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

[EPCOT-O.G.]

My trip overall was great. It would have been nice to not have had to wear the mask the whole time but I got lucky and the weather was so nice most of the trip that the mask didn't bother me. The only bad part was transportation. The buses were pretty bad. When I checked in they recommended that I use my own car, and I heard them warning others who were checking on that the bus service was slow. Buses were NOT coming every 20 minutes.

oh yes. Buses were brutal. They need to do away with the distancing or double/triple present fleet. It was awful. 35+ minute waits every time we elected to use one.

 

[lovethattink]

Back home from AK. Being able to take masks off made a huge difference. We were there for the afternoon. Walked 10,200 steps. These were my observations.

Parking lot: 95% not wearing a mask.

security: Mask optional

Tapstiles: mask optional

Walkways: Overwhelmingly maskless. Though there were people also wearing masks.

Walking while eating or drinking: allowed

Outside queues: You can be maskless up to a sign and cm, from that point on, mask required. There was at least one cm in each queue remininding people to wear their mask over their nose and mouth. While welcoming those who already had masks worn properly.

Kilamanjaro Safari: The queue has changed since I last rode it. Much longer. On the ride vehicle, our driver asked the people behind us to fix their masks and wear them properly several times. She also asked them to stop making noises at the animals. She was firm in her voice.

Festival of the Lion King: It was a watered down version. But the actors have it 110%!! They were amazing. Got chills when it started. Love that show, but Timon just doesn’t substitute for the tumble monkeys.

Gorilla Falls Trail: Lots of cm posted 2 by 2. Saw so many gorillas and they were quite active.

We are going back Tuesday to do the stuff we didn’t get to do.

 

[Helvetica]

I’m at Epcot today. It feels like a normal day in May, maybe a little busier than normal. I had to wear a mask to get in and when I went inside. Pretty much everyone is opting not to wear a mask when they’re outside.

 

[Kelly014]

This is us too. We will be there in a little over 2 weeks. When we are in crowded area we will have our kids put on their masks. And even though we are vaccinated because our kids are not when we make our kids put them on we will too.

Us too. I think this will be the approach for a lot of families. If there is an outdoor bottleneck, or if parades and/or fireworks are back we will all mask up so the kids don't get sick. I know the odds are that they will survive COVID just fine, but I don't want them to be a catalyst for spreading it if possible and of all the ways for a kid to spend their long awaited Disney vacation, quarantining and sick with COVID sounds pretty awful so we will still take some extra precautions.

 

[Snowysmom]

We just got back yesterday. We stayed at Boulder Ridge villas. We really liked the Wilderness Lodge area. The bus service was very good going to the parks with maybe 15 minutes wait at most. Going back from the parks was not as good. We waited 25 minutes, sometimes more, for a bus most times. Once we were lucky and a bus came quickly. AK and Epcot were the worst for waiting.

The wait times were either a bit inflated or right on target. Expedition Everest queue extended onto the bridge but the app said 15 minutes. I was skeptical. It was 15 minutes. Longest queue for us was Slinky Dog Dash. Posted wait time was 60 minutes but it was more like 50 minutes and moved along. I liked having a more relaxed trip without running from fast pass to fast pass. Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway was surprisingly good. It was only a 35 minute wait at 10:00 on Tuesday morning. Peoplemover was a 30 minute wait on Sat afternoon and a 15 minute wait on Thurs afternoon. The lines look long but they move quickly.

We found World Showcase to be a bit less charming than usual. It just seemed a bit more lacking. It was a hot and humid day with downpours off and on. That could have made it a bit more of a challenge. Future World was great. We rode Soarin twice within 45 minutes, plus we did Test Track in the evening with a 25 minute wait as well as Spaceship Earth and mission space green side. There was no wait for that. We were there on a Sunday.

We had a great trip. We got to ride and see everything we wanted. It was a much needed break from reality and we enjoyed that. We have a trip planned for Nov. We will see how things are in early Oct before we commit to the trip but with new regulations coming into play it looks better that we will go.

 

[Mango7100]

Us too. I think this will be the approach for a lot of families. If there is an outdoor bottleneck, or if parades and/or fireworks are back we will all mask up so the kids don't get sick. I know the odds are that they will survive COVID just fine, but I don't want them to be a catalyst for spreading it if possible and of all the ways for a kid to spend their long awaited Disney vacation, quarantining and sick with COVID sounds pretty awful so we will still take some extra precautions.

Our family is going to do the same with DD8. Security and entry, bottle necks, parades, fireworks if they ever decide to spend the money on them again.

 

[MomOTwins]

Our family is going to do the same with DD8. Security and entry, bottle necks, parades, fireworks if they ever decide to spend the money on them again.

Exactly, we're comfortable the kids are low risk for serious illness/hospitalization, but they can still get sick, and with incubation period as low as a day or two, that could really mess up our vacations and return home plans. Frankly, there is really no such thing as an "uncrowded" outdoor area at WDW any more, except at the hotels.

 

[Sara W]

We just got back yesterday. We stayed at Boulder Ridge villas. We really liked the Wilderness Lodge area. The bus service was very good going to the parks with maybe 15 minutes wait at most.

Did you take the bus or boat to MK? Do you know what time the boat started running? Was there a line for early morning boarding? We’re staying in a few weeks and I’m trying to think about how we’ll get to MK. Thx!

 

[Lsdolphin]

Are CMs all still wearing masks?

 

[scrappinginontario]

Are CMs all still wearing masks?

I asked this same question and found out:

Yes, CMs are still wearing masks indoors and outdoors.

 

[Haley R]

Did you take the bus or boat to MK? Do you know what time the boat started running? Was there a line for early morning boarding? We’re staying in a few weeks and I’m trying to think about how we’ll get to MK. Thx!

We just stayed at fort wilderness so it might be similar. The first boat always seemed to leave around 6:50. We tried to be there as close to 6:30 as possible.

 

[mamaofsix]

oh yes. Buses were brutal. They need to do away with the distancing or double/triple present fleet. It was awful. 35+ minute waits every time we elected to use one.

I am reading reports on fb DVC fan page that buses are now loading every seat, no more distancing...
Anyone there now who can confirm?

 

[canyoncam]

I got to DW on Thursday and it’s been great. Super low crowds compared to pre-covid. On Friday we went to HS and we rode RNR and ToT twice each before 8:30 which is 30 minutes prior to the park opening

Nice for you but mileage varies. When I was there last Monday they didn’t even start the temperature screenings until 8:20. I didn’t think they took up much time but glad they are gone for those there now. My problem there was they directed the early bus, boat, walkers and skyliner traffic to the far side and I wound up toward the end. Later traffic got to be front of the line on the side closer to those modes of transportation. They held cars until after the initial backup off Disney modes were in. I still got ToT and RnR in once before opening and was in a 30 minute line for each again immediately after. But crowds to me felt higher than my normal May trips. Most likely due to lack of shows.

 

[Helvetica]

In another sign that things are going back to normal, they’re no longer doing the socially distant parking thing where they have you park every other row. They had us do it yesterday at Epcot, but not at Animal Kingdom today.

 

[LiamsDISMom]

I am reading reports on fb DVC fan page that buses are now loading every seat, no more distancing...
Anyone there now who can confirm?

We just got back and they were seating all seats on buses. They still have plexiglass and plastic dividers and numbered sections. Only one family in each numbered section, which could leave one seat open sometimes if the numbers/groups don't work out just right.

 

[ajgardner]

In another sign that things are going back to normal, they’re no longer doing the socially distant parking thing where they have you park every other row. They had us do it yesterday at Epcot, but not at Animal Kingdom today.

We were there the last week in April and drove ourselves to every park. We never parked every other row - they always had us parked together like normal. However, we paid for the preferred parking, maybe it was different in the other sections but it didn’t appear to be.

 

[Snowysmom]

Did you take the bus or boat to MK? Do you know what time the boat started running? Was there a line for early morning boarding? We’re staying in a few weeks and I’m trying to think about how we’ll get to MK. Thx!

We did not take the boat but we did see that the line for the boat is long both going to MK and coming back from MK. One morning while eating breakfast outside Roaring Forks we saw alot of people coming back from the boatdock rushing and I believe they didn't get on the boat and were heading for the bus. We decided to take the bus to get to MK early. We got to MK around 8:20 and the park was open and Seven Dwarves' ride already had a posted 45 minute wait. The line moved along well and was more like 35 minutes.

 

[krismom345]

Here now, having a tranquil breakfast at CBR after a few whirlwind days. You’ve all been so generous with your time and advice I wanted to impart my observations. Not sure how enduring this will be given we are here during Chapek’s pronouncement regarding increased attendance, but here goes:

Arrived midday Tuesday (5/11). The DME lines were quite lengthy as expected but it did move briskly and we were on our bus within a half hour. I was tempted to try Lyft or Uber but the prices were around the mid $40 to $50 range for an XL (we’re a party of five).

First night was at GF. We changed into pool clothes and were able to use the pool immediately. Room wasn’t available until right around 3 which was fine by us. You should allow 20/30 minutes for mobile orders, which is good to know if you have kids to being hangry.

Walked to MK Weds morning (5/12). Easy walk, left right around 7. We were like 6th in line for temp check. Got through around 7:15/7:20, and tapped in. Made it immediately to 7DMT. They didn’t start moving the line until like 7:48/7:50, and right before we got to the interior queue they dumped the line and said they had tech difficulties. We walked over to Peter Pan, basically a walk on, and did the same with Buzz Lightyear, Barnstormer, and a bunch of Tomorrowland/Fantasyland rides and attractions. Midday lunch at Plaza - thought it was fine. Never waited more than 15 mins for the rides but avoided Space. My wife and boys did Splash at the end of the night but I’m a wimp* and they did wait the full 50 mins. (* I did conquer my fears of “roller coasters” by finally riding BTMRR and 7DMT later in the day, thanks to a Guest Services Fastpass due to the extensive tech issues throughout the morning).

Took bus to CBR at the end of the night (we did a split stay). This was a pain. If I was a little more clear headed I might’ve checked the line for Riviera and then walked over.

DHS on Thursday (5/13). Avoided Slinky first thing and counter-programmed by doing MMRR 2x to start. Both walk-ons. Delightful ride. Did MF, waited about 15 mins back to back. Did Star Tours, and by then our BG35 ROTR was ready. Did that. Shopped until Sci-Fi lunch. It was excellent, probably the best meal this week. Wife and oldest son did RNRC (see above *) and I took the other kids on Lightning McQueen. Amazing animatronic. Due to quirks in showtime and hitting it at the right time, they were out before we were. Hit Toy Story land, were able to do Alien Saucers back to back with like a 10 min wait each, shopped, saw a few of the shows, did TSM with boys while wife and daughter had dinner at Brown Derby (they loved it) and split up again when daughter and I did MMRR 2x times while wife and boys did Slinky. Skyliner there and back was a breeze.

MASK COMPLIANCE: Vast majority were compliant, and did see a number of CMs enforce. Obviously I think that may be changing soon, but only once did I see a family just refuse to comply over and over again. Had to be warned about eating in line, etc. Never felt unsafe, though wife and I are vaccinated. Our kids are not, but they’ve been in school all year and played sports and figured they’d be fine. Never felt really concerned they were exposed to to much, but each their own.

TRANSPORTATION: I think most of the battle is where you’re staying. The walk for rope drop from GF/POLY/CONTEMP/BAY LAKE is a huge competitive advantage (feels weird to frame it that way!) to getting in early at MK. Likewise, same would be case for the BEACH/YACHT/BOARDWALK/S&D walk to Epcot/HS. I’d you’re Skylining from CBR/Riviera, take the extra 5-7 mins and walk to the CRB stop. We saw first in line people at the Riviera stop - we’re in Aruba and walked the extra length to go to the CRB stop - get put at the back of the line after they got off their Skyliner connector. Dad that was first off his cab was not happy. WHEN YOU ARRIVE AT HS- do not talk over to the long line to the left as you get off Skyliner. Just as we arrived they opened the closer temp station. Hang out there.

FOOD: This is all going to be personal preference, but the combo of heat and masks can be tolling on you. I found sit down table service restaurant reservations to be a nice respite from all that. Check in the days before your park reservation, and the night before. Well worth it if you can make it happen. For mobile orders, just stay ahead of the game. Found there to be about a 5-10 min delay from “I’m Here” to “It’s Ready!”

CROWDS: I don’t have an innate sense of whether it was 35% or larger. We’ve never been to WDW during insanely busy times, so not much of a reference point. It was midweek in mid May, so we timed it for a relative lull knowing pent up travel demand was in the offing this summer as vaccination rates increase. I felt they were fine and never felt uncomfortable or unsafe (see above) but also was prepared given some of the “This was NOT 35% capacity!” observations I’ve seen here and elsewhere. We went in September and it was completely dead. I enjoyed that trip for different reasons but it also felt macabre and a little depressing at the same time. There’s a vitality back in the parks now with more people and attendance, and that’s overall a good thing even if it means slightly longer waits. But again, to each their own.

I hope this helps, and I’m so grateful for all of your combined wisdom and advice over these many months!

Sorry- I know CBR is Caribbean Beach Resort, but what's CRB? We are staying tin the pirate rooms in July and trying to plot best transport to everywhere

 

[EPCOT-O.G.]

Sorry- I know CBR is Caribbean Beach Resort, but what's CRB? We are staying tin the pirate rooms in July and trying to plot best transport to everywhere

Sorry - typo! CRB is meant to be CBR, not to be confused with PBR

 

[Mango7100]

We were there the last week in April and drove ourselves to every park. We never parked every other row - they always had us parked together like normal. However, we paid for the preferred parking, maybe it was different in the other sections but it didn’t appear to be.

When were they opening the gates for self parking? I believe I remember a hour before official opening?