Disney News, Discussion & an Element of Fun!

[cakebaker]

Well if you don't want to wait two hours, you don't have to. No one is making you.

I know! Isn’t it great? We can spend 7k and just skip all the headliners that are running an hour or more. I can practically smell the pixie dust it’s so magical. Or you know, Disney could give their guests a way around the lines in the summer heat.

 

[Tigger's ally]

Oh good, then I’d like to make the wait time for FOP less than well over 2 hours.

We rope drop it, never waited over 30 minutes for it the 5 times I have ridden it. Even got to ride it twice in a row once. Great ride.

 

[cakebaker]

We rope drop it, never waited over 30 minutes for it the 5 times I have ridden it. Even got to ride it twice in a row once. Great ride.

That’s great. When did you go? Rope dropping isn’t an option for us.

 

[anomamatt]

We can spend 7k and just skip all the headliners that are running an hour or more.

Suggestion: rope drop and/or ride headliners at park close. You won't have to wait much >30 minutes if you strategize.

I do imagine most people who hop into the FoP line between 12-3pm are going to be relatively unhappy. However, what a ride that is...

 

[Tigger's ally]

That’s great. When did you go? Rope dropping isn’t an option for us.

We go once or twice a year. Usually May/Dec. We have always rope dropped, left in the afternoon and then stay late at night.

 

[cakebaker]

We go once or twice a year. Usually May/Dec. We have always rope dropped, left in the afternoon and then stay late at night.

That used to be what we did as well for many years, but it’s just not an option this trip and crowd levels have increased dramatically the last few weeks.

 

[cakebaker]

Suggestion: rope drop and/or ride headliners at park close. You won't have to wait much >30 minutes if you strategize.

I do imagine most people who hop into the FoP line between 12-3pm are going to be relatively unhappy. However, what a ride that is...

Rope drop is not an option but while I give up on FP being available, I’m still hoping they at least extend park hours to help with lines. We can stay up as late as we need to and much prefer the evening hours. Who knows, it could happen. We’ve been going for over 30 years and pretty much have the strategizing down, but things are different these days.

 

[anomamatt]

We’ve been going for over 30 years and pretty much have the strategizing down, but things are different these days.

I know you don't want to hear about my trip in May. But from the people that I know who went recently (including a colleague who got back last week), the pre-covid touring strategies still work quite well. You can absolutely ride anything without waiting over an hour for it. You just have to time it properly.

Looking at wait times in the middle of the day will frighten anyone. But that's a good time to ride low-wait rides (yes, there still are many) and to explore the parks and eat some food...

 

[Sara W]

I know you don't want to hear about my trip in May. But from the people that I know who went recently (including a colleague who got back last week), the pre-covid touring strategies still work quite well. You can absolutely ride anything without waiting over an hour for it. You just have to time it properly.

Looking at wait times in the middle of the day will frighten anyone. But that's a good time to ride low-wait rides (yes, there still are many) and to explore the parks and eat some food...

I would agree with this based on my experience last week. The only difference was that we were actually able to ride multiple rides in the same area rather than getting timing down/snaking back and forth throughout the park to get to the next fastpass (and I consider myself well-versed in FP).

 

[Farro]

I know you don't want to hear about my trip in May. But from the people that I know who went recently (including a colleague who got back last week), the pre-covid touring strategies still work quite well. You can absolutely ride anything without waiting over an hour for it. You just have to time it properly.

Looking at wait times in the middle of the day will frighten anyone. But that's a good time to ride low-wait rides (yes, there still are many) and to explore the parks and eat some food...

Yes. I'm following the lines using the Touring Plans app - they give posted vs expected wait. (if you should ride now or wait to ride)

So for right now...

MK - all expected waits are currently under 60 minutes except for Mine Train which is 84 - they advise wait to ride.

AK - all expected waits currently well under 60 minutes except FOP at 104 - they say ride that anytime, so take your chances!

DHS - all expected waits under 60 minutes except Rockn Roller Coaster - 61 minutes!

Epcot - all expected waits under 60 minutes. Longest is Frozen and Soarin both at 38.

Not too bad for right now!

 

[Mle8308]

I know! Isn’t it great? We can spend 7k and just skip all the headliners that are running an hour or more. I can practically smell the pixie dust it’s so magical. Or you know, Disney could give their guests a way around the lines in the summer heat.
[/QUO

I know! Isn’t it great? We can spend 7k and just skip all the headliners that are running an hour or more. I can practically smell the pixie dust its so magical. Or you know, Disney could give their guests a way around the lines in the summer heat.

Perhaps this is not the best time for you to visit. You had posted before that if FP was not back, you were going to cancel your trip. Disney never made any promises that FP would be returning at any point, even if many assumed they would. Miracles could happen and they could come back, but at this point, it doesn't seem likely in the next few weeks. You are spending a lot of money and maybe it's not worth it to just see fireworks. You don't seem happy or excited to go, maybe now is not the right time. FP will eventually return in some form, maybe it is better to wait until then, since you've been contemplating cancelling anyway. Disney should bring you joy and happiness, not anger and resentment. I have been twice since reopening and had a fantastic time on each trip. Yes, things were different, but I knew that ahead of time and chose to go, as I am choosing to do so again in a few weeks. Will it be more crowded this time? Yes, but I know that and accept it, I change my expectations, not lower them. I truly hope you can find your magic in being fortunate enough to visit Disney with your family & being together, because if we have learned nothing else over the past 18 months, it is that family and friends are more important than anything else.

 

[mom2elle]

We arrive on Sunday and while these wait times are higher than I’d like to see - as long as the wait time @ La Cava isn’t too long, I’ll be ok.

 

[Mr. lncredible]

Disney could give their guests a way around the lines in the summer heat.

Last I checked WDW was open all year long. You could go during a cooler time of year?

 

[cakebaker]

Last I checked WDW was open all year long. You could go during a cooler time of year?

Not when your entire family consists of teachers. Last I checked schools don’t look kindly on teachers taking off for trips to WDW. Nevermind the entire reason for scheduling a trip was to see HEA before it goes away.

 

[helloconnie]

Not when your entire family consists of teachers. Last I checked schools don’t look kindly on teachers taking off for trips to WDW. Nevermind the entire reason for scheduling a trip was to see HEA before it goes away.

Also doesn't work if you have school aged kids, especially pre-teen/teens, that are in different schools with different break schedules. No way the calendars line up until summer.

 

[cakebaker]

Also doesn't work if you have school aged kids, especially pre-teen/teens, that are in different schools with different break schedules. No way the calendars line up until summer.

This next year will be even harder because they were out so much this past year. Online school was incredibly difficult for both kids and teachers and there is a lot of backtracking that will have to be done. We have one of ours that started back today- just found out last week they were being called back and he had to get permission just to get the days off the end of this month. Their school doesn’t start until mid August, but they’re doing special training and trying different methods to try and make up for all the lost time. There will be no days off allowed except for illness this next school year- for teachers at least.

 

[Mr. lncredible]

Not when your entire family consists of teachers. Last I checked schools don’t look kindly on teachers taking off for trips to WDW. Nevermind the entire reason for scheduling a trip was to see HEA before it goes away.

You can’t move your trip to a cooler, possibly less busy time of year.
You can’t take everyone’s word that has gone recently that it is really not that bad.
You can’t do rope drop because… reasons.

Sounds like it might be miserable for you. Perhaps reconsider going until the fate of FP has been announced.

 

[dato63]

A teacher I work with was just there last week and they had a great time! She even texted me during her trip (which I was so happy about because I really wanted to know how things were going, but I didn't want to text and interrupt their vacation), and said how much fun they are having. I think it is what you make of it. If you go in with a negative attitude, it isn't going to be a great trip. If you go in with an open mind, you'll have a fun time!

We are going in three weeks and I know everything won't be perfect - it never is, even pre-covid, but we are just so excited to be traveling some where and going back to Disney of all places. I know we will have a great time, but everyone in my family is pretty easy-going and flexible. We don't get worked up about too much.

a co worker of mine was there last week. He said he missed some things - a lot of stores still closed, characters, merchandise carts. But that he and his family had a great time.

 

[HokieRaven5]

Hey Look! Here’s Animal doing some shopping:

 

[onelove8187]

I very much believe that one can be frustrated with Disney’s handling of crowds this summer while also still loving Disney World entirely.

I am frustrated and disappointed but am still incredibly excited to be going in 11 days! It will be ok. I will have opportunity to experience WDW in different ways! I have experienced so much in the past and having minimal rides this time is going to be different but we will absolutely make the best of it.

I do feel for people who haven’t been many times and don’t expect to return many times. It does make me sad that they may not get the full experience of the most magical place on earth.