Here Now & Just Back WDW Reopening Experiences Including Park Hopping

[Ricguz]

Just left this morning (still in the airport as our flight was delayed) and I will say that there was plenty of magic!!! We hadn't been diwn since January 2019 and the only difference we noticed was that housekeeping did less/only came every other day.

Very glad we were able to go back!

I just got back from YC CL and housekeeping was daily with mousekeeping giving us plenty of toiletries daily.

 

[notatallmagic]

What has anyone experienced with rideshares from MCO? Has there been easy access to rides, and are the prices crazy?

 

[Smugpugmug]

What has anyone experienced with rideshares from MCO? Has there been easy access to rides, and are the prices crazy?

Prices are dynamic, meaning they change depending on time of day/year, the amount of drivers in the area and the demand for drivers so you won't get a definite answer. Only an estimate. For example on a weekend in May, I paid $40 for two people to get from MCO to AKL. There are a lot of drivers in the Orlando area, so you don't typically wait a long time unless it's a holiday.

 

[Gentry2004]

We paid $80 once for an Uber XL to MCO that happened to coincide with park closing. (We were staying at the Hyatt prior to an early flight the next day.)

 

[jods]

What has anyone experienced with rideshares from MCO? Has there been easy access to rides, and are the prices crazy?

We had no issue and we landed around 2 am it was about 40 or 50 for an xl.

 

[kylenne]

What has anyone experienced with rideshares from MCO? Has there been easy access to rides, and are the prices crazy?

What everyone else said, but I would just add it's worth having both Uber and Lyft apps to comparison shop. Sometimes there can be a substantial difference in airport trip fares between the two of them (like +/- $20). IME Lyft is generally cheaper to and around property but not always. It's weird because most drivers drive for both apps, but they have different pricing algorithms I guess.

 

[leeniewdw]

What everyone else said, but I would just add it's worth having both Uber and Lyft apps to comparison shop. Sometimes there can be a substantial difference in airport trip fares between the two of them (like +/- $20). IME Lyft is generally cheaper to and around property but not always. It's weird because most drivers drive for both apps, but they have different pricing algorithms I guess.

Agree with this. We used Uber one way and Lyft the other when we last went (March 2022). IIRC, Lyft wouldn't let me book in advance for the return to MCO so I opted for Uber since it was an early ride, but Lyft was cheaper when we landed.

I think we paid between 30-40 for each ride (before tip), but I think that means nothing for any future bookings because everything is very specific to any given day/time.

 

[Kirsti]

Thank you. Do you know if any of the other Mickey meet and greets had a real person?

There is a real photographer at the "hidden Mickey" meet at Epcot that nobody seems to know about - he's in the Pixar shorts pavilion just up the stairs to the right as you exit from the Figment ride. There's almost never a line for him, so check the app for his meeting times. He's in his classic look (red trousers, white shirt, black tuxedo jacket and yellow bow tie).

The Animal Kingdom Safari Mickey and Minnie meet is automated. The character attendant will make sure that everyone is in the right place and looking in the right direction. Plus it takes random photos as it goes. The characters seem to have a sense of where they need to be for hugs, conversations etc. to stay in shot. I didn't do any of the character meets at HS so don't know about there.

 

[accm]

There is a real photographer at the "hidden Mickey" meet at Epcot that nobody seems to know about - he's in the Pixar shorts pavilion just up the stairs to the right as you exit from the Figment ride. There's almost never a line for him, so check the app for his meeting times. He's in his classic look (red trousers, white shirt, black tuxedo jacket and yellow bow tie).

The Animal Kingdom Safari Mickey and Minnie meet is automated. The character attendant will make sure that everyone is in the right place and looking in the right direction. Plus it takes random photos as it goes. The characters seem to have a sense of where they need to be for hugs, conversations etc. to stay in shot. I didn't do any of the character meets at HS so don't know about there.

Thank you. It's unfortunate that they're moving towards more of the automated cameras, since I doubt they'll work very well with my 2yr old. But it's good to know that the attendants help

 

[Juventus]

I was wondering if people currently able to successfully modify LLs to later in the day.

For example, on a 9:00am opening MK day if I book Thunder right around 7:00am for a 10:00am return time but don't want to use it until say 4:00, are people able to modify that until it hits, for example, 4:00pm?

I know technically it is now possible, I'm just looking to see if anyone has any experience with this and I can plan/count on it.

 

[Blarnson]

I was wondering if people currently able to successfully modify LLs to later in the day.

For example, on a 9:00am opening MK day if I book Thunder right around 7:00am for a 10:00am return time but don't want to use it until say 4:00, are people able to modify that until it hits, for example, 4:00pm?

I know technically it is now possible, I'm just looking to see if anyone has any experience with this and I can plan/count on it.

Yup - did this extensively last week - but you have to keep checking back for later times, only the next available time is selectable. A few times, had a later time and checked back and was able to select an earlier time.

 

[Juventus]

Perfect. Thanks!

 

[dorchrislen]

Has anyone recently been to the visa meet and greet at Hollywood Studios in the Star Wars launch bay? Is it a Star Wars character? Is the wait long?

 

[teawar]

Has anyone recently been to the visa meet and greet at Hollywood Studios in the Star Wars launch bay? Is it a Star Wars character? Is the wait long?

We went over thanksgiving and it was a magic shot experience. No real life character for our visit. There was only 2 other families.

 

[cjlong88]

Merry Christmas! We checked into the Yacht Club this evening and just finished dinner at Flying Fish. WOW! 10/10 and will 1000% plan on eating here again in the future.

 

[Gabby01]

Merry Christmas! We checked into the Yacht Club this evening and just finished dinner at Flying Fish. WOW! 10/10 and will 1000% plan on eating here again in the future.

Lucky you! I still fondly remember a Tanglewood Farms chicken I ate there in 2009!

And Merry Christmas to you too!

 

[ML_LovesDisney]

Hi all, we are headed down tomorrow. What have ILL costs been running this Christmas week for:
MK- Mine Train
Epcot- guardians
DHS- Rise of the resistance
AK- Flights of Passage

 

[Smugpugmug]

Hi all, we are headed down tomorrow. What have ILL costs been running this Christmas week for:
MK- Mine Train
Epcot- guardians
DHS- Rise of the resistance
AK- Flights of Passage

These are the prices listed today (Dec 26th):

Mine Train: $12
Guardians: $17
Rise: $25
Flight of Passage: $16

 

[ML_LovesDisney]

These are the prices listed today (Dec 26th):

Mine Train: $12
Guardians: $17
Rise: $25
Flight of Passage: $16

Thank you!

 

[Gary Stocker]

These are the prices listed today (Dec 26th):

Mine Train: $12
Guardians: $17
Rise: $25
Flight of Passage: $16

Wow...for a family of 4 $100 clams for Rise. Not seeing the value there...maybe solo travelers. Not to mention Rise always seems to go offline...