Does anyone have plans to go to WDW this month? Are you still going?
We are supposed to leave January 21st on a Southwest flight.
A) I’m worried about the flight(s) getting cancelled.
B) Kinda worried about skyrocketing COVID cases, even among the vaccinated.
My family and I are all vaxed/boosted. We wear masks. I just ordered some N95 masks that I’ll have to take with us.
I feel like COVID will be around for a long time and we’ve already postponed this trip once before because of COVID. We can’t keep pushing it because of COVID. At some point we have to return to doing things outside our home. That’s my feeling anyway.
What is your opinion? Stay or go?
(I’m not looking to have a heated debate about mask mandates or vaccine mandates. Just looking for an idea of what people are planning for this month and what they think my family should do).
Everyone is going to need to determine their own level of comfort. I am planning to go January 18-21st. My niece is coming with me and we are both vaxed and boosted. We have had so much exposure over the last 2 weeks that I have basically resolved that if we get it, we get it (and I have this sinking feeling our luck will be running out soon). We have been several times, to both Disney and Universal, over the past 2 years and we’ve had the same philosophy- we are doing as much as we can to protect ourselves (like vaccines, boosting and masks) without halting things we enjoy.
I feel you on this. I have a trip in Feb that I am trying so hard to hang on to. My partner is a lot more worried about it than I am, since we are all fully vaxxed and boosted I feel like it’s time to do the things we have been putting off- he thinks it might be better to not go. I don’t know how this will shake out but I have a ton of sympathy for everyone wrestling with this right now!
I would be more concerned about A than B. Not that cases aren’t skyrocketing…they are. But so far, everything is showing this new variant to be very mild, particularly among the vaccinated or those who have had it before, while also being super contagious. As such, I think that it is going to be inevitable that a majority of people (vaxxed and otherwise) will catch it…which could be a good thing. Death rates and severe hospitalizations are not climbing.
BUT, having said that, with a lot of testing requirements in place for things now, it means that a LOT of people are going to test positive, which could lead to further increases in cancellations unless testing requirements change going forward. (Which could happen as we learn more about Omicron.)
So, in your case, if your flight is cancelled, do you have a back-up plan for getting to WDW?
We’d have to drive, but it’s minimum 16 hours, so we’d have to split driving and take turns sleeping if we want to get straight through, or find a place to stay overnight. Coming back wouldn’t be a problem because we actually already have two “play-it by ear” days at the end we could use for driving home. But going down, we are leaving Friday and have all-day plans on Saturday. That’d we’d have to probably scrap.
I am scheduled to arrive on 1/14, also on Southwest.
I am fully vaxed & boosted (as of 12/26) and will be traveling solo. My KN95 masks have shipped and are due to arrive any day now.
I am also concerned about flights but I am hoping that SW has their sh#* together by mid-month. I don’t have a back up plan to get to Florida so I hope SW works it all out before then!
Personally, yes I would go but our risk factors are low (outside of staying away from MIL for a week after). But this is you we’re talking about. How comfortable are you around strangers (the ones that don’t wear masks properly or at all)? How confident are you that your N95s will offer adequate protection (my opinion, that’s really the only one truly worth the mask hassle). How flexible are you with your plans in case of plan changes due to Covid? And if, by chance you caught Covid before your trip and would be in the quarantine window (I think now its 5 or 7 days?) , would you cancel it or push it back?
I agree that it appears this new variant is more transmissible but less virulent. But Delta hasn’t fully run its course yet either. Make a pro/cons list. Determine if you can mitigate the cons to neutral status. If there is a con you just can’t live with, don’t go.
I live here, so I don’t have the travel concerns to consider, but I am planning on being in the parks soon as my blackout dates are now lifted on my AP. I keep my Kn95 on at all times except when sitting outside to eat and drink. I avoid big crowds or move through them as quickly as possible. I experience the park differently than normal, but I have the luxury of being able to come and go more easily. We have left the parks shortly after arriving b/c of crowds being TOO heavy or feeling overwhelmed. I usually come alone but we leave earlier when other family mbrs come along b/c of crowds making them feel uncomfortable. If you get here how flexible can you be? Do you have alternative Disney things to do while here and still have a nice vacation if the crowds make you uncomfortable? It really is your own comfort level. but I would consider your alternative plans once here as well.
….my hope, that many people cancel so the parks are lighter
Having said that, my two week trip is still on. We arrive on the 22nd. Have insurance that will cover if we can’t fly home due to positive test. All vaxxed & recently boosted.
Hopefully everything goes well and we avoid Omicron like we did with Delta in September.
…my only little concern is there are kids travelling in the group the first week (not staying with us) …I’ll just be staying away from them
On the local evening news, they interviewed a Candian family stuck here b/c their first test results didn’t come back in time for them to board the aircraft (planned flight home). They are now waiting on second test set results. The test back log is horrible here in FL right now. Just a heads up everyone.
I am doing rapid test. I did it thru Walgreens last time (ID NOW). Many still think you need the lab PCR test that takes time. You don’t People need to educate themselves from the source, and not just listen to the media.
If the 3 week “peaks” predictions on Omicron are correct, you might find the issue resolving itself just in time for your trip. The flight issues are directly related to this variant’s outbreak.
You have thought this through and have taken all reasonable precautions. I agree with drvillarejos above, if there is a con you can not mitigate or can’t live with, don’t go. That being said, under the circumstances as of this writing I would go.
The ID NOW test is accepted by Hawaii. Where the confusion lies is people just see/hear PCR, and the ID NOW is a NAAT test. It’s a Rapid Test - I had my results in 45 minutes last time.
What Hawaii and Canada do not accept are the Antigen test.
Ah… I haven’t looked at details in a while b/c I have no immediate trip planned but if I was going somewhere I would look into state guidelines etc. I don’t remember if ID NOW was a thing or allowed when we went to Hawaii last fall. I know they required a PCR then or proof of vaccination. It was sooo much easier to be vaccinated and show our CDC cards. We had to show them at Aulani too which surprised me that they didn’t accept the Hawaii Safe Travel verification.
I just had a thought, a bit unrelated…but if Disney requires their employees to test, and with the rise of Omicron cases, it seems like there is a potential for REDUCED staffing availability in the next couple months due to increased positive testing (even if not an increase in serious illness).
IF that’s the case, one potential reason to wait would be in case there is a reduction of staffing and all the consequences thereof.
But, that is also just a guess/gamble against something that might not be the case or actually happen.
Thanks. I’m now making arrangements in case we have to drive. I’m booking a hotel for a night along the way. I’m booking AK for the end of our week in WDW. It is currently our first day, but will have to scrap that if we have to drive.
Yes, I’ve considered that. I’ll have to see what the reports are coming out of the parks the week we are to leave. My plane tickets are fully refundable and I’ll only lose $200 from the Disney vacation package if I cancel that.
People need to educate themselves from the source, and not just listen to the media.