Bring me up to speed (TL/DR - read the bold type)

[Piglet99645]

You can see from my signature that I have some experience... but I don't follow the DIS boards a lot in between trips. So my last experience at DL was June 2021, and although there was a lot of complaining by people online, we had a great time. Even without fastpasses, etc. I haven't been since Genie+ started.

We were going to go in January 2022 but had to cancel. So now I have 5 day parkhoppers we need to use at some point (I know they hold their value). My son has been reading the news articles that pop up (not the Dis boards), and he says everything sounds awful. I have hotel reservations for early May.

So I'm here to talk to the experts about how bad things really are right now.

I read this article with some relief - thought she made some good points about how everything is harder and different during/post-pandemic. But then the comments really slammed the article..... so back to square 1. (No need to debate the article here...)

What's going on????

From our perspective, we are not usually rope drop people. We are mid-morning and late night people, with a nap in the afternoon. We maximized Fastpass when it was just paper tickets, using a runner. I was open to paying for MaxPass sometimes, depending on crowds and mood. I found the decreased capacity and zero Fastpasses post-pandemic-closure also very manageable. Our family is a fan of the Single Rider Line when available. We are there for rides and food, less so for shows and parades. We have aged out of character experiences except for Plaza Inn Breakfast. (For which I see zero availability).

What is the prognosis for my family trip? Often I find it's the mindset going in that really matters? Is a good attitude and flexible expectations going to be enough this time?

TIA

P.

 

[shosh1530]

We also went to DL in June 2021 and made a return trip in January 2022. Things were more crowded since capacity has gone up, but we had a wonderful time on both trips. I very much enjoyed on the more recent trip seeing more things back in place, more restaurants open, festivals resuming (we caught the Lunar New Year one), live music happening.

I feel like the "awfulness" I'm seeing in the media applies more for WDW than DL. I woudn't expect early May to be too crazy (after spring break periods, before summer and grad nights) other than May 4. With 5 day hoppers you can decide if you want/need to do Genie+ when you are there.

The only bit of a bummer from my perspective that dining reservations take a bit of work. Many popular places go 60 days in advance. But there is also a lot of variability with reservations not opening consistently at all places at the same time. Keep checking. We saw Plaza Inn reservations open park morning we were there in January.

And yes, it will be crowded. Things felt more crowded than I expected for late January, but it didn't deter from our fun. I agree with you that a lot of it is the attitude you bring with you.

I know you said mostly focus on rides and food, but if you enjoy nighttime spectaculars World of Color will be back in late April. I've never seen it so I'm already debating a June 2022 trip to catch that and Fantasmic (which comes back end of May).

 

[Piglet99645]

We also went to DL in June 2021 and made a return trip in January 2022. Things were more crowded since capacity has gone up, but we had a wonderful time on both trips. I very much enjoyed on the more recent trip seeing more things back in place, more restaurants open, festivals resuming (we caught the Lunar New Year one), live music happening.

I feel like the "awfulness" I'm seeing in the media applies more for WDW than DL. I woudn't expect early May to be too crazy (after spring break periods, before summer and grad nights) other than May 4. With 5 day hoppers you can decide if you want/need to do Genie+ when you are there.

The only bit of a bummer from my perspective that dining reservations take a bit of work. Many popular places go 60 days in advance. But there is also a lot of variability with reservations not opening consistently at all places at the same time. Keep checking. We saw Plaza Inn reservations open park morning we were there in January.

And yes, it will be crowded. Things felt more crowded than I expected for late January, but it didn't deter from our fun. I agree with you that a lot of it is the attitude you bring with you.

I know you said mostly focus on rides and food, but if you enjoy nighttime spectaculars World of Color will be back in late April. I've never seen it so I'm already debating a June 2022 trip to catch that and Fantasmic (which comes back end of May).

Thank you!

WOC is fun. I recommend the dessert package.
I did manage to score a Plaza Inn breakfast since I posted this thread. Now if I am just get Ogas our requirements will be met.

 

[chezcurrie]

I am firmly in the “it‘s your attitude” camp. We had an absolutely fabulous time on our Dec 2021 trip, and I am due back at the end of the month. Take advantage of the end of night low crowds - some of my favourite memories from our last trip was closing down the parks with my two eldest. We even booked it from galaxy’s edge all the way to Pixar pier to ride incredicoaster back to back before close.

Slightly tangential but I think a lot of the negativity we are seeing across the board has to do with the past two years and peoples anger/expectations/lost opportunities or inability to do some things come out.

Have a blast!

 

[chezcurrie]

P.S. Never count a reservation out, people cancel all the time. Sign up for an alert for Oga’s, and if not they do have a walk up list.

 

[bambialways4ever]

Thank you!

WOC is fun. I recommend the dessert package.
I did manage to score a Plaza Inn breakfast since I posted this thread. Now if I am just get Ogas our requirements will be met.

The walkup list for Oga's isn't too bad in our experience in case something doesn't come through

 

[Porsche4]

I am travelling from Australia and have an 8 day trip booked for the last week of April. I have been see sawing between whether I should cancel and move the holiday to later in the year or just go now. After numerous discussions with my travel partner (25 yo daughter) we have decided we will go and adjust our expectations. We have put our lives on hold for too long and we just need to get on with it. I have also resolved to stop stressing about it. I have done my usual diligent research and feel I have a good understanding of the G+ system and our daily plan is to hit rope drop and enjoy as many rides as we can till late morning when we will have an early lunch. Then it will be back to our hotel for an afternoon rest and swim followed by a return to the parks for dinner and hopefully some more rides or experiences. I have only managed to grab a couple of dining reservations but having perused all the menus I feel that we will enjoy the quick service places just as much and these seem to have really nice outdoor seating areas which appeal to us as we come out of Covid. We don't handle crowds well but I think with as many days as we have in the parks we should be able to do everything we want. I also feel like we will spend more time browsing the shops and just strolling around enjoying the ambiance. I have resolved to go in with a positive mind set and my quirky sense of humour and I think we are going to have a great time. All of this is just my thoughts for what they are worth.

 

[chezcurrie]

We have put our lives on hold for too long and we just need to get on with it. I have also resolved to stop stressing about it.

This. I felt the same way when I did my first post-lockdown (we are in Canada) trip last September. BEST. DECISION EVER. If the past two years have taught me anything it is that you can’t wait for the “perfect time.” That trip is one of my favourite, and I’ve been some pretty amazing places in my life.

have resolved to go in with a positive mind set and my quirky sense of humour and I think we are going to have a great time.

With this attitude you are going to have a fantastic time, enjoy every little moment!!!

 

[Piglet99645]

Ogas reservations were gone in 3 minutes this morning! (I did get one).

 

[Porsche4]

This. I felt the same way when I did my first post-lockdown (we are in Canada) trip last September. BEST. DECISION EVER. If the past two years have taught me anything it is that you can’t wait for the “perfect time.” That trip is one of my favourite, and I’ve been some pretty amazing places in my life.


With this attitude you are going to have a fantastic time, enjoy every little moment!!!

Thanks for your thoughts. I turned 61 in January and like so many other people (particularly here in Australia) I feel like I have lost sooo much time and it is just too precious to let any more slip by. We are going to have a ball, I can't wait to sit on a bench somewhere, ice cream in hand and just soak up the Disney.

 

[DharmaLou]

It's 100% your attitude. I have been pleased with the ease of using G+. Yes, food reservations are a lot harder to get, but we did walk up to Oga's on Sunday and waited 15 minutes. G+ is not hard to use, we try to use mobile order as much as possible, and my trips in January and last weekend were just as pleasant as our trip last September prior to G+. My only issue is getting park reservations with my MK, which I vented about in a separate post. Aside from that, I have no problems with the way it is now.