For the First Time In Forever.....A Disneyland reopening TR, Dark Ride photos and The End 5/8

[Flossbolna]

Sounds like a great day! And some of the shots look like the park is so empty, others, like the Tropical Hideaway give my half-vaccinated self the creeps because I am not used to crowds anymore!

I wonder whether the BTMR s scene is now like it is in Paris. Neat, but not as great as it was at DL.

And thanks for the spoiler alert. I have been so good at avoiding them. I even shouted at Michael the other day for forwarding me something about the ride which had some info in it that I was not aware of yet. He thought that everyone knows it and he is staying away from pictures and video from the ride as well.

 

[pkondz]

Here we are traveling through Batuu to the Resistance Base.

Looks like the First Order has done a recent sweep, picking up Resistance. Place is empty.

Notice the table on the right, they didn’t used to have those there. Now you can take your Ronto Wrap to the table to enjoy it.

Are there any tables inside?

Another interesting plant in the queue.

Pretty too.

And as I was writing this up the morning after our park visit, a story aired on my local news explaining that CA guidance says that Indoor rides can be no longer than 15 minutes. RotR is 18 minutes long so they had to remove the Rey briefing sequence part of the ride in compliance.

Huh! Interesting way to abide by that rule.

Our pilots accompanying us noticed a problem.


And then we figured out the problem.

Ruh Roh!

Great place for a selfie!
I've seen that shot in quite a few TRs... but yours is the first selfie I think.

Pretty soon we were on our way to be interrogated.

Don't tell them anything, Alison!!!

Kylo Ren was going to give us the third degree, but aw shucks, he got called to the bridge.

Lucky for you!

Folks call this, “the disco room.”

We were almost in the clear, until this droid saw us.

Stupid droid. Shoulda borrowed Han's blaster and taken care of it.

Next time.

When we entered a lift, he climbed on top and tried to cut it with his light saber. This feature was actually down the time that I rode this in Feb 2020.

I remember you saying that.

Kylo Ren tried once again to get us to reveal the location of the Rebel base.

Oh, fine. Just give it to him. What's the worst he could do?

As I got off the ride, I could tell that I was "done". My legs felt a little wobbly, and that fatigue that only comes from a Disney theme park was starting to set in.

Fran asked if we could look in “that expensive shop that always has so many people in it that I can’t see anything.”

Huh. So there's an upside to a pandemic!

These guys were trying to pick a fight with anyone who would bite.

Bullies. Ashamed that Disney allows that sort of thing.

I noticed that the Shooting Gallery is all closed up and converted to seating for dining.

That's a real shame.
I presume that it was converted to laser/light and no longer used pellets though?

When our time window came up I pressed, "I'm here prepare my order." That was around 3:43. However I didn't get the "We're preparing your order, come on in." message until nearly 4 o'clock!

Long!

mmmm.... I'd eat... both!

We got a Caramel Chocolate Wand.

Whoa! That looks good!

Nice to see Walt's light on.

When in the stretching room at the HM, there were five spots indicated by circles on the floor. Each party was assigned to one of the circles.

Huh. But... makes sense.
Still... that means no more "Please drag your carcasses to the dead center of the room".

Here's the list and what I crossed off today!

Eat:
Plaza Inn Chicken
Corn Dog/Cheese Dog
Asparagus Skewer (not available)
Cafe Orleans
Mickey Macaroon from Jolly Holiday
Mickey beignets from Mint Julep Bar
Funnel Cake
Pickle Corn Dog
Raspberry Swirl Dole Whip
Bacon Mac n Cheese from Cozy Cone
Sweet treats from candy shops
Ghirardelli sundae

Ride:
Haunted Mansion
Pirates
Star Tours
Space Mountain
Guardians of the Galaxy
Soarin
Indiana Jones
Incredicoaster
Little Mermaid
RotR
Falcon
Train
Snow White
Mr. Toad
BTMRR

Still lots to do... which just gives you more reason to go!

 

[franandaj]

Your day sounds delicious before you even leave! Now I am reconsidering our RD plan for Memorial Day, wondering if we shouldn't annoy ourselves with the inevitable line trying to get out of the Grand into DTD. Love the idea of trying to set up our food plan/mobile orders before entering the parks.

If you are planning on RD, I would get out SUPER early. Maybe enjoy something from Starbucks while you wait. I'm wondering about this too. We are staying this Wednesday and Thursday. While I don't necessarily want to RD, I do want to try for the 7AM RotR distribution.

It's definitely better to plan your mobile orders in advance as it will most like taken an hour from the time you place it until you're eating.

Love these details that Disney does! I've always hated that flap when I throw things away, feels like I have to wash my hands after throwing an item away.

I guess I'm not at all a germaphobe. It never even occurred to me. Occasionally you'd see something nasty smeared across it, but custodial usually addresses those things quickly. At least at Disney.

What??? Who wouldn't want to spend $8K on Disney art?

We have some expensive pieces but we've never spent that much on any one painting.

Wonder why DCA entrance was busier?

Glad to hear the slots were still available throughout your morning. After ToD I'm wondering if we'll have to pick all of our meals early or be out of luck.

I'd say if you have folks who go from zero to Hangry in moments flat, you definitely should plan ahead, or bring snacks.

I collect the Disney kitchen stuff too (although not much of an apron person). Those towels are super cute!!

I have all the aprons that I need, but my dish towels are really tired. Some of them I've had from before we moved and that was seven years ago!

How did you get Double Mashed on a mobile order? We couldn't figure out how to customize at ToD!

Evidently they added it to the app for that third soft opening day. It wasn't there on Wednesday, but Jenny went Thursday and it was on the app. It also had a double green beans option. There was even a no chicken option. It's interesting, as I reply now at 7AM I tried to bring up the app and every place in the parks now says "No mobile order arrival windows available." I guess too many people were ordering before the parks opened!

 

[franandaj]

Oddly I've never picked up food here before...

It's a great place for a light snack. You'd have to eat a lot of skewers to get really full. I usually like a Beef/Chicken and then the bacon wrapped Asparagus, but they don't have my favorite one right now.

2 of my favs for SURE!!

So cute! Matching

I try. Sometimes it's more subtle.

Even Mickey is masked!

I wish more places would do this, although will have to see how they do in the heat, we have lots of wasps here...

I suppose when it gets hot they will need to change them out more often.

I just heard music start in my heading looking at this!

Yum yum! Is there caramel under the chocolate on the marshmallow wands? Love it when there is both!

Yes. At the Candy shops in CA, all the Marshmallow wands have Caramel and chocolate (or whatever is on the Cheshire Cat tail). At WDW Karamel Kuche seems to have the monopoly on anything Caramel so the Marshmallow wands at every place but there just have chocolate on them.

fav! Gotta love the wildest ride in the wilderness!!

So much fun!

Well that's nice indeed!

I hope it's open by the time I get there (I'm sure it will be) I was between sizes when we were last there, but I think I'm more one size now and want to get one.

I haven't posted yet, but they announced what's happening. It will be a QS themed for Princess and the Frog, mostly serving Gumbo. However the one in DTD is still open, and there is the one in DCA.

Score indeed!

Double score!!
Glad you will have this all figured out by the time we get back

Lots of good fortune going on this day!

Wowzas! that area can be sooo frustrating and bottlenecked!

Yeah, I'm kind of enjoying this reduced capacity!

Ok this is awesome! I don't know if we ever have, even at say closing time!

It is pretty cool how the spacing/social distancing is working out!

 

[Steppesister]

I think at that point I was looking more for adult drinks....it could be OK.

Sometimes we do what we gotta do!

Can't wait to ride that one! We still haven't been to DCA yet, but that will change!

Looking forward to those updates too!!! Esp Jill's favorite attraction!

Besides those reasons mentioned, it's also nice having the two bathrooms. More often than not we have someone crashing on the couch, but when it's just the two of us I get the guest bathroom. Normally at home we have our own bathrooms....

OH for sure!! I've been one of those "crashers" and got to see the logistics. It does work out well. I would also think just having the dishwasher and kitchenette sure come in handy too. :yes:

When it first opened they hoped to keep guests engaged in line by solving the puzzles on the wall.

Love the new queue concepts. So creative and engaging!

Yup! She's going to have to endure being my sole entertainment in 10 days!

OH dear!! LOL!! I"m sure she'll survive. And so will you!

Our server told us that due to restrictions they can't have them.

Ummmm, just...ok.

Now Disney had to get really creative in their queue design, since every queue length had to be multiplied by six feet. With the queue for this ride mostly being indoors (inside the mountain) they had to extend it out into the very long walkway, which goes back to the Hungry Bear Restaurant. The line went as far as the bridge for the train. Here’s some fauna you’ll find in the queue.

Here’s some fauna you’ll find in the queue.

You know me and my plant geekiness. LOL!

I never noticed this waterfall in the queue of the ride, probably because the queue did not extend past this waterfall until now.

I always notice it from the INSIDE. We joke about it being the back side of water.

We traveled around Batuu for a little more.

I love spending time poking around in there. So much fun detail!

I don’t remember all these statues being here before, but I don’t have any pictures of it so who knows?

They've always been there, I took some photos of them when we were all there last.

Lotsa cool stuff in here.

There super is!!

I noticed that the Shooting Gallery is all closed up and converted to seating for dining.

So sad. Such great memories of that from when I was itty bitty. Good use of it temporarily but I hope it comes back!! I used to hit it up when I'd go back into the parks after my shifts too.

That was around 3:43. However I didn't get the "We're preparing your order, come on in." message until nearly 4 o'clock! And then there was a line once they let us in.

Say whaaaaa....?! Our longest wait was a Satuli and it was 20.

About 20 minutes before, there were probably triple the amount of people standing around waiting for Dole Whips.

If they want to avoid crowds, they are going to have to up their game here.

Nice to see Walt's light on.

Yes, yes it is!

 

[SeptemberGirl]

So happy to see you both back in your park!!!

 

[franandaj]

We're making up for it now with our 3rd wave.
Vaccinations are progressing slowly due to availability.

We already had ours! #winning

Meh. How many arms and legs do you need?

 

[pkondz]

We already had ours! #winning

We'll let you have that one.

 

[franandaj]

What a nice first day back!

Thanks! We had a lot of fun that day!

 

[brookelizabeth]

Loved your play by play through the whole ride! Makes me so excited to ride it again. That is really interesting about having to shorten the ride sequence due to covid regulations.

And thanks for the spoiler alert. I have been so good at avoiding them. I even shouted at Michael the other day for forwarding me something about the ride which had some info in it that I was not aware of yet. He thought that everyone knows it and he is staying away from pictures and video from the ride as well.

 

[franandaj]

A place to sit and eat? Imagine that.

Especially since I've heard that the mask police reprimand guests fom eating or drinking while walking maskless.

Makes sense. Better than staring at a parking lot or something.

Well true.

Ah, I've already spoiled myself for this ride multiple times.

Hard not to.

I think I read about that. Every state's guidelines get a little weird.

I get why they leave it to the states, but it would also be nice to have some national consistency.

Somebody forgot to pack the cookies!

And the chips!

That's a pretty epic-looking room.

Who's driving this thing? You can't leave this dummy in charge.

Right?

I guess he's not any better of a pilot than he was as a driver.

There's no fatigue like Disney parks fatigue.

Truth.

Gotta be more specific. That's like, every shop in Disney.

I guess that's all based on your perspective!

I bet that was fun.

Always!

This kind of thing happens all the time with us.

I'm usually pretty good about this....

Yes, what a relief!

A beacon of Hope.

 

[franandaj]

Sounds like a great day! And some of the shots look like the park is so empty, others, like the Tropical Hideaway give my half-vaccinated self the creeps because I am not used to crowds anymore!

It's actually really nice in the parks with the reduced capacity, and the rides are even better, not being crammed into small spaces to get as many on a ride.

I wonder whether the BTMR s scene is now like it is in Paris. Neat, but not as great as it was at DL.

Never been to Paris, so I can't say.

And thanks for the spoiler alert. I have been so good at avoiding them. I even shouted at Michael the other day for forwarding me something about the ride which had some info in it that I was not aware of yet. He thought that everyone knows it and he is staying away from pictures and video from the ride as well.

You're welcome! I would have hated to have not been on the ride when the commercials here started. It was hard enough when the ride in Florida was open, and it had not opened up at DL.

 

[franandaj]

Looks like the First Order has done a recent sweep, picking up Resistance. Place is empty.

Kinda nice isn't it?

Are there any tables inside?

Well the Ronto Wrap place isn't really inside. It's under a dome, but it's kind of an open air sort of area. There are a few tables but not a lot. They have also added a lot of tables in the area above as well.

Huh! Interesting way to abide by that rule.

The whole thing took me by surprise. Hopefully next month we can go back to the whole ride.

Great place for a selfie!
I've seen that shot in quite a few TRs... but yours is the first selfie I think.

I think Su-Lynn also took a selfie there. Miss her TRs.

Don't tell them anything, Alison!!!

Mums the word!

Stupid droid. Shoulda borrowed Han's blaster and taken care of it.

Next time.

I'll try that on Thursday!

I remember you saying that.

That was part of our discussion of A and B scenarios.

Oh, fine. Just give it to him. What's the worst he could do?

:

Huh. So there's an upside to a pandemic!

Actually when it comes to visiting a Disney park, there are kind of a lot of upsides....

Bullies. Ashamed that Disney allows that sort of thing.

Ya think?

That's a real shame.
I presume that it was converted to laser/light and no longer used pellets though?

I have no idea, but I would guess so.

mmmm.... I'd eat... both

I would too if I had that much room!

Whoa! That looks good!

I think I need to get another tomorrow.

Huh. But... makes sense.
Still... that means no more "Please drag your carcasses to the dead center of the room".

I know, that's sad.

Still lots to do... which just gives you more reason to go!

Yup! Got a few more ticked off on the last trip, but that's for two updates from now. Still got another one before that!

 

[pkondz]

Kinda nice isn't it?

Kinda... almost eerie.

Well the Ronto Wrap place isn't really inside. It's under a dome, but it's kind of an open air sort of area.

I remember. Well, from Florida.

I think Su-Lynn also took a selfie there. Miss her TRs.

Could be. I don't recall...

I'll try that on Thursday!

That was part of our discussion of A and B scenarios.

I have no idea, but I would guess so.

Nothing more satisfying than that <plink!> sound from a pellet. Dead silence from light? Not so fun.

Yup! Got a few more ticked off on the last trip, but that's for two updates from now. Still got another one before that!

Standing by!

 

[rentayenta]

Now you can cross more off your list! I won't give anything away though.

 

[franandaj]

Looking forward to those updates too!!! Esp Jill's favorite attraction!

That doesn't open again until Thursday....

OH for sure!! I've been one of those "crashers" and got to see the logistics. It does work out well. I would also think just having the dishwasher and kitchenette sure come in handy too.

And this time the kitchen wi

Love the new queue concepts. So creative and engaging!

And they just announced a virtual queue for Indy....

OH dear!! LOL!! I"m sure she'll survive. And so will you!

I may be doing solo touring in the morning....

Ummmm, just...ok

Evidently it's a workspace/distancing issue.

You know me and my plant geekiness. LOL!

I always notice it from the INSIDE. We joke about it being the back side of water.

I think I've seen it inside the queue, just never noticed it on the outside.

I love spending time poking around in there. So much fun detail!

It's generally entertaining.

They've always been there, I took some photos of them when we were all there last.

Ah, I guess I never could see them since there were so many people blocking them!

So sad. Such great memories of that from when I was itty bitty. Good use of it temporarily but I hope it comes back!! I used to hit it up when I'd go back into the parks after my shifts too.

I've never actually even been in there.

Say whaaaaa....?! Our longest wait was a Satuli and it was 20.

Hopefully they get this down a little more refined.

If they want to avoid crowds, they are going to have to up their game here.

Like I said above! ^^^

 

[franandaj]

So happy to see you both back in your park!!!

So glad you made it over here!

 

[franandaj]

We'll let you have that one.

Yuss! # winning!

 

[franandaj]

Loved your play by play through the whole ride! Makes me so excited to ride it again. That is really interesting about having to shorten the ride sequence due to covid regulations.

Thanks! I'm hoping to get on it again on Thursday!

 

[franandaj]

I remember. Well, from Florida.

They are pretty much identical.

Nothing more satisfying than that <plink!> sound from a pellet. Dead silence from light? Not so fun.

But what about the "pew, pew, pew" sound.

Standing by!

Hoping to get the next one written by the time we get back from our next Disney trip!