There is nothing to stop you walking around the hotels. However you could not park at them unless you had a dining reservation there. You could though catch a Disney bus from one of the parks to and from the hotel, or the monorail or boat if the hotel can be accessed by these.

The two I stayed at seemed to have pretty heavy security on them, car parks are definatly all gated with lift barriers.

We used to like to go and eat in Disney hotels that were a higher grade than the ones that we were actually staying in and we got reception where we were staying to telephone and let them know we were coming, but we were still questioned on arrival at the barriers as to why we were there. They were always OK when we explained and showed them our credit card door keys from the hotel we were staying in though.

Access via a Disney shuttle bus might be the only way, although I am not sure what you have to show to get on one of these as we have always had a car.

You don't have to show anything when you get on any Disney transport, bus, boat or monorail.

(We have always had a car too, but we also use their transport. Bus is best if going to Magic Kingdom from a Disney hotel as it cuts out the trip from the car park, since the buses drop you at the front door so to speak. The boat from Wilderness Lodge was good too.)

Security is tight on the hotel car parks because they don't want people to park there for free and catch the free bus to the theme parks. If you have a dining reservation, they give you a pass for your car window with, I think, two hours parking.

Thanks for all the responses. I am not taking a car so will be taking full advantage of the Disney Transportation System.

Laura