Here Now & Just Back WDW Reopening Experiences Including Park Hopping

[flipflopmom]

Birmingham airport was fine..........we flew out Wed around 4PM.........no crowds or issues
Orlando airport was PACKED

I’m a nervous Nellie. Did you use DME to get there and felt like you had enough time to manage lines, etc?

 

[Tess]

When we were there in 5/16 I didn’t notice any stickers being close together and we rode most everything. Everything was still 6 feet apart.

When we left on 5/14/21, EPCOT International Gate, had the expected 6' green stickers on the ground. We also noted there were blue tape stickers randomly placed but without any "distancing" language--just the blue tape on the ground. We surmised they had been measuring at some point overnight for an upcoming change. We also noted these blue tape strips in random areas around the Boardwalk and the BWVs. It has to be an arduous process to remeasure and replace the 6' stickers with 3' stickers. Who knows, maybe they will leave the 6' until they simply decide that social distancing is over. As I said, it seems like a lot of work if distancing removal is imminent.

 

[Duck143]

When we left on 5/14/21, EPCOT International Gate, had the expected 6' green stickers on the ground. We also noted there were blue tape stickers randomly placed but without any "distancing" language--just the blue tape on the ground. We surmised they had been measuring at some point overnight for an upcoming change. We also noted these blue tape strips in random areas around the Boardwalk and the BWVs. It has to be an arduous process to remeasure and replace the 6' stickers with 3' stickers. Who knows, maybe they will leave the 6' until they simply decide that social distancing is over. As I said, it seems like a lot of work if distancing removal is imminent.

I thought of this when we were there last week! Those stickers are going to be awful getting up. My DH actually saw one pealing a bit and it was pulling up the pavement with it.

 

[kverdon]

Very busy at EPCOT today, at official park opening At 11am wait times for Soarin’, Test Track and Mission Space were all over 60 mins. Spaceship Earth was listed at 20 but looked down when we walked past. Living with the Land was also down.

 

[Dakota731]

I don’t understand why since other large venues are open. Maybe staffing?

That’s what I have heard on a few Disney blogs. It has nothing to do with covid but employers are finding it hard to get help when people are making more on unemployment/stimulus

 

[hereforthechurros]

That’s what I have heard on a few Disney blogs. It has nothing to do with covid but employers are finding it hard to get help when people are making more on unemployment/stimulus

Everyone in the US is re-staffing at the same time, which leads to competition, which leads to people taking the highest paying jobs first. Since Disney is decently competitive with their pay they should be able to staff accordingly but it's still a lengthy process. It's why they paid their employees a lot longer than most companies did in, in hopes they wouldn't have to lay off and re-hire. Re-hiring is expensive and a PITA. Thank goodness for CP starting back up next month.

But I digress! I really came here to ask was if anyone has noticed boat capacity being increased?

 

[snappy]

Everyone in the US is re-staffing at the same time, which leads to competition, which leads to people taking the highest paying jobs first. Since Disney is decently competitive with their pay they should be able to staff accordingly but it's still a lengthy process. It's why they paid their employees a lot longer than most companies did in, in hopes they wouldn't have to lay off and re-hire. Re-hiring is expensive and a PITA.

But I digress! I really came here to ask was if anyone has noticed boat capacity being increased?

Boat capacity was still limited to one party per seat, with plexiglass dividers throughout through our last park day May 9th.

 

[WDWRookie2009]

I thought of this when we were there last week! Those stickers are going to be awful getting up. My DH actually saw one pealing a bit and it was pulling up the pavement with it.

I was thinking the same thing, then my 14 year old son said " why wouldn't they just lay another sticker in-between them and boom 3 feet apart" I don't know if that would work BUT he sure did make me think LOL

 

[Duck143]

I was thinking the same thing, then my 14 year old son said " why wouldn't they just lay another sticker in-between them and boom 3 feet apart" I don't know if that would work BUT he sure did make me think LOL

Yes! We'll have to see what they do. Then they'll have stickers EVERYWHERE! I found that the day the masks were lifted, people started to disregard the social distancing markers.

 

[hereforthechurros]

Boat capacity was still limited to one party per seat, with plexiglass dividers throughout through our last park day May 9th.

Bummer. But that was before they raised capacity so maybe things have changed since? Many times we just missed it by one party and had to wait about 40 minutes for it to make a roundtrip. Hope they can rectify this soon since masks are most likely still mandated on the boats.

 

[Heather07438]

At 730 this morning I witnessed a CM scream at a line jumper (rope jumper too) in FOP it made my day as there are rarely consequences for the self entitled bunch

Lol. I’ve seen people sent out of the line for cutting a few times.
One time was FoP with 3 teen girls and one was actually crying. Poor thing... peer pressure. They were already on the line for quite some time when they decided to take a ‘short cut’ into the FP line ahead of us and when they got to the front they were told ‘back of the line if you want to ride.’

 

[lovethattink]

I don’t understand why since other large venues are open. Maybe staffing?

Staffing is a problem at all the parks. The college program is coming back and should relieve some of that. And it looks like CP won’t get to choose where they are assigned.

In addition, many entertainers went on to find work elsewhere.

 

[sdeut]

Staffing is a problem at all the parks. The college program is coming back and should relieve some of that. And it looks like CP won’t get to choose where they are assigned.

In addition, many entertainers went on to find work elsewhere.

DO we know when the College program is back?

 

[ajgardner]

DO we know when the College program is back?

I do not have a specific answer to that, but my daughter (College junior) received an email just this morning from her school saying that they have a 3 day window to apply, and if accepted have the possibility of being asked to arrive by as early as mid-June. So it sounds soon.

 

[sdeut]

I do not have a specific answer to that, but my daughter (College junior) received an email just this morning from her school saying that they have a 3 day window to apply, and if accepted have the possibility of being asked to arrive by as early mid-June. So it sounds soon.

Ok thanks - I was just wondering if it would be by June 1st (or Memorial Day weekend) but I guess not. I have heard people saying the parks are getting more and more crowded so I had hoped that they would increase staff and open more things to help with that by Memorial Day weekend because many schools are out.

 

[HappilyEverAfter1]

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[SarahC97]

Husband and I just returned from a super quick stay at the Contemporary Garden View. We visited Epcot our first day Friday May 14th. Crowd levels were decent and just about everyone was wearing a mask and staying socially distant. We enjoyed the topiaries, the butterfly garden, some eats around the world and the Mariachi Cobre band... Amazing day! Next day was our Hollywood Studios day. *Unbeknownst to us - the CDC mask guidelines changed/park rules changed and we were FREAKED OUT! Everyone had their mask around their necks! We gave the "evil eye" to several people. It wasn't until a cast member informed us that it was "okay" to be without a mask outside. Whoops! Sorry to those we gave a "look" to. We got on Mickey's Runaway Railway in 35 minutes, Got a boarding group for Rise of the Resistance at the 1pm "Join" time and rode it just after we got out of line for Slinky Dog. At night we park hopped to Magic Kingdom. I got a super last minute dinner at Cinderella's Royal Table which was nice. We were able to ride Peter Pan (a family behind us had two eager kids that liked to slide up right next to us.) No one was really paying attention the the social distance markers over at Magic Kingdom. No one really was wearing face masks anywhere. It was like the Wild West. LOL. All in all, we had low expectations going in. Just looking for a fun getaway. Great weather and a great time. Last day we were too pooped to do anything and headed home after a quick breakfast.

In Magic Kingdom, were people not wearing masks in lines as they're supposed to?

 

[HappilyEverAfter1]

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[Anne Scaffo]

With the reports of more and more people showing up early for the park opening, I wonder if we will see the introduction of the new early morning entry for onsite guests sooner than later? That has kind of been a forgotten issue lately.

Yes, please.

 

[lovethattink]

In Magic Kingdom, were people not wearing masks in lines as they're supposed to?

As @CampbellzSoup posted:

Masks and social distancing are pretty much over my son was a hit today in the park lol he’s learning to walk and so many people came and said nice words to interact with people at Disney and not feel afraid of one another is a miracle.

Book your trip and get down here!

The only places where they were strict both days at AK were Kilimanjaro Safari, Gorilla Falls Trail and Festival of the Lion King. Otherwise it felt like a free for all and almost back to normal. We saw very few people wearing masks in public areas that don’t require masks. Eating and drinking while walking are allowed.And social distancing was not being done.

On the other hand, at queues and attractions there was still decent adherence, I’d say 90% wore them correctly.

I haven’t been to other parks yet, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s the same.