If you go to Florida’s Walt Disney World for a drink or to soak in the resort’s ambience, a new rule change in the transportation system may require you to pay up.
The theme park giant has reportedly confirmed that starting June 28, visitors to Disney Springs, the bustling shopping-and-dining campus where parking is free, will no longer be permitted to hop on Disney-run transportation, such as shuttle buses and ferries, without proof the riders are staying at a Disney hotel or have a reservation at one.
Staff will be posted to check each guest’s documentation before boarding.
An official reason for the change was not announced.
The change essentially isolates Disney World’s free parking from the rest of the resort. The previously free in-resort shuttle service becomes an exclusive perk for people who pay Disney’s inflated prices for hotels or dining.
The change also makes it very difficult, or very expensive, to patronize a Disney bar or lounge if you’re not already staying at a Disney hotel or spending the day in its theme parks.
Just a few months ago, as I was researching Frommer’s soon-to-be-published guidebook on Orlando, I tried to update our info for Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto, a popular tiki lounge at Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort. The security gate sentry at the hotel where the bar is located said I wasn’t allowed to park on the grounds. Instead, Disney directed me to park at Disney Springs, a 6-mile drive away, and take the free shuttle bus all the way back.
The new rule change will make even that ridiculous marathon impossible. As of June 28, the only way to park for a walk-up Disney lounge location like Trader Sam’s will be to pay at least $36 for theme park parking and, from there, use Disney transportation or walk to the bar.
Alternatively, you could make a dining reservation for one of the hotel’s restaurants. Missing a Disney dining reservation costs $10 per person, which for parties of three or fewer would be cheaper than paying for theme park parking simply to get a cocktail.
A third option might be to take a taxi or ride share to your chosen Disney hotel location. Because Disney bars don’t issue reservations, it remains to be determined whether hotel security staff will admit visitors who are driven privately but cannot present a booking confirmation.
The new bus rules are different for people who have plans to purchase a full meal. Guests with dining reservations, which are not available at Disney cocktail bars like Trader Sam’s (it’s walk-up only), will be allowed to use proof of their booking to board the Disney Transportation System buses for free at Disney Springs if they are not allowed to park closer to their destination restaurant. People with dining reservations are usually permitted to park at the hotel their restaurant is in.
Disney staff will reportedly only be checking credentials at the Disney Springs bus stop. Visitors will reportedly not have their credentials checked when boarding at theme parks or resort hotels.
Universal’s Epic Universe’s “Open Hub” move
Contrast Disney’s sudden perk lockdown with what seems to be happening across town at Universal Orlando’s newest theme park, the just-built Epic Universe.
Earlier this month, Universal unveiled a new set of rules that temporarily granted visitors free entry to 26 acres of the park.
Attendees of an annual beauty industry convention were given unfettered access to Epic Universe’s sprawling central hub zone, Celestial Park, where five of the theme park’s best restaurants are located.
While attendees of the beauty confab were allowed to explore Celestial Park’s fountains, walkways, and restaurants without charge, Epic Universe’s rides and major themed zones were restricted to visitors with tickets.
Stardust Racers and the Constellation Carousel, the only two rides located within Celestial Park, were also restricted to paying guests under the scheme.
There’s no confirmation of whether Universal intends to make this a regular thing outside of major conventions—Universal, like Disney, is averse to on-the-record statements until the company has something to promote—but Epic Universe does seem to operate more large restaurants than a single theme park could normally support, with another one reportedly in the works.
The concentration of eateries in Celestial Park (The Oak and Star Tavern has a stage for regular live music performances) suggests that opening the heart of Epic Universe’s campus to outsiders and locals, making the park an affordable nightlife rival to Disney’s booze-and-stroll EPCOT, which requires tickets, has always been in the cards.
Epic Universe’s location near Orlando’s biggest convention center further fortifies the theory that Universal has always intended to take advantage of trade show visitors in novel ways.
The plot thickened on June 16 when Universal announced the July 7 debut of “Universal Celestial Goodnight,” which will be Epic Universe’s first regular nighttime spectacular. Featuring “more than 350 fountains, nearly 600 synchronized light fixtures and 7 million LED lights” embedded throughout Celestial Park, the addition would provide evenings-only visitors with another thing to experience.
Parking at Universal’s covered structure at CityWalk, the brand’s primary shopping-and-entertainment area, is connected to Epic Universe by a free 15-minute shuttle bus. Since parking in CityWalk’s spaces is usually free after 6pm, you could theoretically use it to have dinner inside Epic Universe without being charged for admission or parking. (Note that free parking after 6pm, though frequently offered, is not an official policy. Parking on the grounds of Epic Universe usually costs from $35.)
Taking advantage of Epic Universe’s “open hub” system isn’t something everyone can do yet, and future dates for the offering’s return have not been announced. But the ticket-scanning infrastructure has been installed, and the proof of concept has now been demonstrated.
Frommer’s Disney World, Universal and Orlando
Preparing for an Orlando vacation can be a full-time job, and it costs a small fortune. Most other books on the market make the problem worse, burying vacationers in endless pages of pointless details unquestioningly cheering for the high-priced theme parks and resorts. But this lightweight, fact-pa…
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Frommer’s Disney World, Universal and Orlando
Preparing for an Orlando vacation can be a full-time job, and it costs a small fortune. Most other books on the market make the problem worse, burying vacationers in endless pages of pointless details unquestioningly cheering for the high-priced theme parks and resorts. But this lightweight, fact-pa…
