To those who have not returned yet - what will get you back?

[goofyernmost]

Probably not until the very end of this year or in 2022. If I'm still alive. Yes, I have reached the age where I have to add that message to any of my predictions.

 

[MrsPete]

1. I won't consider getting on a plane until my whole family is vaccinated.
2. No masks outside (not anti-mask at all, but if you don't need masks outside I would assume the pandemic is more under control.)
3. Return of character interactions.
4. Return of Fastpass
5. Return of fireworks/parades/live shows etc.

We are also DVC members, so I've banked my points for this year and hoping to be able to use them next year.

This is a good list -- much more complete than my thoughts.

- I live close enough that Disney is "a real drive", but I don't have to get on a plane. At this point, I would not get on a plane.
- I agree that wearing a mask at Disney would be a real downer.
- Agree that if I'm going to spend the cost of a Disney vacation, I want a full-fledged Disney vacation: characters, Fast Passes, live entertainment.

I suspect that you're not alone in having banked your points. Reservations may be hard to get next year.

I'm getting my 2nd dose of the vaccine next month so I would in theory add that to my list, but since I'll have it before any of the rest of this happens I didn't add it.

I'm the same: I get my second vaccine mid-February -- but most of my family has not yet had the option. I would not go to Disney, would not immerse my family in that sea of humanity, until every member of my party is vaccine-protected. I guarantee my family wouldn't entertain the possibility either.

I'd go right now if they cut the price in half (or even more) for everything -- resort, tickets, and dining. Since it is only half the experience it used to be, I see no reason to pay full price.

Agree that I won't go until the cost is back to its "old value". Disney is a very expensive vacation, and -- like you -- I'm not going to pay full price for half the value.

I feel like the general public will be much more resist to get it than healthcare workers but hope I am wrong.

I can only speak for the people I know personally, but the teachers at my school are chomping at the bit to get the vaccine. I only know one teacher who's hesitant, and she has medical reasons to be concerned.

I think MOST people want to be vaccinated, but how many no-thank-yous does it take to keep the virus going?

 

[fbarker]

MMMM reading all these posts. This Covid has certainly changed our lives.......forever!!

 

[saraheliz]

Vaccination (both our family and a good % of the general population)
Some entertainment back in place- doesn't need to be everything, but more than is currently available, some nighttime stuff, etc
I don't particularly want to spend thousands of dollars on a mask vacation, but if other things are somewhat open/ back to more normal by 2022 except for masks, I'd probably be ok dealing with the masks
Would love Jambo to be fully open. We'd like to stay at Kidani but want full access to the restaurants at Jambo, etc. With three kids we need decent access to quick service at the resort.
As crowds return, I need FP or a similar alternative.

We were supposed to go in April 2021. Was holding out hope for August 2021 but it's not looking like it will happen. So, we will aim for August 2022. I'd much prefer April but our April vacation in 2022 coincides with Easter (as opposed to 2021, where it falls later than Easter) and I'm not interested in those crowds/costs so I guess we'll hope for the best with the heat!

 

[White_Rabbit18]

I am in Europe so I will probably go to Paris first. It will take a lot for me to go back to WDW.

1.) Not only do I want to be vaccinated but I want the pandemic to be over because it is super scary traveling to USA, even with the best insurance, and have the threat of something bad happen and you are stuck with a huge medical bill. I don’t want to catch it and be stuck in the hospital for weeks.

2) I want character, fireworks, live shows and FP to come back.

3.) Getting rid of ME is not fun for International visitors. Most people aren’t keen about driving in a foreign country and I don’t want to take Uber with a small child. So I think I will stick with Paris for awhile since I can walk between the hotels and parks and they still have a bus

 

[mmh711]

We had rescheduled our April 2020 trip for late March 2021 but are going to cancel. As others have stated, we won't go until we can enjoy the full experience. I feel blessed that we have experienced many trips to Disney with the kids and they have such amazing memories. I don't think they would experience the same enjoyment right now, especially with the mask mandate and limited entertainment/attractions/hours. And especially not to have to pay the same prices for that reduced experience....just doesn't make sense for our family. I don't expect we will be back before 2022 the way things are going.

 

[bsjs0708]

I'd go right now if they cut the price in half (or even more) for everything -- resort, tickets, and dining. Since it is only half the experience it used to be, I see no reason to pay full price.

This!☝

 

[North of Mouse]

This is intended for those who have chosen to not return to WDW since COVID hit. I had a 10-day May 2020 trip that couldn't have been better planned. It was canceled of course due to COVID. We deferred the trip for Holidays 2020 before the world knew how long COVID would be. We opted to cancel the trip indefinitely and get our money back.

For us, it was all the limitations that the virus has brought we rather spend our money when we can have a more complete experience.

There were a few things we were hesitant about before COVID, however. The Epcot entertainment cuts were big for us and the overall experience wasn't as magical as I feel it could be (i.e. Disney Springs ship captains ignoring a hello). But overall WDW offers so much we wanted to visit again and made plans to enhance the experience further.

Now with more cuts like River of Light (my wife's favorite nighttime spectacular), Magical Express and the loss of EMH...we aren't so sure we want to go back anytime soon. We're considering our first Univeral trip Post-COVID in place of our WDW trip, which was going to be a second 2020 trip for us.

For us to go back obvious for us is vaccinations are in full force and the world and the WDW experience is returning to normal operations (i.e. we put our masks away, all shops are open, nighttime shows return, etc) The other big thing would be the return of an After Hours event. I was willing to pay for one last trip so with EMH out of the equation that is an important must for us.

So for those who haven't come back what will it take for you?

Vaccines (working for awhile) for sure. We had an April 2020 trip planned that we ourselves cancelled before Disney had to close. Actually with so much that we enjoyed gone and a lot that probably will never return, we're not counting on ever going to Disney again. Sad, because we have been going since the year after MK opened and we have some wonderful family memories there. We just don't want to see it as it is now. We have many other vacation spots we also love and will continue to go to, so we will just move on.

 

[DisneyJade]

This is a really interesting thread, because I actually MADE this list several months ago, and now that our trip is nearly upon us, I have modified the list significantly!

My original list was:

• Return of FP+ (or similar offering)
• Discounted rates/price cuts
• Return of Minnie Vans
• Overall state of pandemic (in FL, on planes, CDC recs, etc.)
• Masks no longer required
• Return of fireworks, parades, character meets, BBBoutique, etc. (cumulative impact)
• Sebastian's restaurant reopens (or change resorts)

Our trip is about a month away, and virtually NONE of this is happening, and I still find myself leaning toward going, so the list is now more like:

• If crowds continue to remain low, so FP not needed
• **I did score a discount and shortened our trip (lower crowds require fewer days to see everything), which cut our trip budget in half.
• Declining COVID numbers for 3 or 4 consecutive weeks before trip
• Ability of kids to keep masks on

Can you tell at this point that I'm just trying to justify the trip? LOL.

 

[SwanVT2]

I just want to be able to sit by the pool next February 2022 to get our usual break from the VT winters, which means that I would want my family to be vaccinated and a large percent of the population to be as well. I am fine wearing a mask in Feb. in Florida. I also want to get DD to Universal next Feb before she grows out of Harry Potter!

 

[Amy11401]

I would like for my family to be vaccinated and the covid numbers to be lower. Also I would like more offerings to be back at WDW before we go back because we only go every few years such as shows and more things on menus. Right now we are not comfortable eating in restaurants. I want us to be comfortable eating indoors before we go because one of the things we enjoy is the food. No masks required and return of FP would be preferred but if that is not the case we would still go. We hope to go in Summer 2022. Originally we wanted to go in Summer 2021 but I don't think things will be the way we would want them to be then.

 

[Evita_W]

For us it turned out to be roundtrip airfare from California for about $125 per person and for nonstop.....lol

We originally had the same opinion as the OP about not wanting to go with so many restrictions, but since we still don't know when theme parks MIGHT reopen out here we had considered it for a bit now, then there is Festival of the Arts that pushed us a bit more and the super low airfare pushed us over the edge. Of course we are DVC members, so hotel part is easy.

 

[PetePanMan]

Vaccine + all restaurants + fireworks + fast passes

 

[mousestruck]

Our last trip was first week of January 2020, right before the pandemic, and we haven't been back since. This is the longest time we've gone without a trip on the calendar!

In order to return, we need to be vaccinated and to see the pandemic under control... translating into relaxed rules regarding masks. (I'm okay with the social distancing!) Also, very importantly, we want to feel comfortable dining indoors. We haven't dined indoors since the pandemic began, and dining is a big part of our Disney experience.

We're DVC members, so we're okay with shortened park hours and fewer experiences, since we know we'll be back.

The reality is that Disney will be nothing like we're used to for quite some time. I can't imagine no fast passes and having to reserve parks in advance -- both of which may be here to stay. I guess the bottom line is that we can accept changes and shortcomings, but we don't want to be scared of getting sick. That being said, we're planning a trip for 12/30/20 through first week in January 2022, hoping for the best and willing to cancel if the pandemic does not improve.

 

[Tink-aholic]

I have a week planned and paid for August of this year. I will be getting my vaccine next month and I expect most of those in my family will also be vaccinated by then.

I'll be disappointed if I have to cancel, because both WDW and I will be turning 50, but I will cancel if things aren't significantly better by then.

 

[jormom1030]

no masks

 

[Catvondita]

My husbands already fully vaccinated so I would like to be vaccinated as well before we go. Also to be fully vaccinated for a while before we go so my body has enough time to build antibodies. Also for the numbers in Florida to go down more. I remember numbers were down more in the summer so hopefully that will happen again. Also in general I'm hoping as more people get vaccinated the numbers will slowly go down.

We typically go once or twice a year so I'm okay with things not really being the same (like no fireworks or late hours) and in some weird sick way it would be interesting to see WDW like this.

My daughter will be almost 2 at that point so we won't be in the parks very long anyway but we do really want to go back. We had a trip planned for May 2020 and had to cancel. It was heartbreaking because it would have been our first trip as a new family. I also want to plan to have another kid soon but want to get another Disney trip or 2 in before I try getting pregnant. ( I tried going to the parks when pregnant and it wasn't super fun for me so I want to get it out of my system so I can hold out a bit lol )

 

[JAMIESMITH]

The mask requirements have to be gone. In person Run Disney has to make a return. Fireworks and character meets have to be back. Obviously, it's going to be a while for us.

 

[Cheburashka]

1) Being able to decide what park I want to visit on a spur of the moment. In other words, park hoppers with total flexibility.
2) Longer hours (primarily at night)
3) Fastpass+
4) Shows
5) No masks
6) Disney to make an earnest commitment to STOP upcharging every little thing
7) Disney to STOP taking away perks for staying on site.

So, you've decided to never go back, it seems? I agree with your wish list, but I don't think it's ever going to materialize at Disney World, particularly #6 & 7. #2 is probably never going to approach what it used to be, either. They were already quietly cutting hours long before the pandemic had even started.

 

[StageTek]

So for those who haven't come back what will it take for you?

I don't fit your criteria but I thought I'd chime in anyway...

I decided to go last September. Mostly to experience something exceptional. Like you, I was concerned about the lack of entertainment, the short park hours, wearing a mask for such a long time. But it was a great trip. I'm really glad I did it. I experienced a WDW like never before and likely never again. I missed so much, but I also got to do so much I had never done before. And I felt safe the entire time in The World.

Like you, disneyguy87, a 2022 trip with so many of the perks gone is likely to be out. But one 2021 trip (September) is going to happen regardless and maybe even a late November trip to experience DME one more time before it's gone.