eleven24
DVC AKV 2007
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2008
Considering I've been reading these boards to determine whether or not to go, I thought I'd post my thoughts & planning beforehand as well as my experience having been there afterward. ALL of these considerations are being made based on limiting COVID exposure.
Original trip planned for 18 year old son as his HS graduation trip in July 2020 at BLT. Canceled that trip because of COVID concerns 4 weeks prior to check-in date. Rescheduled for January 3rd to 8th, again at BLT.
///// PRE TRIP /////
RESORT: Chose Bay Lake Tower as it is a very short walk from front lobby to MK. That removes a lot of potential travel to/from parks amid COVID and MK is easily our favorite park. The thought here is that around park opening & closing is when the demand is greatest for transportation. Even if considering that the busses are safe, the COVID restrictions will mean less people per bus and more waiting for busses. Being able to walk removes any of those considerations. Our park pass schedule is MK, MK, HS, AK, MK and then MK again the morning we leave. The hope is that after 2pm we can park hop to another park and avoid any long wait for a bus. If not, there are worse things than to be stuck at MK.
AIR TRAVEL: Upgraded our seats to first class from Philadelphia to Orlando as it guarantees we won't be sitting next to anyone we do not know. Total cost to upgrade was $380 total for both, round trip. For the airport/flight it will be N95 masks. Otherwise, we both have UnderArmour sport masks.
PACKING: This is our annual "guys" trip with just me and my son where we typically limit to just a backpack and carryon. While this is something we do every year, this time it will provide a means to avoid exposure as we won't have to deal with checked luggage. Being able to pack this light is only possible with DVC and a room with a washer/dryer. 3 days worth of clothes each, washing something each night. No checked luggage also means all liquids have to be in carryon and subject to restrictions. With COVID, TSA now permits 8oz of sanitizer - so we'll both have that as well as sanitizing wipes.
MEALS: Avoiding inside sit down eating. Will stick to outside and/or "on the run" eating in the parks (where you can find a place to stand and eat). Also ordered a considerable amount of food from gardengrocer.com. This is where having the kitchen at a DVC resort will allow us to eat actual food at our room. Having a MK heavy schedule means that at any point we can be back in our room in 10 minutes to eat, all while avoiding transportation.
PARK GEAR: Typically, when just the 2 of us we don't bring anything to the park with us. Truly, a liberating feeling as opposed to being with the whole family and carting backpacks around all day. This time it's a small backpack with sanitizing wipes, water bottles and food we can eat while moving as our typical dining favorites will be skipped this trip.
RETURN HOME: Quarantine in house (even if that involves just wearing a mask in house) around other family members for 2-3 days, then get tested. Test results should be available 23-36 hours afterward.
Is this an ideal Disney vacation? Hardly. There won't be dining, the park schedule is nowhere near what we'd normally do, and the mask isn't exactly something we want to wear ALL day. Yet that's what is making us want to go. To be able to see (and in some cases document via camera) WDW during this time. Since March we've been listening to the science, wearing the masks, and doing our best to mitigate the risks. All of that has provided me with a better understanding of what it takes to remain safe, and how to stay safe even if around others who are not taking precautions. Is flying to Disney a bigger risk than staying home? Absolutely. Without question.
What I feel though is confident that we can both remain vigilant enough to maintain safe practices - because we've already been doing them for 9 months. Seeing what Disney has done, through YouTube videos as well as other trip reports, has also made me feel more confident in being able to go and be safe.
The other part that has me confident is, well.... it will no longer be 2020. That alone HAS to be worth something, right?
Hopefully others will find this information useful. I will post again when we get back & comment on what we may or may not have planned correctly for.
Original trip planned for 18 year old son as his HS graduation trip in July 2020 at BLT. Canceled that trip because of COVID concerns 4 weeks prior to check-in date. Rescheduled for January 3rd to 8th, again at BLT.
///// PRE TRIP /////
RESORT: Chose Bay Lake Tower as it is a very short walk from front lobby to MK. That removes a lot of potential travel to/from parks amid COVID and MK is easily our favorite park. The thought here is that around park opening & closing is when the demand is greatest for transportation. Even if considering that the busses are safe, the COVID restrictions will mean less people per bus and more waiting for busses. Being able to walk removes any of those considerations. Our park pass schedule is MK, MK, HS, AK, MK and then MK again the morning we leave. The hope is that after 2pm we can park hop to another park and avoid any long wait for a bus. If not, there are worse things than to be stuck at MK.
AIR TRAVEL: Upgraded our seats to first class from Philadelphia to Orlando as it guarantees we won't be sitting next to anyone we do not know. Total cost to upgrade was $380 total for both, round trip. For the airport/flight it will be N95 masks. Otherwise, we both have UnderArmour sport masks.
PACKING: This is our annual "guys" trip with just me and my son where we typically limit to just a backpack and carryon. While this is something we do every year, this time it will provide a means to avoid exposure as we won't have to deal with checked luggage. Being able to pack this light is only possible with DVC and a room with a washer/dryer. 3 days worth of clothes each, washing something each night. No checked luggage also means all liquids have to be in carryon and subject to restrictions. With COVID, TSA now permits 8oz of sanitizer - so we'll both have that as well as sanitizing wipes.
MEALS: Avoiding inside sit down eating. Will stick to outside and/or "on the run" eating in the parks (where you can find a place to stand and eat). Also ordered a considerable amount of food from gardengrocer.com. This is where having the kitchen at a DVC resort will allow us to eat actual food at our room. Having a MK heavy schedule means that at any point we can be back in our room in 10 minutes to eat, all while avoiding transportation.
PARK GEAR: Typically, when just the 2 of us we don't bring anything to the park with us. Truly, a liberating feeling as opposed to being with the whole family and carting backpacks around all day. This time it's a small backpack with sanitizing wipes, water bottles and food we can eat while moving as our typical dining favorites will be skipped this trip.
RETURN HOME: Quarantine in house (even if that involves just wearing a mask in house) around other family members for 2-3 days, then get tested. Test results should be available 23-36 hours afterward.
Is this an ideal Disney vacation? Hardly. There won't be dining, the park schedule is nowhere near what we'd normally do, and the mask isn't exactly something we want to wear ALL day. Yet that's what is making us want to go. To be able to see (and in some cases document via camera) WDW during this time. Since March we've been listening to the science, wearing the masks, and doing our best to mitigate the risks. All of that has provided me with a better understanding of what it takes to remain safe, and how to stay safe even if around others who are not taking precautions. Is flying to Disney a bigger risk than staying home? Absolutely. Without question.
What I feel though is confident that we can both remain vigilant enough to maintain safe practices - because we've already been doing them for 9 months. Seeing what Disney has done, through YouTube videos as well as other trip reports, has also made me feel more confident in being able to go and be safe.
The other part that has me confident is, well.... it will no longer be 2020. That alone HAS to be worth something, right?
Hopefully others will find this information useful. I will post again when we get back & comment on what we may or may not have planned correctly for.