*** Official August 2021 thread ***

[MomOTwins]

I would agree that crowds will probably be the same on party days and non-party days. MK has been filling to capacity every day for months. I don't anticipate this changing unless they greatly change park capacity and I don't see this happening as they just can't seem to find people to hire to allow them to open more.

I kind of hope they don’t open up more! I thought I would want more “back to normal” with full capacity and fastpass, but reading all the “here now” posts and looking at wait times in the app, the current state looks pretty awesome! 10 minute waits on tons of rides in MK.

 

[Gehrig1B]

That was definitely true for the halloween party, but that was because the park closed to "regular" guests at 6pm that day. With boo bash, "regular" guests can stay in the park until 9pm. Plus, with the scarcity of park passes, I suspect MK will sell out of park passes those days just there is more demand for MK park passes each week than there is availabilty. I'm not counting on crowds being any lower on boo bash days.

I suspect you are correct because of capacity limits. In "normal" times I would see some avoiding Boo Bash days if they do not have hoppers as they will have to deal with increased crowds at 7:00 pm when smart travellers know lines regularly get shorter.

 

[SweetJulia23]

I kind of hope they don’t open up more! I thought I would want more “back to normal” with full capacity and fastpass, but reading all the “here now” posts and looking at wait times in the app, the current state looks pretty awesome! 10 minute waits on tons of rides in MK.

Me too! I keep checking wait times and wondering if it’s possible they’ll stay this way until August.

 

[hsmamainva]

We just came back from a trip last month. Yes many rides have low wait times but popular rides like Soarin and Mine Train and Flight of Passage and Slinky Dog Dash can have really long wait times. We had one day at each park & skipped many rides (like the ones I just listed) because it just wasn’t worth waiting an hour and a half to ride. BUT we still had a great time! Big Thunder had a 15 min wait time and my two boys rode it 6 times in a row instead of waiting 80 minutes for Splash Mountain.

 

[Mr. X]

We're heading down the last week of August. (Kids missing 1st week of school which is all half days anyways) and then coming back home right before labor day. I'm hoping the parks are quiet. This is the first time we are not doing park hoppers. I can't justify wasting the hour or so going from one park to the other; especially w/ the 2pm rule in effect. We plan on visiting HS and MK 2x and then a day each at EP and AK. We will not be doing the boo bash during our stay.

 

[123SA]

I can't decide whether to use old magic bands or the mobile magic app.

Magic Band pros - we know how to use it
Magic band cons - potential problems with old bands and ride photos


Mobile magic pros -- not sure? I don't understand how this is better
Mobile magic cons
1. we have to learn how to use it
2. husband and two sons do not currently have a disney account and I don't know how to create their account and link it to our vacation - so one more thing to figure out -- but maybe this is something I should do anyway
3. husband does not usually bring his phone to the parks -- and if he did I know he would get stuck on a work call because he wouldn't be able to ignore it
4. although my boys do bring their phones to the park, most of the day it is actually in my bag. So they would have to get used to carrying it, and not losing it, and not letting it get soaking wet, and not spending the vacation with their faces glued to the phones
5. There is absolutely no way I am going to be the person holding up the line because everyone's tickets on my phone and I have to flip through it
6. I'd have to buy and carry an extra charger. I know that people claim that the app itself doen't use a lot of battery power, but if the boys have their phones, they are going to use them. They will run down the battery. I already carry a charger for my daughter and I and we end up using it most days. I know my current charger won't charge 5 phones. Although, with no FP, maybe we won't run down the battery as fast.


So...I guess I clearly think the magic bands are better for us. The only issue I can come up with is if the bands are not able to catch the ride photos anymore. I should just buy new bands...but for some reason spending $50 on magic bands is making me crazy. The vacation costs well over $10,000 and this $50 seems to be where I want to draw a line in the sand.

 

[scrappinginontario]

I plan on having both with me. A MagicBand is easy to tuck into a pocket or backpack if I don't want to wear it but it will be nice to have as a backup. For the size of it, I'll carry both.

 

[figmentfinesse]

Dining done! Got everything I wanted. Was only a little stressful

 

[angelinaxox]

A couple of days ago, I booked my trip for July 29 to August 6 at the Grand Floridian. I did this same time period in 2019 at the Grand Floridian and had a great time with the special events and activities I had planned. I had a trip planned for April 2020 but that trip was cancelled. I am so excited to get back to Disney. I know it will be different, but I am hoping some more things return before my trip. I am checking the boards constantly to make sure I don't miss any announcements. Yesterday morning, (thanks to the Disboards), I was able to book Tusker House for a late breakfast for my Animal Kingdom day. In all my years of going to Disney, I have never eaten there so it will be a new activity for me. Happy to join the August 2021 thread.

 

[ThereYouSeeHer]

I can't decide whether to use old magic bands or the mobile magic app.

Magic Band pros - we know how to use it
Magic band cons - potential problems with old bands and ride photos

So...I guess I clearly think the magic bands are better for us. The only issue I can come up with is if the bands are not able to catch the ride photos anymore. I should just buy new bands...but for some reason spending $50 on magic bands is making me crazy. The vacation costs well over $10,000 and this $50 seems to be where I want to draw a line in the sand.

I've been debating the same thing. As of now, I can't see myself using the Mobile app at all. It just doesn't appeal to me. I was planning for three of us to use our old bands, but one of us to use a new band (since we would generally go on rides together, at least one person's band will catch photos). It's silly to debate such a small purchase when the vacation is so pricey, but it really bothers me to waste the old bands when they should still work.

If your family usually divides up and goes on different rides at the same time, I would just purchase new bands. We may eventually break down and just buy them for everyone, but we have time to think about it. The ease of the bands can't be beat, so overall, it's a small (but frustrating) price to pay.

 

[mom2clr]

I can't decide whether to use old magic bands or the mobile magic app.

Magic Band pros - we know how to use it
Magic band cons - potential problems with old bands and ride photos


Mobile magic pros -- not sure? I don't understand how this is better
Mobile magic cons
1. we have to learn how to use it
2. husband and two sons do not currently have a disney account and I don't know how to create their account and link it to our vacation - so one more thing to figure out -- but maybe this is something I should do anyway
3. husband does not usually bring his phone to the parks -- and if he did I know he would get stuck on a work call because he wouldn't be able to ignore it
4. although my boys do bring their phones to the park, most of the day it is actually in my bag. So they would have to get used to carrying it, and not losing it, and not letting it get soaking wet, and not spending the vacation with their faces glued to the phones
5. There is absolutely no way I am going to be the person holding up the line because everyone's tickets on my phone and I have to flip through it
6. I'd have to buy and carry an extra charger. I know that people claim that the app itself doen't use a lot of battery power, but if the boys have their phones, they are going to use them. They will run down the battery. I already carry a charger for my daughter and I and we end up using it most days. I know my current charger won't charge 5 phones. Although, with no FP, maybe we won't run down the battery as fast.


So...I guess I clearly think the magic bands are better for us. The only issue I can come up with is if the bands are not able to catch the ride photos anymore. I should just buy new bands...but for some reason spending $50 on magic bands is making me crazy. The vacation costs well over $10,000 and this $50 seems to be where I want to draw a line in the sand.

I just wanted to say your flow of thoughts is me That's why I'm glad to have this space when I can't make decisions.

And isn't crazy how we can spend thousands of dollars for the entire trip and question spending an extra $50?? Lol

 

[SweetJulia23]

Why wouldn’t the old bands work anymore? Has anyone noticed their batteries have died?

 

[hsmamainva]

My son used a magic band from our Christmas trip in 2017 during our trip last month. Worked just fine!

 

[ThereYouSeeHer]

Why wouldn’t the old bands work anymore? Has anyone noticed their batteries have died?

As I understand it, tapping the band to places like hotel rooms and turnstiles should work indefinitely. However, for long-range functions like ride photos or videos that are automatically linked to your account because it "knows" you are on the ride, those could fail to function if the battery is too weak. The estimated life span is about two years.

Normally, we wouldn't care too much, but we are expecting to purchase Memory Maker for the first time. I'd be disappointed if certain photos or videos didn't show up, and we either didn't notice or weren't able to retrieve them for some reason.

 

[SweetJulia23]

As I understand it, tapping the band to places like hotel rooms and turnstiles should work indefinitely. However, for long-range functions like ride photos or videos that are automatically linked to your account because it "knows" you are on the ride, those could fail to function if the battery is too weak. The estimated life span is about two years.

Normally, we wouldn't care too much, but we are expecting to purchase Memory Maker for the first time. I'd be disappointed if certain photos or videos didn't show up, and we either didn't notice or weren't able to retrieve them for some reason.

Good to know! I’ll bring last year’s band and keep it in my bag if I’m wearing an older one.

 

[anneboleyn]

I just realized I never updated this! My daughter and I will be staying at All Star Movies August 16-23! We will be at Universal for the first time ever for 4 days before this.
I get to order Boo Bash tickets on Tuesday and make my dining reservations on Thursday, which I am very excited about. Planning these trips is like a sport to me and almost as fun as the trip itself lol
This is the first time we are going in August...we usually go two weeks later for Labor Day. I am just holding out hope that the Egg Roll Cart will be open at Magic Kingdom because I have been dreaming about cheeseburger eggrolls since I had them at the HEA dessert party in 2018!

 

[suse66]

Plane tickets are booked!!!! Even though we are Canadian and don't have clear guidance on the border/quarantine requirements yet, I have decided to go ahead. Our vaccination numbers are better by the day and I feel that we are turning a corner.

It's time to go make some memories!! Only 61 days until we are back in our happy place!

 

[scrappinginontario]

Plane tickets are booked!!!! Even though we are Canadian and don't have clear guidance on the border/quarantine requirements yet, I have decided to go ahead. Our vaccination numbers are better by the day and I feel that we are turning a corner.

It's time to go make some memories!! Only 61 days until we are back in our happy place!

We're in a similar situation leaving just after you return home. Unfortunately for us we need the quarantine to be lifted as I don't want my daughter to miss 2 weeks of school.

With everything going as well as it is I hope we see the border opened and quarantine lifted before both of our trips!

 

[DaniMoon]

Today was my ADR day, went pretty smoothly. Site was slow and timed out a few times. The only thing I didn't get was Beaches and Cream, but it had been a toss up between that and Sci-Fi, which I did get, so not too fussed about that. I also got Tusker House dinner for our arrival day, and Oga's for one of our HS days. Two months!!!

 

[Gary Stocker]

Today was my ADR day, went pretty smoothly. Site was slow and timed out a few times. The only thing I didn't get was Beaches and Cream, but it had been a toss up between that and Sci-Fi, which I did get, so not too fussed about that. I also got Tusker House dinner for our arrival day, and Oga's for one of our HS days. Two months!!!

Check again and on your MDE since it appears the booking site online isn't showing all openings. I see Beaches and Cream all week from Monday on...I have 2 of them since I am staying at Boardwalk. I am arriving the same day and was up bright and early and did really well! Topolino's Breakfast I thought would be impossible...got it on the AM of my flight back.