April,
Thanks for asking your question to planDisney!
Yes, you can visit other Disney resort hotels and the BoardWalk for dinner, even if you are staying somewhere else. My family always plans at least one meal at a different resort, as we love to pair a nice dinner with a bit of resort hopping. Checking out the theme of another resort is like taking a mini vacation to another world!
There are a few important notes to consider. If you have a car, you can drive to other resorts and park there if you have a confirmed dining reservation. Otherwise you can use Disney resort transportation to move from
Disney's Port Orleans to these other hotels. In most cases you simply hop on a bus from your hotel to
Disney Springs, and then transfer to a bus that will take you to dinner. But in some cases, like to hotels in the Magic Kingdom or EPCOT areas, you can use Disney boats, monorails, or the Disney Skyliner to get to your destination. These can make for faster, and more entertaining travel.
BONUS TIPTo get to
Disney's BoardWalk from your hotel you can do the two-bus transfer I described. But instead, you could take the bus from your hotel to Disney's Hollywood Studios, and then take the
Disney Skyliner from there to the BoardWalk. This is likely to be a faster trip, and the Skyliner ride is an attraction unto itself.
Please feel free to
write me back directly with where you want to go, and I can give you some specific transportation plans that can be faster, more convenient, and in some cases even more fun and scenic!
Have a Magical Vacation!Doug