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

[KrazeeK120]

The hope is that with vaccines, potential herd immunity by summer and the risk to COVID being reduced so significantly that it is well below risks from Flu, by the end of the year or early 2022 at the latest, we will back to a normal society again without mask and distancing mandates in place.

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.

 

[ThistleMae]

My DD is toying with the idea of going with the family in Nov. because her daughter's friend is going then and she's always wanted to do a trip with her best friend but hasn't been able too. I'm passing on this one. Not going until fireworks and shows are in full swing. Just not worth the $$$ to me to have a reduced experience.

 

[VApastor79]

My family and I wrestled back and forth over the last year. We had been looking forward to this particular trip for the last 3 years. Having gone several times before, we decided to still go this coming June. We know it won't be the same so we are trying to have measured expectations. We also landed in the space of, "we will add to the magic that's missing". Were planning to bring a lot of thank you cards for cast members, glow sticks to hand out to random kids (with parent's approval), and other random things WE think our fun that will add to our trip and hopefully be a blessing to cast members and other guests. That being said, if this was someones first trip - I would say wait.

 

[musika]

I go back and forth. I've been to Disney 3x but my kids (currently 4&6) never have, we are Canadian and the basically $10K price tag means that we will likely only be able to go once while the kids are young. I initially said we are NOT going until parades, fire works, meet and greets return and NO MASKS (I'm not anti mask in the slightest it's just the heat and the desire to have fun without every single memory be tainted by covid) but then a part of me thinks what if it is YEARS before all of those things return? how long do we "wait and see" if things go back to normal? IF the border reopens I would love to go next February but at least some things would have to be different. I'm not willing to drop a huge chunk of change for such a drastically modified experience especially since this could be a once in a lifetime trip...if I was a frequent visitor I would probably feel differently.

We rescheduled our November 2020 trip to November 2021. While I am very disappointed by the prospect of a reduced experience (especially for $$$), I do feel the pressure of time moving forward. My kids will be 14, 10, & 5 by the time we go. It is my youngest's first trip - she loves Princesses and all things magical. To me, 4 1/2 - 5 1/2 is the best, most perfectly magical age to go for a first trip, so I don't want my little one to miss this super fun window of time. My middle child was 1 & 4 the last 2 times we went, but doesn't remember much from when he was there. I want this to be a chance for him to be young and silly enough to really embrace the magic. And my oldest will be in high school, so every year that goes by it becomes harder to pull him out of school. I wouldn't want to go on Spring Break due to crowds, and several of my family members would be really cranky in the summer heat, so we could only reschedule for November 2022, which is way beyond when I wanted to go. Plus (and most importantly), after loosing a family member, having sick family members, and a myriad of other life struggles this past year, I have been having an intense "life is short" feeling. And the future is so uncertain - no one knows when or if things will go "back to normal."

So, yes, it stinks that some of the aspects I really, really love about Disney (Fireworks, Character Interactions, Hoop De Doo, Bibbity Bobbity, great Sit Down meals) may not happen or be modified. However, I very much have that "who knows what the future may bring?" feeling. Yes, it stinks it won't be the Disney I remember, but so much stinks about this pandemic experience. We are all just doing the best we can to stay positive and live in the moment.

I am also remaining hopeful that the combination of it being the 50th Anniversary + vaccinations, means that a few good things may come back. Maybe I'm just being overly optimistic, though, because I really want & need this trip.

The hardest part for me is that kids don't stop getting older, even in a pandemic! We are very fortunate that we went twice when our kids were small, but our oldest just turned 9 and will likely be almost 11 before we can go back (we're Canadian). I can already sense we're losing her to Harry Potter (which isn't a bad thing, just very bittersweet as I was hoping to have one more "disney magic" trip with them).

 

[srauseo]

My sister and I are going in October. She's fully vaccinated and I get my second dose next week. I'm feeling more optimistic than I was earlier this year. It will be a quick trip, though. Just to get a fix. I don't think we'd go back with the whole family until we are confident operations will be back closer to normal.

 

[BroadwayHermione5]

The hardest part for me is that kids don't stop getting older, even in a pandemic! We are very fortunate that we went twice when our kids were small, but our oldest just turned 9 and will likely be almost 11 before we can go back (we're Canadian). I can already sense we're losing her to Harry Potter (which isn't a bad thing, just very bittersweet as I was hoping to have one more "disney magic" trip with them).

She can love both! I only went to disney a few times as a kid (one was a band trip so I am not even sure that counts) and didn't go to universal until I was in college! my main theme park was Busch Gardens Williamsburg, and I truly love it and it has just as big a chunk of my heart as Disney and Universal. I promise she isnt losing the magic, she is simply exploring many new places and will hopefully become a theme park nerd like myself and most if not all of us on here

 

[glocon]

The hardest part for me is that kids don't stop getting older, even in a pandemic! We are very fortunate that we went twice when our kids were small, but our oldest just turned 9 and will likely be almost 11 before we can go back (we're Canadian). I can already sense we're losing her to Harry Potter (which isn't a bad thing, just very bittersweet as I was hoping to have one more "disney magic" trip with them).

They don’t ever get to old for Disney Magic!
I let my son choose our vacation destination when he was 21... and he chose Disneyworld!
Then when he was 22 I let him pick again.... and he chose Disneyworld!
We did go to UO both of those trips too, but we love them both .

 

[vivianmarie244]

We have planned for four years to go October 2021 and are still going. If there is anything that this past year has taught us, tomorrow is not promised and don't wait on spending valuable time with your family. We lost both of my in-laws to Covid only 4 days apart. Both were gone within three days of a positive test. We would have given anything to spend more time with them. It doesn't really matter to us that there is less available because we will still be together. I'd love for more to come back and to be able to have pictures without masks. I'm still optimistic that some will be back by October but we are preparing for it to be the same as now. My kids have been doing in person school since September so they are used to the masks. We're not really into meet and greets so that's no real loss. I just would like to have the fireworks and more shows available. But, for us, life is too short to wait.

 

[stace1214]

We're planning for Feb 2022 hoping that things will be resembling "normal." I want to be able to take pictures without masks, walk around while snacking and drinking. If we're not able to do those things by Feb we'll hold off a bit longer.

 

[Lilsia]

The hardest part for me is that kids don't stop getting older, even in a pandemic! We are very fortunate that we went twice when our kids were small, but our oldest just turned 9 and will likely be almost 11 before we can go back (we're Canadian). I can already sense we're losing her to Harry Potter (which isn't a bad thing, just very bittersweet as I was hoping to have one more "disney magic" trip with them).

My kids are 19 & 20 and still have their "Disney magic". They love going every single trip, and they have been going their whole lives. If you have the Disney magic in your heart, you have it forever.

 

[Viking7641]

I've considered it but I have some major life changes coming and this will likely be my last opportunity for 3-4 years

 

[AndreaA]

I SO wanted to go back for the 50th since my own birthday (and also 50th!) is the same, but I cannot justify it. I’m honestly shocked so many people are still going when the prices are the same as they’ve always been but you’re getting half the experience. Why would I go if I have to wait for a ”pool spot”, can’t have all my character meals, can’t see fireworks/shows, can’t even go on some rides?! I wouldn’t go to a restaurant known for seafood that was suddenly only serving fried chicken - at the price of lobster! - , so I sure won’t drop thousands for a sub-par vacation.

 

[Lilsia]

I SO wanted to go back for the 50th since my own birthday (and also 50th!) is the same, but I cannot justify it. I’m honestly shocked so many people are still going when the prices are the same as they’ve always been but you’re getting half the experience. Why would I go if I have to wait for a ”pool spot”, can’t have all my character meals, can’t see fireworks/shows, can’t even go on some rides?! I wouldn’t go to a restaurant known for seafood that was suddenly only serving fried chicken - at the price of lobster! - , so I sure won’t drop thousands for a sub-par vacation.

Some of us tour differently. I have gone so many times over the last 27 years that I am not interested in Characters anymore. How many times can you "meet" and take a picture with Mickey? I also have stopped watching the fireworks because I have seen them, and as a solo traveler, I could not get a good view of them anyway. Rides being open is never a guarantee since they go down for refurb or issues all the time. I don't think that I have ever been where every single ride or show was up and running. My last 2 trips, the hotel was half price. I stayed at the YC for what it normally costs at a moderate. I never let my AP expire either and it got extended by several months. I have more then gotten my money's worth on my AP this year. I have not heard, or had the issue about waiting for a "pool spot". Not sure what that is. The times that I have gone down to the pool, there was almost no one there. I think that half the experience is a bit of an exaggeration. It's fine if you don't feel like it is worth it for you, but many of us like just being there. I never really went on many rides but like to walk around and enjoy the atmosphere. Especially as I get older and the rides make me sick.

 

[AndreaA]

My last 2 trips, the hotel was half price. I stayed at the YC for what it normally costs at a moderate.

That’s very impressive, because I have actually priced out things for the fall and the prices are as high as ever at the luxury resorts as far as I can see.

Anyway, this thread is supposed to be for people who DON’T WANT TO GO right now. We already know that there are plenty of people who feel differently, and we don’t need to hear from them again - this is supposed to be support for like-minded people.

 

[gorkt]

Me. I was lucky enough to go in Nov 2019 before everything went south. I had toyed with going next January (2022) but I am going to wait just a little longer and go in Jan 2023 because its still going to be the 50th anniversary, and more of the new rides should be open, and there is a greater chance that it will be a "normal" trip. Also I only go every three years anyway. I "may" try to squeeze in a smaller trip sometime in 2022 as well.

 

[laurenpetro]

eh. literally nothing else is normal right now anyway. i figure i'd rather be at disney when it's not normal than home. lol.

but that said, i don't blame you. don't go if you don't think you won't enjoy it!

 

[Lilsia]

That’s very impressive, because I have actually priced out things for the fall and the prices are as high as ever at the luxury resorts as far as I can see.

Anyway, this thread is supposed to be for people who DON’T WANT TO GO right now. We already know that there are plenty of people who feel differently, and we don’t need to hear from them again - this is supposed to be support for like-minded people.

Yes, of course by this fall the prices are going to go up, it's the 50th celebration and things should be getting back to normal by then. But the last 6 months, except for the holidays, it has been dead and prices are super cheap.

 

[J-Dog]

I SO wanted to go back for the 50th since my own birthday (and also 50th!) is the same, but I cannot justify it. I’m honestly shocked so many people are still going when the prices are the same as they’ve always been but you’re getting half the experience. Why would I go if I have to wait for a ”pool spot”, can’t have all my character meals, can’t see fireworks/shows, can’t even go on some rides?! I wouldn’t go to a restaurant known for seafood that was suddenly only serving fried chicken - at the price of lobster! - , so I sure won’t drop thousands for a sub-par vacation.

I think that some percentage of people - including myself - who have booked for the 50th are optimistic that things will be much more "normal" than you are implying that they will be. If herd immunity happens this summer, which is what the experts are telling us, there's no reason things can't be normal by then.

And if masks are still required, then we will postpone until sometime in 2022.

 

[AndreaA]

I think that some percentage of people - including myself - who have booked for the 50th are optimistic that things will be much more "normal" than you are implying that they will be. If herd immunity happens this summer, which is what the experts are telling us, there's no reason things can't be normal by then.

And if masks are still required, then we will postpone until sometime in 2022.

I certainly hope you are right! Currently I’m hedging my bets and thinking about fall of 2022.

 

[Rebecca Hughey]

I'm going to weigh in here from a medical standpoint (as an in-the-crap-for-the-past-year Covid med professional). I'm going in Nov 2021 and have a pretty optimistic outlook for a good portion of "normal" Disney returning by then.

It is incredibly likely that we will see Covid restrictions lifted by the end of the summer around the country. Everyone who wants a vaccine will have been able to get one by that point. As soon as the CDC officially updates their recommendations, we will see businesses start getting rid of their restrictions because there is no longer a legal obligation. Whether or not Disney follows suit, we will see. They know that they need to start making up for a year of financial loss and they know that a lot of people aren't coming because of the restrictions. So who knows.

As soon as vaccines are available for everyone 16 and up, it is no longer the responsibility of public health to protect people. It becomes personal responsibility. We see this each year with the flu. Yes, the flu is different. But if you don't get your flu shot and you get the flu, who's fault is that. Sure you may get your shot and still get the flu, but it won't be as bad as if you hadn't gotten it. This is the same thing with Covid. Data is showing wonderful results for vaccinated people not contracting it and those that did had mostly mild symptoms.

What does this mean for Disney? For the majority of the parks, you are outside. Yes, there are ride queues, shops, and restaurants, but data shows that's not really how this is spread. It is spread in close-contact smaller groups. Not outside, not short & quick interactions. So I wouldn't be surprised to see Disney change their policy to being "Masks recommended but not required". This would make those who are comforted from mask wearing feel like they are still able to make the personal choice to mask when needed and those who want to not wear masks happy to spend their money there.

Someone mentioned something about not having herd immunity because the kids won't be vaccinated. First, there will never be total herd immunity because this is going to be around just like the flu and there are a lot (about 30% was the last poll I saw) choosing not to vaccinate. Also there is plenty of data to show that children do not transmit the virus as much as adults. There are clinical trials going on with kids 6 and up, with 6 mos to 5 yrs currently in the works (my daughter is enrolled for the trial should it start). They are looking to start vaccinating kids by the beginning of next year. So vaccines for kiddos isn't far off, but it won't be the determining factor is business getting back to normal. Except schools, where most are saying that are at least going to still have masking in the classrooms.

Anyway, just a thought.