Worried about my trip help please

[Firsttimer5901]

I'm going early oct. Remmy is opening and it's the 50th. I told my husband it's gonna be legit a zoo and we will do what we can. (I'm normally a super planner) if we do one ride we do one ride that eat some food. But we will not stress the crowds. Just enjoy your time and it won't matter how many ppl are around.

I wanted to go for 50th, but I have a kid starting high school. He can’t miss and the more I thought I’ve got a 6 year old that would now really enjoy it and a 9 year old that is almost to that age where she wants to just do her own things

 

[disneyworldsk]

several resorts are reopening between now and july so i am going to assume it will be more people

 

[PaladinButters]

When you say no where to go what do you mean.

No shows, entertainment, meet and greets, parades, fireworks, etc. to eat up the crowds. There’s less people but they are all standing in the same place/waiting for the same things with limited offerings.

 

[BayGirl22]

Are you talking about park RESERVATIONS (not “passes?”)
In Disney speak, “passes” are admission tickets and APs.

The Disney site calls the reservation system "Disney Park Pass System" - that's how its titled under MDE dropdown and its used throughout the site. Within "My Plans" the reservations are labeled "Disney Park Pass" for each day.
I agree its confusing and they could have just said "park reservations" consistently to be consistent with historical language. I don't doubt someone has assumed a pass is a ticket and showed up without a reservation+ticket.

 

[Jack & Monica]

I planned a trip for week of July fourth. Usually I would have not done this, but with reduced capacity I didn’t think much of it. But now COVID numbers are going down I worry that they will be at max capacity by then. I would take 50 or even 75 but max capacity during that busy time of year would ruin my trip. Also if they do will it be with Fast pass or without Fast pass, and how long before this will they announce it. Full capacity without Fast Pass would be miserable. Any rumors out there or thoughts

It's hard to give a reasoned opinion when certain basic aspects of your trip are missing. The biggest for me is whether you are staying at a Disney resort or not and whether you are planning on eating at Disney or not. Assuming you are staying at a Disney resort and eating at Disney restaurants, I would focus a lot of attention at snagging those Disney meal reservations. Reservations at restaurants seem much tougher now than it has in the past (limited capacity because of spacing requirements). My family and I are going in early June and we got pretty much all of the restaurant reservations we wanted, but I was online at 06:30 exactly 60 days out. Even then, it was only because I had a day-by-day plan laid out in front of me when I got online; and when I did not get the exact day and time for a restaurant, I could swap out and shift. For example, I wanted both Be Our Guest and Cinderella's Castle for dinner on two different days. I did not get the Be Our Guest Restaurant reservation (the first one I tried for!) but I immediately swapped it out for Cinderella's Castle and was able to then get Be Our Guest for the time slot I had hoped to get Cinderella's Castle.
One of the strategies that I am hoping will work for our trip is to get to the parks early (45-minutes-before-rope-drop early). On the way to the parks, we will put in our mobile order for an 11:00 quick service meal at our favorite lunch place. We will then ride as many rides as we can, and break for lunch at 11:00. This has always worked very well for us. Depending on the condition of your family, you can choose to then ride less congested rides (using the MDE app to gauge wait times). You could also take a break and go back to the resort. The dining reservations drive this a little. For my family, we hang and stay at the park and go to dinner at 4:00 pm (usually when the sit-down restaurant is just opening). This is wonderful in June.
You will know what your children will be able to handle.
As a side note, based on the ages of your children, I would also plan to do some of the less heralded activities. For example, instead of eating in a park when you are at EPCOT or HS, you could take the Skyliner to a resort and eat at the resort (either have the reservation if it is a table service restaurant or place your mobile order in early.
Because of the ages of your kids, I bet they would love riding on the skyliner. In fact, it could be the hit of their day.
Focus on family activities -- chances are the resort you are staying in has a scavenger hunt (most of them do -- or one close by will have one). Do this activity as a family.
Resort Scavenger Hunts
This may be one of the favorite things your kids do.
For one of your park days, take a break and go to Guest Relations (maybe just before you leave the park) and get free First Timer buttons. Cast members may recognize you for this. Your servers at restaurants may also do this (no guarantees).
Good grief, sorry for the length of this!
Bottom line -- do not go into this with the dread that the parks will be slammed and it will ruin your vacation. There still will be plenty of magic and pixie dust for you and your family.

 

[toontoy]

we are leaving today. it feels busier than normal and crowds are here. I think words out that Disney world is open. it's fun but crowded especially with lines wrapping around into other lands. mine train was by barnstormer and splash was by pecos bill. kids had fun but definitely different. my biggest gripe is rise and some of the parks looking a bit worn. buses are hit and miss. if you can rent a car I would. it's fun but just different without parades and shows and fireworks. I have to laugh at the calvacades and characters popping out. seemed people were well to walk anyways. I didn't have a bubble around me at all even when we showed up beforehand. cast members didn't care, it didn't bug me but if it does its something to consider. lines were hit and miss with the social distancing.

 

[auntlynne]

To address your stated concern that parks will be at max capacity.

Disney has moved so slowly throughout this last year when going towards normal, I cannot imagine the % of capacity level increasing to the 75% you would consider still okay. I can’t imagine it making a single jump from 35% to 50% until shows return.

As others have said, it is rare for the parks to reach 100% capacity.

I‘m loving the reduced crowds and hate the thought of returning to the pre-pandemic crowds at WDW. But they need the crowds to justify having CMs at work -gotta make stockholders happy.

 

[auntlynne]

The question is 50% capacity in July is more like a early June day is my thinking correct. I have never been to the park when it was 100% capacity anyway. So I understand it will be busy, but busy at 50 or busy at 100 is different. My hope is people are putting off hoping to get the best bang for the buck around the start of 50th celebration. Also how far in advance did Disney say they were going from 20 to 35 capacity

At reopening in July, attendance was limited to 25% of capacity.

In November, it was announced that 35% of capacity was now the limit. Not clearly worded if that was already in practice or would happen on X date.

Those early days were in the summer and a lot of people Weren’t traveling, so pictures / reports made it look pretty nice. Then case numbers starting dropping and people started to come back. The demand is obviously there now. They can make a business decision to increase attendance and (hopefully) bring back the workers.

I‘d guess at least half the guests could tolerate / enjoy WDW if queues flowed as they currently do. Reported Wait times over the last few months look shorter than I experienced in November - including during Spring Break.

 

[auntlynne]

The feeling of being crowded seems to be worst midday. Add July heat + humidity + masks and that could be a big yuck for you.

Since you have 8 days, perhaps consider doing early pre-opening arrival and evening / night time at the parks. Get out of there when the crowd starts to grow. Go eat lunch where it’s cheaper - 8 days of park food?!

 

[Sarahslay]

we are leaving today. it feels busier than normal and crowds are here. I think words out that Disney world is open. it's fun but crowded especially with lines wrapping around into other lands. mine train was by barnstormer and splash was by pecos bill. kids had fun but definitely different. my biggest gripe is rise and some of the parks looking a bit worn. buses are hit and miss. if you can rent a car I would. it's fun but just different without parades and shows and fireworks. I have to laugh at the calvacades and characters popping out. seemed people were well to walk anyways. I didn't have a bubble around me at all even when we showed up beforehand. cast members didn't care, it didn't bug me but if it does its something to consider. lines were hit and miss with the social distancing.

I've been many times since reopening and that's just how those lines always go. The word is no more "out" now than it was in the fall, and what you descrived could be said for any of my trips from August to March with 2 holiday weeks, a holiday weekend, and the start of spring break season. I do mind when people are up in my business in line, but that bugged be pre-covid so it's definitely not a virus thing, but we generally ask people or something to get them to back off. It's just the way things are right now. I don't think it's going to be any more worse this summer than it has been in the last few months, it's really only worse if you go in with the mindset that it's going to be. We get there early (45+ minutes pre-open), ride tons of rides, have a TS lunch, and usually take a break at the resort after and decide what to do in the evening after a good break. Then we hit whatever park we want to and just do what we want. Even on a 3 park day trip on a holiday weekend we rode everything we wanted to, it's all in the planning and the mindset going in.

 

[Heather07438]

I expect capacity to be increased before July. 3 more WDW hotels are opening in June (BW, BC, WL) and the Poly is set to open mid July. The Boardwalk Inn reopening was announced just this week so it appears they are confident in their ability to increase operations.

A good plan is to avoid midday. We like to break between lunch and dinner. You miss the hottest part of the day and peak park crowds. I think if WDW is set to expand capacity they must also have plans to continue reopening stuff to absorb these extra visitors. Hopefully more and more things to do come back this summer

 

[luv2cheer92]

If you wait until rope drop, you're too late. The rides are running an hour before the opening time of the park.

Rope drop has always referred to when the park actually opens, not what the stated opening time is. So right now, "rope drop" is about 45 minutes-an hour before the stated opening time, which would be about when you should get there.

 

[Blondie58]

I planned a trip for week of July fourth. Usually I would have not done this, but with reduced capacity I didn’t think much of it. But now COVID numbers are going down I worry that they will be at max capacity by then. I would take 50 or even 75 but max capacity during that busy time of year would ruin my trip. Also if they do will it be with Fast pass or without Fast pass, and how long before this will they announce it. Full capacity without Fast Pass would be miserable. Any rumors out there or thoughts

Going to be there for 8 days with July 4 in the middle. Looking forward with the hope that capacity and fast passes will be upped and reinstated. Returning to the ways of old would be great for us. Yes, I too believe no fastpasses is miserable and this is even at current capacity of 35 percent. Don't deal in rumors but sharing my thoughts.

 

[Randy Miller]

Rope drop has always referred to when the park actually opens, not what the stated opening time is. So right now, "rope drop" is about 45 minutes-an hour before the stated opening time, which would be about when you should get there.

Rope drop has always referred to when the park actually opens, not what the stated opening time is. So right now, "rope drop" is about 45 minutes-an hour before the stated opening time, which would be about when you should get there.

if we are staying off site, should this be our plan of attack also? Should we plan on being at the walking entrance to the park 1 hour before opening? Will the parking lots be open in time for that?

 

[lanejudy]

if we are staying off site, should this be our plan of attack also? Should we plan on being at the walking entrance to the park 1 hour before opening? Will the parking lots be open in time for that?

The parking lots are opening approx.45 minutes prior to the stated opening time. If you arrive more than an hour early they will make you circle around, no lining up until about 1 hour prior. And be aware there are no parking lot trams.

 

[LSUfan4444]

Even if capacity is pushed to 50% by July (which I am expecting) and no FP+, overall avg wait times will be less than pre-covid with FP+

If you go into any trip with the mindset of ______ will ruin my trip, chances are even if that doesnt happen to ruin your trip, something else will.