***Can't keep us down...OFFICIAL MAY 2021 THREAD...come heck or high water we're going to WDW!!!***

[EpcotPhoenician]

I usually book a breakfast ADR and dinner ADR for every day, but since I'll be solo (first time solo), I'm perfectly content with my two breakfast ADRs at Olivia's.

 

[Tess]

We have been rebooked from May 2020 to May 6-14, 2021 since June 2020. BWV this time around and to make my husband happy--his favorite while mine is BCV--that will be our F&W destination. Looking forward to F&G and all its beauty and yumminess.

 

[JEng711]

If RotR is a priority then regardless of what day you go, having more than one opportunity to get a BG is going to be better. But I have to rant lol please forgive me. Crowd calendars were trash even before the pandemic tbh. Years ago they were great tools. But the site I trust most for touring advice ditched them ages ago because the data is so useless now given unpredictable patterns and Disney’s staffing down practices. And it’s telling to me that the sites who still push them out are all subscription based. I have a TP sub, but the Lines app and room request service are why I have it. I ignore those emails. Tea leaf reading will give you similar results at this point, and that was before Covid.

Time and again I see people agonizing over the “perfect” day to go to whatever park based on these magic 8 balls spitting out arbitrary numbers (what is the fundamental difference between a “9” and a “10”??) and driving themselves crazy over it and my advice is always the same: assume the day you go will be the worst crowds ever and structure your touring around that assumption. I have literally never gone wrong doing this. In some ways Covid planning is easier because there’s no FP to worry about, and standby lines go faster. The old advice about rope drop is just as important. But some attractions which were walk on aren’t anymore (eg Philharmagic). Pay more attention to wait times imo.

With all that said, I would expect 5/4 to have a bump in HS crowds if anything, that’s just common sense...our own doomed May 2020 trip was booked around that and spending the day in SWGE. But it’s a Tuesday, which should limit locals. And early May tends to be quiet regardless, it’s after Spring Break & Easter but before Memorial Day. HS consistently books up out of the 4 parks just because of RotR. Keep an eye on the boarding groups thread in the Galaxy’s Edge board here, there is a lot of excellent crowd sourced info about uptime there and it will give you an idea of how many groups are called per day (also tips to maximize your chances).

I know the site you're talking about and I enjoy it and following him. I also have his last book to include that info, and the same subscriptions you mentioned. We're well aware that crowd calendars are lucky guesses at best but I like them as a starting off point. I appreciate your input and I wouldn't say I'm agonizing or going crazy... we have two kids, one that's a baby and one that has ADHD. We have no choice but to go with the flow, haha.

I've also been hanging around the SWGE board and BG tip thread (and Here Now & Just Back) so I'm confident in mine and my husband's abilities to do what we can on our end to make it a great day no matter what... it's just that when I realized the date of our reservation I was like "uuuuhhhhhh" and I searched to see if anyone had brought it up regarding this specific time and this seemed the most relevant board.

So all this being said, I think I'll keep my dates as-is. I really like the early closure (as of now) of AK to make the baby's first park day ever be a little more easygoing, if such a thing is possible.

I personally think it's a bonus right now to have all standby lines! No military precision needed to get FP at this time is so nice lol. I think this might actually be our most relaxing trip, haha!

 

[JEng711]

We have been rebooked from May 2020 to May 6-14, 2021 since June 2020. BWV this time around and to make my husband happy--his favorite while mine is BCV--that will be our F&W destination. Looking forward to F&G and all its beauty and yumminess.

This will be our first time to F&G and I'm so excited! I already downloaded the Food&Wine app and marked all the eats and drinks I want to try. I can't believe that app is free! My husband thinks I'm crazy lol

 

[Wood Nymph]

Also I wanted to ask opinions - Just noticed tonight that we will be at HS on May 4th. I know it's Covid planning and crowd calendars can only be so on point with their predictions, but every place I could find a calendar at had that day being one of the best for it. Will we regret this? We are SW fans but have resolved to not be all commando this trip since it's the baby's first and it's Covid Times. I just want to make sure I get a BG and while I've had luck every day that I've been trying from home (got past selecting my party), I worry that if HS gets full with park reservations, a BG might become an even HARDER ticket to get.

We will be at WDW the same week and I had debated about the crowds at HS on May 4th. So far there aren't any plans for any Star Wars festivities on that date. And with the Covid restrictions, I don't think there will be anything special. But we decided to avoid HS on the 4th in hopes the park will be less crowded on the 3rd.

 

[WawaCoffee]

We will be at WDW the same week and I had debated about the crowds at HS on May 4th. So far there aren't any plans for any Star Wars festivities on that date. And with the Covid restrictions, I don't think there will be anything special. But we decided to avoid HS on the 4th in hopes the park will be less crowded on the 3rd.

You did the right thing. Even if there aren't activities planned, Star Wars fans will crowd the park.

... although, it shouldn't matter since the park has been consistently hitting capacity... ?

Who knows nowadays.

 

[Weezerette]

This will be our first time to F&G and I'm so excited! I already downloaded the Food&Wine app and marked all the eats and drinks I want to try. I can't believe that app is free! My husband thinks I'm crazy lol

How did I miss there is an app? Is it WDW Food&Wine? Looks like I know what I'll be playing with the next 58 days.

 

[kylenne]

I usually book a breakfast ADR and dinner ADR for every day, but since I'll be solo (first time solo), I'm perfectly content with my two breakfast ADRs at Olivia's.

Solo trips are really addicting, you’ll be back for another before you know it.

 

[kylenne]

I know the site you're talking about and I enjoy it and following him. I also have his last book to include that info, and the same subscriptions you mentioned. We're well aware that crowd calendars are lucky guesses at best but I like them as a starting off point. I appreciate your input and I wouldn't say I'm agonizing or going crazy... we have two kids, one that's a baby and one that has ADHD. We have no choice but to go with the flow, haha.

I've also been hanging around the SWGE board and BG tip thread (and Here Now & Just Back) so I'm confident in mine and my husband's abilities to do what we can on our end to make it a great day no matter what... it's just that when I realized the date of our reservation I was like "uuuuhhhhhh" and I searched to see if anyone had brought it up regarding this specific time and this seemed the most relevant board.

So all this being said, I think I'll keep my dates as-is. I really like the early closure (as of now) of AK to make the baby's first park day ever be a little more easygoing, if such a thing is possible.

I personally think it's a bonus right now to have all standby lines! No military precision needed to get FP at this time is so nice lol. I think this might actually be our most relaxing trip, haha!

Not sure if we can link or mention it, but I follow his advice religiously and it’s always been on the money. Usually I check on the run up to a trip and make plans based on that. The funny thing is I know intellectually that no FP means a better overall experience in terms of wait times but I am actually freaking out about a trip with no FPs, because it rewarded the psychos like me who knew how to game the system lol. I can’t remember the last time I spent more than 15 minutes in a standby queue. It will definitely be a culture shock!

 

[JoJoGirl]

Also I wanted to ask opinions - Just noticed tonight that we will be at HS on May 4th. I know it's Covid planning and crowd calendars can only be so on point with their predictions, but every place I could find a calendar at had that day being one of the best for it. Will we regret this? We are SW fans but have resolved to not be all commando this trip since it's the baby's first and it's Covid Times. I just want to make sure I get a BG and while I've had luck every day that I've been trying from home (got past selecting my party), I worry that if HS gets full with park reservations, a BG might become an even HARDER ticket to get.

Oh, wow! I just looked at our plans and we will be in HS on May 4th as well. I completely forgot about it being Star Wars day. Since we already have our park reservation and our lunch booked at the Brown Derby, I guess we will just have to roll with it. It might be fun!

 

[JEng711]

How did I miss there is an app? Is it WDW Food&Wine? Looks like I know what I'll be playing with the next 58 days.

Yes! I'm shocked it's free.

 

[kylenne]

Yes! I'm shocked it's free.

I started using it back in 2018 and my favorite part is the map feature, it really came in handy on those busy weekends. Just being pointed to the booths where my favorites were was a godsend!

 

[hulagirl87]

How old are your children? I bet you’ll have a blast on a unique kind of trip with just them!
We never would have gotten the fancier Magic Bands when the solid colors were free, but when I went to pay the minimum $5 I was like eh, what’s $10 or $15 for the one she wants? And that’s how they get you! But we do have cute bands now!

My kids are 7 and just turned 11. I think they are a good age for driving. A little nervous about it, but more excited than anything. Now just stalking the dining site for a Chef Mickey's breakfast. I couldn't get that one. And they ended up having a mint green magic band which is DD's favorite color, and only $5, so hooray for that! Now just thinking about when to tell them.....

 

[canyoncam]

Found these on clearance in Walmart. Happy to have my masks for Epcot and Animal Kingdom!



I had glitches making my ADRs on Tuesday but got B&C and SciFi for first part of my trip. We will see tomorrow when my split stay reservation activates if I can get House of Blues for brunch for my last day.

 

[kylenne]

Welp it’s official...“our” May trip is now my May trip, and 8 days instead of 14. I just didn’t want to chance AP discount availability drying up given that the new dates start on the holiday weekend, as it is I have to give up TPV at GF for Garden View. @Farro, whenever you get around to updating the post can you change me to 5/28 - 6/4? Still split between GF and YC, 4 days at each resort.

It was inevitable, but it still hurts. At least we still have October to look forward to for our big reunion trip.

 

[tzeitel]

We will also be at HS on May 4th, not too worried since we have done it before. Even pre-covid, when they had the marketplace and all the extra stuff for the day it was never really crazy. What I do remember is that one year it was unbearably hot!
I think what makes it even more crowded is the lack of shows.

We have 2 days at HS (and PH) so if we miss something we can try again. Hopefully not many people will book that day scared of the crowds.

 

[Katie1174]

I keep adding things!
I have a collection of star wars weapons from Masters Replicas from years ago in our den, so we decided yesterday(after drinking a couple of glasses of wine) to get another lightsaber. Can’t decide yet between a Legacy lightsaber(Mace Windu or Darth Vader) with a shorter blade and a stand or build our own at Savi’s. So, I booked a Savi’s toward the tail end of our trip so that the 2nd day we are there we can see what Legacys are available and if we want one, and if so, we will cancel Savi’s a week in advance and give someone else the chance to book it. Also booked it after park close at 7:25pm so we dont have to lug it onto rides. Even if the closing is extended to 8pm, by the time we are done at 7:45 we would just head out.
So far we have:
Teppan Edo for lunch
Tutto Italia for dinner
Wine Bar George for dinner
California Grill for dinner
Sanaa for dinner
Skippers Canteen for lunch
Oga’s for drinks
Hollywood Brown Derby for dinner
Savis at night
....and of course plenty of space for Baseline Taphouse, Nomad Lounge and Enchanted Rose lounge

 

[Farro]

List updated!

 

[spurk5532]

We originally had a DLR trip scheduled for April/May 2020. I was taking my neice to Disney for her first trip. Obviously this trip was cancelled. And with the way the reopening is going for DLR, we have decided to switch our trip to WDW.

we will be staying at POP 5/15-5/21.

 

[Farro]

We originally had a DLR trip scheduled for April/May 2020. I was taking my neice to Disney for her first trip. Obviously this trip was cancelled. And with the way the reopening is going for DLR, we have decided to switch our trip to WDW.

we will be staying at POP 5/15-5/21.

Added!