Do you ever go to a resort to hang out when not a guest?

[LoveToGoToDisneyWorld]

We absolutely love to go to the Poly and sit on the terrace next to the pool in the evenings. We get quick service, a Dole whip, and then we move over to Trader Sam's patio and drink until after the fireworks. We take the boat back to wherever we're staying (WL or CR, usually). It's so much fun! We love to mono hop on our down days. We just ride the mono and get off at every stop. Explore the grounds and shops, grab some quick service, desserts and/or drinks, and then move on to the next stop. We've never seen the value resorts and my kids would really like to see AoA, so next week we'll be touring a few resorts whose decor we've been wanting to see. The resorts are half the fun!

 

[buzznina]

We like to resort hop during our longer trips, since we like to take a day or 2 away from the parks. We usually just have a meal and walk around, but the only one we found to really hang out at was AKL. We did some shading on the lobby floor, our DDs did a craft, they had a couple of CM's from Africa at a display of animal skulls and we talked with them, we did the night vision which was neat and finished with our DDs doing the kids parade around the lobby playing instruments that the CMs give then to use. We had a great time.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

We do go to other resorts, but really with the express purpose of doing or seeing something there. For example, on our upcoming trip, we are staying at CCV, but on our EP night, we will exit out of IG to go to the Boardwalk to get Ample Hills ice cream and play the carnival games. We might also pop into ESPN to catch some basketball. On other nights we will go to Ft. W to do HDDR and a holiday sleigh ride and go to CR and go to Cali Grill. We will also, at some point, go to GF specifically to see the tree and the gingerbread house. On other trips, we've popped into BC to see the carousel (at Christmas time) and have gone to Poly to go to Trader Sam's and go to the gift shop. We've never spent more than the time it takes to do our specific activities at these resorts. We don't just go to a resort and sit in the lobby for instance.

 

[si-am]

I love visiting other resorts, but we will always stop for a drink or meal there to make it worth the time.

Our favorite stops:

Poly: gift store + Tambu Lounge, Ohana, or Trader Sams
Contemporary: gift shops + The Wave lounge
Fort Wilderness: horse stables + Trails End
Wilderness Lodge : (only for holidays) decorations + Geyser Point
AKL : gift shop, atmosphere, animals, Boma

 

[Deb & Bill]

We regularly go to Kidani Village at AKL when we aren't staying there to sit on the porches and watch the animals.

 

[mel&me]

Have resort hopped many times. Lots to see on the non park days

 

[Regan117]

There's a few shops in some of the resorts I like to go to, even if we aren't staying there this time. Like Basin, at GF. So occasionally, yes. Otherwise we just go for dining reservations.

 

[Wood Nymph]

I thought of this when making plans to go to Boma while not staying there and seeing what else there is to do for someone not staying.

So, since you can't use the pool or hot tubs, are there any resorts people go to hang out at for longer than just a stop at the bar or a meal while not a guest? What are your favorites to spend time at and while there what do you do?

We usually visit the Wilderness Lodge during every trip if we are not staying there. We spend some time at Geyser Point and then walk over to Fort Wilderness. We love the break from the craziness of the parks.

 

[Pooh2]

We just did a weekend to go see the Christmas tree and gingerbread house at the Grand Floridian.

 

[karen4546]

If we go at Christmas then we take a day to go visit the deluxe resorts to take pics.

In September we we're staying at Yacht club club level to be close to EPCOT and decided to visit AKL Jambo (that is our favorite resort) - we were there 20 minutes and I went to the front desk and asked if They had any rooms available and so we switched to AKL (no club level available though).

I like to visit Riverside and POFQ if I am going to Disney Springs.

Having Disney withdrawals.... we are usually in WDW September and DEcember but we did a Disney cruise (1st cruise ever! And ahhmmaazzing !- we snagged 12000 on the Dream ) and WDW vacation in September so no December trip

If you have a day or half day - I say take the time to check out the other resorts.

 

[SharonZ]

Nope, only if I have ADRs at a certain resort.

 

[Shellyb84]

Usually we only visit resorts when we have an ADR there. We did stop by POFQ on our way home last trip to wander around a bit, we had been talking about staying there sometime and we wanted to get a feel for the resort in person and see if we liked it. We also wandered around at BWI once on the way back to BC from HS. Oh and I will make a special trip to Poly just for a drink at Trader Sam's.

 

[StageTek]

So, since you can't use the pool or hot tubs, are there any resorts people go to hang out at for longer than just a stop at the bar or a meal while not a guest? What are your favorites to spend time at and while there what do you do?

Like many others posting, I love to resort hop. I'll "hang out" at the bar at French Quarter, walk around Grand Floridian and Animal Kingdom Lodge (Victoria Falls Lounge) but I have never just hung out for longer.

 

[mdmbfly]

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to resort hop! We choose somewhere to visit and grab a snack, walk around, just take it all in! AKL is also one of our favorites and love the boat ride to POR from Disney Springs.

 

[Bowen Family]

Definitely!

Our latest resort excursion: we visited Volcano Bay (which was excellent, BTW!) over the Christmas holidays, then drove to Poly for dinner (Kona Cafe), had dole whips on the beach and watched HEA!

We also did breakfast at WL (Whispering Canyon) at the end of a POP stay last Spring, and from there did a boat and monorail tour of all the MK resorts.

It's a great way to extend the 'magic' of your trip while doing research for future resort stays!

 

[Summer2018]

I thought of this when making plans to go to Boma while not staying there and seeing what else there is to do for someone not staying.

So, since you can't use the pool or hot tubs, are there any resorts people go to hang out at for longer than just a stop at the bar or a meal while not a guest? What are your favorites to spend time at and while there what do you do?

Always. The restaurants at the deluxe resorts are awesome. There’s great shops. The lobbies are beautiful for photo ops. Our favorite trip was at Christmas and New Years. The Grand Floridian was spectacular. The giant gingerbread house was something to see. We bought gingerbread there.
All of those visits fed our dreams for the days we could finally afford to stay deluxe. I could go on and on, but you get the picture.

 

[KenHutch]

Every trip I take one day to resort hop while the girls shop in town. We are staying at AKL this coming June in part to the way the CM's there treated me on our last trip. As I have posted before they gave me a tour of the pool area, talked up the restaurants and even gave me a tour of a room. That kind of treatment works.

 

[prprincess]

Yes. On our most recent trip we did a little "tour" of the hotels of the monorail line since my boys had never been. They loved it!

 

[vinotinto]

We don't "hang out" as we are not interested in shopping, but we always eat at at least one resort restaurant and in getting to the restaurant, you can usually see the resort and get the feel for it. We also enjoy having a drink at the resort bars.

 

[OKW Lover]

Yes, we sometimes do that. Its nice to check out the lobbies and other facilities of the different resorts. Especially like the Poly, GF, WL and AKL.