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

[yulilin3]

Hello DISers!

Can’t wait to be back to the magic in a few days!!! I have a few questions that I haven’t been able to get direct answers to and would appreciate your feedback on here.

1. Has anybody been told that they can’t pay for things with cash? I know that mobile ordering and plastic is preferred and highly encouraged, but I was curious if anybody was being denied or restricted to small bills only?
2. How is the wait for getting on a bus for Magical Express? Torn between doing this and paying for an Uber upon arrival.
3. Are we still able to leave our bags at the front desk if our room isn’t ready yet upon arrival?
4. Are the fuelrod stations still operating for swaps?
5. Where are the cool magic shots or photo opportunities for Halloween and fall in the parks? If there is a list somewhere and someone would please link me to it, I’d appreciate it.

I believe that’s it for now. Thanks for any and all help!

Merged you to the existing thread. Read back a couple of pages for answers to all your questions, here's my info from personal experience
1. You can pay with cash everywhere, they will encourage contactless payment though
3. Yes
4. Yes they're open but not free anymore unless you are part of the founders program
5. I got mine on the sides of the castle with the flaming Jack o lantern. Search photopass magic shots for the main thread

 

[Theactualdisneyprincess]

Merged you to the existing thread. Read back a couple of pages for answers to all your questions, here's my info from personal experience
1. You can pay with cash everywhere, they will encourage contactless payment though
3. Yes
4. Yes they're open but not free anymore unless you are part of the founders program
5. I got mine on the sides of the castle with the flaming Jack o lantern. Search photopass magic shots for the main thread

How do you know if you’re part of the founders program? I have had mine a couple of years, but I don’t have a receipt anymore

 

[Geomom]

Hello DISers!

Can’t wait to be back to the magic in a few days!!! I have a few questions that I haven’t been able to get direct answers to and would appreciate your feedback on here.

1. Has anybody been told that they can’t pay for things with cash? I know that mobile ordering and plastic is preferred and highly encouraged, but I was curious if anybody was being denied or restricted to small bills only?
2. How is the wait for getting on a bus for Magical Express? Torn between doing this and paying for an Uber upon arrival.
3. Are we still able to leave our bags at the front desk if our room isn’t ready yet upon arrival?
4. Are the fuelrod stations still operating for swaps?
5. Where are the cool magic shots or photo opportunities for Halloween and fall in the parks? If there is a list somewhere and someone would please link me to it, I’d appreciate it.

I believe that’s it for now. Thanks for any and all help!

1. Can't answer for Disney, but wanted to add that we weren't allowed to use cash at the airport food court (inside security.)
2. Our trip was late July, we only waited 15 minutes for a magical express bus. When you check in, they tell you it could be an hour wait, but I've read plenty of stories like ours, told up to 60 min, took 15. I'm sure a lot depends upon the time of day you're arriving--how many buses are dropping people off at the airport. As far as safety, we felt very safe going to Disney on DME, they tell you where to sit to be socially distanced. On the way back to the airport, they didn't do that and we didn't feel safe with how close others sat to us...and they removed their masks.
3. Yes, and they're also transferring luggage between resorts if you have a split stay, and you can leave luggage there after you check out if you're doing something the day you're leaving.

 

[yulilin3]

How do you know if you’re part of the founders program? I have had mine a couple of years, but I don’t have a receipt anymore

You had to go on their site and join but im not sure if the window got that closed already

 

[Shellyred8]

On a related note, is the pressed penny machine in Frontierland still operating? Several of the pennies are "Splash" themed, so I'm curious if they've discontinued those or if you can still purchase the complete set?

View attachment 527161

When we were there in August, it was still there. It was the only Splash souvenir available.

 

[Best Aunt]

How do you know if you’re part of the founders program? I have had mine a couple of years, but I don’t have a receipt anymore

See this:
https://fuel-rod.com/pr/200710_FuelRod_Founders.pdf
Also this:
https://www.disneyfoodblog.com/2020...under-status-program-is-live-in-disney-world/

 

[CarolynFH]

Are the fuelrod stations still operating for swaps?

Yes they're open but not free anymore unless you are part of the founders program

How do you know if you’re part of the founders program? I have had mine a couple of years, but I don’t have a receipt anymore

I don’t have my receipt either, but I was able to tell them the month and year I bought it as well as the location, and I uploaded a photo of my current FuelRod. It worked!

 

[Someluck]

I am reconsidering your idea and curious. Did you rent the one that was able to be broken down and put in a car?

Yes I did. Most of the time we didn't have to break it all the way to fit in a car. We even used UberXL a few times and it was easy to load into the back.

 

[kristenabelle]

Just got here yesterday. Epcot was pretty “packed” - less than a typical food and wine weekend I think, but distanced queues and no street entertainment made it seem more crowded.

highly recommend going after a storm/pre-close. Most booths had zero wait from 6-7.

mask compliance was honestly not as great as I was hoping, based on previous reports. Saw a fair amount of noses and drink walkers. That said, DHS was also relatively crowded today and compliance was amazing! So could be a combination weekend/Epcot thing.

ROTR seems to be running well today, was able to get a 10 AM boarding pass & it was a perfect ride! Also hopped on and off MMRR pre open, and walked onto TSMM after a Starbucks breakfast.

having a really great time by managing my expectations and trying to tour differently (breaks, checking off favorites and skipping others, taking advantage of post-close reservations, etc.)

MK tomorrow, then over to Universal with a day at AK later this week.

 

[kelscross]

Have our trip booked for December and can’t wait!! We have went 25 times so we are ok with some stuff not operating. My question is I have been reading this thread and have seen various reports that crowds are “insane”, “packed”. Can that be clarified? “Insane and packed” as in pre-covid packed? Or exceeded your expectation with the parks operating at lower capacity and/or more crowded than your taste for social distancing.

thanks!

 

[lovethattink]

Have our trip booked for December and can’t wait!! We have went 25 times so we are ok with some stuff not operating. My question is I have been reading this thread and have seen various reports that crowds are “insane”, “packed”. Can that be clarified? “Insane and packed” as in pre-covid packed? Or exceeded your expectation with the parks operating at lower capacity and/or more crowded than your taste for social distancing.

thanks!

In my experience, there have been occasional bottlenecks in the parks, but nothing like pre-Covid.

Saturday night at Disney Springs was very full. It was hard to keep socially distanced. But almost everyone had their masks on.

 

[emily nicole]

You will be in the Theme park ticket bucket if you are not an AP

no we don’t have APs. I haven’t bought tickets yet but on the calendar our dates are all green. So that means there is availability?

Edit: I don’t know what theme park ticket bucket means either. Does that mean even if I make a park reservation (once I buy tickets) we might not get in?

 

[Helvetica]

Disney’s Hollywood Studios is pretty nuts today, but I’ve still had a good time. I got to the parking lot over an hour early, so I was able to get into the park about 45 minutes before the park opened. Everyone else went towards Mickie and Minnie’s, so I went Tower of Terror. I was able to ride Tower of Terror and Rock n Roller Coaster before the park officially opened.

Socially Distant Oga’s is still incredible, Rise is still a favorite and Docking Bay 7 still rocks. I was able to get a lot done for the first half.

I went back for a nap and by the time I got back the place is really busy. Maybe it’s the spacing, but it feels busier than a normal September. The line for ToT goes into the que of Beauty and the Beast.

On a more positive notes, ride ops today have been exceptionally good. I don’t think I’ll be doing a second DHS day, but we’ll have to see what the other parks look like during the week.

Hello DISers!

Can’t wait to be back to the magic in a few days!!! I have a few questions that I haven’t been able to get direct answers to and would appreciate your feedback on here.

1. Has anybody been told that they can’t pay for things with cash? I know that mobile ordering and plastic is preferred and highly encouraged, but I was curious if anybody was being denied or restricted to small bills only?
2. How is the wait for getting on a bus for Magical Express? Torn between doing this and paying for an Uber upon arrival.
3. Are we still able to leave our bags at the front desk if our room isn’t ready yet upon arrival?
4. Are the fuelrod stations still operating for swaps?
5. Where are the cool magic shots or photo opportunities for Halloween and fall in the parks? If there is a list somewhere and someone would please link me to it, I’d appreciate it.

I believe that’s it for now. Thanks for any and all help!

Docking Bay 7 is only accepting mobile orders. I haven’t seen anywhere else impose such a restriction.

 

[yulilin3]

Disney’s Hollywood Studios is pretty nuts today, but I’ve still had a good time. I got to the parking lot over an hour early, so I was able to get into the park about 45 minutes before the park opened. Everyone else went towards Mickie and Minnie’s, so I went Tower of Terror. I was able to ride Tower of Terror and Rock n Roller Coaster before the park officially opened.

Socially Distant Oga’s is still incredible, Rise is still a favorite and Docking Bay 7 still rocks. I was able to get a lot done for the first half.

I went back for a nap and by the time I got back the place is really busy. Maybe it’s the spacing, but it feels busier than a normal September. The line for ToT goes into the que of Beauty and the Beast.

On a more positive notes, ride ops today have been exceptionally good. I don’t think I’ll be doing a second DHS day, but we’ll have to see what the other parks look like during the week.



Docking Bay 7 is only accepting mobile orders. I haven’t seen anywhere else impose such a restriction.

The park feels busier because
A) it's smaller, with smaller walkways at points
B) the shows are closed, those swallow lots of people
DB7 does take cash, they're just very insistent on mobile ordering but you can talk to a manager if thr front cm refuses to do so

 

[Helvetica]

The park feels busier because
A) it's smaller, with smaller walkways at points
B) the shows are closed, those swallow lots of people
DB7 does take cash, they're just very insistent on mobile ordering but you can talk to a manager if thr front cm refuses to do so

I guess it’s all relative and reasonable minds may differ. To me, DHS feels very busy today and by mid-day it got to the point where I felt uncomfortable and left. Epcot and Animal Kingdom were also really busy on Saturday and Sunday. It’s nothing like when I was here in July.

If a manager makes an exception, then I guess that’s their right, but today the front-line cast member was telling people that they’re only accepting mobile orders, which makes sense since they really didn’t have enough seating inside or out when I ate there.

 

[Pksmom03]

I’m at HS right now. We got here before opening and couldn’t get boarding group either time but we have ridden everything else. It did seem more crowded than AK or MK over the weekend.

 

[yulilin3]

My DD tells me today is definitely busier

 

[Shinrai]

no we don’t have APs. I haven’t bought tickets yet but on the calendar our dates are all green. So that means there is availability?

Edit: I don’t know what theme park ticket bucket means either. Does that mean even if I make a park reservation (once I buy tickets) we might not get in?

From what I understand, there are a certain number of reservation spots set aside for AP's, a different number for people with regular tickets, and number set aside for resort guests. The AP slots fill up faster than the other two. Once you have tickets & reservation set you're good to go. There shouldn't be any question at that point about getting in or not.

 

[disneygirlsng]

no we don’t have APs. I haven’t bought tickets yet but on the calendar our dates are all green. So that means there is availability?

Edit: I don’t know what theme park ticket bucket means either. Does that mean even if I make a park reservation (once I buy tickets) we might not get in?

When you look at the availability calendar it should have 3 tabs or selections to choose from above the calendar. Resort guests (on-site), annual passholders, and then theme park ticket guests. You have to click on the option that you will be (theme park guests) to see that specific buckets availability as they can be different for each selection.

 

[yulilin3]

Well... conflicting advise, but thanks nonetheless!

What does the "hotel guests" part mean? Is that onsite guests? We'll be offsite, so I'm not sure what that will mean for us.

if you are not an APholder and not staying on site your bucket is from the "theme park ticket guest"
https://disneyworld.disney.go.com/availability-calendar/?segments=tickets,resort,passholder