UK-US travel, 2021/2022

[chefski]

This is not a good omen:
EU drops U.S. from list of COVID-safe countries for travel
(Reuters, 2 min read)

And Florida cases still seem to be climbing, even if not rapidly.

IM blaming you @Plague for getting giddy the other day and booking stuff

Just kidding but i think we can all but safely wipe off October from the list

 

[Plague]

IM blaming you @Plague for getting giddy the other day and booking stuff

Just kidding but i think we can all but safely wipe off October from the list

I can't disagree with either of those sentiments
I did actually make a few dining reservations yesterday, but I think it was probably a subconscious effort to keep hope alive.

Today I saw that Reuters article and later went to the supermarket for a while which again raised the spectre of prolonged mask wearing - probably about 15 hours solid each way for travel, plus indoors at WDW - assuming they don't wind back to 'everywhere' in the meantime.
Then DFB reminded me that GotG and Tron (and thus the Railroad too) probably won't be open.

So I don't think I'll be paying my balance after all.
Canaries is a 4 hour flight, maybe masked for 7 or 8, so I'm thinking I'll try for there this year and see what happens next year.

Betty down the road telling me borders wouldn't open until 2056

Betty may not be as crazy as she sounds

 

[mamamia2005]

From what I've read elsewhere, the EU dropping the US as a safe country to travel to, has at least made the US sit up and take notice bit. Even if it starts the ball rolling (again?) for talks then that's got to be a good thing right?
I wonder if the UK will do the same.

 

[chefski]

We need to push them if we are open to them then they should reciprocate or at least give a date I have until Sunday to pay deposit so its looking like a no go for us

 

[mamamia2005]

I think that's the most frustrating thing - the radio silence.
I know they wouldn't but it would be lovely if they came out and said at this time, we have no plans to re open the borders before X date.

If they truly are following the science, then get their modellers to work out where the waves of covid are going to be and how long they will last. Then get a date from there.

 

[chefski]

I think that's the most frustrating thing - the radio silence.
I know they wouldn't but it would be lovely if they came out and said at this time, we have no plans to re open the borders before X date.

If they truly are following the science, then get their modellers to work out where the waves of covid are going to be and how long they will last. Then get a date from there.

Totally agree if they said we won't open until November/December or 2022 then that's fine nothing we can do about that. They won't do that just in case they get it wrong and could open up sooner as the airlines would lose more money with cancellations that could have gone ahead.

But I don't want the hassle of chasing my refund, plus after 3 previous cancellations im losing the will to go my kids will be past the Disney Magic soon. (Nobodys fault I know but its frustrating)

 

[BadPinkTink]

From what I've read elsewhere, the EU dropping the US as a safe country to travel to, has at least made the US sit up and take notice bit. Even if it starts the ball rolling (again?) for talks then that's got to be a good thing right?
I wonder if the UK will do the same.

Being mindful of the Disboard rules, this is the main purpose. Back when The EU opened up to Americans, it was supposed to be a reciprocal deal, the start of travel corridors. But due to all sorts of reasons, most of which we can't talk about on Disboards, this did not happen. No matter what Ursula von der Leyen or various European leaders did, there has been no movement on the reversal of the Presidential Executive order. So the next move is to now say, ok, you have no interest in letting us in but you want to come here, no can do buddy, we don't want you. Its a game of chess.

The only way any resolution of the travel ban is to treat America the way they treat us and tell them, no you cant come here. Only when it affects THEM and their freedom to travel, will they get serious about reciprocal travel corridors.

Also the % of population in Europe vaccinated is higher than % of population in America vaccinated, which will also play a part in diplomatic negotiations.

 

[chefski]

Being mindful of the Disboard rules, this is the main purpose. Back when The EU opened up to Americans, it was supposed to be a reciprocal deal, the start of travel corridors. But due to all sorts of reasons, most of which we can't talk about on Disboards, this did not happen. No matter what Ursula von der Leyen or various European leaders did, there has been no movement on the reversal of the Presidential Executive order. So the next move is to now say, ok, you have no interest in letting us in but you want to come here, no can do buddy, we don't want you. Its a game of chess.

The only way any resolution of the travel ban is to treat America the way they treat us and tell them, no you cant come here. Only when it affects THEM and their freedom to travel, will they get serious about reciprocal travel corridors.

Also the % of population in Europe vaccinated is higher than % of population in America vaccinated, which will also play a part in diplomatic negotiations.

Agree totally if they won't let us in then why let them in, granted lots of reasons for both cases but if the US are getting what they need they will have no desire to change anything.
I understand they don't want more threats coming in but you cant always have your cake and eat it, which is what the US government are after.

In no way would I put peoples lives at risk for a holiday but its frustrating, this is most likely my last trip to Disney as im being made redundant and cant justify the cost (hopefully ill get a job straight away and that will be mute )

 

[BadPinkTink]

In no way would I put peoples lives at risk for a holiday but its frustrating, this is most likely my last trip to Disney as im being made redundant and cant justify the cost (hopefully ill get a job straight away and that will be mute )

At this stage, as much as I miss being in Disney Parks and travel and I know my mental health has suffered due to not being able to travel, I am more worried about my friend in California and the thousands of Europeans like her, who have European passports and are on work visas. They are the forgotten in this game of chess. Its not just about us wanting to go on holiday. Thousands of families continue to be separated, like my neighbour, whose son is married and lives in South Carolina with his wife and kids. My neighbour has no idea when she will see her son and grandkids.

 

[chefski]

At this stage, as much as I miss being in Disney Parks and travel and I know my mental health has suffered due to not being able to travel, I am more worried about my friend in California and the thousands of Europeans like her, who have European passports and are on work visas. They are the forgotten in this game of chess. Its not just about us wanting to go on holiday. Thousands of families continue to be separated, like my neighbour, whose son is married and lives in South Carolina with his wife and kids. My neighbour has no idea when she will see her son and grandkids.

Yeah I agree with that wholeheartedly, this may be a Disney forum but this goes a lot deeper and at the end of the day my life as such won't be affected like other people in a worse situation.

At the end of the day its a Holiday and the money could easily be put towards other things and priorities (the longer it goes on the less I can justify paying it and in all honesty if we didn't have 2 kids it would have just been cancelled, but they are so in need of some Disney Time and I don't want to see their faces when we say for a 4th time sorry boys its a no go. We have prepared them that we probably won't be going but still they will be upset)

 

[mamamia2005]

Yes I do have to give myself a shake at times and remind myself it only holidays I'm missing out on. I have all the family I want to see near me hear in the UK, not spread across the globe.
I feel desperately sorry for those who are separated from loved ones.

 

[Plague]

Going via Canada just got a little riskier:
U.S. adds Canada to 'reconsider travel' advisory list

It's a short article but only the first para (below) is relevant, so don't bother with that link:
"WASHINGTON, Aug 31 (Reuters) - The U.S. State Department has raised its travel advisory alert for Canada to a "level  3 – reconsider travel" status amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it said in a statement on Tuesday."
The rest is about Switzerland and Puerto Rico

 

[RossK]

Well, I just got the email from Virgin Atlantic saying my outgoing flight on 5 October has been cancelled - so the dream is officially over (for me)

I'm actually fairly relieved to be honest. Normally at this point I would be buzzing with holiday vibes, but the looming likelihood of it not happening really took the fun out of it - so even if we had got to go last minute, I'd feel a bit cheated out of my extended good-vibes period! The usual excitement of making all the dining reservations and planning what we would do all felt a bit hollow this time around - i.e. it was all probably pointless... I'm shifting my whole booking to May 2022 - and May really is not that far away, and so hopefully if things do open up towards the end of this year, I can actually get excited for May.

For those who are booked a little further out in October/Nov/Dec - I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you

 

[chefski]

Well, I just got the email from Virgin Atlantic saying my outgoing flight on 5 October has been cancelled - so the dream is officially over (for me)

I'm actually fairly relieved to be honest. Normally at this point I would be buzzing with holiday vibes, but the looming likelihood of it not happening really took the fun out of it - so even if we had got to go last minute, I'd feel a bit cheated out of my extended good-vibes period! The usual excitement of making all the dining reservations and planning what we would do all felt a bit hollow this time around - i.e. it was all probably pointless... I'm shifting my whole booking to May 2022 - and May really is not that far away, and so hopefully if things do open up towards the end of this year, I can actually get excited for May.

For those who are booked a little further out in October/Nov/Dec - I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you

Well 17th October for us so I expect they will be contacting soon. I spoke to them yesterday they said they would give a minimum of 21 days cancellation notice, Sad times but I understand the buildup is just not the same. Ive booked everything but in the back of my mind I was booking it expecting not to go.

We will probably re arrange for either December (hoping a lot), Feb or May next year.

 

[Plague]

So frustrating ... DFB keep reporting that WDW queues are really short at present. Almost sounds like a ghost town.
Disney must be wishing they could welcome us (or our money at least)

 

[mamamia2005]

Yes all the Vlogggers have been commenting for the last couple of weeks how low the wait times are etc, how they've never seen it so quiet in August!
Yep that'll be because the Brits aren't allowed in - but I don't think the average Joe American even realises about the travel ban.

 

[RossK]

So frustrating ... DFB keep reporting that WDW queues are really short at present. Almost sounds like a ghost town.
Disney must be wishing they could welcome us (or our money at least)

Yeah, I've been looking at the wait times in the app, and almost everything across WDW is a walk-on. Such a shame we can't go. I'm actually thankful that VS sent the email 33 days before check-in, as cancelling my DVC stay within 30 days of check-in means the points go in to holding and become fairly useless for international guests due to the booking restrictions points in holding have. I hear DVC have been showing goodwill to international guests (if you can actually get through to them) - but VS cancelling before this meant I could self-service cancel and rebook via the website, that's the good news in it!

I have a feeling it will open by November - and I expect airports will be utter chaos... So I'm hoping by the time May rolls around, we should be finally 'in' the 'new normal'. I have always wanted to try going in May (as opposed to our usual October), as the climate is similar, but October just got way too crowded. And I found that food & wine wasn't as good as it had been in previous years (really going back to 2015 and earlier), which was the main reason we went in October.

It should be said we did have Boo Bash tickets booked, and despite being non-refundable, Disney without issue fully refunded them.

 

[londontime]

For those who are booked a little further out in October/Nov/Dec - I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you

I have Halloween week (never gonna happen) and Marathon week (outside chance), and the week before Easter (good chance I think)
If I keep getting vouchers at this rate, i could charter my own plane by about April

 

[Annabell]

I am hoping for next summer !

 

[Ronaldo17]

I am hoping for next summer !

Yeah, that sounds about right for us too. If not then, I doubt we will bother going back until COVID is officially gone, whatever that means!