Bucket List Trip June 2021 trip

#1

Hey all. I was here earlier this year and like many had to cancel due to covid. We had been planning June 2020 and then a fall trip once I retire in 2022 or 2023. Many of you were exceptionally helpful back in Feb/Mar. I had to step away from all things Disney for a bit because June 2020 would have been the first time back to WDW since our Honeymoon in July 1996.

I wouldn’t even be thinking about a trip yet because of covid except for one major difference in our situation. My husband had a kidney removed in Jan 2019 due to kidney cancer and unfortunately it has metastasized to his lungs and is now stage 4. He got his first infusion yesterday so this is all very new. We are looking at prolonging life and quality of life not curing the cancer.So, I asked him what was one thing he would want to do, if we could, and he said go to WDW like we planned. So that must be this summer because I have no guarantee that he will be around when I retire. I don’t want to do a memorial trip. I know the biggest hurdle is getting there safely and I’'m working on that but once at WDW I know that they and Universal are doing pretty well with trying to keep things safe for everyone. Also, I’m hoping we will be vaccinated by then since we are both high risk (even before this new plot twist).

Anyway, I have a few starter questions for this trip. Of course all of these are contingent on my husband’s health.

  1. We want to stay about 2 and half weeks with a couple of days at Universal. My thinking is for Florida earlier is better with heat etc. Am I correct? The earliest we might get there is May 29 or 30th and we have until the end of July. (I’m a teacher and school starts early August). When would be the “best” (least humid (ha!) and least hot(Ha!) time to come then. I realize there may not be a good answer.

  2. Also, I’ve forgotten when you have to actually pay for the accommodations etc. if you make reservations through Disney. Would you advise making some now just to have them and then possibly modify as things change?

  3. We will be renting 2 EVCs as I have mobility issues. We will want an accessible room. With the on property resorts as they are now and transport as it is, what are your recommendations
    as to where to stay for convince and comfort. We are interested in all the parks.

Thanks in advance for your help.

#2

Yeah… there’s no good answer. It will be 90F - 100F in the middle of the day. :cry:

30 days before your arrival date. A $200 deposit is all that is required & is refundable. (Right now, with COVID you have up until the day before to cancel.) In “normal” times, you have to cancel at that 30 mark to get your deposit refunded

(I have no experience with EVCs… GL!)

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#3

Just to expand on @darkmite2 comments … if you are booking a split stay you pay a $200 deposit for each reservation.

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#4

Thanks. Forget the EVCs for the moment. Which hotels are best located with the transportation the way it is now. Originally, we were looking at the Contemporary and POFQ but with the FQ closed I’m not sure. We like that the Contemporary had monorails to both Epcot and MK for ease of getting around. I don’t think we would want a value hotel and I’m not going to consider renting DVC points.

#5

Good thinking on the contemporary for easy access to 3 parks w/ an EVC!! you’d only have to deal w/ the bus for AK. And bus drivers are GREAT with working w/ EVCs and their families.

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#6

Thanks. That’s what I needed to hear, just to be sure. I will probably make preliminary reservations sometime this week unless I hear other options.

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#7

Contemporary would be perfect! If doing a split, could do a split with an epcot area one or AKL if you would spend time at AK. I haven’t stayed at any of these, but I did stay at Poly 2 years ago and loved the ease to go to MK then being able to walk to TTC fir Epcot. I’m not sure if Poly is done for you trip.

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#8

The monorail is shut done right now at the poly.

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#9

They are looking end of May. True Poly might be out still be then!

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#10

We definitely want to spend time at AK. That was the one place we didn’t go on our honeymoon as it was just open or about to be opened at the time. Tentatively I am planning 2 days at each park, plus 2 days at Universal with the others for rest with maybe 1 day at Disney Springs.

I think I saw the info about the monorail at poly. Would love to stay there but not worth it w/o monorail.

I’ve been planning (very roughly) with crowds in mind but I think I need to consider a split based on location. At least for comparison.

#11

100% agree!

I would take a look, might relieve some of the travel worry.

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#12

First of all, I’m terribly sorry to hear this news. Prayers for the longest, highest quality of life possible.

A couple of clarifications on the specifics (unless COVID has changed things again):

If you do room-only reservations (vs. a package), the down payment is one night’s rent at the time of the reservation with the rest paid when you stay. The deposit is refundable to within a day or so of arrival.

As far as transportation goes, the Epcot monorail wasn’t operating a month ago (and I don’t think it is now) but might be by June. Not sure that was specifically stated. Might make a split-stay with a Crescent Lake resort of Riviera make sense.

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#13

Thank you. That’s what I’m hoping for.

Thanks for the recommendation will take a look at the Riviera. :grinning:

Have just finished looking at AK Kiani(sp?) Village vs Coronado and while the views at AK resort would be nice, it would be easier to eat at Coronado for us if we have a rest day. So now can compare w Riviera.

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#14

I think for room-only res the 1 night deposit becomes non-refundable 4 or 5 days (not 1 day) before the res starts.

#15

I had tears in my eyes reading your post and I’m truly sorry for what you are going through. I have booked a stay at Disney’s Boardwalk Villas for May 28-Jun 9 so we may be there at the same time if you go right after school.

As far as heat goes I have gone before in June and it’s been hotter than July because there was more 1 hour afternoon rain storms in July but it really depends on the weather fronts at the time.

Crowd-wise I do believe Orlando schools get out earlier since they start mid-August but I know some U.S. schools are getting out later than normal including my nearby big city (Austin) because they delayed the start till after labor day because of covid. Therefore, you may have less chance of schools out the earlier you go but that first week of June I think is also Gay Days and the end of May is International Flower and Garden Festival plus that’s Memorial Day weekend so the crowds may be big then too. It may be a wash crowds-wise. July 4th I believe is the most crowded part of the summer according to the touringplans crowd calendar in the past.

My personal opinion for a split stay would be Contemporary and an Epcot Resort. I prefer Boardwalk Inn to Beach Club and Yacht Club personally but Beach Club may be 1-2 min closer (than Boardwalk) to the International Gateway Entrance of Epcot and you may be able to just directly take your ECV’s there without a boat. All three of those resorts are about a 5 min walk give or take depending where your rooms is to the IG entrance of Epcot. In addition, I believe the boats are operating now to Hollywood Studios and you could take the skyliner (but you would have to make changes) from the back entrance of Epcot to Hollywood Studios. Since you can just take stroller on the boats I would think the same is true for ECV’s, can anyone verify?

If it were me I’d spend half my time at Contemporary for the Magic Kingdom via monorail or you can walk it in 5 min in your ECV’s and Animal Kingdom using the bus and then I’d switch to Boardwalk (Beach and Yacht Club also good choices) for Ecpot and Hollywood Studios. I think that 5 min walk or short boat ride into Epcot beats taking the monorail and having to make a change at the TTC from Contemporary. Plus you get the skyliner or boat to DHS.

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#16

It does appear the Epcot area boats have been operating since Nov 1 so this makes those resorts a great option for Epcot and DHS:

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#17

and "Friendship Boats also run between Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Epcot, Disney’s BoardWalk, Disney’s Yacht & Beach Club Resorts, and the Walt Disney World Dolphin and Swan Resorts. Barring any abnormal conditions, these Friendship Boats are also wheelchair and ECV accessible! "
https://plandisney.disney.go.com/question/friendship-boats-world-showcase-hollywood-studios-369363/#:~:text=Friendship%20Boats%20also%20run%20between,also%20wheelchair%20and%20ECV%20accessible!

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#18

Thank you so much for your compassion. It’s definitely not how we wanted things to be going. The one positive thing is that based on his labs etc. he is in the “good” group and in theory could be around for years, but we aren’t taking anything for granted since cancer is an a-hole.

Thank you for such a thorough and thoughtful reply! As I started to look into Riviera I started to wonder about the boardwalk area and the exact split you suggest! :smiley: I’m definitely going to check this out next. I really appreciate all the transportation information including walking/riding our ECVs. You have helped so much.

I will definitely look into the events you mentioned for our timing. I may swing our 2 days at Universal to the end, rather than the beginning just to see how that changes our options. Lots of good things to think about which is what I need right now!

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#19

Boardwalk is currently closed but Beach Club is open and I’m liking the look and feel of it so far! Also, getting to see the flowers at the end of May sounds fun. I hate gardening but love gardens lol.

#20

Yeah, one of the reasons I chose when I chose too. :slight_smile: My suburb city school gets out the same day as you so May 28 was the first my daughter could go. I’ve stayed at the Beach Club before and it was wonderful. I just prefer the theming of Boardwalk but you can still easily visit the Boardwalk from Beach Club if you want to try one of the restaurants and see the vibe. Plus you’ll get the view of the Boardwalk lit up from the Beach Club. It’s a tiny bit closer to Epcot as well so if you do want to take a ride on the skyliner even shorter since that’s at that back entrance of Epcot. I think the direct boat to DHS will be simpler than switching Skyliners at Caribbean Beach from Riveria. I prefer direct routes personally, because less lining up means more fun! :slight_smile:

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