Here Now & Just Back WDW Reopening Experiences Including Park Hopping

[yaya74]

We witnessed our first mask battle as we were about to load onto Pooh. A woman with 3 kids would not put on her mask. She finally relented but two of her children went on the ride without masks. Poor CMs are in for it today.

I bet that she would take off her mask as soon as her ride vehicle leaves the loading area. I feel bad for the CM who had to deal with this person.

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

I am pretty sure that there will be signages everywhere. I will keep those guests in my prayer, wishing them a happy and magical trip at Disney.

Yes, I'm sure there will be signs. My point was that it's not as easy as "don't come right now if you don't like the rules".

 

[P'colaBeachBum]

I was hoping to read there is more enforcement. I know that may be an unpopular opinion right now. I'm a hour away and it's getting bad here with restaurants closing. I hope it gets better after the first few days of the new policy and doesn't lead to having to implement more restrictions.

 

[yaya74]

Yes, I'm sure there will be signs. My point was that it's not as easy as "don't come right now if you don't like the rules".

Your point is well taken. That's why I said I will pray for those guests. I was in the same boat when I went for my trip. I booked my vacation based on the faith that park capacity would be limited and masks would be required. However, things went completely the different way two weeks prior to my departure. I couldn't afford to lose $6k and therefore I went. My family really was done with Disney halfway through our trip. It was a miserable vacation to say the least.

 

[Momtomouselover]

We witnessed our first mask battle as we were about to load onto Pooh. A woman with 3 kids would not put on her mask. She finally relented but two of her children went on the ride without masks. Poor CMs are in for it today.

I really hate this for the CMs. Just do what you are supposed to people! That CM did not make the rules and is only trying to do his/her job.They should give a day or two to let the word get out and then go back to escorting the most belligerent out of the parks (not the people taking a drink of water or a quick breather or a child who may need a bit more coaxing but the rude belligerent person who keeps refusing and making it horrible for the CMs).

 

[cdurham1]

Update - at AK, no one in outside queues for FOP or Navi wearing mask. Not sure if policy or just not enforcing at all

 

[DaniMoon]

Animal Kingdom day today. It is 8:23 AM and we still have not left our resort room. . We will see how this works out for lines getting to Animal Kingdom a little later after park opening. That was the benefit of doing FOP last night… hopefully. I will update the post throughout the day as I have for the last three park days

Our goal is to knock out Expedition Everest and Dinosaur and then take it from there.

We were all excited, while standing in line for FOP last night and researching our day today, to see that there is a drawing class back in Rafiki‘s planet watch. We used to love doing that at Hollywood studios back in the day!!

8:50am at resort bus stop (Boardwalk) and it doesn’t look like our bus will get here for at least 26 minutes. In the park at 9:30 AM. The bus, and our slow start, did not help our plan but we will manage . Roughly 45 minutes behind where I would have liked to be at this point.

9:44 AM. In line for Expedition Everest. Line stretches to the end of the Asia bridge near Nemo. Posted 40 minutes. On the ride in 23 minutes. That line really moves!

Typical crowd level this morning I would say. This is from the queue area of EE.
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10:18 AM. In line for Dinosaur. Posted 25 minutes. Would have been about 17 minutes but something just broke down on the ride. We were very close to boarding. Waited about 10 minutes extra but got it done.
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Saw these guys as we were walking into LK show
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11:23am. Waiting inside the Lion King theater right now for the 11:30am show. Got in line about 13 minutes before the show and walked in and most of the lower seating was already filled up. We still have a good spot. No bad seats in this theater anyway. Love. That. Show!
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Mobile ordered Satu’li for 12pm. Tried these bad boys for the first time. My verdict: not sure what the fuss is about. Kind of tastes like a mix between a sloppy Joe and a hamburger wrapped in a bao bun. The protein bowls win hands down IMO
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Taking it slow now and we are going to do the gorilla trails, maharaja jungle treck and Rafiki‘s planet watch.

2:25 now. Did the gorilla trails. Back at Rafiki area now. So happy to be able to do the animation experience again! (1:45 pm show). Josh was our animator and he was great. We did Bambi. Pretty happy with the results
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2:25pm Raining now.
3:00pm Did another animation class, and the rain is shutting us down for this afternoon. We will head back to the resort and maybe park hop somewhere else tonight. Having done FOP last night, we’ve done all the main attractions in animal kingdom that we wanted to. Might come back later in our stay, might not.

6:30 trying Kimonos over at the Swan resort for the first time. Excellent sushi and reasonably priced. Walked right in at 6:30 no reservation needed (or taken). We will be back for sure!
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Walking over to Epcot after this to get a few rides in and maybe hit a food and wine kiosk or two.

Ended up getting on Soarin with about a 10 minute wait around 8:45pm, then Living with the land (walk on) and then walking the world showcase kiosks for a small bite. Somehow the kids/wife ended up at Greece, trying all three food options.
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By that time it was 9:50 PM and we were not interested in the fireworks at EP yet. We walked back to the Boardwalk and called it a night. Chilling on the balcony now

HS tomorrow.

-Dan

I love doing Animation Station, your Bambi is excellent. This reminds me to pack my tube that we bought last trip to keep ours safe. All the food looks amazing!

 

[slyster]

Are masks needed on rides? I'm assuming for indoor ones but what about the ones that may queue up indoors and then are an outdoor ride?

 

[Looper]

Update - at AK, no one in outside queues for FOP or Navi wearing mask. Not sure if policy or just not enforcing at all

When we were there in May and the policy changed to indoors only, this was how it was. For every ride with an outdoor portion of the line, there was a point where you were considered in the official line and had to mask, whether that was actually indoors or still outdoors. But before that point, you didn’t have to wear a mask. If I remember correctly that point for FOP was when you went under the sign, so there was a good portion of the line where you didn’t have to wear it.

 

[robinb]

At AK this morning. Can confirm that masks are required in every attraction and in queues. Even in outside queues.

It sounds exactly the same as it was in May: Masks are required once you cross the "marquee entrance" even if the queue is outside (like the Safari). The rule is the same no matter which park you're in or what attraction you are waiting for. It makes it easier to know exactly when you need to wear a mask and when you don't.

 

[2Lunds]

The only way out of this is to not go if you don’t agree with their policy!

Thankfully it seems that OP deleted their comment about challenging CMs on this. Frontline workers have absolutely zero input on policy, or power to change them. Leave CMs alone and let them do their job.

 

[DisneyFive]

I love doing Animation Station, your Bambi is excellent. This reminds me to pack my tube that we bought last trip to keep ours safe. All the food looks amazing!

Thanks!

Definitely eating well this trip. Trying a bunch of new dining locations for us. We try to do as many new things each trip as possible.

Dan

 

[soniam]

As robinb said, masks required indoors or out doors once you cross the attraction entrance sign/standby/FP entrance.

I don’t think Kali has been opening up right at rope drop. I believe it opens an hour later or it did on our AK day.

Opened at 9am today with an 8am official park opening.

I was hoping to read there is more enforcement. I know that may be an unpopular opinion right now. I'm a hour away and it's getting bad here with restaurants closing. I hope it gets better after the first few days of the new policy and doesn't lead to having to implement more restrictions.

I have seen very good compliance on the several attractions and 1 TS we did at AK today. They are enforcing at the attraction entrance sign/threshold and at loading. No one posted to specifically do it in the queue. I think CMs in the queue would remind people, but there are not many of them.

Are masks needed on rides? I'm assuming for indoor ones but what about the ones that may queue up indoors and then are an outdoor ride?

Yes. Had to wear a mask on Everest today.

EDIT: Son and husband had to wear them on Kali just now.

 

[DaniMoon]

Second full HS day today. Today, July 30 is the shift back to masks in some areas. I will update this thread regarding the new mask policies at the attractions we go to! We plan to get to Hollywood studios around 8 AM

Got BG 10 this morning! Our plan is to do MFSR at rope drop since that was our longest standby wait of our four days so far at 90 minutes. Then maybe MMRR before our BG is called

Through security at 7:58 AM. Let through tapstiles at 8 AM, being held in front of “Vacation Fun” next to frozen theater until 8:30am.
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Just spoke with Tran, one of the lead cast members. So far it is sounding like it is strictly inside buildings or entering an attraction marquee (which is where it lists the standby and fast pass return times) that we have to wear masks. So some of it may be outside depending on the ride. Will update

At the very front of the line for MFSR this morning.
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Very orderly progression. Crazy how some people are still jockeying for position, even still. In the ride queue at 8:40am. On ride at 8:48am. Soooo much better doing it this way than waiting 90 minutes after we did tower of terror and rock n roller coaster the other day. Ok I just walked past the start of the line for MFSR, it is longer than the other day when it took us 90 minutes. I can’t stress enough getting to the park at 8 AM if you want to do MFSR with a little wait. Off MFSR at 9 AM.

9:13 AM, in line for MMRR. Posted 85 minutes. On in 36 minutes. Touring Plans estimated 34 minutes BTW. Masks are NOT required in the extended outside portion of queues. Masks start once you go through the marquee entrance. In some cases some of that may be outside.

loved MMRR! Fantastic visuals and imaginative.
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10:12am Going for some coffee and snacks now.

11:15 AM. Getting in line for Muppets 3-D since all the rides are at peak waits right now.

ROTR is down a lot today so far. Our group was called but it’s down again. Was told we can return any time before park close. Glad we have an early boarding group

Prime Time Cafe at 12:10pm today

Dan

We have two HS days. Plan to rope drop MFSR one day and MMRR the other. I'm so glad to follow your days and help my plans.

Enjoy Prime Time!!!

 

[EPCOT-O.G.]

We opted to cancel our park reservation for tomorrow and just take in the sights and sounds of the resort hotels (were at the Poly and like to walk over to GF for a meal or two there). Based on these experiences the last few days I’m thinking I made the right choice!

 

[DisneyFive]

We have two HS days. Plan to rope drop MFSR one day and MMRR the other. I'm so glad to follow your days and help my plans.

Enjoy Prime Time!!!

I was very happy with how this morning went, getting Smugglers run done and then walking over to runaway railway with only a 36 minute wait. Two big rides done right away. Now granted we were at the very tippy front of Smugglers run somehow.

If you are able to do that you could rope drop RNRC and TOT the second day if you like those rides

Dan

 

[Looper]

I was very happy with how this morning went, getting Smugglers run done and then walking over to runaway railway with only a 36 minute wait. Two big rides done right away. Now granted we were at the very tippy front of Smugglers run somehow.

If you are able to do that you could rope drop RNRC and TOT the second day if you like those rides

Dan

Did they put a single rider in with you for Smugglers Run? We’re a family of 5, too, and have enjoyed not sharing ride vehicles our last two trips. We go again in a week, and I’m curious what to expect this time.

 

[rlk]

Did they put a single rider in with you for Smugglers Run? We’re a family of 5, too, and have enjoyed not sharing ride vehicles our last two trips. We go again in a week, and I’m curious what to expect this time.

I don’t know about today, but yesterday,I was put in a vehicle with a family of 3.

 

[DisneyFive]

Did they put a single rider in with you for Smugglers Run? We’re a family of 5, too, and have enjoyed not sharing ride vehicles our last two trips. We go again in a week, and I’m curious what to expect this time.

Not today. I think it is because at rope drop families are mostly together at that point.

When we did it a few days ago they did put a woman in with our family of five but we got in line after already doing rock n rollercoaster and Tower of terror.

Edit to add : also, even if a person gets put in with your family, most likely they will be an engineer there are three rows of two people each and the engineer is the back row. The lady was having a great time in our millennium falcon (and so were we) so it was no big deal.

Dan

 

[robinb]

Since masks are back, I would recommend a mask lanyard because you end up putting on and taking off a mask A LOT. I bought these lanyards from Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B08H85M69L/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1