Does anyone want to venture a guess when Disney World will be completely back to it's 2019 level again?

[Timandalicia]

I know everything will not come back 100%. But I'm hoping for all the live park shows to be back, some park street entertainment, modified character meet and greets, parades and fireworks. I'd like to see the return of fast pass or equivalent and dining packages. Also I'm hoping all the resorts and restaurants will be open again, too. Will we get there in a year, two, or three?

I realize know one can predict the future of Covid, but I just feel and hope to get back to most of the good old days at Disney World. Supposedly, the US will have enough vaccines to go around our country by May. Maybe, we can even get herd immunity.

I'm thinking Disney World will have to try sooner or later to get back to more normal operations.

So, what are your thoughts on it?

September 17, 2021

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

Live shows: A few in 2021, maybe a few more in 2022, several never coming back;
Street entertainment: whenever Bob Chapek retires; agreed
Character meets: A few in 2022, many never coming back.
Parades: maybe for special parties/events only in 2022
Fireworks: for special parties/events only in 2022;
Fastpass: Never; agreed
Fastpass equivalent: whenever they can get the tech to work; agreed
Dining packages: I don’t understand the appeal so I haven’t paid attention; I think coming back soon, this is a moneymaker for them.
Resorts: 2021; agreed
Restaurants: 2021; agreed.

My predictions edited into the above

 

[MamaBelle4]

Those feelings unfortunately can’t be replicate by an impersonal cavalcade.

Oh I disagree! When we were watching the cavalcade, every time there was a Donald Duck, he singled out DS3 who was wearing his Donald Duck hat and pointed at him, pointed at himself and made a little heart with his hands. Daisy blew him kisses. There is something unexpectedly special and exciting about being picked out of a crowd too!

 

[Timandalicia]

My predictions edited into the above

Wow those are some strong predictions. How about the Hoop Dee Doo Revue?

 

[CastAStone]

My predictions edited into the above

I think fireworks on October 1st are a lock. What park? TBD. Wouldn’t shock me if they decide they can do them at DHS and Epcot but not the Hub. Or if they have firework cavalcades at MK - random 40 seconds mini shows.

 

[DisneyMama811]

Everyone has their own preferences, but my kids have had very personal interactions with face characters that were worth every minute of waiting in line. Lifelong memory kind of stuff. Those feelings unfortunately can’t be replicate by an impersonal cavalcade. I would be so sad if character meet and greets didn’t ever return, particularly face characters. Some of those interactions were just pure magic.

I don’t mind the cavalcades, but not at the expense of personal experiences.

I agree with you completely, we are planning to take the kids for the first time hopefully in 2022, it depends on several things but if Character meet and greets never come back, I will be heartbroken. my kids are still young and everything Disney is magical to them. the thought that they'll never get to hug Mickey Mouse or twirl in a ball gown with Cinderella actually makes me tearful.

 

[MickeyWaffles]

Oh I disagree! When we were watching the cavalcade, every time there was a Donald Duck, he singled out DS3 who was wearing his Donald Duck hat and pointed at him, pointed at himself and made a little heart with his hands. Daisy blew him kisses. There is something unexpectedly special and exciting about being picked out of a crowd too!

Yeah, I get that - we are big Festival of Fantasy fans and my kids have had some cute and fun point & wave parade moments. Still for us, the personal meet and greets with face characters are just so very special and I don’t want to see those go away. Everyone has their things they value, and personal meet and greets have been some of our absolute most magical moments at the parks and on DCL. My kids will gladly wait in line after line to talk to characters.

 

[samsonjs]

I think fireworks on October 1st are a lock. What park? TBD. Wouldn’t shock me if they decide they can do them at DHS and Epcot but not the Hub. Or if they have firework cavalcades at MK - random 40 seconds mini shows.

I think fireworks shows where people gather will be postponed but I could see random fireworks shows where you can see them from anywhere in the park before 2021. The hub gets so crowded.

but what will happen when people start traveling into the US from other countries? That’s my biggest question. The US could have vaccines widely administered but if other countries don’t, then what happens? That’s more on a National/political scale but I’m sure Disney is having to consider it.

 

[whiporee]

Full capacity: Late June
Fireworks: July 3
Meet & greets: gone for a few years until they want to add "new" experiences
FPs: Mid September
MDE: Never really goes away
Old parades: Gone for good for FoF
Masks: as soon as the CDC says it's okay to be maskless outside. Probably May

ETA: I think there could be a hold up because of not being able to rehire the whole workforce as quickly as they want, but I think they'll short staff until they do.

 

[middlechild]

A factor we do not know, that affects the answer to this question, is how the media treats Covid post June 1. If people keep clicking articles & headlines then media will not let it go and WDW never returns. If media drops coverage, then WDW returns just enough to fill hotels. The lack of full return is not fully dependant on Covid disappearing from headlines, the return is impacted by changing demographics. Follow the fast pass discussion, there are some out there that will not return until the price paid spikes up to reduce crowds. Disney store closings. Few families exist anymore to feed the Disney pipeline. So cut away, Mr Chapek, until the twenty somethings stop coming. Hopefully Disney+ keeps the company afloat.

 

[Bete]

We have been to many amusement parks through the years and right now Dollywood and Silver Dollar City, for example are getting back to their new normal slow but sure. Live entertainment is in their plans this year. Festivals are in their schedules, too.

Dollywood sounds very appealing to me right now; because, you have the Smokies, as well. Obviously, it's so much cheaper to do a vacation there. You can get a wilderness style cabin for your stay which many feel are a safer option. Anyway, Disney World to continue to compete in this industry will need to step up their game. I don't believe they can continue down this path too much longer. It's the kiss of death if they do.

I live in the Midwest and we have been to Disney World over forty times. We have stayed offsite and onsite. We have stayed all levels of resort accomodations from value to deluxe. We have done the dining plan many times, too. We have done extra experiences, as well. I'm not going back until it's at least 80% of what it was in it's heyday. I'm happy now that we had so many good experiences there. If it's over over there then we will choose other destinations. Our group of 8 can enjoy other vacation destinations.

 

[Fido Chuckwagon]

Masks: as soon as the CDC says it's okay to be maskless outside. Probably May

Given that the cost-benefit analysis for masks is basically no cost, lots of benefit, masks will almost certainly be one of the last recommendations the CDC drops. There's no way it gets dropped in May. May of '22? maybe.

 

[CastAStone]

Masks: as soon as the CDC says it's okay to be maskless outside. Probably May

Given that the cost-benefit analysis for masks is basically no cost, lots of benefit, masks will almost certainly be one of the last recommendations the CDC drops. There's no way it gets dropped in May. May of '22? maybe.

 

[MickeyWaffles]

View attachment 562544

Mickey has spoken.

 

[momdad4kids]

Disney is all about money. Things will never be back to 2019 standards, not in the foreseeable future anyway, Possibly covid restrictions will be lifted by very late this year in time for Christmas crowds but I wouldn't count on it. There will be a crowd surge for Oct and the start of the Anniversary but I expect it will be trail off as a lot of visitors who are aren't regulars will still be suffering from PTSD. Given the panic created over eliminating masks in some states, these individuals will be 2 years feeling safe in public again. Restaurants and hotels will be slow re-opening, again depending on attendance. I expect resorts will only partially re-open rooms, allowing Disney to manage staffing and keeping prices up, The dining plan will be back in an effort to draw visitors into Disneys own hotels likely this fall. Live entertainment will never return to pre-Covid levels and expect Keisha is right, they will be attached to a fee such as a dinner show. Fast Pass is done, I doubt it will ever return, instead they will introduce a fee based priority ticket like DL or Universal, possibly included if you choose deluxe accommodations. March break has already shown that people will come back without all the perks and still pay full price. Given Disney has already stated they are done investing in theme park operations for the foreseeable future I think WDW will never be back to 2019.

 

[Timandalicia]

Disney is all about money. Things will never be back to 2019 standards, not in the foreseeable future anyway, Possibly covid restrictions will be lifted by very late this year in time for Christmas crowds but I wouldn't count on it. There will be a crowd surge for Oct and the start of the Anniversary but I expect it will be trail off as a lot of visitors who are aren't regulars will still be suffering from PTSD. Given the panic created over eliminating masks in some states, these individuals will be 2 years feeling safe in public again. Restaurants and hotels will be slow re-opening, again depending on attendance. I expect resorts will only partially re-open rooms, allowing Disney to manage staffing and keeping prices up, The dining plan will be back in an effort to draw visitors into Disneys own hotels likely this fall. Live entertainment will never return to pre-Covid levels and expect Keisha is right, they will be attached to a fee such as a dinner show. Fast Pass is done, I doubt it will ever return, instead they will introduce a fee based priority ticket like DL or Universal, possibly included if you choose deluxe accommodations. March break has already shown that people will come back without all the perks and still pay full price. Given Disney has already stated they are done investing in theme park operations for the foreseeable future I think WDW will never be back to 2019.

Free live shows are a cheap way to make more people enjoy the parks without going on rides. What is less expensive, the castle show or the Tron ride? With that, they are total crowd control for the rides. You ever go on Splash Mountain during a night time show? It’s empty. I can’t predict the future but I do know that your statements of money and shows contradict each other.

I think there is either a tendency to see the dark because of the soft shutdown, or see the light at the end of this tunnel. I’d rather do the latter.

Going January 2022. Can’t wait to pick my fastpasses! Woohoo!

 

[JakeAZ]

Going January 2022. Can’t wait to pick my fastpasses! Woohoo!

Make sure your CC is properly linked to your account before you do

 

[Missingmypooh]

If characters aren’t back in September... we’re hiring a private princess for my daughters 4th birthday. There are SO many character businesses in the Orlando area. (Haven’t found a legit Mickey for obvious reasons, but Ariel and Eric? You bet!) Apparently there’s a studio nearby that does princess makeovers like BBB and that’s on my list should it not be back by September. Kids are only little once!

those amazing still life statues from the arts festival at Epcot? My town hired them for the Christmas festival in 2020. These actors have had to modify to survive.

Disney can do away with whatever they want to, but the consumers have the ultimate say in what they will tolerate.

 

[mrsap]

COVID-19 Guidelines Could Loosen By 4th of July According to Dr. Fauci

 

[Timandalicia]

Make sure your CC is properly linked to your account before you do

Ironically, we will be doing a vip tour this trip.