Is Resort Hopping Allowed Again?

[DisneyMama811]

Hey Everyone,

working on planning our Jan 2023 trip... I'm wondering if Resort Hopping is allowed again now that the majority of restrictions have been lifted?

If it is allowed what are some of your favourite resorts to hop to? we will be staying at ASM or AoA because that's what is within our budget and I'd rather splurge on character meals for the kids but I'd love to be able to explore some of the higher end resorts

 

[CanucksRock]

You have always been able to go between resorts when staying on property…

 

[gharter]

We did our last trip.
Did the monorail run looking at Easter Eggs at Contemporary and Grand Floridian.

 

[Her Dotness]

It is as long as you arrive on Disney transportation and not your own or a rental car.

 

[Smugpugmug]

It has always been allowed but you will not be allowed to park there if you do not have a dining reservation. They also will not allow you to park if you are just going to one of the lounges/bars like Trader Sam's for example. If you take Disney transportation (monorail/bus/boat) then you'll be fine.

 

[bnf0522]

We were there in Nov. 2021 and had no trouble, as long as we used Disney transportation!

 

[OKW Lover]

I'm wondering if Resort Hopping is allowed again now that the majority of restrictions have been lifted?

Resort hopping was never prevented. If you use Disney transportation you can visit any resort you want for any reason you want.

 

[DisBud]

Yesterday they allowed us to park at Riverside for Quick Dining. We had no reservations, in our own car and not staying on property. Maybe it was a fluke, but it would be nice if it was opening up again!

 

[Smugpugmug]

Yesterday they allowed us to park at Riverside for Quick Dining. We had no reservations, in our own car and not staying on property. Maybe it was a fluke, but it would be nice if it was opening up again!

I have heard of other people not having issues parking at Riverside and I think the fact that it is not walkable to any park is a factor. One time I took a ride share to BC for a Cape May Cafe breakfast reservation and the guard asked to see both my ID and Magicband to verify that I had a reservation. I saw a few cars have to turn around and leave so I assume they didn't have a reservation and were denied. On my trip last week I saw people being denied from AKL as well despite not being close to any park except AK.

 

[Her Dotness]

Yes, it seems to be the resorts near a park that are being strict about requiring a dining reservation to park.

Understandably so as tempting as it can be to save the parking fee by parking at a resort.

 

[_19disnA]

There are a lot of threads going on this topic. Disney has gotten wise to those who think they will get out of paying to park at MK/Epcot/HS by parking for free at a nearby hotel and then walking to the park. I am sure there are always a few who think they will 'get away' with something and save a few bucks. I would imagine the Disney guards at the gate hear all sorts of creative excuses from someone trying to 'game' the parking fees. The recent scheme to say you have a mobile order is also not likely to work either. If arriving by Disney transportation, no one is going to ask where you are staying or what you plan to do. You might want to shop/eat/sightsee and there is no issue doing that when using Disney transportation and you can also resort hop as well.

 

[DisneyMama811]

There are a lot of threads going on this topic. Disney has gotten wise to those who think they will get out of paying to park at MK/Epcot/HS by parking for free at a nearby hotel and then walking to the park. I am sure there are always a few who think they will 'get away' with something and save a few bucks. I would imagine the Disney guards at the gate hear all sorts of creative excuses from someone trying to 'game' the parking fees. The recent scheme to say you have a mobile order is also not likely to work either. If arriving by Disney transportation, no one is going to ask where you are staying or what you plan to do. You might want to shop/eat/sightsee and there is no issue doing that when using Disney transportation and you can also resort hop as well.

believe me we aren't out to game anyone. I just want to see some of the cool resorts we will never afford haha.

For some reason I thought during the height of the pandemic resort hopping wasn't allowed in order to limit the number of people visiting the resort if you aren't actually staying there. I must be mistaken

 

[_19disnA]

As long as a resort is open, I don't believe Disney has ever restricted who could go there using their transportation.

 

[nancipants]

We have been allowed to park at Boardwalk without a reservation, same with Yacht Club for Crew Cup Lounge. We do have annual passes so if they didn't let us I guess we'd just park at Epcot and walk. (Related: I wish they'd let AP holders park at resorts since they know we're not trying to get free parking.)

 

[CarolynFH]

For some reason I thought during the height of the pandemic resort hopping wasn't allowed in order to limit the number of people visiting the resort if you aren't actually staying there. I must be mistaken

IIRC, when the parks & resorts first opened the published rules definitely sounded as if no resort visits were allowed, but I don't think that was ever enforced to that degree, i.e., I don't recall reading any report of someone being turned away who arrived via Disney transportation or on foot.

I wish they'd let AP holders park at resorts since they know we're not trying to get free parking.

As an AP holder who stays offsite as often as we stay onsite, I can agree - until I'm circling the BW parking lot, trying to find a place to park my car so that I can return to my BWV resort room. Unfortunately, the resort parking lots aren't big enough to allow AP parking - can you imagine how quickly the many local AP holders would overwhelm them?

 

[ctfamily]

Cliff notes, don't assume you will resort hop going forward w a rental unless you have a resy or are willing to use transportation to a park then hop on a bus/tram/monorail to a resort.

Kiss another WDW freedom goodbye.

We got denied entry to GF and Contemporary yesterday, we are DVC members staying at SP. So there's no more strolling and checking out certain resorts, getting a drink or a bite to eat without a reservation unless u wanna spend endless hours of a trip wasting time to use transportation to backdoor some spots.

The skipping the pay parking excuse is BS we've been doing this for years, we don't pay for parking being DVC members....not yet, sure that's coming soon as well. I'm sure there's more rental cars on site now as well without magical express running.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

we don't pay for parking being DVC members

DVC free parking only applies when staying at a DVC resort on points. It does not include parking rights at other resorts (other than the one you are staying at).

thhe GF and CR lots cannot take all the DVC members staying on property while providing space for those staying at those resorts.

 

[georgina]

Yeah, we had a dinner at Narcoossee yesterday and the self park lot was quite full.

 

[ctfamily]

DVC free parking only applies when staying at a DVC resort on points. It does not include parking rights at other resorts (other than the one you are staying at).

thhe GF and CR lots cannot take all the DVC members staying on property while providing space for those staying at those resorts.

Been doing this for years, like a decade plus, they've always handled the volume. Trust me, never been a problem but it will be now since they dumped magic express.

 

[ctfamily]

GF had four weddings which is why parking was restricted. The gate person at Contemporary was just down right nasty and we are BLT "owners"