What is the value of being in the Disney bubble with everything changed so drastically with FP+ and no Extra Magic Hours?

[dioxide45]

We spent a few days (more like a few hours) in the parks over the last couple weeks. We have silver APs, so going for just a few hours works for us. I have determined that if seeing rule breakers, people ignorant of the rules, ignoring rules or just about anything else regarding failing to wear masks properly, then going to Disney will probably bother you. Yes most people are wearing masks. But if those few you see perhaps not wearing them in lines or walking, taking them off for photos or walking and drinking with mask off (instead of stationary), then now is not the time to go to Disney. Yes, employees tell them to put them on, but the employees aren't everywhere. Saw a whole family waiting for the MK ferry not wearing their masks while in line. Once the boat pulled up and it was time to board, the lifted the masks from their chins. There will be people you see not following the rules laid out by Disney and employees won't see them and you will. If that bothers you then avoid WDW. If you are okay to tell these people yourself to put on their mask, then head on down!

 

[travelhacker]

Travelhacker - thank you for this report on your visit. Being that you were there during a busy week gives me a better understanding of what it will be like for the week we go. Seriously, my biggest concern is standing in line for a ride with someone behind me not masked and then coughing or something. Are the people in line at least mostly respectful of spacing?

I wouldn't be overly concerned about this particular aspect. People were generally respectful of spacing, and generally were good at wearing masks when in line. If you've been really, really careful it will come as a bit of a shock with how things are. Like others have suggested I would get a KN95 mask to wear around. I normally wear a good cloth mask, but when at Disney World, I wore a KN95.

There are some things that I felt Disney could do a bit better. For example, we were at Epcot, and they had a character cavalcade. They basically yell at everyone to get to the side and out of the way (ignoring social distancing). We were in front of the quick service Mexico restaurant and people were eating and so this guy was hacking his lungs out and the cast member was trying to tell me to get out of the way immediately. I just ignored him and went to an area with a bit more space between people. Realistically, I was wearing an N95 mask, and it was outside, I don't think there was much of a chance of picking up COVID, but I didn't particularly want to be around the guy that was hacking up a lung.

 

[travelhacker]

We spent a few days (more like a few hours) in the parks over the last couple weeks. We have silver APs, so going for just a few hours works for us. I have determined that if seeing rule breakers, people ignorant of the rules, ignoring rules or just about anything else regarding failing to wear masks properly, then going to Disney will probably bother you. Yes most people are wearing masks. But if those few you see perhaps not wearing them in lines or walking, taking them off for photos or walking and drinking with mask off (instead of stationary), then now is not the time to go to Disney. Yes, employees tell them to put them on, but the employees aren't everywhere. Saw a whole family waiting for the MK ferry not wearing their masks while in line. Once the boat pulled up and it was time to board, the lifted the masks from their chins. There will be people you see not following the rules laid out by Disney and employees won't see them and you will. If that bothers you then avoid WDW. If you are okay to tell these people yourself to put on their mask, then head on down!

@dioxide45 summed it up perfectly

 

[CPNY]

Are the people in line at least mostly respectful of spacing?

NO I found most people were right up on top of me. Unlike universal, where mostly everyone stood at the appropriate spacing stickers on the ground.

 

[dioxide45]

NO I found most people were right up on top of me. Unlike universal, where mostly everyone stood at the appropriate spacing stickers on the ground.

I have learned that people don't look down ffor the spacing stickers. There are some places where they didn't put a sticker because it may be at a corner or it is a place where you may be standing too close to someone that isn't right in front or behind you in line. People just think if they are six feed from the person in front or back they are good. Truth is they are likely far too close to someone else. Look down people!

 

[CPNY]

I have learned that people don't look down ffor the spacing stickers. There are some places where they didn't put a sticker because it may be at a corner or it is a place where you may be standing too close to someone that isn't right in front or behind you in line. People just think if they are six feed from the person in front or back they are good. Truth is they are likely far too close to someone else. Look down people!

I found the Disney stickers were sometimes hard to find. The coloring of the stickers blend in with the ground. At universal, they are all bright blue.

I didn’t mind too much, but it was a bit annoying to have people right on top of you in line.

 

[sfwilshire]

NO I found most people were right up on top of me. Unlike universal, where mostly everyone stood at the appropriate spacing stickers on the ground.

It was inconsistent, for sure, when we were at Disney World in December/January. I even spoke to a family waiting in line for Small World. They had multiple children and one of the older ones was not wearing his mask. No attempt by the parents to make a correction or to stay any distance from our party. After a couple of tries to get them to respect the space markings, I ask a cast member to speak to them, but they still didn't comply with the spacing.

Some of the crazy lines were set up so that it was hard to maintain a distance from others passing by or through the lines. Quite often, if we found a seat somewhere, people would walk immediately in front of us, even if there was plenty of room for them to keep their distance.

It was fine a lot of the time in a lot of places, but there were definite failures.

Sheila

 

[CPNY]

It was inconsistent, for sure, when we were at Disney World in December/January. I even spoke to a family waiting in line for Small World. They had multiple children and one of the older ones was not wearing his mask. No attempt by the parents to make a correction or to stay any distance from our party. After a couple of tries to get them to respect the space markings, I ask a cast member to speak to them, but they still didn't comply with the spacing.

Some of the crazy lines were set up so that it was hard to maintain a distance from others passing by or through the lines. Quite often, if we found a seat somewhere, people would walk immediately in front of us, even if there was plenty of room for them to keep their distance.

It was fine a lot of the time in a lot of places, but there were definite failures.

Sheila

There were def failures and people just paid no attention. I have found the opposite in universal.

 

[ljmiii]

I can think of no reason to stay on Disney property. We have free parking with our AP's. Marriott units are so nice, but I do love the beds here at OKW. The bed is very comfortable and I sleep well. Could be that I am so tired from all of the walking in the parks.

If all your DVC points can be pushed into the future there is no real reason to stay on property at this time. If you can find availability for a couple of nights at a MK or EPCOT/HS resort then I might book that - walking to/from a park is always better than the bus or driving - but no real need.

Actually, we too are AP holders and so we drive to the parks we can't walk to. I just finished planning an upcoming trip and found availability for two nights at Boardwalk and are spending the rest of the time in Orlando at MVC.

 

[DeeCee]

Perhaps the Disney bubble has burst, pun intended.

We own DVC for 21 years and I can say, yes for us the Disney bubble has burst. I base this on our last trip and I know how much has changed since Feb 2020. The crowds just killed it for us. That and the fact that almost my entire family got so sick (not Covid) with a stomach virus. Too many people everywhere, even the lines for quick service, just killed the joy of it for us.

While I know it changed, I’m still not feeling a draw to the parks-to any parks. We own at BWV (awesome location and theming) and AKV (second fav). And while we have no intentions of selling because we now have grandkids, we are thinking of using it only to travel with friends and family and enjoy the resorts when we travel without the babes.

I wouldn’t be telling the truth if I said I will never go into a park again(I did feel that way last year), but with my grandkids, I’m sure one day I will.

I have not yet looked into what the changes are except that I know one needs to make a reservation to enter a park and must have a resort reservation to do so. I also know that there’s no bus or luggage service from the airport. But I don’t know if something did or will replace those services and I don’t know if prices for park tickets, food, souvenirs are increasing (I imagine they are, they always have).

So I can’t really say what the “value” of being on property is outside of walking into two parks from BWV. Is all that walking actually a value!?LOL.

We also own a Marriott timeshare in Hilton Head. If the Marriott resorts near Disney are anything like those in HH (I’m sure they are at least) then I’d have to question why stay on Disney property too.
Good luck with your decision and enjoy your trips.
Dee

 

[rickandcindy23]

We just stayed for two weeks at SSR and thought the rooms were horrible at best. Bed was very uncomfortable, dishwasher could not have been any louder. The drawers kept falling out in the kitchen. The pull out sofa reminds me of a motel six sofa extremely uncomfortable and yes the old small TV sets should be thrown away. The two extra chairs one in the living room and one in the bedroom were the most uncomfortable chairs. The wall ac outlets all need replacement my power cords and heating pad kept Falling out. Limited food service at the resort and the main restaurant is serving burgers and fries. we had the refill cup and went to the market at least twice daily and it seemed like a ghost town. simply no magic staying at DVC instead of usual MarriottVacationClub.

Those old rooms are really showing their wear. I know that we were surprised at how old our last room was in Grandstand. We are owners.