Real Talk - Should we go?

[iadizfans]

We just got back. Stayed at Boardwalk 1/9/2021 thru 1/16. Visited all 4 parks. I have to say they were pretty busy. Protocols being followed and enforced pretty well though. The whole front end of EPCOT is under refurbishment. Soarin', Living with the Land, Mission Space, & Test Trak are all open. Not sure about Spaceship Earth?? Mouse Gears has been relocated. Biggest disappointment for me was not being able to get into a boarding group at "Rise to the Resistance" We tried jumping on the virtual cue right at opening but had no luck. Maybe due to the fact that I was a single rider?? Not sure. It was our first time to Galaxy's Edge and I was very impressed with the theming. Definitely worth the visit.

 

[kimmar067]

....I have to say they were pretty busy. Protocols being followed and enforced pretty well though....

....agreed!

I felt safer than going to Shop Rite [local grocery store].

 

[ZumaTree]

Not sure if anyone was waiting with bated breath, but we are going! Leaving in 10 days! Your honest thoughts and experience helped more than anything else in making the final decision. In case you're curious, here's where we landed:
We typically make a trip 1-2 times a year. We are fully aware that the experience will be a different one and we have managed expectations for the negatives. The big deciding factors were what some of you shared about what's special about this time (mostly fewer crowds, fun character experiences, no over-planning or rushing) plus really needing a break in our routine and whatever Disney magic is on offer.
Thank you for your help!

 

[coolbrook]

Not sure if anyone was waiting with bated breath, but we are going! Leaving in 10 days! Your honest thoughts and experience helped more than anything else in making the final decision. In case you're curious, here's where we landed:
We typically make a trip 1-2 times a year. We are fully aware that the experience will be a different one and we have managed expectations for the negatives. The big deciding factors were what some of you shared about what's special about this time (mostly fewer crowds, fun character experiences, no over-planning or rushing) plus really needing a break in our routine and whatever Disney magic is on offer.
Thank you for your help!

Please let us know how your trip was. Was it what you expected? What did you enjoy most?

 

[ZumaTree]

We're back. We're healthy. And we have no regrets about this trip. We had a wonderful, relaxing week. We followed the advice of you all and planned to take it easy. When we got tired of lines, we headed to the resort. We enjoyed some pool time, had early nights in, even slept in a few times. Despite spending less time overall in the park, we got to ride almost all of our favorites and definitely felt the magic. For those of you in the same boat, the trip was definitely worth it for us! Here's the overall:

Pros:
-Loved the cavalcades.
-Overall, lines were shorter, and for the most part wait times went down a lot by mid-afternoon everywhere.
-It's Walt Disney World.
-Not really a pro, but wearing masks (as long as they were comfortable) all day was a non-issue for us. Barely noticed them after a few minutes each day.
-We really enjoyed the slower pace for this trip.
-Weird detail, but in the absence of nighttime shows and the parks closing early, we truly enjoyed the nightly showing of Happily Ever After in the resort room. I hope they keep that.
-Socially distanced queues are actually very nice! I can't believe we used to be closer than that to other parties! I didn't miss other people all up in my space.
-In any given moment, I would say mast compliance was 95% or better. I felt we were in control of our own safety almost all of the time.

Cons:
-As folks who are used to the spoiling of FastPasses, the waits were exhausting. Especially when everything had a wait: shops, food, kiosks, less popular rides. Even though lots of attractions had lower waits than normal, it was the waiting for everything that sucked it out of us. We just didn't have the stamina for that, and it was a big part of why we left early most days.
-Food was seriously limited (and maybe poorer quality?). We had a self-imposed restriction for outdoor dining only, but we often enjoy quick service options WDW. On this trip, we found many of the limited menus pretty...meh. And you really needed to have dining plans in place for dinner. We ended up mobile ordering at our resort for dinner most nights, which is a lot for food that is only OK. On the other hand, we probably saved a ton of money on food!
-Small detail, and I understand why they were missing, but we missed the attraction pre-shows and definitely have a new appreciation for how they add to the ride experience.
-EPCOT at night was the only time we truly felt unsafe. People were just (drunkenly) walking the promenade and drinking with their masks off. There were a lot of unavoidable pinch points. Do not recommend EPCOT at night if social distancing is a big concern of yours.

All in all, a great trip that we will definitely remember! We don't have plans to return until more restrictions are lifted, but if you're hungry for the magic, and you've been to Disney World before, don't let the restrictions of now keep you away. Just know the trip will be different. (I do strongly advise against bringing people for their first every trip.)