Thread for People staying off site

[hiroMYhero]

That is awesome! Does it work if your MDX person is only staying onsite for one night, that night being the 1st night of trip?

Yes. As long as there is an onsite stay booked, the 60-day window opens. After the check-in and check-out days, the window becomes a rolling 60 day window.

 

[itchin2go]

Actually, we DO have a ressie at GFC, so we could take advantage of free handicap valet at GF, take monorail over to MK, then take boat back at end of day for dinner? Does that seem right?

That sounds like an excellent plan to me.

 

[hiroMYhero]

I'm looking forward to my first stay in a vacation home this fall. We're going to do an Illuminations cruise one night and I don't want to have to go all the way through Epcot to get back to the car. I wonder if we'd be able to park at yacht/beach club if we say we are doing the cruise...?

Yes, you'll be allowed to park at BC or YC as the cruise will begin there.

 

[kj2mom]

Just thought I would post this info here because some offsiters aren't aware:
If you are traveling with others who are staying onsite, when your MDEs are linked, offsiters share the 60-day booking window.

The onsite people can book FPs at 60 days out for everyone linked in their MDE whether they are offsite or onsite.

Sigghh, all of those lost hours of sleep this week ! Still working on getting her to check this out for tonight so I don't have to stay up at 1am. I did get a text to her and she said she would try to look but since she is working not sure if she will be able to access her MDE.

Thanks for sharing the info, hopefully I am not the only person who didn't realize this. Shucks and I consider myself somewhat educated in the planning realm. Siighhhhhh!!!

 

[hiroMYhero]

Sigghh, all of those lost hours of sleep this week ! Still working on getting her to check this out for tonight so I don't have to stay up at 1am. I did get a text to her and she said she would try to look but since she is working not sure if she will be able to access her MDE.

Thanks for sharing the info, hopefully I am not the only person who didn't realize this. Shucks and I consider myself somewhat educated in the planning realm. Siighhhhhh!!!

Maybe she can text you her MDE login and you can book your last day of FPs. Hope everything works out for you!

 

[kj2mom]

Thanks! I am 'this' close to asking for her password but I know people can be (understandably) nervous about that and I don't want to overstep. It is a little challenging of a situation since we were originally staying together but after paying for off site her family decided to stay on site so I had to send them back their money ! We now have a 3 bedroom timeshare that sleeps 8 for myself and my 13 year old twins!!

She booked Wishes since it is our last night and I am really hoping we can get it too (dibb seems to show we should be fine). It would be nice not to have to worry about finding the perfect spot for the last experience. We do have another MK day but it is July 4th so while it is not the only day we will be at MK, it will be the only time we see Wishes.

 

[goofyernmost]

Hi Everyone! Sorry if this question has been answered already, but paranoid about making it to RD at MK in October.

Staying at Summer Bay resort in Clermont, FL. If we leave at 7:15am, park at TTC, and ferry to MK, will we make it to the front of RD by 8:20am? Also, on our 2nd MK day, we will be traveling with Grandparents, one of whom has handicap placard. I read somewhere we could valet park at Contemporary for free with the placard. Is this true?

Thanks so much for your help!!!

I'd love to answer that questions, but, I have no idea where Clermont is so I'll let a person that is more local answer that.

 

[larryz]

How to "Work" EMH when staying offsite? We all know off siter guests cant enter the park in the morning of EMH, but what of evening extra hours? Example, if HS closes at 9pm, but has extended hours for Resort guests from 9pm to 11pm, as long as we off site people are ALREADY in the park before 9pm, we can stay til 11pm! I know we cant do rides, cuz they check for that. But wouldn't that be a great opportunity to see a show like Fantasmic, wander around, snap pics, eat snacks and basically slow down and enjoy the park instead of rushing from ride to ride, as some of us do? Would the MM photogs still snap pics for us? What other things can we get away with doing during extra nightime hours if we stay off site. I am very intrigued with this idea. Imagine doing it at Epcot? You can see illuminations, wander around and catch your breath...
Thoughts? Ideas?

You don't want to hear my ideas.

 

[mamattorney]

Valet parking is just a couple dollars more than paying to park in one of the theme park parking lots. You may valet and then take WDW transportation to any Disney park and stay as long as you like. Like theme park parking, it has in and out privileges. For instance, you may valet park at the Contemporary, go into the MK, pick up your car and go "home" for a rest and valet park at another resort (like the Boardwalk) when you return the same day on the same receipt.

I never knew this! How quick is it for them to get your car at different times of day, say midday, and then also within 30 minutes of the end of Wishes?

 

[sharona]

This thread is being driven even more off-topic by posts debating if the thread is off-topic or not. It feels a bit intentional. *sigh*

Another TPAS hint from me ...

Valet parking is just a couple dollars more than paying to park in one of the theme park parking lots. You may valet and then take WDW transportation to any Disney park and stay as long as you like. Like theme park parking, it has in and out privileges. For instance, you may valet park at the Contemporary, go into the MK, pick up your car and go "home" for a rest and valet park at another resort (like the Boardwalk) when you return the same day on the same receipt.

This is very YMMV depending on the guard at the entrance. They did ask us where we were going. I told the truth and said a breakfast reservation at MK and we were told we would have to park at the TTC. We did end up parking at the CR but not valet (long story).

I, too, am very pleased that this thread started. I hope it is kept here. We have stayed off and on site over the past 10 years. Both have GREAT advantages and disadvantages. In November, we will be on Disney Cruise for one week; followed by 9 days in the parks - off site (at my Vacation Ownership resort). We will be in the parks during Thanksgiving week (our 'normal' time to visit). The most difficult thing that we are facing (now that we are in our 180 day window for ADRs) is getting the dining reservations that we want. Those 'onsiters' have been booking everything up for the past 10 days and my window has just opened. We will face similar situations when it comes to our FP+ plans. We are ready to do a lot of flexible planning; but know we need to keep our park locations set for a few of the days due to the dining reservations that I HAVE been able to get. Still really hoping for a BOG on one of our MK days!!

We also 'normally' spend more than 10 days in the parks, so I always purchase APs and this gets us free parking and other discounts at shops and restaurants. (We also plan one additional trip within that year's time; so WELL worth the upgrade!!) This year, we probably won't be doing the AP. I haven't yet calculated the cost diff for 9 day tix + parking vs APs and free parking to see if it will be worth it.

We rent a car and I find the driving quite easy; even when crowded. There are many directional signs to keep you on track as you leave any of the parks. I admit that I have gotten off track a few times; but it was my fault...never because of other drivers or lack of signage.

The reason there are no ADRs available is that people are hoarding them to keep their options open. They're booking multiple ADRs and then waiting until they book FP and finalize their plans then cancelling the ADRs that don't work with their hard to get FPs. I think it's a selfish thing to do but the current system kind of forces it. Subscribe to your month's Canceled ADR thread and start checking at 60, 45 and again at 30 days to check for cancels. Watch all the posts canceling multiple ADRs at once.

Is it necessary during a busy spring break time to book one night on site to get the 60 day out fast passes or if we just do rope drop and 30 day out fast passes, would we still get to ride the popular rides?

We visited mid April just one day to MK and we got everything we wanted at 30 days out including 7DMT. I did get right online at midnight to book.

YAY!!! We got our BOG reservation for our LAST day in the parks this November!!! I had to get up at 5am (CT) to log on and get it; but I was finally able to get one. Considering there was only ONE time that came up as available, even at 'opening' for 180 days ADRs, it confirms that there were LOTS of reservations for Lunch already booked by those staying onsite over the past 10+ days. I'm glad that I stuck to it. I really didn't want to spend the next 5.5 months playing with the system and hoping to get lucky by grabbing someone else's cancellation. As much as I LOVE planning our WDW vacations, I have better things to do with my days than stalk the dining website for however long it may take to get the ONE reservation that I'm missing for these 9 days. Anyway....LOVING that I don't have to worry about it now!! TIP: For those hard to get reservations, you really DO need to be online at 6am(ET) 180 days before you want to dine. In all the times I've made dining reservations over the years (onsite and offsite), this is the first time I've actually had to use that strategy. HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY in this house today!!

More hoarding evidence!

Just booked our FPs for our trip... I was so concerned we weren't going to get what we wanted, but we got everything, including Toy Story Mania and SD Mine Train! Both earlier in the day too, so we will have a shot at getting more FPs throughout the remainder of the day.

Awesome! We got a 4th for Space when we went.

If you

If you have Water Parks and more...you may need to upgrade to a Premium Annual Pass...be sure to look into that as the price is different. Also remember that you only need one AP and one TIW card for your whole family (up to 9 on the TIW card) to get the discounts.

Dumb question maybe... TIW is only good at table service?

 

[hiroMYhero]

TIW is only good at table service?

Table Service, food courts, QS, and some Lounges, too. The Wave Lounge accepts TiW - or did when we were there a year ago.

The TiW website lists all the locations where the discount is offered.

 

[mgellman]

Hope this is the right place to post. We're staying at Wyndham Bonnet Creek 10/5-12 and will be in the parks 10/6-10. We have a rental car and three kids ages 10, 9 and 7. Have a stroller for the 7 year old (autistic). What time should we leave WBC if we want to be to the parks 20-30 minutes before rope drop? I know we're closest to HS but we plan to visit all 4 parks (2 days at MK) so any travel time advice is greatly appreciated. Also-for MK, once you park, then tram to TTC, is it better to catch monorail there or walk to Polynesian and catch mono there?

 

[jamnmom]

Also-for MK, once you park, then tram to TTC, is it better to catch monorail there or walk to Polynesian and catch mono there?

I always figure about 30 minutes from entrance into the MK parking lot until we scan our bands to enter the park. It really depends on how busy the monorails and ferry are. They get a LOT of ppl on each monorail in the mornings and they arrive pretty quickly; so, even if you are at the bottom of the ramp to load onto monorail, you will only miss one or two before you board. IF you choose to walk to Polynesian to catch that monorail, just know that it will be stopping at Contemporary on it's way to MK, as well. Sooo...you would have to ask yourself how much time it takes to walk to Poly; board; extra stop vs. line/wait to get on express. The only way to make that judgment is to wait to see what the line is like at TTC. Just a side note, as well....we've stayed at Polynesian and there was always a line for that monorail, as well. AND it has also already stopped at Floridian to load before it gets to Poly. There's no way to estimate how quickly you'd be able to get on at Polynesian if you make that walk.

 

[SJSloan]

Hope this is the right place to post. We're staying at Wyndham Bonnet Creek 10/5-12 and will be in the parks 10/6-10. We have a rental car and three kids ages 10, 9 and 7. Have a stroller for the 7 year old (autistic). What time should we leave WBC if we want to be to the parks 20-30 minutes before rope drop? I know we're closest to HS but we plan to visit all 4 parks (2 days at MK) so any travel time advice is greatly appreciated. Also-for MK, once you park, then tram to TTC, is it better to catch monorail there or walk to Polynesian and catch mono there?

We just same back from an off-site stay at Harbour Lake. I know you all will be closer than we were but I will go ahead and share our RD morning.

We left Harbour Lake around 7:50 and headed to MK. Parked, we were parked close enough that a Tram wasn't even running yet. The monorail also wasn't running yet and they made everyone catch the boat. There was already a boat there waiting and it took off shortly after we boarded. We were in MK gates by 8:20. But I would say that if you missed a boat or had to wait on a monorail (if running) then add an extra 10-15 minutes. We waited for the Welcome Show which began around 8:40.

Another day we had an early morning ADR at the Polynesian and the monorail was running, but only the resort monorail was running, not the express. It took several before we were able to get on and we were slightly late for our ADR.

 

[gunderda]

So EMH's are only available to on-site guests?

 

[gunderda]

And a question about the monorail.... weren't they doing some weird scheduling this summer?

We are going to MK on June 17th (next wednesday) and have an 8:05 ADR and the park opens at 8:00 am.
We are staying at Bonnet Creek and are planning to leave at 7 am at the very latest but I'm wondering if we should try to leave earlier in hopes of being able to enter the park a little early. Any idea of what the monorail situation will be?

 

[itchin2go]

We just same back from an off-site stay at Harbour Lake. I know you all will be closer than we were but I will go ahead and share our RD morning.

We left Harbour Lake around 7:50 and headed to MK. Parked, we were parked close enough that a Tram wasn't even running yet. The monorail also wasn't running yet and they made everyone catch the boat. There was already a boat there waiting and it took off shortly after we boarded. We were in MK gates by 8:20. But I would say that if you missed a boat or had to wait on a monorail (if running) then add an extra 10-15 minutes. We waited for the Welcome Show which began around 8:40.

Another day we had an early morning ADR at the Polynesian and the monorail was running, but only the resort monorail was running, not the express. It took several before we were able to get on and we were slightly late for our ADR.

And a question about the monorail.... weren't they doing some weird scheduling this summer?

We are going to MK on June 17th (next wednesday) and have an 8:05 ADR and the park opens at 8:00 am.
We are staying at Bonnet Creek and are planning to leave at 7 am at the very latest but I'm wondering if we should try to leave earlier in hopes of being able to enter the park a little early. Any idea of what the monorail situation will be?

I don't know if it's always this way, but whenever we go early to the MK for rope drop, the monorail from the TTC is never running. We always have to take the ferry. Not sure if this is typical, but it's been our experience. No big deal, but it's good to know to anticipate this.

 

[gunderda]

Yea I'm one of those weirdo people who needs to know what I need to do to get somewhere so i'm a bit panic-y lol but I imagine once we get there it will be easy to figure out - just follow the crowd! haha

 

[robinb]

I never knew this! How quick is it for them to get your car at different times of day, say midday, and then also within 30 minutes of the end of Wishes?

Sorry, I don't remember how long it takes. It can take a while after Wishes when everyone else wants to grab their car and go.

 

[robinb]

So EMH's are only available to on-site guests?

Yes.