Just back from a great week at CBR last week! I put my thoughts on CBR in the CBR FAQ thread, and posted my dining thoughts on the Dining forum. I’ll keep this post to my park experiences.
First, one thing I mentioned on the dining forum is that you’re at a disadvantage if you don’t have a current smart phone. By current, I mean one that can download current software to ensure an up-to-date
MDE. We used our smart phones to check into TS meals, scan QR codes to view all menus, mobile order, check wait times, obtain ROTR boarding group, check status of said boarding group, check our room balance. We relied on the app more than we ever have on prior trips.
Second, we saw many people checking with TS restaurants while we were waiting to see if they were taking walk-ups. None were.
Third, something I guess I didn’t consider and didn’t really see mentioned is that ride queues are mostly *
outside*. It seems they are trying to use as little of the indoor queue space as they can, so the queues have been extended outdoors quite a bit into makeshift roped off areas. This allows for additional social distancing as well as making the majority of your wait outdoors rather than indoors, which many find to be safer. BUT this does mean you will be waiting in the direct sunlight or in the pouring rain, potentially. We saw a lot of people with umbrellas just for shade when it wasn’t raining. I was a sweaty mess with no reprieve in the queue since I was still outside. It wasn’t until we got closer to the indoor entrances that there were fans or some kind of shade covering. The weather this week is much more tolerable, but something to consider that we didn’t adequately prepare for.
Epcot:
- Got to the Skyliner around 10am. Made it to the IG entrance by 10:15 and had no wait whatsoever. We walked briskly to Test Track and there was a posted 75 minute wait, which had jumped up from 45 minutes while we were in line. Our actual wait at that time was closer to 35 minutes, and we were off the ride right around 11am, which was official park opening.
- After Test Track, DH did Mission Space. He got in line with a posted 10 minute wait, but ended up waiting closer to 25 minutes. He had a whole car to himself which he enjoyed.
- Had lunch at Regal Eagle which was great, not crowded at all.
- At some point mid-afternoon, we did Soarin with a 40 minute wait. We would have waited about 20 minutes, but hit a cleaning cycle right before boarding.
- We did Frozen Ever After right before park closing. Posted 75 minute wait, was really more of a 25 minute wait.
- Figment, Living with the Land, and Nemo all had about a 10 minute wait. Not sure what posted time was. Spaceship Earth was about a 15 minute wait with a 30 minute posted time.
- Noticed that the app wait times were often slightly longer than the posted times at the ride. Not sure if it was coincidence and I just caught the time adjustment when we got to the queue, or if that’s intentional.
- Had dinner at Teppan Edo – great meal, not sure if the experience was watered down because it was our first time there. They tables are still communal but they had plastic dividers up to separate us from the party next to us.
- This was a Sunday so Epcot was open until 9pm. We left the park on the Skyliner around 3:30pm and came back around 6:30pm for our dinner ADR. This was the only park where we were able to take a midday break because of the extended hours.
Magic Kingdom:
- I struggled trying to decide if we should take the bus from CBR or Uber. Posted park opening was 9am and I knew the park would be opening around 8:15-8:30.
- Got to the Jamaica bus stop at CBR at 7:25. Already two other families waiting. Bus signs said buses start running at 8:30. One of the other families told us the first bus the day prior arrived right at 8:30. By 7:50, there was at least 6 other families waiting at the bus stop with us. Not know who was going where and how people would be with respecting who was there first (there are not formal queues at the bus stop), we decided to abort and call an Uber.
- Uber was there within minutes and we were dropped off at the TTC ride share drop off by 8:20am. There were maybe 30 people in line ahead of us at that point.
- Around 8:30, they let us move through the temperature scanners. About 80 people in total in line at TTC. We made our way to the monorail and were on the first monorail of the day. The ferry was also running, and we were told buses would be running from TTC to MK but they hadn’t started yet. We were walking into MK by 8:40.
- We made our way back to Frontierland hoping to ride Splash yet. It wasn’t open yet, so we did BTMRR. When we got off, Splash was still down, but a small queue started forming so we got in line. Waited about 15 minutes, and it finally opened.
- Space was about a 15 minute wait all day which blew my mind. We waited no longer than 10 minutes. Mine Train was down in the morning as well, but it was about a 45 minute wait all day which I thought was manageable.
- All other rides we did that day, our actual wait was 25 minutes or less. The longest wait we had was Pirates, around 30 minutes.
- Great lunch at Liberty Tree Tavern!
- Took the bus back to the resort around 3pm and there was room to spare on it.
Animal Kingdom:
- We made the decision to Uber to AK rather than do the bus depot dance again. Called the Uber at 8:15 because I didn’t want to run the risk of the parking lot not being open. We got there about 8:40, waited in a line at temp check, and were on our way to Pandora by 8:53. FOP had a 45 minute posted wait, we waited about 25 minutes.
- Safari was essentially walk-on. Everest wait was less than 10 minutes in the afternoon Dinosaur had about a 15 minute actual wait in the afternoon.
- Animal trails had socially distanced queues formed, particularly in the gorilla area which was not very active. This was done to prevent people from congregating too closely or for too long. If you enjoy hanging out and watching the gorillas for a while like we do, it was not happening on this trip.
- Great lunch at Yak & Yeti! Lots of specials not on the menu. Reservations or a Landry’s priority seating card were a must.
- Left AK around 3pm on the bus, got the last seat on it!
DHS:
We did two DHS days.
Day One:
- Got to the Skyliner at 8:07am. The gates just past the Joffrey’s stand were still closed and the line was backed up to the Skyliner bus depot. They brought us up to the platform around 8:30am and started running the Skyliner right at 9am. We got into the gondola at 9:14am, and were walking into DHS by 9:25ish. We made our way to MMRR which had a 45 minute posted wait. Our actual wait was about 30 minutes, and I know this to be true because I was obtaining a ROTR boarding group as I was putting my left leg into the ride vehicle!
- Got boarding group 11 for ROTR, estimated 75 minute wait for it to be called.
- Made our way to Oga’s Cantina for 10:15 reservation. Really nice to be in there and see the whole place without being elbow to elbow with others.
- While in Oga’s, they called our boarding group – it was about 10:30am.
- Wait times were considerably longer than the other parks – 30ish minutes actual wait times for RnRC and TOT, 25 mins for Star Tours, 25 mins for TSMM. Skipped Aliens, Slinky Dog, Smugglers Run and Muppets due to timing.
- Left for the day around 4pm. Took the Skyliner back to the area around 7pm for a Beaches & Cream reservation. Skyliner was closed when we were done, so we took an Uber back.
Day Two:
- Got to the Skyliner about 8:10am. The line was a little further back this time, just past the bus depot.
- Brought up to the platform around 8:30, started running the Skyliner at 8:45. Had a wait at the temp checks when we arrived, but were in the park by 9:05.
- Went straight to Slinky Dog and had a 15 minute wait, then to Aliens which was walk-on, then to Smuggler’s Run with a 15 minute wait. We were walking out of Smugglers at 9:55 so we stood to the side to obtain a ROTR boarding group. Got group 15 this time.
- Did Muppets at 10am – I recommend doing it early because it consistently had a 35-45+ minute wait later in the day due to social distancing.
- We only wanted to do a half day at DHS so after our boarding group was called (about 11am), we just grabbed lunch at Backlot Express and then went back to CBR for a swim. It was HOT last week!
- Would have liked to ride TOT or RnRC again, but posted waits were too long (45+ minutes).
Disney Springs:
- Went three times since there wasn’t much else to do in the evenings. Took Ubers there each time to avoid bus roulette, and took the bus back when it didn’t matter how long we had to wait. 2 of the 3 times, we got on the next bus that pulled up. Once we didn’t fit and had to wait about 25 minutes for a second bus.
- Disney Springs is very noticeably busier in the evenings than it ever has been. DHS and Disney Springs were the two most crowded places we went.
- Got a Ghiradelli sundae but there is very limited seating. Had to sit on a bench near Goofy’s. The current set up and crowds would not be conducive to a family with small kids trying to enjoy ice cream.
- I was not prepared for the massive line to just get into the World of Disney store. You walk all the way down a sidewalk, it loops around, and they bring you in a back door for crowd control. It took about 15 minutes to get through the one time we did it. The second time we did it, we were at Disney Springs around 3pm and the line hadn’t formed yet and we were able to go in the normal entrance. Disney Springs in general was considerably less crowded when we were there around 3pm as well.
- I know some people think it’s a glorified mall, but there’s some great dining options and unique shopping. We do all our souvenir shopping there so we’re not spending park time in the stores. We also enjoy stopping at the different bars for a drink. LOVED the outdoor bar at Splitsville with the live music – the duo we saw was great.
Overall, we had a great trip. I would not recommend the current environment to first timers or those who can only go once every few years – it was not the same experience. We’re glad we went, as people who usually visit annually. Some of the experiences were unique in a positive way (i.e. getting to have your own ride vehicle on most rides), and other experiences weren’t that great (waiting in the sun, limited menus). I don’t think its necessary at all to avoid the Skyliner in the morning to DHS if you’re staying at CBR, and would highly suggest Uber or driving your own car to any park you’d otherwise have to bus to – at least in the morning.
Happy to answer any questions!