Is everyone reserving park days for 2022 trips already?

[CanadianEmily]

Hi everyone,

I booked a Feb 2022 trip last week, and I'm wondering how much of a rush there is to book park days. Is everyone reserving pretty much as soon as they book? I felt so organized for our Feb 2020 trip, and now with so much uncertainty about how it will be a year from now, I have no idea where to start.

Last time we did 5 park days, Monday to Friday in this order: HS, MK, AK, EP, HS. We did Early Morning Magic at MK, so that's why that was on Tuesday. I put AK in the middle as a light day because we had planned it to be a half day, which it was, and we were fine with that. My son doesn't do the big rides there, even though we did do FoP in 2020 but he doesn't want to do it again. I don't really want to either.

This time I got an extra park day for arrival day, Sunday. My original idea was to do Epcot and walk around WS for half a day that day, because we didn't fit in any of that last time at Epcot, but now I'm reading that Epcot is way busier on weekends, though our trip will likely once again be in one of the very short gaps between festivals. I would like to just be able to leisurely stroll through without feeling pressure that we need to move on to get all the rides in.

I also can't decide if HS is worth doing for two days again. Probably, because my son loves both Galaxy's Edge and Toy Story Land, but if meet and greets are potentially still not happening, and if shows are reduced, I really don't know if we need two days. We managed RotR both days last time, so it's not a huge deal if we ride it once or not at all. We missed a lot at Magic Kingdom despite having EMM tickets, because we took a midday break and then went back for fireworks. So I'm leaning toward two days there instead, one morning/afternoon and one afternoon/evening if fireworks are back.

The three options I'm thinking about now are:
- Sunday Epcot strictly for WS and maybe the Ratatouille ride and other minor attractions in the WS.
- Sunday MK to get in some extra time there and if fireworks are back, do those to kick off the trip. Do another MK day later.
- Sunday AK because it would be less busy, get it out of the way entirely. Finished with AK after that.

Then I still have to decide which two parks we will do for two days. I don't want Sunday to be a completely packed day, and we like a lighter day mid-trip as well, so Wednesday. Wednesday would either be AK if we didn't do it Sunday, or a park we're visiting twice otherwise.

This is a huge ramble mostly to say, are people making their reservations now this far in advance? Are you taking into consideration that there might be ticketed events, and if so, are you assuming the days will be the same as they were before they stopped? I don't know that we'd do a ticketed event again, but we might if it's available.

I guess it's best to just book and then hope there is availability to switch things around if we need to in the future? I do like that EMH are gone for good, so at least that part of the planning is gone.

Just looking for general thoughts about how you're approaching booking that far in advance, which parks you like to visit twice on a 6-day trip, etc. Thanks everyone! I'm just excited to have something to plan again!

 

[Branderson610]

I am booking for June 2022 next month once the offsite resort we want to stay at opens it's June 2022 calendar. I think booking early is smart to ensure you get a room in the hotel you want to stay at. They say 2022 is going to be busy, so minus well book before the prices go up due to demand.

 

[lovethattink]

I think DHS is definitely worth booking two days, especially if you’re trying to get Rise of the Resistance. In case you don’t get a boarding group the first day. (Which you have a really good chance if you follow the thread about boarding groups!) But also if the attraction breaks down.

 

[Meriweather]

I would, but we don't have tickets yet.......hoping to get an AP.

 

[kathy884]

I plan to book tickets about 11 months in advance. Will book March of 2022 in April of 2021. Already have my condo booked, so know my dates. Flying Southwest, so booking that will be more like 6 months in advance (gives me more time to rack up SW frequent flyer miles and fly more of the people in our party for free).

I will buy Disney tickets just before I book dates. I guess the one good thing is that unused Disney tickets can be used for a future ticket for anyone (name can be transferred), so if someone decides not to go, someone could twist my pinky and I'll go another year and believe me I could get my 25 year old Disney loving son to come again easy peasy. I think my 84 year old dad will come, but you never know (fingers crossed -- feeling good now and hopefully will then and be up for a trip). I think the one student in our group will come, even if it means doing some classes online at the condo some evenings, but you never know (school might be in person, there might be a big project). These are the two people I will use my southwest miles on first, so I can cancel airline tickets and get points back. And these are the two people whose Disney tickets might be prepaid ticket for others for a future Disney trip.

 

[MomDoc_99]

I have booked a rental home for our family for late March 2022 (refundable until January). I am waiting to buy tickets and reserve parks until we have a little better idea what will be open and what extras will be available to buy. Probably will pull the trigger once we see how things are working for the start of the 50th anniversary.

 

[Pucks104]

We booked a package for Spring 2022 and have made park reservations already. There is a lot unknown for that timeframe but at least we will have a hotel room, park tickets and park reservations.

 

[1lilspark]

As soon as I can renew my AP in April I may keep a rolling 3 park days booked for my May 2021-April 2022 window because who knows how bad things will be as vaccines roll out/anniversary events start

 

[CanadianEmily]

Thanks everyone! I went ahead and reserved park days. For now, two HS, two Epcot (one will be a half day), and one day each for MK and AK. I'm just hoping that if I change my mind about what we want, there will be reservations available to switch. But I guess it's better to have the reservations in place just in case.

Maybe I'm naively not too concerned about RotR boarding groups, because we got into the very first one both days of our Feb 2020 trip. But now that they're not requiring people to be in the park to get them, it's probably worse. I haven't been following it much since covid. I personally wouldn't be heartbroken if we didn't get to ride it next time, but the rest of my family probably would be. I'd still lean toward a second MK day instead, but I'll lose that debate, lol. In exchange, I'm happy with my extra half day at Epcot to take in the WS.

 

[dwbrewster]

We are going May 2022 and I booked my park days already, though I have them as placeholders and anticipate changing them.

 

[mamaofsix]

We are going March 2022, but are nowhere close to buying tickets yet so can't reserve park days. Still hoping there will be some sort of ticket deal announced, especially for us Canadians who, with the exchange rate, would have to pay crazy prices for tickets.

Pre-COVID there was a "Canadian Deal" for tickets. Hoping that comes back soon. And that our land border opens so we can actually get there...

My guess is that it will be quite a while before 2022 park reservations start to really book up. I'm not worried about booking them until this summer.

 

[CanadianEmily]

We are going March 2022, but are nowhere close to buying tickets yet so can't reserve park days. Still hoping there will be some sort of ticket deal announced, especially for us Canadians who, with the exchange rate, would have to pay crazy prices for tickets.

Pre-COVID there was a "Canadian Deal" for tickets. Hoping that comes back soon. And that our land border opens so we can actually get there...

Are you planning on buying just tickets without a room package? It sounds like it, but I just wanted to mention that I booked a standard package in 2020 and then when they had an offer for Canadians, I just called them as soon as the discount was available and they applied the discount to my existing booking. Saved us several hundred dollars but I didn't have to wait to book. I got that tip here on the Canadian boards. But I'm not sure how it would work with tickets only. I'm guessing once the land border does open, they will definitely be doing things to get Canadians visiting again.

I agree there's probably no rush, and we would be driving so we definitely won't be going if the land border isn't open. Basically I've given Disney a $200 + exchange deposit for the ability to plan and have hope for the next year, haha.

 

[keishashadow]

Is everyone reserving pretty much as soon as they book?

No

I generally book our travel 11 months out. Haven’t even looked at July, Sept/Oct (have done past milestone days at MK, a non event for us) & Nov/Dec yet. Just booked parks for 10 day stay pre Mother’s Day without issue

FYI, had zero problem booking parks for impromptu long weekend next week just a few weeks ago. I’m talking both spring break with increased park hours & lots of availability for MGM.

Thankfully, we have valid APs in place that makes it all so much easier!

If you are the sort that feels better having the park reservations in place, by all means get placeholders set up. You likely will be able to modify as down the road.

 

[mamaofsix]

Are you planning on buying just tickets without a room package? It sounds like it, but I just wanted to mention that I booked a standard package in 2020 and then when they had an offer for Canadians, I just called them as soon as the discount was available and they applied the discount to my existing booking. Saved us several hundred dollars but I didn't have to wait to book. I got that tip here on the Canadian boards. But I'm not sure how it would work with tickets only. I'm guessing once the land border does open, they will definitely be doing things to get Canadians visiting again.

I agree there's probably no rush, and we would be driving so we definitely won't be going if the land border isn't open. Basically I've given Disney a $200 + exchange deposit for the ability to plan and have hope for the next year, haha.

We are staying offsite, so that is correct we are buying tickets only. I take it you booked your 2020 vacay with the offer for Canadians before the pandemic? I feel like it disappeared shortly after the shut down last year.

 

[Delirium]

Is the general consensus that Park Reservations will be required in 2022?

 

[mamaofsix]

Is the general consensus that Park Reservations will be required in 2022?

The current reservation calendars goes through January 2023, so I'd say yes.

It's a pain for guests, but pretty great for Disney. They know exactly how many people are going to be in a park each day and can reduce / increase staff accordingly.

 

[Grasshopper2016]

It's a pain for guests, but pretty great for Disney. They know exactly how many people are going to be in a park each day and can reduce / increase staff accordingly.

That is so depressing! It was bad enough having to plan out your park days six months in advance in order to get ADRs. Now you have to do it a year or more in advance in order to even be guaranteed park admission?!

It would be truly horrible to book flights and hotel, and then find out later that the parks are sold out --- or even that you can't get into one of the parks at all during your stay. Thus, to be safe, I guess we have to start making park reservations when we first book our vacations. But with so much uncertainty about parties, after hours and early morning events, dining options and reservations, etc., it is impossible to make informed decisions this far out about which parks to visit on which days.

I truly hope that park reservations disappear when the pandemic ends --- and that we see the return of real park hopping. But I'm afraid that you're probably right. Just one more straw weighing down the camel's back.

 

[JakeAZ]

It's a pain for guests, but pretty great for Disney.

Which means it's never going away entirely. I'm sure a "magical" add-on will come out that will allow guests to buy their way out of the reservation system at some point. I will be like adding the park hopper option.

 

[JakeAZ]

Is the general consensus that Park Reservations will be required in 2022?

IMO they are here to stay. 2022 and beyond. Unless attendance falls off a cliff.

Why would Disney give up that kind of control when it doesn't seem to be turning people off enough to not spend their money there?

 

[Delirium]

Depressing is a good word for it. Yes, we've made ADRs in the past. And, yes, I was always prepared at 7:00 AM to schedule my FPs 90 days out (would even take off work that day so I could continue to adjust, if needed).

But, even though we took advantage of the ability to schedule in advance, we always tweaked things in the days leading up to the trip, and often after we had already arrived.

We would change it up for things like, our original Fantasmic! show getting cancelled because of weather, a mechanical closure results in us missing out on one of our favorite rides, one of us was feeling under the weather on a given day, or we simply impulsively decided that we wanted to visit a 2nd or even 3rd park that day..

We were at Disney in 2016 during Hurricane Matthew. I can't imagine dealing with that without having the flexibility that was available back then.