Here Now & Just Back WDW Reopening Experiences Including Park Hopping

[Sarahslay]

Might be the wrong place for it, but thought I'd ask since there is a high concentration of recent visitors here: My youngest DD needs the DAS pass when we go in December, does anyone know if they have changed where you sign up for it in MK (that's always our first park)?

 

[YayforMickey]

Since RnR started at 9:15, but MMRR started closer to 10:00 (according to reports today), this really changes up my plans. I'll be watching closely for the next few days.

 

[HikingFam]

Might be the wrong place for it, but thought I'd ask since there is a high concentration of recent visitors here: My youngest DD needs the DAS pass when we go in December, does anyone know if they have changed where you sign up for it in MK (that's always our first park)?

We did not see the “blue umbrellas” in MK (only in HS and once in Epcot). We were there at the end of September. We got the DAS in City Hall and used it like normal (sans the amazing blue umbrellas).

 

[dachsie]

Rnrc started at 9:15 this morning. We were the first people in the first car

Maybe MMRR was having some issues this morn

 

[lynch34]

The hours will be expanding in Magic Kingdom in November (going to 8 pm). Do folks think that is due to Disney increasing capacity?

 

[Sarahslay]

We did not see the “blue umbrellas” in MK (only in HS and once in Epcot). We were there at the end of September. We got the DAS in City Hall and used it like normal (sans the amazing blue umbrellas).

I've never gone to the blue umbrellas, we always go to City Hall, just didn't know if they had changed it. Thanks!

 

[KingSpeedy]

Looking around, it seems the rides that opened delayed are MMRR (9:45), Frozen (10:45), Soarin (11:00), and Splash (9:00). Other rides are confirmed to have started much earlier, so it could just be regular maintenance that hung them up.

 

[GBRforWDW]

The hours will be expanding in Magic Kingdom in November (going to 8 pm). Do folks think that is due to Disney increasing capacity?

I think it has more to do with allowing people time to enjoy the Christmas and Holiday decorations after dark.

 

[Jenwdwfan]

Does anyone know if it is possible to take Uber/Lyft to one if the resorts on the Skyway line? I was hoping to check out Riviera and Caribbean Beach before heading to DHS. I wasn't sure if that would be allowed. I did try searching this thread, but just keep finding advice about Boardwalk and Swan.
Thank you in advance

 

[disneygirlsng]

Does anyone know if it is possible to take Uber/Lyft to one if the resorts on the Skyway line? I was hoping to check out Riviera and Caribbean Beach before heading to DHS. I wasn't sure if that would be allowed. I did try searching this thread, but just keep finding advice about Boardwalk and Swan.
Thank you in advance

You can, the same thing still applies with having a reservation or mobile order to get in though. Some guards may let you in without it, but it would be better to have something. But I would not do that if you are trying to get to HS for rope drop.

 

[SuJo]

Maybe MMRR was having some issues this morn

They didn’t say there was any problem just said they weren’t starting till 10. They stopped letting people get in line so we weren’t over crowded. Told people to come back at noon because this line would take a while to get through but I could have sworn once we started moving I could see people getting in line. They really tried to keep people from congregating around the ride line. We got in line at 9:15, line started moving around 9:50 and we got on the ride around 10:15.

 

[katyringo]

I’ll share more about today but our expirence at HS of getting here very early just to sit for an hour at railway, but then being able to complete all the headlines rides in the park plus cantina and meals and a few calvacades has me debating skipping the morning rush to MK in the morning. We canceled our second HS day, moved our half AK day to a full day and now have 1.5 days for MK. Debating avoiding the whole morning rush tomorrow and just arriving to MK “late” thoughts? Our only priority there is mine train and calvacades. everything else will be extra fun. And we are willing to wait in line. They move quickly. Would we be totally screwing ourselves to skip rope drop at MK?

 

[MaleficentRN]

Wow so they are starting much later now than previously. Is anyone else there today, and if so, do you know if any other ride started closer to 10:00 as well?

I was there yesterday. We were in line for MMRR at 9:06 and on the ride at 9:40. On Tuesday we were in line for SSD at 9:10 and on the ride at 9:35. We were far from being first in line for rides. When we got in line for the park entrance it was close to being at the walkway from the buses.

 

[hlrubin507]

Just returned from a 4 day trip. We arrived via plane and joined our family at SSR on Thursday. We booked a preferred two bedroom villa for 4 adults and 2 children, and the kind cast member at check-in changed the location of our room to be closer to Disney Springs as we had a couple of dining reservations there. We hung out at the pool, did Rain Forest Cafe at DS for dinner and went to MK the next day. From Congress Park, it only took a few minutes for a bus to arrive, and we pulled up at MK about 22 minutes later. We missed rope drop, and at 9:30 am, the lines were already 45+ minutes for most of the popular rides. Unfortunately, the wait times were accurate. We wanted to do Peter Pan's Flight, but wait times for that were about 60 minutes, so we settled on Small World. The wait time was 45 minutes, and it took about 50 minutes. The entrance is being refurbished or refreshed, and we spent the first 15 to 20 minutes outside in the sun. Next was Winnie the Pooh, and the wait time for that was just about 30 minutes. Got on in about 25 minutes, this line seemed to move much more quickly. By this time, it was around 11:30 am, and people were getting hungry. Mobile order in MK was a little chaotic. We picked a timeframe for Pecos Bill and then placed the order. Once in our time frame, we checked it to let the restaurant know to start preparing our order. It took about 35 minutes from the time we checked in to the time our food was ready to pick up. You can't wait in the restaurant, and cast members were standing at the entrance to make sure people entering were only those whose mobile orders were ready for pick up. This was super tough as it was a little past noon at this point and the group was hot and hangry (temps were in the high 80's)! Finally the food was ready, but half the group decided to take their food to go and eat it while standing in line for another ride. My group decided to stay and enjoyed a descent meal with air conditioning inside Pecos Bill. I would have preferred Columbia Harbour House, but it was closed. Next was PotC. The wait was accurate at 45 minutes. I mobile ordered ice cream from Aloha Isle. It took a while, but the Kakamora Float was delicious!! Next was Carousel of Progress, a little less than the posted 20 minute wait, and a much needed break from the heat. After that was Dumbo. Posted wait time was 10 minutes, but it took about 20 as they stopped the ride to spray everything down and then run the ride with no one on board. Next was the Little Mermaid, an accurate 35 minute wait. We had dinner reservations at Be Our Guest. The Beast makes an appearance with a quick wave and a bow. We saw him about three times through the course of the dinner. To end the night, we got a quick picture from the photo pass photographer in front of Cinderella castle, masks and all to capture the moment! We then made our way to the exit. I thought I would stop in at the Confectionary to pick up a candy apple, but the line was long, and people were tired!! Next day was Animal Kingdom. Our group got a late start. It did not take long for the bus to arrive at the resort, and we walked into the park around 10:30. Wait times were about 45+ minutes. FoP was at a 105 minute wait, and Navi River Journey was a 90 minute wait. Dinoland USA was kind of sad. With many of the attractions closed (Primeval Whirl, The Bone Yard, no Chip and Dale dance party), it was kind of a ghost town. We walked onto Triceratops Spin. Dinosaur was a 50 minute wait, so we skipped that and did It's a Bugs Life, about a 20 minute wait. Then we got in line for Kilimanjaro Safari. The line stretched all the way behind Tusker House, but it moved quickly, probably just 35 minute wait. Based on our experience with mobile order at MK, we picked a timeframe for mobile order for Flame Tree BBQ. We checked in as the Safari ended, and within about 5 minutes, our food was ready for pick up. We were still on the safari truck and had to wait about 5 minutes to exit. Then we raced across the park to Flame Tree, but it said our order was not picked up and our credit card would be refunded. We checked with a cast member, and our order was promptly remade and ready for pick up in about 5 minutes (they forgot my cupcake, but this was probably for the best). We enjoyed a nice leisurely lunch near the water and got to see boats drive by with characters and drummers. We decided to wait in the 70 minute line for Navi River Journey. While my group waited in line, I picked up drinks for us at Pongu Pongu. They will only allow one person to pick up two alcoholic drinks, so instead of two beers and a Night Blossom with rum, I got two beers and a regular Night Blossom (still delicious!). We called it a day after Navi River Journey and headed back to the room. My children stayed at the resort with family while my husband and I enjoyed a date night at California Grill and then shopping at Disney Springs. I don't know why, but my husband and I left our magic bands and planned on using our phones to unlock the door. We couldn't get either of our phones to work, so we had to wake up his mother to let us in! The next morning, we packed up and got brunch at Chef Art Smith's Homecomin'. It was delicious, and the portions were huge! Overall, this was a great trip! We have had better experiences at MK for sure, but the ability to combine a Disney trip with seeing other family members (10 of us total) made it special for us.

Take aways:
If we hadn't been able to combine this trip with seeing our family, I don't think this trip would have been worth the cost. The crowds and wait times have increased since initial reopening. The cost of the rooms and the tickets are the same even though there are no fast passes, no park hopping, several restaurants are closed, and experiences are cancelled or altered (fireworks, character meet and greets). Most of the time, wearing a mask was a non-issue for myself, my 5 year-old, and my 3 year-old. I can't speak for the rest of my family. Many people commented that the wait times decreased in the afternoon and evening. This was not the case for a Friday afternoon/evening at MK. I think the best way to enjoy a trip under the current circumstances is to set your expectations low and pack your patience. It is a different experience, and right now may not be the best time to visit if you are expecting to capture the same magic that you experienced on previous trips.

Forget social distancing at MK, it's not going to happen. Too many people and not enough cast members to enforce it. However, mask compliance was actually pretty good from what I observed. Asking guests to stand still while eating or drinking was largely ignored in the two parks we visited and at Disney Springs. Social distancing at Animal Kingdom was much better in most places.

Be prepared to wait in line for almost everything as they are capping the number of people inside shops and stores. However, don't let the length of the line fool you, they actually seem to move pretty quickly. The line for World of Disney at Disney Springs looked really long, but we were inside the store in about 7 minutes on a Saturday night around 8:30 pm. None of the other stores had lines to get in at this time from what I observed.

The Saratoga Springs Resort is beautiful! The newly refurbished two bedroom villa suited our group perfectly (4 adults, 2 children). The bus transportation was not an issue for us at all. We did not have to wait long for a bus to pick us up from the resort or from the parks. We were never turned away from boarding a bus due to the bus reaching capacity. The walk to Disney Springs from Congress Park was easy and pleasant. I also could easily walk from Congress Park to Artist's Palate for a quick bite.

California Grill (loved the grouper), Be Our Guest (loved the lamb chops), and Chef Art Smith's Homecomin' (loved the hallelujah biscuit) were all wonderful! Portions at all three of these restaurants are generous, so come hungry or split a meal (not sure if you can split a meal at Be Our Guest).

My preferred way to experience MK is paying extra for early morning magic or staying club level and paying extra for three additional fast passes. Not being able to do either of these kind of puts a damper on the experience as I was left feeling like the value of the experience did not equal the cost of the park admission ticket. Thankfully being able to spend time with extended family made up for the difference. It seems like Disney could still offer early morning magic as it is a separate, ticketed event, and they could maintain low crowd levels for social distancing.

Probably more detail than needed, but I hope this helps for someone planning or about to experience a trip in the near future.

Great report! I also loved EMM and Club and really relied on that in recent trips to make the crowds bearable. I am headed there in early December and I have to say, standing in line is going to be a new experience for MY kids, although back when Epcot opened in 1982 and I was there during the holiday week when the closed the parks for capacity, I waited in line for 2-4 hours PER ATTRACTION and no smartphones or videos to keep me (then 12 years old) busy while there with my dad. I will be sure to continually remind them of the hardships of my Disney youth should they think to complain Really, great perspective/post. Thanks!

 

[armerida]

I was there yesterday. We were in line for MMRR at 9:06 and on the ride at 9:40. On Tuesday we were in line for SSD at 9:10 and on the ride at 9:35. We were far from being first in line for rides. When we got in line for the park entrance it was close to being at the walkway from the buses.

Thanks for the info. What time did you arrive at the park?

 

[djmeredith]

I’ll share more about today but our expirence at HS of getting here very early just to sit for an hour at railway, but then being able to complete all the headlines rides in the park plus cantina and meals and a few calvacades has me debating skipping the morning rush to MK in the morning. We canceled our second HS day, moved our half AK day to a full day and now have 1.5 days for MK. Debating avoiding the whole morning rush tomorrow and just arriving to MK “late” thoughts? Our only priority there is mine train and calvacades. everything else will be extra fun. And we are willing to wait in line. They move quickly. Would we be totally screwing ourselves to skip rope drop at MK?

As long as you don't mind waiting a little while for Mine Train, your plan to arrive later should be fine. You'll still be able to do some other rides and catch some calvacades.

 

[djmeredith]

Does anyone know if it is possible to take Uber/Lyft to one if the resorts on the Skyway line? I was hoping to check out Riviera and Caribbean Beach before heading to DHS. I wasn't sure if that would be allowed. I did try searching this thread, but just keep finding advice about Boardwalk and Swan.
Thank you in advance

We wanted to check out the Skyliner just for fun so we took a break during the middle of our DHS days and rode it. One day we rode the entire route, getting on and off as required. It was a nice break from the heat and crowds of DHS. You could also take a break from Epcot and ride it from there to wherever you want and back.

 

[vital]

I suffer from an anxiety disorder. Don’t always do well with unfamiliar places. Being solo will certainly heighten it. Doesn’t help that I’ve watched too many horror/terror movies over the years. When I read the suggestion my mind immediately went to the movie ‘The Vanishing’ where a woman goes missing from a gas station. Started thinking how my husband would have to fly to WDW to help search for me and how it would probably take a long time for him to realize I was missing. Totally irrational, I know. LOL! As soon as my mind went down that negative path I immediately decided it’s not a good idea for me. And I know I could just as easily come up missing from the resort, Or Uber ride, but my mind has never taken me down that route.

I so feel this!! When are you going? You are more than welcome to walk over with me49, my DH48 and DS21 from Boardwalk! We are staying there for my 50th Birthday!

 

[katyringo]

Alright HS day.

as you know we took an Uber to boardwalk. We grabbed a breakfast at boardwalk bakery and walked over to HS. We started walking about 715 and at around 730 we were very first in line. At 830 they moved us to temperature and right around 9 into the park. We went straight for MMRR and the slight bummer was they didn’t operate it until 952. However we were very first in line. I still consider this a win because it saved us from the long line of riding it later. It’s wait time never dropped. We literally got off the ride right at boarding group time. We stood off to the side, used hubbys phone to count down the seconds, used our own data, and got boarding group 20! So we decided to head to galexys edge. Looked around and then got in line for smugglers. The wait for smugglers took longer than the posted wait time. About half way through our boarding group got called and we were worried we were going to miss it. We got there with about 10 mins to spare. Being a group of 2 smugglers left a lot to be desired but rise made the whole thing worth it. We then headed to slinky where we waited about 45 mins. We grabbed some food with mobile order. So the whole mobile ordering thing threw me off.See they have everyone mobile order now. So in order for it to be an advantage now, you need to think ahead and order ahead and click prepare now when you are starting to walk that way. We got it down. We used it for ronto roasters, docking bay 7 abs rosie’s. After slinky dog it was about 1:30-2pm. We went to rocking roller coaster and waiting maybe 30 mins. We then went to tower of terror. This was our longest and worse wait of the day. The wait jumped to 80mins while we were in line and it moved slow. Turns out they were not able to operate the ride on one side or something. It took a long time. It was about 5pm when we got done with it. The last attractions we did was muppets. Then we headed back to galexys edge to look around and explore before our cantina reservation at 655. Worth it to see galexy edge in the dark! And that was a wrap for the day.

we had a second day booked here but changed it. It was a good day and we got all the rides in, but Disney really needs to figure something out for this park if they every want to follow guidelines and add more guests. We had a good time and enjoyed ourselves and I would do it again, but it’s crunched for sure and the situation in the morning was frustrating with trying to balance getting on a ride and the boarding group time.

mask compliance was good and I actively saw cast members correcting people. People seem to be following the social distance markers really well.

tomorrow is magic kingdom and I think we are going to take a different approach and just avoid the morning rush.

 

[Cinerama261]

Posted on Disney Food Blog...
Today, we spotted a NEW mask-related sign in Magic Kingdom. This sign specifically notes that “Guests not properly wearing an approved mask will be asked to leave.”
View attachment 531435
About Time!

What about young children like two years old? Are they asking them to leave if they won't wear a mask?