Epcotbound
Earning My Ears
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2020
My family has just returned from the culmination of a cancelled Xmas trip. We went from 3/9-3/18. We arrived at MCO around 5 and after 20 years as a DVC member we used the Magical Express for the first time. I can see why people are so passionate about it’s cancellation. It was an enjoyable and relaxing experience that I now wish we had used more. We split our stay between the Boardwalk with a Boardwalk view and Bay Lake Tower with the Magic Kingdom view. Both were clean, comfortable and enjoyable. So let’s get the elephant in the room out of the way first. Masks. I have read numerous posts in which there have been ongoing battles to the yay or nay. I am not here to do that. I wear a mask because my state requires me to and I wear a mask at WDW because they require me to. I believe in the science and we have lost some family friends to COVID-19. Now in the 9 days we were at WDW I would say over 90% of the guests were following the rules that WDW set with little to no complaint, about another 5 tried to skirt the rules but would tug up when asked or caught, then you have the other 5 who refuse. Cast members were doing the best they could but there will always be those who do not believe rules are meant for them like the guy smoking in the Space Mountain line.
So here are my thoughts that I hope can make your trip a little easier:
1 Be prepared for less cast member availability. I wasn’t sure what it was going to look like but there are a lot less of them and they are overwhelmed especially in the food service areas. They are doing the best they can and are super friendly so cut them a break if you feel yourself getting frustrated. We went to Liberty Tree for dinner and our server had 7 tables that I saw. Not normal at all.
2 Table service is unavailable on walk up during max capacity days. If you have reservations which we did 7 out of those 9 days plan on at least 15-30 minutes extra wait times. We never got a table the entire visit at our reservation time except at WBG at Disney Springs. Parks and hotels both averaged more than 30 minutes later than the reservation time.
3 Plan on the buses taking a long time. Whether it’s the layoffs, the new seating policy, or a combination of the two it takes a very long time to get where you want to go. Like 3 times longer sometimes. One bus running from AK to Contemporary, the line was 3 buses long. People started calling the hotel. We waited a while. Also be aware buses were not running from Boardwalk or Contemporary to Disney Springs an hour early. They did not start until after Springs was open to public so if you have breakfast plans or want to be early to get that Gideon’s cinnamon cookie, find another way there. That cookie is killer by the way, one of the very best I have ever had.
4 Lines are long, like over the river and through the woods to granny’s long. The queues can be confusing. At the end of the most queues is a cast member holding a sign that says line starts here. The most confusing part for most people was that the queues shift depending on crowd size. 40 minutes wait queue may be different than the 75 minute line and the social distance markers may not match the line. Just keep your 6 feet from those in front and you should be fine.
5 Lines are long, yup they are. The weather while we were there was mid 80’s or higher. It was hot, not what I have experienced in March before. The lines that are outside the traditional queues are in the middle of the paved areas, there is little to no shade. It was brutal. The line for Tower of Terror and Rockin Rollercoaster go up into the Fantasmic staging area. Tower had some shade but Rockin had none, 0. Runaway Railway snakes back and forth in the courtyard in front of the theater, zero shade. Be prepared, it is only going to get hotter and hotter and people are going to start dropping like flies if they aren’t prepared for this. I did notice some umbrellas going up at different places throughout the parks but not many to make a difference in the 100+ heat index of July.
6 No fast pass. I didn’t miss it. I can honestly say that most wait times were exaggerated. Some were not, Mine Train said 75 was about 100 minutes. Big Thunder said 90 and was 50. Buzz said 50 and took about 30. 6 foot distancing can’t last but not getting hit in the back of the head by the backpack of the person behind me when they move was fantastic. Lines for the most part moved at a pace where my family was okay with the pace and the wait, but there are always a few outliers.
7 Parents, I am one so I am not scolding, honestly I get it, but watch your kids. Seriously these new queues can be hairy. I witnessed at least 6 families have to get out of lines because their child either face planted into the pavement trying to climb the queue chains or smacked in the face by them from the rebound of them whacking them. Natural consequences and all that but it sucks having your day ruined because you were to busy on your phone and your kid gets hurt.
8 This one is going to get me in trouble but I am channeling Pete here and I’m gonna do it anyway. People, put away the damn cell phone. Your at Disney World for goodness sakes. If your single or a young couple without kids I kind of get it, but parents geez, your missing out. My family laughed out loud at this one group of three kids, they were in absolute awe of the Buzz Lightyear animatronic, it was hilarious how they were responding to it. The parents missed the entire thing because they were both glued to the phone. I’m not preaching and I’m sorry if it sounds it but you payed top dollar to go there why waste it being on a cell phone.
10. Prep before you go. Get your dining reservations If you want them at the 60 day mark or you may not get one, seriously, most of the upset people were because there was no place for them to sit and eat. Know where the relaxation stations are. You are going to need them. 90 degree heat and you are going to need a mask break. Trust me you Will and some have limited capacity.
Last. Have fun. Yes it is going to be different, people are wary, some nasty, but it’s still Disney. Be kind to the cast members, I witnessed several being berated by people for things which they have no control over. They aren’t the ones who laid off 28000 people. Take advantage of the opportunity because the only ride we didn’t do was Rise of the Resistance because we couldn’t get a boarding pass. Everything else was doable. Ride the Skyliner it is awesome. Overall we had a great time, and we needed it as a family which made it that much sweeter and more special than a lot of other WDW trips as we felt entirely grateful to be there.
Enjoy!
So here are my thoughts that I hope can make your trip a little easier:
1 Be prepared for less cast member availability. I wasn’t sure what it was going to look like but there are a lot less of them and they are overwhelmed especially in the food service areas. They are doing the best they can and are super friendly so cut them a break if you feel yourself getting frustrated. We went to Liberty Tree for dinner and our server had 7 tables that I saw. Not normal at all.
2 Table service is unavailable on walk up during max capacity days. If you have reservations which we did 7 out of those 9 days plan on at least 15-30 minutes extra wait times. We never got a table the entire visit at our reservation time except at WBG at Disney Springs. Parks and hotels both averaged more than 30 minutes later than the reservation time.
3 Plan on the buses taking a long time. Whether it’s the layoffs, the new seating policy, or a combination of the two it takes a very long time to get where you want to go. Like 3 times longer sometimes. One bus running from AK to Contemporary, the line was 3 buses long. People started calling the hotel. We waited a while. Also be aware buses were not running from Boardwalk or Contemporary to Disney Springs an hour early. They did not start until after Springs was open to public so if you have breakfast plans or want to be early to get that Gideon’s cinnamon cookie, find another way there. That cookie is killer by the way, one of the very best I have ever had.
4 Lines are long, like over the river and through the woods to granny’s long. The queues can be confusing. At the end of the most queues is a cast member holding a sign that says line starts here. The most confusing part for most people was that the queues shift depending on crowd size. 40 minutes wait queue may be different than the 75 minute line and the social distance markers may not match the line. Just keep your 6 feet from those in front and you should be fine.
5 Lines are long, yup they are. The weather while we were there was mid 80’s or higher. It was hot, not what I have experienced in March before. The lines that are outside the traditional queues are in the middle of the paved areas, there is little to no shade. It was brutal. The line for Tower of Terror and Rockin Rollercoaster go up into the Fantasmic staging area. Tower had some shade but Rockin had none, 0. Runaway Railway snakes back and forth in the courtyard in front of the theater, zero shade. Be prepared, it is only going to get hotter and hotter and people are going to start dropping like flies if they aren’t prepared for this. I did notice some umbrellas going up at different places throughout the parks but not many to make a difference in the 100+ heat index of July.
6 No fast pass. I didn’t miss it. I can honestly say that most wait times were exaggerated. Some were not, Mine Train said 75 was about 100 minutes. Big Thunder said 90 and was 50. Buzz said 50 and took about 30. 6 foot distancing can’t last but not getting hit in the back of the head by the backpack of the person behind me when they move was fantastic. Lines for the most part moved at a pace where my family was okay with the pace and the wait, but there are always a few outliers.
7 Parents, I am one so I am not scolding, honestly I get it, but watch your kids. Seriously these new queues can be hairy. I witnessed at least 6 families have to get out of lines because their child either face planted into the pavement trying to climb the queue chains or smacked in the face by them from the rebound of them whacking them. Natural consequences and all that but it sucks having your day ruined because you were to busy on your phone and your kid gets hurt.
8 This one is going to get me in trouble but I am channeling Pete here and I’m gonna do it anyway. People, put away the damn cell phone. Your at Disney World for goodness sakes. If your single or a young couple without kids I kind of get it, but parents geez, your missing out. My family laughed out loud at this one group of three kids, they were in absolute awe of the Buzz Lightyear animatronic, it was hilarious how they were responding to it. The parents missed the entire thing because they were both glued to the phone. I’m not preaching and I’m sorry if it sounds it but you payed top dollar to go there why waste it being on a cell phone.
10. Prep before you go. Get your dining reservations If you want them at the 60 day mark or you may not get one, seriously, most of the upset people were because there was no place for them to sit and eat. Know where the relaxation stations are. You are going to need them. 90 degree heat and you are going to need a mask break. Trust me you Will and some have limited capacity.
Last. Have fun. Yes it is going to be different, people are wary, some nasty, but it’s still Disney. Be kind to the cast members, I witnessed several being berated by people for things which they have no control over. They aren’t the ones who laid off 28000 people. Take advantage of the opportunity because the only ride we didn’t do was Rise of the Resistance because we couldn’t get a boarding pass. Everything else was doable. Ride the Skyliner it is awesome. Overall we had a great time, and we needed it as a family which made it that much sweeter and more special than a lot of other WDW trips as we felt entirely grateful to be there.
Enjoy!
