We walked up to the boat dock around 9am and there were only a few people waiting for the DHS boat. The park opened at 9am that day.
We usually walk back at park close because the line is long then. It has people who are going to Epcot on it.
The ban is still in place. They just got the first significant rain in weeks last night. We'll be back at the BC for 4th of July weekend so we'll let you know if it has been lifted by then.
I asked a lifeguard what the policy was for wearing life vests on the pirate slide. She said that you can wear the vests that they provide for the guests but you can't wear flotation devices that you bring from home.