Ubering to Polynesian and Contemporary - non-resort guests being turned away?

[hrp]

Hello, I have been to Disney a few times and we always do a day or two going to Polynesian and/or Contemporary for lounges and fireworks. We are staying at POFQ and have previously ubered to the resorts without issue. I have read random reports online and seen on youtube that they are turning non-guests away. Has anyone experienced this? Also, would it be different if we took a Minnie van (I know its Lyft but Disney-affiliated so thought maybe it'd get better access)?

 

[gottalovepluto]

They are supposed to turn away non-resort guests.

Minnie Vans can drop you without reservations or being a resort guest.

 

[elvispursley]

Whenever we’ve used a rideshare to the poly for breakfast at Kona or ohana, we’ve always been asked if we have an ADR and to have our MB scanned to verify. However it may be hit or miss, ymmv with this. I think I’ve heard taking a Minnie van bypasses this though?

 

[Giraffe_Zen]

Seriously, your best bet may be taking a bus to MK and then getting on the monorail to Poly and then to CR. Or walking from bus stops to CR and then monorailing it to Poly.

 

[Genie+]

Some people actually just want QS but WDW knows the game of more convenient MK access. Parking is a problem but so is the high volume of rideshare traffic coming through those MK resort gates. Poly Tower will increase congestion of authorized visitors and reduce how much other traffic can be tolerated. The TTC is close by so it’s easy for them to redirect over there.

 

[kylenne]

Some people actually just want QS but WDW knows the game of more convenient MK access. Parking is a problem but so is the high volume of rideshare traffic coming through those MK resort gates. Poly Tower will increase congestion of authorized visitors and reduce how much other traffic can be tolerated. The TTC is close by so it’s easy for them to redirect over there.

tbh I am so mad that jerks trying to scam their way past the CR guard for easy park access made Disney cut off mobile ordering there to non guests, because I really enjoyed mobile ordering from Steakhouse 71 and taking it back to Poly/GF when staying at the latter. I guess I will try to ask the lounge if they can give us to go boxes.

 

[Dug720]

tbh I am so mad that jerks trying to scam their way past the CR guard for easy park access made Disney cut off mobile ordering there to non guests, because I really enjoyed mobile ordering from Steakhouse 71 and taking it back to Poly/GF when staying at the latter. I guess I will try to ask the lounge if they can give us to go boxes.

FWIW, I've found that if you are physically in the resort in question you actually can mobile order. They have the warning there to stop people who were placing an order to be dropped off there and might or might not actually get the order. I haven't tried Steakhouse 71, but I've definitely mobile ordered from Capt Cook's when I was staying at the Contemporary. I just had to monorail over to the Poly to place it.

 

[theresemiller2000]

tbh I am so mad that jerks trying to scam their way past the CR guard for easy park access made Disney cut off mobile ordering there to non guests, because I really enjoyed mobile ordering from Steakhouse 71 and taking it back to Poly/GF when staying at the latter. I guess I will try to ask the lounge if they can give us to go boxes.

I agree! I love going to the poly for captain cooks to get Tonga toast but I wouldn’t be able to show an adr for that. Scammers ruin everything!

 

[Lillian Gracey]

On Thursday DH and I took a lyft from WL to CR because it was pouring and were surprisingly not turned away. I was a bit nervous about that and fully expected to be turned away. We were wanting to do some monorail hopping and ending the night with Trader Sam's.

Our plan was to ride the boat after lunch at Geyser Point but it started pouring hard as we finished. The person with bell services opened the car door and asked us if we were checking in. DH said we were there for shopping and exploring and were told to have fun.

YMMV, but I would def take the bus to MK and take the monorail or walk to CR.

 

[kylenne]

On Thursday DH and I took a lyft from WL to CR because it was pouring and were surprisingly not turned away. I was a bit nervous about that and fully expected to be turned away. We were wanting to do some monorail hopping and ending the night with Trader Sam's.

Our plan was to ride the boat after lunch at Geyser Point but it started pouring hard as we finished. The person with bell services opened the car door and asked us if we were checking in. DH said we were there for shopping and exploring and were told to have fun.

YMMV, but I would def take the bus to MK and take the monorail or walk to CR.

Yeah enforcement is inconsistent at times and depends on the gate guard, the problem is when people don’t understand that and mistake their luck for what the actual policy is. It just makes very little sense imo to chance it when you can just take the bus to MK and do a 5 minute walk to get to CR.

 

[eticketplease]

Yeah enforcement is inconsistent at times and depends on the gate guard

I also think the time of the day plays a big factor as well. We stopped on the way back to OKW and asked if we could grab a Dole Whip in the afternoon. They let us in and we parked at Pago Pago, DS enjoyed the Dole Whip did a little shopping and we were back on the road to OKW.

 

[lotsohugginbear]

We take Lyft all the time to resorts. The guards ask maybe 50% of the time. If they recognize the Lyft driver, they
are less likely to inquire about a reservation. A few times we said that we were joining the wait list for a restaurant.
I'm not sure where the harm is in taking a Lyft to let's say Beach Club and then going into Epcot. I'm spending money aren't I?
I'm not taking up parking. What's the difference between Lyft and WDW transportation? We've never been denied entry, and I would
probably give the guard some push back because I am always staying on WDW property somewhere.

 

[DisneyHardin]

This past week, we took a Lyft to the Polynesian for our 'Ohana dinner. At the gate, the driver just said "drop off" and the let us in. The Security guy didn't ask why we were there.

 

[FSU Girl]

We took an Uber once to contemporary and the driver mentioned he was picking up people at the hotel after dropping us off. Didn’t ask about a reservation for us. This was a few years ago though

 

[0FF TO NEVERLAND]

I've never been asked the reason why I am going when inside an uber personally. The uber driver usually just says " dropping off " and that's it.

It's really hit or miss I guess

As an absolute worst case, just uber to TCC and walk to poly ... or uber to the outside the gate of contemp and just walk across the street into the property and take the monorail

 

[kylenne]

I'm not sure where the harm is in taking a Lyft to let's say Beach Club and then going into Epcot. I'm spending money aren't I?

Yeah, but you're not spending the same money that the guest who books Beach Club specifically for the benefit of being able to walk into Epcot does. More importantly though, for all they know you're an offsite guest just trying to skip out on the Epcot parking fee. The latter is actually the main issue with it as I see it, from Disney's POV. Unless and until they take a tack of "Disney resort guests are free to rideshare to Disney resorts" and start scanning magic bands or something, I do not expect them to change official policy. They do everything possible to ensure people are not skipping out on parking fees at the parks.

And...tbh as someone who does spend the money to stay at those resorts in large part for the walkability/proximity, I'm fine with them gatekeeping that perk. If I want that convenience, I simply pay for it.

 

[Kooks and Bay Bay]

If you have an ADR you can get in no issues.

Otherwise either get the Uber to TTC and then walk/hop on the monorail or take the bus to MK and then walk or hop on the monorail.

 

[GoingSince1990]

We take Lyft all the time to resorts. The guards ask maybe 50% of the time. If they recognize the Lyft driver, they
are less likely to inquire about a reservation. A few times we said that we were joining the wait list for a restaurant.
I'm not sure where the harm is in taking a Lyft to let's say Beach Club and then going into Epcot. I'm spending money aren't I?
I'm not taking up parking. What's the difference between Lyft and WDW transportation? We've never been denied entry, and I would
probably give the guard some push back because I am always staying on WDW property somewhere.

They don’t want a long line of Lyfts/Ubers at the entrances of BC, GF, CR etc. every morning at park opening time, creating congestion, extra work for the guards at those resorts, and inconveniencing anyone who is entering for a reason other than getting a jump on park entry. If it’s later in the day and a quiet time, though, you are quite likely not going to encounter any problems.

 

[vspenn]

We take Lyft all the time to resorts. The guards ask maybe 50% of the time. If they recognize the Lyft driver, they
are less likely to inquire about a reservation. A few times we said that we were joining the wait list for a restaurant.
I'm not sure where the harm is in taking a Lyft to let's say Beach Club and then going into Epcot. I'm spending money aren't I?
I'm not taking up parking. What's the difference between Lyft and WDW transportation? We've never been denied entry, and I would
probably give the guard some push back because I am always staying on WDW property somewhere.

I think the issue is specifically for Monorail resorts. By going to Poly, CR or GF, you can go through security at the resort before getting on monorail and that gives you faster access to MK. If too many people did that, the security lines at resorts would be long (especially at peak times in the morning) and thus would be a negative to paying guests, many of whom are paying the high prices at these resorts exactly to have ease of access to MK (and Epcot through monorail). I think example of Beach Club and Epcot is different because you are not taking any resources away from Beach Club and just using your feet. However, it is one of few access points to the security lines at Intl gateway and may also be considered a perk to those resorts that have direct access to it, although there are more of those than the Monorail resorts.

 

[Smugpugmug]

Dang you guys have had good luck. I've been denied from both Yacht and Beach Club despite having a booked Epcot fireworks cruise. Boardwalk let me through but Yacht/Beach turned me away. Neither guard knew what I was talking about.

...the cruise leaves from the Yacht Club????