saying don't go, I'm just envisioning the affect of Disney actioning on it. It could be pretty bad all around.
It's also not unlikely for someone staying at one of the resorts to be loitering around the lobbies shopping, or just simply taking it all in.
21stamps
Well-Known Member
They aren't private clubs. The only thing I'm talking about is loitering in the lobby for extended periods of time (key word-extended), using up furniture that resort guests may want to use as well. Same goes for Poly beach during the fireworks. Last year I read a thread that was started to complain about Poly not having enough beach chairs, and the person's family not being able to sit like they always have. They were not staying at Poly.. maybe, hopefully, the beach chairs were being occupied by Poly guests. There's been plenty of times where Poly guests could not get a chair, I happen to think that's a problem.
All of this will not be policed by Disney, nor should it be. It is completely dependent on people having respect for other people.
Visit other resorts, just have enough decency to be conscious of the fact that there are actually guests of that resort there as well. They quite possibly want to enjoy lounging around in the lobby or a beach chair. Maybe, just maybe, that played a part in why they chose to stay there.
I haven't been to AKL, as a visitor, or a guest, so I have no idea what their lobby is like. I do know that out of all of the resorts I have stayed in, the monorail resorts have the most crowded lobbies by far.
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contrariwise
Well-Known Member
It's all in your mindset. We're too busy having fun to notice this kind of stuff.
21stamps
Well-Known Member
My point exactly. People are too worried about their own fun to be respectful of others.
It's possible to do both.
RustySpork
Oscar Mayer Memer
It's difficult to impossible to know who's a guest and who isn't really. It's entirely possible that the crowded resort lobbies are 80+% resort guests.
Grimley1968
Well-Known Member
Also difficult to know how long anyone other than yourself is hanging out in the lobby, unless you're hanging out there as well with a stopwatch. But that doesn't sound like much fun.
21stamps
Well-Known Member
It's amazing that people can't just say "yeah, maybe people shouldn't camp out on lobby chairs and sofas after a day in the parks..at a resort that they aren't staying in."
Instead, guests of that resort are rude and horrible for actually wanting to enjoy the lobby as well.. ya know, the lobby at the hotel they chose to stay at.
Or, maybe it's not so noticeable if you've never actually ever wanted to enjoy the lobby where you are staying, but consistently can not.
Who cares right? Most folks don't think about anyone besides themselves. Can't let being respectful spoil your own fun. I guess that sums up too many WDW guests, apply it to the monorail, any ride queue, any restaurant, any night time show, etc etc. As long as your kid can see the show, putting kid on your shoulders is fine. Don't bother with thinking about all of the other adults and children standing behind you...
It's all the same. All lack of respect.
Instead, guests of that resort are rude and horrible for actually wanting to enjoy the lobby as well.. ya know, the lobby at the hotel they chose to stay at.
Or, maybe it's not so noticeable if you've never actually ever wanted to enjoy the lobby where you are staying, but consistently can not.
Who cares right? Most folks don't think about anyone besides themselves. Can't let being respectful spoil your own fun. I guess that sums up too many WDW guests, apply it to the monorail, any ride queue, any restaurant, any night time show, etc etc. As long as your kid can see the show, putting kid on your shoulders is fine. Don't bother with thinking about all of the other adults and children standing behind you...
It's all the same. All lack of respect.
contrariwise
Well-Known Member
This is not what I meant, and I apologize if it came across that way. We have just never noticed whether resort or non-resort guests are hanging out. I don't know why that is. Could be you've encountered a tour group of people dropped off at the door with matching t-shirts or something. I don't know if it happens or doesn't. I just know we've never noticed it. I can't think of a single time I've said, "Hey look at that person who is obviously not staying here." So maybe we're just having too much fun, or maybe we're just busy, in a rush or whatever, or maybe we don't spend as much time hanging out in the lobby. For whatever reason, we haven't had that experience.
RustySpork
Oscar Mayer Memer
21stamps
Well-Known Member
I'll say one more thing just because I don't want this to be misconstrued..
I personally chose GF in large part bc of their lobby at Christmas. Maybe all of the people in line for photos every night, and all of the people on every chair and sofa every night, were actually resort guests. Maybe they didn't want to drop their shopping bags back at the room. Maybe they chose to sit anywhere and everywhere, as shown in this photo.
I've stayed at Yacht Club when it was "sold out", I've stayed at Poly when it was "sold out", GF when "sold out", and WL when "sold out"... perhaps it's just complete coincidence that Poly and GF, as well as CR, have the most crowded lobbies of the bunch.
We visited Poly and CR while not staying at them.. I went, took a few photos, grabbed a drink or had a reservation, and left. We didn't loiter on the furniture, or take up space on their beach chairs.
I am by no way, shape, or form saying that resorts should be off limits to all.
I personally chose GF in large part bc of their lobby at Christmas. Maybe all of the people in line for photos every night, and all of the people on every chair and sofa every night, were actually resort guests. Maybe they didn't want to drop their shopping bags back at the room. Maybe they chose to sit anywhere and everywhere, as shown in this photo.
I've stayed at Yacht Club when it was "sold out", I've stayed at Poly when it was "sold out", GF when "sold out", and WL when "sold out"... perhaps it's just complete coincidence that Poly and GF, as well as CR, have the most crowded lobbies of the bunch.
We visited Poly and CR while not staying at them.. I went, took a few photos, grabbed a drink or had a reservation, and left. We didn't loiter on the furniture, or take up space on their beach chairs.
I am by no way, shape, or form saying that resorts should be off limits to all.
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Sans Souci
Well-Known Member
This is just speculation, but I think the reason you see people just sitting in the lobby is they are waiting for the DME back to the airport. Likewise, I've seen a lot of people sitting around waiting for their room. I've checked in to BWI or BC and seen people just sitting, but I have always assumed it was one of the above reasons. We've waited in lobby for those reasons. Maybe someone thought we were loiterers, but what others think of my family and me is none of my business
21stamps
Well-Known Member
Quite possibly, there is quite a lot of seating at GF though. We did walk thru BW's lobby to meet our Uber driver. It was not on the level that GF was during that week. I didn't see any other place that was.. in fairness, counting BWI it was a grand total of 5, so definitely not all, and not every night.This is just speculation, but I think the reason you see people just sitting in the lobby is they are waiting for the DME back to the airport. Likewise, I've seen a lot of people sitting around waiting for their room. I've checked in to BWI or BC and seen people just sitting, but I have always assumed it was one of the above reasons. We've waited in lobby for those reasons. Maybe someone thought we were loiterers, but what others think of my family and me is none of my business
I am talking mainly in the evenings, from 5ish pm on til well past 10pm.
We did walk there multiple times checking on the photo line, and available seats.(no, we didn't have a stop watch, I was trying to get a Christmas Card photo, and just relax in the Christmas atmosphere ) This is only on 3 different evenings, so again, we may have just been unlucky.
It wasn't the end of the world.. just a little annoying.
By comparison, when we switched to WL it was like a breath of fresh air. We actually did sit and hang out in the lobby, there wasn't crowds and kids running everywhere..and we didn't wait in a long line to get our photo taken in front of the tree. It was wonderful.
GoofGoof
Premium Member
IMHO staying at one of the monorail resorts or even a place like the Boardwalk comes with a certain amount of tourist traffic in the lobbies. It's just part of staying at iconic resorts that also happen to have a lot of popular dining options. If it really bothers people enough to be a game changer there are several on property resorts and many off property which are not nearly as crowded. Very few people who aren't staying there are hanging out in the lobby of SSR or Swan and Dolphin for example. I stayed at Beach Club a few years back and the lobby had plenty of seating available every time I walked through. If you stay on the monorail you are going to get a lot more foot traffic through the resorts. It's the nature of the beast. I know a few people who won't stay there because of that. They want more low key and private.
I think there's always an element of people who behave poorly. It's pretty hard to say all of the poorly behaved people are non hotel guests. Look at it this way, if you stay in those resorts do you ever sit in the lobby or take pictures? If so someone else may be judging you as a non-guest too. I'm just saying it's easy to generalize people's behavior, but difficult to know if the generalization is 100% true. I've also noticed that some of the people sitting in the lobby are actually waiting for the Magic Express bus (I've done it several times). They may have already checked their luggage through but are just waiting for their actual ride and have some time to kill. Another possibility is people waiting for ADRs. We spent a good 45 mins in the lobby of the Poly waiting for our reservation at Ohana on my last trip. They were just really behind on reservations so we had no choice and I wasn't going to stand because I wasn't staying at that resort. I'm also not giving up on going to Poly for a real Kona coffee in the morning and sitting and relaxing while I drink my coffee. If they don't want on-resort guests doing that stuff then they need to restrict in hotel dining and lounges to resort guests only.
I think there's always an element of people who behave poorly. It's pretty hard to say all of the poorly behaved people are non hotel guests. Look at it this way, if you stay in those resorts do you ever sit in the lobby or take pictures? If so someone else may be judging you as a non-guest too. I'm just saying it's easy to generalize people's behavior, but difficult to know if the generalization is 100% true. I've also noticed that some of the people sitting in the lobby are actually waiting for the Magic Express bus (I've done it several times). They may have already checked their luggage through but are just waiting for their actual ride and have some time to kill. Another possibility is people waiting for ADRs. We spent a good 45 mins in the lobby of the Poly waiting for our reservation at Ohana on my last trip. They were just really behind on reservations so we had no choice and I wasn't going to stand because I wasn't staying at that resort. I'm also not giving up on going to Poly for a real Kona coffee in the morning and sitting and relaxing while I drink my coffee. If they don't want on-resort guests doing that stuff then they need to restrict in hotel dining and lounges to resort guests only.
Grimley1968
Well-Known Member
I think it's in the works. That's what happened to all the mosquitoes.