Lots of reasons to not visit DW right now....

[CyndiLooWho]

Reasons to go:
~ it's been a helluva year. Our family, at least, needs something good to look forward to. We cancelled Europe, we cancelled our make-up trip in August, the boys missed out on the Osh Kosh airshow. We need a trip, so I'm bringing the kids and my BIL in Dec. Dh and I are keeping a previously scheduled Jan trip, too.
~ money - I have it right now. In April, the company told us it was unlikely we'd get our bonuses. But our business model is actually thriving under COVID, and we are getting the best bonus we've had in years. As far as I'm concerned, it's found money and therefore not budgeted. WDW and Universal are getting mine this year!
~ dh and I discussed it - we can make this as safe or safer than a trip to Wal-mart. For Dec (5 of us), we're driving, staying in a large condo, the only place we'll be is at the parks, which are enforcing mask rules better than most places in our hometown. We'll forgo the fancy restaurant dining and hit more open air food at the parks, then do drive thru or cook at the condo for dinner.
~ no planning! I am not stressing about fp bc there are none. We don't mind the lines if they are moving. We wait in line at the local amusement parks and don't sweat it. I can wait in line at WDW / Universal.
~ it's not hot! Wearing a mask at a theme park in July has to be awful, it should be much more bearable in Dec / Jan. And masks are going to be the new normal in the US for a while; I'm not letting them keep us from having fun.
~ if we want to keep fun stuff, we have to support it so it doesn't close. This is my way of supporting the Orlando theme park industry, because I want to visit with my grandkids.

COVID is awful, but this is here to stay. We're not going to eradicate it, like smallpox; it's going to stick around like the flu. We have to learn to live with it and make our COVID lives the best we can.

 

[snappy]

We cancelled our December 2020 trip. We are in an at risk group so we decided to limit activities to the essential things, some quick grocery store visits but mostly curbside pickups, medical visits/procedures that have to be in person, long daily walks, and weekly outdoor 30 minute masked visits with mom in her retirement facility. A Disney parks trip isn’t essential for us at this time. I do hope those who go have a great time and stay healthy. I enjoy reading about others’ good experiences and live vicariously for now.

 

[Kimpossible1]

If people decide to go, then have the appropriate expectations. I thought yesterday was nice weather wise but someone from Oklahoma said it was sooooo hot! LOL! If you go realize you need to wear your mask all the time, not just inside. I see many people walking around with it under their nose, but there aren't enough CM's out in the park to correct it. Please don't get angry with CM's for any reason. The CM's and the managers are doing the best they can, and with the layoffs everyone is in a state of confusion and uncertainty. After going twice last week and being at AK yesterday, wait times are pretty accurate...within 10-15 minutes of posted times. I don't know how long the wait time actually was, but the Navi River Journey line was back down past Pizzafari almost to the Island Mercantile store. Even with the longer lines, as I said before, sometimes standing in line lets you see things you normally would walk right past. I've lived in Florida for 7 years and saw more animals in the tree during the 20 minute wait for It's Tough to Be a Bug than in all those 7 years prior....so in that regard, lines can be advantageous.

 

[VandVsmama]

What are the good reasons to go? Why choose to go now or in the next few months. I rebooked my vacation from August to January, but I am second guessing myself. Restaurants closed, no fast passes, park hopping, longer waits for Disney transportation, longer waits for rides, no character interactions, I’m sure there is more....oh this little thing called COVID 19.

What are good reasons to go? Perhaps a reason to go now instead of waiting a year. Just curious people’s opinions.

The reasons we are going include:

• to celebrate a big wedding anniversary
• to celebrate being cancer free
• because there aren't any FP+ to schedule. Those totally stress me out.
• because we don't have to decide 6 months ahead of time where we want to eat. 60 days ahead of time is much more reasonable.
• because in January (when we'll be there), the weather will be better than in June (when we last went to WDW 2 yr ago).
• because the queue in Buzz Lightyear maybe won't smell like a locker room. LOL.
• because Disney is taking COVID-19 precautions seriously and they WILL kick people out if they won't wear a mask. Same rules apply to everyone and they actually enforce the rules.
• because it's our first kid-free trip since having children 14 years ago.
• because my DH agreed to go to WDW for our anniversary trip even though he's tired of Disney trips and I'm going to introduce him to how you can do a lot more at WDW than go on rides all day.
• because DH wants to ride the 1970s monorail.
• because I want to try the food at Geyser Point.
• because we'll get to go into Star Wars Galaxy's Edge. We live closer to Disneyland, but Disneyland ISN'T EVEN OPEN and the state of CA refuses to publish reopening guidelines for CA theme parks.
• because WDW has the Peoplemover and DL does not.
• because of the Hall of Presidents.
• because WDW has the Carousel of Progress and the Country Bear Jamboree.

 

[Eastern]

My adult kids are going. Originally scheduled for July, then August, now October. They've been great about lockdown and being careful but they want to get out. They've been to Disney a lot so they're going more to just relax vs getting things done. Airfare was super cheap with points and good passholder rate at hotels.

 

[Eastern]

The reasons we are going include:

• to celebrate a big wedding anniversary
• to celebrate being cancer free
• because there aren't any FP+ to schedule. Those totally stress me out.
• because we don't have to decide 6 months ahead of time where we want to eat. 60 days ahead of time is much more reasonable.
• because in January (when we'll be there), the weather will be better than in June (when we last went to WDW 2 yr ago).
• because the queue in Buzz Lightyear maybe won't smell like a locker room. LOL.
• because Disney is taking COVID-19 precautions seriously and they WILL kick people out if they won't wear a mask. Same rules apply to everyone and they actually enforce the rules.
• because it's our first kid-free trip since having children 14 years ago.
• because my DH agreed to go to WDW for our anniversary trip even though he's tired of Disney trips and I'm going to introduce him to how you can do a lot more at WDW than go on rides all day.
• because DH wants to ride the 1970s monorail.
• because I want to try the food at Geyser Point.
• because we'll get to go into Star Wars Galaxy's Edge. We live closer to Disneyland, but Disneyland ISN'T EVEN OPEN and the state of CA refuses to publish reopening guidelines for CA theme parks.
• because WDW has the Peoplemover and DL does not.
• because of the Hall of Presidents.
• because WDW has the Carousel of Progress and the Country Bear Jamboree.

A lot of good reasons!

 

[CyndiLooWho]

The reasons we are going include:

• because it's our first kid-free trip since having children 14 years ago.
• because my DH agreed to go to WDW for our anniversary trip even though he's tired of Disney trips and I'm going to introduce him to how you can do a lot more at WDW than go on rides all day.

Good for you! We did this same thing in Jan 2020. Dh, who really does not like coming to Orlando on school breaks (we only visited every 3 yrs), finally agreed to an off-season, no kids (our youngest is 19) trip to WDW. We had a blast. He suggested doing it again in 2021, so we are! It makes me so happy.

 

[Snowysmom]

I am in the process of deciding whether to go on our trip in November. We have to fly down and do all the airport stuff and have a car rental. I don't know if it is worth going having to do all the rigmarole to get there and back for a lesser experience than usual. I like reading everyone's opinion, it is helpful. We also have a May 2021 trip planned so we do have another trip to look forward to. I do like to hear that people are going to live life and do things while you have the resources and time.

 

[VicarJT]

I am in the process of deciding whether to go on our trip in November. We have to fly down and do all the airport stuff and have a car rental. I don't know if it is worth going having to do all the rigmarole to get there and back for a lesser experience than usual. I like reading everyone's opinion, it is helpful. We also have a May 2021 trip planned so we do have another trip to look forward to. I do like to hear that people are going to live life and do things while you have the resources and time.

I know that we would not be going if we couldn't drive down (stopping at my mom's overnight), and take the auto-train home.

 

[Snowysmom]

I know that we would not be going if we couldn't drive down (stopping at my mom's overnight), and take the auto-train home.

I totally understand that. If I lived close enough to drive I would go but the whole airport and plane was a rigmarole back when everything was the old normal. Now I don't know if it is worth it with some of the charm and uniqueness of WDW missing. Hopefully by May 2021 some things will be back to make it worth while. Decisions, decisions. LOL!

 

[Surr]

We went in July and had a great time!

We went in September and had a good time!

We just returned and had an okay time...

July was fantastic, with no crowds, walk-on rides, felt very safe except for Disney Springs.

September was a bit more crowded and a few more things were open, but a little crowded for my comfort level, longer waits for rides, and parks closing too early. We still had a really good time though.

Now, much more crowded. Many people either forget or don't care to keep physical distancing. Lines are much longer and most queues outside in the sunshine. A 45-minute wait indoors and AC is one thing, but outside in the heat with little or no cover is another. Most rides have significant waits, especially on weekends. There are lots of shows, restaurants, and other activities that "eat" people closed, so while the park may have limited capacity it also has limited resources which makes it feel like it's almost as crowded as before. With no fastpasses you either stand in lines all day or you don't ride as many rides. Having stores and mostly snack locations with odd schedules very frustrating. Like some places only open on weekdays, or weekends, or opening and closing at strange hours. The one plus we really liked was having some ride cars to ourselves. Riding Smugglers Run and Rise with just family was a lot of fun, especially, Smugglers Run.

 

[fabfemmeboy]

For me, it comes down to a few reasons:

1. I'm going stir-crazy. We had a trip to London booked for May; it got canceled. Couldn't go on our annual family vacation (that I have never missed). Would usually be going somewhere fun over the holidays, but both of those options got nixed because of travel bans or contagion concerns. I need to have something to look forward to and somewhere to enjoy going. So for me, the question became: where is open and safe right now? It's a hard venn diagram because most places that are taking the virus seriously are shut down (like out here on the West Coast), and most places that are open for business as usual are out of the question because they're clearly not taking it seriously. Disney (and Universal) are in that middle zone for me: they're open, but they're taking a lot of precautions that make it safer(ish).

2. More personal space, thank you god. Somehow on every trip we end up with people riiiiiight up on our butts several rides in a row.

3. We're ride people, so lack of parades/M&G/shows don't make a difference to us. If anything, I like the idea of the cavalcades. When I went as a kid, the characters still roamed around and you got the excitement of turning a corner and THERE THEY WERE! So cavalcades are much more appealing to me than waiting for hours for a decent spot for the parade.
4. A lot of the changes that people are most frustrated by are, oddly, things we happen to be used to on park days.
a. As people who usually go during the off-off-OFF season, a lot of the changes bothering people are familiar to us. Shorter hours? Check. Half the restaurants closed? Check. Remind me to tell you about our first time trying to watch fireworks in MK and discovering that all the food options closed two freaking hours before the nighttime show would begin!

b. For the last five years, we've been in California which means Disneyland, where FP is barely functional unless you want to pay $15 per person per day to do it on the app. So waiting 20-40 minutes for rides and doing them in whatever order you feel like is what's normal to us. And we always have a good time doing it, even if it's not technically as "efficient" as some people have made FP+.

5. Covid's not going away anytime soon. It's 18 months for a vaccine once they find something that works, and so far no one has...and that's just until the first doses start to be distributed, not until it's safe to resume regular activities again because enough people have been vaccinated. So I can't just say "well, I'm stuck at home right now but we'll be able to resume regular travel soon" - because that's really not likely. Instead I need to figure out how to embrace other types of travel that are safe(r) and possible for the foreseeable future. It's not a matter of feeling "normal" or "like before" - things are different, that's just reality. But being able to have that sense of enjoyment and marking time is something I really need right now.

 

[michellej47]

Honestly, my family needs it. My husband has been home since March. My kids, especially my son, are both dealing with terrible anxiety. We are healthy people. We will take all precautions. But we need a break and we need something to look forward to.

 

[stephk1981]

If i had to fly, we wouldn't go. I am not a fan of enclosed spaces. We live an hour away, but just bought a house 30 minutes closer. I was on the team ' let's wear a mask and social distance'. Disney has gotten a lot busier though. We have only been doing outdoor attractions, and outdoor eating. My oldest wants to eat at Teppan Edo for his 12 birthday, so i have dvc poly booked and teppan edo for this Tuesday. This is the first time we'll eat at an indoor restaurant since covid began. Since the rules have relaxed, I feel safer at Disney than going shopping at Publix. In my opinion this won't end soon, do what you need to feel safe for your family, while trying to respect others. Have a great trip whenever you go!

 

[disneyworldsk]

What are the good reasons to go? Why choose to go now or in the next few months. I rebooked my vacation from August to January, but I am second guessing myself. Restaurants closed, no fast passes, park hopping, longer waits for Disney transportation, longer waits for rides, no character interactions, I’m sure there is more....oh this little thing called COVID 19.

What are good reasons to go? Perhaps a reason to go now instead of waiting a year. Just curious people’s opinions.

OP...what state do you live? sometimes that's a factor as well.

 

[Carol_]

We flew in and met family. The airports are easy to move through.

~ if we want to keep fun stuff, we have to support it so it doesn't close. This is my way of supporting the Orlando theme park industry, because I want to visit with my grandkids.

This. The movie theaters are closing. Restaurants are closing. Businesses close when they don’t make money. For most of us here, Disney is more than just another business. We have to do our part to make sure executives don’t cut what we love.

 

[skatalite]

We've had our rooms (OKW) booked on points through David's since December 2019, my kids have been excited about the trip all year, my folks have been excited about the trip all year... Our girls are 3 and 4, so taking things slow and steady, and perhaps skipping some E ticket attractions which tend to draw the longest lines, doesn't sound like such a bad idea. Since our kids are so young, I see it as we parents -- and grandparents -- are there simply to make sure the kiddos have a fantastic time.

 

[LoveToGoToDisneyWorld]

Here now for the third time since July. It's wonderful and truly a much needed break from reality. Go on your trip and enjoy your loved ones.

 

[Sarahslay]

Because we need a break, and looking at the inside of this place is getting old. My entire life has been turned upside down since Covid started, not even just the virus, DH accepted a new job hours away from where we used to live and we had to uproot our entire lives several months ago. No friends or family here, moving to a new place mid-pandemic is horrible, and I need something that is at least somewhat familiar right now. I went in August for a long weekend, with several parks reaching capacity in several buckets, and even with the heat, crowds, and masks I had a great time. It was just nice to be there, be somewhere else, taking a break from the day to day.

 

[stinkpickle]

OP...what state do you live? sometimes that's a factor as well.

That certainly can be a factor. Florida and my home state, Iowa, have roughly the same active cases, per capita.