Hey Howdy Hey Nicole and welcome to planDisney!
When visiting central Florida and staying in the Bonnet Creek area, there are several Good Neighbor resorts to book which will give you some benefits of staying with Disney Resorts hotels as well as close access to the parks. While so much of the excitement is in the parks, there are so many reasons to pop over to any of the Disney Resorts hotels for a unique Disney experience. Thank you for your question about resort hopping. You've got a friend in me to give you some pointers when visiting the resorts.
In general, Disney does encourage resort hopping for all Guests visiting the Walt Disney World Resort. The one minor issue is getting to the resorts. Per the
Parking Rules that Disney has available online, Guests are more than welcome to visit the resorts for shopping, dining and entertainment opportunities. When you do drive into the resorts, you will have to go through a security gate and this is where there is some variability. I have been asked if I had a dining reservation when visiting and required to show it on my My Disney Experience app and other times I just mentioned we were there for a little shopping and had no issues. A lot would depend on the security guard's interpretation of details when it comes to day Guests at the resorts. You can always fall back to the online policy if you have any issues which should help.
It sounds like your big to-do would be to visit the Magic Kingdom resorts on your upcoming trip. If you are taking a rideshare, you can always have them drop you off at the Transportation and Ticket Center, where all rideshares drop off and pick up for Magic Kingdom. You can then either take the Walt Disney World Monorail - Resort loop to any of the resorts you want or you can take the short walk over to
Disney's Polynesian Village Resort. Either way, this option can be used if you do have any issues with a direct drop-off at any of the resorts. On my last trip in June, I had no issues visiting several resorts via rideshare, I just wanted to provide you with prior experiences and options in case you do have any issues.
When watching the fireworks in Magic Kingdom and the
Electrical Water Pageant on Seven Seas Lagoon, my favorite place is at the Polynesian resort. The beaches have a relaxing vibe and provide a great spot for each. The music is piped in so you can feel as though you are there on Main Street U.S.A. watching the fireworks. After the show, you can stay for the entertaining water pageant. Pair the evening with a Dole Whip from
Pineapple Lanai and you are in for a night to remember!
Don't be afraid to get to the resorts early to experience all three and really check out the resort and all they have to offer. This can be a great way to spend an evening outside of the parks and the monorail or boats will provide unique forms of transportation. Please let us know if you have any other questions, we are always happy to help!
To Infinity and Beyond,
Nick