Considering a return to WDW after a 3 year hiatus

[Klayfish]

Hey all! I'm a many time veteran of WDW, though last trip was 2018. I'm considering making a return trip the last week of September, but obviously the world has changed dramatically since I was last there. I started reading the "Here now" thread. It's many hundreds of pages long, so it can be hard to keep up with. Honestly, I also see it full of the same negative comments that I saw on this board years ago, so I'm trying to filter through all of that and just sort out objective info.

My huge concern is that there is no FP+ right now. That's how I always maximized time in the parks. We used FP+ for about 95%+ of the attractions we went on (we were HUGE users of the "refresh" method), so this is going to be a major adjustment for us. We stay offsite and don't rope drop. Please don't try to convince me that I need to rope drop, because it's just not something we're interested in doing. So I guess my biggest question is what are wait times really like during the day? Yes, I know rides going down and things like that have an impact on wait times. Just generally speaking, have all the more popular attractions been 60+ minutes all day, every day? Do the lines get shorter near park closing time? How are security lines to get in during late morning? Thanks all!

 

[Heather07438]

Security is 1000% improved. No more tables, instead they’ve installed

Everybody just walks thru these.

Have certain items in front of you-

Most of the items that will set off the alarm are metal drink containers, umbrellas, or even glasses cases with magnets! Disney security recommends that you have those items out of your bag and hold them out in front of you. This allows the Disney security guards to easily tell what sets off the alarm. Most likely, if you are holding it out in front of you, you will not be required to undergo further inspection and can just keep walking.

This new system is fantastic. Most of the time the line is a steady stream that keeps moving.

 

[rainyvegandisney]

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[PalmettoPath]

Hey all! I'm a many time veteran of WDW, though last trip was 2018. I'm considering making a return trip the last week of September, but obviously the world has changed dramatically since I was last there. I started reading the "Here now" thread. It's many hundreds of pages long, so it can be hard to keep up with. Honestly, I also see it full of the same negative comments that I saw on this board years ago, so I'm trying to filter through all of that and just sort out objective info.

My huge concern is that there is no FP+ right now. That's how I always maximized time in the parks. We used FP+ for about 95%+ of the attractions we went on (we were HUGE users of the "refresh" method), so this is going to be a major adjustment for us. We stay offsite and don't rope drop. Please don't try to convince me that I need to rope drop, because it's just not something we're interested in doing. So I guess my biggest question is what are wait times really like during the day? Yes, I know rides going down and things like that have an impact on wait times. Just generally speaking, have all the more popular attractions been 60+ minutes all day, every day? Do the lines get shorter near park closing time? How are security lines to get in during late morning? Thanks all!

We're heading back in a couple of weeks and we check ride times on the MDE app. That will let you see how long the ride times are at any given time of day (or on which days they're worse etc). Could be marginally better in September when kids are back to school.

 

[Disneylover99]

My huge concern is that there is no FP+ right now. That's how I always maximized time in the parks. We used FP+ for about 95%+ of the attractions we went on (we were HUGE users of the "refresh" method), so this is going to be a major adjustment for us.

If this is how you normally tour, than I don’t think Disney will be enjoyable to you in it’s current state. Yes, many popular rides are 60 plus minutes throughout the day.

Many people are happy because the lines move fast and a wait between 30-60 minutes is reasonable to them.

 

[Klayfish]

Most hotels except AKL are near fully booked, values are fully booked except the newest one to accept reservations. That said, when I made ADRs, I easily got everything I wanted, so I think it'll still be better than summer.

Thanks! I guess that's where things are so different for us. We stay offsite and bring all of our own food in...we never use the restaurants. It's mainly the attraction wait times that are my big concern. For the first time since 2018, I actually have the time and finances to go...but it just seems like now may not be the right time. That makes me so sad....

 

[cccory]

Yes, things will be a lot different for you. Without FP+ you will feel the difference. I would wait, because it will probably leave a bad imagine of Disney in your mind.

 

[glocon]

Maybe get TP and watch their lines app. They supposedly have more accurate wait times.

 

[loves to dive]

I agree with others, if riding as many rides as you can is your goal, you probably aren't going to enjoy it right now. Who knows when and if FP will come back and what it will look like when it does. We never used it much when it was available, we didn't like to have to schedule everything and have to be on our phones searching for the next one so much so waiting in lines was just what we did. We aren't ride centric though, we do enjoy the rides but they are certainly not the only reason we go. There will be a FWs show at MK and Epcot by then and some sort of night time something at HS and who knows if meet and greets will return this year. Some stage shows are already coming back if that floats your boat and the little mini parades are actually much more fun for us since you don't have to stake out a place and time to see them.

 

[Mr. Drauer]

Hey all! I'm a many time veteran of WDW, though last trip was 2018. I'm considering making a return trip the last week of September, but obviously the world has changed dramatically since I was last there. I started reading the "Here now" thread. It's many hundreds of pages long, so it can be hard to keep up with. Honestly, I also see it full of the same negative comments that I saw on this board years ago, so I'm trying to filter through all of that and just sort out objective info.

My huge concern is that there is no FP+ right now. That's how I always maximized time in the parks. We used FP+ for about 95%+ of the attractions we went on (we were HUGE users of the "refresh" method), so this is going to be a major adjustment for us. We stay offsite and don't rope drop. Please don't try to convince me that I need to rope drop, because it's just not something we're interested in doing. So I guess my biggest question is what are wait times really like during the day? Yes, I know rides going down and things like that have an impact on wait times. Just generally speaking, have all the more popular attractions been 60+ minutes all day, every day? Do the lines get shorter near park closing time? How are security lines to get in during late morning? Thanks all!

You absolutely should not go at this time. For you and your family, this is a completely different experience than what you have done in the past. Despite all the negative posts, the lines actually move with very limited entrances from the FP side (Club 33, VIP, make good, etc.), but that said, only at rope drop and later in the day will you find lines more like you are used to from FP days. For us, we were FP+ refresh experts and would many times not even leave the house to go until I secured a FP+ at the AM drops, though we have gone dozens of times this past year and have been OK with waiting in 30 minute lines for things. We hit at rope drop and get some things done, then pick a few lesser rides to hit and head out around lunch time. For a park commando like you, I could see the frustration building without the opportunity to walk on things.

 

[TheSouthernBelle]

Hey all! I'm a many time veteran of WDW, though last trip was 2018. I'm considering making a return trip the last week of September, but obviously the world has changed dramatically since I was last there. I started reading the "Here now" thread. It's many hundreds of pages long, so it can be hard to keep up with. Honestly, I also see it full of the same negative comments that I saw on this board years ago, so I'm trying to filter through all of that and just sort out objective info.

My huge concern is that there is no FP+ right now. That's how I always maximized time in the parks. We used FP+ for about 95%+ of the attractions we went on (we were HUGE users of the "refresh" method), so this is going to be a major adjustment for us. We stay offsite and don't rope drop. Please don't try to convince me that I need to rope drop, because it's just not something we're interested in doing. So I guess my biggest question is what are wait times really like during the day? Yes, I know rides going down and things like that have an impact on wait times. Just generally speaking, have all the more popular attractions been 60+ minutes all day, every day? Do the lines get shorter near park closing time? How are security lines to get in during late morning? Thanks all!

We've been to the parks a bunch post reopening, started going again back last August 2020. I thought we'd hate the parks without FP+ even recently as they've gotten a TON more crowded over the last several months, but I really am hoping FP+ never returns. I know unpopular opinion but I think overall the lines do move faster without it and I like not being tethered to a schedule.

We've found that if there is something we really want to do, we will rope drop or get in line close to closing also works. We have also found that some parks some days have unusually lower crowds, no rhyme or reason but crowd predicting is a crap shoot. I think that it's safe to say as we get closer to the 50th, it will get more crowded but I do think as kids head back to school, we'll see weekday crowds lower some but weekends will still be busy at all the parks. We've also found that most of the posted wait times/and times in MDE are absolute guesses by Disney and most are not accurate. We usually use touring plans Lines app which post covid/no FP+ is way more accurate than Disney. We also usually do the start early/midday break/return to the park later plan of attack which helps us miss the busy midday crowds. Lots of strategies but if you have it in your head that you have to have FP+ and all the other pre-Covid offerings, then you might be setting yourself up for disappointment but every trip we've had since last August, we love it just the same, if not more.