Along with the flurry of holiday announcements that Disney made this week, there was one particular line from Disney Parks Blog that caught my attention:
For guests staying at the resorts or for those with valid dining reservations, the Disney Resorts Collection offers a wide array of bright and merry holiday decor.
In the past, many day guests visited the resorts to check out all the beautiful decorations, especially the larger-than-life gingerbread displays. Other than restrictions on parking at the resorts, day guests were free to visit the resorts. Now it seems that this will change for the 2026 holiday season.
Are These Changes Necessary?
In the past, guests could visit any resort they pleased, perhaps with the exception of holidays such as the Fourth of July, when resorts such as the Polynesian and Grand Floridian were closed off to anyone not staying at or dining at the resorts. Understandably, these restrictions were necessary to avoid overcrowding as visitors frequently flocked to these resorts for their fireworks views.
Similarly, the Grand Floridian lobby was known to become overcrowded during the holidays as visitors swarmed the giant gingerbread house. However, we now know that the gingerbread house has sadly been retired and will be replaced by miniature holiday displays. I find it unlikely that they will garner the same attention as the gingerbread house, and it feels like overkill to restrict access to the resorts this holiday season.
Other than the Grand Floridian, I don’t think that I can name any other resort that became overcrowded due to visitors checking out the decor and treats. Sure, the Contemporary, Jambo House, BoardWalk, and Beach Club each hosted displays of their own, but I don’t recall ever seeing those lobbies packed with visitors, yet these resorts may be closed off to visitors this holiday season. Are restrictions truly warranted here?
How Does This Impact DVC Members?
For DVC Members staying at the resorts, the policy change may not matter at all if this is like the new Disney Springs bus policy, where you could have a stay at any of the Disney resorts and still use the buses. However, if it is more strictly limited like the policy for Fourth of July, where only guests with a resort or dining reservation for a specific resort can visit that resort, then even DVC Members staying at the resorts won’t be able to resort hop, which would be a huge change. For many DVC Members, visiting the resorts are as much a part of the vacation experience as the theme parks.
For local DVC Members who like to visit the resorts to get a taste of the Disney bubble in between vacations, this change in policy is disappointing. I, for one, love popping into the resorts for shopping or just a quick service meal for a quiet break from the parks, and I know I’m not the only local Member who enjoys doing this. I’d imagine the general managers of the resorts aren’t interested in turning away additional income from visitors either.
Even for potential future DVC Members, the change is unfortunate. Hopefully, the restrictions are only limited to the peak holiday season and not a permanent policy change like the new Disney Springs bus policy, but if not, consider how many current DVC Members were once just visitors dreaming of staying at these wonderful resorts. Whether it’s just to roam the resort grounds or enjoy the lounges or a quick bite, visiting is often the first step to falling in love with these resorts.
What are your thoughts on these new changes? Do you feel that the resorts have become overcrowded with visitors?
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