Staying off property. Free stuff? Drive Right Up to Resorts?

Single & will be staying off property.

Looking for stuff to do that is free. Can you just drive right up to resorts & hang out there? (or is that a dumb question?)

Isn't there some sort of fee just to get into WDW? If so, how much?

What do you recommend for parking my rental car?

Thanks.

catjammies said:

Single & will be staying off property.

Looking for stuff to do that is free. Can you just drive right up to resorts & hang out there? (or is that a dumb question?)

Isn't there some sort of fee just to get into WDW? If so, how much?

What do you recommend for parking my rental car?

Thanks.

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You can drive and hang out at resorts.. We resort hopped a few times. Our favorite is the Grand Floridian.

There's a fee to visit the actual theme parks.

Not a lot to do that's free.

You can park for free at Disney Springs. Last time I was at the Boathouse there, there was free musical entertainment outside the restaurant.

The resorts tend to have a time limit on parking - they will allow you to eat or shop briefly (for a few hours) but not to stay for a long time. (Besides, it's rude to take spots from the nightly guests.)

During the holidays, the resorts have some great decorations but not a lot going on right now.

Lots of free fun at Disney Springs. I would also recommend Boardwalk for some good fun. Riding the monorail and hopping around those resorts is always a good time too.

catjammies said:

Can you just drive right up to resorts & hang out there?

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At any near-park resort, you're going to need to have a reservation for dinner or some other activity or you won't get past security and into the parking lot. Sometimes, they'll let you in if you valet park, which would by $25 plus tip. On the plus side, valet is valid for the entire day at the other resorts.

As far as Disney is concerned, you can go to Disney Springs and park your car and wonder around there for as long as you want too. But there isn't much else you can do without paying money for it. You can park in any of the park, parking lots for $20.00 and then explore the resorts, if you like, using the monorail, buses or boats, you just cannot enter the theme parks without a ticket. You can ride the Monorail loop around the lagoon and it will stop at the Poly, The Grand Floridian, MK and the Contemporary, You can ride the Epcot monorail over to Epcot, stay on and come back. Again, there isn't much else you can do without paying something for it. The $20.00 parking fee is actually a good deal when it comes to just exploring the resorts. You can take buses to just about any of them at no charge. It's not encouraged but you can park in the parking garage at Disney Springs and catch a bus to the resorts and connect with other buses that will enable you to ride the monorails as well, but, you will have to be familiar with the layout to make the work for you.

I'm not sure if you can park at the resorts for free without having a reservation. I'm a DVC member and sometimes I like to travel by water taxi or bus to the various deluxe resorts just to look around. At Animal Kingdom Lodge they offer a free presentation about Africa near the lobby and of course you can also sit grab a seat outside and watch the animals. You can also visit the Poly and hand out by the beach area and if you time it correctly watch the fireworks from MK.

Here's an article

http://www.minitime.com/trip-tips/11-Free-Things-to-Do-with-Kids-at-Disney-World-article

You can definitely go up to the gates out front of the parks, but I'm not sure why you would ever want to. There is absolutely nothing to do there. But grabbing a boat or monorail and wandering around the resorts is lots of fun.

I have always had success parking at the Animal Kingdom Lodge. It is a very nice resort to wander around.

If you have lots of time you can park for free at Disney Springs and then take Disney Transportation to the various resorts.

I think the best thing to do is valet park for $25 at one of the Monorail resorts then explore them all. Then if you want you can hop on a bus to outlying resorts which are very lovely too (moderates and above for the most atmosphere). You can get onto the grounds of all the Disney resorts you always wanted to see without staying in them. It's fun to be a snoop sometimes.

YMMV, but on my most recent trip we were able to park at various resorts (Poly, Contemporary, Boardwalk) for free with no problems. We had dinner reservations for two of those, but they didn't verify them. We didn't have reservations at the Contemporary - went there to have appetizers at the Wave to kick off a progressive monorail dinner.

Also, I find exploring the various resorts to be fun --- a lot of great themeing and places to poke around in.

catjammies said:

Single & will be staying off property.

Looking for stuff to do that is free. Can you just drive right up to resorts & hang out there? (or is that a dumb question?)

Isn't there some sort of fee just to get into WDW? If so, how much?

What do you recommend for parking my rental car?

Thanks.

Click to expand...

There are lots of free activities.
Here is an example of a whole day you could put together.
Park for free at Disney Springs and enjoy an early economical lunch at Earl of Sandwich. Stop at Ghirardellis for a free sample of chocolate candy. Enjoy free entertainment at the amphitheater. Take in the sights, poke in some shops. Board a water taxi at the Marketplace boat dock for a free 20 minute ride to Port Orleans Riverside. Enjoy a stroll around the beautifully landscaped resort grounds. You can even try your luck at fishing for catfish off the dock on Old Man Island, where you can rent a cane pole and get some worms for a very low price. Take the water taxi back to Disney Springs and walk to the resort bus stop to get on a bus to Animal Kingdom Lodge. Plan to arrive at Jambo House by 3:45 and go downstairs to the Boma restaurant podium and take the free tour at 4:00 of Boma and Jiko restaurants. You will be able to try free samples of soup/ and or a zebra dome cake at Boma, then sample the bread service at Jiko. Tour the gorgeous lobby, see genuine African artwork, sit in rocking chairs on the porches,and Go out to see the animals including giraffes and zebras. Take the bus back to Disney Springs.... This is just one day you can put together. Another day you could go to The Boardwalk and enjoy a stroll around the resorts, get ice cream at Beaches n Cream, ride a water taxi from resort to resort. etc.... Then on yet another day you can visit the monorail resorts, ride the water taxis and monorail to visit the deluxe resorts from the Contemporary, Polynesian, Grand Floridian, then Wilderness Lodge by boat launch in front of Magic Kingdom. Later, from the dock at The Grand Floridian, or the beach at The Polynesian you can watch the fireworks and the Electric Water Parade. I could go on and on. Have fun discovering your own fun.