We’ve been exploring the Disney World theme parks A LOT now that all four have reopened!
EPCOT
And while we all know park hopping is temporarily unavailable during the initial phase of Disney World’s reopening, we also know a lot of you folks back home are curious if guests can resort hop at Disney World right now. And we’re not gonna lie — it’s a little confusing right now.
The official terminology on Disney World’s website states, to even get INTO a Disney World hotel right now, guests will need a confirmed room reservation, or a confirmed dining reservation if you’re a day guest not staying overnight.
Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
This has been the official policy on Disney World’s website since several Disney World resort hotels reopened last month BEFORE the parks. Now that the monorail, Skyliner, buses, and other forms of interconnecting transportation are running and many walkways connecting the theme parks to the resorts have reopened, can you still resort hop?
What IS resort hopping (and why would anyone want to do it)?
First of all, we should probably backtrack a little and cover all our bases since some of our readers might not be familiar with the term “resort hopping.” The general principle behind resort hopping is the same as park hopping, only you don’t need a special Park Hopper ticket to visit any of the various hotels at Disney World.
Resort Hopping at its simplest is just checking out OTHER Disney World resorts you might not be staying at. This could be to try the food, experience the atmosphere, or maybe sample a special activity.
Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort
And as for why anyone would want to resort hop, it can be fun to do, and it’s usually completely free! The theme parks are great and all, but sometimes you just need to break up your trip (and give your wallet a break for a day) with a few non-theme park adventures!
Disney’s Beach Club Resort
Resort hopping is also a great way to check out potential places you might like to stay someday down the road, dine at new restaurants, and experience new lounges…it’s just a neat thing to do especially if you’re excited to see what other hotels are like at Disney World.
So can you still visit other hotels?
The answer is yes and no. From our experience these last few weeks (and especially recently now that Magic Kingdom, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and EPCOT have reopened — all of which are within walking distance of some of the hotels), it’s still really inconsistent.
Monorail at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
Based on which resort you’re trying to get to, you might have an easier or tougher time, and often it depends largely on the Cast Members you encounter when trying to enter the resort. But we do have some resort hopping tips and tricks we’ve picked up that we want to share with you!
Resort Hopping Dos and Don’ts
DO have a dining reservation or a Mobile Order placed for pick-up at the resort you’re trying to visit.
We’ve had no trouble visiting Disney’s Contemporary Resort, Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa recently because we’ve been using a dining reservation or placing a Mobile Order using the My Disney Experience app to get in. That’s right — all of the Cast Members we’ve encountered so far are cool with us being at the resort as long as we’re dining in or picking up some grub!
We Checked Out the Grand Floridian After a Breakfast Reservation at Grand Floridian Cafe
If you’re not familiar with Mobile Order, it’s basically Disney’s smartphone-based program where you can pre-order and pay for meals at quick-service locations around Disney World. In the My Disney Experience app you can select and customize what you’d like to order and set a pickup time, and once you arrive, your food will be prepared for you. It’s easy, free to use, and Disney is HIGHLY encouraging use of it at all available quick-service locations.
Mobile Order being offered at Primo Piatto at Disney’s Riviera Resort
Think of food as your Golden Ticket into the hotels right now. It’s a great chance to try out some resort restaurants you may have never experienced or to scope out the latest and greatest treats at each resort’s quick-service location (one of our favorite pastimes!).
Stitch Cupcake
We’ve taken the monorail to visit each of the Magic Kingdom-area hotels and haven’t run into any issues yet. When the Poly and Grand Flo first reopened, we were told their walkway was open for guests to move between the two resorts. Guests can also walk back and forth from Magic Kingdom to Disney’s Contemporary Resort in case you want to grab a quick bite at Chef Mickey’s which is now open, although it’s no longer a character meal for the time being.
Click here to learn more about Mobile Order in reopened Disney World
DON’T be too early for your dining reservation
But like we said, some of the resorts are a bit more complicated. When we recently drove to Disney’s Wilderness Lodge for our dining reservation, we were stopped by a Security Cast Member at the gate who told us we were too early. This happened at the Beach Club Resort as well.
Ultimately, he let us in, but with a warning that arriving too early could result in you being turned away until closer to your reservation time. He recommended we wait in our car until closer to our reservation time and not wander. This has been the exception to the rule so far for us.
Disney’s Wilderness Lodge
Basically, arrive within 15-30 minutes of your dining reservation time.
So how WAS our dining experience at Wilderness Lodge that day? Click here to find out!
Where can you easily resort hop?
Keep in mind you can always hop in your car or get a rideshare over to the resort of your choice, but some resorts are just inherently easier to resort hop than others. We already covered the wonderful Monorail resorts above but these are still some of the most easily accessible resorts for guests — especially those coming from a day in the Magic Kingdom. Even Disney’s Wilderness Lodge is relatively easily accessed by boat from Magic Kingdom.
Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort
From EPCOT, you can walk to Disney’s Beach Club Resort to visit Beaches and Cream Soda Shop but not Disney’s Yacht Club Resort since that side of the hotel is still closed to guests. Several dining locations are now open at Disney’s BoardWalk Inn as well, although only the DVC villas have reopened. The rest of the resort is set to reopen on October 1st.
Beach Club
At EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios, you can also hop on Disney’s Skyliner to access Disney’s Pop Century Resort or Disney’s Riviera Resort. Disney’s Art of Animation Resort (reopening August 12th) and Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort (reopening July 29th) are not open at this time.
Skyliner Gondolas
Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort, Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, Disney’s Old Key West Resort, and Disney’s Saratoga Springs Resort and Spa, as well as a few third-party hotels on Disney property are open as well, but each of these resorts is a bit more isolated than the more easily accessible hotels listed above. You’ll still find dining options and activities at each you can enjoy.
Resort hopping isn’t quite as intuitive or spontaneous as it used to be, but for now, guests can still enjoy visiting the various Disney World hotels with a little careful planning! And for folks who are heading to Disney World soon, find out how to make the most of your vacation without park hopping here!
Most people who are booking their Disney World vacations right now don’t know THIS!
Disney Park Reopening Details and Info
Click HERE for the All Latest Updates
Click HERE To See FULL LISTS of the Rides, Attractions, Shopping, Entertainment, and Restaurants Opening in Disney World!
TUTORIAL: How To Use Disney World's NEW Park Pass Reservation System
ALL Disney World Reopening Procedures
Disney World Hotel and Ticket Booking Information
We’re Visiting ALL the Reopened Disney World Hotels and Have All the Need-to-Know Details
We’re LIVE in Disney World's Magic Kingdom For the FIRST Time Since the Closures
We’re LIVE in Disney’s Animal Kingdom For the FIRST Time Since the Closures
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Everything You NEED To Know About Wearing Masks in Disney World
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Do you enjoy resort hopping at Disney World? Let us know which hotels you enjoy visiting in the comments below!
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If Beach Club is open now why are Beach Club guests being bumped?
Rachel, Beach Club Villas (DVC) are open, but the rest of the Resort is not at this time.
It is only because you are driving and parking at the resort. So really, it isn’t much different than before. So you should make that clear. We have taken two trips using solely disney transportation and hopped to multiple lounges every day. No one ever even approached us or gave us another look. You do not have to show any credentials to board transportation. It operates normally as before. The only issue would be that Disney Springs closes much earlier so using that to transfer to your resort past 11pm may not be possible.
We have a trip around Thanksgiving and were hoping to stop in at the Grand Floridian for cupcakes from Gasparilla’s one night and to see the resort decorated for Christmas. We would want to drive and park there for ease. Is it your experience we can park there if we have a mobile pick-up order? We’ve always had sit-down dinner reservations, but are not interested in Narcoosee’s this trip. The cupcakes rarely disappoint however!
Audrey, one of our onsite reporters says you CAN use a confirmed, purchased Mobile Order for Quick Service to show security when driving to a Resort. It has to show that the food has already been purchased.
One woman is bragging on a WDW travel group that her family parks for free by reserving breakfast at a resort near their park of choice and just leaving their car all day. They are not resort guests at any WDW resort and stay offsite. She insists that they do it all the time and never have been questioned when picking up their car at night.
Any comment?
Any updates on this? We are going in a month and I really want to be able to take my family for Tonga Toast at Captain Cooks.
Lisa, policy still says you need an ADR or a Resort reservation to enter a Resort. However, Disney transportation still goes to and from Resorts, and we have not had trouble going to Resorts that way. You can also typically show entrance gate security a Mobile Order for a restaurant and be allowed entry; if you want to drive in yourself, you may want to go that route.
What about DVC members? We have reservations at OKW but like to Resort hop to Beach Club and Poly. Is Security restricting us also? In the past, DVC members could go to any resort of their choosing by car and not have an issue.
Bob, what we’ve heard from DVC owners is that it can be hit or miss with the security Cast Member at the gate, but the stated and posted policy is that you must have an ADR or a Resort reservation.
My family and I are going to WDW the first week of November. We want to try out Steakhouse 71, and then go to the Poly for the afternoon. Do we need to make a second dining reservation at the Poly, or can we just take the monorail over after eating at Steakhouse 71?
Claire, you can take the Monorail.
I don’t know if you’re still answering questions here, but if we’re DVC staying at Old Key West, what are the best ways to be allowed at the Boardwalk to go to Abracadabar or Disney’s Port Orleans for Scat Cat’s Club? We really wanted to try those two last year but they were closed! Really hoping we can get boozy beignets this year!!
Bella, the best way is to use Disney transportation. You may want to take a bus to Disney Springs from OKW, then hop on a bus to PO — French Quarter/BoardWalk Inn to visit those Resorts. You could also see if the Sassagoula water taxi is operational for POFQ; in that case you may be able to boat to Disney Springs and transfer to a FQ boat. (My family found this relaxing back in the day.)
so if I park at Disney springs I can get a bus to a resort and then come back? Is there a way to eat at Rainforest Cafe without having a park ticket. Could I take a bus to a resort and then a bus to Hollywood Studio and then back that way?
Busses don’t go to the parks from Disney Springs correct? Do you think we could go to a resort just to look at decorations as long as we had a mobile order or if we were on a bus we wouldn’t need an order. you aren’t allowed to go to a resort and park and then take a bus to Disney Springs are you?
Mary, you’re correct that you can’t drive into a Resort just to look around. We have been able to enter Resorts, driving our own vehicles, when having a confirmed Advance Dining Reservation or a confirmed Mobile Order to pick up. You can take a Disney bus from Disney Springs to any Resort (and back again). Rainforest Cafe has two Disney locations, both accessible without a Park ticket. The first is in Disney Springs — Marketplace. The second is outside the entrance to Animal Kingdom.
Hi DFB Sarah, will you be updating this article? We are traveling to WDW Dec. 17th and were looking forward to Resort Hopping. It’s what we did on our honeymoon back in 1998 and now wanted to take our 17yr old twins to do the same. What will the restrictions be in December 2021? Are there any?
Eric, the policy of needing a Resort reservation or a dining reservation to drive through security remains in place. You can enter a Resort using Disney transportation (no reservations needed) or via car if you have a confirmed Mobile Order to pick up at the Resort or a confirmed Advance Dining Reservation.
Is there a central transportation hub to get access to all of the hotels?
Eric, I think the closest to what you describe would be the Disney Springs bus stop and the Animal Kingdom bus stop. The Parks all have transpo stations, but EPCOT/DHS/MK may not have all Resorts picking up from a bus stop because they also have other transportation options (boat, Skyliner).
Hi, we are going in March and hoping to go to Enchanted Rose before dinner at Steakhouse 71. Planning to take the monorail or walk from MK to ER but not staying at GF. Can we still access ER since we wouldn’t have an ADR for GF?
Meagan, you will as long as you’re walking to GF or taking Disney transport to GF.
We are going to be traveling to Florida and staying for a day in Orlando to eat, well and sightsee. We have dining reservations at Boma for breakfast(10:50 ok I was late getting online to make the reservation), Steakhouse71 for lunch at 1:50, and Planet Hollywood(I know I know but our family really enjoy it, and we are from Maine so….). My question is will we run into any problem parking at Springs, then taking the leisurely ride on the Disney busses to AKL, back to Springs, then to Contemporary, and back? We were hoping to go a bit early for breakfast to sightsee the animals.
Hi Harold! You should not have any issues taking the bus from Disney Springs over to any of the resorts.
Thank you!
Hi guys,
I’m watching your latest YouTube video and A J mentions hoping off the monorail at the Poly for an early morning cocktail. Are we now able to visit resorts we are not staying at without a dining reservation? We are staying at Port Orleans FQ but are super keen to visit Trader Sam’s. I have my alarm set for very early (we are in Australia) 60 days out to make a reservation at Ohana or Kona. But if we don’t have to do that it would relieve so much stress! Thanks again and we love your site and videos.
We are going again in Jun 2023, DFBGuide [AJ?] we want to visit Wilderness lodge on the arrival day [no park that day] and will be staying at French 1/4. Will they let us park there if we don’t have a dining reservation? and or what’s the best and fastest way to get there. We will be driving to Orlando so we will have our car….
Hi Ken. It doesn’t hurt to ask, but to be on the safe side you could always park at Disney Springs and take the Wilderness Lodge bus and then hop back on the bus to Disney Springs after you’ve explored.