Here Now & Just Back WDW Reopening Experiences Including Park Hopping

[jenjersnap]

We were there last week and masked everywhere but outside. All lines, etc. We did eat indoors 2x, masked to and from table but did take masks off to eat. Unfortunately we still came home with Covid. We were not seated near anyone when we ate indoors but waiter did get a bit close. Other than that I guess it’s still possible to get it outside too, esp when crowded. We wore kn95’s. Very bummed

That stinks, I hope you feel better soon. We were not planning to go to WDW for our anniversary in a couple weeks originally, but decided we needed a do over after our trip in March during which I a) broke my ankle our first full day during MK AH and b) caught Covid and ended up in the hospital with pneumonia 6 days after returning (I had no symptoms until we arrived home, but went downhill fast). I think trepidation is my dominant emotion right now. We will be masking up for sure.

 

[georgina]

My family was visiting this week and stayed at the Riviera. At 2pm, they took the skyliner from Epcot to HS. The Skyliner was down from CBR to Hollywood Studios. All guest from POP/AA/CBR and Riviera were told to take the Skyliner to Epcot then onto the Friendship boats. No busses would be provided from any resort to HS because it was mechanical not lighting causing the shutdown.

When they arrived back to Epcot, the Friendship boat line cue was 4-5 boats deep and they didn't arrive to HS till 4:15pm, the skyliner was still shut down. It was very hot, blazing heat and have a few in the party over 60 so the walk would have been too much. Some people walked to the Boardwalk hoping to get on there but the whole thing was a mess.

It is a shame that they can't use the parking lot trams to load people onto from that CBR station to Hollywood Studios for emergencies. For when it shuts down, There is a traffic light there. But when you are only a couple of hundred yards from the entrance, it shouldn't take that long to get there.

I remembered this post yesterday when using the sky liner to hop from Epcot to HS. Skyliner was down from CBR to HS, possibly for weather as a storm was coming, so I asked a CM where Uber picked up at CBR. It was really close by so in 5 minutes I was in an Uber and just beat the rain. Decided to go back to my resort instead of HS since it was pouring.

 

[kylenne]

That is a little surprising to me. I have flown quite a bit this summer and mask usage seemed to be on an upswing. Have a great trip!

People have gotten incredibly comfortable tbqh they are back to not washing hands, coughing on ppl etc like nothing ever happened. my kn95 has not come off unless I’m in my room or outside not around anyone and I’m not eating indoors at all.

 

[TeamSy]

That stinks, I hope you feel better soon. We were not planning to go to WDW for our anniversary in a couple weeks originally, but decided we needed a do over after our trip in March during which I a) broke my ankle our first full day during MK AH and b) caught Covid and ended up in the hospital with pneumonia 6 days after returning (I had no symptoms until we arrived home, but went downhill fast). I think trepidation is my dominant emotion right now. We will be masking up for sure.

Oh my!!! Yes a do over for sure!

We went last year and used the same precautions which worked well last year. Guess we got lucky. Not sure what happened this year. I did speak to Dr today and just made the paxlovid window. He said sometimes if you hit it just right even outside transmission happens . We fought with our kids to mask before getting on every ride, in the 2 restaurants we ate at we waited extra long for tables that were further apart from everyone… feeling a little deflated about it all now!

 

[jods]

People have gotten incredibly comfortable tbqh they are back to not washing hands, coughing on ppl etc like nothing ever happened. my kn95 has not come off unless I’m in my room or outside not around anyone and I’m not eating indoors at all.

Honestly, people should be washing hands and not coughing on people regardless of covid. There's just no excuse for sneezing and coughing on people. My husband isn't afraid of.germs but touching railings and banisters at disney/subway/plane etc have bothered him for years.

 

[Ricguz]

Honestly, people should be washing hands and not coughing on people regardless of covid. There's just no excuse for sneezing and coughing on people. My husband isn't afraid of.germs but touching railings and banisters at disney/subway/plane etc have bothered him for years.

Nothing is fool proof, but masking everywhere, hand sanitizing, hand washing, wiping down surfaces helps. We have been bring wipes and sanitizer on our trips but it looks like it’s getting scary again

 

[PPFlight75]

I flew in yesterday morning and Epcot was slow but MK is dead today even by party day standards. My longest wait so far has been PP at 15 (Posted 30) literally everything else has been walk ons. Mine Train 5 minute wait at 9:20. Starting at early entry at 7:30a I have done:

Space
Buzz Lightyear
Jungle Cruise
Pirates
Big Thunder
Tron (VQ called 8:15, rode 8:55)
Mine Train
Peter Pan
HM
Small World
Pooh

And that’s as of 11am or so. I just mobile ordered lunch from Casey’s while in line for Tiana and Rapunzel. Honestly there’s nobody here but British people lol all I’m hearing are Manc and Geordie accents.

Wow, sounds awesome!

 

[kylenne]

Honestly, people should be washing hands and not coughing on people regardless of covid. There's just no excuse for sneezing and coughing on people. My husband isn't afraid of.germs but touching railings and banisters at disney/subway/plane etc have bothered him for years.

They should but one would think after three years of plague people would have even less excuse to be nasty but

 

[The Iron Giant]

We’re a family of 6 and 4 of us tested positive for covid upon returning home today. Luckily no one is feeling too terrible.

 

[Lsdolphin]

I am the only person I have seen with a mask on since I got here yesterday. No joke.

I’ll be arriving Sunday and bringing a mask I’m just hearing too many reports of Covid cases around Disney...my Mother is 90 and I don’t want to take chances with her.

 

[kylenne]

Did the Halloween party last night and still got up to rope drop HS this morning. You’ll be happy to hear there were no elbows thrown on the walking path from the Dolphin! Took me 10 minutes of crazy NYer power walking. Was trying to beat my own record!

BTW for those of you choosing not to do afternoon LL stacking for this park (I’m not this trip just for weather reasons, I want the cooler temps of early morning), if you want/need incentive to get your families up early enough to be here 1 hr prior to EE? This was the line behind me at 7:50 at the tapstiles. It doubled every 5 minutes. I got here 7:36 and was 3rd person at the tapstiles. Saying “be there 1 prior to EE” are wise words but sometimes photos get it across better.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Please return this thread to Here Now and Just Back discussions and away from masking/Covid.

If you wish to mask please do so. You will see others who are doing the same. Please do what works for you.

Off topic posts about why you should/ should not mask will be removed.

Please post information in this thread about actual Disney experiences rather than, ‘X went to Disney and did/did not get Covid.’ That information is not the purpose of this thread. Some will get it, some will not.

This thread was created to share Disney experiences that will be helpful to others as they plan.

 

[scrappinginontario]

We just returned yesterday from an amazing 11 day trip!! 8 park days, hopping 6/8 of those days. Used Disney transportation exclusively. Rides varied from walk-ons to 110 minute wait for ToT one evening.

We did not use G+ at the beginning of our trip as I wanted to see how it would go. We did that for 5 days and still got a lot done.

For the second half of our trip as we were trying to squeeze in as much as possible (and the cost was $20-$23) so we booked hopping G+ and it was worth it for us.

A few notes:

1. We LOVED Guardians!!!! Rode it 5 different days, sometimes hopping to Epcot at the end of a day, only to ride it! Shortly into our trip I changed all of our park reservations to Epcot. At 7AM I would book Guardians then change our park reservation to the actual park we were going to. Our VQs varied between 6 and 57. Never had a problem arriving late to Guardians, often hours after our VQ was called. (This does not work for Tron where you must return within your 1 hour window.)

2. We were 100% successful at 7AM securing VQs using Disney wifi. We secured a VQ 8/8 days and one day (around Hurricane so quieter parks) I grabbed both Guardians and Tron the same morning by booking Guardians first, changing park reservation to MK and then securing Tron. (This would not normally work as VQs would be gone for Tron but did work Thursday.)

We had an amazing trip!!! Walked over 200,000 steps, 84 miles/135 kms, drank a huge amount of water and had an absolute blast!!! Built memories with my daughter that will last a lifetime!! Cannot wait to go back and will be booking the Bounceback offer this weekend for similar dates in 2024.

Happy to answer any questions people have!

 

[Carol unsworth]

So if you have no intention of going to Epcot that morning, you just book it, then get a VQfor Guardians, then change your reservation to the park you do want but you still keep your VQ for Guardians to use that afternoon/ evening?

 

[glocon]

Such a sweet family photo!

Our trip starts a week from today- do you think wait times will be similar to what you had (minus the hurricane days)?

I’ve been watching wait times periodically this past week and they looked pretty good.

 

[scrappinginontario]

So if you have no intention of going to Epcot that morning, you just book it, then get a VQfor Guardians, then change your reservation to the park you do want but you still keep your VQ for Guardians to use that afternoon/ evening?

Yes

 

[scrappinginontario]

Such a sweet family photo!

Our trip starts a week from today- do you think wait times will be similar to what you had (minus the hurricane days)?

I’ve been watching wait times periodically this past week and they looked pretty good.

You’re going the time we used to go for many years until my daughter found it more challenging to miss too much school.

I would anticipate your wait times to be low but possibly not as low as they were Wed-Fri of this past week. I feel (only my opinion) that the wait times you see from now until your trip will be similar to what you experience.

Have a great trip!! Be prepared for heat and brief afternoon storms and you’ll be all set!!

 

[SEAGULL59]

We just returned yesterday from an amazing 11 day trip!! 8 park days, hopping 6/8 of those days. Used Disney transportation exclusively. Rides varied from walk-ons to 110 minute wait for ToT one evening.

We did not use G+ at the beginning of our trip as I wanted to see how it would go. We did that for 5 days and still got a lot done.

For the second half of our trip as we were trying to squeeze in as much as possible (and the cost was $20-$23) so we booked hopping G+ and it was worth it for us.

A few notes:

1. We LOVED Guardians!!!! Rode it 5 different days, sometimes hopping to Epcot at the end of a day, only to ride it! Shortly into our trip I changed all of our park reservations to Epcot. At 7AM I would book Guardians then change our park reservation to the actual park we were going to. Our VQs varied between 6 and 57. Never had a problem arriving late to Guardians, often hours after our VQ was called. (This does not work for Tron where you must return within your 1 hour window.)

2. We were 100% successful at 7AM securing VQs using Disney wifi. We secured a VQ 8/8 days and one day (around Hurricane so quieter parks) I grabbed both Guardians and Tron the same morning by booking Guardians first, changing park reservation to MK and then securing Tron. (This would not normally work as VQs would be gone for Tron but did work Thursday.)

We had an amazing trip!!! Walked over 200,000 steps, 84 miles/135 kms, drank a huge amount of water and had an absolute blast!!! Built memories with my daughter that will last a lifetime!! Cannot wait to go back and will be booking the Bounceback offer this weekend for similar dates in 2024.

Happy to answer any questions people have!

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Where did you stay this trip? Sounds like a fantastic time.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Where did you stay this trip? Sounds like a fantastic time.

We stayed at Pop Century and loved it!! It’s always been our favourite resort but with the Skyliner I can’t imagine staying anywhere else!!!

 

[Gary Stocker]

We stayed at Pop Century and loved it!! It’s always been our favourite resort but with the Skyliner I can’t imagine staying anywhere else!!!

Seriously considering Pop for my April trip given the CBR main pool might still be in refurbishment...unless someone cam rent me some points for the Poly that doesn't force me to sell organs.