Fourth day at WDW yesterday - Epcot (again)
Once again it hit home to me what a different kind of trip this was. For the first time ever at Disney, I had been waking up well before my alarm. Rope drop at 11:00 am is a new experience for this Disney vet. That said, it’s wonderful to savor a leisurely shower and enjoy some extended coffee and breakfast time on the balcony before hitting the parks.
I arrived at the IG right at 10:30, and the line for the temp check extended back to about the level of the Skyliner. A steady stream of people were deboarding there and joining it. The line moved quickly, and the CMs had to keep encouraging people to move along. One nice thing about the temp check is that it regulates the inflow of people, and decreases the clusters at security and the entrance tapstyles.
For the record, my body temp normally runs a little warmer than average, and I passed the temp checks every time, even after walking over from the YC In the heat of the day. Maybe wearing a hat helped.
Getting through the entrance procedure was quick and easy, and I was able to get to the Land pavilion and queue up for Soarin’ by 10:45. There were already a number of people in line, which extended to this point:
Soarin‘ must not start early, because the line was stationary for a good ten minutes. When we did move, it went quickly enough. I think we were the second group to enter our theater. At this time they were loading two groups per row, leaving the center section between the clear partitions open. I lucked out today and was in B2, so got a perfect ride and the Eiffel Tower was
almost straight!
It was probably about 11:15 when I headed over to The Seas. Nemo was a walk-on, but what I really wanted was to see the exhibits and main tank. They were much less buy at this time of day than when I tried earlier in the week in the mid-afternoon. It was usually possible to keep six feet of distance and still see the tanks. The main tank observation area (the smaller circular area down the tank corridor) was patrolled by a couple of CMs who tried to encourage distancing and to keep people moving along. Most people were conscientious, but there were a few who either stayed a while at the best views, or who decided not to wait and exited by walking past the people at the glass, within six feet because only the lowest lane is open. Encounters with those people were very brief. I think they really need to open one of the upper lanes as an optional exit here. I did have to bypass one family who was not moving from their spot. Between the ride and the exhibits, I was in the pavilion just over 30 minutes.
WS was next. The promenade was a little busier than Tuesday, with lines of 5+ people already starting to form at the booths closer to Future World. Mexico had about eight parties in line so I bypassed it.
Frozen was open, and at 12:00 it had a posted wait of 20 minutes. The line stretched this far when I entered (the people are all off to the left winding around the little grove of trees:
Actual wait time was 16 minutes. People stayed well spaced, and there were CMs stationed at the blind turns to let people know when they could proceed around the corner. Our boat had two parties in it, me in the front seat and a small family farther back. We got splashed a little, but it felt good! By the time I exited, the wait had climbed to 30 minutes and the line stretched to the promenade.
It was time for lunch, so I hit the food booth in China and spent some time shopping and taking pictures in the pavilion, which was still very quiet. Then I headed back to Mexico and grabbed a Margarita at Choza, where I was again the second party in line. The picnic tables along the lagoon behind the East Kiosk were again completely empty. I’m amazed that this place is such a secret. Even in the sun, the breeze off the lagoon is wonderful and very comfortable, and the view can’t be beat.
Though the promenade was getting busier, in most places it was easy enough to distance. However, there are bottlenecks particularly at Mexico, and in the opposite area near Starbucks, Citrus Blossom, and Hawaii. With the restrooms being right there, it is impossible to get through while distancing. In those spots you will probably pass within 3 feet of others for a short stretch, but not shoulder bumping. Fortunately, you can pass through those spots quickly enough unless you want to stop.
Spent the early afternoon noshing around the World. Lines at the popular booths like Canada and France were getting into the 10-marker range. Others like Germany were shorter, or maybe I just hit it at a good time. And the Bier stand was open today! I wasn’t on Monday or Tuesday, so this was a welcome sight. Here is the back courtyard at Germany at 2:00:
The line at Hops & Barley was a little bit insane at 3:30. It was too long to count - yes, all those people are in line! I scrapped the idea of a carrot cake for dessert.
The funnel cake stand, on the other hand, only had one person in line, so a street corn funnel cake became my snack instead. The Jammitors were just starting a set at America Gardens, bonus. This is where some of my luck ran out. After three songs, the Jammitors thanked the crowd and left. “Shortest set ever,” I thought. Turns out they knew something, and the skies opened up shortly after. Those people in line at Hops & Barley were definitely getting wet! There was some shelter under the theater awning, enough to stay put and eat what I wanted of the funnel cake. Then, at what probably would have been the end of the set, the recording came on to clear the theater, and the custodial CMs shooed everyone out. So out came the poncho and I headed back to the YC for a break.
By 5:00 the rain had cleared up except for a few friendly drops. It appeared that a lot of park guests had toughed it out, because the line at the France booth was still ten markers deep when I returned to the park.
Spent the rest of the evening until close walking around World Showcase, grabbing a couple of snacks, and catching the last set of Mariache Cobre. I have a strong musical background and am always impressed by how talented these guys are. It’s not easy to be that good!
Again, the crowd thinned considerably after 6:00, and the lines at Canada and France dropped back down to five or so. The lines I joined all moved quickly.
Between Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday, Thursday was definitely the busiest at Epcot, especially WS. Not sure if crowds are picking up overall, or if they are just higher closer to the weekend. I was still able to do the higher-demand items with less than 20-minute waits and acceptable distancing during the first and last hours, though I didn’t try to get in Test Track this trip. Even at the busiest times, it was possible to find quiet, well-spaced areas to enjoy, and maybe see some new and beautiful things. However, you may need to leave the main walkways do it. Look for the areas further back in the pavilions, like the gardens in Britain, China, Canada, and Japan, and the shops and back streets in Morocco. Also, when crossing between FW and WS, the path from Imagination to the WS promenade is very congested thanks to Starbucks, some food booths, and the restrooms being located there. It’s much easier to maintain spacing on the center spine walkway or the walkway on the Test Track side that passes by the Odyssey building.
This was the end of my last park day at Disney
so I drowned my sorrows with one last La Vie en Rose before returning to the YC.
Tomorrow: Magical Express and Orlando Airport
