Welcome to planDisney, Veronique. It's so nice that you found us on our friendly little corner of the internet. We're here to help, so let's get your question answered!
Currently, to
park at one of the
Disney Resorts Collection Hotels, you typically must either be a Guest staying at the hotel or have an
advance dining reservation for one of the table-service restaurants there. When you have an advance dining reservation, you are usually able to park there for up to 3 hours (depending on capacity at the time). So, to get a little magic without a park ticket, I would recommend doing just that. After all, some of my favorite restaurants are at the resort hotels, and you can even stroll around the grounds for that little dose of magic. Of course,
Disney Springs is also a great option to get some of those Disney vibes, do a little
merchandise shopping (or a lot, no judgment here), and get some incredible
eats. And while you won't be able to use Disney transportation here to get directly to the theme parks or hotels without a reservation, you can currently enjoy free parking while you explore this exciting shopping and dining district.
One of my favorite
restaurants at the resorts is
California Grill at
Disney's Contemporary Resort, where you may be able to watch the
fireworks while dining or step out onto the outdoor observation deck to do so. Then there's
Cítricos at
Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. It's elegant yet accessible, and the
Mary Poppins Returns theming is on point. And when it comes to
Disney Springs, you can't go wrong with
Chef Art Smith's Homecomin',
Wine Bar George, or
The BOATHOUSE. If you're wondering if that's all, nope, that's just the first course of dining magic. There are
plenty of amazing options beyond these fabulous choices!
Veronique, be sure to follow along with the
Disney Parks Blog and the
Special Offers page on the Walt Disney World Resort website as your trip gets closer. You never know what type of deals may be announced that may tempt you to add even more magic to your visit by visiting one or more of the parks! If you have any other questions,
I'm here to help!
The only limit is your imagination,
Matt