Trip Report A New Hope, A New Day COMPLETED

Tuvalu · Sep 13, 2021

When the parks reopened in July 2020, rigid “rope drop” procedures were errr….dropped. Every day the parks opened earlier than the official time with soft openings for attractions. This was protocol for physical distancing, to spread out the crowds.

The “new” procedure lasted a year. Now, the last week of July 2021, the parks were transitioning back to regular rope drop.

Guests were gathered in the hub and entrances to each land were blocked by CMs.

Every 5 minutes there was a recorded announcement over the loudspeakers: “Please enjoy all of our shops and restaurants on Main Street until our attractions open at 9 am.”

In other words, PLEASE SPEND MONEY.

At 9 am on the dot there was a welcome announcement with horn fanfare. There were no characters on the castle stage. Just a recorded, “And now let the magic begin!”

CMs dropped their ropes and guests hurried on their way.

And hurry they did. Numerous people in the Peter Pan line had to step off to the side while waiting for the rest of their parties catch up. Here’s a thought ~ Don’t race to get in line if your party isn’t all together!

Em and I had kept a normal walking pace to Peter Pan. We joined the line (which moved continually) and only waited 15 minutes before boarding our pirate ship.

During our time in the queue we (ok mostly me) conversed with the family behind us: Mom, Dad and two kids under 8. Dad was excitedly telling his kids they were going to ride It’s a Small World next, it was one of his favorites as a child, dolls from every country, etc. I hated that I had to to pop his bubble with the news that IASW had closed the day before for a short refurbishment.

Dad was dejected of course, until I asked him if they had another visit to MK planned.

“Friday,” he replied.

“Oh it’s reopening on Friday!” I said. “You can see it then.”

He then asked which attraction they should visit after Peter Pan and what rides I would recommend for his kids. I gave him some suggestions, along with the touring order.

Which prompted him to ask, “Do you live here?” (Should I have said yes, @King Raccoon 77?)

I laughed and said I was a frequent visitor with many years experience. Later, when our pirate ship came to a halt here for several minutes…..

…..I felt sorry that the family’s very first WDW ride was a broken one!

Our next stop was an urgent one, thanks to someone’s coffee.

No Arty Pooh, but Pooh was attraction #2!

TrolleyFollower91 · Sep 13, 2021

Tuvalu said:
What time did we arrive? As Em would say, “without the clock how will we know what time it is?!!”

I obviously am making my Apple Watch be the clock….

You couldn’t get that from my body position? :joyfull:

Loco_driver · Sep 13, 2021

Tuvalu said:
Pooh was attraction #2!

Pooh! #2?! Really?!

Ok I’ll see myself out.

Tuvalu · Sep 13, 2021

Loco_driver said:
Pooh! #2?! Really?!

Ok I’ll see myself out.

I thought it but you said it!

Laurenciaa · Sep 14, 2021

Tuvalu said:
When the parks reopened in July 2020, rigid “rope drop” procedures were errr….dropped. Every day the parks opened earlier than the official time with soft openings for attractions. This was protocol for physical distancing, to spread out the crowds.

And hurry they did. Numerous people in the Peter Pan line had to step off to the side while waiting for the rest of their parties catch up. Here’s a thought ~ Don’t race to get in line if your party isn’t all together!

He then asked which attraction they should visit after Peter Pan and what rides I would recommend for his kids. I gave him some suggestions, along with the touring order.

Which prompted him to ask, “Do you live here?” (Should I have said yes, @King Raccoon 77?)

1) Apparently the same idiotic behavior also shows itself in Paris. Was waiting in line for BTMRR and a not so young teenager, with popcorn in his hand (hence his "I need to cut the line" reason).. probably cut half of the line! Knowing that in DLP the claustrophobic dividers still exist, I can assure you I really really wanted this guy for his popcorn to fall or just trip in general..

2) You are, together with other magicians, a true "connoisseur" of the institution for which I (and the party behind you) thank you profoundly for!

lindawdw · Sep 14, 2021

I'm sure the Dad appreciated your advice about touring and clueing him in on the IASW closure. I love talking with other Disney guests while on line!

sheriffwoody · Sep 14, 2021

TrolleyFollower91 said:
I obviously am making my Apple Watch be the clock….

You couldn’t get that from my body position?

I got it!! That's what I thought you were doing too :hilarious:

You're just not quite tall enough...haha

Tuvalu · Sep 14, 2021

Day Six, con’t

After Pooh we went to another Fantasyland favorite.

Now prepare yourself for the “artsy-ist” of my “artsy” photos.

Are you ready?

I have absolutely no idea how the following picture resulted from an iPhone but here it is:

And Em’s hat magically disappeared!

Sometimes boarding a clam mobile can be a real struggle.

But no problem for us today.

We waved for Woody in abstentia.

The most exciting part of our journey was the exit, since the “real” exit was back in use. No more winding through Ariel’s Grotto!

93boomer · Sep 14, 2021

Tuvalu said:
Day Six, con’t

After Pooh we went to another Fantasyland favorite.

Now prepare yourself for the “artsy-ist” of my “artsy” photos.

Are you ready?

I have absolutely no idea how the following picture resulted from an iPhone but here it is:

View attachment 587029

And Em’s hat magically disappeared!

View attachment 587030

Sometimes boarding a clam mobile can be a real struggle.

View attachment 587031

But no problem for us today.

View attachment 587032

We waved for Woody in abstentia.

View attachment 587033

The most exciting part of our journey was the exit, since the “real” exit was back in use. No more winding through Ariel’s Grotto!

View attachment 587034

Wow such a cool shot!

Songbird76 · Sep 15, 2021

Laurenciaa said:
Had to think of you @Tuvalu today! Sat on the MPB in Disneyland Paris today!

Jealous!!! I really wish DLP had a Soarin' attraction. I'd probably be satisfied with going to DLP more if they did....that and some better dining options. They really need to up their game in the dining department! But since Haunted Mansion and Carrots of the Pirabbean are my favorites along with Soarin', those are my must do attractions. I can live without most of the others. Can I ask where you stay when you go? Are you going to do a TR?

(Sorry for derailing your TR, Tuvalu!)

Songbird76 · Sep 15, 2021

Tuvalu said:
Wednesday, July 28 ~ Day Six

Our last day had arrived and we had yet to rope drop Magic Kingdom.

Calm down, Rogelio. We would never end a vacay without rope dropping MK.

Our friends knew we were coming and welcomed us from atop the train station.

View attachment 586655
Yes, Mickey is waving at us!

View attachment 586657
Donald too!

What time did we arrive? As Em would say, “without the clock how will we know what time it is?!!”

View attachment 586658

Good thing I encouraged her to move on. Otherwise she would have remained in that holding position for another five weeks! On September 2 this beauty was finally returned to her rightful location.

View attachment 586668

(Astute observers will have noted Em’s Apple Watch in the photo above. So she could have known the time if she wanted to. “This watch can tell time!” was the fourth or fifth selling feature of the device by a ~~tech~~ ~~geek~~ salesman in the store. )

According to the time stamp, she took my picture at 8:51 am.

View attachment 586659

The castle clock can no longer provide that information. At least not until the 50th celebration is over.

View attachment 586682

Rope dropping MK? So are we going to see Artie Pooh pictures?

Edit: Nevermind...I see that was already answered.

Laurenciaa · Sep 15, 2021

Songbird76 said:
Jealous!!! I really wish DLP had a Soarin' attraction. I'd probably be satisfied with going to DLP more if they did....that and some better dining options. They really need to up their game in the dining department! But since Haunted Mansion and Carrots of the Pirabbean are my favorites along with Soarin', those are my must do attractions. I can live without most of the others. Can I ask where you stay when you go? Are you going to do a TR?

(Sorry for derailing your TR, Tuvalu!)

Hi @Songbird76!

Yeah Soarin' would be a very nice addition but honestly not sure where you would put it in the Disneyland Park or Studios..
Dining options are indeed not as glamourous as in WDW also because the majority does not stay for more than 2 days. If I remain on-site, I like the Inventions Buffet style dinner in the Disneyland Hotel but that's under renovation for now.. Also dined a couple of times in the New York Hotel back in 2018 but now transformed to the (imo) very very pricy Star Wars/Marvel hotel.

I also very much like Pirates and the Haunted mansion but BTMRR is, gosh, soo good! Better than the one in DL and WDW!!

If we go with the Family we mostly stay in the Disneyland Hotel, when I go alone it is or A) leaving Brussels at the crack of dawn and return the same day or B) drive down to Marne la Vallée the day before and spend a day in DLP the day afterwards. Prior week I stayed at an Ibis Budget hotel. Was not too pricy (75 EUR) but really not glamourous. The bed was good which was the most important as a lot of walking and a drive home was still to come the day afterwards.

I normally do not do a TR as it is only one day, but If you would like I could share some pictures of my next visit next month

Songbird76 · Sep 15, 2021

Laurenciaa said:
Hi @Songbird76!

Yeah Soarin' would be a very nice addition but honestly not sure where you would put it in the Disneyland Park or Studios..
Dining options are indeed not as glamourous as in WDW also because the majority does not stay for more than 2 days. If I remain on-site, I like the Inventions Buffet style dinner in the Disneyland Hotel but that's under renovation for now.. Also dined a couple of times in the New York Hotel back in 2018 but now transformed to the (imo) very very pricy Star Wars/Marvel hotel.

I also very much like Pirates and the Haunted mansion but BTMRR is, gosh, soo good! Better than the one in DL and WDW!!

If we go with the Family we mostly stay in the Disneyland Hotel, when I go alone it is or A) leaving Brussels at the crack of dawn and return the same day or B) drive down to Marne la Vallée the day before and spend a day in DLP the day afterwards. Prior week I stayed at an Ibis Budget hotel. Was not too pricy (75 EUR) but really not glamourous. The bed was good which was the most important as a lot of walking and a drive home was still to come the day afterwards.

I normally do not do a TR as it is only one day, but If you would like I could share some pictures of my next visit next month

I can't do coasters...I MIGHT consider trying BTMR if we ever go again, but I need copious amounts of Dramamine to attempt it. I rode the WDW version on our honeymoon and felt soooo sick for an hour afterwards. But DLP's version of Carrots is sooooo much better! It feels a lot longer, and I love the beginning part going through the bayou where you can see the restaurant, etc. It's so pretty! And I have no idea where they would put Soarin' either, but don't all the other parks have it? That's really the only one of my favorites that DLP is missing. We've only gone to DLP once, and we stayed at Sequoia. The food there was pretty good for a buffet, but apparently it's exactly like every other buffet at DLP? But the quick service was severely lacking. Every restaurant open for breakfast had the exact same options and I think there were only 2 or 3 options at that. It was like a ham and cheese roll with cream, or a croissant with jam, or pain au chocolat.
I would love to see pictures from your visit next month!

@Tuvalu , have you ever visited any of the other parks? Do you plan to at some point? I don't think I speak just for myself when I say I'd love to see a Tuvalu in DLP or Hong Kong, etc TR! Tuvalu Tries Tokyo has a nice ring to it, no??

amjt660 · Sep 15, 2021

Tu
Nice artsy pic and magic trick

@Laurenciaa

Laurenciaa said:
I normally do not do a TR as it is only one day, but If you would like I could share some pictures of my next visit next month

Yes please!!! - It has been 10 years since my DLP visit and I would like to see it through your eyes.

Max

Disney Loving Swede · Sep 15, 2021

Laurenciaa said:
I normally do not do a TR as it is only one day, but If you would like I could share some pictures of my next visit next month

Yes please, I'm trying to convince my husband we need to go back to get in a Disney fix.

Tuvalu · Sep 15, 2021

Day Six, con’t

It was only an hour after park opening and crowds were building (quite the opposite from last July, when we had the place to ourselves!) We wanted to hit Jungle Cruise before the wait became exorbitant.

We left Fantasyland via the bridge towards the hub.

I made Em pose for a picture with Orange Bird since she “blended in” so well.

Tuvalu · Sep 16, 2021

The wait was posted at 30 minutes.

New writing on the beam.

Happy our wait was ten minutes less than what was posted.

One hungry hippo….

The dancing natives had been removed from this scene. A month later the hut itself was gone.

Another mystery would soon be revealed.

I wish they would stop monkeying around.

A few skipper puns:

“At the boat rental stand you can rent a deluxe paddle or a regular paddle. There’s really no difference as it’s just either OAR.”

“See the snake in sittin’ in the tree. H-I-S-S-I-N-G !”

“The lions are eating their favorite way. With pride.”

When real life meets animated life….

Do you see it?

Trader Sam may be gone but his gift shop lingers on.

Are they really adding a ride photo to this attraction?

I truly hope the sign is a joke. A Jungle Cruise ride photo would be even worse than a Pirates ride photo!

Tuvalu · Sep 16, 2021

Speaking of Pirates, we bypassed it in favor of an early lunch. (As in @Doc Disney and Mary early! :jawdrop:

)

Oh toppings bar, how we miss thee!

Why are there always shrieking children (not pictured) in this restaurant?! My ears can’t take it!!!

Before.

After.

Not exactly a chicken rice bowl, but I managed not to make a mess with it.

Bellies full, we went in search of otherworldly friends.

Tuvalu · Sep 16, 2021

Em and I weren’t strangers to a ridiculously long Haunted Mansion queue. During our pandemic visits, the 6ft. physical distancing markers stretched all the way to the ferryboat landing and wound through the old keel boat landing.

But those markers were history. Lines had returned to pre-pandemic get-as-close-to-your-neighbor-as-possible lines.

Imagine our surprise when we saw guests queuing here again:

The physical distanced HM queue was back….without physical distancing. :in pain:

“I like the optimistic people who run past this long line thinking it is not the real queue,” Em remarked.

We headed down….

….and back around.

Getting closer….

The excessively long line made sense once we saw that the interactive graveyard queue was roped off.

She nails it every time!

TrolleyFollower91 · Sep 16, 2021

Tuvalu said:
She nails it every time!

Trip Report A New Hope, A New Day COMPLETED

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Trip Report A New Hope, A New Day COMPLETED