***Official September 2020 Thread***

[butterscotchcollins]

Also, Monday is the last day that Epcot will be open until 9pm and the only day of our trip that we'll have a chance to be in a park after dark. I'm hoping, like you, that the remaining days of the week will be very quiet in the parks.

This is exactly why we moved our Epcot day to Labor Day, even though it's our arrival day. Even if it's busy with Labor Day crowds/locals enjoying F&W we should still theoretically have enough time to do everything we want to do by 9pm, i.e. every single attraction + eat and drink ourselves silly. We will actually have more park hours available on that day because of the operating hours than our original planned day during the week. I'm so excited, I can't wait to go!

 

[karen4546]

We had to cancel our BOG dinner reservation for 9/26. It WAS for 6:20 but since the park hours are shortened then it would have been canceled anyway. I don’t love paying for dinner at lunch but my daughter hasn’t been since 2012 and she wants to eat there. Oh how I miss the BOG pre park opening breakfast using a qs dining credit and then going over to ride 7DMT.....

 

[Mrs Grumpy]

These cuts in hours really stink. After we started seeing hints of it happening on Friday I went in and made as many resort ADR's as I could find for dinners after park closing and canceled several that we had in the parks to hopefully gain a little more ride time. Three weeks from this Saturday and it is hard to get excited for.

 

[butterscotchcollins]

These cuts in hours really stink. After we started seeing hints of it happening on Friday I went in and made as many resort ADR's as I could find for dinners after park closing and canceled several that we had in the parks to hopefully gain a little more ride time. Three weeks from this Saturday and it is hard to get excited for.

I had to modify my only in-park ADR for Oga's because it was at 7:05 and I didn't want to chance it The rest of our dinner reservations are well outside park hours, like 8pm or later, to try and eat up some of that evening time.

 

[momimouse27]

I went in and also added some ADR's for outside the park. There won't be much to do with the parks closing so early. I added Art Smith's Homecomin', which I'm really excited about. I saw today that Edison and Maria and Enzo's will be opening in August too, so I may check into those.

 

[nancy155]

I went in and also added some ADR's for outside the park. There won't be much to do with the parks closing so early. I added Art Smith's Homecomin', which I'm really excited about. I saw today that Edison and Maria and Enzo's will be opening in August too, so I may check into those.

I love Enzos hideaway! Does anyone know if Dawa is open?

 

[CruellaNY]

I love Enzos hideaway! Does anyone know if Dawa is open?

Unfortunately Dawa Bar is not open yet Every time we walked by a couple weeks ago I was hoping they had magically opened lol, I needed my Bloody Mary! I believe the order regarding bars not opening unless at least 51% of their sales is in food is still in effect

 

[nancy155]

Unfortunately Dawa Bar is not open yet Every time we walked by a couple weeks ago I was hoping they had magically opened lol, I needed my Bloody Mary! I believe the order regarding bars not opening unless at least 51% of their sales is in food is still in effect

Best Bloody Mary’s ever! Boston Bob.

 

[crazymomof4]

This will be long but want to give my take on masks down there We are just back from Disney and also went to Universal in June.
I am not a mask person. Don't get made! What I mean is if you had to put people into 2 groups; those who don't mind masks at all and those who despise wearing one (but do anyway) I would run to the 2nd group. Doesn't matter if it's in a freezing cold grocery store or under a blazing 110 degree sun. I also despise heat in general lol and the ONLY place you'll find me outside if it's over 78 degrees is Disney. Back in 2014 we tried the summer since our kids were getting older and I thought I would hate it but we've been every summer since and usually go at least twice between July and September now. Of course I prefer our trips during cooler times but I've learned to deal with and enjoy the hot ones!

So! In June at Universal the masks were nowhere near as bad as I thought they would be. For reference my youngest who are 14 and 18 have no issues wearing them and never complain. DH also doesn't usually complain and wears them at both jobs so is more used to them. Last week at Disney was hotter than June but coming from this person who loves being indoors in full a/c any time she can, again it was nowhere near as unbearable as one would think. I mean, you sweat in July down there. At least I do; and I look at those women who are wearing denim and short sleeve shirts with their hair down and look perfectly put together while I have my hair up, dry fit clothes on, and sweat dripping down every area of my body it can The mask made it no different. Yeah my face was a little bit more sweaty but that's it. And honestly, again from someone who rips that mask off as soon as I hit the parking lots of stores and nobody is by me, there were times we'd sit to eat and DH would say "you can take your mask off" because you get so used to wearing it.

We had a wonderful trip with wonderful DIS friends we often travel with and in no way did the masks ruin that. Of course this is our POV and not everyones but I do feel that if you want to go, and the masks are really the only thing you're questioning, give it a try! It's also easy to leave and come back since the waits don't get longer at night and you can totally fit in all you want to do so missing a few hours if you need to return to your room for a mask break doesn't mean missing attractions. Book a TS lunch and late TS dinner if that's in your budget, as it then gives you two guaranteed mask breaks in a/c even if you only get apps at one. We also don't usually spend time at resort pools as I hate water but at both Uni with our kids and last week at Disney just us we did go to the pool to relax mid-day and it felt good to know we weren't "wasting" time not in the parks due to lower crowds and of course you get a mask break then as well. I don't hate pool time as much as I thought lol.

Again sorry this was long, I do have a TR going on the TR board if you want to look! If you decide to go I hope you have a wonderful time; we cannot wait to be back in Sept!

This was SOOOOO encouraging to read! Where I live, masks have been mandatory at all indoor public places since March so I'm used to the mask wearing but..... mainly this has been for short periods of time and in A/C.. I've been getting increasingly apprehensive about the thought of all day in the FL heat. Also, I'm in the wonderful "hot flash" stage of womanhood. For our Sept trip, I've purchased a personal fan, cooling towel and made cooling face wipes (peppermint oil + witch hazel + aloe). Reading you post has gone a long way toward settling my worries. Thank you!!

 

[crazymomof4]

Well...after going back and forth for a few months now, last night made final decision and I am going as planned in September! My flights have changed several times by the airlines, but still at this point in time have a non stop which is what I really want.

We booked an early non-stop with SW and the departure times were tweeked 3 x but still non-stop then..... last Tue they did what they call a "Simple Re-accomodation" and now we are on a flight with a 1 hr layover. This now has us landing 4 hours later than the one we originally booked. Grrr
Meanwhile our flight home on American hasn't changed one bit!

 

[wendow]

This was SOOOOO encouraging to read! Where I live, masks have been mandatory at all indoor public places since March so I'm used to the mask wearing but..... mainly this has been for short periods of time and in A/C.. I've been getting increasingly apprehensive about the thought of all day in the FL heat. Also, I'm in the wonderful "hot flash" stage of womanhood. For our Sept trip, I've purchased a personal fan, cooling towel and made cooling face wipes (peppermint oil + witch hazel + aloe). Reading you post has gone a long way toward settling my worries. Thank you!!

I’m in agreement with @CruellaNY and I am also another one who hates the masks. We’ve NOT had to wear them, even indoors, until recently. So we weren’t as used to them as others. My biggest fear going into our July trip was that the masks were going to ruin it for us. We started practicing before our trip and while I felt we were beginning to get used to them, I was still worried those pesky things would ruin the whole trip. We did 9 nights and 8 park days. It was hot. Brutally so. The masks were something I did dread putting on but after a bit, I’d forget about it. Legit just forget!! And realize that, yes, I was hot and sweaty but it wasn’t because of the mask. It was because it’s July in Florida. I’m convinced there’s still a magical time to be had and I’m so glad we went ahead and visited.
ETA: none of my 4 kids complained much about them at all. Most would be my ds11 but he has a lot of sensory issues.

 

[CruellaNY]

This was SOOOOO encouraging to read! Where I live, masks have been mandatory at all indoor public places since March so I'm used to the mask wearing but..... mainly this has been for short periods of time and in A/C.. I've been getting increasingly apprehensive about the thought of all day in the FL heat. Also, I'm in the wonderful "hot flash" stage of womanhood. For our Sept trip, I've purchased a personal fan, cooling towel and made cooling face wipes (peppermint oil + witch hazel + aloe). Reading you post has gone a long way toward settling my worries. Thank you!!

I'm so glad it helped! I get the "hot flash" - right there with you lol. In Universal there was one day around 1pm that I looked at the family and said "I gotta get this mask off" because I felt waves and waves of heat rolling over me. I just went into a restroom quickly and into a stall and took the mask off ( interesting that we go into a public bathroom stall to BREATHE lol!) and then we took an afternoon break. We returned around 4:30 and I was all good! And July was hotter than when we were at Uni in June so I think I was possibly just more used to the mask? I do like the sound of those cooling face wipes and may look into getting some Keep planning- the little we have to- and enjoy your trip!

 

[emmabelle]

we'll be in Disney 9/6 to 9/11 staying at the Riviera. I've got MK planned for Labor Day with a ressie at Liberty Tree for 6:15pm. We're doing Epcot on arrival day 9/6. Hopefully I don't regret MK on a holiday.

 

[butterscotchcollins]

we'll be in Disney 9/6 to 9/11 staying at the Riviera. I've got MK planned for Labor Day with a ressie at Liberty Tree for 6:15pm. We're doing Epcot on arrival day 9/6. Hopefully I don't regret MK on a holiday.

I've been to MK on Labor Day for the past 2 years; it's usually the Saturday and Sunday before that are busier. Have fun!

 

[LaDonna]

we'll be in Disney 9/6 to 9/11 staying at the Riviera. I've got MK planned for Labor Day with a ressie at Liberty Tree for 6:15pm. We're doing Epcot on arrival day 9/6. Hopefully I don't regret MK on a holiday.

We chose MK for Labor Day too it was already my original plan and it’s my anniversary so I thought it would be nice to be there

 

[emmabelle]

I wanted to take advantage of MK being open until 7pm, but didn't want to go there on our arrival day. You never know what could happen with flights. At least I know we can get there for rope drop on Labor Day. We rented a car this time to stay off the busses and hopefully get to the parks with the least amount of trouble. I hate paying $205 for the rental and $125 to park it, but I think it makes sense for the current situation. We're also hoping to use our UO pass one last time before it expires so a car will come in handy.

 

[butterscotchcollins]

I wanted to take advantage of MK being open until 7pm, but didn't want to go there on our arrival day. You never know what could happen with flights. At least I know we can get there for rope drop on Labor Day. We rented a car this time to stay off the busses and hopefully get to the parks with the least amount of trouble. I hate paying $205 for the rental and $125 to park it, but I think it makes sense for the current situation. We're also hoping to use our UO pass one last time before it expires so a car will come in handy.

Given the horror stories lately on the bus times I think you made the right decision

 

[disneyjr77]

I looked up Paging Mr. Morrow on y'all's recommendation and love him! I love that he does stuff outside of Disney...the antique store, themed houses, etc...and yes, his enthusiasm and pure happiness of being in the park and in what he does just makes him a great vlogger to watch.

 

[LaDonna]

We will have a car but I just can’t decide if we want to do the buses or not..... We normally park our car and never see it until we leave..... We like being dropped off right in front of the parks..... I’m wondering just how much extra walking it is if you drive yourself.......

 

[esmee1sttip]

Given the horror stories lately on the bus times I think you made the right decision

We will have a car but I just can’t decide if we want to do the buses or not..... We normally park our car and never see it until we leave..... We like being dropped off right in front of the parks..... I’m wondering just how much extra walking it is if you drive yourself.......

I have been debating about a rental car for this trip and thought about asking everyone’s thoughts and see these posts...great timing

I am still trying to figure out if a rental car is something we want to try this time because I REALLY did not want to drive and I didn’t want to pay for parking. However, we are starting our trip at Orlando cabana bay, then the swan and then Jambo house dvc. So we will need transpo from airport to UO, UO to swan and swan to Jambo. Also there is the lack of food at Jambo. usually we take Disney transpo and Uber. I am pretty sure Uber is a no go for us this time. We also plan to ride mde from akl to mco (this is a family request). Thoughts?