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Guest Brought to Tears by Strict Walt Disney World Rule

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Posted on by Jess Colopy 5 Comments
A Disney World parking security guard crosses his arms in front of Disney's Grand Floridian Resort, Elsa looks sad.

Credit: Inside the Magic

Walt Disney World parking is no easy feat. To get to Magic Kingdom, Guests must park at the Transportation & Ticket Center, take a parking tram, then transfer to a boat or Monorail. Arriving at EPCOT, Disney’s Animal Kingdom, or Disney’s Hollywood Studios is “simpler,” with only a parking tram required to get to the front of the Disney Parks… But it still costs $25 a day!

Disney Resort hotels began charging for parking in 2018, encouraging Guests to utilize onsite transportation and stay in the “Disney bubble.” Current CEO Bob Iger reversed course this January, making parking free at all Walt Disney World Resort hotels.

stitch and three guests at ohana dining polynesian resort
Credit: Disney

As excited as Guests were, the change came with downsides. Security is stricter about non-paying Guests parking at Resort hotels to explore, shop, and eat out of concern that they’ll leave their cars and take free transportation to the Disney Parks. A dining reservation is required to park at most Disney Resort hotels, and there’s a two-hour time limit.

But some Guests find Resort hotel Cast Members too strict about parking enforcement. Annual Passholder Victoria Thompson (@VictoriaTheTech) joined the walk-up waitlist for multiple Walt Disney World Resort hotel breakfasts after her power went out on Monday but found that almost no Cast Members would let her park:

I’m super heated right now. The power was out this morning so I didn’t get the chance to make my tea, eat breakfast, etc…basically, I couldn’t do anything. So I decided to grab some breakfast on Disney property and the guards were such jerks to me.

Disney has a “walk up wait list” where, if you are within a certain distance of some places, you can join the wait list and you’re usually seated fast. I was within that distance of SEVERAL resorts and was able to first join the wait list for a restaurant at the Polynesian. 

Despite having proof of being on the walk-up waitlist, Disney’s Polynesian Resort security wouldn’t let Thompson in:

I roll up to the resort and tell them that I’ve joined the wait list, only to be notified that I need to have a confirmed reservation in order to enter the resort. Doesn’t that defeat the purpose of the wait list?! I was literally going to enter the restaurant in 10 minutes. 

So when I told the guard that I joined the wait list and will be called shortly, he YELLED at me: “I know how the wait list works!” Okay, but you obviously don’t. Because you’re not letting me in! I was thankfully close enough to the Grand Floridian and decided to…

Thompson headed to Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, where she had the same horrible experience:

…try my luck at the Grand Floridian Cafe. I love their breakfast. I was able to get a walk up reservation and went to the gate and the same thing happened. “You need a confirmed reservation in order to enter.” Now, I get why they’re tightening up a bit on folks…

…trying to enter to skirt the TTC. However, I literally had a walk-up reservation ticket on my phone. I wasn’t trying to skirt anything. I’m literally just trying to eat because my d*mn power is out and I can’t cook anything at my own home. The guard at the Grand…

The guard tried to make Thompson park at the Transportation & Ticket Center, but she refused. Though she didn’t have a dining reservation, Thompson was confirmed on the walk-up list:

…told me that for me to enter, since I don’t have a “standing reservation,” EVEN THOUGH I HAD A WALK UP RESERVATION TICKET ON MY PHONE, I needed to go park at the TTC. When I told him that wasn’t going to happen (literally, I said “well, that’s not going to happen), he said…

“Then you’re not getting in. The Grand Floridian is ONLY for people who are staying here.” Which is also NOT TRUE. I needed a reservation, which doesn’t necessarily mean I needed to stay there.

Thankfully, Thompson found a walk-up spot at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, where parking Cast Members happily let her in. But she found it frustrating that the policy wasn’t consistently enforced:

Thank goodness for the hospitality at Wilderness Lodge. I literally booked the walk-up reservation ticket at the gate and the guard was so kind and understanding. He even said at one point, “You look hungry! Go get some food!” 😂

But seriously, what the hell is going on?

Other Guests reported similarly frustrating experiences. @MeaglePant said they’ve always been able to park at the Resort hotels, except for the Grand Floridian:

Honestly, the miscommunications among guards is frustrating. When i went on the 4th, the guy was super chill and let me in. Only time I’ve ever had a problem was at the grand Flo so i gave up on that. I’m sorry that happened and something needs to change

Have you had a negative experience with Walt Disney World parking? Share it with Inside the Magic in the comments. 

Please note that the story outlined in this article is based on a personal Disney Parks Guest experience. No two Guest experiences are alike, and this article does not necessarily align with Inside the Magic’s personal views on Disney Park operations.

in Walt Disney World

Jess Colopy

Jess Colopy is a Disney College Program alum and kid-at-heart. When she’s not furiously typing in a coffee shop, you can find her on the hunt for the newest Stitch pin.

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