Here Now & Just Back WDW Reopening Experiences Including Park Hopping

[Ricguz]

We were in the parks for 10 days plus the Boo Bash between 8/2-8/13. I've been hesitant to post our experiences, because I'm not exactly sure how I feel about all of it. 10 days in the park is a lot. We walked over 120 miles in those 2 weeks. I would say overall the trip was good and positive. We had a lot of AMAZING moments- but also some less than amazing. We experienced the huge drop in crowds during our 2nd week there- the first week was very crowded with many long lines. Longer than we have ever stood in- and not just one, but one after another after another, it gets exhausting. But that being said, we also had moments of complete walk ons- like Soarin'- I've seen the line short before but have never been able to walk on directly into the loading line multiple times in a row. We had a 15 minute wait for FoP (on our last AK day we had done every ride by 10:30am!) We were a group of 5 for one our Star Tours rides and there were the only ones plus 2 others on the ship! We had an almost walk on to Smuggler's Run one late afternoon. But all of that was in the 2nd week. We also waited almost 80 minutes in the hot hot sun for Space Mountain. They were loading the entire queue into the left side, one train at a time. Our group of 4 had the train to ourselves- why? They didn't even attempt to find another party of 1 or 2. We did Space another day and while the right was also being used for the FP/RS/DAS line- as it emptied out they sent some of the regular queue to the right as well and the line literally moved what felt like twice as fast! This probably comes down to who is working at any given time but some CM's are so much more efficient at getting people on the ride. We only had one evacuation, Splash Mountain and we were stuck right after the last room- we were escorted out the back and given a pass to use at any ride other than Mine Train or Peter Pan. We used it on Haunted Mansion.

We were able to get everything done in all the parks, yet there were days we felt we accomplished less than we normally would. But the walk on experiences we had at AK, Epcot and HS were all great and I'm not sure those situations would have ever happened with FP+.

MK was by far the hardest park, which surprised me since it has the most rides. By our last day at MK, I wasn't even sad to leave. I just wanted to be out of there.

Mobile ordering was good for the most part. There is inconsistency with the restaurants that most let you in to find a table when it shows your order being ready, but others (ABC Commissary and Satu'li Canteen) would not let you in until it showed the order was ready for pick up. At Satu'li Canteen we were not allowed in and we sat at one of the outdoor tables for 35 minutes while the icon on our phone only showed it was being prepared. My husband asked the girl at the door at about the 20 minute mark and she still insisted that when notified we could come in- it wasn't ready yet. We refreshed a couple times, no change. Then at the 35 minute mark we refreshed again and got a notification that we had been notified twice that our order was ready and since we didn't pick it up we were being charged for the full meal. We took that notice to the girl at the door and she finally let us in so we could find out what was going on. The girl we spoke to there said they had called for us twice and they threw our order away. But, she was very apologetic and they remade the order and we had the food in about 10 minutes. Obviously a glitch of some sort but I know we would not have had to wait 35 minutes, or had our food thrown away, had we been allowed in the building to wait. (It was not crowded inside at all- there were empty tables all over)

Mask compliance was pretty good overall. There were plenty that pulled masks down below their nose. I think some of the inconsistency in the outdoor queues again depended on the CM working. Everywhere pretty much required the mask once you went under the FP/Standby wait time sign. But on the safari for instance, sometimes the minute we entered the outdoor queue we were asked to mask up, but sometimes they allowed you to be unmasked in that outdoor queue and didn't require the mask up until you entered the actual little building that you load onto the truck. There were a few instances of these inconsistencies.

On our last Tower of Terror ride there was a group of people that would not put their mask up. They were asked a ton of times and one second later they were down. One woman was asked by the CM to put her mask up as he was turning to close the elevator doors- she literally pulled it up and then down in a one second swoop. So of course we didn't get that photo. And my ride was kind of ruined because I was so annoyed. But we also saw a family pulled out of the Dinosaur line for wearing masks with filters- couldn't get back in until they had different masks, which the CM's offered them. And on RnRC a woman was not allowed on with her sparkly single layer mask- also offered a disposable from the CM.

There is no social distancing. On Rock N Roller Coaster they were encouraging us to not be able to see any carpet on the floor. That we were a big family and there should be absolutely no space between us. This is the norm.

Overall it was a positive trip and we had fun. But I also don't have the desire to book another trip right now. Usually when we leave I'm excited about our bounce back, or already planning the next one. Not this time. We missed some of the things that were still closed- shows, shops and restaurants. I didn't love all the long lines. Also- I keep reading that the Touring Plans times are so much more accurate. While that was also true our 2nd week, that was not true the first week. On many occasions I would say-"Oh Toy Story is 55 minutes but expected 35 on the TP app" We'd get in line and 52 minutes later would be getting on the ride. Space Mountain was posted 80, Touring Plans said 58- it actually took 72. This happened the most in Hollywood Studios, but also at Magic Kingdom. Many times are greatly inflated though and it makes no sense to me. Pirates is a prime example- often the ride would be listed at 45 minutes and actually be 10, or 35 minutes and be an almost walk on. But others are much closer to the actual posted times. We waited 35 minutes for Laugh Floor when Touring Plans said 15 and Disney said 25.

We did get on Rise of Resistance all 3 HS days. We hit join right as our phones turned to 7am and got boarding groups 25, 32 and 39. Very cool ride.

This is getting long- so much more I could say. We loved Boo Bash and felt like it was our best time at Magic Kingdom. So glad we were able to do that. I am still not sure how I feel about it overall though- thankful to have had that time with my family- and that is the most important part!

Thanks for a honest assessment of where the parks are now and the guests that attended them.

 

[KayKayJS]

I followed what others have posted here ... the garden area by Casey's Corner is available. We went there last week about an hour early and there were loads of spots. Lots of strollers & blankets/towels/ponchos with people lounging. Lots of items holding spots too. 10 minutes before fireworks started, they made everyone stand up. Then a whole bunch of people rushed in. However it was much much less crowded than anywhere else. We tried the hub earlier on our trip & just left the park because it was crazy crowded.

Thank you, we'll try to do that because she needs a little space to move around while waiting

 

[Mr. X]

How have wait times for magical express at the airport been? Can I call them when we land at the airport to see if the line is long?

 

[vinmar4]

Hello again! I don't know if anybody is asking for these posts but I love sharing (too much) information at times.
We just got back from AK and it was a lot of fun! It was VERY busy though. This is the busiest we've seen yet honestly. Many parts were so busy it was tough to walk without being bonked by a constant onslaught of umbrellas.
We arrived around 9:15 ish. We tried for rope drop but honestly, my sister and I don't do mornings. We got some coffee at Joffrey's then we found Expedition Everest which had a 40-minute wait, but single rider had a 20-minute wait which was great. We did that and walked around a bit. We found the Dinosaur ride which had a 20-minute wait and honestly that ride was really cool. One of my favorites so far lol

We stumbled across Yak and Yeti which is where I had a 11:30 lunch reservation. It was 11:05 and I just asked the CM instead of checking in on the app and they got us in immediately We got the ahi tuna nachos which were AMAZING. Honestly highlight of the trip so far. We also both got Yak Attacks which was...a bit of a mistake lol Should've got one and shared it..But ya gotta see it through. Also, Yak and Yeti felt pretty distanced between tables and wasn't even busy until around 12

We weren't quite sure what else to do afterward so decided to tough it out and stand in line for Flight of Passage due to rave reviews. It was also raining quite a bit at this point (~12:45 pm). The wait time said 150 minutes we were on by 2:20. I'm not sure if we got unlucky with our seats but the 3D effects didn't work as well for us and the ride was just alright.

Oh, and if you're reading these posts to help decide how social distancing/masks rules are in the parks... inside the FOP outdoor queue there were a few CMs asking people to put them on but gosh I'd say maybe only 20 percent of people in the queue would keep them on after out of sight of the CM. The crowds are a lot, and basically, nobody wears masks outside however inside shops/indoor queues I'd say most people do wear them even without a CM telling them to put them on. Also, I'd add pictures, but I believe I need 10 posts before I can do that.. Am I allowed to post an Imgur album link or would that be bypassing the required posts/link to an external site?

After FOP we got Simba dole whips (can't quite remember the name) which were great.

Then we decided to leave before our 5:20 Tusker House reservation (I modified it for a few days from now and then canceled) just because it was a bit hard to navigate around the park with so many people and because we felt there wasn't much else to do for us. It was also raining quite a bit, we had ponchos but it was just awkward to navigate around others and their umbrellas. Overall I liked AK but it did feel a bit more geared towards a family-friendly atmosphere (not a bad thing! I'm accepting that it wasn't catered toward 2 twenty-somethings who want to drink like Epcot lol hope no one takes that the wrong way!!) so we're heading over to Disney Springs later tonight

One of our favorites places to go to at AK for a break from the crowds , and to get a drink and some appetizers, is Nomad's lounge. It's close to Pandora.
Even our 24 y/o son loves the vibe there, and the freshly made alcoholic drinks and appetizers.

 

[Haley R]

I keep reading reports of tons of people cancelling trips but the resort prices sure don’t reflect that. We’re supposed to be going over Labor Day and I’d love a room discount.

 

[Aj1129]

How have wait times for magical express at the airport been? Can I call them when we land at the airport to see if the line is long?

We arrived yesterday and there was no line for the bus. We walked right on and had the entire bus to ourselves! We made it to the Yacht Club in 25 mins. We landed at MCO around 5:00pm.

 

[ThereYouSeeHer]

I keep reading reports of tons of people cancelling trips but the resort prices sure don’t reflect that. We’re supposed to be going over Labor Day and I’d love a room discount.

Since the current room discount doesn't expire until the end of September, I would be surprised if they released an additional one, but you never know. At this point, I'm wondering if and when they may release any holiday and winter discounts for all the people who cancelled to come back then?

Summer Room Offer

 

[The13thLetter]

welp. here we go. time to rub the lamp.

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2021/08/introducing-disney-genie/

 

[scrappinginontario]

Since the current room discount doesn't expire until the end of September, I would be surprised if they released an additional one, but you never know. At this point, I'm wondering if and when they may release any holiday and winter discounts for all the people who cancelled to come back then?

Summer Room Offer

Ooo, hadn't thought that might be an option! Hope they offer something but not counting on it as many resorts are already filling. I tried to book Pop 8 months in advance and had trouble finding availability.

 

[emmabelle]

welp. here we go. time to rub the lamp.

https://disneyparks.disney.go.com/blog/2021/08/introducing-disney-genie/

did it say when the rollout was? Kind of bummed about this...

 

[kylenne]

did it say when the rollout was? Kind of bummed about this...

“Fall” was all they said.

 

[POOH&PIGLET]

MGM today
8:31 left room at Kidani
8:35 already the bus
8:47 exit bus
8:51 pass tapstyles
8:59 entered MFSR (posted 15 min wait) in the preshow room in about 15 minutes.


9:30 ROTR BG called (had #3)


9:34 checked in for our 9:40 Oga's reservation (seated at 9:38). My wife & I were here once before. First time here for my kids. Don't expect to be back. Kids (ages 17-21) had fun. Way to much $$$.


10:15 Entering ROTR.


11:14 entered Star Tours queue (posted 30 min wait)
11:28 boarded (so a 14 min actual wait)


Lunch at Backlot Express. Cuban sandwich was HUGE & excellent!


12:37 entered TOT queue (posted 30 min wait) [not paying attention to boarding time ] off TOT at 1:10.


1:19 on single rider queue for RNRC (posted 40 min wait)
2:03 boarded (got row 1 = nice! but the slowest single rider line ever - so the single-rider line was a very poor choice today ).


My wife & daughter who didn't ride RNRC wanted to go into the 2pm Beauty and the Beast show but they were refused entry because they had Starbucks [apparently no food allowed in the theater].


2:46 on TSMM queue (posted 30 min wait). First 7 minutes in the blazing hot sun with no shade. I really don't know why WDW can't have shaded ride lines. I'm okay with heat and humidity but the sun is a killer. Really miserable now .
Started pouring rain as we entered the building).
After picking up the 3D glasses the entire line turned right and went to the handicapped boarding - CMs scrambling by the stairs we normally go up putting up caution sign.
3:17 boarded (so a 31 minute actual wait)


4:10 Sci-Fi reservation


5:31 entered MMRR
(30 min posted wait)
5:5? preshow
6:01 boarded (so accurate wait)


Left the park.

Two teenage daughters are shooting hoops at Kidani now (sunset) & the ball got wedged on the rim

Not a bad day (still wish we had FP+ but that's never happening again ).

 

[Haley R]

Since the current room discount doesn't expire until the end of September, I would be surprised if they released an additional one, but you never know. At this point, I'm wondering if and when they may release any holiday and winter discounts for all the people who cancelled to come back then?

Summer Room Offer

I’m talking about an AP or Florida resident offer

 

[Geomom]

Yesterday, 8/17
Resort day then Boo Bash

• Copper Creek 1 bedroom: Cooked brunch--pancakes, sausage, hash browns (tater tots). Did laundry. Went to boulder ridge pool as there was more room to socially distance. Had a huckleberry punch. Came back to room, got cleaned up. Went to Geyser point grill for early dinner. Split charcuterie, fruit plate and edamame. Kids split adult portion of chicken strips and fries. DH got the chips with brisket and I had the portobello salad. Got the black cherry mule...but they were out of the black cherry vodka...so they offered to make it with the huckleberry vodka...not the same... should have just asked for a plain vodka. Went back to room, changed into our simple costumes. Buzz tee for me, Bucky climate cool shirt for DH, DD17 was a fairy with fabric wings, DD21 was Bo Peep. Took fully crammed boat to magic kingdom, it stopped at fort wilderness first. Got to magic kingdom at 6:45. Boo Bash folks held up in big mass until 6:57.
• Boo Bash: more crowded than an after hours event, less than a Halloween party. Had a good time though. During regular hours did Monsters laugh floor (15 min), people mover (15 min), haunted mansion (walk on). Watched fireworks near splash at 8:45. Walked to Adventureland and had to show wristbands to get in. Walked into pirates at 9:10. Treat trails and snacks didn't open until 9:30... people already lined up for snacks near tiki room. Did jungle cruise (10 minutes), then got ice cream treats, popcorn and water bottles (included in cost of event). Did a couple treat trails, watched 3 cavalcades, listened to cadaver Dan's. Walked on Pooh, 15 min for Mine train (listed as 25), more treat trails and water, walked on small world, 10 min for Peter pan, more ice cream treats and treat trails, walked on Ariel, more treat trails, and ended night on Buzz. They had music going around the park and spooky lighting. Saw some characters socially distanced--pirate goofy, Chip and Dale, Pinocchio characters, Tigger and Pooh, etc. Kept our masks on most of the time due to number of people around.

 

[Geomom]

Today 8/18 Epcot.
Slept in after Boo bash last night...got to park at 1:30pm after waiting 20-30 min for a bus from wilderness lodge. Used our cooling towels today. Waited just a few minutes for Mexican boat ride, then got lunch from kiosks. Mexico--chilaquiles and El tigre margarita. India-- mango lassi, bread service, madras red curry. Germany--schickennudelin, pretz roll sausage, apple strudel. And bubble tea from year round kiosk in China. China food and wine kiosk had a huge line. Went on frozen and test track next, both with 30 min waits. Walked on Figment. Went to DVC lounge for AC, drinks, and cheezits. DH and DD21 went shopping in UK and Japan. DD17 and I walked into the Seas, spent tons of time at aquarium to watch rays (DDs favorite). DH and DD21 met us there. Went to the Land building. Walked on Soarin and the land. 5:50pm went to dinner at Garden Grill. Walked on spaceship earth and left park at 8. Bus got there at the same time as us! Saw electric water parade at 9:30 at resort. DD17 met up with a friend who is also staying at Wilderness Lodge.

 

[java]

FYI out of the 5 of us vaccinated- one came down with covid from Disney. Thankfully minor symptoms thanks to the vaccine. (And we were all in a small car for 16 hours -)

 

[jbrinkm]

The rest of our day at HS, after our afternoon break at the resort (approximately, we also stopped to take pictures, fill up water bottles, etc):

5:00pm boat back to HS
5:20 Muppet vision 3D
6:00 dinner @ Woody's
6:30 SDD
7:00 TSMM
7:30 Alien Swirling Saucers
8:00 MFSR
8:30 MMRR (longest wait of the day at 25 minutes)
9:00 waiting for boat back to YC

 

[WEDWDW]

Ramblings:

Marrakesh is the best spot in Epcot to take a break from the heat!

Most Guests aren't taking food in there,but are just kicking back on the "couch seating" and enjoying the cold AC and also the "private" Restrooms.

So get on the Marrakesh Express to Marrakesh when the heat has got you down.

Beauty and the Beast is so wonderful to see!

It is not Taste of Beauty and the Beast.

It is not A Celebration of Beauty and the Beast.

It is BEAUTY AND THE BEAST just like we remember it and it felt like old times!

We were talking to some ROTR Cast Members and they said ROTR had NEVER allowed any walk up Guests and they don't know how that Rumor started.Interesting.

Saw the greatest World Showcase shirt of all time:

EPCOT MOM IS REGULAR MOM BUT TIPSY

 

[alexiskimberly]

Hello! Just got back from a trip to WDW from 8/11-8/18 staying at Yacht Club and wanted to do a full recap! This is probably gonna be long but hopefully helpful to some The first few days we had a wedding, so I’ll skip to our first real park day.

Saturday 8/14

I already posted about our first full park day and awesome morning at MK. As a recap, the park was extremely empty with no lines for about 12 rides, including all the big hitters and then some (only line was PP flight at 10 min) and left by around 1pm. We went back to the hotel, took a nap, and swam for a bit before coming back out for AK in the evening. We went to animal kingdom at 5:30pm, walked right on Dinosaur and then went to sauli canteen for dinner and nomad lounge for drinks. At 7:55 we walked right on flight of passage, and then exited to see Pandora completely lit up. HIGHLY recommend this, it was INCREDIBLE! Def one of the top moments of the trip. Got back to our hotel around 9:10 and watched the Epcot fireworks from the beach near YC

Sunday 8/15:

We woke up early for a boarding pass for Rise of the Resistance, got boarding group 3!!! We ended up rope dropping HS and got let in at 8:30. We went on Mickey and Minnie’s runaway railway first, about a 10 min wait, and then walked on rockin roller coaster. By then our boarding group was called so we went on Rise for the first time which was AWESOME! Got blue and green milk after that and explored Galaxy’s Edge. We went on Toy Story Mania (15 min wait) and then Frozen Singalong (walk on). Then we got lunch at the Brown Derby. We walked around the Star Wars museum area after that and then watched Muppet Vision. We left Hollywood Studios at about 2pm to go back to the room to nap and pool

In the evening, we went back to Magic Kingdom area for an anniversary dinner at California Grill. We watched the MK fireworks from the balcony there, and then took the Monorail to Epcot where we jumped on Test Track with a 5 min wait. We ended up seeing the fireworks from the speedy outdoor section of the test track ride as we zipped around the bend, which was very fun. Walked back to YC after that.

Monday 8/16:

We got up early for Animal Kingdom this day, but didn’t end up fully rope dropping as we were feeling tired. Got there around 8:15 and walked on Everest three times in a row with no line. We tested the front, middle, and back, and decided the front was our favorite! then, we walked around Asia some, saw some monkeys, and jumped on Kali as soon as it opened at 9. We did some of the walking paths after that and headed over to Pongu Pongu for breakfast. After breakfast, we went on Navi Journey, which was one of our longest waits of the trip (20 min). It was my first time on this, and it was pretty but def a one time ride for a while. If we hadn’t seen Pandora at night already, I might have been more awed. Still lovely though! We didn’t go on Flight of Passage again since we had walked on that the previous night and the line was up to 30-35 or so. After Navi, we went to Africa and walked on the Safari ride, which was WONDERFUL! Best safari ive ever had. It lasted so long because we were stopped for some giraffes, but I loved it. We saw a lot of the babies too, and all our fav animals were out (lions, elephants, giraffes, hippos). We walked on a lot of the paths after that and then went on Its a Bugs Life before heading out for the day. Back to the hotel for more pool and naps.

In the evening, we went back to Hollywood Studios. We went on Slinky Dog Dash which was another longer wait (~25 min). Then we got food at Docking Bay 7 and went on Smugglers Run for the first time. I was left pilot and my husband was right pilot, so he got to jump to light speed, which he loved! We went and rode Rockin again after that which was about 15 min and Tower of Terror which was a walk on. Then we went on Mickey’s Runaway Railway which was about 15-20 min as well. By then, it was about 8:55 and we had to rush over to our Savi’s reservation to build a light saber. The reservation was at 9:05 for after the park closed, which was so great because then we could run around w the light saber in the dark with most of Galaxy’s edge empty and take pictures. My husband did the building since he is the Star Wars fan and had a great time. I would say it’s only worth the price if you have a mega fan in your group, it was slightly shorter than I expected though worth it for a one time splurge for him. After that, we went back to YC and got the chocolate tower for two at the Crew’s Cup Lounge, which was very tasty and huge.

Tuesday 8/17:

Our last full day! We slept in a bit and went to Ale and compass for breakfast (third time of the trip), and then walked to Epcot at around 10:45. Got let in immediately and walked on Figment, soarin, living w the land, and Nemo and friends in a row. Stopped by the aquarium area and spent some time there checking out the sharks and such. Then we went to spaceship earth, which was about a 10 min wait. We then walked in the Epcot Experience which was much cooler than I expected. We spent the rest of the day exploring food and wine festival and the world showcase, went back to the hotel for pool time and Beaches and Cream early dinner, and came back out for Epcot Forever. We ended the night at Abracadabar and left the next day.


Overall thoughts:

Rides/Parks:
We must have hit some crazy good luck, because the parks did not feel crowded and I would say at least 75% of the rides were walk ons for us and the longest ever was 25 min. It was wild. I definitely recommend rope dropping (getting there ahead of official open) and trying to hit the more popular rides later in the evening. Not going to Pandora at rope drop and doing FoP right before park close is such a great choice, highly recommend. Also just want to add that we had 0 cast members that weren’t kind and considerate at the minimum, if not truly just fabulous. Everyone was awesome!

Food:
Overall, the food was really good. Cali Grill was of course spectacular, and we did Ale and Compass breakfast three times and the lounge once. All were great, especially the chocolate waffles! My husband loved the shrimp and grits. Sauli Canteen was incredible too, and we really liked Nomad Lounge. Brown Derby was solid, with especially delicious bread and salted butter and a great Cobb salad.

I wasn’t especially blown away by anything I tasted at Food and Wine festival. The mimosa flight was good, and my husband got noodles in Japan that were tasty but not part of food and wine. We really liked the Apple Orchard drinks in the back of Canada. Other than that, I didn’t really love anything and wish I had done more research on what we should really prioritize there. Boardwalk Bakery was eh and Abracadbar wasn’t anything special.

Hotel:
Can I never stay anywhere on WDW except the Yacht Club again?? This place was a BLAST!! such great location, easy walk to Epcot, HS, and transportation, and we were upgraded to a Boardwalk view so we could see all the lovely lights as night. Stormalong bay was awesome and such a fun break from the heat. I had heard some people say they thought the lobby was stuffy, but there was too much Disney magic for me to feel that way!


Covid:
Overall, I was very nervous about this trip with everything going on with Covid. Had they not implemented the mask wearing protocols before our trip, we would not have gone, including in outdoor queues like they just announced. I’m so happy that wasn’t the case for us. We are both vaccinated, carried hand sanitizer everywhere, and wore N95s whenever indoors or on transportation, and felt much more comfortable that way and still had a great time. I did feel a little nervous in some of the preshows but felt much better than expected on the buses, which were not packed at all. We even had a bus to MK to ourselves at one point. I felt less nervous than expected but will definitely get tested when we get home. Also, mask compliance was generally very good, about 95-98% of people wore masks properly. I will not be going again until covid is in a better place however, and would definitely not feel comfortable w an unvaccinated person with me, especially a kid. I saw them sticking their fingers in their mouths wayyy too often. We also found the sanitizer stations to be filled almost every time, probably used like 50-60 and only found maybe 2 or 3 empty later in the day.

In all, we had a wonderful anniversary trip and left feeling very sad to leave (though excited to get home to our dog!). While I don’t think we’ll be back for a bit until covid calms down and some of the new attractions and shows open up, we really had a blast and felt the WDW magic in full swing. Thanks to everyone for their tips and trip reports! I hope this trip report helps someone as well!

 

[POOH&PIGLET]

Heading out to Epcot today with my lime green Disboards shirt on.