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Can you eat counter service if you are not staying at the resort?

SL6827

DIS Veteran
Joined
Apr 23, 2017
With MDE saying that only guest staying at the Contemporary can mobile order food there, does that mean that only guest staying there can eat at Contempo Cafe? The same with the Grand Floridian? We couldn't eat at GGrill if we were not staying at the Grand Flo?
 
With MDE saying that only guest staying at the Contemporary can mobile order food there, does that mean that only guest staying there can eat at Contempo Cafe? The same with the Grand Floridian? We couldn't eat at GGrill if we were not staying at the Grand Flo?
Well you can’t mobile order from Contempo and Gasparilla at the moment if you’re not a guest there. If they accept cash/credit cards as walk ins (I’m not sure if they do) I guess you could eat there. Anything could change, keep checking the app, but I wouldn’t currently plan on going there for a meal.
 
Pretty sure all of them have to accept walk-ins for cash/credit because 1 - not everyone has a smartphone and 2 - allergies...people either have non-top-8, a mix of top-8, just feel more comfortable ordering in person, and/or the resort QS don't always have the allergy menu available for mobile ordering.

Please note: I am NOT advocating claiming allergies if you don't have them. In that case, just say you want to (and be prepared to) pay cash - or credit and claim you don't have a smartphone, but then don't be seen using it for other things.
 
I was pretty sure that the reason they did that at Contempo Cafe was because of the possibility of people parking there to pick up a mobile order, then heading to the Magic Kingdom. Gasparilla's a new one, but perhaps, that's the reason there too. However, if they institute this at all the monorail resorts, it will really screw me up-I'm staying at VGF soon, and had planned to walk over to the other monorail resorts, particularly Polynesian and Contemporary, to eat sometimes. Eating at Gasparrilla Grill all the time can get old. Unfortunately Contemporary's already out, please don't eliminate Polynesian. That's such a short walk for me for a change.
 


I was pretty sure that the reason they did that at Contempo Cafe was because of the possibility of people parking there to pick up a mobile order, then heading to the Magic Kingdom. Gasparilla's a new one, but perhaps, that's the reason there too. However, if they institute this at all the monorail resorts, it will really screw me up-I'm staying at VGF soon, and had planned to walk over to the other monorail resorts, particularly Polynesian and Contemporary, to eat sometimes. Eating at Gasparrilla Grill all the time can get old. Unfortunately Contemporary's already out, please don't eliminate Polynesian. That's such a short walk for me for a change.

Just tell them you need to order in person - but be prepared to pay cash or credit or use your MB. And I wouldn't have a smartphone out while you're doing it.
 
Too many people making mobile orders just to get in and park (or watch fireworks at night) ruined it.

Just arrive by Disney transportation and tell them you want to pay in cash (and do it).
 


Agree that it's mostly about the parking situation. Parking is already tight at a place like CR/BLT for actual guests of the resort. People just wanting to park close and walk to MK really should be turned away. If you're staying at Poly and want to eat CS at CR, just use Disney transportation and enjoy your meal by ordering in person. Heck, if you're staying at any non-monorail resort and want to eat CS at CR or Poly or GF, just use Disney transportation to get there.
 
Right. Others ruin it for the honest.

Exactly.

I think for a while they tried requiring you to press that you were there before the guard would let you in, but they ran into the BOG coffee and/or cupcake thing where people would order a coffee or some small, cheap food item. Or people would just not pick up whatever they ordered. So they took it away period for mobile ordering.

I can report back in 3 weeks if I was able to order in person for an allergy order at Capt. Cook's since I'm planning to boat over from MK, grab some meatballs, then head to the GF to see a friend do a set or two on the lobby piano.
 
Just tell them you need to order in person - but be prepared to pay cash or credit or use your MB. And I wouldn't have a smartphone out while you're doing it.
Great idea, thanks! So I'll just walk over to Captain Cooks and say I need to order in person. And thanks for the tip about the cell phone. I'll keep it in my purse, maybe turn the ringer off (otherwise, with my luck....).
 
Great idea, thanks! So I'll just walk over to Captain Cooks and say I need to order in person. And thanks for the tip about the cell phone. I'll keep it in my purse, maybe turn the ringer off (otherwise, with my luck....).

I mean, I just figure the CM would have a big issue with someone saying they need to order in person because they don't have a smartphone with a phone in their hands (though I'm sure some braintrust would). And yeah - I'm in your luck pool - if I said it, mine would ring. LOL. I'm "lucky" to have allergies so I have to order in person (as least as of February CC's didn't have the allergy menu on the app) anyway.
 
But they will let anyone make a TS reservation at the resorts, no matter where they are staying at, lol.
 
But they will let anyone make a TS reservation at the resorts, no matter where they are staying at, lol.

Which is a $10/person no-show/late cancel fee.

And you are expected to park for no more than 3 hours. They used to have designated areas - at least at Beach Club - for ADRs to park, and it was monitored.
 
The messages have been appearing in MDE for months.

Ah, thank you. We are planning to leave MK this week and eat lunch at Capt. Cooks as we have done so many times in the past. I don’t care if I mobile order or not, one way or another I’m getting aloha pulled pork and my car will be parked at YC where it belongs. 🤷🏻‍♀️
 
Will add this. I saw Micheal Kay's video for the 4th of July and he went to the Poly to try to buy a "special" 4th of July cupcake they had going on that day. They would not sell him one as he was not staying at the resort. He was gonna pay with cash, but still no luck.
 
The messages have been appearing in MDE for months.

I had heard that they were trying to keep people from hanging out at resorts where they were not staying when the parks first reopened (Which, to me, anyway, is understandable. They were trying to keep people where they expected to be for social distancing reasons.)

So it will be interesting to see how they proceed as we reach the "new normal".

In the "before" days, we'd take Disney transport to go eat at other resorts, TS & CS alike, with no issues, since we were not taking up a parking space. I hope that will eventually be the case again. It was a fun & easy way to take a break from a park--to go to the closest resort for a quiet meal or snack instead of going to our own resort which may be further away. Plus it was fun to check out new resorts to see if we might like to stay there next time. :)
 
Will add this. I saw Micheal Kay's video for the 4th of July and he went to the Poly to try to buy a "special" 4th of July cupcake they had going on that day. They would not sell him one as he was not staying at the resort. He was gonna pay with cash, but still no luck.
I'd be curious to see if this was something ongoing or something special for the 4th of July timeframe. They've had issues for years with too many people at the beach to watch fireworks.
 

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