***Official August 2022 Thread***

[NJlauren]

For what it's worth... I booked several CYM sessions for my CM daughter who was graduating college. I wasn't super excited about the DHS booking, but she did her DCP there, so she wanted to do it. To my surprise, the DHS photos were the ones we liked best. By far. Sooooo many great photo ops, beautiful plants and flowers, great backgrounds, etc. My least favorite CYM photos were from DAK. Edited to add: I have an MK CYM booked for 8:40 AM on my upcoming end of Aug family group trip. I wanted to take photos early, before I melt completely in the Aug heat and humidity, and hopefully before thunderstorms roll through, which tends to happen in the afternoon. It will take 20 min away from our ride time, but we don't care about that.

I did have MK CYM booked on Oct 1 last year for my family, well my family ended up not coming and I went with my girlfriends and my sister and we still did it! And we loved it!!

Love the feedback about HS!!!

 

[sdk1231]

I did have MK CYM booked on Oct 1 last year for my family, well my family ended up not coming and I went with my girlfriends and my sister and we still did it! And we loved it!!

Love the feedback about HS!!!

Wow, that's awesome about your Oct 1 CYM session. I'm jealous! I was there that day, but at that time I didn't know about CYM. I have to say, I find the $79 pricing a good value. We got about 75 photos for each 20 min session. (I'm AP with Photopass, so was able to download w/o any additional charges). Tip for DHS - consider wearing red. There are so many touches of red all around DHS. Have a great time!

 

[sdk1231]

Let the Final Countdown begin! 1 week until I depart for my multi-generational family group long weekend. Whoot! I think I've ironed out my schedule:

Aug 26: Grand Floridian Villas 2 bedroom, MNSSHP w/fireworks dessert party
Aug 27: MK, Capture Your Moment photos, leave MK after the parade for lunch at the villa, afternoon by the pool, dinner at the villa, Enchantment Dessert Party
Aug 28: DHS Early Entry, Sci Fi lunch, Hoop De Doo dinner
Aug 29: MK in the morning and leave in the evening.

 

[NJlauren]

Wow, that's awesome about your Oct 1 CYM session. I'm jealous! I was there that day, but at that time I didn't know about CYM. I have to say, I find the $79 pricing a good value. We got about 75 photos for each 20 min session. (I'm AP with Photopass, so was able to download w/o any additional charges). Tip for DHS - consider wearing red. There are so many touches of red all around DHS. Have a great time!

Thank you! You too!

It was so fun and the pics are amazing 5 adult women at Disney living our best life. One friend made a holiday card and sent it to us all.

 

[nursejackie]

We are in AK today, having visited earlier in the week and for the second time Expedition Everest is down from park opening. It's so frustrating for it to be both our AK days, as besides FOP we really don't have much to do. Been on Dinosaur, Kali and Tough to be a Bug, and nothing else is on our must do list. Oh well, we'll keep smiling as we are in Disney at least

 

[sdk1231]

We are in AK today, having visited earlier in the week and for the second time Expedition Everest is down from park opening. It's so frustrating for it to be both our AK days, as besides FOP we really don't have much to do. Been on Dinosaur, Kali and Tough to be a Bug, and nothing else is on our must do list. Oh well, we'll keep smiling as we are in Disney at least

What a bummer about Expedition Everest. But love the positive attitude. Kilimanjaro Safari??

 

[nursejackie]

What a bummer about Expedition Everest. But love the positive attitude. Kilimanjaro Safari??

It finally came back on, and we were sat at Yak & Yeti checking the app so we didn't have to queue at all. Unfortunately for others it was down again within 30 minutes or so.

No safari for us now, DN finds it boring

 

[quick2blush]

I've read the issues with MagicBand+ and how people are getting refunds and gift cards, but has anyone dealt with regular MBs not arriving in time? We leave today and our MBs haven't arrived. I called the help line today and the CM said I had to talk to billing (he transferred me but they're only open Mon-Fri.) In another thread someone said to email merchandiseguestservices@disneyparks.com but I'm not expecting they'll reply today. We'll ask at the resort when we check in and have old (from 2018) bands that we'll have as back-up. I don't want to spend extra for new bands, so just hoping they'll honour the $10 price we originally paid!

 

[NJlauren]

We have arrived and my 4 year old promptly fell asleep in the car, so I’m sitting in the parking lot. Weather forecast seems to have improved for tonight looking forward to H2Oglow and a great week!

 

[Dentam]

Leaving Wednesday for my conference and arrive in WDW next Sunday afternoon! Started packing today and getting ready to watch Hocus Pocus!

 

[Wood Nymph]

Two more days until we check into WL.

We are planning on spending the afternoons at the pool, so I hope we don't get rained out.

 

[sdk1231]

Two more days until we check into WL.

We are planning on spending the afternoons at the pool, so I hope we don't get rained out.

2 more days! Exciting! Rain worries... I'm with you. August/early Sept travel is so unpredictable. You know the storms are going to be there, but the question is how many, when, how bad, and for how long. I traveled in early Sept last year, had a nice pool afternoon cut short by t-storms at about 3pm. Fortunately, we were heading out soon anyway, so it was okay. I felt bad for the families who had just arrived. I'm putting together a couple of rain activity ideas, just in case. Rain ponchos, umbrellas, portable fans... yeah, Aug is not my favorite time to go to Florida! (But any time at Disney is okay with me!)

 

[Dentam]

I'm mostly concerned about rain and storms for our MNSSHP night since that can really affect the parade and Hocus Pocus show. Fingers crossed that the weather will cooperate!!

 

[Canadisney Fly]

Woot woot! Just back from our 10 day August WDW adventure - AMAZING!!! Thankfully the temps didn't reach the forecasted 92-97F levels (although with humidity, it may have been that high on occasion). Pulled out the rain ponchos twice - once for a minor bit of rain, and the second time for a torrential downpour that coincided with our second ride on GOTG - I'd swim through a tsunami for my virtual entry window - GOTG takes "attractions" to a whole new level!

First time back since 2016 - incredible to see short waits at Soaring, Space Mountain, Everest etc, since Flight of Passage, GOTG, ROTR, M&M Runaway Railway, and Remi's are drawing the crowds (understandably so, as these are now my TOP FIVE!).

Rather hilarious experience in Epcot's Frozen - when we were there in Sept 2016, it had been open for just a few months and the standby lines were insane, so we didn't go. This trip, we waited in line for about 40 minutes... and apologies to those who may love it, but it is the WORST attraction in WDW! We laughed so hard at how bad it was - and happy to check that one off the list.

Amazing pixie dust - upgrade at the Riverside; a very kind bus driver who went out of his way to take us to Animal Kingdom after I jumped on the Magic Kingdom bus in error for rope drop; free bottles of ice cold water randomly given to us by a cast member; very considerate cast member allowing my 80 year old aunt to jump the queue and wait for us at the ride entrance while my son and I stood in line for the Navi River (she didn't qualify for a disability pass, but they were so kind)...

The parks didn't feel busy or crowded, the heat was manageable because we planned our days in two parts and would head back to the resort midday, hit all the best rides AND we spent a good amount of time in attractions that were cool and air conditioned but no waits such as Vaction Fun animated shorts, Laugh Floor, Gran Fiesta, It's Tough to be A Bug (huge favourite), PhilharMagic, etc (luxury of a longer trip).

Yes, prices are higher, I don't like/resented the option of paying for Genie+ when FastPass was superior and FREE (we didn't use Genie+), Ubered to and from the airport and occasionally from the parks, bought MagicBands, etc., and found the wifi coverage to be VERY poor (Canadians without a roaming plan, so we were dependent on wifi), and didn't like having to constantly check the app, but the Magic is still very much there.

I hope you all have a wonderful visit and get a little bit of the extra magic that puts a smile on your face.

 

[Canadisney Fly]

Wishing we could switch our park reservation to MK for 8/23 to take advantage of those low "party day" waits but it's not showing as available to resort guests

We had MK reservations and a 6:15 pm reservation for the Hoop de Doo review for the first day of the MNSSHP - it was glorious, as it turned out to be one of the the lowest attendance days of the park - we knocked off all of Fantasyland early in the morning and never waited longer than 25 minutes for any of the attractions. It was the first day they shifted the opening to 8 am, and the cast members figured that most people hadn't realized that the park opened earlier, as they were very surprised at the low crowds.

Have an awesome trip!!!

 

[cheshiregoofy22]

Thank you! We just arrived this morning! We did manage to switch our park reservation like I hoped!! So far it’s all been pure magic!!

 

[Ss77]

Been here since Friday it’s been amazing!!! Did everything we wanted in HS and Epcot, tomorrow onto MK then MNSSHP the next day. Just unsure if tomorrow’s plan.. do we rope drop atrocious Genie+ or just do Genie+ but sleep in a bit. We’ve been go, go, go and I think it’s getting to us. I’ve heard MK with Genie + is worth it hurt not sure when to go.. thank you for any advice..

 

[nursejackie]

Wrong thread

 

[TheOneWithTheTriplets]

Been here since Friday it’s been amazing!!! Did everything we wanted in HS and Epcot, tomorrow onto MK then MNSSHP the next day. Just unsure if tomorrow’s plan.. do we rope drop atrocious Genie+ or just do Genie+ but sleep in a bit. We’ve been go, go, go and I think it’s getting to us. I’ve heard MK with Genie + is worth it hurt not sure when to go.. thank you for any advice..

How much party time do you want to spend doing rides versus all the other stuff? Is this your only full MK day?

If it's your only day, I'd probably both RD and G+ to maximize what you get done in MK. Don't forget, now that we're in party season, MK is going to be busier on non-party days. (Busier for late August, but still busier.) Sleep in before the party

 

[Ss77]

Wrong thread

Sorry your rt! I will repost on a different thread