Here now. Some observations for people.

[mamaofsix]

Do they send you the confirmation of the result ?

Yes. They email you the result within 15 minutes of your appointment.

 

[man-from-nantucket]

Hey guys. We are here now and loving the hot and sunny weather. I just thought I would let people know a bit about what it’s like.

It is super busy this week. Park reservations are sold out. We are on property so have early entry and can usually get one or two rides in before waits start to get long. We find within an hour of the parks opening to everyone waits for most things are already at close to an hour. I purchased genie plus for our entire stay and it’s the only way we have been able to ride almost everything we want without waiting a long time. Even with genie plus some of our waits have been around 20 mins but usually only 5-10.

One thing to watch with genie plus including the extra paid ones. The times have changed on us often. Twice for the paid ones I have one time showing when I pick everyone and confirm. But then after I pay it switches to a later time. Just make sure you recheck all your times after you book.

Like I said it really busy this week. Also now that they have dropped mask mandates there are very few people wearing masks. And they pack you in, in lines no distancing at all. It’s a weird feeling coming from home where everyone wears masks and people give you space. We have been wearing our n95 masks. Even though few people are wearing masks, nobody looks at you funny for wearing one.

And I’m happy to announce that we did our tests to return home and they are all negative. We had the switch health tests and they are super easy to do right from our hotel room. For anyone coming needing an antigen test to return home. I would definitely recommend the switch antigen tests
They are $80 for 2.

Thanks for post. We head there next week. We’re pretty militant about the masking and realize we’ll be in the minority too. We have ADRs at Space, Italy and Mexico. How crowded, packed-in was the table dining you did? I suspect I know the answer. Cheers

 

[wdwmom3]

Thanks for post. We head there next week. We’re pretty militant about the masking and realize we’ll be in the minority too. We have ADRs at Space, Italy and Mexico. How crowded, packed-in was the table dining you did? I suspect I know the answer. Cheers

We only did 2 table service and they seemed pretty much like they were before covid.

 

[HeatherLassell]

Do they send you the confirmation of the result ?

It's a rapid test. So you're taking the test in front of them over a video call. So the test is in your hands. They just confirm the result is true based on watching you do the test.

 

[damo]

It's a rapid test. So you're taking the test in front of them over a video call. So the test is in your hands. They just confirm the result is true based on watching you do the test.

Yup and then they send you confirmation so that you can show it to the border agent.

 

[HeatherLassell]

Yup and then they send you confirmation so that you can show it to the border agent.

I'm so glad I found out about this! If testing is still required on my trip in May this is the way I'll be going for sure!

 

[accm]

It sounds like you enjoyed your trip, even with the crowds! I hope the trip back home was uneventful.

We were there a month ago, and experienced the same thing as you. None of the parks were fully booked, but lines were crazy long within an hour of official park opening. And yes, definitely not as much merchandise as previous trips. We even saw items that were from Shanghai Disney being sold in the parks.

 

[accm]

Thanks for post. We head there next week. We’re pretty militant about the masking and realize we’ll be in the minority too. We have ADRs at Space, Italy and Mexico. How crowded, packed-in was the table dining you did? I suspect I know the answer. Cheers

We did Space 220 and thought the tables were pretty well spaced. I don't know if it was due to covid or just the layout of the restaurant. Same thing at Topolinos and California Grill. Cape May cafe was "normal" restaurant spacing, and Crystal Palace was very packed in, to the point that it was hard to get to our table.

 

[wdwmom3]

For those who want to see just how packed the crowds were I found this vlog that was done the same time we were there. And it was pretty much like this each day in every park. So if you see park reservations selling out, this is what it feels like.

That said we rode everything we wanted with no more then a 20 min wait because we used genie plus and were staying onsite. We booked the rides that went the fastest first.

 

[Pumpkin1172]

It is super busy this week. Park reservations are sold out. We are on property so have early entry and can usually get one or two rides in before waits start to get long. We find within an hour of the parks opening to everyone waits for most things are already at close to an hour. I purchased genie plus for our entire stay and it’s the only way we have been able to ride almost everything we want without waiting a long time. Even with genie plus some of our waits have been around 20 mins but usually only 5-10.

One thing to watch with genie plus including the extra paid ones. The times have changed on us often. Twice for the paid ones I have one time showing when I pick everyone and confirm. But then after I pay it switches to a later time. Just make sure you recheck all your times after you book.

We were in HS on Saturday Feb 19 and it was INSANE crowds!!!! We stayed off-site as I am just not going to dish out the money to stay on Disney property. We never got the chance to even use LL to purchase ROTR. We waited until late in the day to ride and waited just over 1.5 hrs to ride it. WE hit it at just the right time, as there were usually 2-3 hr waits to get onto it. I did get to purchase LL for MIckey and Minnie's ride. Which was super cute. My Genie + did work for a couple of rides. We were able to score Smuggler's Run, Toy Story Mania, and one last one at Tower of Terror.

I had scored a Savis' workshop light saber build for DH, and we also had a fantastic lunch at the Brown Derby. We also did Star Tours, Indiana Jones, and Muppets 3D. The wait times at some of the other must-do rides never came below 2 hrs and we just didn't want to wait in those lines for those rides. We also got a surprise meet and greet with Chip and Dale while we were waiting to go into The Brown Derby!!!!

All in all, it was a good day, considering the crowds, and that it was our first time visiting that park. We didn't get to do as many of the rides as I wanted, but given the crowds, we got some main ones accomplished.

It sounds like you had a great time in the parks as well! I wasn't ready to come home and was really enjoying the heat wave Florida was experiencing. I am sure you were feeling the same way!

 

[wdwmom3]

We were in HS on Saturday Feb 19 and it was INSANE crowds!!!! We stayed off-site as I am just not going to dish out the money to stay on Disney property. We never got the chance to even use LL to purchase ROTR. We waited until late in the day to ride and waited just over 1.5 hrs to ride it. WE hit it at just the right time, as there were usually 2-3 hr waits to get onto it. I did get to purchase LL for MIckey and Minnie's ride. Which was super cute. My Genie + did work for a couple of rides. We were able to score Smuggler's Run, Toy Story Mania, and one last one at Tower of Terror.

I had scored a Savis' workshop light saber build for DH, and we also had a fantastic lunch at the Brown Derby. We also did Star Tours, Indiana Jones, and Muppets 3D. The wait times at some of the other must-do rides never came below 2 hrs and we just didn't want to wait in those lines for those rides. We also got a surprise meet and greet with Chip and Dale while we were waiting to go into The Brown Derby!!!!

All in all, it was a good day, considering the crowds, and that it was our first time visiting that park. We didn't get to do as many of the rides as I wanted, but given the crowds, we got some main ones accomplished.

It sounds like you had a great time in the parks as well! I wasn't ready to come home and was really enjoying the heat wave Florida was experiencing. I am sure you were feeling the same way!

Yeah we had amazing weather the entire time. I didn’t want to come home to snow!

I think the key was we went in with low expectations and knew we may not get a lot done.

 

[Sue M]

We were in HS on Saturday Feb 19 and it was INSANE crowds!!!! We stayed off-site as I am just not going to dish out the money to stay on Disney property. We never got the chance to even use LL to purchase ROTR. We waited until late in the day to ride and waited just over 1.5 hrs to ride it. WE hit it at just the right time, as there were usually 2-3 hr waits to get onto it. I did get to purchase LL for MIckey and Minnie's ride. Which was super cute. My Genie + did work for a couple of rides. We were able to score Smuggler's Run, Toy Story Mania, and one last one at Tower of Terror.

I had scored a Savis' workshop light saber build for DH, and we also had a fantastic lunch at the Brown Derby. We also did Star Tours, Indiana Jones, and Muppets 3D. The wait times at some of the other must-do rides never came below 2 hrs and we just didn't want to wait in those lines for those rides. We also got a surprise meet and greet with Chip and Dale while we were waiting to go into The Brown Derby!!!!

All in all, it was a good day, considering the crowds, and that it was our first time visiting that park. We didn't get to do as many of the rides as I wanted, but given the crowds, we got some main ones accomplished.

It sounds like you had a great time in the parks as well! I wasn't ready to come home and was really enjoying the heat wave Florida was experiencing. I am sure you were feeling the same way!

Glad you had a good trip! Is Genie+ the paid Fp? I’m not up on my wdw planning, last Aug was before the new Genie stuff! We had a nice enough time but not as good as when they had FP. Paid more and did less seems to be the status quo for wdw lately.
We love Brown Derby and usually grab lunch there. Love the salad!

 

[wdwmom3]

Glad you had a good trip! Is Genie+ the paid Fp? I’m not up on my wdw planning, last Aug was before the new Genie stuff! We had a nice enough time but not as good as when they had FP. Paid more and did less seems to be the status quo for wdw lately.
We love Brown Derby and usually grab lunch there. Love the salad!

Yes genie + is the paid fast pass.

 

[pigletto]

So would you recommend buying Genie+ for all parks? Crowds are going to be high part of our trip because the tail end is Memorial Day weekend. But I think it’s going to be packed the whole time.

We chose onsite and we are going to be at Animal Kingdom Lodge so we will have access to the Deluxe evening hours but that’s only two parks and a few hours.

Part of me wants to wait and see and part of me is thinking just add it to my tickets now and be done with it so I don’t go back and forth and back and forth.

 

[Sue M]

So would you recommend buying Genie+ for all parks? Crowds are going to be high part of our trip because the tail end is Memorial Day weekend. But I think it’s going to be packed the whole time.

We chose onsite and we are going to be at Animal Kingdom Lodge so we will have access to the Deluxe evening hours but that’s only two parks and a few hours.

Part of me wants to wait and see and part of me is thinking just add it to my tickets now and be done with it so I don’t go back and forth and back and forth.

I love AKL! I haven’t been the end of Aug lately, but that used to be our preferred time. The holiday weekend is busy as you know. But after Memorial Day crowds significantly drop. And before holiday it wasn’t very busy either. I’d just buy Genie for the holiday weekend, 3 days.
can you add more days if needed? But for now I’d buy for holiday weekend. Who knows but the way things are going it wouldn’t surprise me if there was another price hike.

 

[wdwmom3]

So would you recommend buying Genie+ for all parks? Crowds are going to be high part of our trip because the tail end is Memorial Day weekend. But I think it’s going to be packed the whole time.

We chose onsite and we are going to be at Animal Kingdom Lodge so we will have access to the Deluxe evening hours but that’s only two parks and a few hours.

Part of me wants to wait and see and part of me is thinking just add it to my tickets now and be done with it so I don’t go back and forth and back and forth.

I just bought for every day we were there. But the parks were predicted to be crowded every day and I just wanted it taken care of.

But I think it depends on how you like your trip. Like say you know some days you want to spend more time eating, watching shows etc and may only hit a couple rides then I probably wouldn’t. But if you want to hit a bunch of rides every day and it’s going to be busy then I would.

Also they just added space, frozen and I think Mickey and minnies run away railroad to the regular genie +. You no longer have to pay extra for them. That happened while we were there.

 

[steivewonder88]

Yup cause they count "telehealth" so you can bring your own rapid tests and then do the video call with LifeCenters and voila! And much cheaper at $25 for 2 people (instead of $80!)

Sorry what is this "LifeCenters"? Tried to google but can't find anything

 

[Jezwood]

For those who want to see just how packed the crowds were I found this vlog that was done the same time we were there. And it was pretty much like this each day in every park. So if you see park reservations selling out, this is what it feels like.

That said we rode everything we wanted with no more then a 20 min wait because we used genie plus and were staying onsite. We booked the rides that went the fastest first.

This guy is great. I watch Kyle all the time.

 

[Jezwood]

So would you recommend buying Genie+ for all parks? Crowds are going to be high part of our trip because the tail end is Memorial Day weekend. But I think it’s going to be packed the whole time.

We chose onsite and we are going to be at Animal Kingdom Lodge so we will have access to the Deluxe evening hours but that’s only two parks and a few hours.

Part of me wants to wait and see and part of me is thinking just add it to my tickets now and be done with it so I don’t go back and forth and back and forth.

I'm going at the end of March and only planning on buying it for MK and HS. I do however have Park Hoppers so if I need to use it in the other parks on the same day I purchase it I will use it there as well.

 

[HeatherLassell]

Sorry what is this "LifeCenters"? Tried to google but can't find anything

Lifecenters. ca If you have a rapid antigen test (manitoba gives them out - not sure where you are) you can use lifecenters. You do a video call with them, they watch you do the test and confirm the results. "telehealth" which is accepted for travel.