***Official March 2021 Thread***

[butterscotchcollins]

Tomorrow is my dining day and I have 1 restaurant I want and can’t think of anything else

I feel like that's OK? There are some great QS spots and lounges that don't require an ADR

What do you feel like you're stuck on? In-park options? Non-park options? Reasonably affordable options?

 

[Bama Mom]

I thought I read on here that cheer was moved to April.

I actually kind of hope the hours on our trip stay the same. It’s so hard dragging my kids out of bed at 630 to make rope drop.

This is what I could find

Maybe EllieMay will be able to update us soon on what dates they finally decided on. There are so many different cheer organizations that it's hard for me to keep up with them all.

As for the hours, my daughter and I (as are most of the others in our group) are early risers so I would like earlier opening times myself.

 

[dez1978]

I feel like that's OK? There are some great QS spots and lounges that don't require an ADR

What do you feel like you're stuck on? In-park options? Non-park options? Reasonably affordable options?

We’ve always done the dining plan before and focused on character meals so now I’m trying to figure out reasonably priced options in the parks and I’m just hitting a wall. Mk in particular. Just nothing is standing out.

 

[Bama Mom]

OK ADRs made and I’m sure I’ll change them a dozen times before we go but I have:

Breakfasts at Topolino’s, Grand Floridian Cafe, & Kona
Lunches at Beaches & Cream, Via Napoli, The Plaza, & Hollywood Brown Derby
Dinners at Narcoosee’s, Cali Grill, Wine Bar George, Topolino’s & Sanaa (at sunset so we can explore the resort/see the animals before dinner )

Thoughts?

Those sound great,especially the sunset one at Sanna.

 

[Wood Nymph]

So I figured what better place to ask as we here are all going and our trips are quickly approaching.

This will be our third trip to WDW since it has reopened with restrictions. Our family members have agreed that we are safe going to a place like WDW because of how good mask compliance has been. We have also been very careful to limit risk by spending less time in parks and indoor restaurants than we usually would.

Going to WDW is one of the safest things we could do in our situation because our state, Illinois, has so many restrictions that there is nothing to do except go shopping and spend time outdoors.

 

[Orion Nebula]

This will be our third trip to WDW since it has reopened with restrictions. Our family members have agreed that we are safe going to a place like WDW because of how good mask compliance has been. We have also been very careful to limit risk by spending less time in parks and indoor restaurants than we usually would.

Going to WDW is one of the safest things we could do in our situation because our state, Illinois, has so many restrictions that there is nothing to do except go shopping and spend time outdoors.

Ya these boards really have given me confidence in our trip. I am not freaked out by going. I shouldn't care what others think, and I mostly don't. But I do kind of feel like a hypocrite regardless. People get (who do not have our resources) their minds blown by the very thought of heading to a park right now. Again who cares right? I just was curious if anyone else has dealt with those thoughts.

 

[butterscotchcollins]

We’ve always done the dining plan before and focused on character meals so now I’m trying to figure out reasonably priced options in the parks and I’m just hitting a wall. Mk in particular. Just nothing is standing out.

I got you! As someone who has never done the dining plan, is generally critical of the quality of Disney food, and only tried TS for the first time this past trip out in my 35 years of Disney vacations I have some tips:

-MK has some good QS (Sleepy Hollow, Liberty Square Market, Pinocchio Village Haus) and Skipper's Canteen for a TS is also decent quality with reasonable prices
-You can also hop over to Grand Floridian (Cafe), Contemporary (The Wave), Poly (Captain Cook's) or Fort Wilderness (Geyser Point) for lunch
-As far as the other parks, Satuli Canteen and Nomad's Lounge (AK), any of the food booths or Via Napoli in Epcot, and Docking Bay 7 (especially breakfast!) or Ronto Roasters in HS are excellent quality and reasonably priced
-Ale & Compass and Beaches & Cream over at YC/BC are also really fabulous if you need a break from either Epcot or HS

I hope that helps. Happy eating!

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

Hi everyone! Our trip is March 25-April 1 staying at CBR. Our first trip since the parks reopened! Struggling a bit with the lack of FP and EMH...I’m usually a super planner so this lack of structure is definitely different for me, but we’re looking forward to winging it and having a bit more flexibility in the plans. ADR day is next week!!

 

[karen4546]

We're currently booked at GF March 5-10!

I am back-and-forth on ADRs. It'll be me and my sister - she hasn't been since 2019, I was there in Sept. She's a lot more laid back than I am, but I really liked having mid-day park breaks to sit and eat, and there are a couple of places I wanted to try (Topolino's, Narcoosee's, Cali Grill, Kona breakfast, GF Cafe - all on the "to try" list!) To add a layer of complication she is not currently comfortable eating indoors which eliminates a ton of options, but she is also scheduled to get both doses of the vaccine before our trip so that could change.

Should I stop trying to overschedule and let her drive the meal plan, or should I make some can't-miss ADRs? What do you guys LOVE that are can't-miss?

Make a few that have outdoor dining if that makes her feel more safe. We dined in and outside the 3 trips from September to December 2020. The tables were all spaced and we did not have any concerns. The servers wore masks the entire meal. If you need to get up and move about you must wear your masks.

Also, if she is getting her vaccine in two doses, the 2nd dose is 28 days after the first. I got my first dose on 1.12 and my next dose is 2.11
If your trip starts March 5 then she should get that first dose soon.

You guys will have a great trip! I loved the lobster Benedict @ GF Cafe!

 

[Bama Mom]

I gotta ask; has anyone felt hypocritical in regards to their trips? I have been one of those people who chastised non mask wearers as well as people not limiting social gatherings this entire time. I even skipped out on Thanksgiving (albeit I did not Christmas). I have assumed the risks and keeping reading report after report of Disney doing a decent job. Which has given me a huge peace of mind that the trip will be enjoyable. BUT I have tell the people around me, many that I talked with about being super careful. Many that I will NOT tell of course but some I have no choice but to. So I figured what better place to ask as we here are all going and our trips are quickly approaching.

How's everyone feeling right now?

I'm not feeling hypocritical or anything like that but...
I wear my mask when I am out, even though they cause me panic attacks sometimes (when I am out somewhere and start getting hot, it starts to trigger a slight anxiety attack, which then throws my breathing off which can start the onset of an asthma attack), and I hate wearing them. I work from home and only go out once in a while to the stores and then a couple time each week to church. Having an almost 9 month old grand baby as well as a pregnant DIL who I am around quite a bit are my driving force to be careful when out and about. I don't want to bring anything home to them. We have had covid in our house at thanksgiving (oddly enough it was my 19 year old son who is the least social person in the family) so had to cancel thanksgiving in our home. My husband and I both tested negative then. I am surprised my husband hasn't gotten it because he teaches at the local community college and he is around people all the time. I used to have to fuss at him because he wouldn't wear his mask all the time. Then when we had to quarantine when our son tested positive her realized he did not like being stuck at home for two weeks and not get to see our grand daughter for that long either. He finally started wearing his mask all the time when he is out. I have family and friends both that have been to Disney recently and they all talked about how wonderful of a job Disney is doing. I did post our magic bands on Facebook and out of all the "reactions", only two were shocked but one is a friend of my husband who reacts that way to everything I post... The other is someone who was genuinely shocked I would go during a pandemic. But my going to Disney doesn't affect them at all so it doesn't bother me that they are shocked. When we get home, I will be a bit more cautious of going out for a couple weeks but since I work from home, the only other places I would have to go is grocery shopping and church and I can do curbside pick up for the groceries and watch the live stream of church for a couple weeks just as a precaution.

So I guess in a nut shell, I feel fine about going and don't really care about what people think about me going. I have been social during all of this (have attended a couple of weddings, showers/teas, etc) but do so in a safe way. That's how I will treat this trip. If I don't ever feel safe being where I am at that particular time, I'll make the choice to do something about it. No one's opinion of me going on this trip will change that.
However I can see where it could for some people and I'm curious to hear what other people are feeling.

 

[Orion Nebula]

So I guess in a nut shell, I feel fine about going and don't really care about what people think about me going. I have been social during all of this (have attended a couple of weddings, showers/teas, etc) but do so in a safe way. That's how I will treat this trip. If I don't ever feel safe being where I am at that particular time, I'll make the choice to do something about it. No one's opinion of me going on this trip will change that.
However I can see where it could for some people and I'm curious to hear what other people are feeling.

Very good point on the "opinion" situation. It's not like it matters in the end on what people think or say. I think the frustrating thing for me is to not explain why WDW is safer than many places in our daily lives. Especially when my resources are an online Disney forum (LOL). But as you said in the end who cares, I am going to let those thoughts go. Unless WDW shuts down we are heading there next month regardless.

 

[Bama Mom]

Hi everyone! Our trip is March 25-April 1 staying at CBR. Our first trip since the parks reopened! Struggling a bit with the lack of FP and EMH...I’m usually a super planner so this lack of structure is definitely different for me, but we’re looking forward to winging it and having a bit more flexibility in the plans. ADR day is next week!!

Got you added to the list. I have mixed feelings about all the things that are different right now. I am kinda liking the dining ADR day being at 60 days instead of 180 days since my mood changes so much in that amount of time, but I'm with you on wanting the FPs.

 

[Bama Mom]

Going to WDW is one of the safest things we could do in our situation because our state, Illinois, has so many restrictions that there is nothing to do except go shopping and spend time outdoors.

This made me chuckle because if you read my response to the question asked it says only two people were "shocked" by me going and one was someone living in Illinois. Now that explains why she was so shocked. I'm in Alabama and while we have some restrictions ours are definitely more relaxed than a lot of places. BTW on a totally non disney related matter, I lived in Dupo Illinois until I was 8 years old.

 

[dez1978]

Maybe EllieMay will be able to update us soon on what dates they finally decided on. There are so many different cheer organizations that it's hard for me to keep up with them all.

As for the hours, my daughter and I (as are most of the others in our group) are early risers so I would like earlier opening times myself.

My kids wake up at the butt crack of dawn generally but after the long days they are super crabby. But we always feel like we need to get every minute in we can. So personally I’d prefer later opening and staying open later. But we’ll figure it out whatever they do

 

[Cheburashka]

As someone who has never done the dining plan, is generally critical of the quality of Disney food, and only tried TS for the first time this past trip out in my 35 years of Disney vacations I have some tips...

How could you legitimately be critical of the quality of Disney food before ever trying table service?

 

[butterscotchcollins]

How could you legitimately be critical of the quality of Disney food before ever trying table service?

....because they serve food outside of table service restaurants? Maybe I don't understand the question...

 

[dez1978]

Gah! Do any of you use KTP or TP crowd calendars to plan your park days?

 

[Cheburashka]

....because they serve food outside of table service restaurants? Maybe I don't understand the question...

You said you'd always been judgmental about the quality of WDW's food. If you hadn't even tried a significant portion of their food, you'd have been in no place to judge.

 

[Orion Nebula]

Gah! Do any of you use KTP or TP crowd calendars to plan your park days?

They have become notoriously inaccurate due to things always changing. Not to say they ever were but they "seemed" to be better years back. However sometimes at the very least they will point out certain events that maybe you didn't know about. And that of course is useful. But to be honest it takes very little to create your own. Weekends are busier, holidays are busier and events are busier. Christmas & New Years is a nightmare etc et....

 

[butterscotchcollins]

You said you'd always been judgmental about the quality of WDW's food. If you hadn't even tried a significant portion of their food, you'd have been in no place to judge.

Apologies if I struck a nerve, I didn't mean to insinuate that everything on-property is garbage, just that generally speaking there isn't a ton to write home about and to me that's just kind of part of the experience, you're not going to find Michelin-worthy dining at the parks or even something comparable to like Shake Shack most of the time. Even TS meals we had in September with the exception of Disney Springs were OK but nothing overly memorable. I wish it weren't the case because for the price I'd appreciate something more in flavor and quality like a traditional fast food chain. Again, just my opinion!