I’ve really lost it this time — should I go to Canada?

Walt Disney World
1

Buckle up.

I was browsing YouTube for something to watch before I went to bed and it recommended a channel called ResortTV1. I’m sure you all know it. They were live streaming their day in MK. I started watching just as they were starting Splash Mountain.

I felt a range of emotions. Mostly bitterness and rage. I thought about writing another one of my ranty posts about the dumb US travel ban and how much I hate you all and how none of you gets it.

But then a thought occurred to me. I actually have a WDW trip on the books in October — remember? It’s a fantasy, of course, because we all know I won’t be able to go.

Unless I spend two weeks in Canada.

There are three considerations.

First: practicality. Is it possible to fly from London to — what? — Toronto, camp out there for two weeks, then fly to Orlando, take my trip, and finally fly back home to the UK. Do the rules allow it? Is there a risk of getting stuck somewhere because they won’t let me fly because the rules suddenly, or I catch COVID, or something? Provided I stay somewhere with decent WIFI, there’s no problem with working. I can see all my students (during the Canada portion of the proceedings).

Second: cost. A very quick scan of flights and hotels / airbnb suggests that this is not going to be cheap. At all. I mean, I can find the money. But would it be crazy to spend really quite a lot of it on doing this?

Third: Calvin. I’d be abandoning him for three weeks.

I’m totally in two minds about this. On the one hand I’m thinking — you’re probably thinking — this is the stupidest thing anyone’s every said on these forums and I should be banned and probably sectioned.

But on the other hand I’m thinking, life’s too short, strike while the iron’s hot, seize the day, etc. And — does this make me sound spoilt? — maybe I need this for my mental health. You spoilt American types don’t know what it’s like. I feel like I’m in jail. Sure, I could go to DLP tomorrow if I really wanted. But it’s not the same, damn it. And they don’t have the fireworks.

I’ve felt quite down for quite a while now. The cruise didn’t solve it. It was a distraction from everyday life but it wasn’t a tonic. Watching that ResortTV1 stuff reminded me how I feel when I’m in WDW. Nowhere else is like that for me. And for you ragtag rabble of enablers. Maybe it’ll be good for my mental health if not my pocket book.

Obviously I’m not rushing in to anything, though I don’t have a whole lot of time if I am going to do it. I’ll sleep on it. See how I feel tomorrow.

But I’m interested in all your thoughts. Will you be my enablers? Or will you talk me off the ledge?

9 Likes
2

Ok so I’m normally the enabler type, but this time, no. Mainly bc you were ready to get home to Calvin at the end of your cruise and this would be 3 times that long. Plus I have been to WDW (really not trying to rub it in) and it is not the same. Really. It’s not. Could you have a fine time? Absolutely. But is not what you remembered and love. I think you would regret wasting the time and money and spending 2 weeks doing basically nothing in the great white north (unless you want to spend even MORE money). I completely understand your desire to get there at all costs, but I truly think you would be doing yourself a disservice by not waiting until you can plan a proper holiday. And this is coming from 1 solo traveller to another. It’s a little less magical now, especially being solo. Hopefully Biden’s new mandates will speed up vaccination progress here and we’ll open up to you before year end. :heart:

12 Likes
3

Do you mean quarantining in Canada, stuck in your hotel room, or actually being able to go do fun stuff in Canada?

4

I think (I’d need to check) that I’d be free to do what I wanted in Canada. I’m definitely not interested in being quarantined in a hotel.

The dumb US rule is that you can’t enter the US if you’ve been in the UK (or the EU) during the previous 14 days.

1 Like
5

As long as your vaccinated you are free to do what you want.

2 Likes
6

My initial instinct was to say that if I don’t go in October, I can’t go until basically next August. I guess that’s not necessarily true. I could go in December. If the US opens up.

There are reasons to go in October that don’t necessarily apply in December. A friend of mine will be there at the time, for example.

2 Likes
7

Make it a longer trek and visit them wherever they are? Our country is gigantic with lots to see and do you know.

8

Just playing out the worst case scenario so you are aware - you will need a negative covid test to enter the US. If you tested positive, you would need to quarantine in Canada for two weeks instead of going to Disney, and also extending out your trip an additional week.

1 Like
9

I like the idea in theory and if it works, I will be very happy to follow along. However, I think you will experience serious buyer’s remorse after dropping that much on the two week stay in Canada. WDW is wonderful, maybe the best place to vacation, but you can never get enough and you’ll instantly want more. You’d be better off waiting till you can come free and clear, which I honestly don’t think will be much longer once delta abates. :crossed_fingers:

6 Likes
10

You people are the worst enablers ever.

6 Likes
11

I am imagine this turning into a story similar to the Tom Hanks movie, The Terminal.

As much as I wish circumstances would allow your return to the magic of WDW, I think this idea is not the best one.

You have, in the past, extolled to us how many great places there are to see and do outside if the USA. Why not take this time period and do a REAL World Showcase tour for us? Trip reports and all. In the very least, the countries you are allowed to visit that are from Epcot’s WS…maybe Italy, Germany, France (well, you did that one for us already), Norway, etc.

Just a thought.

9 Likes
12

Keep it together. You can do it.
Save the $$ you would have spent in Canada to extend your WDW trip when the borders open. Canada is crazy expensive (compared to US.)
Save the $$ and do an OVER THE TOP trip to WDW.

5 Likes
13

And here I was thinking: can you bring Calvin with you? If so, and you have the money, and you have a desire to explore Canada a bit, why not?! But then, I’m a true enabler unlike these other folks who were pathetic at their responses….

6 Likes
14

I have Brazilian friends who spent 2 weeks in Mexico on their way back to the US. They were US residents, who needed to travel to Brazil for family reasons, and, not being citizens or green card holders, couldn’t enter the US directly after being in Brazil. They had a nice, relaxing, resort stay near Cancun. So, it is possible. But I wouldn’t recommend it for WDW, especially now, when G+ is getting started and we don’t know the system’s details, Tron and GotG haven’t opened yet, and transatlantic flights are still awful.

1 Like
15

He can take Calvin in a European theme park circuit - Efteling, Phantasialand, Europa Park!

Dogs welcome in both Europa Park and Phantasialand, and there is a day care for them at Efteling’s door.

1 Like
16

My neighbor (who is Canadian) recently got back from visiting her parents near Toronto, after the borders being completely closed for a year and a half. She said the process of crossing the border was something of a nightmare and took hours. Much more difficult going to Canada from the U.S. than the other way around. Flying certainly will be easier than driving, but my concern is getting back to Toronto or Montreal to fly back home. Right now I’d worry about getting stuck in some crappy airport hotel for days/weeks. The border is kinda open, but not really open. :unamused:

1 Like
17

I’m going to go against the grain here and say that if you’re really thinking about doing this, have you considered Mexico instead of Canada?
There’s a UK YouTuber I follow named Noel Phillips, and he’s an aviation fan who flies all over the world. He just recently did this exact thing via Mexico and the procedure was painless.

I’m not going to tell you not to do it because only you know your mental state and you’re a grown up. If you really think this would be beneficial and you could make it work, I say life is too damn short to be what ifing forever. Not trying to be mean here, but you don’t have a lot of the things that get in the way of most people doing bucket list things.
So I say go for it if it really makes you happy.

8 Likes
18

That is true. Mexico is still much cheaper. Flights might be more expensive.

2 Likes
19

Also: Cancún October Weather, Average Temperature (Mexico) - Weather Spark

1 Like
20

These are just some additional thoughts, inspired by some of the comments people have made.

First, it has to be WDW. I’m not interested in going anywhere else. There is something unique and special about WDW. It has a resonance with me that nowhere else has. It’s that or nothing. At this stage.

Second, a different-to-last-time WDW is still WDW. I don’t care about the death of FPP, or G+ or LL. Main Street is still there. The Castle is still there (and much improved). The Tree of Life is still there. And if I have to wait 90 mins for FOP, then so be it. I’ve never used the standby line before. Though I’ve walked through it during an After Hours event and it’s awesome. Rushing from one attraction to another is something I keep promising myself I’ll stop doing. And there are worse places you could spend an hour and a half. And once you’re done, you get to eat at Satu’li.

Third, it’s occurred to me that really the only consideration is Calvin. If he weren’t a factor (in the sense that if he didn’t exist) then I would do this for sure. It wouldn’t be that hard of a call, to be honest. It’d be an adventure.

Fourth, the routing (for the Canada plan) would be London – Toronto – Orlando – Manchester. In other words, I would not return via Canada.

Fifth, Mexico scares me. But if I looked into it more it might be attractive. I would want a city that flies direct to Orlando. Is that a thing? But as I type this I realise that I’d be paying for my flights with Virgin Atlantic flight credit. I looked into it last night and Air France flies to Toronto and is part of the Virgin Atlantic grouping so the routing I’ve indicated is a thing for them. I don’t know how Mexico would work. Maybe it would.

Sixth, how this got started was just my feeling that I can react to YouTube videos about WDW (and, for that matter, Touring Plans threads about WDW) by getting bitter and angry and resentful and ranting about the travel ban, or I can actually do something about it. It occurred to me that the ranting thing doesn’t really work because I don’t even know what response I want. I have this sophomoric sense that you people don’t get what it’s like to be locked out of WDW. Many of you have taken trips in the last year, some more than one. From my perspective I see no logical reason why I’m still locked out. What can any of you say that’s going to make me feel better? I’m not sure there is anything. If a plant needs watering, it needs water. Not kind words.

Seventh, I feel like I am less likely to do this than I was yesterday. You have all put me off a bit. But it’s mostly Calvin. I’ve never been away from him this long. I can handle it, it’s whether he can. And whether it’s fair to him.

2 Likes