It seemed for the longest time for our December trip we were gradually seeing everything taken away. But recently, some small bits of positive news has come about.
I already detailed the kindness of @PrincipalTinker in another thread, but she allowed us to stay a night at Bay Lake which actually further allowed us to have a more relaxed drop with a non park day.
The return of school bread in Norway, which had need at the top of my wife’s list of snack items to try.
The egg roll cart has opened in MK! This was also something we had planned to try before COVID shut things down.
Found out yesterday The Lunching Pad is opening back up, and the cream cheese pretzel is on the menu! Yet another snack item to try!
Park hours for a few of our days have been extended. Two of our Epcot days, and one of our MK days. (Well, technically two of our MK days…the the first MK day we will be over at DS during the time of the extra hour.)
The wait list for Via Napoli had come through a few days ago, which is part of a different thread.
The wait list for our last night at Boardwalk Villas for the 1 bedroom DVC rental came through, replacing our direct Disney booked night in the same location. This saved us an additional $160, which helps to cover the added cost of food and plane ticket price difference for adding Bay Lake to front end of our trip.
So, what are the little positives you have seen amid all the negatives for your upcoming trip?
-We upgraded to yacht club. Never would have happened if not for COVID delaying our trip. This means we don’t have to rent a car to get to HS. This means we can try food places we never would have tried. This means we get to hang out at the Boardwalk. And we get to do it all for less money than our original accommodation.
-we got to add an extra day onto our trip since when we rescheduled our COVID flight, they said there weren’t any seats available at our price on our original departure day (I still find that hard to believe but it’s fine)
-also excited about Lunching Pad pretzels and Cheeseburger Egg Rolls
-I got my long lost reservation for Oga’s this morning
-park hours extended
Still my greatest disappointment is that I won’t get to do MFSR and RotR (assuming a BG) with DH. I’ll get over it, but probably not until we get to Disney
The train ride to Rafiki’s is open for our trip. DD18 has wanted to ride this for a while, but it’s always been closed.
All the Halloween things that are usually reserved for parties are available for regular attendees (over 14 year olds wearing costumes, merch, characters, food)
We were gifted passes by someone who will remain nameless.
Frozen Singalong opened back up
QS in Germany opened back up and is selling grapefruit beer
Oh! I love this! I have calendar reminders set to book a trip at 11 months, and to change a night a 7. It has been so long since that has happened!
Also…this thread…my next trip is booked at least three nights at BWV (the first time I am actually going to use those points) with my sister in 254 days! Really, I am not stalking you @OBNurseNH!
I added 2 days to my trip in November, because my brother booked a trip to Universal for Thanksgiving Week - and after they closed Volcano Bay, he said he would come to Magic Kingdom for the day- so I get to surprise my 6 year old niece!
It will be my first on-site stay. AoA. We are already figuring out the ins and outs of when to take Lyft vs Bus vs Skyliner. Will be my first trip without a rental car too.
Such a great thread! My biggest is my DH and I were booked at the Polynesian for our December anniversary trip. When they announced they wouldn’t be open we had to move. Discounts were announced at the same time and we were able to move to GF for less money! I have always wanted to stay there so it’s made this trip so much better!
If my sister backs out I will find someone else to join me (my son is always willing to make that sacrifice). Only 4 nights- BWV and TBD but we are also watching the new Universal coaster opening date.
I got to use DVC points for a 3 night stay at BCV so I got to explore and enjoy walking Crescent Lake area, Storm-along bay, and the walk to HS and Epcot
I don’t love the parades, and hate having to plan around the closure routes and crowds, it was wonderful not to have to.
Related, I remember when characters would appear throughout the parks, not just at the end of long meet and greet lines. I love seeing characters in the parks, not in staged sets only
mobile ordering and mobile TS check-in is fantastic
space between parties in queues – please let’s keep something of that!
New security entry procedures are a breeze
I likely will think of more, and agree with many I’m seeing posted here!
I mean, same. Ten whole days is going to be amaaaaazing.
Stupid covid canceled two of our trips this year and @Keith718 and I are counting the days until our March trip, hoping things are slightly better then. And we’ve been planning the rest of our 2021 trips to use the points we couldn’t use this year.
My good news is that in a world without COVID, we would not have gone to WDW in August. My older daughter had been bugging me to go, but I really didn’t want to go in summer and that seemed like the only time we could make it work for the family due to conflicting school schedules. With so many things we had planned off the table and DD20’s college going online for fall, I decided to spontaneously book a trip to the World. I’m so glad we did it, heat and all.
With some options unavailable, it’s much easier for me to make decisions! As the sole planner of the trip, it’s nice to avoid decision fatigue.
Trying out places to eat that would have been our second choice previously, so we may not have gotten around to eating there before. I got to check out a lot of menus and get excited about places I hadn’t considered before!
Cavalcades sound delightful and I’m so glad I can skip waiting in a 40 minute line to see certain characters (ahem, Anna and Elsa) because we can legitimately tell the kids they aren’t there It’s going to free up a lot of time!
Lower crowds all around = more space for stroller parking, to stop and enjoy the sights, and a better chance at getting our room request
We will be there around Xmas, and I’m relieved that there’s no MVMCP. It was a rain out for us last year and it’s nice to not have to debate if we should try it again (plus a nice $$ savings).
Getting to experience a little magic and support a place that makes us happy in a time when we need some magic and support more than ever
So Happy for this thread.
