Here Now & Just Back WDW Reopening Experiences Including Park Hopping

[Marvin1968]

Went to DHS today and we managed to score a Boarding Group The place was packed and it was a pretty rough the first half of the day. We made only one meal reservation this trip and it was at the Hollywood Brown Derby at 1:30 today. Our boarding group was 56 and guess when our group was called Fortunately, if you bring your restaurant receipt to the ride, they honor it. ROTR went down twice while we were there. The first time we left to ride Smuggler's Run and lo and behold about 15 minutes into that queue, ROTR was operating again, so we left SR to head to ROTR. We were having a heck of a time getting on this ride. Finally, we get in line and we get to the very front where they take you into the preshow room, and it went down again We were the next in line to go in, so we saw all the comings and goings of CM's trying to figure things out. We probably waited about 40 minutes, but it wasn't so bad actually because we could see what was going on and it rained while we were in there, so we missed that. The ride was great and we were glad to experience it It's so much different than anything else Disney has done before. We also rode TOT, TSM, and Star Tours. DHS was pretty rough the first half of the day especially. The ride waits were quite long and Galaxy's Edge was crazy. All in all, the day got better as it progressed. We'd like to try Smuggler's Run on Wednesday. We are doing Epcot that day and will try to get to the Studios that evening. Hopefully it won't be so crazy that time of day. Tomorrow is MK

It was crowded LoL. We managed to ride everything but slinky dog dash. We plan on rope dropping it on Thursday.

 

[Sarahslay]

Has anyone currently (or recently, or soon) at WDW gotten the exact same email every day from Disney Destinations? I’m visiting 8/20-29 and since 7/21 I have gotten the same email with the same subject line: “Welcome! Your trip to the Parks.” Every single day.

Well now I feel left out, I haven't even gotten one. Well, I take that back, I got one several weeks ago but that's it. I guess they're tired of me at this point.

 

[CarlyMur09]

Has anyone currently (or recently, or soon) at WDW gotten the exact same email every day from Disney Destinations? I’m visiting 8/20-29 and since 7/21 I have gotten the same email with the same subject line: “Welcome! Your trip to the Parks.” Every single day.

Yep. Trip is 9/2-9/5 and I've been getting it every day since I booked it last week.

 

[Threehearts]

Opinion but I believe it is highly likely. Check hospitalizations in Florida due to Covid. I was going to cancel our Aug 27 trip this afternoon but just about cried on hold. I may wait till the last bloody minute. Sorry to be a downer

Right now, I am more concerned that my state will mandate quarantine after returning from Florida and I cannot be out of work for 10 days. I have my WDW resort and SW air tix booked but I'm hesitating on getting the park tickets. In the past, my state did mandate quarantine after returning from high Covid infection states of which Florida topped the list.

 

[123SA]

AK today 714 tapstiles opened. Started moving off bridge about 732. My kids were at the rope. Pushed back about 10 groups upon moving, but CM let dh and I on line with them when we waved at them walking by So we were in one of the first rooms. Preshow 744. Off and leaving pandora by 804. 3x Everest walk on. Walk on safari. off at 918. Checked out gorillas. Walk on dinosaur 2x. done at 956. Checked out otters. Walk in LK at 1012. Plenty of seating available at 1025. So the longest wait so far was bus At AOA
So far, we don’t find it an crowded than previous August visits
Also, no one misses fast pass.

and we love mobile order

 

[Eastern]

We made only one meal reservation this trip and it was at the Hollywood Brown Derby at 1:30 today. Our boarding group was 56 and guess when our group was called Fortunately, if you bring your restaurant receipt to the ride, they honor it.

Thank you for this tip, I was stressing about it

 

[faceofsam]

Hi folks! My friends and I want to avoid rope drop crowds, and we're curious what time you think would be best to show up. We were thinking around an hour or two after opening, but wanted to hear from others about their experiences avoiding rope drop.

 

[2Lunds]

Hi folks! My friends and I want to avoid rope drop crowds, and we're curious what time you think would be best to show up. We were thinking around an hour or two after opening, but wanted to hear from others about their experiences avoiding rope drop.
[/QUOTE. My last trip was in sept 2019, so take this with a grain of salt. I never did RD until my most recent trip. Previoualy we typically left the resort about an hour after opening, arriving about 90 to 120 mins past opening. It was always pretty chill in that time window.

 

[KM82]

Crowds are definitely here today. Not sure if it’s Boo Bash or just a new group of vacationers, but MK is busier than our last day. Just got off of people mover, where I took these. Is it Christmas busy? No. But, it’s not dead either.

 

[Gary Stocker]

Yeah Hollywood Studios was also mobbed. Saw 100 min for Slinky a half hour ago...headed to TRex...RotR was flawless for once.

 

[smwisc]

Hi folks! My friends and I want to avoid rope drop crowds, and we're curious what time you think would be best to show up. We were thinking around an hour or two after opening, but wanted to hear from others about their experiences avoiding rope drop.

You don't even need to wait that long - at the parks that open early (all except MK), if you're walking through the tapstiles right around or shortly after opening time, the initial mob will be through already. Just don't go to the top headliners from there. It's a good strategy to get on the 2nd tier rides with low waits while avoiding the RD crowd.

 

[ILoveMyDVC]

Right now, I am more concerned that my state will mandate quarantine after returning from Florida and I cannot be out of work for 10 days. I have my WDW resort and SW air tix booked but I'm hesitating on getting the park tickets. In the past, my state did mandate quarantine after returning from high Covid infection states of which Florida topped the list.

I have the same concern as I have a business trip scheduled 4 days upon return

 

[CookieandOatmeal]

Hi folks! My friends and I want to avoid rope drop crowds, and we're curious what time you think would be best to show up. We were thinking around an hour or two after opening, but wanted to hear from others about their experiences avoiding rope drop.

We wanted to miss rope drop crowds too last week and showed up at MK around a half an hour after opening. Was able to walk right in instead of standing shoulder to shoulder with a stranger while waiting for the park to open. If you wait until two hours after opening, the crowd level is just going to increase.

 

[disneymom0104]

Crowds are definitely here today. Not sure if it’s Boo Bash or just a new group of vacationers, but MK is busier than our last day. Just got off of people mover, where I took these. Is it Christmas busy? No. But, it’s not dead either. View attachment 596177View attachment 596178

That actually looks less crowded than our 2 days at MK last week. We couldn't even see much pavement from People Mover. Headed to Boo Bash tonight. Animal Kingdom yesterday was dead compared to last week as well so I wonder if the trend is headed down a bit with the crowds.

 

[e_yerger]

Just saw the alert for Tropical Storm Fred for Sunday/Monday - hopefully it is around the sweet spot to reduce crowds & temps but still be manageable for nice park time!

 

[Sarahslay]

Crowds are definitely here today. Not sure if it’s Boo Bash or just a new group of vacationers, but MK is busier than our last day. Just got off of people mover, where I took these. Is it Christmas busy? No. But, it’s not dead either. View attachment 596177View attachment 596178

MK is the only park that is "sold out" of park reservations today from what I see, and it's no doubt due to Boo Bash. Of course compared to when we were there Memorial day week this doesn't look half bad, at least you can see between groups to move around, it's an improvement from what it has been for sure and will hopefully get better over the next few weeks.

 

[123SA]

Regular August traveler here. Only two park days so far (Epcot yesterday & Studios today) so not a large sample size. Crowds are noticeable lower than our past August trips. Caveat for Studios is that there's so little to do the LINES are way longer.

here now and also a regular august traveler. I completely agree

 

[tinkerhon]

That actually looks less crowded than our 2 days at MK last week. We couldn't even see much pavement from People Mover. Headed to Boo Bash tonight. Animal Kingdom yesterday was dead compared to last week as well so I wonder if the trend is headed down a bit with the crowds.

Yep, we were then July 16, and definitely more crowded that day

 

[e_yerger]

Crowds are definitely here today. Not sure if it’s Boo Bash or just a new group of vacationers, but MK is busier than our last day. Just got off of people mover, where I took these. Is it Christmas busy? No. But, it’s not dead either. View attachment 596177View attachment 596178

I didn't get to ride Space Mountain back in April, but can someone answer this question about the queue:
Once your inside the building, does the queue move quicker, or is it built up like that outside as an extension of a packed queue inside the building?

 

[KM82]

W

I didn't get to ride Space Mountain back in April, but can someone answer this question about the queue:
Once your inside the building, does the queue move quicker, or is it built up like that outside as an extension of a packed queue inside the building?

We found it to pretty much flow through the inside portion. Would have preferred to stand in place in the AC, but it sort of seemed like they are trying to minimize actual inside line time on that one (which I totally understand and can get on board with)