Here Now & Just Back WDW Reopening Experiences Including Park Hopping

[maryj11]

I bought a bottle of Z Clear anti fog spray on Amazon. I have to apply it every couple of weeks, but otherwise it works great at preventing fog.

Wow I didn’t know they had such a thing! Thanks!

 

[bastraker]

How'd you end up getting back?

We asked at the front desk at grand floridan and they said there was a resort bus available - so we did that. However, we would have driven our rental car if we knew.

 

[bastraker]

We just arrived this morning and are at MK. I thought I’d post a quick update while we are in line for Carousel of Progress. MK is very busy today. The wait times are accurate or understated if anything. We have been waiting on average about 5 minutes longer than the posted time. I am so surprised they are letting this many people in. Crowds are about double of a sold out Villians After Hours with corresponding waits.

We were also at MK this morning but it was too busy. We left after about 90 minutes. Kids were not doing those lines or heat today.

I complained on the way out to guest services. I asked them to allow us to go to epcot for the day instead. I told them it was too crowded and the kids rode one ride each.

She was very gracious and did offer us to switch to epcot. We are at the pool now but plan on going to epcot around 5pm. Hopefully it will be better!

 

[wilkydelts]

The waits have all been much lower a couple hours after opening. Right now in MK at 3:40 all of them are very reasonable must headliner around 35 minutes.

 

[maryj11]

We were also at MK this morning but it was too busy. We left after about 90 minutes. Kids were not doing those lines or heat today.

I complained on the way out to guest services. I asked them to allow us to go to epcot for the day instead. I told them it was too crowded and the kids rode one ride each.

She was very gracious and did offer us to switch to epcot. We are at the pool now but plan on going to epcot around 5pm. Hopefully it will be better!

That was good! I didn’t think they would let you switch parks.

 

[reposado]

The waits have all been much lower a couple hours after opening. Right now in MK at 3:40 all of them are very reasonable must headliner around 35 minutes.

the wait time on the app still looks pretty bad.... 50 min for pirates and thunder mountain...

I’d stay away right now unless your a local AP holder. To travel there in the heat, risking covid, greatly diminished experience, paying full price, and still wait forever for rides. Lots of cons no pros at the moment.

 

[bastraker]

That was good! I didn’t think they would let you switch parks.

They're not suppose to but it was too crowded and they could see by our magic bands that we weren't there that long.

I wasn't the only one there complaining. Several other moms were there with the same complaint.

 

[cmp1976]

I wonder why this weekend seems so much worse for crowds.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

I wonder why this weekend seems so much worse for crowds.

Silver APs were just un-blacked out, FWIW.

Weekends have been growing in popularity as well. Ever so slowly confidence in visiting a theme park grows, new groups such as silver APs can visit, last chance for some summer vacationers, etc. It’s never usually one factor, but contributions from several factors.

IMO with the distancing in the queaues, periodic closures for cleaning, etc, it definitely won’t take many more people in the park before the wait times look/feel more crowded than they have been.

 

[wilkydelts]

the wait time on the app still looks pretty bad.... 50 min for pirates and thunder mountain...

I’d stay away right now unless your a local AP holder. To travel there in the heat, risking covid, greatly diminished experience, paying full price, and still wait forever for rides. Lots of cons no pros at the moment.

18/21 rides at MK on Saturday have a 35 minute or less wait at 4:20 eastern which includes 10/21 with 15 minutes or less wait. I can not imagine how this is consider bad

 

[yulilin3]

Silver APs were just un-blacked out, FWIW.

Weekends have been growing in popularity as well. Ever so slowly confidence in visiting a theme park grows, new groups such as silver APs can visit, last chance for some summer vacationers, etc. It’s never usually one factor, but contributions from several factors.

IMO with the distancing in the queaues, periodic closures for cleaning, etc, it definitely won’t take many more people in the park before the wait times look/feel more crowded than they have been.

so am I in the wrong to think that Silver APs being able to go now is NOT the reason why it's more crowded?
My reasoning is that the AP pool of spots has been full for weeks before this weekend, meaning whatever number they had allotted for all ap have been taken in days prior. So if there are 10k ap spots they have been taken by gold, platinum for weeks and now silver also get a dip in that pool
so for me the reason is not that silver aps can go now cause that allotted number is constant....unless it isn't.
Could it be that just more people feel better coming after seeing how the parks have operated for a month? more people using the resort and day ticket spots.
I've heard this silver ap position before and to me just doesn't make sense. But of course I could be wrong

 

[mirandag819]

so am I in the wrong to think that Silver APs being able to go now is NOT the reason why it's more crowded?
My reasoning is that the AP pool of spots has been full for weeks before this weekend, meaning whatever number they had allotted for all ap have been taken in days prior. So if there are 10k ap spots they have been taken by gold, platinum for weeks and now silver also get a dip in that pool
so for me the reason is not that silver aps can go now cause that allotted number is constant....unless it isn't.
Could it be that just more people feel better coming after seeing how the parks have operated for a month? more people using the resort and day ticket spots.
I've heard this silver ap position before and to me just doesn't make sense. But of course I could be wrong

I still think it may have to do with silver APs, they are coming back for the first time, so they are more likely to come first thing and stay all day...in prior weeks APs may have had a reservation and taken up a reserved spot but not shown up until later in the day.

 

[soniam]

so am I in the wrong to think that Silver APs being able to go now is NOT the reason why it's more crowded?
My reasoning is that the AP pool of spots has been full for weeks before this weekend, meaning whatever number they had allotted for all ap have been taken in days prior. So if there are 10k ap spots they have been taken by gold, platinum for weeks and now silver also get a dip in that pool
so for me the reason is not that silver aps can go now cause that allotted number is constant....unless it isn't.
Could it be that just more people feel better coming after seeing how the parks have operated for a month? more people using the resort and day ticket spots.
I've heard this silver ap position before and to me just doesn't make sense. But of course I could be wrong

It's hard to tell. However, when we were there 7/13-21, weekends were always busier, except for opening day at DHS, 7/15. I think your theory about silver APs definitely holds water.

 

[reposado]

So if there are 10k ap spots they have been taken by gold, platinum for weeks and now silver also get a dip in that pool
so for me the reason is not that silver aps can go now cause that allotted number is constant....

Only Disney knows if that number is constant. If I had to guess I’d say Disney is constantly playing with the cap(obviously increasing it recently). I’d be surprised if it was actually constant.

 

[koquinn]

We're at hs today for our first day and I feel like it's really busy. People are still staying apart pretty nicely but these lines are longer than I had hoped for. We spent about 45 minutes in Ogas and got quick service for lunch, but otherwise we've been nonstop on rides and we still haven't done everything. Pretty close, but for being in here at 930 and now it's 445 I feel like we should have done some duplicates based on what everyone was saying for crowds before today.

 

[wilkydelts]

I don’t think they are increasing capacity at all. If the demand was there to necessitate raising capacity they would not be cutting hours down. I think it is some increased numbers in the non AP bucket and the weekends are always more busy

 

[caseyem67]

JUST BACK FROM SPLIT STAY AT SSR AND AKL with one day at HS

Flew Frontier Airlines....plane was about 3/4 full but mask wearing was definitely emphasized and we felt comfortable. MCO was busy but not packed. We rented a car to avoid ME. Flight home a little more crowded but everyone wearing masks.

SARATOGA SPRINGS
Our room was ready before we arrived (we got off plane around 3:30). SSR was deserted! We were in Congress Park Sat-Wed. At most there would be about 30 people at the main pool, at quiet pool we never saw more than 4 other people. It was very quiet, everyone wore masks and if you passed someone they gave you space. I felt safer there than I do at home going to the grocery store! Mousekeeping stopped by one morning but we just asked for towels. Our room was spotless when we arrived and the refurbished rooms are great. The design is wonderful. Couldn't be happier with our stay there.

DISNEY SPRINGS
DS was a bit more crowded but I didn't see one person not wearing a mask and I actually can't say that I even saw anyone wearing them wrong. I did hear one or two cast members asking a guest to put mask on correctly. Walked in to The Boathouse on Sunday night for dinner (party of 4) for an outside table, had no wait. Tables were spaced appropriately and all staff wore masks. Bar had only a few strategically placed stools around it, we stopped for a drink on the way out because they had dueling pianos there that night (I think it was something special arranged for a manager's birthday).

Monday night we had a party of 7 and walked in to City Works at about 7. We called earlier in the day and they said they were booked for reservations but we could try a walk in, which was fine with us. They were using every other table and we all felt safe. Both places had disposable menus or QR codes.

Tuesday night we ate at Planet Hollywood...paper menus, everyone wearing masks and plenty of room between tables and only a few stools at the bar.

Wednesday we went to Blaze Pizza with same situation...every other table was being used, staff member got our drinks for us and masks worn by all workers. There was about a 2 minute wait to order so not bad at all. My DD and I shopped after dinner, many stores had already closed for the day (Vera, Lilly, a few others in that area), and others were limited with how many could be in at a time. There was a line to get into the Co-op but all others we were able to walk right into. And bonus that at some stores the DVC discount was 30%!

Thursday night we ate at Terralina's which was excellent...pretty much same as all the others as far as tables, menus and masks.


KONA CAFE AND FISHING EXCURSION
Lined up a 7 AM fishing trip leaving from Poly. Just three in my family plus the guide. Masks were on the entire time and there was sanitizer available. Great experience to try if you haven't! I had a 10:45 Kona reservation that I had tried to change online for days for an earlier time but no luck. We walked up there at about 9:10 after fishing and they were able to get us in right away. Tonga toast for the first time....AMAZING! Again, tables were every other and all staff wore masks.

ANIMAL KINGDOM LODGE
Checked into AKL on Wednesday AM (got text that our room was ready at 10AM!). I will say that AKL was way more crowded than SSR. Pool chairs were sopaced iout and a cast member actually walked us to chairs for us to use. Everyone seemed to give others their personal space but there were more people than I thought would be there. No night goggles that I saw. I did ask at desk but was told they weren't using them at this point.

HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS
We had not been to WDW since 2017 so a lot of new things we wanted to try! Of course main goal was RotR and we did it!! Woo Hoo!

After a week of practicing (thank you for the tip!!) here is how it all went down. I set my phone alarm for 9:55 AM and 1:55 PM for a week and practiced (and made my DD15 do the same..."I don't get this, Mom, it's simple!") We got to parking lot at 9:15 (they had the ramp to the toll/parking lot booths) closed until 9. At 9 we were allowed to get to the booths but they only opened at 9:15. DH dropped us off and we went through the temp check (go to the LEFT one...much shorter line, also a tip I read on here...thanks!). I was tempted to do M&MRR but was too nervous that we would miss the 10AM boarding so instead walked back to Slinky which opened at 9:45. We were third in line and I was still nervous!

After the ride we walked to the entrance of TS and waited in the stroller parking area. I wanted to be in an area without a lot of other people. We both had the app open and kept refreshing, my DD used cellular and I used WiFi. It does take about 10-15 seconds after clock turns to 10 to actually see the "JOIN" come up and it seems like forever, but all the practicing helped! She was able to get us BG 5 (mine was slower or maybe I just am not as fast as her )!!! We needed to get there by 11:07. The people right next to us were even faster...they were BG 2! Not sure how they did that but they did. All BG's were gone in about 20 seconds. Crazy!

Overall I would say HS was crowded but not packed. We weren't bumping into people on the streets but there were plenty of people around. Queues were well marked and spaced, everyone I saw was wearing a mask. Lots of hand sanitizer...before you entered line, before you got on ride, and right as you exited the ride. Wait times were pretty much spot on to what app was reporting, except SR said 30 minutes when we entered second time and it was more like an hour.

Only rides we were able to do more than once were SR, TS, and ToT. We did have midday break at Cantina in GE and used mobile app to order lunch. We left park at 7:15 but wish we would have stayed until 8, i think we would have been able to ride RRC once more.

Basically, we felt COVID safer in Disney than at home going to the grocery store or other stores. Less crowded, lots more sanitizer, cast members enforcing rules, and signs everywhere to remind people of social distancing and rules.

 

[GADisneyDad14]

so am I in the wrong to think that Silver APs being able to go now is NOT the reason why it's more crowded?
My reasoning is that the AP pool of spots has been full for weeks before this weekend, meaning whatever number they had allotted for all ap have been taken in days prior. So if there are 10k ap spots they have been taken by gold, platinum for weeks and now silver also get a dip in that pool
so for me the reason is not that silver aps can go now cause that allotted number is constant....unless it isn't.
Could it be that just more people feel better coming after seeing how the parks have operated for a month? more people using the resort and day ticket spots.
I've heard this silver ap position before and to me just doesn't make sense. But of course I could be wrong

While probably not a ton of people, some Silvers can also be staying on site and therefore be pulling from a different pool, right? I admit I may be a little ignorant as to the profile of a typical Silver AP holder. In staters doing a staycation and such?

IMO it’s probably several little things. Every Saturday wait times have been inching up... confidence grows, new pass levels may opt to travel, people ‘figure out’ this new system more, traditional August vacationers who liked what they say in July and kept their plans, etc. I would bet it’s some of all of the above.

Heck, a major public school system around here just pushed back reopening two weeks (was supposed to be next week) and we know two families that bolted to WDW with <24 hours notice.

Could probably pick all sorts of unique situations that are making Saturdays “feel” more crowded I guess.

(and I’m a conspiracy theorist and do think Disney tinkers with the numbers on the margins to suit whatever they see fit at the time)

I’m admittedly being OT for this thread.

 

[delmar411]

We've been to both F&G and F&W multiple times, so I was excited that even though we had to cancel the trip during F&G earlier this year that we would get at least some kind of festival in Sept. Can you share what specifically in your opinion was disappointing? I just want to mentally prepare myself. TIA!

Only a few booths were open when we went, there were multiple booths with signs saying coming in the fall. Some items that have been on the menus year after were gone, like the sliders in America (it was all seafood and smells horrid just even trying to go up to the booth). Some of the 'booths' are now in that festival center between Canada and the UK and the offerings just weren't what I personally was hoping for.

 

[Spazz2k]

I wonder if Disney has raised the AP cap to correspond with silver coming online. There are many factors that play with this weekend...also remember that if you are a silver passholders and we're not able to secure a reservation, you can purchase a ticket and have the cost of that ticket reduced from your renewal.

I do think that the crowd is definitely due to silver AP holders, like someone else stated...higher level passholders can basically come whenever they want for whatever they want. I honestly think a lot of people the past month or so may have had reservations, but for whatever reason decided not to go or maybe went to shop or dine. I'd be interested in the percent of no shows on average for the parks.