Here Now & Just Back WDW Reopening Experiences Including Park Hopping

[Lilysmom]

We’re here now. We were down in May for a long weekend and the trip was enjoyable so we proceeded with this ten day trip. Doing a split stay at BLT and GF. Honestly I can’t wait to go home and that’s never my Disney attitude. They increased capacity WAY to quickly with lots of the people eater attractions still closed and zero FP. We’ve experienced waits of over 100 minutes several times this week at all of the parks (and we’re rope droppers so not waiting until midday to hit the parks.) The parks are packed. CMs are short staffed. Garbage cans are overflowing. Last night in the Splash Mountain queue one corner had literally become a trash heap of water bottles and cups. Dozens of them so you could tell it hadn’t been addressed all day. I counted yesterday in MK because I felt like every single hand sanitizing station was empty. We hit 16 empty ones before the 17th try being full. Back in May they were all over the place, all full and they had actual hand washing stations at some parks. Dining is packed. Mobile ordering has been a life saver but my preference wouldn’t be 2-3 quick service meals a day. (We did have some sit down reservations that I was able to secure before leaving but it was difficult even at 60 days out.) I mentioned my concerns to guest services and they agreed but there is literally nothing they can do. We’ve been coming here for thirty years often multiple times a year and this trip just ended up being a huge waste and all around bummer no matter how we tried to adjust expectations. Scrapped our last park day today snd just hanging at the Grand. We decided we won’t be back until things are addressed and operating differently.

 

[Lilysmom]

Read on another site that WDW brought back eating and drinking only while stationary. If you can go maskless outside I'm not sure why that policy would be re-introduced. Can someone verify the validity of that?

There are signs all over that state that. It isn’t being followed nor enforced from my experience these past few days

 

[Donald Duck Family]

There are signs all over that state that. It isn’t being followed nor enforced from my experience these past few days

I am at MK right now and have seen no signs stating that. The only time I have heard it announced that you could not eat or drink was while standing in line (where masks are required).

 

[soniam]

Read on another site that WDW brought back eating and drinking only while stationary. If you can go maskless outside I'm not sure why that policy would be re-introduced. Can someone verify the validity of that?

You can’t eat or drink in line and in shops when masks are required. We walked outside eating and drinking all weekend.

 

[DaniMoon]

I am at MK right now and have seen no signs stating that. The only time I have heard it announced that you could not eat or drink was while standing in line (where masks are required).

You can’t eat or drink in line and in shops when masks are required. We walked outside eating and drinking all weekend.

This is really the only thing that makes sense in regards to stationary eating with no masking outdoors. Thanks for confirming.

 

[bravenyc]

Slightly off topic but in case people weren’t aware, when COVID hit, the way Universal went about their employees was SO MUCH better than Disney. So when it was time to call employees back, universal didn’t struggle nearly as much which i would say is pretty evident. I’m sure everyone can make their own opinions of the CMs at Disney vs. Universal right now and I’m also sure there will always be exceptionally good and bad instances with CMs but food for thought

Really, I have hears that Universal is also really struggling with staffing and that is why lines for food are so long.

 

[Ricguz]

This was the worst Disney experience we have ever had. We come every year, spend thousands of dollars on Disney vacations--and this one was so disappointing. I've never been disappointed at Disney or wanted to leave early (we checked out early).

The crowds and lines were things that compared with Christmas or Spring break/Easter. Expect to wait a good hour for anything. Philharmagic was even a 30 minute wait. I have never in my life seen the parks like this in July. Yes, you expect heat in July, but what you aren't used to is an hour long wait in the blazing sun before you even enter the indoor que...and no, the reason the line for Big Thunder is all the way back at the Shooting arcade isn't because of social distancing (you are jam packed with people in lines, just walking through the parks--wall to wall), it is literally that long (and this was at 8pm in the evening when you might anticipate crowds to be thinning). There was a Cast member holding a "the line starts here" sign just to get into the Confectionery. Lines for all the snacks, etc. The theme here is an hour line for everything so choose your time/heat tolerance energy well. If you expect the lines to move quicker because there is no Fast Pass, I assure you its still the same capacity of guests going to rides--just all in one line. It doesn't move quicker and Disney clearly has increased capacity this month (during our stay Hollywood and MK both reached the maximum capacity).

Hollywood, we got up at 6:45 AM, three of us trying to get a boarding group for Rise, and constantly refreshing. We were in the lobby at BW so the Cast Member could assist us, out of 5 families, only 1 got a board group. We decided to try for the 1. Even at rope drop, you waited in a sweaty long in the sun line before you could go get in the line at 8:30 for the rides--the people going to Toy Story land, may be the force be with them...there lines were astronomical (we sadly didn't even make it into Toy Story land this trip). There was at least an hour for every ride in Hollywood that day--we didn't get the 1pm and promptly headed back to our room to cool down. We were told later by another guest at the pool the ride was down for hours so they just didn't do 1pm boarding groups so they could just try to get all the morning groups on when it loaded. All the parks were similarly packed...

Lines for Food and Wine booths at Epcot on our last night, also so very long--made you rethink getting anything. You just couldn't escape the lines no matter what park/time of day, etc. We tried rope drop, mid day, during rain, close...all with limited success.

Mousekeeping--non existent. There were 5 of us at the BW, we got 5 towels, meant to last us and 1 bottle each of toiletry. I had to call to get more, call daily to get the overflowing trash emptied, etc. No one makes the beds or any tidying of the room. I knew it would be less--but I paid $500 a night for this?

We noticed little things like the landscape not as trimmed as it would expect at the quiet pools (first world problem for sure, but its just not the Disney difference), chairs would be scattered or in disarray and no one was tidying them, wet towels on the ground that a guest left that morning, still there that evening when we went for a night time swim. Mosquitoes seem to be worse--not sure if they have cut back on pest control--but I got several mosquito bites this trip near the pool (we spent a lot of time in the quiet pool to escape the crowds and lines) and I've never gotten bug bites at Disney.

Park reservation system is absolutely awful and IMO contributing to the massive crowd swells. Many people won't park hop (and honestly it doesn't make much sense, and like many things at Disney right now you are are paying way more than the value you are getting back) so they stay in all day...Magic Kingdom and Hollywood are consistently the two most stressful and no shows, character meets, etc. to absorb the crowds.

By day 4 we were so done, we only rode one ride. This trip we did less than we have ever done at Disney--we rode no mountains, we left feeling so sad that this is what the pandemic has done to the place we love so much. This was not an uplifting trip--if you are on the fence, I wouldn't recommend going to anyone right now. We spoke to so many Disney vets while there who said the same....I'm sorry.

The good--it does appear the college program has just started back up and the cast members were enthusiastic, wonderful and about the only aspect of the "Disney Difference" we experienced this week....

I’m so sorry about the experience you had. I have been telling everyone that since the pandemic the experience is not the same. You are paying premium pricing for less of an experience. Especially those who are Disney Veterans that know how magical Disney can be with all the venues open, parades, concerts, food etc…. The guests who have never experienced Disney at its best, I understand that they want to get away, but this is not the time to get the Disney experience. The magic is not there. Don’t pay premium prices for a lesser product. Be patient.

 

[Lilysmom]

I was there yesterday and there are definitely multiple signs especially at attraction queues that state you can only eat and drink when stationary

 

[luv2cheer92]

I was there yesterday and there are definitely multiple signs especially at attraction queues

Yes, attraction queues absolutely. That is well established. There is no rule about walking around and eating or drinking.

 

[sticker231]

Mask enforcement is inconsistent also. As long as you have them on when you enter the line and as you board, nothing is said. Unfortunately, a decent amount of people are taking them off right after they enter the line and place them back on as the boarding cast member is in sight. There should be a CM midway enforcing the mask rule. I’ve noticed several overflowing trash cans also. Very different situation from our trip in June. I feel bad for the CMs, they have their hands full.

 

[cakebaker]

I was there yesterday and there are definitely multiple signs especially at attraction queues that state you can only eat and drink when stationary

Eating and drinking are never allowed in the indoor queues. Has not much to do with the new policy. I’ve seen nothing about having to be stationary to eat or drink outdoors.

 

[sticker231]

Read on another site that WDW brought back eating and drinking only while stationary. If you can go maskless outside I'm not sure why that policy would be re-introduced. Can someone verify the validity of that?

Saw that also, but haven’t personally seen those signs in the parks. Masks aren’t required outside, so this seems possible/likely.

Eating and drinking are never allowed in the indoor queues. Has not much to do with the new policy. I’ve seen nothing about having to be stationary to eat or drink outdoors.

agree

 

[rockpiece]

Eating and drinking are never allowed in the indoor queues. Has not much to do with the new policy. I’ve seen nothing about having to be stationary to eat or drink outdoors.

That’s not true, as long as you finish whatever you have by the last trash can before the actual attraction. I have grabbed a beer or drink and got in the line for Tower or test track numerous times and took it inside. Sucks you can’t drink in line anymore.

 

[luv2cheer92]

That’s not true, as long as you finish whatever you have by the last trash can before the actual attraction. I have grabbed a beer or drink and got in the line for Tower or test track numerous times and took it inside. Sucks you can’t drink in line anymore.

Yea I very frequently went through lines with a drink in hand, no issues. Snacks too. CMs always just said to make sure I finished before getting on the ride, or if able put it away.

 

[Lilysmom]

Yes, attraction queues absolutely. That is well established. There is no rule about walking around and eating or drinking.

I never said there was a rule about eating or drinking outside. My exact words in response to this

Read on another site that WDW brought back eating and drinking only while stationary. If you can go maskless outside I'm not sure why that policy would be re-introduced. Can someone verify the validity of that?

Were
There are signs all over that state that. It isn’t being followed nor enforced from my experience these past few days

And it is not being enforced in indoor lines either t

 

[luv2cheer92]

I never said there was a rule about eating or drinking outside. My exact words in response to this

Were
There are signs all over that state that. It isn’t being followed nor enforced from my experience these past few days

And it is not being enforced in indoor lines either t

The "signs all over" seemed to imply that they were more than just near attraction entrances/ride lines.

 

[tinkerhon]

I haven't been to Universal for years but several friends also have stated Universal is beating Disney in terms of customer service, ride excitement, etc. I think I may go and see if that is true!

I love Disney as much as the next person, but the customer service has become worse--- Every time I had to call them during my trip, the wait time was 2 hrs plus -- Tried to make miniature golf reservations--- 2 hr wait--- needed to cancel a same-day ADR when my son got sick--- 2 hrs wait---

The best was the night that I needed to reserve luggage assistance for our departure day-- went to the front desk at ASM--- really nice CM came to help me--- asked if we could check out a but later--- Noon- 12:15 PM - no problem---
Then asked for luggage assistance- She told me "no problem, the desk is right outside of the doors--- the yellow desk--- just go tell them"---

Went to the desk, and was asked what I needed--- the CM told me to call them. I said "I am right here, and was told just to come to the desk"--- was told again to call--- I asked when, and was told in the morning--- Following morning I called, and no one answered the phone--- when they finally did, was told that they didnt have any "available time slots" for a noon pickup---

 

[luv2cheer92]

Ok you win. You’re exhausting

Lol ok, just trying to understand what you mean because it's very unclear. If its just signs by the attractions then thats obvious.

 

[Chaitali]

Had an interesting evening at Magic Kingdom. We took the bus from the Swan to the TTC and then the ferry to the park. I think we got there around 4:45 or so. We did Carousel of Progress and then philharmagic. Then we saw it looked like it might rain in the evening so we put our name on the walk up list for Skippers Canteen with a 55 minute wait.

After that we did Peter Pan. We got in line for haunted mansion but that was a fail . Touring plans thought it would be 25 minutes and posted wait was 40 minutes. But we waited 40 minutes and didn’t even get through to the main line. It kept stopping for some reason. And it was getting close to when we might get called for dinner. So we bailed. I’m not sure what was happening there.

We did some shopping and then had dinner at Skippers Canteen. Our table was called around 7. It was delicious! But definitely no distancing there. Our table was only about a foot from the table next to us.

It didn’t actually end up raining I don’t think. So we went over to tomorrow land and did buzz and people mover. After that, it was around 9 so we went to fantasy land to get ready for fireworks. We watched from the bridge by Belle’s Castle and it was amazing! It really felt like being in the middle of the show. We edged our way to Haunted Mansion so we could hop in line right as the fireworks ended and we were the second party from the stretching room doors. This ended up great and there weren’t a lot of people in the stretching room with us. When we got out the line had really built up.

We did it’s a small world with no wait and then it was past 10. So we made our way out of the park. Main Street was still crowded but you could definitely maneuver and move with ease. It was much better than leaving right after fireworks. We got to the bus stop right as a bus for beach club pulled up and there was only one
party in front of us. We walked back to the Swan from Yacht Club and that’s the end of our day. The only things we wanted to ride and didn’t get were Jungle Cruise and Mine Train. We could have hopped on one of those at the end of the night instead of Small World but we were tired and didn’t want to wait longer.

Tomorrow is Hollywood Studios! Wish me luck with a boarding pass . I’ve read all the tips on that thread so I’m as ready as I’ll ever be. I haven’t seen Galaxy’s Edge yet and am really excited for it. I’m a big Star Wars nerd!

 

[Mike Mantis]

As I’ve posted on a few other threads, I’m here now and spent entire day at MK today.

Had a blast. Rained for 30 minutes and two lightning events in the area messed with rides a bit, but it was a good time.

Were there crowds, heck yes (it’s August before school starts)… Were there people not wearing masks (absolutely, but I fight that at the grocery store back home)… Did it stink with no fast passes (kinda but I didn’t have a rigid schedule to follow)…

I feel for those who posted and had bad times. But this isn’t the Disney apocalypse and it’s not the end of the “Disney Magic”. Things change.

Not trying to say anyone else is wrong in their views or that some of the Covid restrictions are “theater”.

Hopefully those reading these threads will come with expectations aligned for the reality of what Disney World now is and not what it used to be.