***January 2022 Thread*** - Kicking Off 2022 with WDW!

[SheSingsAlong]

Just got my tickets for Jan 22 - 25 I had to call Disney to make the purchase because I needed to use the value of an old, unused ticket towards the purchase. I called right at 7 and got through immediately, but the first person I talked to needed to transfer me to another line after she had gathered the initial info from me. I was on hold about 40 minutes (not bad considering the multi-hour horror stories I have heard recently!) and when a cast member finally got on the line, the purchase was very smooth and quick. So happy!! I'm excited to try park hopping for the first time

I saw that Epcot will start opening at 10AM in October, I wonder if it will be opening any earlier than that by January...

 

[leeniewdw]

We've just booked our first trip since being there in March 2020. We've got reservations for late January.

I'm trying to catch up on all the various changes that have taken place (realizing what is happening now may not be what is happening in January). Am I correct that until this currrent Boo Bash, that they have not been conducting any After Hours nights at all? We attended our first (AK) in March 2020 and it was the highlight of our trip.

 

[leeniewdw]

Another question. On the disney site it says this on the Pop Century page:
From January 23 through January 28, 2022, Disney Skyliner service between Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney’s Riviera Resort and Epcot will be out of operation for refurbishment. Complimentary bus service will be available.

I hate to be stupid (and I should just call I suppose) but this would mean guests at POP couldn't continue onto EPCOT on the Skyliner, right? It's just worded weird (to me anyway), that it's only service "between" those 2 resorts and EPCOT, but that doesn't make sense. It seems like it should include "between POP and .....".

I'm over thinking this.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Another question. On the disney site it says this on the Pop Century page:
From January 23 through January 28, 2022, Disney Skyliner service between Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney’s Riviera Resort and Epcot will be out of operation for refurbishment. Complimentary bus service will be available.

I hate to be stupid (and I should just call I suppose) but this would mean guests at POP couldn't continue onto EPCOT on the Skyliner, right? It's just worded weird (to me anyway), that it's only service "between" those 2 resorts and EPCOT, but that doesn't make sense. It seems like it should include "between POP and .....".

I'm over thinking this.

Guests from Pop will take a bus to Epcot from Pop rather than the Skyliner.

 

[SheSingsAlong]

Another question. On the disney site it says this on the Pop Century page:
From January 23 through January 28, 2022, Disney Skyliner service between Disney’s Caribbean Beach Resort, Disney’s Riviera Resort and Epcot will be out of operation for refurbishment. Complimentary bus service will be available.

I hate to be stupid (and I should just call I suppose) but this would mean guests at POP couldn't continue onto EPCOT on the Skyliner, right? It's just worded weird (to me anyway), that it's only service "between" those 2 resorts and EPCOT, but that doesn't make sense. It seems like it should include "between POP and .....".

I'm over thinking this.

I think it is worded weirdly like that because the skyliner will still run from Pop to CBR (skyliner hub) during those dates. Your only option from from CBR will then be the Hollywood Studios line.

We will be at Pop from 1/21 thru 1/25 and not worried about the skyliner Epcot line being down. Epcot has the latest morning opening hour (right now, anyway) so we likely will just hop to it later in the day fr another park. Then we won't need the skyliner!

 

[kendo43]

Hello all, we are so close to moving our trip from the week after thanksgiving to January, probably something like January 22-29. Is there anything big going on that time usually? I saw something about the festival of the arts.

 

[scrappinginontario]

Hello all, we are so close to moving our trip from the week after thanksgiving to January, probably something like January 22-29. Is there anything big going on that time usually? I saw something about the festival of the arts.

You're correct, Festival of the Arts normally. The one thing to keep in mind depending on where you're staying is that the Epcot line of the Skyliner is closed for refurbishment a portion of the time that you're there.

 

[kendo43]

You're correct, Festival of the Arts normally. The one thing to keep in mind depending on where you're staying is that the Epcot line of the Skyliner is closed for refurbishment a portion of the time that you're there.

Yea I saw where it would be down during that time. Thanks.

 

[EpcotPhoenician]

Is there any speculation as to when Festival of the Arts will begin next year? I don't usually travel that time of year..

I'll be down the 1st to the 12th, so I'm hoping it will begin on the 7th. Reserved EPCOT both Saturday and Sunday if that's the case.

 

[Lsdolphin]

Can't wait for our January trip... and for the Official thread. Woo hoo!!! Half of my family hunts and they are going to camp somewhere remote - I'm taking the other half to Disney!

Who Is Kicking 2022 Off with WDW
disheadz (Disney and more trip, January)
EmilyGahr (first non-summer trip and headed to Wilderness Lodge, mid-late January)
Griffin11 (from Canada, first visit for husband and kids, late January-early February)
hsmamainva (celebrating youngest daughter's birthday, late January)
hulagirl87 (solo trip hopes - well deserved break, TBD January)
Kelli Pooh (delayed 50th birthday celebration, mid-late January)
KTwiegs (looking forward to Art of Animation, late January-early February)
lorileahb (bringing the non-hunting side of the family, hoping for mom to join, late January)
mandis77 (Epcot resort - more resort days, late January)
MarvelStars (from Canada - sisters trip, early January)
mdguy429 (no 2020 trips so headed to Poly, mid-January)
MGMmj! (celebrating son's 4th birthday with family, early January)
mjmgsssp (hoping for POFQ to open, late January)
Mrs Grumpy (dh turning 50, late January-early February)
Neverbeast (rescheduled from Sept 2020 with extended family - maybe add on with immediate family, late January-early February)
pigletto (from Canada - family trip - WDW and Universal, early-mid January)
Princessclab (moving target set for January and the Arts festival, late January-early February)
randi02 (split stay WDW / Universal, late January-early February)
RoseBen009 (first big Disney trip - split stay CBR and Poly, early-mid January)
shaws2003 (first time back since 2009, late December-early January)
SheSingsAlong (childhood friend girls trip - any crowded days to avoid?, considering mid-late January)
tinabin919 (Boardwalk and Swan/Dolphin/DS Hotel, looking for tips on DS hotels, early-mid January)
Tinkerbell_Girl (late January for CBR)

 

[Lsdolphin]

Jan.23-29 POFQ can’t wait!!!

 

[scrappinginontario]

Is there any speculation as to when Festival of the Arts will begin next year? I don't usually travel that time of year..

I'll be down the 1st to the 12th, so I'm hoping it will begin on the 7th. Reserved EPCOT both Saturday and Sunday if that's the case.

The festival has not been announced yet. The dates in 2021 were Jan 8 - Feb 22, 2021.

Jan 8th was a Friday in 2021 and Jan 7th will be a Friday in 2022 so you may be there opening day, if they run it and the dates are similar.

We love Festival of the Arts and pushed our trip to 2022 on dates when it will hopefully be running.

 

[DaniellePoppins]

Circling back to transportation in January.... has anyone here given more thought to getting to property from MCO now that Mears has released their pricing? The bus option is a good deal, but I'm concerned about how long it will take if they wait to fill a bus to depart and the multiple stops it might make. The private option seems a little steep.

 

[EpcotPhoenician]

Circling back to transportation in January.... has anyone here given more thought to getting to property from MCO now that Mears has released their pricing? The bus option is a good deal, but I'm concerned about how long it will take if they wait to fill a bus to depart and the multiple stops it might make. The private option seems a little steep.

I briefly considered Mears Connect, but for a few bucks more I'd rather get an Uber.

My concern with Uber is driver availability. During our trip in May, it took an excessive amount of time to locate a driver to take us to Wilderness Lodge. With Magical Express out of the equation, I sincerely hope there are enough drivers in the area to handle the plane-loads of folks trying to get to their resorts.

I suppose airport taxi is the backup solution... I just dread seeing this message when I'm standing outside MCO with four suitcases.

 

[DaniellePoppins]

I briefly considered Mears Connect, but for a few bucks more I'd rather get an Uber.

My concern with Uber is driver availability. During our trip in May, it took an excessive amount of time to locate a driver to take us to Wilderness Lodge. With Magical Express out of the equation, I sincerely hope there are enough drivers in the area to handle the plane-loads of folks trying to get to their resorts.

I suppose airport taxi is the backup solution... I just dread seeing this message when I'm standing outside MCO with four suitcases.

Yes, that's my concern also with ride share options. Cabs and ride shares are going to be overwhelmed for a while with the heavier demand from people who used to use ME. Not for anything, but I'd like to find the idiot who decided to cancel that service without a backup in place. As I'm sure everything is with Disney, this was a cost issue decision. I know there was talk about the contract with Mears, the possibility they were going into bankruptcy or whatever else the rumors said.... but in the end, Disney had this service for what had to be 15 years for free. It made no sense to just cancel it instead of making it a paid service. They charge for every other thing, what would be the difference for this? At least it was something useful to the consumer.

I'm still leaning towards a private car service over the Mears Connect bus or a ride share option, simply because they save so much time. The problem is the service I used last time no longer has sedan service and the SUV option is about the same price as the Mears private car. If anyone has suggestions for a service they've used I'm all ears.

 

[SheSingsAlong]

Currently, I'm planning on using the Mears bus service in January to see if it is worth it for my family trip in November 2022. If my daughter is in a booster by November, we may try Uber for the first time. It has never been an option previously because I did NOT want to schlep a car seat to Disney just for airport transportation.

 

[DaniellePoppins]

My concern with the Mears bus is the reason I didn't us ME on my last trip, timing. When going from the airport to the hotel you're going to be waiting, and there's bound to be kinks with the system that first month. Besides waiting online to check in you're also probably going to wait till the bus is full enough to make it worth it for them to leave the terminal. Then its probably going to be on a loop where you go to several hotels, unload a lot of people and their luggage, and you don't know if you're going to be the first hotel or the last. The only time saved with ME was really waiting at the baggage carousel.

The last time I used ME was a nightmare from start to finish when going back to the airport. We had a wheelchair person in our group and the bus that was sent didn't have a lift. We ended up waiting an additional 30 minutes for another bus then they stopped at two more hotels and the other side of the terminal before we finally got there. TSA lines were a nightmare and by the time we got through we made it to our gate JUST in time for what would have been our boarding if the flight wasn't delayed. For once thank heaven for a delayed flight.

Now of course I'm in a completely different situation with this trip. I'm a solo traveler and I have pre-check. Getting through the airport for me is like a day at the spa compared to that experience. Doing my reading on the boards here it seems that pickup with Mears for your return trip is going to be two hours before your flight. That is NOT going to work for me even with being able to check in online the day before and having pre-check. It seems way too tight a time frame if you have to make other stops or hit traffic. Again, new service and it may not be that short a time period before your flight for pickup. Maybe people will complain or maybe the wording is wrong on the site, but for my piece of mind, I think paying more is worth it at least for the January trip until there's more details.

 

[Justrose]

I am living dangerously on the edge - I booked Mears for its first day, 1/1/2022.

We have a super early flight in (Thanks, Frontier for changing it ) and we have no park tickets for our arrival day, so we won't be in a huge hurry. Like a PP mentioned - we had serious issues with Uber/Lyft in March not being available, cancelling our rides after we booked, etc. etc. I am trying to avoid that headache again.

 

[scrappinginontario]

I am living dangerously on the edge - I booked Mears for its first day, 1/1/2022.

We have a super early flight in (Thanks, Frontier for changing it ) and we have no park tickets for our arrival day, so we won't be in a huge hurry. Like a PP mentioned - we had serious issues with Uber/Lyft in March not being available, cancelling our rides after we booked, etc. etc. I am trying to avoid that headache again.

I hope it goes really well for you!

The advantage we have with Mears offering this service is that they have been doing so for years. Yes, I anticipate a few hiccups but feel it will be an easier transition moving it to Mears rather than a company where it would be a completely new service for them.

 

[sarbah77]

Circling back to transportation in January.... has anyone here given more thought to getting to property from MCO now that Mears has released their pricing? The bus option is a good deal, but I'm concerned about how long it will take if they wait to fill a bus to depart and the multiple stops it might make. The private option seems a little steep.

I reserved a one-way car rental when I knew our dates - it was $50 for me, through work discounts. I'll pick it up at MCO and return it to the Disney Car Care Center and they drop you off at your resort. Or a resort, depending on your mood. It also gives me the chance to get groceries etc, before we turn the car back in.