Here Now & Just Back WDW Reopening Experiences Including Park Hopping

[MickeyMouseCD524]

If that was my child, I would demand the CM's name and report that incident immediately. Glad to know this is happening. I'll keep and eye and ear out for it.

It wasn't my child so I didn't want to get involved, but I'm pretty sure the mother of the little boy gave the CM an earful. And I've heard a couple other things that CMs have said to guests that have not been very nice.

 

[Sydnerella]

Like I said I'm fine wearing a mask. But I watched a CM go up to a small child and tell him he was "responsible for people dying" because his mask slipped below his nose while he was running around and playing with his sister on the grass outside our resort. Wether you're for masks or not I think that's completely inappropriate to say, just tell him to pull his mask up, and I've caught a couple of other abrasive/rude comments CMs have said to guests regarding masks.

Really?!?! That is ridiculous. I am finding this pretty difficult to believe any CM would say something so blatant to a child. No matter how frustrated they were with telling the umpteenth person that hour that they need to abide by the rules.... Sorry but I am calling BS on that one.

Let's leave the intentionally inflammatory stuff out of the chat about recent reports and stick to facts.

 

[abent]

So I am learning everything as fast as I can for a “first time” trip, and am curious about “park opening times” and what time we should try to arrive? Are they open before the stated hours? Would you suggest an hour earlier than posted time?
So much to try to prepare for!!!

 

[lynch34]

Really?!?! That is ridiculous. I am finding this pretty difficult to believe any CM would say something so blatant to a child. No matter how frustrated they were with telling the umpteenth person that hour that they need to abide by the rules.... Sorry but I am calling BS on that one.

Let's leave the intentionally inflammatory stuff out of the chat about recent reports and stick to facts.

You said what I wanted to.

NO WAY did this happen.

 

[VandVsmama]

Thank you! I'll write them an email when I get home then.


Like I said I'm fine wearing a mask. But I watched a CM go up to a small child and tell him he was "responsible for people dying" because his mask slipped below his nose while he was running around and playing with his sister on the grass outside our resort. Wether you're for masks or not I think that's completely inappropriate to say, just tell him to pull his mask up, and I've caught a couple of other abrasive/rude comments CMs have said to guests regarding masks.

I'd definitely go to City Hall or Guest Services to complain about that. Be specific...which park at what time and where in the park were you when you heard the CM say that.

 

[lorileahb]

A bunch of dining for next week just opened up - CRT, BOG, California Grill, Toppolino's, Beaches and Cream... in case anyone needed to add an ADR to their park/resort days.

 

[nkereina]

So I am learning everything as fast as I can for a “first time” trip, and am curious about “park opening times” and what time we should try to arrive? Are they open before the stated hours? Would you suggest an hour earlier than posted time?
So much to try to prepare for!!!

This is the trickiest part right now. Very generally speaking, the parks are opening anywhere from 30-45 minutes ahead of their posted opening times. But, what time you can arrive is capped by what time the bus/Skyliner starts running or what time the parking lot opens, unless you happen to be at a resort where you can walk to the park. Where are you staying? Its probably easier to suggest times depending on what mode of transportation you're taking.

However, the only park where it was important we arrived in advance of opening last week was DHS and that was to ensure we were scanned in by 10am in order to obtain a ROTR boarding group. Now that the boarding group procedure is changing, I don't think it's all that important to be at any park before the gates open. If we were going in the near future, I'd shoot to get to the park 15-30 minutes prior to the stated park opening, because that should ensure the parking lot is open (for drop off if arriving by open) and the gates are open too. It might mean we wait 15-20 minutes longer than others for our first ride of the day, but its still faster than trying to go mid-morning or mid-afternoon.

 

[MomOTwins]

You said what I wanted to.

NO WAY did this happen.

Yeah. I agree. Either this was not a CM and just an altercation between guests or the CM said something different that was misheard (eg “responsible for trying” or maybe even they said dying but in an appropriate way in response to a difficult parent who was arguing with them, like “this is serious and people are dying so we all have to our part”).

Depends on your opening time for Epcot and the day of week. We were there from 10/7-16/20 and went to EPCOT on 4 different days. Our arrival time (11:00 a.m. opening) was 9:45 - 10:00 a.m. Three of the four days that placed us near the front of the queue waiting for screening and bag check. On the 4th day (a Friday) the queue was all the way over the bridge between BC and BWI. Granted it moved quickly BUT being that far back would not place you in a good location to hit up the rides without a lengthy wait. Our experiences found that they began screening around 10:15 a.m. and we were on our way through the tapstiles by 10:30 a.m. give or take 5 minutes and depending upon the crowd size. On the Friday, however, it opened closer to 10:00 a.m. and, again, guessing that was due to the huge queue.

Our strategy for rides worked every 3 of the 4 days we were there and we did not wait to ride. In fact, we were first in the queue and on TT but then it was also our first evacuation--the ride went down just as we went into the second "test". Evac was interesting and we were given a FP which we used that night. Two other days we rope dropped Soarin' and, again, in the first group to ride.

What I have found interesting this trip is that the International Gateway people are getting to the rides before those coming in the front. Since we didn't enter from the front--I have no idea why those guests were not arriving at the rides more quickly than the International Gate folks and I have to guess that they were not admitted as early as the IG entrance.

I think the reason is that buses are arriving later and there are 20 min waits between buses, slowing arrivals at the front of the parks.

 

[tstein12]

A bunch of dining for next week just opened up - CRT, BOG, California Grill, Toppolino's, Beaches and Cream... in case anyone needed to add an ADR to their park/resort days.

I also noticed reservations available for Hollywood & Vine, Chef Mickey's, etc.

I wonder if they are increasing capacity at restaurants...while I don't mind eating indoors, I don't want to be in a full restaurant.

 

[Cliffside]

I was seeing a lot of availability before...now there is not one restaurant at Epcot for lunch on Thursday..hoping it’s a glitch
Now I got reservations are currently not available with Lady and the Tramp
“sorry for the paws”

 

[lorileahb]

I was seeing a lot of availability before...now there is not one restaurant at Epcot for lunch on Thursday..hoping it’s a glitch
Now I got reservations are currently not available with Lady and the Tramp
“sorry for the paws”

I wonder if the system may be down right now... everything I search for shows no ADRs... I wonder if the early morning release of so many ADRs everywhere was the glitch and they just shut the system down to address it.

 

[yulilin3]

I wonder if the system may be down right now... everything I search for shows no ADRs... I wonder if the early morning release of so many ADRs everywhere was the glitch and they just shut the system down to address it.

Exactly what's happening. Hopefully they'll honor those reservations that were made

 

[TikiTikiFan]

I wonder if the system may be down right now... everything I search for shows no ADRs... I wonder if the early morning release of so many ADRs everywhere was the glitch and they just shut the system down to address it.

And now I'm a pile of worry waiting to see if I get to keep the ADRs I made, in three cases I had already had a dining reservation but just picked a better time. I'm going to be so mad if I lose all of that. Unless they'd grant me my original dining reservations back which would be fine...

 

[Leigh L]

And now I'm a pile of worry waiting to see if I get to keep the ADRs I made, in three cases I had already had a dining reservation but just picked a better time. I'm going to be so mad if I lose all of that. Unless they'd grant me my original dining reservations back which would be fine...

Same...in one case I modified from 3 to 2 people and the other I moved an Oga 6:55 p.m. to a 7:15 p.m. I almost changed our H&V to a new time (and modify it down to 2 people and now glad I didn't!)

 

[Befferk]

And now I'm a pile of worry waiting to see if I get to keep the ADRs I made, in three cases I had already had a dining reservation but just picked a better time. I'm going to be so mad if I lose all of that. Unless they'd grant me my original dining reservations back which would be fine...

Yup, I'm just sick over this. Same as you, I did have some ADRs made, but gave them up for these better ones.

 

[TikiTikiFan]

Same...in one case I modified from 3 to 2 people and the other I moved an Oga 6:55 p.m. to a 7:15 p.m. I almost changed our H&V to a new time (and modify it down to 2 people and now glad I didn't!)

I'm most worried about H&V... that's one of the one I switched to a different time and that'd be a lot harder to replace than some of the other ones. And more heartbreaking, we love character dining and even if things are different now... it's one of the things were looking forward so much... Did anyone bother calling them to see what was going on? I debated but not sure what that phone wait looks like.

 

[Befferk]

I'm most worried about H&V... that's one of the one I switched to a different time and that'd be a lot harder to replace than some of the other ones. And more heartbreaking, we love character dining and even if things are different now... it's one of the things were looking forward so much... Did anyone bother calling them to see what was going on? I debated but not sure what that phone wait looks like.

Someone in another thread called about 15 min ago and said 2.5 hour hold time. I can't call from work, otherwise I'd gladly sit on hold to try to get an answer to what's going on, and what they're going to do about it.

 

[TikiTikiFan]

Someone in another thread called about 15 min ago and said 2.5 hour hold time. I can't call from work, otherwise I'd gladly sit on hold to try to get an answer to what's going on, and what they're going to do about it.

I'll take one for the team, I work from home right now so not a problem to call. It didn't tell me an estimated hold time so I guess it'll be a surprise as to what it will be....! I'll report back when I talk to someone. It'll drive me nuts to sit around waiting all day to see if I gave up all my ADRs for no good reason so I gotta know for my own sanity.

 

[Befferk]

I'll take one for the team, I work from home right now so not a problem to call. It didn't tell me an estimated hold time so I guess it'll be a surprise as to what it will be....! I'll report back when I talk to someone. It'll drive me nuts to sit around waiting all day to see if I gave up all my ADRs for no good reason so I gotta know for my own sanity.

You're the best!!

 

[EinHoden]

Something is glitching. I just tried to cancel and ADR that we won't be using and it told me to try again later.