News Magic Kingdom July 2020 reopening reports

[Piebald]

Is there only Splash Mountain merchandise found at the SM gift shop? Going to AK tomorrow and wouldnt mind some....

...not planning on reselling on Ebay for 1000% margin either.

 

[FutureCEO]

What's everyone's take on these plexiglass barriers? Do you think they will remain permanent fixtures or eventually removed at the right time once things get back to normal? (Are we ever going to go back to normal, even after a vaccine?)

I would rather not have most things go back to normal (aka...packed like sardines, Haunted Mansion right after the main room before the ride). Number one reason why I always leave the MK before the fireworks.

 

[DisneyOutsider]

Is there only Splash Mountain merchandise found at the SM gift shop? Going to AK tomorrow and wouldnt mind some....

...not planning on reselling on Ebay for 1000% margin either.

I wouldn't bet on finding any Splash merch at the other parks.

 

[willtravel]

What's everyone's take on these plexiglass barriers? Do you think they will remain permanent fixtures or eventually removed at the right time once things get back to normal? (Are we ever going to go back to normal, even after a vaccine?)

I'd be curious to how well they clean up from graffiti.

 

[milordsloth]

Any news or updates on the people mover? That's honestly one of the rides I've been most looking forward to riding this weekend. I see ride times for other rides on the app but people mover doesn't show open or closed.

Edit: I also asked the question on another website and a moderator there responded with "CMs were telling guests yesterday it would open next week. "

 

[wdwmagic]

Any news or updates on the people mover? That's honestly one of the rides I've been most looking forward to riding this weekend. I see ride times for other rides on the app but people mover doesn't show open or closed.

Edit: I also asked the question on another website and a moderator there responded with "CMs were telling guests yesterday it would open next week. "

It was cycling yesterday, and CMs were saying a possible opening yesterday. That didn't happen. Weather has also been poor which has not helped.

 

[_caleb]

Character greetings, special events

Interesting that character greetings, special events, and seeing CM's mouths make Disney Disney for you. I guess it's different for each of us.

 

[sbunit]

I would rather not have most things go back to normal (aka...packed like sardines, Haunted Mansion right after the main room before the ride). Number one reason why I always leave the MK before the fireworks.

I totally agree with you but I think it should be a compromise. I can see how some of these measures can last permanently and benefit everyone in multiple ways. On the other hand I can't see how they can continue these social distancing guidelines indefinitely without affecting customer experience and profitability. These social distancing guidelines inherently restrict ride and entertainment capacity, there's no way Disney can continue operating like this indefinitely. I personally expect things to let up a few months after a vaccine is circulating.

 

[tirian]

???

That was the rhetoric c. 2010.

 

[tirian]

This is an excellent write-up and I'm grateful for it.

However, since it was mentioned twice in the article and repeated by a forum user as part of the forum orthodoxy that FP+ is the cause of long lines, I'm going to go ahead and address this.

I've been to MK during those days of old in the Fall when it was 'dead' and, there was still FP+. And there weren't long lines on all the attractions. Why? Because it was dead. Except for the few headliners that always have a line, the FP line was no faster than the standby... because it was dead. FP+ didn't magically create backed-up lines, because there weren't enough people to fill backed-up lines.

Now, jump to a now typical day when the MK is getting twice the number of people it was designed for. Lines everywhere. And not because of FP, but because there's twice the number of people the park is designed for. The Peoplemover, which has no FP attached to it and has one of the highest throughputs of People per Hour winds up with an hour long wait. And that's because the park is past its tipping point.

You can sneer at spreadsheets, @tirian, but that's data. It's information. You can't hold an opinion that ignores or runs counter to actual reality. The attractions can only throughput a limited number of people. That's a hard fact that can be represented in a spreadsheet. And if you have more people in the park wanting to go on those attractions, you've passed a tipping point and lines will form and grow longer and longer.

The lengthening of lines everywhere happened at the same time the attendance kept climbing and FP+ was introduced. I don't know why or how anyone would blame the lines on FP+ rather than on the obvious reason: A ton more people in the parks.

When Smuggler's Run lost its FP+ line, it wound up with the same hour-long waits at the other headliners in DHS. Why? More people in DHS than it was designed for (thanks to RotR and then MMRR). People were excited to see Smuggler's FP coming to an end and they proclaimed, "NOW we'll see what happens when you take away FP!!" Nothing happened except continued long lines. And yet, the blind faith and orthodoxy of the boards is that long lines are attributed to FP and not to... you know... huge and packed crowds.

The article mentions over and over how there's hardly anyone in the park, but then attributes no lines not to the lack of people, but to the lack of FP+. Meanwhile, the article is delighted there are no crowds and lines at the eateries, but attributes that to... lack of people. How does a low crowd become the reason there are no lines at the eateries, but it is not the reason there are no lines at the rides?

I know that FP isn't perfect in the way it distributes its 'cut the line' perk. But on crowded days, it just shifts people in the long lines, it doesn't cause long lines. This forum orthodoxy regarding FP+'s ability to create lines has no logic to it. But let's say it did... If there was FP+ enabled yesterday, who thinks we'd be seeing 30 minute or more lines at the majority of the attractions?

And you continually ignore how I don’t blame FP itself, but the way NextGen FP+ is used to cut staffing and ops.

I am not among those calling for outright cancelation of FP. I’m saying there’s a middle ground that Disney used to hit pretty well. I also haven’t sneered at anything other than fan-forum rhetoric that says FP+ crowding is a misperception because theoretically, everyone would be in line anyway. That works on paper but isn’t how things actually function in daily operations.

Obviously, queues are shorter because the park is dead. Please don’t put words in my mouth and associate me with people who think FP should be completely eliminated. I’ve repeatedly posted that a digital version of the legacy system is the best solution.

But I don’t want to further digress in this thread.

 

[-em]

Spent the day at MK- had a fantastic time overall and feel WDW is doing everything reasonable they can- definitely surreal with lack of crowds & everyone in masks& cast in face shields. Didn’t see anyone not with a mask- we rode almost everything as a complete walk-on only 2 had a 15-20 min wait.

 

[Giss Neric]

The no mask on Safari logic is weird to me.

You are most likely to get attacked by the animals. When they see masks, they immediately think of you as poachers.

 

[wdwmagic]

Much improved at bag check today. No more putting things in clear bags. Only thing that comes out of bags are metal water bottles into a tray. Then guest and bag goes through metal detector. If it alerts, you empty bag onto table for inspection. If it doesn’t alert pass straight through.

 

[donsullivan]

Not sure if this has come back around again after the dialogs on Tuesday but I'm seeing multiple reports that the language is being updated to explicitly note that neck gaiters are not approved by Disney as a replacement for face masks and cannot be worn in place of face masks. What I'm hearing says that all the language should be updated everywhere before the official re-opening on Saturday

 

[HauntedMansionFLA]

I totally agree with you but I think it should be a compromise. I can see how some of these measures can last permanently and benefit everyone in multiple ways. On the other hand I can't see how they can continue these social distancing guidelines indefinitely without affecting customer experience and profitability. These social distancing guidelines inherently restrict ride and entertainment capacity, there's no way Disney can continue operating like this indefinitely. I personally expect things to let up a few months after a vaccine is circulating.

Waiting for a vaccine is setting yourself up for disappointment. They have never found a vaccine for covid because it’s a viral mutation that’s always changing and evolving. They are starting to admit it now for Covid19.

 

[Disstevefan1]

Not sure if this has come back around again after the dialogs on Tuesday but I'm seeing multiple reports that the language is being updated to explicitly note that neck gaiters are not approved by Disney as a replacement for face masks and cannot be worn in place of face masks. What I'm hearing says that all the language should be updated everywhere before the official re-opening on Saturday

I have heard this too. Are the neck gators not allowed because they don’t offer the same protection as other masks? I have one and it’s noticeably easier to breathe compared to masks.

 

[Purduevian]

I have heard this too. Are the neck gators not allowed because they don’t offer the same protection as other masks? I have one and it’s noticeably easier to breathe compared to masks.

I think part of the issue is that neck gaiters in productions traditionally are not made for filtering out airborne particles, but rather for sun/uv protection, which is why many people find them more comfortable.

There could be some now being sold that have adequate filtering capabilities, but I imagine it would then negate any advantages in comfort.

I have 2 neck gaiters, 1 with a filter, 1 without. I won't wear the non-filter one in public right now because it doesn't do anything. They both look basically identical from out the outside.

 

[donsullivan]

I have heard this too. Are the neck gators not allowed because they don’t offer the same protection as other masks? I have one and it’s noticeably easier to breathe compared to masks.

I don't think we'll see published reasons but I understand there are two different drivers. The first and most important is the fact that gaiters 'tend' to have very thin fabric and therefore provide far less protection than the defined types of masks. The second is a concern around the fact that it is not uncommon for gaiters to have what can best be described as rather 'aggressive' graphics on them and they'd just rather not deal with that. The thin fabric seems to be the primary driver though.

 

[Mainahman]

Much improved at bag check today. No more putting things in clear bags. Only thing that comes out of bags are metal water bottles into a tray. Then guest and bag goes through metal detector. If it alerts, you empty bag onto table for inspection. If it doesn’t alert pass straight through.

This makes me so happy. We will have 2 bags this go round in august. The fact that this is getting better makes me happy!

 

[DisneyOutsider]

I don't think we'll see published reasons but I understand there are two different drivers. The first and most important is the fact that gaiters 'tend' to have very thin fabric and therefore provide far less protection than the defined types of masks. The second is a concern around the fact that it is not uncommon for gaiters to have what can best be described as rather 'aggressive' graphics on them and they'd just rather not deal with that. The thin fabric seems to be the primary driver though.

I had this experience when trying to find a Made in USA neck gaiter. I had to choose between either incredibly obnoxious/douchey/redneck graphics, or super feminine designs. I gave up Reminds me of the jersey designs of the teams in my beer-league softball.