At DL this week: where the wait times are made up and distancing doesn’t matter

[matterhornyodeller]

Hi everyone !

I wanted to wait to get my negative test results before updating you with my trip report. I have them now (big sigh of relief) so want to give you the real scoop.

We arrived Friday from YVR - spent Fri at downtown Disney. Saturday @ DL. Sunday we had a free day to chill. Mon, Tues back at DL and Wed at DCA (today).

my DH and I go HARD. I mean 25+ rides a day open to close hard. We go every year and this is our favourite place in the entire world. So naturally I was extremely nervous given COVID and all the risk associated plus the logistics/cost/worry about testing and alternate plans etc. BUT to be honest it had been a horrible year for me and I decided for my birthday what would mean the most is being at DL. So we did it !

we got our rapid antigen tests from the YVR clinic before we left, and we went with Anaheim City Hall Covid Clinic 1 day PCR tests coming back. I will say city hall was perfect and easy, was a ~8 min Lyft ride and we got our results exactly 24 hours later. So that part was all gravy.

we are fully vaxxed and we wore double masks at all times unless sitting totally away from other guests outside or eating/drinking.

with ALL of that said....I didn’t feel safe. Ogas in particular I really do not reccomend. We were seated at a table with 3!!!! Other parties mere inches away from us unmasked drinking laughing and eating. I felt it was beyond irresponsible and we drank quickly and left. I felt totally exposed. There are many many rides where cast members actively tell you to fill all avail space and walk literally butt up to the people ahead of you. And the mask complaince is not it guys.

i would say 1/3 of guests wear masks outside and inside 1/3 do not wear their mask correctly or take it OFF when a CM is not looking. Like entire families blatantly de masking on rides. It was wild.

I also felt super weird about all the newborn crying babies around maskless people - there is no proof of vax needed nor do they temp check to get in. It’s truly a free for all, and it’s like Covid simply doesn’t exist.

i don’t want to scare you guys, but I really felt compelled to let you know there is inherent risk here and you have to be safe and take care of yourself in this enivironment. This is just how it is.

we still did the park as we usually would and we had a fantastic time - but those were the nagging thoughts in the back of my head.

happy to answer any and all questions ! I travel home Friday.

 

[tlcdoula]

Thank you for sharing. How was the flight from YVR? Hubby has said if we go he wants to fly not drive so my thoughts are all over the place. I really want to go I miss the parks and want a break from life for a few days but am nervous for all the reasons you posted.

 

[Susan2771]

Oh man. And we are about to board a plane to head to California. Well we are just going to do what we do, Mask up, have lots of sanitizer and do our best to distance. Thanks so much for sharing

 

[Lori Williamson]

I have been so worried about the logistics for getting the covid tests etc, here, there, now the worry will be trying to actual enjoy the trip without the fear of getting covid before we come home. What a nightmare that would be. Did you take shuttle from airport. Have been to DL 20 times always rented a car, but prices are unreal right now. Trying to find options.

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

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Oh man. And we are about to board a plane to head to California. Well we are just going to do what we do, Mask up, have lots of sanitizer and do our best to distance. Thanks so much for sharing

Today it was walk ons at the Disneyland park from 8-11 am. Then it gets busier. I have to say that I agree there really isn’t any physical distancing and a good chunk of people lower their masks on in queues and on rides. It’s annoying. I would say if this type of thing worries you, not quite the time to go away yet. From tests to flights to moderate crowds, it can be nerve racking. We got vaccinated in part to get back to normal lives, so it’s sad we still have to worry and mask up etc - but it’s what it is right now. Definitely not for everyone.

 

[Chickinvic]

Horrifying given their horrible Covid stats. I just don't understand the US in many ways, and probably never will. I will be staying far away for the forseeable future.

 

[Susan2771]

[

Today it was walk ons at the Disneyland park from 8-11 am. Then it gets busier. I have to say that I agree there really isn’t any physical distancing and a good chunk of people lower their masks on in queues and on rides. It’s annoying. I would say if this type of thing worries you, not quite the time to go away yet. From tests to flights to moderate crowds, it can be nerve racking. We got vaccinated in part to get back to normal lives, so it’s sad we still have to worry and mask up etc - but it’s what it is right now. Definitely not for everyone.

hope you all have an amazing time and can enjoy. From our own experience in thr ladt 24 hours, the lack of physical distancing, not wearing, lowering masks began right at Pearson airport. There was zero distancing happening at any point at the airport from thr moment we got there to sitting on a plane. The line ups to check a bag, go through security, get food, sit in the lounge and of course the plane. I. Thr lounge where we wait to board a number of people weren’t wearing masks and they were not eating or drinking. The lack of distancing and encountering g people not wearing masks indoors began even before we got on a plane

 

[matterhornyodeller]

Thank you for sharing. How was the flight from YVR? Hubby has said if we go he wants to fly not drive so my thoughts are all over the place. I really want to go I miss the parks and want a break from life for a few days but am nervous for all the reasons you posted.

YVR was great! Easy experience.

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

hope you all have an amazing time and can enjoy. From our own experience in thr ladt 24 hours, the lack of physical distancing, not wearing, lowering masks began right at Pearson airport. There was zero distancing happening at any point at the airport from thr moment we got there to sitting on a plane. The line ups to check a bag, go through security, get food, sit in the lounge and of course the plane. I. Thr lounge where we wait to board a number of people weren’t wearing masks and they were not eating or drinking. The lack of distancing and encountering g people not wearing masks indoors began even before we got on a plane

The airport experience for us was ok, no crowds or lines other than at the gate.
We have a very late flight home on Monday, hoping for the same.

 

[HersheyKiss]

Thanks for letting us know you're experience. That really is disappointing to hear about mask non compliance. I assumed people in California would be more respectful than people in Florida.

When you had your PCR test at ACH, was it the deep awful test that picks your brain, or just a non evasive nose swab?

 

[matterhornyodeller]

It was a nose swab - 10 swirls each side that does go pretty deep. Not too bad tho!

 

[matterhornyodeller]

Oh man. And we are about to board a plane to head to California. Well we are just going to do what we do, Mask up, have lots of sanitizer and do our best to distance. Thanks so much for sharing

i think you will be fine if you just use your layers of protection and be smart about it! Would love to hear how it goes for you.

 

[matterhornyodeller]

I have been so worried about the logistics for getting the covid tests etc, here, there, now the worry will be trying to actual enjoy the trip without the fear of getting covid before we come home. What a nightmare that would be. Did you take shuttle from airport. Have been to DL 20 times always rented a car, but prices are unreal right now. Trying to find options.

we took Lyft. Somewhere between covid and now they moved all the taxi and Lyft / Uber to one giant area next to the terminal which honestly makes it way easier! There is a shuttle from arrivals or you can walk (5 mins or less - we walked).

 

[HersheyKiss]

Did you fly into LAX or SNA?

 

[matterhornyodeller]

Did you fly into LAX or SNA?

LAX.

 

[22Tink]

I have been so worried about the logistics for getting the covid tests etc, here, there, now the worry will be trying to actual enjoy the trip without the fear of getting covid before we come home. What a nightmare that would be. Did you take shuttle from airport. Have been to DL 20 times always rented a car, but prices are unreal right now. Trying to find options.

Keep checking the prices, they change every day. I originally booked (Expedia was the cheapest I found) a few months back and it was over $600 for a 5 day rental from LAX. I just rebooked the other day and the price had dropped to $327 and that's for a better car too! I've been checking almost daily since the original booking and the prices just kept dropping.

 

[BlancheNeige7]

Thanks for letting us know you're experience. That really is disappointing to hear about mask non compliance. I assumed people in California would be more respectful than people in Florida.

We were at DL last week and were surprised by the compliance. While some did lower their masks, it was only a few. No worse than what I have seen at Wonderland or La Ronde. Level of comfort is very subjective. There is no way to distance in the switchback outdoor queues and very few will wear masks.

We did not feel comfortable eating indoors and chose to eat all our meals off peak times outside and distanced as much as possible.

 

[HersheyKiss]

We were at DL last week and were surprised by the compliance. While some did lower their masks, it was only a few. No worse than what I have seen at Wonderland or La Ronde. Level of comfort is very subjective. There is no way to distance in the switchback outdoor queues and very few will wear masks.

We did not feel comfortable eating indoors and chose to eat all our meals off peak times outside and distanced as much as possible.

Thanks, that's a little more reassuring. We have decided that we will also eat all of our meals outdoors. They only reservation I want to make is for Cafe Orleans and we can hopefully eat on the patio there.

 

[HappilyEverAfter80]

We were at DL last week and were surprised by the compliance. While some did lower their masks, it was only a few. No worse than what I have seen at Wonderland or La Ronde. Level of comfort is very subjective. There is no way to distance in the switchback outdoor queues and very few will wear masks.

We did not feel comfortable eating indoors and chose to eat all our meals off peak times outside and distanced as much as possible.

It’s true, there were quite a few people lowering masks in queue and rides but definitely not majority.
We ate inside twice, once at the Blue Bayou which is very open as it shares the open space with Pirates ride.
The other (forgot the name) was a small restaurant but the tables were very spaced out.
I also wanted to say that probably 30% of people wear masks outdoors, where in SW Ontario hardly anyone does where we live.
It really wasn’t too bad, as the days went on you got used to being around people.

 

[tlcdoula]

We were at DL last week and were surprised by the compliance. While some did lower their masks, it was only a few. No worse than what I have seen at Wonderland or La Ronde. Level of comfort is very subjective. There is no way to distance in the switchback outdoor queues and very few will wear masks.

We did not feel comfortable eating indoors and chose to eat all our meals off peak times outside and distanced as much as possible.

Meals were one thing I was wondering about. Where did you end up eating and finding a little space to eat?