Will being dropped off at resort with no reservation be problematic?

[wwmmd]

My daughters and I will be spending 1 day only at WDW on Christmas Eve. We are not staying on property. We have stayed at Wilderness Lodge before, but not during Christmas and I really want to see it decorated. Do you think we'll have a problem being dropped off (by my husband who will not be spending the day with us) early in the morning (7ish) at WL? What I want to do is check out the decorations, eat at Roaring Fork (I love their chocolate chip pancakes) and then hop on a bus to a park.

I'd hate to make this plan to only be turned away at the gate.

 

[slappy magoo]

Anyone's allowed to visit any resort. The issue is with people who try to park in a resort's lot "just to look around" or to eat a meal and then leave their car there and go to a theme park, in order to avoid the parking lot fees at the parks themselves. That's why people are usually "officially" given 3 hours to park at a resort, and it seems to me they're lax in enforcing the rule, especially if you're staying at a different Disney resort (so they're not losing money on you if you're parking at a different resort, as you wouldn't be paying anything to park in a theme park lot anyway). And you won't be parking at all, unless your husband decides to join you for breakfast. So long story short, you shouldn't have a problem getting dropped off. Anything WDW can do to get you on property, even for a few hours, and spending money, is a Thing Worth Doing, as far as they're concerned.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Due to construction, Wilderness Lodge has signs that explicitly state that non-resort guests may not park without a dining reservation.

You may want to book Whispering Canyon for breakfast if you want to be sure of going there. Otherwise, bus or boat in.

 

[wwmmd]

Due to construction, Wilderness Lodge has signs that explicitly state that non-resort guests may not park without a dining reservation.

You may want to book Whispering Canyon for breakfast if you want to be sure of going there. Otherwise, bus or boat in.

Ugh. Well if we aren't parking I wonder if we'll still be allowed in? My husband is just dropping us off and not parking. As for Whispering Canyon their first resv is at 9am and I want to be at the resort at 7am and gone before 8am. We've had breakfast at Whispering Canyon before so it's not something I'm willing to change my schedule over.

 

[R W B]

Ugh. Well if we aren't parking I wonder if we'll still be allowed in? My husband is just dropping us off and not parking. As for Whispering Canyon their first resv is at 9am and I want to be at the resort at 7am and gone before 8am. We've had breakfast at Whispering Canyon before so it's not something I'm willing to change my schedule over.

Since you're being dropped off I don't think it will be a problem. When your husband pulls up to the guard (im assuming he'll be driving) just have him tell the guard he's dropping you all off for breakfast and then he's leaving. Make it known your car will not be parking there and will be leaving in 5min. I can't see you not being allowed in just to be dropped off.

Worse case scenario is the guard won't let you in and you gotta walk from the guard shack to the hotel, it's not that far. You'll walk more in the parks lol.

 

[wwmmd]

I think I just took care of my problem. The times listed for Roaring Fork to open when we'll be there is 7:30 & 8. I assume the 7:30 is the grab & go kind of stuff and 8 is for the hot meals? Anyway, that'll be too late for us if we want to be at HS for opening. I think we'll try POFQ Sassagoula Floatworks for breakfast (beignets!) since it looks like they open at 6.

I still want to see WL that day, but we can go there on our way to MK later in the day.

 

[mouse_luv]

Just park at the MK and bus around to the hotels you want to see.

 

[BASS]

You could probably tell the guard your husband is an Uber driver! LOL. Or, worse comes to worst, maybe just make a reservation for 9 am and tell them you have a reservation. I've never had an issue entering a hotel resort that I'm not staying at when I have a reservation there.

 

[ABQ]

I think I just took care of my problem. The times listed for Roaring Fork to open when we'll be there is 7:30 & 8. I assume the 7:30 is the grab & go kind of stuff and 8 is for the hot meals? Anyway, that'll be too late for us if we want to be at HS for opening. I think we'll try POFQ Sassagoula Floatworks for breakfast (beignets!) since it looks like they open at 6.

I still want to see WL that day, but we can go there on our way to MK later in the day.

Roaring Fork opens at 6 as well, that's when it's probably just the grab and go, by 7, it's more the fully operation counter service.
This from my "About your WDW visit" email I just got a couple days ago:

If you’re hungry for a snack while at your Resort, head to Roaring Fork (open from 6 a.m. until 11:59 p.m.).

 

[wwmmd]

Roaring Fork opens at 6 as well, that's when it's probably just the grab and go, by 7, it's more the fully operation counter service.
This from my "About your WDW visit" email I just got a couple days ago:

If you’re hungry for a snack while at your Resort, head to Roaring Fork (open from 6 a.m. until 11:59 p.m.).

Thanks!

 

[ABQ]

Roaring Fork opens at 6 as well, that's when it's probably just the grab and go, by 7, it's more the fully operation counter service.
This from my "About your WDW visit" email I just got a couple days ago:

If you’re hungry for a snack while at your Resort, head to Roaring Fork (open from 6 a.m. until 11:59 p.m.).

Quoting myself to note that the email lied to me. Roaring Fork now does not open till 7:30 AM. Myself and a long line of grumpy folks in the hallway were quite displeased.

 

[wwmmd]

Quoting myself to note that the email lied to me. Roaring Fork now does not open till 7:30 AM. Myself and a long line of grumpy folks in the hallway were quite displeased.

Seems strange that they'd open so late. When we stayed there September 2014 I remember they were open pretty early, but only for the grab n go type stuff.

Now I think if we get dropped off anywhere it will be at POFQ. If we have time we'll take a bus to WL later in the day then take the boat over to MK.

 

[Johnguelff]

The signs were up at WL on my last visit and when stopped at the gate I told them we wanted to look around and maybe eat, and they let us right in. So.. they are not enforcing that at all.