Parking at Resorts to visit Lounges?

[ICan'tWait]

Has anyone had success lately parking at a resort just to visit the lounges without a reservation for a restaurant? Our last visit (Oct 21) we were required to having dining reservations to be able to park at a resort. Is that still the case? I should add my husband is particularly hoping for California Grill or Topolino's.

 

[thanxfornoticin]

With crowds over the past few months, there are indications they are even tighter with resort parking for guests without a resort or dining reservation at that particular resort. And the 2 locations you mention here are likely to be among the tightest, since they are very close proximity to theme parks. Getting to the lounges isn't a problem, as long as you take Disney transport to get there.

 

[Marthasor]

I would plan on trying for those locations on days you will be in EP/DHS (for Topolino's) or MK (for Cali Grill). You can also park at TTC and monorail to Cali Grill. I go to deluxe resorts quite a bit for dining reservations and am always interrogated as to why I am there. I would not count on being let past the security guard without a dining, resort or recreation reservation.

 

[Simba's Mom]

So does that include visiting POR for Yehaw Bob? The only guests who can see him are POR guests?

 

[thanxfornoticin]

So does that include visiting POR for Yehaw Bob? The only guests who can see him are POR guests?

No, it means that you can't park a car at POR unless you're a resort guest or you have a dining reservation. You can certainly take Disney transport to POR to enjoy the resort and food.

 

[Her Dotness]

You can visit any Disney resort as long as you use Disney transportation to get there.

 

[DisneyCrazyMom22]

Can you be dropped off by an uber if you're not staying onsite?

 

[SkyGuy]

Can you be dropped off by an uber if you're not staying onsite?

With a dining reservation, yes. Without one, if it’s a monorail or skyliner resort, not likely. I saw people turned away from BC as I was pulling in when I stayed there a few weeks ago - as well as every other time I’ve stayed at BC, YC, or BW since the parks reopened. We Ubered back to BC from the Dolphin one night when it was pouring and the guard made me roll down my window to show my ID before he allowed the Uber driver in. That kind of surprised me because it was late, the skyliner wouldn’t have been running, and all fireworks would have been canceled. You can have Uber drop you off at HS, and then you can walk or ride the Skyliner to the BW area, for example, so there are a few ways around it. Or have Uber drop you at TTC and you can monorail to GF, CR, and Poly, or Uber can drop you at DS and you can find a bus to any resort.

 

[DisneyCrazyMom22]

With a dining reservation, yes. Without one, if it’s a monorail or skyliner resort, not likely. I saw people turned away from BC as I was pulling in when I stayed there a few weeks ago - as well as every other time I’ve stayed at BC, YC, or BW since the parks reopened. We Ubered back to BC from the Dolphin one night when it was pouring and the guard made me roll down my window to show my ID before he allowed the Uber driver in. That kind of surprised me because it was late, the skyliner wouldn’t have been running, and all fireworks would have been canceled. You can have Uber drop you off at HS, and then you can walk or ride the Skyliner to the BW area, for example, so there are a few ways around it. Or have Uber drop you at TTC and you can monorail to GF, CR, and Poly, or Uber can drop you at DS and you can find a bus to any resort.

Thank you. Do you think we would be able to Uber back to out off site resort after visiting the Deluxe resort lounges or would we need to go back to the TTC to catch an Uber?

 

[SkyGuy]

Thank you. Do you think we would be able to Uber back to out off site resort after visiting the Deluxe resort lounges or would we need to go back to the TTC to catch an Uber?

You’d definitely be able to get an Uber from whatever resort you’re visiting. That wouldn’t be an issue. It’s only the to that can be a problem.

 

[maleficent55]

With crowds over the past few months, there are indications they are even tighter with resort parking for guests without a resort or dining reservation at that particular resort. And the 2 locations you mention here are likely to be among the tightest, since they are very close proximity to theme parks. Getting to the lounges isn't a problem, as long as you take Disney transport to get there.

And what if you take an Uber/lyft?

 

[ShirikiUtundu]

What would be the possible reasoning behind any taxi service restriction? Wouldn't the rider just get out at the guard shack and walk the rest of the way if the guard is giving the driver a hard time?

 

[BoardwalkLover64]

I wonder if the parking restriction is as tight at resorts that aren't within walking/skyliner distance of a park. I'd really like to try Three Bridges at Coronado next month, but you can't make a reservation for it. I'm wondering if it's worth the effort of going to a park to catch a bus, then catching another bus back to a park to catch another bus back to my resort.

 

[Her Dotness]

I wonder if the parking restriction is as tight at resorts that aren't within walking/skyliner distance of a park.

I've seen posters say they had no issue going to resorts without ready access to a park.

Only way to know if that's so would be to try it.

The resorts where we saw cars refused admittance were near Epcot and MK.

 

[Mle8308]

So does that include visiting POR for Yehaw Bob? The only guests who can see him are POR guests?

They are a lot more lenient at POR, since it is not a monorail resort. We had zero issues parking there in December and had no reservations. We told the guard we were in need of beignets, he laughed, said he understood, and let us in.

 

[MakiraMarlena]

the issues with gaining admittance appear to be prevalent at
1) Monorail Resorts
2) Crescent Lake (Epcot area) resorts
3) Riviera

These have limited parking space and are either within walking or easy other transportation range of a park. They would like to keep enough space open for the resort guests to park, and keep from giving access to those who are trying to avoid the parking fee by leaving their car at the resort and accessing the park from there.

Not sure why they would be turning away rideshare guests without reservations, as they are not utilizing the parking lot, but I understand some of them have.

 

[Simba's Mom]

They are a lot more lenient at POR, since it is not a monorail resort. We had zero issues parking there in December and had no reservations. We told the guard we were in need of beignets, he laughed, said he understood, and let us in.

Great to hear! We plan to try it next month when we stay at OKW. In Pre-Pandemic days, we often drove over to POR or POFQ to use their CS, simply to broaden our options. Goods to Go is pretty limiting for 10 day stay, and using Disney transportation would take more time than we want to spend.

 

[Mle8308]

Great to hear! We plan to try it next month when we stay at OKW. In Pre-Pandemic days, we often drove over to POR or POFQ to use their CS, simply to broaden our options. Goods to Go is pretty limiting for 10 day stay, and using Disney transportation would take more time than we want to spend.

I should have been more specific, it was POFQ.

 

[HashberryOTG]

I suspect the ride share turn aways are to try to keep traffic down at load/unload points. My last couple of trips, I feel those areas are down right dangerous sometimes!

 

[thanxfornoticin]

the issues with gaining admittance appear to be prevalent at
1) Monorail Resorts
2) Crescent Lake (Epcot area) resorts
3) Riviera

These have limited parking space and are either within walking or easy other transportation range of a park. They would like to keep enough space open for the resort guests to park, and keep from giving access to those who are trying to avoid the parking fee by leaving their car at the resort and accessing the park from there.

Not sure why they would be turning away rideshare guests without reservations, as they are not utilizing the parking lot, but I understand some of them have.

Just an FYI - since Thanksgiving (at least), there's a sign at Animal Kingdom Lodge that says no entry without a room or dining reservation - so it's not just the resorts you have listed here. We saw the sign in early December and it was still there is early Feb.