Who else is waiting until WDW is “back to normal”?

[ScubaCat]

then I realized it will probably never be the “100% normal” I knew and loved.

I keep hearing people say that, including on some of the DIS shows, but it's just wrong. YES, things will be back to how they were eventually. It's just taking a little longer than the 2-3 months we originally anticipated. And... YES, BUFFETS WILL RETURN at some point, again contrary to what people keep saying. You know why? Because they're extremely profitable at $55 a person for self-service food, that's why. They're now finally loading all rows in outdoor rides (i.e. big thunder) and filling all seats in indoor omnimover rides (i.e. haunted mansion). Tron will open someday (lord willing), Harmonious is being installed, construction is ongoing... and the queue markers and plexiglass will be gone eventually, too. Those who are afraid will stay away longer, but there's definitely plenty of demand already, and eventually most folks will miss it enough and realize that it's fine as more and more people visit without any problems. MCO was just at 70% of 2019 levels for spring break. And that's WITHOUT international tourism. It's been gradually coming back for a while now, and we're well on our way to 100% normalcy in due course.

Since last fall, masks have already been optional outdoors at Shanghai Disney. I'm hoping we're at least at that stage by the 50th kick-off (October 1st.) There's no reason why everyone who wants the vaccine can't get it by then, and then there's definitely no point in wearing masks outdoors at a bare minimum!

Do you know how I know all of this? Because it's what always happens. Rhetoric doesn't match actions; people are just scared but ultimately will come out. And, literally everyone who told me they were definitely not getting the vaccine or wanted to wait and see how things played out with it ended up getting it before I did!

 

[Micca]

Getting ready for our second pandemic era WDW trip soon. Last October was a bit stressful, but we're all vaxxed up now so this trip will be better. Sure do look forward to when the masks come off, but we'll continue our twice yearly trips. Besides, who wants to have all that extra money laying around, cluttering up the place.?

 

[LiveLifeLoud]

I keep hearing people say that, including on some of the DIS shows, but it's just wrong. YES, things will be back to how they were eventually. It's just taking a little longer than the 2-3 months we originally anticipated. And... YES, BUFFETS WILL RETURN at some point, again contrary to what people keep saying. You know why? Because they're extremely profitable at $55 a person for self-service food, that's why. They're now finally loading all rows in outdoor rides (i.e. big thunder) and filling all seats in indoor omnimover rides (i.e. haunted mansion). Tron will open someday (lord willing), Harmonious is being installed, construction is ongoing... and the queue markers and plexiglass will be gone eventually, too. Those who are afraid will stay away longer, but there's definitely plenty of demand already, and eventually most folks will miss it enough and realize that it's fine as more and more people visit without any problems. MCO was just at 70% of 2019 levels for spring break. And that's WITHOUT international tourism. It's been gradually coming back for a while now, and we're well on our way to 100% normalcy in due course.

Since last fall, masks have already been optional outdoors at Shanghai Disney. I'm hoping we're at least at that stage by the 50th kick-off (October 1st.) There's no reason why everyone who wants the vaccine can't get it by then, and then there's definitely no point in wearing masks outdoors at a bare minimum!

Do you know how I know all of this? Because it's what always happens. Rhetoric doesn't match actions; people are just scared but ultimately will come out. And, literally everyone who told me they were definitely not getting the vaccine or wanted to wait and see how things played out with it ended up getting it before I did!

I agree with you but I think some things will never return but not because of covid. It won’t be brought back as a way to save money.

CoH, FP+ (May go to being a paid extra now), street performers, etc. Not everything will come back.

 

[ScubaCat]

I agree with you but I think some things will never return but not because of covid. It won’t be brought back as a way to save money.

CoH, FP+ (May go to being a paid extra now), street performers, etc. Not everything will come back.

That's different from things not getting back to normal due to covid, though. That's the topic and what I'm addressing here. The current regime seems hell bent on maximizing profits at virtually all cost, as has been and will continue to be discussed extensively (by myself, included). And covid is definitely going to be continually (ab)used as an excuse for unrelated things, as we've already seen. (Perfect example: The press release stating Magical Express is being discontinued "with health and safety top of mind" )

I'm pretty sure if FP+ weren't coming back in some form (likely monetized as you stated), they would have already begun reworking the queues. They certainly could have used the space over the last 9 months!

 

[CindysMice]

I agree with you but I think some things will never return but not because of covid. It won’t be brought back as a way to save money.

CoH, FP+ (May go to being a paid extra now), street performers, etc. Not everything will come back.

this is exactly what I meant

 

[Mrtommorrow1987]

As much as I miss WDW, I can’t bring myself to go to Disney World with the mask policy still in place. Just went it Six Flags for one day and could not stand keeping it on in the heat all day.

All the rules, mask policy, missing magic (Hoop De Doo, character meet & greets, photos without a mask, character dining, fireworks, fastpass, etc...) keep us from going back. We planned initially to go in summer 2021, but will find other vacations to go on until WDW is a lot closer to what it was like.

I know crowds will get worse as the pandemic winds down and I would love to take the family back, but for us dropping $7000-10,000 for an experience that is less than what we expect is not in the cards.

Anyone else feel this way?

We went in January bc we had points we needed to use. We won’t be back until the mask policy is gone.

 

[Tiggerlover91]

There is absolutely no way we will have herd immunity by summer. Kids need to be able to be vaccinated in order to achieve herd immunity.

Actually, I read last week where Pfizer Biotech is coming close to getting approval for kids 12 and up by early summer so the kids can be vaccinated before this fall. That will put us close to herd immunity in my opinion.

 

[susustudios]

As much as I miss WDW, I can’t bring myself to go to Disney World with the mask policy still in place. Just went it Six Flags for one day and could not stand keeping it on in the heat all day.

All the rules, mask policy, missing magic (Hoop De Doo, character meet & greets, photos without a mask, character dining, fireworks, fastpass, etc...) keep us from going back. We planned initially to go in summer 2021, but will find other vacations to go on until WDW is a lot closer to what it was like.

I know crowds will get worse as the pandemic winds down and I would love to take the family back, but for us dropping $7000-10,000 for an experience that is less than what we expect is not in the cards.

Anyone else feel this way?

thank you for saying this. it's important for people to stay away during this time, or otherwise they'll have no inspiration to change at all, ever, regardless of whatever the current situation is in the future or how much their cutbacks affect the experience

 

[susustudios]

We are waiting for normal. I am very claustrophobic and masks trigger a panic attack if worn for very long at all. I'm hoping by 2023 we will be able to get back to our happy place.

thanks for this post. it's important for companies to realize that some can't wear them

 

[Disneychick75]

If WDW gets to the no mask/no vaccine point, we'll go. Until then, it's no go.

 

[Lsyves]

We are booked for the end of October 2021. Fingers crossed it is at least a little less restricted by then. We have a kid about to go to college and he wants to get to Disney one last time. And we lost an entire year of travel (we live overseas in a country with closed borders bc of covid) so we are packing it all in to 2021/2022!

 

[danissmart]

We went in January bc we had points we needed to use. We won’t be back until the mask policy is gone.

I have points expiring, and I won't go till masks are gone. Not to mention some of the other Covid theater. I have November booked right now, but will of course cancel if things aren't fully open and unrestricted.

 

[Princess Katelet]

I agree with you but I think some things will never return but not because of covid. It won’t be brought back as a way to save money.

CoH, FP+ (May go to being a paid extra now), street performers, etc. Not everything will come back.

CoH?? What is that?

 

[LiveLifeLoud]

CoH?? What is that?

Citizens of Hollywood.

 

[LiveLifeLoud]

this is exactly what I meant

Disney won’t be “back to normal” for me until those things are back but who knows if they’ll return.

 

[ScubaCat]

thank you for saying this. it's important for people to stay away during this time, or otherwise they'll have no inspiration to change at all, ever, regardless of whatever the current situation is in the future or how much their cutbacks affect the experience

They hit capacity almost every day; I'm pretty confident they don't care. They'll relax the policy and increase capacity when they feel it's appropriate. There is no tangible customer (guest) pressure to do so, though.

 

[WinifredBanks]

As much as I miss WDW, I can’t bring myself to go to Disney World with the mask policy still in place. Just went it Six Flags for one day and could not stand keeping it on in the heat all day.

All the rules, mask policy, missing magic (Hoop De Doo, character meet & greets, photos without a mask, character dining, fireworks, fastpass, etc...) keep us from going back. We planned initially to go in summer 2021, but will find other vacations to go on until WDW is a lot closer to what it was like.

I know crowds will get worse as the pandemic winds down and I would love to take the family back, but for us dropping $7000-10,000 for an experience that is less than what we expect is not in the cards.

Anyone else feel this way?

 

[WinifredBanks]

Totally agree!! We usually do WDW every 3 years. Last scheduled family trip down there was June 2018, and I remember talking then about how timing was going to work out just right that we’d be going back in 2021 for me to celebrate my 50th birthday with WDW on *their* 50th, (I already unwittingly celebrated my 25th back on their 25th, complete with the unfortunate “Cake Castle,”)... I know now that I’m SUPER fortunate that I, (the biggest Disney fan in my fam), stumbled into a kind of spontaneous opportunity to go to Epcot Food & Wine in Nov 2019, (my wife was unexpectedly sent to Orlando for work that month and had a bunch of FF miles that were about to expire, and I had found an old “never expires” ticket from the ‘90s with 2 hopper days left on it — we got to talking, the babysitting stars aligned, and all of a sudden I found myself down there lol), because if not for that, I know I would be SO much more determined to make our original 2021 plan happen.

But, as COVID has thrown a huge wrench in everything, I just can’t see spending so much money (or planning effort!) for a half-a$$ WDW experience for my family, so it definitely won’t be this year anymore ... Luckily, these Disney Anniversary celebrations always last well over a year, so I’m crossing my fingers that delaying till Summer 2022 will have things looking much more back to normal. Especially parades, shows, fireworks... If mask regulations linger, it will kinda stink, but so be it. I just hope that at least most of those features that make WDW special will have returned by then. So I’m currently booking for that time and hoping

 

[HunterRose13]

I don't need 100% back, but have a short list of what I want before booking my next trip. Bring back fireworks, that is the big one for me. Open more dining options and/or return to full menus. Get rid of mask, outdoors and loosen the criteria to face covering of any type at a minimum.

 

[J-Dog]

Actually, I read last week where Pfizer Biotech is coming close to getting approval for kids 12 and up by early summer so the kids can be vaccinated before this fall. That will put us close to herd immunity in my opinion.

Yes. I have no idea why people keep making this comment about not being able to achieve herd immunity because kids aren't vaccinated.

Dr. Fauci and other epidemiologists have been and are still saying it should happen this summer. They are the experts that we should be deferring to.

Do people think that Dr. Fauci just kind of "forgot" that kids haven't been vaccinated? - No, it's just that it shouldn't require kids to get vaccinated if enough adults are vaccinated. If it just happens that kid's can be vaccinated, it should just solidify things even more.