There’s a Great Big Beautiful Tomorrow…
For months, I’ve been daydreaming about our return to a mostly-normal day at Walt Disney World (literally since putting together Our 2021 WDW Bucket List). Unlike most of our totally-spontaneous visits, this one was meticulously planned.
It would involve staying at Beach Club. We’d do breakfast at Cape May Cafe, rope drop Disney’s Hollywood Studios, do MuppetVision 3D and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, lunch at Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant, then head back to the resort to float around the lazy river in Stormalong Bay for a couple hours, dinner at Yachtsman Steakhouse, see Impressions de France, and end the night with a post-show stroll around World Showcase.
This perfect-day plan obviously made a lot of assumptions, the main being that we wouldn’t be fully vaccinated until late May. Second, due to that timeline, Beach Club would be open and along with it, most restaurants between those two resorts. The best laid plans of the Mouse and humans often go awry…
In this case, things not going as planned was a change for the better. We were able to get fully vaccinated much earlier than anticipated, and scrambled to revise our plans as a result. Unfortunately, Beach Club management didn’t get the memo and that hotel did not move forward its scheduled May 30, 2021 reopening date.
Before we get started into the substance, I want to start with a couple of prefatory notes. First, this is a rambling one. The post changed dramatically from conceptualization (a fancy term for me finding a way to justify something fun I want to do/eat) to publication, and it probably shows.
Second, part of our intent with this post is sharing our personal return to normal-ish and rationale for that. This is a continuation of our post-reopening reports, in which we’ve offered thoughts on our risk tolerance and mitigation efforts, what we were or were not comfortable doing, and the bases for our decisions. Some of readers have found this useful, others not so much.
To be abundantly clear, we are not passing judgment on those who have taken or will take a different approach than us–and that goes in both directions. There’s more than enough shaming on the internet and in the real world, none of it is productive, and all of it ignores personal needs and unique individual circumstances.
For us, the vaccines are a complete game changer–miracles of modern medical research. Hesitancy was always going to exist, but the biggest disappointment in the last few months has been the exacerbation of that caused by baseless pessimism and unforced errors in public health messaging. But I digress.
At this point, we are comfortable doing anything we would’ve done in January of last year. We’ve read enough credible studies about real world efficacy, likelihood of infection and transmission (or rather, lack thereof), comparative risk analyses, and commentary from respected epidemiologists. It should go without saying, but we’ll still follow face mask and physical distancing rules or mandates where those exist. Life is otherwise largely back to normal for us as two fully vaccinated adults without kids.
We are excited to once again dine indoors, go to the movie theater and gym (“excited” is the wrong word for the latter one), and most importantly, travel. We’ll be doing that soon with post-vaccinated vacations (I’m not using the obnoxious buzzword that combines those two v-words) to see my parents for the first time in over a year, attend a wedding, and visit California.
This is the most excited I’ve ever been to do any of those things. Of course, none of these activities are no-risk, but literally nothing is in life.
To kick things off and make up for lost time, we decided to start by planning the “perfect” day at Walt Disney World. It was a comedy of errors. The initial plan was not going to work, so we called an audible. It wasn’t even a last minute change of plans–but it was inside 60 days.
It turns out that Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater is impossible to book for a party of 2 (perhaps literally) inside the 60 day ADR window. Even being flexible on days, there were absolutely no options. In general, ADRs are really difficult to score right now. If you’re looking last minute, hope you like Spice Road Table or the least-popular restaurants at Disney Springs!
We thus changed approaches and opted to visit DHS a couple days, hoping for a walk-up waitlist opening. This was an exercise in futility. Similar scenarios played out with other restaurants, but I won’t bore you with the details of our misadventures with ADRs. Suffice to say, we are very ready for more restaurants to reopen and capacity constraints to be relaxed.
We also learned just how much we love MuppetVision, and it turns out the answer is “not enough to wait in line outside for 45 minutes on a hot day.” We will surrender our Muppet fan creds if you insist, but for what it’s worth, there’s almost nothing we’ll wait 45 minutes to do. A lot of the shows we love in part because they’re easy, no-wait midday breaks now have longer waits due to physical distancing–and because long lines are a self-fulfilling prophecy.
For our second attempt at the elusive perfect day, it appeared the stars were going to align, with the Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover serendipitously reopening during a previously-planned day at Magic Kingdom. However, that did not happen. Sadly, the power of positive thinking was not enough. Perhaps next time we’ll try to harness the power of the Tomorrowland palm trees.
But enough with the negatives. Although we didn’t have a single perfect day, we did have several a couple great ones in this quest. We did several favorite attractions, enjoyed leisurely days and evenings in the park, did a long afternoon coffee break in the Imagination lounge, and had a great time with old friends.
It was great seeing all of our favorites again after over a year. Happy to confirm that Carousel of Progress, Country Bear Jamboree, American Adventure, and Impressions de France are all still fantastic.
This is very much an overdue and probably irrelevant report, but Walt Disney World also did a great job of physical distancing in the pre-show or holding areas, and the theaters themselves.
While we’re fine having erred on the side of caution, in hindsight, we probably would’ve been fine to do any of these shows previously given the protocol in place and their duration. There’s also presumably some sort of air filtration or refreshing going on in each so they don’t smell or feel stagnant.
In the case of Impressions de France, there was also the reality that hardly anyone else was in the theater. (This was actually mildly worrying when it comes to that show’s future. It’s a good thing that Beauty and the Beast Sing-Along is an abomination.)
Our first meal ended up being dinner at Topolino’s Terrace. This was actually the last restaurant at which we dined indoors, eating there on the resort’s reopening day last June before learning more about indoor v. outdoor transmission. It was nevertheless surreal to eat inside a full restaurant–last time, there was only one other party in the entire place.
Surreal, yet very comfortable. For many people, there’s an understandable fear or anxiety about reacclimating into society and certain activities. That is not the case for us at all. There’s a brief moment of awe that we’re able to do something again so soon, followed by a near-instant feeling of familiarity. In addition to being our first indoor meal, Topolino’s Terrace ended up being our first concert, with a symphony of flavors dancing on our taste buds in delightful harmony. But more on that very soon in our long-overdue Topolino’s Terrace dinner review.
Our next meal was at Via Napoli with our friends Jenny and Adam, the brains behind the smash sensation, Burke Head Toys. We have been dreaming of this pizza for months now, to the point that maybe we built it up in our heads a bit too much and were setting ourselves up for disappointment.
Nope, not the case at all. Via Napoli still exceeded the hype. After some initial hesitation, we ordered the Carciofi Pizza, which is our go-to at Via Napoli. It was as amazing as ever. This white pizza with artichoke, fontina, mozzarella, and truffle oil may not sound as exciting as the meat-centric pies, but I promise, it is glorious. If you only take one thing away from this post, it should be to take a chance on the Carciofi Pizza.
Now that we’ve imparted this post’s sole piece of wisdom, it’s probably a good place to wrap the rambling up. Hopefully, our quest for a perfect day illustrates and reiterates a couple of things.
First, chasing perfection at Walt Disney World is a fool’s errand that only leads to disappointment. You have to roll with the punches and adapt. Almost nothing in our “perfect” day went as originally planned, and yet we unwittingly had amazing experiences surpassing what we envisioned.
Second, there really is a great big beautiful tomorrow. I know that sounds cliche, but it’s true. Back when the parks reopened, I waxed poetic about how meaningful that was after a tough few months, and how we had a newfound appreciation for Walt Disney World. Additionally, how your next trip—whenever that might be—will similarly just feel different. More special. More cherished. And it won’t be about what Disney does or does not do—it’ll be about you.
That’s all still true. For us, this was a continuation of that; another big milestone in our personal return to normalcy, even if it’s something we could’ve done for months at Walt Disney World. This isn’t to say that you should plan a trip ASAP for summer and unquestioningly accept the compromises that visiting currently entails–going right now definitely is not for everyone. It’s more to point out that when it comes to visiting Walt Disney World, a lot of the meaning and happiness comes from within.
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Thoughts on our quest for a “perfect” day at Walt Disney World? Are you eagerly awaiting your next vacation ‘escape’ to Walt Disney World or elsewhere, or still apprehensive about traveling? Looking forward to more normalcy in the parks and life in general? Will you be attempting to visit Walt Disney World this summer or fall, or are you waiting until 2022 or beyond? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
Tom, thanks for such a positive post! I really enjoyed it. Re SciFi Dine-in theater ADRs, we got an ADR for two during Spring break, but it only popped up two days beforehand and we’d originally booked it for three people (then one of our party couldn’t make it). Our strategy (inspired by you) is to wait for Disney to send those two-day-out reminder emails (i.e., do you really want to keep this reservation or do you want to risk the cancellation fee?). Once those emails go out, we’ll briefly see a lot more ADRs pop up. Since we rarely book our trips “within the window,” this is our go-to strategy. It doesn’t always work, but it works often enough. 😉
Thanks, Tom for responding to all of us. Kind of like being on a rock star’s speed dial.
I LOVE this post, Tom! My family had its own week of “great big beautiful tomorrows” the beginning of April. Being back in our happy place after a year or so was exactly what we needed! We all felt nostalgic and sappy and silly and all the emotions every single day! We did things we don’t usually do (mini golf anyone?) and it was amazing! I missed having a week full of ADRs, but the ones we did have were tasty and fit with our plan for traveling as vaccinated parents with two unvaccinated kids. We made the most of it, and I would go back tomorrow if I could! So glad you enjoyed your perfect not perfect Disney days and so thankful for your blog and all the info you share! (My husband says thanks for the tips to score ROTR boarding passes…we rode it twice!)
Tom -Re: your question about Sci-Fi ADR – there will be three of us. My youngest (20) son is joining us on this trip. I also ate there in December and three of us that time too – his older brother joined on that trip. Although, it was much easier to get ADR’s then.
Tom, just to echo others, I want to say I really like how you note that these are your experiences and advice is based on them AND the published info, and nothing is absolute. Well, except that having a positive experience not only at WDW, but anywhere throughout your life, greatly depends on you and not the Disney CEO, head of Parks, CMs at Guest Services, etc. These trips are expensive for all of us, and letting one or two random things ‘ruin’ your trip is generally on you.
Anyway, I am glad things are opening back up. I REALLY enjoyed being able to go to three places here in one day where masks are optional in this heat. I hope WDW ends the mask mandate sooner rather than later. It was bearable but not much fun in September and we still had a great time. First stay at the Dolphin with our parents was nice. Even though it’s more like a generic commercial hotel, walking to Epcot and DHS was really great. In January this year it wasn’t as bad and we had a great time, just my brother and I staying at BLT on rented DVC points. Except for the Moonshine Express (aka Peoplemover) and WDWRR being down STILL, and really dumb hours for food options at resorts… We had some great meals at California Grill, Liberty Tree Tavern, Yak n Yeti, etc. I even suckered myself into buying not one but two Legacy lightsabers and the discounted blades for my collection.
With DL set to reopen soon, I am looking forward to work trips to L.A. so I can go there again, even without the Matterhorn running.
Carciofi Pizza. I knew there was something I liked about you, Tom.
May 17th will be our first trip back since March 2020 just prior to the shutdown. So looking forward to our fully vaccinated, great big beautiful…week!
I’ll be honest: I wavered a bit and part of me wanted the Piccante Pizza when I saw that pass by our table. Sarah pushed for the Carciofi (what we usually order) and she was 100% right!
Always enjoy your posts. I must confess I had a Margherita Pizza at Via Napoli and it came with 4 small pieces of Basil. I spoke with the manager who couldn’t have been nicer, apologizing and then supplying me with enough basil for several pies.
My wife’s food was great but the wait for the food to arrive was incredibly long. I think this was my second worst dining experience out of the many restaurants we’ve eaten at over the last three years. That said I witnessed the manager cleaning the tables & chairs after people left and I had to compliment him before we left. Seeing the way they cleaned was so reassuring.
As to your claim of childlessness, who is that youngster in the floating baby carriage? He has your nose!
For what it’s worth, Via Napoli is notorious for “spotty” service. It’s not something we normally address in WDW restaurant reviews because service is usually all over the place, but our full Via Napoli review actually has a note about it: https://www.disneytouristblog.com/via-napoli-review/
Our service this time was absolutely fantastic and our wait for the food was short. Our server did a great job, even though she (and everyone else working) was clearly stretched too thin.
I enjoyed the report! For a variety of reasons, any joy in travel will likely be vicarious for me for now. It makes other peoples’ adventures even more fun to read about.
Hopefully we can provide some vicarious entertainment! 🙂
” There’s a brief moment of awe that we’re able to do something again so soon, followed by a near-instant feeling of familiarity.”
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I actually got a shiver reading that line, because it beautifully encompasses so many of the feelings I’ve had over the past year. I can’t count how many dreams I had where I was doing something that had been regular for me (attending a convention, going on a cruise) when suddenly I would realize no one was wearing a mask. Undoubtedly the impacts of the past year will be felt like this in small ways for the indefinite tomorrow, but…that just makes all the bits we cherish all the more poignant.
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Unrelated to the above but related to the post in general…I’ve been trying to pick a good month to go to Disneyland and am completely flummoxed. Mid-late summer might be awesome and uncrowded if no AP have been restored, but it might be worth it to wait for September and get some Halloween fun. Do you have a recommendation?
Sarah has had similar such dreams, or being somewhere and forgetting a mask. I guess for some people that’s the “new” giving a presentation in dream world?
Lots of Disneyland summer recommendations here: https://www.disneytouristblog.com/disneyland-summer-2021-crowd-predictions/
We went in March, going back again in December. Very interested to see when things start opening up more. With the general climate in FL as well as vaccinations increasing daily I would assume that will happen in the very near future. Since we are almost to the 6 month window for the holiday season I am curious to see how that plays out and if they will try and make decisions quicker because of it.
Yeah, for sure. Whatever is going to happen for Halloween and Christmas needs to be set in motion now. I’m optimistic that both will largely be back to normal, although I’d expect a later start to Halloween than normal. We shall see!
Love it 🙂 Do you think they will open up AP’s oncethe florida rsident deal expires mid-June? I’m so sad we let our AP’s expire 6 weeks before closure, and no one will let us have one. We even drove to Disney Spring’s Welcome Center and they said they were given a hard-line “no” for perople who expired before March 18th or whatever.
I think there’s a good chance APs return once capacity restrictions are dramatically relaxed or lifted entirely. That could happen by mid-June, but I don’t think it’ll be tied to the Florida resident ticket deal.
Thanks, Tom. We go in August and are still very hopeful and excited that it will be a great trip. We are hoping for some relaxed measure by the time we go (last week in August). We will see and will hope to have a great time no matter what!
Great read Tom! We have found that perfect WDW days are usually those that don’t go as planned but turn out great anyway. Topolinos for the win! We have reservations there for dinner and breakfast on our trip in June (also have Sci-Fi Diner)
If you don’t mind me asking, how many people are on your Sc-Fi ADR? Not because I plan on crashing it, but because I have a suspicion they don’t do ADRs for 2.
“see my parents for the first time in over a year”.
Very happy for you and your parents. We lost my Dad a couple weeks before the pandemic started. A couple weeks into the pandemic my Mom decided it was worth the risk to see each other because the cost of isolation was too high. My wife’s a nurse, so we were always at high risk of transmitting to my Mom. I’m not smart enough/don’t have a strong enough command of the written word to articulate the relief I felt when my Mom was vaccinated and that constant threat of getting her sick had subsided. What a reduction in stress.
“chasing perfection at Walt Disney World is a fool’s errand that only leads to disappointment”
True not only for Disney, but life! Plan ahead, work hard, and give yourself a chance to succeed. After that, you just have to let the chips fall where they may and enjoy things.
That should have said “see my parents *and grandma* for the first time in over a year.”
Can’t fault you for making that decision. My grandpa passed away in November 2019, so the pandemic was especially difficult for her. She, my parents, and uncle had to make similar difficult decisions. It was easier when the weather was nice last spring and summer, but not so much with winter in Michigan. They ultimately cancelled Thanksgiving, but did a small and short Christmas with the windows open.
Suffice to say, when they all got their vaccine appointments lined up–after many headaches in their state–it was a huge relief. Even bigger than getting mine.
Thank you for your reasoned approach to risk management. It gives me hope when there is a logical voice in the media when most outlets are 100% one way or the other. Relative risk is a topic that I wish was taught or discussed more often!
Thanks for the kind words. Unfortunately, polarization and reinforcing preconceived beliefs is what sells among a large swath of the media. I’d like to think that there’s still room for middle ground, but sometimes it feels like that just pisses off everyone because it doesn’t conform with what either “side” believes.
Sci fi for 2.. it is impossible… but if you try with 3 people you could have a better luck
Thanks for the blog.. I enjoy your rationality and pragmatic point of view
That’s sort of what I thought…but I also thought Sci-Fi was doing waitlist availability for 2. Maybe they stopped doing even that, because I haven’t seen it in a while.
Sounds like a perfect theoretical day at WDW! Good luck with Sci Fi. I drop into dining reservations periodically just for fun. Since reopening, I’ve only seen Sci Fi availablity a few times. It is getting to be one of the hardest tickets in town. Think it will get better as we return to more normal capacity for seating at Sci Fi?
“Think it will get better as we return to more normal capacity for seating at Sci Fi?”
Yeah. I think it’s entirely due to the fact that their seating is not conducive to physical distancing, and it’s not a simple matter of moving tables around like at other restaurants.
Sounds great. Like you, we’re missing our usual places and meals, but we’ve made plans for the fall, when we hope things will be more back to normal. Still hoping to stay at the Beach Club, but for now, they don’t have availability.
Hi Tom,
Thanks for your great site.
Have reservations for WDW for May 29, and still wondering weghy it will take place, because we live in Spain.
We have had our vaccines, and are happy to abide by restrictions. What do you reckon we have a chance of coming.
Regards
Geoff Buxton.
W
At this point, it looks like there will be travel between the EU and US this summer, but the specifics are still being ironed out. I wouldn’t expect it by late May, but your guess is as good as mine.
I always appreciate the practicality to whatever topic you are blogging about Disney. Regardless if someone agrees or disagree with your approach on life post-vaccination, you represent your views with logic and why it works for you. That’s all anyone can ask for in a blog- fairly represent your reality and possibly others can learn from your experiences on how they might be able to move forward with more confidence.
Maybe 2022 will be a return to Disney for us, time will tell. We are holding on out on Disney bringing back offerings that have been eliminated and a reduction in health restrictions. Until then, there are plenty of other great vacations out there to enjoy!
Thanks for the kind words! I don’t expect anyone to agree with me–people can look at the same facts and draw different conclusions about what level of risk, etc., is tolerable for them.