Animal Kingdom Reopening Report
Following visits to Magic Kingdom for Walt Disney World’s reopening day and AP preview, we head to Animal Kingdom to see modified operations there. In this report, we’ll share photos, crowds & wait time info, health & safety measures, mask compliance, concluding with commentary about the rising case numbers in Florida.
Once again, we opted to arrive after rope drop to wait out whatever first wave of crowds there might be (everything we’ve heard from friends suggests there has been no such first wave). By the time we arrived, there was no wait at the parking toll booths, health screening, bag check, or the turnstiles.
Animal Kingdom was even quieter than Magic Kingdom, which was not a total surprise. Disney Park Pass reservations only filled up entirely for Annual Passholders, and excess inventory was never reallocated from theme park ticketholders and resort guests. It’s unclear if this will happen in the future–we suspect it eventually, with Walt Disney World proceeding cautiously as it scales up operations…
While Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom have been veritable ghost towns opening weekend, it’s worth reiterating that capacity is still be kept low right now. More Annual Passholders would absolutely be in the parks if allowed to enter. Reports out of Universal showed larger crowds over the weekend, which alone is indicative of Walt Disney World limiting attendance.
In other words, we’d strongly caution against booking a trip on the basis of what you’re seeing out of the first weekend. Although there’s some degree of pent-up demand that will be exhausted, there’s also the reality that Walt Disney World is artificially constraining capacity even below the 20-30% threshold. That’s probably the smart and safe move for the foreseeable future, with rising case numbers and the national eye focused on Disney.
There’s also the reality that the heat and humidity are absolutely brutal right now.
I don’t think it was any hotter than the previous day, but Animal Kingdom always feels hotter than any other park to us.
That plus this being our second consecutive day of being outdoors during the daytime after not really doing that for months made this especially exhausting.
(Some might want to attribute this to masks–that’s not it. This would be unbearable weather regardless.)
Expedition Everest had a posted 5 minute wait most of our time at Animal Kingdom, but both times we made it to Asia, the posted wait inexplicably had shot to 20 minutes.
Fortunately, the posted wait times throughout the parks are almost universally inflated. Even when lines were spilling out the entrances, we found they were short thanks to a lack of FastPass+ and the spacing built into the queues.
Kali River Rapids was a 5 minute wait (and presumably a walk-on in actuality) but we didn’t do that because we didn’t want to get soaked.
I don’t know anyone who has done this attraction since reopening, but I’d love to hear a report from someone who has–particularly how it works with masks and whether you get as wet as normal.
We also didn’t get to do Up! A Great Bird Adventure, which was seemingly running at random (or at least inaccurate) showtimes.
I didn’t even realize this was going to reopen. Either I forgot or it was a last-minute addition to the schedule.
Animal Kingdom also has a trio of Relaxation Stations where guests can go to remove their masks.
This one was the busiest and smallest–totally full when we checked it out.
However, this dining area is located immediately to the right of the Relaxation Station, and was totally empty. There are tables in the shade in addition to these two.
It’s worth reiterating that you need to be seated when eating. You are allowed to quickly pull your mask down while walking and drinking, but only while taking a sip. (We confirmed this again with the “Incredi-Crew” physical distancing Cast Members because it’s been a common question.)
Mask compliance was about 95%. We saw a few guests with the masks down while simply holding food or drinks (one couple proactively put their masks up when they saw a Cast Member, so presumably they had been admonished about this and knew what they were doing.)
Still, very good all things considered. Much better than the ~50-70% mask compliance we’ve seen at Publix or Target.
In our view, the dining options at Animal Kingdom are markedly better than those at Magic Kingdom.
There are strong options for snacks and counter service restaurants, which cannot be said for Magic Kingdom.
The weak link remains table service dining, as none of the options have outdoor seating. (See our Best Outdoor Dining Options at Walt Disney World for recommendations on that front.)
We’re going to keep beating this drum because it’s important, especially as our collective knowledge about transmission evolves. If you’re compulsively cleaning surfaces and sanitizing your hands but are still dining indoors, you’re prioritizing the wrong thing. (Of course, it’s best to err on the side of caution, eating outside and sanitizing.)
We ended up doing Satu’li Canteen (for Sarah) and Flame Tree Barbecue (for me).
Satu’li Canteen was easily the busier of the two, to the point where the outdoor seating area was close to full when we dined there. By contrast, Flame Tree has many outdoor pavilions, and only the one with the Expedition Everest view had other guests in it. The rest were totally empty.
That prime seating area would make a good spot not just for Expedition Everest, but for watching the Discovery River Character Cruises.
Above we have Pocahontas and Meeko.
Here’s Launchpad, Daisy, and Donald Duck. Other characters in their Dino Bash costumes made appearances.
The best entertainment, however, was the Discovery Island Drummers. These performers gave an energy to the park that was otherwise a bit flat.
We waited until it was a walk-on before doing Avatar Flight of Passage.
Unfortunately, our timing was poor and we ended up being in the load area with another group. There’s a ton of plexiglass installed in the queue and the interminable pre-show isn’t running (just the safety spiel video), so that’s all good. However, the spacing is only one empty banshee between parties, and I didn’t feel comfortable with that on an indoor attraction. Totally a personal thing, but we wouldn’t do Flight of Passage again in the near future.
Pandora – World of Avatar was likewise largely devoid of people after lunch.
It’s been a while since we’ve spent time in Pandora during the day, as this area is usually miserable between the crowds and heat. It was still unpleasantly hot, but there was a serene quality to the unpleasantness!
No amount of low crowds can make some places feel pleasant or serene…
We didn’t stick around long enough to find out for ourselves, but reports from friends have indicated that the crowds at Animal Kingdom are really light the last 2-3 hours of the day. This would square with what we’ve experienced at Magic Kingdom.
By the time we made our way over there, Kilimanjaro Safaris was a walk-on. Save for Expedition Everest, which was probably a fluke, most attraction wait times at Animal Kingdom can be measured by how long it takes to walk through the queue.
Lots of ride vehicles going empty, or with only one party aboard.
Barriers have been installed between each row; between that and the fact that it’s an outdoor attraction, Kilimanjaro Safaris was quite a pleasant experience.
We had a giraffe try to “say hello” in our safari truck and got to see adorable baby flamingos, so great ride overall.
While waiting for unload, I received a news alert that Florida reported a record 15,300 new cases, by far the most any state has reported in a single day since this began. I had an immediate sinking feeling, and the rest of the afternoon was basically walking around in a fog, with the emotion of this news weighing down on us.
Reading more helped contextualize the bleak number, but there’s no explaining it away. That’s more in a day than numerous countries have recorded in total since this began. I’ve been hopeful that with mask mandates and bars closed, we’d start to see a decrease in numbers. With each passing day, it’s harder to retain that sense of optimism.
I’m not totally sure how to feel or what to say here. I still believe that this is complicated, and Central Florida has a difficult road ahead regardless of the decision made with reopening. Another closure would be devastating to the area, but we’re nearing the point where so will staying open. I don’t know that Americans have the tolerance for further shutdowns, especially after the time that was bought by the first one was essentially squandered. (If the choices are controlled and safe settings for going out or “shutting down” but people engaging in risky behavior like house parties and ‘unregulated’ gatherings, is the latter really the better option?)
We’ve seldom ventured out in the last several months, but Walt Disney World is the safest place we’ve been in that time by leaps and bounds. And it’s not just an illusory feeling of safety or health theater (although there is some of that); Disney is doing a considerably better job than elsewhere in this area. Within the microcosm of Walt Disney World, the measures being taken are above and beyond even those that have been demonstrably effective for other countries in obliterating the curve.
For us, going to the parks and further mitigating our risk by dining outdoors and making a concerted effort to avoid prolonged time spent indoors seems like a responsible and healthy way to attempt resuming some semblance of normalcy. However, our circumstances are also unique–we have the luxury of going for brief periods and then staying at home for a couple of weeks thereafter. We’re very cognizant that this is not reality for many people reading this.
With all of that said, I personally would not be traveling to Florida right now. If I had a trip planned for the next several months, I’d be in wait and see mode, only proceeding if the numbers start to improve. This is a point we’ve made repeatedly, but want to hammer it home again. It’d be irresponsible to let the empty park photos and reports on low crowds tell their own story because that’s simply not the full one.
Even though Walt Disney World is doing a fantastic job with safety, there is risk in getting here, getting around–and being in the parks. It’s worth underscoring that even the safest setting is not risk-free. You’re all adults who are ultimately going to assess the information and make your own decisions; if it were us and we didn’t live here, we wouldn’t be here. Regardless of the conclusion you reach about what’s right for you, we appreciate you reading this!
Planning a Walt Disney World trip? Learn about hotels on our Walt Disney World Hotels Reviews page. For where to eat, read our Walt Disney World Restaurant Reviews. To save money on tickets or determine which type to buy, read our Tips for Saving Money on Walt Disney World Tickets post. Our What to Pack for Disney Trips post takes a unique look at clever items to take. For what to do and when to do it, our Walt Disney World Ride Guides will help. For comprehensive advice, the best place to start is our Walt Disney World Trip Planning Guide for everything you need to know!
YOUR THOUGHTS
Did you attend the reopening weekend at Animal Kingdom? What was your experience? Thoughts on any topic discussed here? Are you eagerly awaiting your next vacation ‘escape’ to Walt Disney World, or still apprehensive about everything going on right now? Do you have any questions about the current modified Animal Kingdom experience? Will you be attempting to visit Walt Disney World this summer or fall, or are you waiting until 2021 or beyond? Any questions we can help you answer? Hearing your feedback–even when you disagree with us–is both interesting to us and helpful to other readers, so please share your thoughts below in the comments!
Tom,
Thank you so much for your honest reviews! My fiance and I have been on the fence for months about moving our honeymoon from October 2020 to 2021. I’ve been dreaming of this trip since I was a little girl, so of course I’m a little emotionally biased in the decision making. My mother suggested I “see what Mr. Bricker has to say” and I’m glad I followed her advice! This year has been so hard for everyone for one reason or another, but reading your blog TRULY makes it all just a bit better. Thank you!
We have an extended family trip planned for November which include a DVC booking of a two bedroom villa that we borrowed points from 2021 at the eleven month mark to make. I am fearful that we will lose those points if we decide to cancel. We’re waiting to see what happens as it gets closer to the fall, but things are looking the opposite of promising in Florida right now and I’m really not realistically thinking this trip will happen. I’m hopeful that since we’ve never asked for an exception, magically we could get our points returned to 2021 that we borrowed.
We borrowed 2021 points for Aulani (still closed). I called DVC just a few days ago and they confirmed they will return points to their original use year right now, under current circumstances. I would call and see if it applies for you too. Good luck!
Thank you, Pamela!!
Thank you so much for all of your hard work and measured insights. I saw a picture of several people congregating outside Peco’s Bill a couple of days ago, presumably waiting for mobile order pick up. People were wearing masks, but they were definitely not 6 feet apart. Was that an issue at Satu’li or Flame Tree? What time of day did you go? Assuming we keep our September trip, I want to make sure we avoid that kind of crowd.
I noticed that once outside one of the Magic Kingdom restaurants, although I don’t recall which one (Cosmic Ray’s?). Nothing since.
Might be a good idea if MDX assigned numbered spots to stand that correspond with markers on the ground–otherwise there’s always going to be a propensity to hover in situations like that at peak dining times.
Do you think it responsible to be promoting visits to Disney when Florida announced a record number of new Corona cases yesterday, 25% of the US total, itself a record?
Will you follow-up and give a count of how many new cases are reported 10 days from now among the visitors?
Have you interviewed any of the children who were forced to wear a mask all day in the July heat of Florida?
Alan Silverman
Do you think it responsible to be promoting visits to Disney when Florida announced a record number of new Corona cases yesterday, 25% of the US total, itself a record?
Addressed in the post.
Will you follow-up and give a count of how many new cases are reported 10 days from now among the visitors?
If that data is available, certainly. Absent that, we’ll continue reporting the general situation on the ground in Florida.
Have you interviewed any of the children who were forced to wear a mask all day in the July heat of Florida?
No, that would be super weird.
Lol perfect response Tom!! Thank you for all the updates and bringing cheer to those of us who can’t be there to enjoy it with you!
Mary Kay Kirchner, obviously you didn’t read the entire post if that’s your takeaway. Tom is doing the best he can to report on the status of Disney World, and under difficult circumstances. At no time did he recommend a Disney trip for now, or in the near future.
On another note, Hong Kong Disneyland has closed again because they are seeing around 50 new cases per day. Contrast that to Florida recording an all time high of 15,299 cases in just one day, while theme parks continue to remain open. Hong Kong’s closing was a requirement of government and health authorities. Too bad the leadership of some of the states here can’t get it under control.
If your government doesn’t care enough about you, it’s up to you to care. As Andrew Cuomo said, it has always been up to the people to get the numbers lowered. And the people of NY delivered. I have great concern for the health and welfare of Florida residents. Stay safe.
“I personally would not be traveling to Florida right now. If I had a trip planned for the next several months, I’d be in wait and see mode, only proceeding if the numbers start to improve. This is a point we’ve made repeatedly, but want to hammer it home again.”
I guess you were in such a hurry to get to the comments to sermonize you didn’t actually read the article?
Have you interviewed any of the children who were forced to wear a mask all day in the July heat of Florida?
No, that would be super weird.
Thanks as always Tom, We rely on your reports and updates.
We are still scheduled for the end of August and Christmastime. We’ll wait til the last minute to cancel which is what we did with our June/July trip which became our Christmas trip.
We always drive down and we do it with a visit to a friend and/or a hotel stay. If we go that will change. No stops at friends or hotels but a straight thru drive. I use gloves to gas up and we’ll have plenty of food with us rather than stopping at Cracker Barrel or Chick-Fil-A.
I hear FL will be revisiting the 2 week quarantine in August which will be important to any decision we make.
Also if we do go we will be tested before we leave to be sure we’re not bringing anything with us.
At the moment Disney appears to have implemented excellent heath and safety precautions. Mask compliance is far superior to anything I’ve seen elsewhere. What I’ve seen locally is not terrible in fact it’s been very good but it’s not over the 95% you’ve reported. Disney seems safer than any trip to the Supermarket or hardware store.
Like you said it’s wait and see. Next week can be a whole new ballgame so please keep those reports coming.
Thanks for reading–good to hear you’re already thinking of the precautions you’ll take!
I’ve got a trip that would be very difficult to cancel at the end of July, booked when things looked better. It worries me to see the numbers climbing but it looks like staying on a Disney property and driving to each park is as safe as doing so can be. Fingers crossed things start getting better over the next two weeks…
Related, my partner is wanting to come to the parks for photography and is trying to figure out a way to bring the camera/lenses that won’t be overly hot to wear around. Do you know if rolling backpacks are allowed, or do you have a suggestion?
I’m not sure on the rules regarding roller bags, but I carry all my gear and have never had a problem. Aside from a ridiculous amount of back sweat. I think a roller bag would be more of a hassle in a park, but that’s just me.
I am glad that cast members are talking to folks not wearing their masks.
I know what you mean at stores. I was at a store just the other day and a woman had her mask totally off. I saw an employee also around and they told me they had been told they were NOT allowed to confront people not wearing their mask. I am really glad Disney is not taking that approach
I agree that DAK is always feels like the hottest park. Why is that?
Epcot seems like the second hottest but that could because it is so large and spread out so the need to walk so much is there.
Love DAK. Just wish they’d add a few more attractions and make Dinosaur better.
And I like the pics of masked people for historical purposes and a reminder of what life was like in 2020!
Tom thank you so much for all you do and for sharing your level-headed thoughts. I’m glad Disney is taking such precautions, but the whole situation in FL worries me immensely. I’ve seen so many locals say they feel safer at Disney than their grocery stores, etc. At least where I am we have pretty much 99% mask compliance anywhere (they are really taking it seriously and it is mandated in all public spaces – most locations are strongly enforcing it too). We also “only” had 700 new cases in my state (PA) yesterday so it at least feels like my odds are lower of coming across someone with it. With 15,000 new cases a day in FL it just feels like the odds are so much higher that SOMEONE will be in Disney with the virus and potentially spreading it.
I’m sitting on a November trip to Disneyland right now but definitely just in wait and see mode. What are your feelings on that? You mentioned you would discourage people traveling to FL right now, I’m guessing your feelings about traveling to CA would be the same?
Everyone’s risk tolerances are different, but absent new and compelling evidence/studies, flying is one of the last things I’d be comfortable doing right now. However, MCO is my home airport, making it a statistically higher risk for me than for you. (However, you’d be flying out of a SoCal airport, so you’re in the same boat on the other end.)
I’d feel safer with an N-95 mask, PCR tests at the airport, or proof of a negative test within 24 hours before flying. Some countries are moving towards the latter two approaches, but I’d be surprised if the US follows suit.
Fwiw, and keep in mind I’m no epidemiologist, just a science geek who likes to follow numbers…pretty much everywhere where it was actually allowed to spread, covid peaked quite naturally in the population and started to come back down. I suspect NY, IL, NJ, etc; are seeing lower numbers not due to some magical state management, but simply due to enough of the population getting it that a some degree of herd immunity is being established. I would be willimg to bet money Florida will do the same before the end of the summer. But we’ll see. In the meantime, glad businesses are opening with an eye to safety…we can’t stay locked up forever.
Tom, I’m so heartbroken to see the numbers climbing in Florida, and elsewhere. We have dealt with so much loss and illness in the NYC Metro area, and it has been hair-tearingly frustrating to watch the rest of the country ignore our canary in the coal mine. Thank you for the reports – any news from the World is welcome when I know my next trip is so far off. I hope you and Sarah continue staying safe and healthy.
“We have dealt with so much loss and illness in the NYC Metro area, and it has been hair-tearingly frustrating to watch the rest of the country ignore our canary in the coal mine.”
Sadly, that’s how everywhere in the world has dealt with this. Even other countries in Asia didn’t act rapidly while the first outbreak occurred in China. Then there was Italy, and the rest of Europe and the US still had something of an “it can’t happen here” mentality. For many Americans, NYC might as well be another country. I suspect many people won’t take it seriously until personally impacted, or there are catastrophic consequences in a more familiar area.
At this point, I’m not even sure what another shutdown accomplishes. We had the first one, did very little in that time, and just hoped for better results. Society needs to get serious about masking, physical distancing, avoiding confined spaces, testing and contact tracing. Shutdowns absent preventative measures just forestall the inevitable while inflicting their own tolls.
At what capacity do you think Disney has to operate in order for it to be worth being open (financially)? I understand the plan is to slowly ramp up capacity, but is that very likely to happen soon with cases skyrocketing? Could they reach a point where it makes better financial sense to shut back down as opposed to being partially open?
Back in late May or early June, Bob Chapek indicated in an interview that WDW would only reopen if it was financially viable, specifically mentioning that Disney would not open a park unless they could “at least cover our variable costs of operating and make a contribution towards fixed costs and overhead.”
Disney’s allocation of fixed v. variable cost is beyond my area of expertise, but notwithstanding that, here are some thoughts:
-A lot has changed in terms of demand/recovery projections since then
-Opening now, even if unprofitable, is a necessary prerequisite to scaling up
-Saving the more lucrative Christmas season is probably the main goal; if they close again, the holiday season might be lost
Tom, when you have a chance, I think some of us would be interested to know your more detailed thoughts on what WDW might look like for the holiday season. I know that there will be a lot of unforeseeable changes since then, as the situation in Florida has been pretty much night day between the end of May and end of June, so this is with the understanding that everything right now is speculative. But I’ve seen a number of comments from people keeping an eye on things for their November/December plans, and you’ve made a number of more vague comments about capacity increases and DVC availability being lower around the holidays. I personally have a trip booked Christmas week, and I’m a FL resident under four hours away so I don’t have the same decision as others with flying, but if the capacity is going to be substantially more than it is now, I don’t know how comfortable I’ll feel. But I’m just curious what your thoughts are, so far, on what a “lucrative” holiday season would look like for WDW this year and what some of the changes between then and now might be if they do stay open through this and any other case surges to “save” the holiday season?
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My fiance and I were at Animal Kingdom on Friday for the Passholder Preview and had a great time. I loved the new no-contact security checkpoint at the front gates (no more strangers man-handling my possessions!). The Up Bird Adventure was, indeed, running and we sat through it. The benches are all very well-marked for social distancing but there weren’t more than 10 families in the audience anyways. As far as masks, I only saw 3 or 4 adults with their masks on their chins in the entire day. People in queues were respectful of the social distancing markers on the ground. Twice we were stopped in queues for the periodic disinfecting of the ride vehicles and hand railings. A cast member explained that they’re required to do so every 2 hours. This was reassuring to hear. We were able to ride Flight of Passage and Everest TWICE with no wait. When else would that ever happen?! We also had lunch at Yak & Yeti (our first out-of-home dining experience since March so we were a bit apprehensive) and we were pleasantly surprised to find that the capacity was VERY low and parties were spaced out throughout the restaurant. Overall, we had a great time and absolutely LOVED the peaceful and tranquil atmosphere. On the flip side, we were at Disney Springs Saturday afternoon and found World of Disney to be uncomfortably crowded with a huge checkout line where some people were NOT respecting the social distancing markers on the ground. We’ll be avoiding Disney Springs for a while because people are clearly flocking to the “free entertainment” moreso than the parks at this time.
Thanks for sharing your report!
We haven’t been to Disney Springs in a while, but that’s sadly consistent with reports I’ve heard of late on the weekends. It sounds like weekdays/nights are still fine, but we don’t have any plans to go back until the weather cools.
I completely agree with your approach. And in general I have felt safer at Disney Springs than my local grocery store. However, the 4th time we went to Disney Springs (Sunday July 5th) it was much more crowded and we had a few problems. At one point a man and his daughter actually pushed between my husband and I. Not only not social distancing, but actually touching us. We just left. It was very uncomfortable. We made our 3 reservations for this week to see how things went. Hopefully it will match your experience. Still nervous about Epcot in the festival area but we shall see! My main issue right now is your thought “excess inventory was never reallocated from theme park ticketholders and resort guests”. As of today I can’t make another reservation in July or any weekends in August. And only some parks (usually Epcot) are available in September. At the same time some parks are available in July, and all parks/all days are available in August and September for Resort Guests or regular ticket holders. Are they trying to make us give up our AP’s????
My biggest concern with Epcot is a sufficient number of tables for physical spacing. I don’t see there being huge crowds at Epcot, so I’m not too worried about that. (I’m much more concerned about DHS.)
Since all of the booths are outdoors, my view is that the festival should be safer than any indoor dining options–even if spacing isn’t always perfect.
Hoping that Florida and the rest of the United States can get this under control! It’s definitely uncharted territory. We appreciate your updates Tom and fingers crossed that Disney fans around the world will be able to travel safely at some point soon! Until then..all of us Disney addicts get our fix by looking at photos and remembering the good ol’ days! And for now… “Have a magical day” !!
Thanks for the kind words! 🙂
Great post and thank you for reiterating that you would not travel there right now. Honestly if I could be beamed onto disney property and then beamed home again I would probably feel different. But as you say there’s the whole risk of travel to and from and any time spent outside the disney bubble. We are taking a wait and see attitude with our long-planned November trip.
I certainly *hope* that November will be better, but my hope obviously doesn’t bring anything to fruition.
Personally, I don’t think it’s coincidental that, after months of low community spread, the Sun Belt spike has occurred over the summer. One of the epidemiologists I follow on Twitter compared Florida with Colorado, noting a lot of overlap in reopening plans–but very different outcomes. They concluded that one state disproportionately seeking out air-conditioning whereas the other seeking outdoor spaces was a crucial distinction. Obviously, “Twitter thread” is not rigorous research, but it passes the smell test for me.
Thanks so much for your reports, Tom! Seeing the parks so empty is so crazy! We cancelled our big September trip ( which was bumped there from May..and is now bumped to *next* May. I truly hope and pray things are back to normal then!), and have the opportunity to come down in early December. After reading your warnings…and PLEASE continue to include your personal opinions and feelings!…we can get updates anywhere. It’s your particular spin and insight that make your reports so invaluable as well as interesting!…anyway, we believe a December trip probably isn’t wise. Hopefully, things will be fine by then but it doesn’t seem prudent to plan one at this time. Again, thanks for all you’re doing and please stay safe, you two!!
Thanks for reading–glad you’re enjoying the reports.
I’d wait as long as possible before pulling the plug on December. In 2020 time, that’s an eternity away and a lot can change between now and then. Of course, if you already know you won’t be comfortable, cancelling sooner rather than later is totally understandable!
Since you didn’t experience Kali Rover Rapids, I figured I’d give my experience:
We began by unloading everything into the lockers in preparation to get soaked. From there we walked straight to the load platform and, mostly due to a lack of other people, were directed to our own boat. At Universal, Popeye’s will load two parties on opposite sides of the boats, but there was not enough demand for Kali to see if the same will hold true.
Once on the ride, and squirting jets aimed directly at the boats and any waterfalls that you would traditionally go under/near were turned off. As a result, the only way to get wet would be on the drop or in the rapids. However, rapids rides are largely dependent on rider distribution and total weight, of which our party of two didn’t really have. So, on our few rides, the worst one person got was a pretty good splash to the side. Other than that, we were effectively sprinkled on as or light raft skirted over the top of the rapids.
Thanks for posting your experience. I honestly don’ know if I would go on! We will probably go once as it is one of my daughters favorite rides, but whereas I don’t want to get soaked I do want to get cooled off. I don’t understand why Disney isn’t following Universal and letting guests take off masks on water rides. Especially since if your mask does get soaked it is dangerous. I guess if I got soaked I would take it off till I could get to an extra one in my bag, and that may be their thinking? Crazy.
Thanks for sharing your report. Now I wish we had done it! Been a while since we’ve done Kali River Rapids, and sounds like it would’ve been the perfect day for it.
I will reiterate what Chris reported. We rode Kail on Sunday. Very similar experience. We were a party of 3 and there was a single rider behind us that was added to our “boat”. Masks are required to be wore and as Chris reported, all the sprays are turned off. Clearly the water is moving slower and you will be hard pressed to get wet. I was completely dry when I got off the ride No risk of you mask getting wet at all.
I visited Orlando International Airport on Wednesday and Saturday. It was not busy. The new (and convenient) parking deck C is closed and deck A had vast empty areas, where a few months ago it would have been stuffed. The airport was running smoothly, apart from taking a full hour for checked bags to show up (Frontier).
I’m not looking forward to the Florida covid-19 numbers later today (Monday) and tomorrow. I’m not looking forward to hiding in the house (and a safe, small botanical garden where I volunteer) for the next month or two. I wish I could feel as optimistic as the CEO of a major Orlando hospital. At least he thinks his health care system is ready.
Why was I at the airport? An unnecessary and risky trip to see a Titan Arum from Sumatra growing its giant inflorescence at Longwood Gardens near Philadelphia. They’ve cautiously reopened with lots of safety precautions, masks mandatory. Longwood is a bit of an antecedent to the modern theme park, a Versailles of plants and performing fountains (and a big endowment). Visitors seemed really happy to be outside, even if my first day was Florida hot and the second, tropical storm rain.
Thanks for sharing your report on the airport. We have no plans on going anywhere by plane anytime soon, but still good to know!
“I wish I could feel as optimistic as the CEO of a major Orlando hospital. At least he thinks his health care system is ready.”
This is something the CEOs of the two major hospitals in Central Florida have been consistently saying, which is reassuring. We know hospitalizations and deaths lag, but if there’s any silver lining, it’s that even after a month-plus of surging cases, capacity is still fine.
Tom,
Upstate New Yorkers and we cancelled our July trip and September trip months ago. Yesterday, with a sad heart, cancelled our trip during Christmas. As you stated, there are so many risks in getting there, being around the parks, hotels, and dining. One of the things we love to do during Christmas is sit in the lobby of the Wilderness lodge, enjoy Territory Lounge, etc. We just know we probably will not feel comfortable hanging out in the lobby this year or the small lounge – among other things like visiting Disney Springs or a busy park. It just wouldn’t be the same trip for us this year and, hopefully, there is always next year.
Sorry that you had to cancel your Christmas trip, but if you know it wouldn’t be the same (or what you enjoy about WDW), you probably made the wise decision. Here’s hoping things have improved dramatically by next fall!