How does using a USA TA work out?

[Plague]

Will that be through the MDE app, or the web page?

I think either, but when I last used it I think the app redirected me to a webpage anyway. They are still refining it, so expect to be puzzled.

Also, am I right in thinking you can park hop to anywhere (after 2pm?), so long as it's not full?

Yes, but you MUST have entered your Park Pass park for that day first.
Eg, you have a park pass for MK but things go awry in the morning and you decide to go straight to Epcot at 2pm ... Nope, not allowed. You have to go into MK first.

1, I am sure tipping is still huge in the states. I can't even remember the last time I handled cash because everything changed with Covid. I take it there's no non cash way to tip over there?

Given the time hospitality staff have had, and are still having really, I'm tipping more than I used to.
As over here some card machines will give an option to tip, but I usually use cash again for that now.
Anywhere that is card only should have that facility anyway.

2, What do people do if they get a positive covid test at the last minute? Do Disney refund covid cancellations, or are we able to move dates?

From what I can see in the Disney UK T&Cs there is no specific provision now. You'd certainly be outside any cancellation windows, so it would probably be down to their mercy about any refund or date changes.
Travel insurance is an absolute must (at least until the US stops asking for tests).

 

[MichelinMan]

Thanks, I see your points!
We tend to get more done in the morning, return to resort for a break and then take it easier in the afternoon/evening. So I'm hoping we're ok with this. My concern is making plans for the afternoon that don't play out if they fill up...

See that's the thing - I haven't heard of any parks being full so that people can't get into the park they want to parkhop to in an afternoon. Which says to me that the parks aren't really full - in which case, why have the system in the first place? Universal manages well enough without reservations. I'm looking forward to my stay at Universal much more than my Disney stay - one reason why I knocked 2 days off my Disney stay, and booked an extra 5 days at Cabana Bay instead.

 

[Sundancer UK]

See that's the thing - I haven't heard of any parks being full so that people can't get into the park they want to parkhop to in an afternoon. Which says to me that the parks aren't really full - in which case, why have the system in the first place? Universal manages well enough without reservations. I'm looking forward to my stay at Universal much more than my Disney stay - one reason why I knocked 2 days off my Disney stay, and booked an extra 5 days at Cabana Bay instead.

I've been wondering this myself, but I guess they have their reasons.
I figured the reservation thing might be because of locals or people with annual passes, who are maybe the less predictable park users.
Maybe Disney knowing numbers in advance helps them to steer resources in the right direction? I have no idea!

 

[mamamia2005]

We didn't have any trouble park hopping at Christmas / new year. Admittedly, we didn't try on Christmas eve, Christmas day, NYE or new years day. But the parks were plenty busy enough the other days anyway.

I would like park reservations to go away. It puts more pressure on the hard to get ADR's if you've already locked in your park reservations and don't want to risk cancelling them.

 

[Sundancer UK]

We didn't have any trouble park hopping at Christmas / new year. Admittedly, we didn't try on Christmas eve, Christmas day, NYE or new years day. But the parks were plenty busy enough the other days anyway.

I would like park reservations to go away. It puts more pressure on the hard to get ADR's if you've already locked in your park reservations and don't want to risk cancelling them.

Thanks for this date information! I'm hoping to be there the first two weeks of December. I agree with you on the ADRs being an extra complication. As if Disney wasn't complicated enough years ago!

 

[MichelinMan]

I've been wondering this myself, but I guess they have their reasons.
I figured the reservation thing might be because of locals or people with annual passes, who are maybe the less predictable park users.
Maybe Disney knowing numbers in advance helps them to steer resources in the right direction? I have no idea!

This is 100% about Disney wanting to control where people are to help them with their resource planning.