Here Now & Just Back WDW Reopening Experiences Including Park Hopping

[nkereina]

Still no ques... for the most part ppl are pretty good about letting those who got there first go first, but it does get very crowded and can be a bit confusing.

What resort were you at? A poster up-thread reported there were formal queues at Grand Floridian, which I think was not something they had pre-Covid.

 

[yulilin3]

Anyone know what time they let cars into magic kingdom in the morning?

You can start lining up at 8, they let you in at 8:15

 

[EMHDad]

I know a lot can change between now and Jan, but let’s assume it’s similar for now. If I were to Uber to the speedway and walk to DHS/Uber to swan and walk to Epcot, and I wanted to be like one of the first at HS, what time should I be at HS? 8:30? 8:00? Earlier? I don’t mind waiting, just unsure when is best.

my understanding is that the park is opening up to let people in at9am and cars aren’t even getting past the parking terminal until 915am which is a major disadvantage, (I am not sure what time the buses and skyline start.)

 

[Turk February]

I know a lot can change between now and Jan, but let’s assume it’s similar for now. If I were to Uber to the speedway and walk to DHS/Uber to swan and walk to Epcot, and I wanted to be like one of the first at HS, what time should I be at HS? 8:30? 8:00? Earlier? I don’t mind waiting, just unsure when is best.

my understanding is that the park is opening up to let people in at9am and cars aren’t even getting past the parking terminal until 915am which is a major disadvantage, (I am not sure what time the buses and skyline start.)

I arrived at DHS at 8:22 last week for a 10a opening and there were about 30 people in front of me. When we walked to temp check, I was in the left line (left is better because there's more tents on that side) and we were the 2nd group at one of the tents. I think 8:30 should be fine *if* things stay the same.

 

[Cynt]

Today is my 3rd day in the parks. Sunday AK, Monday EP, and today MK. Just a few thoughts. It seems like normal September crowds. 20/25 minutes or less wait in lines but the lines are moving constantly. So it doesn't seem like 20 minutes. Rope drop popular lines and it will be a walk on. Walking thru the queue is 15+ minutes of your wait so really its a walk on. The only time your stop and waiting 10 minutes is if you hit a cleaning cycle. I think we have hit 1 cleaning cycle.

 

[lorileahb]

Today is my 3rd day in the parks. Sunday AK, Monday EP, and today MK. Just a few thoughts. It seems like normal September crowds. 20/25 minutes or less wait in lines but the lines are moving constantly. So it doesn't seem like 20 minutes. Rope drop popular lines and it will be a walk on. Walking thru the queue is 15+ minutes of your wait so really its a walk on. The only time your stop and waiting 10 minutes is if you hit a cleaning cycle. I think we have hit 1 cleaning cycle.

I've noticed all of the crowd calendars show a bit of a crowd lull right now... with it starting to pick back up with Halloween. Enjoy!!!

 

[Cynt]

A few more thoughts. Not only are The queues spaced apart but if there's 5 zig zags they're only using 2 zig zags. So I'm at jungle cruise, they're using 3 of 7 zig zags = 35 people. Normally 7 ZZ = 140+ people. So the lines are really deceiving and usually takes half of the posted time.

 

[pooch]

Ok been reading here for weeks. DGS and I are heading down 11/8 - 11/14 with all park days on weekdays. I have never in 19 trips, ever hit rope drop. Like never even tried. DGS is an early riser and I'm good with that. My plan is get ready at our own pace be it fast or slow on any given day. Get breakfast at the Pop Food Court (do we mobile order there too?). Get in line for the bus & get on when its our turn. Do whatever rides we can and leave when we're done. Hopefully warm enough to swim a little in the evening. I need a trip to my happy place and I am just not gonna stress about when to be where and how early can I get there.

 

[brockash]

What resort were you at? A poster up-thread reported there were formal queues at Grand Floridian, which I think was not something they had pre-Covid.

In Sept. we stayed at Polynesian and last week AKL -Kidani Village. Neither had formal ques.

 

[brockash]

Ok been reading here for weeks. DGS and I are heading down 11/8 - 11/14 with all park days on weekdays. I have never in 19 trips, ever hit rope drop. Like never even tried. DGS is an early riser and I'm good with that. My plan is get ready at our own pace be it fast or slow on any given day. Get breakfast at the Pop Food Court (do we mobile order there too?). Get in line for the bus & get on when its our turn. Do whatever rides we can and leave when we're done. Hopefully warm enough to swim a little in the evening. I need a trip to my happy place and I am just not gonna stress about when to be where and how early can I get there.

Yes, you mobile order from Pop as well.

 

[Disneymom1126]

You can start lining up at 8, they let you in at 8:15

Is this similar at the other parks as well (about an hour before park open)? Seems like a disadvantage....but I'm trying to avoid bus transportation. I'm most concerned with HS and know that the advice there is to Lyft to one of the areas that is walkable to the park, but really don't want to do that. Are people from bus transportation getting there earlier than people who drive on their own because of when lots open?

 

[scrappinginontario]

Ok been reading here for weeks. DGS and I are heading down 11/8 - 11/14 with all park days on weekdays. I have never in 19 trips, ever hit rope drop. Like never even tried. DGS is an early riser and I'm good with that. My plan is get ready at our own pace be it fast or slow on any given day. Get breakfast at the Pop Food Court (do we mobile order there too?). Get in line for the bus & get on when its our turn. Do whatever rides we can and leave when we're done. Hopefully warm enough to swim a little in the evening. I need a trip to my happy place and I am just not gonna stress about when to be where and how early can I get there.

I understand wanting the slower, more relaxed trip. Just a heads up that mobile ordering at Pop can take quite a while during busier times so you will want to be prepared for that. Still hoping they can figure out a way to correct this.

 

[pooch]

I understand wanting the slower, more relaxed trip. Just a heads up that mobile ordering at Pop can take quite a while during busier times so you will want to be prepared for that. Still hoping they can figure out a way to correct this.

Hoping all the rope droppers will be gone by the time we order!!

 

[yulilin3]

Is this similar at the other parks as well (about an hour before park open)? Seems like a disadvantage....but I'm trying to avoid bus transportation. I'm most concerned with HS and know that the advice there is to Lyft to one of the areas that is walkable to the park, but really don't want to do that. Are people from bus transportation getting there earlier than people who drive on their own because of when lots open?

Dhs about 75 minutes before park opening, epcot and ak about 45 minutes

 

[Khobbs18]

Does anyone know why they changes RS protocols? We were there last week and I had to wait in line with my 2 infants until we reached the normal line entrance before I could get scanned to swap out with my husband later. Really sucked having 2 littles in the heat for a good 45 minutes for FOP before I could leave the line.

 

[wilkydelts]

Does anyone know why they changes RS protocols? We were there last week and I had to wait in line with my 2 infants until we reached the normal line entrance before I could get scanned to swap out with my husband later. Really sucked having 2 littles in the heat for a good 45 minutes for FOP before I could leave the line.

Just walk up an join your group as the get to the entrance. That is what we plan to do. In fact with the current circumstances and how they load ride vehicles (based on party no numbers) I see no problem telling the people behind you that you are holding the spot for your whole family and they will join you when it is closer. They will probably prefer less people around them as long as they can.

 

[FinallyFL]

I walked to MK from BLT this morning. I left at 7:50 and ended waiting at the stoplights until shortly after 8am. After exiting security, everyone was held on the pathway until right before the turnstiles were opened at 8:30. MK's official opening time today was 9am. Prior to being let into the park, I did not see any boats, buses or monorails unload. I assume some people walking from BLT and the Contemporary had to wait until 8:30 to get through security since the path is only wide enough for one party.

 

[Surr]

Is this similar at the other parks as well (about an hour before park open)? Seems like a disadvantage....but I'm trying to avoid bus transportation. I'm most concerned with HS and know that the advice there is to Lyft to one of the areas that is walkable to the park, but really don't want to do that. Are people from bus transportation getting there earlier than people who drive on their own because of when lots open?

Yes. We walked there from the Swan last Friday to DHS. We were in line for temp checks at 8:24am with a few hundered people in front of us. A few people were arriving by bus and skyliner at that time. We went through the temperature screen around 9 AM and were immediately admitted into the park. We rode MMRR and RnR before the 10 am opening, and got boarding group two.

 

[Cynt]

I was at my fav park 2day, MK. It's 555pm and we're waiting in the bus line. We rode everything but Haunted Mansion. We were too lazy to go back to that side of the park after we grabbed a dole whip and shopped down Main Street.

We left OKW about 9am. No need to rope drop for us because this is our lazy day and whatever we don't ride we'll ride it Friday. We'll guess what we rode everything but HM. We began at BTM and made our way around MK. 1155am lunch at Liberty Tavern. Really missed the food courts and Casey's hot dogs to grab a salty snack to tide us over until lunch. Lunch was great.

Headed to 7DMT, 55 min line. TP had it at 41 minutes. It began to down pour. We poncho'd up and stood about 2 minutes and bailed to Under the sea. Afterward we got back in line for 7DMT. 55 min posted but it was already 1/3 less of a line. We were in it about 41 minutes.

A must mention again these lines are moving constantly. These are Sept lines but better because there are not any FP stopping the lines. Yes the lines snake all through the park. But I'm quite pleased with how Disney has managed these queues and how they are moving. I feel like I'm back home at my 6 Flags on a week day walking thru the 15 minute queue.

I've gotten more done in 3 days than I usually get done in 5 days. No strategy is being used besides rope drop FOP and do BTM 1st. No strategy at all at EP.

Monday was Ep. EP made me sad. TOO MUCH CONSTRUCTION! We won't be back until they're finished. All you see in FW is blue walls. 65% of the WS is closed. But thank goodness Werthers caramel popcorn was open or I would have been hot mad! This was our rain day and we poncho'd up for most of the day. We got washed out about 4ish. Hard to enjoy F&W when you're poncho'd up and rain is getting in your $15 adult beverage.

 

[Naomeri]

I was at my fav park 2day, MK. It's 555pm and we're waiting in the bus line. We rode everything but Haunted Mansion. We were too lazy to go back to that side of the park after we grabbed a dole whip and shopped down Main Street.

We left OKW about 9am. No need to rope drop for us because this is our lazy day and whatever we don't ride we'll ride it Friday. We'll guess what we rode everything but HM. We began at BTM and made our way around MK. 1155am lunch at Liberty Tavern. Really missed the food courts and Casey's hot dogs to grab a salty snack to tide us over until lunch. Lunch was great.

Headed to 7DMT, 55 min line. TP had it at 41 minutes. It began to down pour. We poncho'd up and stood about 2 minutes and bailed to Under the sea. Afterward we got back in line for 7DMT. 55 min posted but it was already 1/3 less of a line. We were in it about 41 minutes.

A must mention again these lines are moving constantly. These are Sept lines but better because there are not any FP stopping the lines. Yes the lines snake all through the park. But I'm quite pleased with how Disney has managed these queues and how they are moving. I feel like I'm back home at my 6 Flags on a week day walking thru the 15 minute queue.

I've gotten more done in 3 days than I usually get done in 5 days. No strategy is being used besides rope drop FOP and do BTM 1st. No strategy at all at EP.

Monday was Ep. EP made me sad. TOO MUCH CONSTRUCTION! We won't be back until they're finished. All you see in FW is blue walls. 65% of the WS is closed. But thank goodness Werthers caramel popcorn was open or I would have been hot mad! This was our rain day and we poncho'd up for most of the day. We got washed out about 4ish. Hard to enjoy F&W when you're poncho'd up and rain is getting in your $15 adult beverage.

Your report makes me very happy, since next week looks about like this week, crowd-wise.