What will it take for you to visit Disney again?

friedela

DIS Veteran
Joined
Nov 15, 2017
Mandatory masks, social distancing in the parks, shortened park hours, potential mandatory quarantine upon returning from the US, plus the unknown of air travel (airlines going out of business) and the overall fear of covid:

I'm curious if any (or all) of these measures are making anyone else hit the pause button on planning their next vacation to Disney and what will it take before Canadians feel comfortable again.
 
I wish I had a specific answer, something like “if they’re requiring masks and enforcing social distancing, if insurance covers covid related illness, and if post-travel quarantines are enforced, I will feel like my family is safe”

The reality for me, though, is that I just don’t have an answer. I know it will be some time before I feel safe with international travel, extended hotel stays, and busy amusement parks. I just know that right now I feel so far from comfortable with the idea that I can’t fathom a trip.

Pre-covid, we hoped to visit next spring to celebrate our toddler turning 3. Now, realistically, we assume it’ll be a couple years before we visit again.
 
Of course it could change over time but currently we don't want to return while masks are mandatory, without insurance covering covid related illness, while quarantines are required upon returning to Canada. I just want to wait and see if things eventually return to the way they used to be and then go. If they never ever return to normal, then I can't say we will never go to Disney again, I think we would have to adjust what we find as acceptable. Fingers crossed for a good treatment and/or vaccine.
 
Things on my list that need to be addressed before we'll shell out $$ again

Food - i NEED to speak to either the chef or the designated allergy cast member before i can order so online ordering is not a possibility for me. Until i hear how dietary limitations are being dealt with i won't even consider going.

Social Distancing - how on earth will they handle this? even with limiting the number of people in the parks, how will rides look? Walk ways, bathrooms, buses (no more standing butt cheek to face of the person luck enough to get a seat i guess :P ) OMG the line at MCO for the Magical Express is a nightmare, will it now extend to the boarding gates?

Travel insurance - non-negotiable to me, if we can't get some without it costing my left kidney, we can't go. If it doesn't cover COVID-19 then nope, not leaving my own province!


Air Travel - so many things to consider here, how will they handle social distancing? If it means fewer seats will that increase the cost of a ticket so the airline still profits? How will security work? What about food in the airport? I've heard people talking about needing to bring more with them because there's nothing for sale in the boarding area - will i be able to bring more liquids thru with me due to my diet then? Will they actually be able to clean the plane properly between flights? They sure as heck hadn't been doing it before - i need to wipe down things to eliminate the possibility of food contact and OMG I would go thru so many wipes, things were DISGUSTING!

Enforced quarantine - both ends? Uhm, where do we do that in Florida? (or anywhere for that matter) Home, ok, hubby has always worked from home, but still, how do we grocery shop for 2 weeks when we get home? I can't let anyone do that right now due to my allergies, so that wouldn't be any different.

The virus itself - until we learn more about the FACTS of this specific virus and understand how it's spread, how we can mitigate that spread, what my actual risk is along with my hubby's, I'll not want to travel far from home.

Overall attitude of people - I don't care where you stand on the whole subject of COVID-19, I'm currently beyond overwhelmed by the lack of compassion I'm seeing in people. Until people can stop fighting with each other over how scared you should or shouldn't be, how real or fake this is, how sick you will or won't get, who is or isn't at risk, who is or isn't "expendable", what I should or shouldn't do to make ME feel comfortable I'm just going to need to stay close to my safe places.

Will we go back? YES, i sure hope so. Disney is the ONLY place in the entire world that I can safely eat food I don't prepare myself. Hubby likes it because it's a self-contained bubble, complete removal from the outside world, a place to lose yourself.
 


I've been going on week long trips to Disney every two years, with shorter trips tacked on to cruises and such in between. We've been 5 times in the past 5 years. We love Disney. I wasn't planning to go this year, we have cruises planned instead, but was hoping that next year we would go in the summer. At this point, I would say that without a vaccine or a shift in this virus, I don't think we'll be going next year. While we don't really watch the parades, or do character meet & greets any more, and I don't really have a problem with the mask wearing or social distancing, we pay a lot for the trips and I want to be able to swim, and go to the water parks, and go to the park I want on the day I want. I worry more about how other people will behave than what we would do ourselves.

The air travel is a big one for me, my son is not a good flyer as it is.. Who will be flying where, and can we get direct, and how much will it cost? Will the border really be open by then any way?

I'm not too concerned about the 2 week quarantine, I can either work from home or work that into vacation time. I'd be planning on a summer trip so my son wouldn't miss more school, or possibly just over December, where we'd get back and have the two week Christmas vacation.

Summary - flights, and a fulsome experience (including pools/water parks) are what it will take for me. Masks will be hot, but I am becoming more ok with them as I research other countries that use them on a regular basis for things like pollution.
 
Hubby likes it because it's a self-contained bubble, complete removal from the outside world, a place to lose yourself.
This is exactly what I love about it but I find it so hard to explain to others!

So my list is pretty short:
1. No 14 day quarantine on either end
2. Waiting to see which attractions are open, how the reservation system will work, crowd levels etc.
 
For us, the 14 day mandatory isolation period upon return is the biggest barrier. That needs to be removed before we can even begin to plan a trip anywhere outside Canada.

Likely, the earliest we could make it work is around Easter 2021(likely right in the peak of the 2nd wave), so we have time to see how things play out.
 


Vaccination or proven treatment. I'm high risk and can't see being comfortable with so many people. I also think that many of the restrictions will be in place until we have a vaccine. I just don't see spending so much money for reduced park hours, reduced dining options (I'm assuming. but they have to do something about dining), reduced attractions, etc.

We do have flights booked for July (booked them in Feb), but don't have hotel booked or tickets. We had planned to book those and then Covid happened so we waited. We aren't going in July and will probably lose the money we spent on the flights (unless the border is closed, then we'll get a credit). But not much we can do about that.
 
To visit Orlando, I just need them to open the border, and for winter to set in here. We own 2 timeshare weeks there, and since they are paid for, we will use them if we can. They are both nice resorts and make great inexpensive sun vacations without going to the parks.

To visit Disney, probably a big drop in admission prices. I am not shelling out the admission prices unless I can get sufficient value for money. What I will be watching for is what the park experience is like after opening. If restrictions mean we can't get in a sufficient amount of entertainment for the price we won't go. Honestly that much money if you can only get in 4 or 5 attractions is not in the cards for us.

I don't mind all of the restrictions we are going through now, and I hope that people become more accustomed to the social distancing and mask wearing to the point that it is second nature. I would see that happening a lot quicker in Canada than in parts of the US, but once it becomes as second nature as putting on a seatbelt, I will be fine with attending amusement parks.
 
To visit Orlando, I just need them to open the border, and for winter to set in here. We own 2 timeshare weeks there, and since they are paid for, we will use them if we can. They are both nice resorts and make great inexpensive sun vacations without going to the parks.

To visit Disney, probably a big drop in admission prices. I am not shelling out the admission prices unless I can get sufficient value for money. What I will be watching for is what the park experience is like after opening. If restrictions mean we can't get in a sufficient amount of entertainment for the price we won't go. Honestly that much money if you can only get in 4 or 5 attractions is not in the cards for us.

I don't mind all of the restrictions we are going through now, and I hope that people become more accustomed to the social distancing and mask wearing to the point that it is second nature. I would see that happening a lot quicker in Canada than in parts of the US, but once it becomes as second nature as putting on a seatbelt, I will be fine with attending amusement parks.
Obviously there is going to be a lot of risk aversion in regards to travel for a few years. Flying seems to be most peoples biggest fear. Planes and Airports are the worst parts of travel, IMO. We will see what happens but I think Disney is gonna have to use significant discounts and promos to drive out of State (or at least outside driving distance) traffic.

I am in the same boat as you on masks and social distancing. Adapt and move forward.
 
I would need to know that I had enough time to add in a 14 day self-quarantine to my vacation time, even if it has been lifted. (never know when that second wave could hit.
I would want to see that covid cases are staying fairly low both here and in Florida.
I would want to see how the safety measures are working in Disney.

I might need other family members to agree to driving. We've flown the last couple of times but we used to drive down and I think I would feel more comfortable doing that. Right now the idea of airports/airplanes/crowded Disney buses makes me feel anxious.

Good question Friedela, I'm looking forward to reading others thoughts - how are you feeling right now about what would make you feel more comfortable?
 
It's all wait and see for me right now. A lot of things are starting to open back up and I want to sit back watch them for 30-45-60 days and see what happens.
 
Add me to the list of people that’s just waiting for the border to reopen (and the 14 day quarantine to end) so I can get back to Disney.
 
For me it would be no 14 day quarantine upon return, either a vaccine or proven anti-viral treatment, travel medical that covers it, and the destination country have the outbreak well managed. Currently NONE of these are a reality at the moment, I think we'll be doing staycations for the foreseeable future. I do want to go to disney again, but it will have to wait.
 
It would take the 14 day quarantine being lifted for certain. Then I would need time to see how the measures Disney has put in place were working. I don’t need a vaccine or Covid to be gone before I start participating safely and responsibly in life again. I do need to see that it’s being managed, that our hospitals aren’t overwhelmed and that we are mitigating the risk. I will always follow recommended protocol for keeping my family and others safe , but I‘m going to ease back into life as we are allowed.
 
It's too bad we can't just get tested when we get back, then you are either infected or not, and can deal appropriatly. Even getting tested before we go perhaps? Oh well... we'll see what happens I guess.
 
For us to return, at the bare minimum we require:

1. Borders open with no quarantine required
2. No masks necessary
3. Normal park hours with 9 am openings at all parks and at least 8-9 pm closings
4. All entertainment open: fireworks, parades, shows, character meet and greets

Things that will make us consider whether or not we return:

1. No FP+. If FP+ disappears or moves to a paid system, that may make us change our mind.
2. Price increases.
3. Virtual queues. I'll need more info to see how these are implemented.
4. How they change things re: onsite vs. off site guests. If they change things to put off site guests at a greater disadvantage, then we may not go back.
 
Pretty simple for us...parade, fireworks and park hopping.
 
No 14 day quarantine
Ability to get travel medical that covers covid 19 if there isn't a vaccine
Fireworks and indoor shows open. Not going without fireworks!
The thing is we will be going back at some point because we've got 4 tickets already and Disney gift cards. So even though we may hate the virtual ques (I hope it doesn't mean you only get to ride each ride once like Rise), or have to stay onsite to get the perks, we do have money tied up in a future trip so we'll have to use it at some point. And when I say $$ I should say $$ from Air Miles really, so it's not that bad. At least it's "free" $$ tied up in Disney.
 

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