Here Now & Just Back - A Place To Share Your Recent Experiences

[Melodious]

Epcot world showcase is shoulder to shoulder? This doesn't happen at all, only during nye.
There's space to spread out, guests are choosing not to do so

Yes, they could take their food and drinks off the walkways. But as it is, you can't get inside a bathroom without being within a foot of some other, probably maskless, person

 

[fbb]

Ehhh...also opening the shows and things that are still closed and going back to more normal park hrs would also certainly help spread the crowds...there are also a few rides where they're only running 1 side (thunder and space mountain for example.)

When did they go to only running one side of those rides? At the end of August both sides were running

 

[Aimeedyan]

We visit this week every year for my birthday and IMO the parks felt the same as they have the last couple of years, if not heavier (esp in HS!). This is historically a really low crowd time so it's a bummer to see higher crowds but I really think it won't continue in years to come. I think people who canceled WDW trips have seen the reopening reports, felt comfortable, and decided to come. Many of them would normally have visited in late spring or summer.

Epcot was busier yesterday than it has been in recent after-reopening trips with lots of matching shirt drinking groups but it was a Friday. They have a lot more tables set up so it's pretty easy to find a place to sit or stand and eat. I hope that stays around! Since we were staying at Boardwalk, we just hopped in and out for meals, mostly.

It was also the first time we've been in Mexico since they started the new entrance line and it totally threw people off. I LOVED it, as you could actually move inside the building!

ETA: The 7pm close is a killer at Epcot- there were so many groups still hanging around the back of WS even at 730 when we finished dinner. Many still nursing drinks/food. So much lost revenue!

 

[brockash]

When did they go to only running one side of those rides? At the end of August both sides were running

Only 1 side last week, however to be fair that happens a lot in Sept.

 

[yulilin3]

Yes, they could take their food and drinks off the walkways. But as it is, you can't get inside a bathroom without being within a foot of some other, probably maskless, person

Not sure how that can be prevented? You want Disney to monitor restroom capacity?

 

[Melodious]

Not sure how that can be prevented? You want Disney to monitor restroom capacity?

No, I'd like them to reduce capacity to manageable levels for social distancing. Last Saturday, it 'felt busy' but was perfectly easy to distance and eat at tables. Today is a completely different beast. It feels twice as busy and like a normal day at F&W. Normally, it wouldn't bother me but it is impossible to social distance and get through crowds. And because these crowds are here too eat and drink, they are not wearing their masks. Are you here today?

 

[HashberryOTG]

yes we experienced the same. Bag claim at MCO everyone stood back but atCMH people crowded up. I just stayed back until ours came around and quickly grabbed them

We've found just go to end end of the luggage carriage instead of near the front. Way fewer people.

 

[only hope]

I feel like I based my decision to keep our reservations and not to try to reschedule our trip on the limited capacity we were witnessing after reopening and through Aug (the time period where I *may* have had a chance to reschedule) and then BAM! Labor Day hit and Disney said, "load em in!" and we got stuck coming still during a Pandemic but with no low crowds for social distancing and no fast passes to reduce time in lines. Kinda feels a little "bait and switch-ish" . I knew severely reduced capacity would be increased eventually but I didn't think they'd open it up to this many locals while FL's numbers are still on the higher end, relatively speaking. There are lots of locals here and their behavior shows they really aren't used to the safety precautions that our family (and I'm sure many others from the NE) has made part of our lifestyle when in public. Waiting for my kids to get off SM and then we are hopping on a monorail to a lounge in one of the resorts! Hoping the rain comes and filters out some peeps before we return for dinner at Skippers.

How do you know that it is locals that are not taking proper precautions? I assure you many Floridians are used to it. Masks have been mandatory in many counties for months now, including Orange County, Osceola County, and many others within an hour or so of Disney. And Disney has made no effort to limit attendance from locals, nor should they. AP reservations have been hard to get sometimes but not all AP's are local, and not all locals visiting use an AP to get in. Disney is trying to lure locals actually, there are special ticket deals right now.

 

[yulilin3]

No, I'd like them to reduce capacity to manageable levels for social distancing. Last Saturday, it 'felt busy' but was perfectly easy to distance and eat at tables. Today is a completely different beast. It feels twice as busy and like a normal day at F&W. Normally, it wouldn't bother me but it is impossible to social distance and get through crowds. And because these crowds are here too eat and drink, they are not wearing their masks. Are you here today?

Not today but crowds will continue to grow, it's financially impossible for Disney to stay open with lower crowds.
A question for you, impossible to social distance while walking around? Or impossible as to you can't find a place separated by others within 6ft?

 

[Melodious]

Not today but crowds will continue to grow, it's financially impossible for Disney to stay open with lower crowds.
A question for you, impossible to social distance while walking around? Or impossible as to you can't find a place separated by others within 6ft?

I'm not going to debate which is safer, mask, maskless, walking, stopping, either, neither. Or what Disney needs to do to survive. This is not the thread for it. I'm just sharing my experience for those that are interested in reading just back reports

 

[crazymomof4]

This was the point where we left the park. Saw this looking into Tomorrowland. The kids did SM while I found a shady corner (was very hard to find a spot away from others). When they got off we left. Went back to BW and swam in the pool. 0 dollars spent during that time. Disney is gaining admissions but losing food and merch revenue. When guests leave bc they don't feel comfortable, it's $ lost for the parks. My kids are big Disney merch spenders but we've been here 4 days and they haven't bought one thing.

 

[Homemom]

Only 1 side last week, however to be fair that happens a lot in Sept.

We were just there on Wednesday and both sides were open on both rides. BTM said 45 minutes but only took 20 and Space said 10 but was a walk on.

 

[HashberryOTG]

We were in epcot today as well. Left after noon, crowd got to be too much for me, lines for F&W stuff got crazy. Came back for the evening. A lot of folks leaving. 20 mins for soarin.

 

[Kimpossible1]

FOP was 90 minutes at one point today, and the stores were very crowded.

 

[KrazeeK120]

We took a rideshare to TTC and then took a bus (when our Lyft driver recommended)...it was much faster than waiting on the monorail or ferry to MK

When did they start offering bus service from TTC to MK?!?!

 

[dancergirlsmom]

Hmm, this is all so interesting. We were there the end of July and it was amazing. We went to HS, MK and Epcot 2x and AK 1x. We noticed even then that the weekends were busier than the weekdays which makes sense. We rode every ride in MK and some two times on one of the weekdays we were there. Started in Adventureland and just worked our way around. We are going again in mid October for just 2 days and 1 day at Universal. We are going to MK and HS and made reservations for the weekdays hoping that it won't be as crowded. Going to Universal on the weekend but have reservations at Royal Pacific so have Express pass. We haven't been to MK in the Fall since 2007 and looking forward to seeing the decorations, trying the special Halloween food and cavalcades.

 

[disneygirlsng]

This was the point where we left the park. Saw this looking into Tomorrowland. The kids did SM while I found a shady corner (was very hard to find a spot away from others). When they got off we left. Went back to BW and swam in the pool. 0 dollars spent during that time. Disney is gaining admissions but losing food and merch revenue. When guests leave bc they don't feel comfortable, it's $ lost for the parks. My kids are big Disney merch spenders but we've been here 4 days and they haven't bought one thing. View attachment 527018

I know everyone has their limits, but that photo doesn't make me even remotely uncomfortable. Plenty of space, likely just walking past people, everyone I can see has a mask on. Not really seeing an issue, but that's me.

 

[soniam]

This was the point where we left the park. Saw this looking into Tomorrowland. The kids did SM while I found a shady corner (was very hard to find a spot away from others). When they got off we left. Went back to BW and swam in the pool. 0 dollars spent during that time. Disney is gaining admissions but losing food and merch revenue. When guests leave bc they don't feel comfortable, it's $ lost for the parks. My kids are big Disney merch spenders but we've been here 4 days and they haven't bought one thing. View attachment 527018

Just for reference purposes, does this seem crowded to you for a normal time, not covid times? Just want a frame of reference. I have to say that this doesn't really look crowded to me for normal times, but we usually come Thanksgiving, xmas, Spring Break, or summer. We are used to heavy crowds. Our July 2020 trip was mostly a ghost town, except DHS.

 

[Grumpy by Birth]

FOP was 90 minutes at one point today, and the stores were very crowded.

And to think, back in 2019 we would have been discussing how awesome it was that FOP waits had dropped in half!

 

[Shellbells]

For me the worry isn't crowded walkways. It's long lines with long wait times, limited food options with long waits and limited transportation with...long wait times.
We usually fastpass the rides we really want and if we come across anything with a short wait time we'll ride it.
We also watch all the shows.
Obviously the shows are off the table and we'll be fine with whatever food we get but I'd like to feel like I semi got my money's worth for the trip overall.
I love Disney World and we have a trip booked for early November that I'm very excited about.
But we spent 4k for this trip and I don't want to feel like it wasn't worth it.

If Disney doesn't improve transportation and increase ride capacity we are going to cancel.

We live in Vegas so it's not like we can go often. I think locals/AP's might have a different perspective. This is just my opinion based on my family and I don't mean to belittle anyone else's feelings or opinions.
I booked the trip with open eyes and I'm fully aware that it won't be like our other trips.
I know one person's perspective of crowds might not match another's.
I'm just going to wait and see what happens in the next few weeks and decide then.