Here Now & Just Back WDW Reopening Experiences Including Park Hopping

[Faithful Raider]

We were at HS today and lots of people but it was doable. Weather was nice. I loved the Indy stunt show and my DD15 who's lives and breathes stagecrew and sound boards was in heaven. That Sci-Fi ADR I chased for months sure was worth it. We all loved the vibe... Too cool! Out of all our days this was the toughest to plan but came off without a hitch.

 

[Orsino]

Given our recent poor experiences with rope drop and EE, we opted to go to AK late morning and it worked out great. No rope drop, no genie+ and we did fine. Safari was nutso when we arrived around 10:30. The line was out the queue and deep into harambe. We deferred safari until afternoon and our wait was 10 minutes!

Edited to add: we have been trying to use touring plans, but it told us to go to safari around 10:30 with an expected 23 minute wait. Posted was 60, line was out of sight. Reported waits were 60+. I’m finding touring plans is beyond optimistic in its plans.

 

[NJlauren]

Just got back from a quick trip and i was shocked at how crowded it was. Everything was do able, and the crowds didn't bother us much, but a line for Carousel of Progress is a sign it is busy (moving quickly but i couldn't walk right up to the door). Know your plan, know what your getting into and roll with it and you'll have a great time, IMO.

 

[dardis]

Just returned from 4 day trip (Sat 1/29-Tues 2/1). Very busy for Jan, but still a fun trip! Group of 4 - me and my DD and a friend from college and DS - both kids are 13. Used G+ and ILL$. I am experienced/expert(?) at WDW planning and execution. I have really appreciated all that people shareand hope this helps someone!

Highlights, Lowlights and Pointers:

- Using Early Entry, G+, ILL$, and Park Hopping allowed us to maximize what we did each day.

Pointers- if you don’t get a G+ or ILL$ at 7 - keep trying! I was able to get SDD at 7:12. I made a family on the Skyliner happy when I told them to keep trying for Rise. They got it at @8 after being shut out at 7. Refreshing to try and get a G+ for a specific ride often works - but can take time.

Transportation - mostly good. Timely busses. One exception we were on a Disney bus when a driver was lost and drove by AoA from MK 3x, not really sure what happened, but long trip at the end of the night. Morning bus line from AoA to MK was crazy long, but moved fast - lots of busses showing up. Skyliner is great - when it is operating. Sunday night after Epcot close the line to AoA/Pop was closed. Directed everyone to BC. Line crazy long and buses infrequent. We took an Uber to AoA.

Pointer - don’t like your Uber price? Close the app and try again. BC to AOA was $33first look (surge pricing), $13 at second look.

Mobile Ordering - I LOVE it! Would pass around my phone and let everyone order while we were on transportation or in a ride line and hit “prepare order” when we were on our way. Typically had short waits. Restaurant seating was very full, but we always found a spot. Going early/late helps.

Table service restaurants - pack your patience. Service is slow - servers and kitchens are busy. Just be prepared to take time and relax. The prices are definitely high.

Enjoy your planning and trips!

 

[AndreaDM]

Quick question, we are heading down on Sat. for a few days. Was planning to skip DHS this time, but now thinking about hopping there one day. Is it worth it just to be able to be there one day from 2-9? 2 adults, 2 kids (3&5).

 

[MomOTwins]

Quick question, we are heading down on Sat. for a few days. Was planning to skip DHS this time, but now thinking about hopping there one day. Is it worth it just to be able to be there one day from 2-9? 2 adults, 2 kids (3&5).

It’s pretty hard to get much done at DHS because the lines for everything are so long. If you are going to use G+ and start stacking afternoon rides before you hop, then I think it would be fun if you go in expecting you won’t be doing anywhere near everything, and you don’t mind being in wall to wall people while there.

 

[Gary Stocker]

I just returned from a solo trip and have been trying to find time to summarize my thoughts from that perspective (spoiler alert: I wasn't sober much). At some point this afternoon I will take a stab at it.

 

[juuuliebeth]

Hello. Adding my Genie+ experience and thoughts for what they're worth. I used it two different days and had two very different experiences. (I was solo at the time.)

Saturday, January 22nd:

• 7am - purchased Genie+ and got Slinky Dog for 735pm (later saw earlier return times, so definitely don't give up hope.)
• Purchased Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway for 4:45pm
• Breakfast at Primo Piatto (lemon blueberry pancakes were AMAZING)
• Disney Springs
• 11am - booked Tower of Terror for 1:30pm
• Took loot back to Caribbean Beach and waited out the rain, got a snack
• 1pm - booked Rock 'n' Roller Coaster for 3:20pm
• 1:30pm - rode Tower of Terror
• 2:30pm - Frozen Sing Along (arrived around 2pm and got out around 3pm)
• 3pm - Reserved Millennium Falcon for 7:05pm
• 3:15pm - rode Rock 'n' Roller Coaster
• 3:40pm - Hollywood Brown Derby for Cobb Salad and Grapefruit Cake
• 5pm - reserved Toy Story Mania for 6:20pm
• Skyliner to Epcot to check for art piece I wanted
• 5:45pm - rode Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway
• One Man's Dream
• 7:15pm - rode Toy Story Mania
• Alien Swirling Saucers with 10 minute standby
• 7:40pm - rode Slinky Dog
• 8pm - rode Millennium Falcon
• Mickey Pretzel and Disney Movie Magic
• Skyliner back to Caribbean Beach

It was a most excellent day. I got everything done that I wanted. (I've ridden Rise of the Resistance before, so I didn't want to pay for it.) Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway is my new favorite ride in Hollywood Studios, so I was willing to pay. I absolutely love it. The first time I rode it was while COVID protocols were in place and I missed the opening, so I was so glad to experience that.

The other day I used Genie+ was Sunday, January 23rd at Magic Kingdom. I booked Peter Pan at 7am. After that, I tried to book as I went throughout the day. Wasn't too bad. I got to ride everything I wanted except Space Mountain and Mine Train. Wasn't willing to pay or wait. (It was busier than I was hoping for January.) I took a break around 5pm to wander the monorail resorts and eat at Capt. Cook's. (I love the pork nachos.) I normally had to book LLs about an hour out, so I'd find a short wait or a show to wait it out. As a solo traveler, FP+ worked well for me in the past after using my initial three. I would be able to book so many.

I like how Genie+ works, I just dislike that you have to pay for it. Planning attractions 60 days out seemed a bit too much. I like being able to decide the day of. I really liked MaxPass in Disneyland because you paid extra for the ability to use the app, while the free system still existed. Not having a choice but to pay or not be able to use any LL is so bothersome to me.

While I mostly like how Genie+ works, I found all the suggestions super irritating. I just wanted to see my official plans, and it's trying to throw all these ideas at me. Get rid of those, or give me a way of opting out. I just want to see my day, not what some algorithm thinks I should do. I'm pretty well versed in the parks. I don't need your help telling me where to eat lunch. Thanks.

It's all hit at the same time: Genie+, Magical Express, very little Mousekeeping. I'll still stay on site because I like the internal transit options. (Staying at Caribbean Beach was amazing. I love the Skyliner. I bought so much art and it was so convenient to run back and drop it off and head back to Epcot.) But paying the same, if not more, as before while getting fewer perks really hit me this trip. And I don't have a family to pay for either. Just for myself, travel to and from the airport and Genie+ easily added $100 to my three-day trip. Then coming back to a hotel room that hasn't been attended to. It's just so disheartening.

Also, I wanted to run back to Epcot the morning of my Holllywood Studios day because I found art at the Wonderground Gallery that morning that I wanted to have signed by at artist that was there from 11am-1pm. On my way, I realized I wouldn't have been able to get in because of the new reservation/park hopping situation. That really bummed me out. Park Reservations need to go away.

 

[peteykirch]

I'll most likely get flamed for this, but Disney needs to make special entrance gates for "First Time Visitors" the amount of people that have no clue how to tap in at the turnstiles is way too damn high. The amount of people who get to the front and then have to go searching for the ticket is ridiculous. It's just like going to Costco and you get stuck behind the person who made no attempt to pull out their membership card to get in through the front door.

Also, the fact it appears they don't use every touch point is ridiculous. On our last trip the CM at the tap point would block off the front two, reducing capacity from 4 to 2, and then if they were using all 4 people would only use the back one and refuse to move to the front so all the touch points can be utilized.

Not to bash CMs but it seems like the most of them honestly don't care about guest experience. At the LL touch points they just let people congregate around the entrance preventing guests who have reservations to tap in. All the CM needs to do is tell people do not stand in front of the touch points unless you are going to tap in, but they don't say a word.

It shouldn't be the job of the guest to inform and instruct other guests on what to do.

The amount of line jumping is also ridiculous. It should be standard policy that you don't get into line until your whole entire riding party is there and ready. It should be the same as it is in most restaurants where you won't get seated until your entire party has arrived.

 

[Mango7100]

Given our recent poor experiences with rope drop and EE, we opted to go to AK late morning and it worked out great. No rope drop, no genie+ and we did fine. Safari was nutso when we arrived around 10:30. The line was out the queue and deep into harambe. We deferred safari until afternoon and our wait was 10 minutes!

Edited to add: we have been trying to use touring plans, but it told us to go to safari around 10:30 with an expected 23 minute wait. Posted was 60, line was out of sight. Reported waits were 60+. I’m finding touring plans is beyond optimistic in its plans.

I agree about Touring Plans. It had been much more accurate on previous trips, but when we went in November they consistently were wrong on the expected wait times…several times by 30 minutes

 

[Haley R]

We just got back from a 3 night stay in a poly studio. This is the first trip we’ve ever been so excited to drive home. The crowds and standby lines were insane and genie+/LL makes standby SO slow. We had lots of monorail issues to both MK and Epcot from the poly and TTC. Our passes expire in May and I’m not sure we’ll even use them again even though we only live an hour away. If crowds don’t thin out at all we most likely will let them expire. I never thought we would be in this position. Our ds is only 21 months and he talks about Disney all the time but this trip was not magical for any of us.

 

[DisneyFive]

Hello. Adding my Genie+ experience and thoughts for what they're worth. I used it two different days and had two very different experiences. (I was solo at the time.)

Saturday, January 22nd:

• 7am - purchased Genie+ and got Slinky Dog for 735pm (later saw earlier return times, so definitely don't give up hope.)
• Purchased Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway for 4:45pm
• Breakfast at Primo Piatto (lemon blueberry pancakes were AMAZING)
• Disney Springs
• 11am - booked Tower of Terror for 1:30pm
• Took loot back to Caribbean Beach and waited out the rain, got a snack
• 1pm - booked Rock 'n' Roller Coaster for 3:20pm
• 1:30pm - rode Tower of Terror
• 2:30pm - Frozen Sing Along (arrived around 2pm and got out around 3pm)
• 3pm - Reserved Millennium Falcon for 7:05pm
• 3:15pm - rode Rock 'n' Roller Coaster
• 3:40pm - Hollywood Brown Derby for Cobb Salad and Grapefruit Cake
• 5pm - reserved Toy Story Mania for 6:20pm
• Skyliner to Epcot to check for art piece I wanted
• 5:45pm - rode Mickey and Minnie's Runaway Railway
• One Man's Dream
• 7:15pm - rode Toy Story Mania
• Alien Swirling Saucers with 10 minute standby
• 7:40pm - rode Slinky Dog
• 8pm - rode Millennium Falcon
• Mickey Pretzel and Disney Movie Magic
• Skyliner back to Caribbean Beach

It was a most excellent day. I got everything done that I wanted. (I've ridden Rise of the Resistance before, so I didn't want to pay for it.) Mickey & Minnie's Runaway Railway is my new favorite ride in Hollywood Studios, so I was willing to pay. I absolutely love it. The first time I rode it was while COVID protocols were in place and I missed the opening, so I was so glad to experience that.

The other day I used Genie+ was Sunday, January 23rd at Magic Kingdom. I booked Peter Pan at 7am. After that, I tried to book as I went throughout the day. Wasn't too bad. I got to ride everything I wanted except Space Mountain and Mine Train. Wasn't willing to pay or wait. (It was busier than I was hoping for January.) I took a break around 5pm to wander the monorail resorts and eat at Capt. Cook's. (I love the pork nachos.) I normally had to book LLs about an hour out, so I'd find a short wait or a show to wait it out. As a solo traveler, FP+ worked well for me in the past after using my initial three. I would be able to book so many.

I like how Genie+ works, I just dislike that you have to pay for it. Planning attractions 60 days out seemed a bit too much. I like being able to decide the day of. I really liked MaxPass in Disneyland because you paid extra for the ability to use the app, while the free system still existed. Not having a choice but to pay or not be able to use any LL is so bothersome to me.

While I mostly like how Genie+ works, I found all the suggestions super irritating. I just wanted to see my official plans, and it's trying to throw all these ideas at me. Get rid of those, or give me a way of opting out. I just want to see my day, not what some algorithm thinks I should do. I'm pretty well versed in the parks. I don't need your help telling me where to eat lunch. Thanks.

It's all hit at the same time: Genie+, Magical Express, very little Mousekeeping. I'll still stay on site because I like the internal transit options. (Staying at Caribbean Beach was amazing. I love the Skyliner. I bought so much art and it was so convenient to run back and drop it off and head back to Epcot.) But paying the same, if not more, as before while getting fewer perks really hit me this trip. And I don't have a family to pay for either. Just for myself, travel to and from the airport and Genie+ easily added $100 to my three-day trip. Then coming back to a hotel room that hasn't been attended to. It's just so disheartening.

Also, I wanted to run back to Epcot the morning of my Holllywood Studios day because I found art at the Wonderground Gallery that morning that I wanted to have signed by at artist that was there from 11am-1pm. On my way, I realized I wouldn't have been able to get in because of the new reservation/park hopping situation. That really bummed me out. Park Reservations need to go away.

Wow, well done! This shows how proper usage and planning can result in a successful (albeit long) day.

I would love one of these for MK, and maybe someone already has done one, but I don't have the patience to wade back through all the pages. I'm particularly interested in folks who started booking G+ windows starting as soon after park opening as possible and just grabbing the earliest next available throughout the day. How successful is that strategy?

Dan

 

[Faithful Raider]

Gorgeous day in EPCOT. Little warm in the sun, cool in the shade. Crowds are here but not overwhelming in world showcase. Perfect day to relax and take it slow. Our 6 year old is having fun with the festival activities and the scavenger hunt. She had a great time painting the artist palette cookie from Refreshment Outpost.

 

[dizneegirl]

Were there last week... with a few disappointments here and there (we were in Epcot *9* days after the Festival of the Arts started, and absolutely no 2022 Figment baseball caps or sporks to be found - really had my heart set on one of those caps! Also - found more 50th merchandise than our last trip in Nov., but still cannot get my hands on one of the 50th mouse ear hats with the gold ears), we had a really nice trip. We didn't do much at DHS because the crowds were crazy, and we didn't purchase Genie+, but were able to hit everything we wanted at the other parks relatively easily. We have annual passes, and will be back a couple of times, so we didn't feel like we missed too much - ambiance was fine for those times we didn't want to wait in long lines. And being able to hop to Epcot every evening to dine at the festival booths was a must.

 

[wdhinn89]

Wow, well done! This shows how proper usage and planning can result in a successful (albeit long) day.

I would love one of these for MK, and maybe someone already has done one, but I don't have the patience to wade back through all the pages. I'm particularly interested in folks who started booking G+ windows starting as soon after park opening as possible and just grabbing the earliest next available throughout the day. How successful is that strategy?

Dan

Curious about this too

 

[BK2014]

I'll most likely get flamed for this, but Disney needs to make special entrance gates for "First Time Visitors" the amount of people that have no clue how to tap in at the turnstiles is way too damn high. The amount of people who get to the front and then have to go searching for the ticket is ridiculous. It's just like going to Costco and you get stuck behind the person who made no attempt to pull out their membership card to get in through the front door.

Also, the fact it appears they don't use every touch point is ridiculous. On our last trip the CM at the tap point would block off the front two, reducing capacity from 4 to 2, and then if they were using all 4 people would only use the back one and refuse to move to the front so all the touch points can be utilized.

Not to bash CMs but it seems like the most of them honestly don't care about guest experience. At the LL touch points they just let people congregate around the entrance preventing guests who have reservations to tap in. All the CM needs to do is tell people do not stand in front of the touch points unless you are going to tap in, but they don't say a word.

It shouldn't be the job of the guest to inform and instruct other guests on what to do.

The amount of line jumping is also ridiculous. It should be standard policy that you don't get into line until your whole entire riding party is there and ready. It should be the same as it is in most restaurants where you won't get seated until your entire party has arrived.

It seems like the presence of other people really affected your trip. If they do make special entrance gates for "First Time Visitors" it should be most of the tapstiles, since return guests never have issues once they reach the front of the line so those lines would move quickly and without disruption. I have not noticed the blocking off of touch points, but I would assume that if they are doing so, it is for a reason.

I am not sure that allowing guests to congregate around entrances equal CM not caring about guest experience. When I have seen this happen, it is usually because the CM cares enough about guest experience to patiently explain something or resolve an issue. Should they be aware that the entrance point is being blocked, maybe. But there are a lot of demands on the CMs.

Line jumping is one of those things that really annoy some people, and other people not so much. I have never felt it significantly affected my waits in line, but at the same time I would like to see it stop as well. Ironically, I think making groups wait until they are complete would only add to the crowds blocking the entrances.

 

[boop0524]

Wow, well done! This shows how proper usage and planning can result in a successful (albeit long) day.

I would love one of these for MK, and maybe someone already has done one, but I don't have the patience to wade back through all the pages. I'm particularly interested in folks who started booking G+ windows starting as soon after park opening as possible and just grabbing the earliest next available throughout the day. How successful is that strategy?

Dan

We did MK today booking as soon as park opening and then grabbing next available throughout the day, so hopefully this helps. Now keep in mind this meant that we missed out on PPF since it was always super far out and we lucked out with a JC at the end of the day. We also opted out of ETPE and decided to sleep in and take it easy this morning. We arrived in time for our first LL. Here’s our schedule, times approx:

9:30 BTMR — 7 am LL
10:30 7DMT — 7 am ILL
Standby SM, waited the full posted 35 mins
1:20 Pirates
2:10 Buzz
3:30 lunch at CRT
Hall of Presidents
People Mover
6:10 Small World
6:20 Haunted Mansion
7:45 JC

 

[DisneyFive]

We did MK today booking as soon as park opening and then grabbing next available throughout the day, so hopefully this helps. Now keep in mind this meant that we missed out on PPF since it was always super far out and we lucked out with a JC at the end of the day. We also opted out of ETPE and decided to sleep in and take it easy this morning. We arrived in time for our first LL. Here’s our schedule, times approx:

9:30 BTMR — 7 am LL
10:30 7DMT — 7 am ILL
Standby SM, waited the full posted 35 mins
1:20 Pirates
2:10 Buzz
3:30 lunch at CRT
Hall of Presidents
People Mover
6:10 Small World
6:20 Haunted Mansion
7:45 JC

Thank you for that. So all of the times that you posted are for LL’s? (Except for 7DMT of course.) Did you do other attractions standby besides SM?

Dan

 

[boop0524]

Thank you for that. So all of the times that you posted are for LL’s? (Except for 7DMT of course.) Did you do other attractions standby besides SM?

Dan

All LL except SM, People Mover and Hall of Presidents. We also just snagged an 8:30 LL for Carpets after JC and are doing standby BTMR in the final 15 minutes of the day. All in all pretty happy with the day!!

 

[DisneyFive]

Awesome. Very happy for you! I did not realize that it was a live report and that you are actually there today! I’m jealous. Have a great time!

Dan