Hey howdy hey Rachel and welcome to planDisney!
There is so much right with how you are planning your trip in September that I am sure you are getting super excited for! Planning on dining at other resorts on non-Theme Park days is one of my ultimate tips and Disney's Contemporary Resort is on top of the list. There are so many fantastic options that are so different and unique to the resort that they can make for a great afternoon or evening.
I am happy to tell you that as long as you have the dining reservation there is no additional cost. Disney offers
complimentary parking to guests visiting other resort hotels for dining reservations. Make sure when you pull up to the entrance, you have easy access to your My Disney Experience app with your dining reservation on it. Sometimes the parking attendants need to see this for verification to allow you to park.
I am so excited for you just thinking about the options of things to do. I hope you can plan your reservations at
California Grille for the 50th Anniversary Celebration dinner party. It is a great way to spend an evening and a unique way to view the Disney Enchantment firework show. I hope you also get some time to browse around the resort as it has some great shopping options, impressive views of the monorail inside the resort as well as front row viewing for the Electrical Water Pagent Parade in
Seven Seas Lagoon. I think I may need to book my own trip after this!
Have fun planning the rest of your trip and let us know if you have any further questions!
Happy planning,
Nick