WDW Daily News

Here are some photos of Safety Features Around Magic Kingdom in Re-Opening Day

I wanted to provide my thoughts about the pros & cons of re-opening day today at Walt Disney Worlds Magic Kingdom.

First, I need to get this off my chest quickly (if you don’t care to read my rant skip to the next paragraph lol). I am disgusted by other Disney BLOGS/fan sites that have been and continue to provide click bait articles and posts. If you are a Disney fan I’m sure you know which I’m referring to as it seems they enjoy producing misleading information or rumors in order to boost clicks and discussions on their social media platform. I suppose to each his own but it is just upsetting when others do that. Today is a prime example. I will finish this portion by saying that while we are a mom and pop family website, we work hard to provide you with news that is straightforward and what you need to know-not rumors just to generate clicks. Ok rant over….sorry about that guys.
These are our assessments of how today rolled. Here we go:

Pros:

• Disney provided a ton of information prior to park reopening today and that helped prepare guests of expectations.
• Temperature check was smooth as was security. There was no bag check-you simply walked through the metal detector
• Signage was everywhere with safety information. Partitions in the queue lines and buses really helped
• Hand sanitizer stations were everywhere too. Most locations had them before and after rides as well as in the shopping areas
• Cast members strived to always focus on safety and make this a pleasant experience for all guests
• Guests were a respectful to each other and to the rules. Everyone wore face masks (and kept them on) without complaint. Yep even the younglings.
• Social Distancing in the queue lines was amazing. Guests totally adhered to the lines on the ground. The best way I can describe it is comparing it to musical chairs. As you walk by one chair you quickly jump to the next. People would go from one line to the next as soon as the person(s) in front of them moved to the line in front of them. On occasion we would see someone who moved too soon and they would quickly jump back to their area. It was really cool how people respected the rules today
• Wait times for most rides were under 30 minutes. We basically walked on to most rides!
• All rides left space/rows between people
• There was so much open space because lack of tour groups and strollers- it was refreshing
• Cast members were super friendly to everyone (I know they always are but still wanted to mention that)
• There were announcements over the parks PA system occasionally reminding guests to wear their masks, wash their hands, socially distance, etc…
• Characters appearing unannounced at random locations welcoming guests back

Cons:

• Way to much questioning on why someone wants to go into a store. Several times at different locations I was questioned as to what I was going to buy before I could enter. Heck I wasn’t even sure what they had so it was tough to answer. I’m sure they were just trying to point me in the right direction but at times it felt weird.
• Mobile ordering only. I don’t mind mobile ordering but I saw several people upset as they didn’t have a smart phone or weren’t comfortable with using this process
• Not all restaurants are open. I’m sure this will change as they move forward but for now this makes the con list
• Less seating at the open restaurants. Again we totally understand why this has to happen but for now it’s gotta be on the con list.
• Merchandise is no longer delivered to the front of the park or to your resort. Again we totally understand why but still it’s gotta go here as a con
• No parades or fireworks or castle stage shows. Add this to our portion of the con list but we know why they cannot take place
• No Park Hopping
• No Character interactions/meet and greets.

I’m sure I’m missing some things but hopefully this helps you guys out who are considering whether or not to visit the parks in 2020. One tip I would advise is to hydrate as much as possible. While it was about 100 degrees I wasn’t overly uncomfortable in my mask. I will say that yes breathing does create hot air but my biggest issue was forgetting to drink water throughout the day. As I mentioned in an earlier tweet….the best thing you can do is ask yourself what is your primary reason to visit Walt Disney World this year? If it’s to meet characters and see parades and fireworks and park hop then we suggest you wait until at least 2021. If it is to enjoy the Disney parks and ride attractions then make plans now. It was great. No line was longer than 30 min and we walked into most rides.

All-in-All Disney did a great job today under the circumstances. This was day one in a new world so sure they will tweak things and improve. Be patient with them. Thank you to all cast members! We appreciate you and thank you for helping make families vacations magical again!

Initial thoughts on Disney Re-Opening:

1. People have been super respectful of the rules of masks (and keeping them on) and social distancing and following rules
2. Wait times are 20-30 min at almost every ride
3. There are few littles here which has freed up space Because few strollers.
4. It is a pain that basically you have to mobile order food before you can enter any place to eat but that’s ok

I’m sure there will be more added to the list but I would ask this if you are pondering visiting…what is the primary purpose of your visit? If it’s to do rides then this is pretty awesome. There are no FP so believe it or not it makes the wait times lower. If it’s to “see” characters it’s still fine. If it’s to park hop and/or get selfies with characters I would say you probably don’t want to visit you til 2021 or 2022.

So as we were snapping pictures of a beautiful Cinderella castle upon Magic Kingdom’s re-opening we realized one of our photos had numbers on various blocks on the castle. I’m sure they are finishing up with the paint work but it makes for an interesting look into the details that each block must have a certain color scheme to make the castle look amazing. Check it out.

Here are some photos of some merchandise available at the re-opening of the Disney Parks. Some items were available prior but some are new. Check them out.

Good morning everyone. If you are not following ya on twitter please do. We will be providing updates about the parks re-opening the light the day on our feed. Here is the link: http://www.twitter.com/wdwdailynews

A few early highlights:

arrive at your bus stop AT LEAST 1.5 hours in advance. Otherwise you will be quite a bit back in the queue line. We have photos on twitter but they are only loading 25 people per bus OR until seats are full. Thanks and please follow along on twitter.

By: Disney DestinationsJuly 10, 2020

As Disney looks forward to reopening Magic Kingdom Park and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park tomorrow, Cast Members are also preparing for the reopening of EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios on July 15.

For guests with upcoming Disney Park Pass reservations to visit Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Disney would like to share an update about Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance, which will once again be using virtual queue in the My Disney Experience app. You will want to note a few changes to the process beginning July 15. Most importantly – as availability allows – guests will have an opportunity at 10am, 1pm and 4pm to request to join the virtual queue. This means there is no need to arrive early to the park to check the virtual queue.  

There are a few important details to know before arriving: 

• First, make sure to download the My Disney Experience app. Once guests enter the park, they’ll need to log in to their account at one of the distribution times (10 a.m., 1 p.m. or 4 p.m.). 
• Once logged in, select “Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance Virtual Queue” on the home screen. This is where guests will be able to view the current status and next steps for joining the virtual queue.
• The app will indicate when there is no availability for a specific distribution time. 
• As long as a guest’s My Disney Experience account is linked to park tickets for themselves and the others in their group, a guest can enroll their entire party in the virtual queue at the same time. In order to give as many guests as possible the opportunity to join the Resistance, each guest can enter the virtual queue no more than once per day.
• Guests should make sure push notifications are turned on for My Disney Experience so they will be alerted if their group is called to return. Guests will have up to an hour from the time of the alert to go to the entrance of Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance. 
• Please note that joining the virtual queue does not guarantee the ability to experience Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.  

If guests have any questions or need assistance with joining the virtual queue, Cast Members at Guest Experience Team locations throughout the park are available to assist. While waiting for a virtual queue group to be called, guests can enjoy other experiences at Disney’s Hollywood Studios including our newest addition, Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway. 

Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is one of the most popular attractions at Walt Disney World Resort, and Disney knows many of our guests are familiar with using virtual queue to experience this one-of-a-kind adventure. For other attractions at Walt Disney World Resort, they plan to use their regular standby queues to manage capacity and to maintain physical distancing.  

Disney can’t wait to welcome guests back to the magic at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and Walt Disney World Resort.

Walt Disney Worlds Magic Kingdom & Animal Kingdom open tomorrow and I will have some photos of what the Magic Kingdom looks like with the new safety procedures and limited crowds but for now here is what Disney’s Pop Century looks like as of noon on a Friday 😳

Complimentary airport transportation via Disney’s Magical Express service for Guests arriving and departing from Orlando International Airport is continuing to operate during this period, with some modifications.

Beginning July 16, 2020, luggage delivery service will not be provided for those arriving to and departing from Orlando International Airport. Guests who choose to use Disney’s Magical Express will be responsible for picking up any of their checked luggage from the airport’s baggage claim area and taking it to the motor coach, so that it can be loaded for transport to their Disney Resort hotel. Please know that Guests’ luggage will travel with them to their Disney Resort hotel. 

Luggage assistance will be available at the front of Disney Resort hotels, including luggage storage and/or transport to the room. Upon their departure, Guests should ensure their luggage is with them and loaded onto the motor coach so they can check it in with their airline once they reach the airport. The resort airline check-in service will not be offered at this time.

Guests will be notified of these changes prior to departing their home locations. Stay tuned for any additional updates at a later date. 

Magic is here! In just a few more days, Disney will begin welcoming the first guests back to the theme parks at Walt Disney World Resort, starting July 11 with Magic Kingdom Park and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park and followed July 15 by EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. We’re continuing to prepare for these openings in a measured and deliberate way, implementing health and safety measures with cast members and guests in mind. 

As you may recall, earlier Disney had temporarily paused 2020 ticket sales and Disney Resort hotel bookings so we could focus on helping existing ticket holders and Annual Passholders plan their visits with the new Disney Park Pass theme park reservation system. They are glad to share that tomorrow, July 9, they are resuming Disney Resort hotel bookings, packages and ticket sales for 2020. In preparation, the booking systems will be unavailable overnight, beginning at approximately midnight Eastern this evening. When systems come back online in the morning, guest will be able to purchase new tickets and plan future visits throughout this year with the Disney Park Pass system, which they are using to help manage attendance.

All guests with valid admission are required to make a reservation in advance for each park entry, so be sure to check the park reservation availability calendar before purchasing any new tickets. Guests should then go to www.StartYourDisneyExperience.com after purchase to link your tickets and make park reservations. Reservations are limited and subject to availability. 

When adding theme park tickets to a new 2020 package, you will now have the option of choosing tickets for 2 to 7 days in length. Certain ticket and package options, such as the Park Hopper option, Minnie Van Airport Service and Disney Dining Plan packages, are currently unavailable.

Please note that, during this phased reopening, some tickets, ticket options and Disney Resort hotels are unavailable, but there are still a variety of options to choose from.

Though the experience may be different than the last time you visited, there is so much to look forward to, with many favorite attractions and dozens of entertainment offerings available across all four theme parks, including special new character cavalcades and the Taste of EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival. 

When planning a visit for this year, we recommend checking out our “Know Before You Go” page on the Walt Disney World microsite, which features tips and information, including how to make park reservations after purchasing tickets. 

We realize that everyone’s situation is unique, so if you have specific questions about upcoming plans, please call the Disney Reservation Center.