Guests at Walt Disney World Resort are running into new hurdles when trying to use Disney Water Transportation near Magic Kingdom — and the checks appear to be getting stricter.

Since June 28, Disney World has restricted buses and boats from Disney Springs to guests who hold hotel stays, dining reservations, or Enchanting Extras bookings. Cast Members verify eligibility through MagicBands, room cards, or the My Disney Experience app, with non-hotel bookings accepted only two hours beforehand.

Resort Access Tightened During Peak Periods

Disney has also been tightening access at individual hotels during busy stretches. Over the Fourth of July holiday, the Polynesian Village Resort checked reservations on the Transportation and Ticket Center walkway and required resort wristbands for its beach and pool, blocking non-guests from popular Magic Kingdom fireworks-viewing spots.

Now, guests are reporting similar experiences when trying to board the boat services that cross Seven Seas Lagoon and Bay Lake from Magic Kingdom to nearby resort hotels.

Guests Asked to Show Proof Before Boarding Water Taxis

Visitors attempting to reach Disney's Grand Floridian Resort & Spa, Disney's Polynesian Village Resort (including the Villas & Bungalows), Disney's Wilderness Lodge, and Disney's Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground via water taxi have been asked to show proof of a hotel reservation before boarding.

"I recently got stopped and asked to show my keycard or app to check if I had a reservation or was staying at one of the resorts so I could use the boat transit," a guest wrote on Reddit.

Another guest reported a similar experience when trying to reach the Polynesian via water taxi on a weekend.

Notably, many of these situations involved guests attempting to board the water taxis after Magic Kingdom had already closed for the evening. With table service restaurants and Enchanting Extras unavailable at that hour, it's perhaps not surprising that Disney would want to limit boat access to guests actually returning to their resorts. Some have also raised the point that non-resort guests wandering the hotels late at night could pose a potential safety concern.

That said, this does not appear to be a blanket, always-enforced rule. Some guests have used the water taxis from Magic Kingdom to area resorts without any issues — both during and after park operating hours.

"I had no problem going to Fort Wilderness yesterday when Magic Kingdom was open, nobody was stopping people," one guest shared. "I can understand after the park closes them wanting to limit access, most everything is closed then what were you planning on doing."

What Could This Mean for Resort Hopping?

Disney's recent wording has fueled speculation that holiday resort hopping could be limited to hotel guests and visitors with dining or experience reservations. Fans have pointed to a Christmas release describing resort decorations specifically for "guests staying at the resorts or those with valid dining reservations."

The likeliest theories include reservation checks for Magic Kingdom-bound resort boats and the resort monorail, possibly only during crowded evenings.

Opinions among guests are divided. Some welcome the changes, arguing that resort amenities should be prioritized for paying guests — especially during busy holidays. Others see it as the end of casual resort hopping, a longstanding Walt Disney World tradition that allowed visitors to explore hotels, dine, and enjoy seasonal decorations without an overnight stay or a park ticket.

With more content creators and Disney experts recommending resort hopping as one of the best ways to experience Walt Disney World, some believe the activity simply grew too popular for Disney to leave unchecked.

What do you think — should Disney crack down further on resort hopping? Let us know!