When are you planning to return to DLR?

[DizMe]

Hoping to go for Christmas Eve and Christmas. Depends on the ticket/reservation situation though. We don't have tickets and have no idea what it's going to look like when the open (and if we'll even be able to buy). We're close enough that we can drive and our hotel is refundable - so we can wait it out to see what happens as it gets closer to December. Fingers crossed!

This is my situation also. I have an AP, but my sister doesn't have tickets. We are hoping, since we're staying on site, that we'll be able to get them and get reservations for the parks, but it's an unknown right now. I also had a trip with my friend for April, moved it a few times and she finally gave up. She just wants to do something else. I bought her a 3-day ticket before they shut it down (via GAT), sent her the email and she added it to her app. Is it possible that my sister could use that, or is it only valid for my friend now?

 

[GrandBob]

Not till a vaccine is widespread, so maybe late 2021? But probably not till 2022. As much as I want to get to the parks sooner, I wouldn't feel comfortable until that point.

Pretty much our plans too. Being in (ahem) a more vulnerable age group, we want to wait until a vaccine is widely distributed. And for the infection rate to be so low that masks are no longer required. I'm hoping all the above is true by fall or winter 2021. We'll see.

 

[Peachy0118]

We were supposed to go in April... obviously since that didn't happen we have to keep looking forward. We are also from Canada and between the border being closed plus my job (as a teacher I'm tied to the school calendar) it is looking like maybe next summer? So so hard to say though. If we have to push it into 2022, then that is what we will do.

I really hope not though.

Also adding to say... We WILL go with some restrictions in place. I already wear a mask all day every day for work, and while that definitely took some getting used to, it wasn't too long before it was fine. (Plus I'm sure DL will follow suit with other places and have 'break areas'.) No parades, character meals, okay. We have not been since 2008 but plan on visiting far more frequently now (we even were seriously considering buying an AP Flex Pass during our April trip... now who knows), so I can handle that. I don't think I will feel super comfortable being on a plane or in an airport at this point, so maybe if we made a big road trip out of it? DH is currently working from home, so if it is during the summer we can even handle the 14-day quarantine upon return. (If he has to return to the office that will affect the decision with that 14-day quarantine as well.)

However, we have 5-day park hopper tickets. If there is a limit - say, 3 days or no park hopper, as is seen in DW - we won't go until those restrictions are lifted. If we are offered a refund for the difference, maybe? But I don't know how that will work... so I guess it will be one giant "we will see" on that end?

Out of curiosity, and I know it is conjecture at this point (and yes, I also know we can get a full refund as well), has anyone heard how this was handled in DW? I get it is different, but might give a good indication...

 

[Winnowill]

I don't think I will feel super comfortable being on a plane or in an airport at this point, so maybe if we made a big road trip out of it? DH is currently working from home, so if it is during the summer we can even handle the 14-day quarantine upon return. (If he has to return to the office that will affect the decision with that 14-day quarantine as well.)

I can say from recent (just last week) experience, airports are a COMPLETELY different animal from what they were pre-COVID. The three I was in were ghost towns. It was almost a pleasure. Security was a breeze, finding a place to sit near the gate was easy, and the whole thing was totally different from before. The three planes I was on had 44, 68, and 84 people on them. I flew Southwest, and they're being really careful about everything. I would not hesitate to fly somewhere right now.

 

[LizzyS]

We will come as soon as the park goes back to normal, so probably not for a few years. March was suppose to be our 3rd ever trip. We have our tickets but are going to just wait. It’s a very rare trip for us so we want it special. We actually ended up with Covid. It wasn’t that bad. My youngest and I had it the worst and it was a bad cough. Honey was the best medicine. I have zero fears about Covid.

I'm glad to hear COVID wasn't too bad for you, but I'm personally most worried about giving it to my family members that are in sensitive groups (including two that have gone though cancer treatments) or anyone else, for that matter. It's kind of a roulette wheel as to how hard the effects are for any one person and that's the worrying part for me. My in-laws' neighbor died from it (he had underlying conditions).

 

[LizzyS]

I can say from recent (just last week) experience, airports are a COMPLETELY different animal from what they were pre-COVID. The three I was in were ghost towns. It was almost a pleasure. Security was a breeze, finding a place to sit near the gate was easy, and the whole thing was totally different from before. The three planes I was on had 44, 68, and 84 people on them. I flew Southwest, and they're being really careful about everything. I would not hesitate to fly somewhere right now.

That is comforting because it looks like my husband and I will be visiting my father-in-law before winter hits in about a month. He's had cancer and they've run out of treatment options for him, so my husband is afraid this might be the last time he gets to see Dad alive. Thank you for sharing this, truly. I've been an anxious mess worrying about COVID in the airports/airplanes.

 

[Peachy0118]

I'm glad to hear COVID wasn't too bad for you, but I'm personally most worried about giving it to my family members that are in sensitive groups (including two that have gone though cancer treatments) or anyone else, for that matter. It's kind of a roulette wheel as to how hard the effects are for any one person and that's the worrying part for me. My in-laws' neighbor died from it (he had underlying conditions).

Yeah, that's where I'm at too. I am in my 30s so will probably be fine. But I dont want to pass it on. I've already decided not to see family members this school year as long as classes are in session. As a teacher, esentially I'm a plague rat and don't want to pass it on :-( No Thanksgiving or Christmas visits to family for me.

So if I have to wait longer to go to Disney, I will. I just hope I won't have to wait a super long time.... could really use some pixie dust. And by the end of this school year I will need it even more.

 

[twodogs]

I can say from recent (just last week) experience, airports are a COMPLETELY different animal from what they were pre-COVID. The three I was in were ghost towns. It was almost a pleasure. Security was a breeze, finding a place to sit near the gate was easy, and the whole thing was totally different from before. The three planes I was on had 44, 68, and 84 people on them. I flew Southwest, and they're being really careful about everything. I would not hesitate to fly somewhere right now.

I think it depends on the airline. Here in Dallas, American is our hub and is usually what we fly because we can do a non stop to almost anywhere (I would not want to do a stop over right now, for sure). However, AA is packing the flights, and they are stating that they are not leaving any empty seats, period. Since they have consolidated their flight schedules with lower numbers of people overall flying, the flights they do have are very, very full. My DH just flew yesterday for business, and the flight was again full. So please check with YOUR airline and see what their policy is before deciding if you feel safe flying (and also some of the airlines that are currently leaving open seats may/can change that policy at any time, even after you buy your ticket, of course).

 

[twodogs]

I will not be returning to DLR until I feel I can safely fly. I think I can almost wrap my head around a hotel stay, and maybe even the parks if the capacity were kept low enough and mask enforcement was robust, but the flight is difficult for me because you can't "move away" if someone near you appears sick and has their mask off (and is "eating and drinking" so it is allowed). At least at the parks, there is hopefully enough open space to get away from anything that makes one uncomfortable. If I was local, I would probably be ok going in the coming months, depending on the local case numbers.

Additionally, I will not likely be returning until DLR reinstates the room only discounts that they were offering, or offers another room discount. I have rebooked several trips, several times each (I think I am on total re-booking of stays at 8 or 9 so far since March). Now, DLR has withdrawn the 35% off room rates for re-bookings, as those offers only went through September stays, of which there will be none. I was ok with DLR keeping multiple of my deposits since January, as long as the re-booked trip retained the 35% off. I felt it was a fair trade off for me to get a big discount at the GCH and for Disney to get some working capital during this crisis. However, now they have essentially said, we baited you to let us keep your deposits for all of this time, and now you actually can't get the discount for any time that the parks are possibly going to be open. I understand that DLR does not control when they reopen, but they do control how they treat their most loyal guests (we are also APs) who have trusted DLR with their deposit funds at a time when most of us could use extra cash flow ourselves. So I have cancelled the two trips I booked for September (rebooks from March, April, May, June, July and August; yes I was hopeful!) and asked for a refund of deposits. It is not worth it for me to have almost $1500+ tied up in deposits with DLR when the only consolation they are currently offering on re-bookings is the $50/night resort credit, which I have to spend with them to "use". This is not valuable enough for me at this time.

Rant over now, and I have emailed my thoughts and disappointment to DLR also.

I miss the parks every day, and I truly hope we can go back sometime in 2020, but...

 

[theluckyrabbit]

Also adding to say... We WILL go with some restrictions in place. I already wear a mask all day every day for work, and while that definitely took some getting used to, it wasn't too long before it was fine. (Plus I'm sure DL will follow suit with other places and have 'break areas'.)...

On an encouraging note, DTD already does have a "mask relaxation zone" (and WDW has them in each park, too), so you can rest assured that DL and DCA should have these zones when they reopen.

That is comforting because it looks like my husband and I will be visiting my father-in-law before winter hits in about a month. He's had cancer and they've run out of treatment options for him, so my husband is afraid this might be the last time he gets to see Dad alive. Thank you for sharing this, truly. I've been an anxious mess worrying about COVID in the airports/airplanes.

Fingers crossed that things work out for you and your husband to have a really good trip to see your FIL. May that be a truly special, meaningful time for all of you.

 

[Mufasa2018]

We scored 5 days at GCH For end of February through DVC. We will probably do a resort and DTD stay. But the call of DCA might be too much to pass up if it is open by then. The push and pull of normalcy and safety is something I struggle with all the time. If we can keep people safe and have a little fun, I am all for it.

 

[Funtimeswithteenagers]

I'm glad to hear COVID wasn't too bad for you, but I'm personally most worried about giving it to my family members that are in sensitive groups (including two that have gone though cancer treatments) or anyone else, for that matter. It's kind of a roulette wheel as to how hard the effects are for any one person and that's the worrying part for me. My in-laws' neighbor died from it (he had underlying conditions).

Everything can be dangerous and deadly. I choose to not let myself or my family live in fear. I have family who have recently beat stage 4 breast cancer and she’s going to church and seeing friends and family and babysitting friends kids.
I have zero fears over Covid and would feel comfortable going today with no mask and no extra precautions.

 

[DonnerB]

That is comforting because it looks like my husband and I will be visiting my father-in-law before winter hits in about a month. He's had cancer and they've run out of treatment options for him, so my husband is afraid this might be the last time he gets to see Dad alive. Thank you for sharing this, truly. I've been an anxious mess worrying about COVID in the airports/airplanes.

First, sending some love to your family.

Also, I just wanted to chime in and say that I had a great experience with Delta in August. I flew home to spend ten days with my parents (after a negative COVID test). They’ve committed to no middle seats through 1/6/21. I wore an N95 I had leftover from a fit test at work the entire time, so I felt that much safer. LAX was a dream. Boarding was fast and stress-free (back to front, nobody worried about cutting to get their carry-on onboard).

It will definitely be a new level of anxiety the first time I have to fly on a packed plane, however...

 

[Disney127]

We had to cancel our Christmas trip. Our Cdn government advises against non-essential travel so we will just have to wait and see. Not planning to travel in 2021, maybe we can visit DL again in 2022.

@WonkaKid Rob, I do miss your reports and photos. It always brought a little bit of Disney into our lives since we can’t visit as often as we would like.

 

[FinnFogg]

We are booked for Disneyland next May, but I expect that we may wind up cancelling. We’re also booked into Aulani for Xmas, a week in Feb and a week in March, and I think it’s a 99% chance that the Xmas and Feb trips get cancelled (especially since we are from Canada and expect to have travel restrictions in pace for the foreseeable future), and likely March as well, but it makes me (somewhat) happy booking trips with my DVC points and seeing them in my dashboard, even if deep down inside I know it won’t happen. My husband thinks I am crazy, but humours me anyway.

 

[WonkaKid]

@WonkaKid Rob, I do miss your reports and photos. It always brought a little bit of Disney into our lives since we can’t visit as often as we would like.

Thank you. I hope to be able to post pics again one day soon. It would be fun to be at the park on re-opening day but that may be a tough reservation to get. I will try, though. A friend from DL told me on Sunday that she doesn’t plan to return for quite some time - perhaps not until the danger has lessened markedly or a proven vaccine is finally available.

 

[cosmicdare]

We are booked for Disneyland next May, but I expect that we may wind up cancelling. We’re also booked into Aulani for Xmas, a week in Feb and a week in March, and I think it’s a 99% chance that the Xmas and Feb trips get cancelled (especially since we are from Canada and expect to have travel restrictions in pace for the foreseeable future), and likely March as well, but it makes me (somewhat) happy booking trips with my DVC points and seeing them in my dashboard, even if deep down inside I know it won’t happen. My husband thinks I am crazy, but humours me anyway.

If it's any consolation, I don't think you're crazy. Either that or I'm crazy as well because I find a sense of hope and joy looking at a trip in my dashboard that I should probably cancel sooner rather than later.

 

[pjredhead]

WE are planning a trip June 2021. Hopefully park will be open.

 

[amyg1975]

As soon as they let me! We had the first weekend of October booked, and our next booking is November 13th.

 

[Briarrose1306]

I'm there as soon as I feasibly can be. Hoping they'll open soon and I can get a mid or late October trip in. My only deterrent is work but as long as I can schedule it around that, I'm there!