Here Now & Just Back WDW Reopening Experiences Including Park Hopping

[crazymomof4]

Glad to hear that Disney is escorting people out for mask compliance (we think.) These individuals are putting cast members (in addition to other visitors) at risk by their non compliance. If the rule is enforced by removal from the parks (and maybe banishment from the parks) word will get out and many of these people will either comply or not visit. This being said, I am not someone who confronts people over this. I just try to get as far away as possible. However, I do expect Disney to enforce their rules. I do not believe this is an unreasonable expectation.

My thoughts precisely. Some people need a visual of actual enforcement to comply with rules. Like how everyone slows down on an interstate when they see a police car and a pulled over speeder on the shoulder of the highway. I'm not expecting 100% but the higher the % the happier I will be. I know Disney is doing the best they can.
I also will not confront someone over this. You never know how short a stranger's fuse is. Last month in our area a receptionist at a Dr's office was shot and killed because the person got angry over the wait to see the Dr. No guns in WDW obviously but I don't want to have my park day ruined because someone spit in my face or similar. I'll just move away from them anyway I can. If I can't then maybe seek out a CM in as nice a way as I can bc I know they've been through a lot lately!!

 

[kittylady1972]

Just back from a recent trip and thought I'd post my own observations and experiences, though I think most of it has already been covered here pretty extensively.

We planned a very last minute 3 night trip, 2 adults, frequent Disney visitors with DVC membership. We arrived Tuesday night and left Friday evening, flew out on SWA from Baltimore. We visited 3 out of 4 parks...didn't get to AK.

PROS:

1. -Lines, lines, lines...or rather lack of them...it's all true what they say but don't tell the others. We arrived at MK Friday morning just after 8am opening and rode 7DMT with a walk-on, Peter Pan (walk-on), Haunted Mansion (walk-on...miss the stretch room though), Splash (15 min wait), BTMRR (walk-on) all in about an hour (8:45am-9:50am).
2. -Crowds...or lack of them...we found some pretty empty parks for most of our trip.
3. -Friendly CMs...I mean it was pretty obvious they were just thankful to be working. We tipped every single server generously in cash. Even the people walking around cleaning areas would talk to us. One day we were sitting at Woody's Lunchbox (which was sadly closed) at a table just getting a drink and cooling off a bit...and a cleaning CM stopped to ask us about our day and we chatted for a bit.
4. -Sanitizer to the extreme...I mean you could not turn around anywhere and not see a sanitizing station. DH hit every single one of them no matter if he just sanitized earlier...it was crazy. I preferred the hand washing stations myself but didn't see as many of them.
5. -Easy to get ADRs...perhaps because there were only 2 of us and we usually travel with larger groups of 5+, we had no problem getting some last minute ADRs for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Yes the menus were more limited but we had some fantastic meals at some new and not-been-to-in-a-long-time places. We had breakfast at GFC (very good) and WCC (good), dinner at Coral Reef (excellent), Dinner2/dessert at La Hacienda de San Angel (very good), lunch at Tony's Town Square (excellent) and lunch at Geyser Point (and late night apps and drinks a previous night) which was excellent and a new favorite for us...no ADRs here of course.

CONS: (yes sadly there are some)

1. I miss the parades and shows...there are some of my favorites. We did see character calvacades at HS (Incredibles, Monster's Inc.), World Showcase of EPCOT (princesses) and saw Pooh at EPCOT near Imagination and Pluto, Mickey, Minnie and Goofie at EPCOT walking and riding around WS, and at MK at the train station as we left we waved to Mickey, Minnie, Pluto and Donald up above us.
2. Lack of quick service...yes this was sad to see so many places for QS closed. On the bright side F&W at EPCOT helped out a bit there and gave lots of good options. The World Showplace area is really nice with all the booths and tables there.
3. Transportation...hadn't known that the EPCOT monorail wasn't running ahead of time...we had planned to utilize this one morning but instead returned to our resort and just drove.

So we rented a car and didn't use Disney transportation that much. We did ride the monorail around to the Poly and Contemporary from MK to do some shopping...yes it was VERY eerily quiet in the hotel lobbies...all of them. We were staying at Copper Creek at WL which we loved! Geyser point as I mentioned is our new favorite. It was sad to not be able to really go inside Roaring Fork and check out food but I ordered using the mobile app there twice and it worked GREAT for me. Also used mobile ordering at MK for Sunshine Terrace and that was good as well.

Social distancing and mask wearing we found to be excellent. The lines worked really well...and it was rare that anybody was too close though sometimes you thought you could move to the next line but you couldn't and there would be a backup. You learn early to watch the people ahead of the people ahead of you and adjust. On our last day, waiting for our Tony's reservation, I caught on video a guy walking through the MK gates with mask below his chin, strolling down Main Street. They had CMs placed all around with signs and we saw a young CM in the distance stop him and presume tell him to fix it. As soon as he walked away you could tell he pulled it right down...and it looked like she followed him. I wish I could have seen the outcome there. I actually spoke to a CM at MK one afternoon and asked him how he was doing and he said okay...I said I hope it gets better and he mentioned it would if only people would WEAR THEIR MASKS. I can only imagine the frustration and abuse for the CMs trying to manage that. Where we live, mask wearing has been required for quite some time, our state has been pretty agressive in trying to stop the spread, so we were used to it. I will say we brought disposable masks to wear in the parks during the day which worked well and we didn't find to be as umcomfortable as the cloths ones. We switched to our cloth ones for evenings. We honestly didn't notice the masks as much as we thought we would even wearing them all day. We never used a comfort station but we stopped frequently to sit somewhere and consume a drink or food which was fine for us.

Oh and one day as we were leaving HS we saw a VERY angry man in the parking lot walking back to his car. From what we could gather he tried to walk in with a gaitor, which isn't allowed, and got turned away and he was NOT happy. Read the rules dude! My DH wears those all the time here, but he knew they weren't allowed in Disney.

Yes I miss some of the pre-shows also (talking to you Aerosmith!) but overall since we have BTDT we found it quite enjoyable to do as much as we did in such a short period of time. Now I will say we intentionally avoided the weekends, chosing to go to HS Wed, EPCOT Thur and MK Friday...the crowd photos I see on weekend appear to be much worse.

 

[monkeydawn]

My thoughts precisely. Some people need a visual of actual enforcement to comply with rules. Like how everyone slows down on an interstate when they see a police car and a pulled over speeder on the shoulder of the highway.

Maybe this is a reason to bring the actors back? Have a couple of very public "shows" in each park each day, word will spread and no risk to CMs since the bad guests are really actors.

 

[Judique]

Maybe this is a reason to bring the actors back? Have a couple of very public "shows" in each park each day, word will spread and no risk to CMs since the bad guests are really actors.

I've canceled one upcoming trip but have 2 more booked. So, been reading a lot and now we are hearing of some enforcement. I was actually thinking that Disney may have done some silent enforcement where people were escorted away through the back areas, and the average person didn't get to see.

It's not Disney that makes me need to cancel. It's other guest behavior. I experienced this on a weekend trip with other guests in our hotel. Elevator capacity = 4 wearing masks. Yet, sometimes there would be 8 or 9 people getting off or trying to fit in. I avoided and took the stairs.

I just don't want to spend my time avoiding people at Disney. So now, I'm planning January and February - with the possibility of a resort only trip. Only 4-5 floors to climb at BWV!

 

[monkeydawn]

I've canceled one upcoming trip but have 2 more booked. So, been reading a lot and now we are hearing of some enforcement. I was actually thinking that Disney may have done some silent enforcement where people were escorted away through the back areas, and the average person didn't get to see.

It's not Disney that makes me need to cancel. It's other guest behavior. I experienced this on a weekend trip with other guests in our hotel. Elevator capacity = 4 wearing masks. Yet, sometimes there would be 8 or 9 people getting off or trying to fit in. I avoided and took the stairs.

I just don't want to spend my time avoiding people at Disney. So now, I'm planning January and February - with the possibility of a resort only trip. Only 4-5 floors to climb at BWV!

Its my understanding that typically Disney is very discrete about kicking guests out. Maybe they have thought better of that plan for this issue. I agree that a visual demonstration, which now seems to be happening, is likely to be a deterrent for some.

I know this would never fly but I almost wish they made everyone visiting have a credit card connected to their ticket, with penalties for cleaning if you are caught without your mask in an inappropriate area. Again, I know this wont happen but a monetary deterrent would work for some.

 

[Judique]

Its my understanding that typically Disney is very discrete about kicking guests out. Maybe they have thought better of that plan for this issue. I agree that a visual demonstration, which now seems to be happening, is likely to be a deterrent for some.

I know this would never fly but I almost wish they made everyone visiting have a credit card connected to their ticket, with penalties for cleaning if you are caught without your mask in an inappropriate area. Again, I know this wont happen but a monetary deterrent would work for some.

There are lots of things that most of us have thought would never happen. Your idea may sound a bit far fetched now, but you never know.

 

[ScubaCat]

(deleting since off topic)

 

[GusGusTheMouse]

As enforcement seems to be of interest, here is what I saw enforcement-wise:

• CMs stationed in the middle of longer queue lines and saw them reminding noses to be put back behind masks, including SM, HM, TT, ToT, and RnR.
• A man at the entrance of HS being asked whether he had anything more than his gaitor.
• Several people in line at the mask vending machine outside of the DS parking garage who were clearly denied entrance due to lack of mask, mask with a vent, or had a gaitor on.
• The 2 men removed down Main St that I mentioned earlier.
• When we were uncomfortable around certain non-compliant families and asked to be seated away from them or to allow guests to pass so we had space between them, CMs generally reminded the non-abiding group to either stay at their respective marker or to put their masks on properly. And the CM would not put us on the same riding group as them. Sometimes the CM would let us go through the FP line instead to avoid the family.
• Crazy amount of CMs around the castle hunting down people without masks on for photos.
• Management walking around Fantasyland reminding people with noses out.

But for each of these instances I saw the opposite as well. CMs not addressing or stopping eating in queue lines, CMs not looking at children with vented masks, groups taking advantage of no CMs in the middle of lines, and CMs not moving families taking snack breaks in horribly congested areas.

 

[yulilin3]

Let's please bring the conversation back to report trips and NOT what Disney should do in terms of enforcement.
Thanks

 

[momandmousefan]

My dd is interested in going to a college by the beach - do you mind sharing which school?? Thanks either way!

Totally jumping in as not the OP.... but possibly look at Flagler College in St. Augustine. (I *almost* went there and still am a little bummed I didn’t!)

 

[soniam]

All thermometers were the handheld guns as it’s done by a third party. Advent Health (?), not by Disney.

AK did have a new security screen though that eliminated the metal detector. But all the other parks were standard metal detectors.

This is all from first hand experience from last week and I went to all 4 parks and DS.

DHS had the same walk through screening as AK yesterday, could be new.

AK, DHS, and Epcot (at least at IG) have the walk through scanners. DHS just added them in the last couple of weeks.

 

[Lsdolphin]

Question for anyone arriving or departing Copper Creek or Boulder Ridge via ME does bus still drop off at bottom of entrance steps so you have to pull luggage up/down steps?

Also has anyone used “door dash” to order food from outside the resort?

 

[davedvf]

Hello,

We have 2 days to visit WDW. We hope to visit MK and Epcot (Hollywood is at limit unfortunately). However, I 'hear' that a lot of the countries are only partially open and that the park is generally the least visited right now. Since there are no park hoppers right now I am just a bit worried that there will be enough to do there to fill a full day. Wondering if anyone who has been there this month has any advice/thoughts to share. Thanks!

 

[yulilin3]

Hello,

We have 2 days to visit WDW. We hope to visit MK and Epcot (Hollywood is at limit unfortunately). However, I 'hear' that a lot of the countries are only partially open and that the park is generally the least visited right now. Since there are no park hoppers right now I am just a bit worried that there will be enough to do there to fill a full day. Wondering if anyone who has been there this month has any advice/thoughts to share. Thanks!

Merged you to the just back thread where you can read recent reports
To me, epcot won't fill a full day unless you do all the attractions and really take your time walking around world showcase. All the rides are open and the countries are all there to explore just some gift shops are closed. But if you loved epcot before im sue you'll enjoy it now

 

[nerdboyrockstar]

Also has anyone used “door dash” to order food from outside the resort?

Yes! At AKL though, not WL. Driver ended up at Kidani vs Jambo House where we were so had to turnaround (yes I had specified that in the instructions). Other than that, it was pretty smooth!

 

[Jonathan Friedman]

Yes! At AKL though, not WL. Driver ended up at Kidani vs Jambo House where we were so had to turnaround (yes I had specified that in the instructions). Other than that, it was pretty smooth!

Did they bring to your room or just the lobby?

 

[LaDonna]

So I had heard that when getting a boarding group that your party is automatically checked or addEd for you now(a recent change)..... that u no longer have to go in and check each one..... I’m guessing maybe they can only do that once you enter the park because I tried it this morning from home and I still had to check everyone from my current reservation

 

[ksromack]

Merged you to the just back thread where you can read recent reports
To me, epcot won't fill a full day unless you do all the attractions and really take your time walking around world showcase. All the rides are open and the countries are all there to explore just some gift shops are closed. But if you loved epcot before im sue you'll enjoy it now

But what a great way to really explore Epcot minus the closures, of course. I’m afraid we tend to breeze through Epcot sometimes so I’m really looking forward to diving in full force. Also, maybe a little mid day (or early afternoon as it would be) break to take in a swim or some AC at our resort then return for more fun. It’s probably not dark at 7 pm in September, though. I usually love Epcot all lit up.

 

[butterscotchcollins]

But what a great way to really explore Epcot minus the closures, of course. I’m afraid we tend to breeze through Epcot sometimes so I’m really looking forward to diving in full force. Also, maybe a little mid day (or early afternoon as it would be) break to take in a swim or some AC at our resort then return for more fun. It’s probably not dark at 7 pm in September, though. I usually love Epcot all lit up.

I feel the same way, last time we were at Epcot we skipped the attractions and just did F&W for a few hours. I've never done Living with the Land or The Seas with Nemo and Friends and am relishing the chance to really fully explore the park!

 

[ksromack]

I feel the same way, last time we were at Epcot we skipped the attractions and just did F&W for a few hours. I've never done Living with the Land or The Seas with Nemo and Friends and am relishing the chance to really fully explore the park!

Oh, I really enjoy those attractions.