After spending a lengthy amount of time touring Hollywood Studios this past Friday the 29th, we’ll pop over to Magic Kingdom to see what’s going on. We’ve spent a lot of time there over the past couple of weeks with the second Dumbo opening alongside Casey Jr. Splash ‘n’ Soak Zone, along with Merida greeting guests after her move debuted, Rapunzel moving into Town Square Theater, and the scrims coming down on Main Street. We’ll have to pay more attention to Epcot and Animal Kingdom over the coming days.
As always, the bus from Hollywood Studios is only going to take us as far as the Transportation and Ticket Center. From there, we have to transfer to the Monorail or Ferry Boat. Direct buses to Epcot and Animal Kingdom are also found here in the “charter lot” along with the Downtown Disney resort buses and off-site resort buses.
A couple of the Ticket Vending Machines were uncovered and operational, which is something you don’t see every day. They’re so user intuitive that it only takes two cast members to help each person through the various steps. Imagine spending $1600 on theme park tickets only to find out that you pressed the wrong button.
Since it’s 1:38pm and going on breakdown-o-clock, we’ll opt for the quieter, more peaceful ferry boat.
How’s saving up for Grand Floridian DVC going? Yeah, me neither.
With gobs of people down here to the right…
We’ll head all the way down to the left to the Guest and Cast Member entrances. There are actually four turnstiles open down here and about six people total in line.
Chamber of Commerce is completely out of scrims. Bigger: http://www.easywdw.com/reports4/commerce.jpg.
As is The Chapeau. Bigger: http://www.easywdw.com/reports4/chapeau.jpg.
And the other piece.
Most importantly, Main Street Bakery is back:
They all look great. There are no scrims on Main Street and as far as I recall, none up anywhere else either.
A much-too-long line to meet Daisy Duck at the flag pole. Plan to meet her just inside the main entrance at Epcot where lines are much shorter.
Yes, that’s a 75 minute posted wait for the Princesses.
75 minutes is probably over exaggerated, though we can expect waits to be longer now that Rapunzel meets here. The problem with the standby line is that the overall capacity is very low and you get one or two standby groups entering for every four to six FASTPASS groups.
FASTPASSes are much further out than Mickey Mouse and actually further out than Space Mountain, Peter Pan’s Flight, Winnie the Pooh, or Dumbo. The times they are a-changin’. Remember that Rapunzel only meets continuously through 4pm. After 4pm, she switches out with Aurora (confirmed). Fore more Rapunzel info, including pictures of the Princesses inside Town Square Theater, see this post.
Long lines for Stitch.
Not quite backed up all the way out of the extended queue though.
Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin was supposed to reopen after a refurbishment that saw the floor replaced, but it hadn’t yet. It has since reopened though there are still walls up inside the queue where the floor is still being replaced. It was originally scheduled for a two-day closure, but work must have taken longer than expected.
Extended queue at PeopleMover. Even with the heavier crowds than we would have liked on June 27th due to rain on Monday and Tuesday, crowds were still lower than this past Thursday or today (Friday).
At 2:20pm, Space Mountain FASTPASS is pushed back to 5:55pm with the standby wait listed at 80 minutes. Unless you’re willing to stand in line, it’s virtually impossible to verify.
40 at Tomorrowland Speedway with a little extended queue protruding out the front. THIS IS NOT WHERE YOU WANT TO BE.
Construction continuing in New Fantasyland.
I’m always amused at seeing the comparisons of the Seven Dwarfs Mine Coaster to the Barnstormer. One only has to look at the infrastructure already in place to see that any comparison can quickly be discarded.
Just wait. I wasn’t particularly excited about “New Fantasyland” when it was announced. Storybook Circus changed my mind quite a bit and I’m way more optimistic about it now. I still wish there was more to it. The carbon copy Little Mermaid dark ride will be decent and mow through guests capacity-wise, but it certainly doesn’t change the game. And we’re still a year and a half away from the Mine Coaster.
I’m expecting it to be just as immersive as Cars Land, even if we don’t see anything as substantial as Radiator Springs Racers. And the fact that I haven’t been to Cars Land.
Dumbo sitting at 40 minutes.
It’s 2:36pm, so Dumbo FASTPASS return times are almost exactly 40 minutes out, which is the minimum. This is the earliest return time in the Park right now, so it seems like they’re distributing a ton of FASTPASSes.
It’s been hot and dry the last few days in Lake Buena Vista, which is a nice respite from the Debbie rain. Casey Jr. is more popular in the summer sun than the morning humidity or afternoon rain.
With the line this long at Barnstormer, the 30 minute posted wait is just about accurate. Add FASTPASS return in a few months and you’re looking at 60 or 70 minutes.
It seems like Peter Pan’s Flight FASTPASS return times are being affected by Dumbo FASTPASS and the now-more-popular Princess FASTPASSes. On similar dates last year, Pan FASTPASSes were out to 7:30pm or later at the same time and we actually have a return time earlier than Space Mountain or the Princesses right now.
it’s a small world with the extended queue going. I got into a big fight on the forums over whether this is a “must ride.” On one hand, it’s absolutely a “Disney classic.” On the other hand, the reality of a summer afternoon is that you’re looking at a 30 minute wait, part of which is going to take place out here in the sun. Considering the length of the ride and disembarkation, it’s a small world is going to take you about 50 minutes to experience after 12pm in the summer or when it’s otherwise busy. While you could go in the morning, there are other attractions that are much higher priorities. Remember the waits at virtually every other major/minor ride right now are even longer. For a lot of families/groups without sentimental attachment to the attraction, I can imagine you’d get a lot of, “Really, you made us take an hour to do that?” from significant others and teenagers. On the other (other) hand, it’s totally worth doing! So I don’t know. I’m not sure there’s a right answer. It’s certainly worth doing when the wait is 15 minutes or less though. At 30 or 40 minutes, I’m not so sure.
If I wanted to experience classic Disney and needed to wait 35 minutes in the afternoon, my personal preference is Haunted Mansion.
Another new shirt I’m sure someone will say they bought in 2009.
Science bless you children. Marching down Main Street/Liberty Square/Frontierland in 100% wool.
Splash Mountain had been down for several hours in the afternoon. They’re cycling logs through here, so it should reopen shortly.
Big Thunder Mountain Railroad sitting at a cool 110 minutes at 2:50pm. FASTPASS is out to 5:05pm – 6:05pm. That’s further out than return times had been before the refurbishment, but it’s still sooner than Space Mountain (6:25pm), Princesses (6:30pm), Peter Pan’s Flight (6:10pm), and Splash Mountain (not currently distributing FASTPASSes because it has been down so long).
The not-operating-for-humans Splash Mountain:
It’s rare to find a day where either Splash Mountain or Big Thunder Mountain Railroad don’t break down.
Part of the Pirates extended queue running. With the 3pm Parade starting in about 5 minutes (at 3pm), we have several thousand people being pulled away from the attractions. Give it 45 minutes and we’ll see people spilling out the front door.
55 minutes for Tinker Bell.
Ariel waits are horrendous. She isn’t coming back out until 3:45pm (it’s exactly 3pm), meaning these people are looking at a solid 45 minute wait. In the grand scheme of things, that isn’t so bad if you can’t get here first thing in the morning. Otherwise you’re looking at a very boring 50 to 90 minute wait.
Main Street Bakery Treats in celebration of the scrims coming down. Bigger: http://www.easywdw.com/reports4/mainbake10.jpg.
Those look to be some serious pieces of fudge. Bigger: http://www.easywdw.com/reports4/mainbake11.jpg.
I’m going to try to get kicked out of the Polynesian Resort’s beach for this evening’s “preview” of the Independence Day Fireworks.
{ 21 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for the update on the scrims. Wish they would have removed them a week earlier but, the buildings do look great!!! Your mention of haunted mansion made me think of a conversation one afternoon with the extended queue sign holder there, she was holding the sign for the end of the line in front of the riverboat. As I walked by I asked “All the way down here??” she replied her goal was to make it to Frontierland. Gotta have goals!! Made me laugh anyway.
YAY no scrims!! I am so happy!! I hate those things, they just ruin Main Street for me.
Bummed that BTMRR waits have been so long. In the past we have been able to pull FP when we return around 6ish, but it is looking like this year they might be gone by then…..
I’m hearing their issuing wristbands for guests at Poly tonight and tomorrow. Be curious to hear what you find….
Main street is so beautiful! Excited to see the scrims down.
Oh, dear lord, I hope it’s true that the crowds/lines will be significantly less at the end of August. I’m having heart palpitations seeing what the wait times are right now! It’s been in the upper 90s and humid here in MN this week. I’ve been trying to go for walks to see how DD3.5 and I will do in the heat at WDW next month. Oy. 30 minutes and I’m sweating like a pig. Like sweat dripping into my eyes and everything. Guess I can save myself some time and leave the curling iron at home…
On the plus side, between the frogg toggs and fan/mister, DD doesn’t even seem to notice the heat. Here I’ve been so worried about how she’ll handle it, when it seems like it’s the rest of us grown ups that I really need to worry about!
Is the Ariel ride going to be open by February 2013?
Huh. Is it just me, or is Main Street more colorful than it used to be? Or is it just that the paint is fresh and unfaded?
I need to dig out my photos of the east side of the street from last October, before the scrims went up, and do a comparison.
I just wanted to tell you how I enjoy your website! I have been going to Disney World since I was a baby and now that I’m a adult ( and have to pay for myself and my family to go) the trips are further apart. I was just there in November and since I came back I have been coming to your site to keep up on all things World and not to mention the LOL’s that come with it. Keep up the GREAT work!
So I am now officially hookedto your updates…silly how exciting it ismto see a new post! We will be there soon! Can’t wait!
Ok, how much of that fudge do you actually get for $3.99?
I’m assuming those are apples on the top shelf, but what are they covered with?
@Heather If you arrive before rope drop and use a good touring plan, you won’t be waiting like these people are in the 95 degree mid-day temps. If you don’t take a mid-day break, save some indoor things like PhilharMagic, Laugh Floor, etc., for the afternoon so you can be in the cool A/C during the hottest part of the day. You’ll do fine!
What Erika said, only with even more exclamation points. !!!!
Josh, I may have missed it on the boards or previous posts…. But have you been on the recently refurbished BTMRR? I am curious to hear about and see photographs of what changes have occurred in the line area or on the ride itself!
“It’s rare to find a day where either Splash Mountain or Big Thunder Mountain Railroad break down.”
Is the word “don’t” missing? As in rare to find a day that they don’t break down?
Been reading the blogs daily. Always entertaining w/ a lot of useful info. We’re going end of Sept and your updates are getting us ready. No more scrims! Yay! Just hoping that there are no more changes to the characters, because we want to see Rapunzel and Merida. Your plan of action to meet the characters in the morning sounds great. FP princess, go see Merida then Tink and Ariel and then back to use the FP. Has anyone tried this yet? Oh, is Tiana still meeting in the same place? Thanks and happy 4th Josh!
@keri I was thinking the same thing. I’d love to see a side by side comparison.
Heather, you made me laugh! We are going the end of August, and I am thinking the same thing! We had a 95 degree day plus humidity here in Wisconsin for the Fourth of July. We went to watch the two hour parade, and that was all we could handle! I was dripping! I also said to DH that I didn’t know how we were going to make it at WDW in August! We had the fan misters, but I want to buy the Frogg Togg things. I notice they are all sold out. I am also checking to be sure I know which QS restaurants have a/c! We WILL be there at rope drop and out by 1! Good luck!
love the haunted mansion t shirt! and I really dont care if it was a 2009 t its a cool design.
Damn, being there in January many buildings were scrimmed up, and not even the “nicer” scrims with graphics on them. I see I missed a lot of detail in the buildings… where’s my GF upgrade!
Great update. I love the Haunted Mansion shirt and that there is a little more unique merchandise being brought back little by little. Hope they don’t go back to generic before our trip in November of 2013.