Looking at first week of March trip (main changes/things to know?)?

[BigOHawk]

We were in DL during mid March last year when everything was shut down and looking to return to Florida and get out of this Siberia like weather here!! Looking at March 5th arrival, park days after that.

A few quick questions as I haven't checked the board in some time:
1. Operating hours - looks like several threads on this, I can't imagine MK closing at 6 on a Saturday night in March, no? Looks like parks are opening an hour earlier than posted and extending hours in some cases
2. I know we will have to wear masks but do they check the masks to ensure proper layers or honor system?
3. Temp checks at gate I'm assuming?
4. Any characters? I know FP+ is gone, have wait times been crazy for headliners? We are very much rope droppers and move very quickly.
5. Best site/link for what park restaurants are open?
6. Do I need travel insurance this time? Normally, with kids going we buy it but with airlines not charging a change fee and Disney possibly refunding hotel money what do you think? I would assume purchased tickets would stay as is for later use? This question is probably my biggest.
7. What are parks like? Antiseptic? Any Disney magic still around ....any chance we can take pictures w/out masks? I'm sure I'll have more..TIA!
8. Park Reservations! Let's say I do a 3 day base ticket and select my 3 parks online. Then, plans or operating hours change, can I "update" those if there is availability or am I stuck?
9. Is RoTR still a virtual queue and mass craziness? I studied and practiced for months ahead of our last DL trip and did get a great BG but maybe this has calmed down with parks at 35% capacity?

 

[MomOTwins]

1. Operating hours - looks like several threads on this, I can't imagine MK closing at 6 on a Saturday night in March, no? Looks like parks are opening an hour earlier than posted and extending hours in some cases
--Those are what I call the "boilerplate" hours. They are usually extended on some (but not all) days about 2 weeks in advance. First week of March is before most spring break so I wouldn't expect huge extensions, but you're right there will probably be some sort of extension for a Saturday at MK.

2. I know we will have to wear masks but do they check the masks to ensure proper layers or honor system?
--No. If a mask is obviously unsuitable (e.g., gaiter or so loosely fitting it hangs below nose) they will call it out, but they don't physically inspect the masks for layers.

3. Temp checks at gate I'm assuming?
--Yes.

4. Any characters? I know FP+ is gone, have wait times been crazy for headliners? We are very much rope droppers and move very quickly.
--Characters appear periodically on floats or from places they can wave at a distance (e.g., train station on main street), or at a couple of distanced character meals, but do not meet and greet up close. If you are used to fastpass, you'll probably find the waits long (I did)--they are running about one hour for main attractions, give or take. But lower that the standby waits used to be with fast pass (though we never used to wait in those, because, again, we had fastpass before)

5. Best site/link for what park restaurants are open?
--Official disney website. On the dining page, closed venues are at the bottom of the list and marked "Temporarily Unavailable"

6. Do I need travel insurance this time? Normally, with kids going we buy it but with airlines not charging a change fee and Disney possibly refunding hotel money what do you think? I would assume purchased tickets would stay as is for later use? This question is probably my biggest.
--Your decision; as you note, Disney is still allowing refunds on resort up to day of arrival, and ticket value can be applied to a future ticket if you cancel. Some people still want the travel insurance in case of trip interruption rather than advance cancellation.

7. What are parks like? Antiseptic? Any Disney magic still around ....any chance we can take pictures w/out masks? I'm sure I'll have more..TIA!
--Disney magic is subjective but we found it there. Only places in the parks you can take pictures without masks are while dining or at a mask relaxation zone--cannot stop and pull off/down masks for photos on the paths or on rides.

8. Park Reservations! Let's say I do a 3 day base ticket and select my 3 parks online. Then, plans or operating hours change, can I "update" those if there is availability or am I stuck?
--You can't "modify" but you can cancel and rebook any time without penalty, subject to availability the park you want to switch to.

9. Is RoTR still a virtual queue and mass craziness? I studied and practiced for months ahead of our last DL trip and did get a great BG but maybe this has calmed down with parks at 35% capacity?
Still selling out within seconds. Difference now is the first virtual queue drop happens at 7am and you don't have to be in the park to get a BG, so there is no longer the mad rush to be in the park before opening time.

 

[BigOHawk]

1. Operating hours - looks like several threads on this, I can't imagine MK closing at 6 on a Saturday night in March, no? Looks like parks are opening an hour earlier than posted and extending hours in some cases
--Those are what I call the "boilerplate" hours. They are usually extended on some (but not all) days about 2 weeks in advance. First week of March is before most spring break so I wouldn't expect huge extensions, but you're right there will probably be some sort of extension for a Saturday at MK.

2. I know we will have to wear masks but do they check the masks to ensure proper layers or honor system?
--No. If a mask is obviously unsuitable (e.g., gaiter or so loosely fitting it hangs below nose) they will call it out, but they don't physically inspect the masks for layers.

3. Temp checks at gate I'm assuming?
--Yes.

4. Any characters? I know FP+ is gone, have wait times been crazy for headliners? We are very much rope droppers and move very quickly.
--Characters appear periodically on floats or from places they can wave at a distance (e.g., train station on main street), or at a couple of distanced character meals, but do not meet and greet up close. If you are used to fastpass, you'll probably find the waits long (I did)--they are running about one hour for main attractions, give or take. But lower that the standby waits used to be with fast pass (though we never used to wait in those, because, again, we had fastpass before)

5. Best site/link for what park restaurants are open?
--Official disney website. On the dining page, closed venues are at the bottom of the list and marked "Temporarily Unavailable"

6. Do I need travel insurance this time? Normally, with kids going we buy it but with airlines not charging a change fee and Disney possibly refunding hotel money what do you think? I would assume purchased tickets would stay as is for later use? This question is probably my biggest.
--Your decision; as you note, Disney is still allowing refunds on resort up to day of arrival, and ticket value can be applied to a future ticket if you cancel. Some people still want the travel insurance in case of trip interruption rather than advance cancellation.

7. What are parks like? Antiseptic? Any Disney magic still around ....any chance we can take pictures w/out masks? I'm sure I'll have more..TIA!
--Disney magic is subjective but we found it there. Only places in the parks you can take pictures without masks are while dining or at a mask relaxation zone--cannot stop and pull off/down masks for photos on the paths or on rides.

8. Park Reservations! Let's say I do a 3 day base ticket and select my 3 parks online. Then, plans or operating hours change, can I "update" those if there is availability or am I stuck?
--You can't "modify" but you can cancel and rebook any time without penalty, subject to availability the park you want to switch to.

9. Is RoTR still a virtual queue and mass craziness? I studied and practiced for months ahead of our last DL trip and did get a great BG but maybe this has calmed down with parks at 35% capacity?
Still selling out within seconds. Difference now is the first virtual queue drop happens at 7am and you don't have to be in the park to get a BG, so there is no longer the mad rush to be in the park before opening time.

Awesome feedback much appreciated!!!

 

[abnihon]

1. Operating hours - looks like several threads on this, I can't imagine MK closing at 6 on a Saturday night in March, no? Looks like parks are opening an hour earlier than posted and extending hours in some cases
--Those are what I call the "boilerplate" hours. They are usually extended on some (but not all) days about 2 weeks in advance. First week of March is before most spring break so I wouldn't expect huge extensions, but you're right there will probably be some sort of extension for a Saturday at MK.

2. I know we will have to wear masks but do they check the masks to ensure proper layers or honor system?
--No. If a mask is obviously unsuitable (e.g., gaiter or so loosely fitting it hangs below nose) they will call it out, but they don't physically inspect the masks for layers.

3. Temp checks at gate I'm assuming?
--Yes.

4. Any characters? I know FP+ is gone, have wait times been crazy for headliners? We are very much rope droppers and move very quickly.
--Characters appear periodically on floats or from places they can wave at a distance (e.g., train station on main street), or at a couple of distanced character meals, but do not meet and greet up close. If you are used to fastpass, you'll probably find the waits long (I did)--they are running about one hour for main attractions, give or take. But lower that the standby waits used to be with fast pass (though we never used to wait in those, because, again, we had fastpass before)

5. Best site/link for what park restaurants are open?
--Official disney website. On the dining page, closed venues are at the bottom of the list and marked "Temporarily Unavailable"

6. Do I need travel insurance this time? Normally, with kids going we buy it but with airlines not charging a change fee and Disney possibly refunding hotel money what do you think? I would assume purchased tickets would stay as is for later use? This question is probably my biggest.
--Your decision; as you note, Disney is still allowing refunds on resort up to day of arrival, and ticket value can be applied to a future ticket if you cancel. Some people still want the travel insurance in case of trip interruption rather than advance cancellation.

7. What are parks like? Antiseptic? Any Disney magic still around ....any chance we can take pictures w/out masks? I'm sure I'll have more..TIA!
--Disney magic is subjective but we found it there. Only places in the parks you can take pictures without masks are while dining or at a mask relaxation zone--cannot stop and pull off/down masks for photos on the paths or on rides.

8. Park Reservations! Let's say I do a 3 day base ticket and select my 3 parks online. Then, plans or operating hours change, can I "update" those if there is availability or am I stuck?
--You can't "modify" but you can cancel and rebook any time without penalty, subject to availability the park you want to switch to.

9. Is RoTR still a virtual queue and mass craziness? I studied and practiced for months ahead of our last DL trip and did get a great BG but maybe this has calmed down with parks at 35% capacity?
Still selling out within seconds. Difference now is the first virtual queue drop happens at 7am and you don't have to be in the park to get a BG, so there is no longer the mad rush to be in the park before opening time.

Also another BG drop at 1pm so you have 2 chances!