Ahoy, mateys! I’m Heather, and I’ll be bringing you the up and coming on all things Disney Cruise Line. Welcome back again this week. Let’s see what’s new in the DCL world!
What’s New
You know the saying, don’t put all your eggs in one basket? More like don’t put all your cruise hopes in one basket. The island of Grand Cayman has made the decision to suspend all cruise tourism through December 31, 2020. There are four remaining sailings in 2020 that are currently scheduled to visit the port of Grand Cayman; nothing official has been announced by Disney at this time regarding an alternate for that day in the itinerary.
Concierge was due for a stateroom update on the Disney Magic, as 12 staterooms that are currently Category 4A (Deluxe Family Oceanview Stateroom with Verandah) were to become Category V (Concierge Family Oceanview Stateroom with Verandah). Though the Magic is on an extended vacay, this enhancement has been postponed, most likely due to said unforeseen extended vacay. If you were booked to sail in one of these particular stateroom numbers, you’ll be contacted by DCL to make alternate arrangements.
Travel insurance can be a touchy subject – you get people that will not travel without it, and just as many that scoff at the idea. Ah, the blessing of the freedom to choose! Anyway, Erin dove into some of the requirements certain countries are already requiring for visitation as far as insurance and COVID-19 testing is concerned. For those that have traditionally declined insurance, it could very well become a key player in the ability to travel, not to mention a line item in travel budget planning!
Weekly Specials
So this could be interesting….all the 2020 offers that were available last week? Gone. Did y’all just get some really great deals, like, all of them? Or is there something else simmering here…..
Most every week of the year, Disney Cruise Line releases special offers for Florida Residents and U.S. Military Personnel. There are also frequently IGT/OGT/VGT rates available for all guests to book. These offers are extremely limited in availability, and all come with certain restrictions, but the prices are amazing! You can book these online, on the phone, or with your travel agent. These are the current offers available this week:
The Disney Cruise Line Update is brought to you by Storybook Destinations. Storybook Destinations specializes in Disney travel, is consistently highly rated by our readers, and is owned by our own blogger extraordinaire, Tammy Whiting. Storybook also offers free subscriptions to TouringPlans to clients with qualified bookings.
Disney has made several changes to make it safe to visit the parks during a pandemic. Intended or not, the changes have changed the crowd flow and wait times in the parks.
Limited Capacity
Fewer people in the parks are going to mean shorter lines at the attractions. For example, Haunted Mansion on the last Saturday of 2020 is 25% lower than in 2019.
Physical Distancing and Cleaning Attraction
Physical distancing and cleaning reduce the capacity of all attractions. Onimovers attractions like Haunted Mansion and Peter Pan naturally have physical distancing so all ride vehicles can be used. Roller coasters, boat rides, and theater shows are leaving empty rows and/or seats between guests empty.
Attractions are cleaned periodically–it appears they get a heavy cleaning every 2 hours. Typically the ride has to go through a full cycle without guests so all ride vehicles can be cleaned. The longer an attraction lasts, the longer it takes to sanitize.
“it’s a small world” is a good example of how these changes affect wait times. At 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. the jump in wait times is due to cleaning. With only two rows per boat being used and cleaning every 2 hours, the queue gets backed up. Tip: Ride “it’s a small world” before 10:30.
No FastPass+
When the FastPass+ system is running, the capacity of an attraction has to be split with the standby queue and FastPass+ queue. Now with no FastPass+, all the ride’s capacity goes to the standby queue. So even with the overall capacity being reduced, the capacity for the standby queue has gone up. For attractions that lost capacity due to physical distancing, the net capacity should be close to a wash.
Early Mornings
Before the pandemic, it was easy to arrive 1-2 hours before the parks opened. Without dining reservations before park opening and early morning events no longer available, Disney transportation and parking lots do not start operating so early. With Disney preventing people from early arrival, guests are not gathering outside the parks, and Disney does not need to corral guests in the parks before the attractions open. Now with a more controlled start of the day, the flow-through temperature check, security check, tapstile, and progression to an attraction has no large backups.
No Park Hopping
Now that there is no park hopping, people have to spend all their time in one park. People do not need to rush to get one park done to do another. Now if a family is bored with a park, they do not have the option to go to a different park.
Shorter Park Hours
With shorter park hours, people are less likely to take a midday break. Once they leave the park, they do not return.
No Nighttime Spectaculars
The nighttime spectaculars at the parks were a “must-do” for most guests. Now that they don’t exist it does not force people to stay or return to the parks.
Less To Do
Parades, some entertainment, and select attractions are not currently available. With fewer things to do, and shorter wait times, most people are done by mid-afternoon. The end of the day has some of the lowest wait times.
Putting It All Together
The net effect of all the health and safety changes are shorter wait times. Below is a list of all attractions that are currently open, and were open in 2019. Grand Fiesta Tour at EPCOT is the only attraction with a significantly higher wait time.
Old touring strategies can backfire with the current park conditions. Before, we recommended getting to the Animal Kingdom at least an hour early and queue up for Flight of Passage. Before the pandemic, Disney would open Flight of Passage 15-30 minutes before the park opened. Guests who arrived extra early could ride Flight of Passage before the park was officially opened. Now guests cannot arrive extra early, and now the morning wait times for Flight of Passage are some of the highest wait times all day.
Comparing Two Touring Plans
Theoretical models are great, but nothing beats in-park testing. Len and I tested out some different plan strategies on a recent day.
I started my touring at the Animal Kingdom at Flight of Passage, and then did a clockwise tour around the park. The chart below shows my actual wait times from July 12, 2020. Wait times were so low I rode Flight of Passage 3 times, and Expedition Everest 2 times during the course off the day. I was done with my first 5 attractions by 10 am.
I took a 2-hour break, saw the bird show, watched It’s Tough to Be a Bug!, and experienced the animal trails. I was very happy with my day at the Animal Kingdom.
Len Testa let the Personalized TouringPlans software to optimize his plan. He did all the same attractions in less time and left the park at 3 p.m.
Len was able to experience 4 attractions (Na’vi River Journey, DINOSAUR, Expedition Everest, and Kali River Rapids) in the same amount of time it took me to experience my first two attractions. (Len and the TouringPlans software wins again!) For my first 5 attractions, I waited 47 minutes. For the same attractions, Len waited 11 minutes. As you can see, having a touring plan can save time in line, even on minimal crowd days.
Have any questions about the impacts that new park procedures have had on touring? Let us know in the comments.
You’re going on vacation to Walt Disney World! The only problem? You’re not sure which attractions are right for you and your kiddos and you have questions. Which attractions are too intense for little ones? What rides do I really need a FastPass+ reservation for? What’s the disability access like for certain attractions? We’re answering all those questions and more in our Everything You Need to Know attraction series with today’s focus on the Haunted Mansion at the Magic Kingdom!
What is the Haunted Mansion?
Photo courtesy of Disney
The Haunted Mansion is a fun yet spooky dark ride through a haunted estate home to 999 happy haunts! This attraction is a Disney Park classic known for its incredible detail, use of effects and audio-animatronics, cast of characters, and lore.
Where is the Haunted Mansion?
The Haunted Mansion can be found in Liberty Square alongside the Rivers of America at the Magic Kingdom and adjacent to its gift shop Memento Mori.
What is the History of the Haunted Mansion?
The Magic Kingdom’s Haunted Mansion opened with the park on October 1, 1971 and was inspired by Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion, despite their differing exteriors and locations within their respective parks.
Walt Disney wanted a haunted house attraction for Disneyland, but exactly what that haunted house would be was less than clear. For a time, it was referred to as the Museum of the Weird. The exterior of Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion was finished in 1963, but the attraction wasn’t completed until 1969 after Walt Disney’s passing.
Legendary Imagineers including Yale Gracey and Rolly Crump worked on illusions and effects for the attraction while Claude Coates and Marc Davis worked on the design. Coates gravitated towards the strange and scary while Marc Davis preferred gags. The mansion’s famous song “Grim Grinning Ghosts” written by X Atencio was arranged and presented in such a way to tie both Coates and Davis’ visions together.
When the attraction debuted in August of 1969, it was an instant hit with guests and is considered one of the greatest, and most popular, Disney attractions ever created.
When Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom was being constructed, its own version of the Haunted Mansion was a must. However, while the two ride experiences are similar, they are not identical.
What You Need to Know About the Queue
Guests enter the queue through the carriage house with the foreboding mansion looming in the distance. In 2011, Imagineers created an interactive queue for the Haunted Mansion of busts and crypts tied to the attraction’s lore and serving as tributes to the attraction’s original Imagineers. There are even mysteries and puzzles to solve while guests wait! Note: This interactive queue is currently not accessible to guests as of summer 2020 due to COVID-19.
The queue also showcases the mansion’s classic queue tombstones with punny inscriptions like “Here lies good ol’ Fred. A great big rock fell on his head,” and “Dear departed Brother Dave. He chased a bear into a cave.”
What You Need to Know About the Experience
Upon entering the mansion, guests are taken into the stretching the room for a sort of introduction to the mansion and the ghost host. At the loading area, guests board omnimover-style “Doom Buggies” to travel through different parts of the mansion before a swing through the graveyard.
The attraction starts off a little spooky; but as it continues, scenes become more funny than eerie. The ride’s signature theme “Grim Grinning Ghosts” can be heard throughout the ride, and its tempo changes along with the tone of the experience.
There are some scary elements in the attraction, but no serious jump scares or scare actors. Some children love the attraction while others find it a little too spooky.
What You Need to Know About the Ride Vehicles
Guests ride through the mansion aboard “Doom Buggies” which move along a conveyor belt. There is one row per buggy accommodating 2 to 3 guests. Typical capacity is two guests, but two adults plus one small child, or one adult plus two small children can be accommodated. Larger adults can be seated in their own vehicle; this is rarely necessary.
Guests need to take a small step up (less than 12″) from a moving walkway onto a moving vehicle. There is also a moving walkway at the exit area.
The Doom Buggy seat is a hard bench with a high back. There is a single pull-down lap bar for all riders that’s automatically lowered by your ghost host.
What You Need to Know About Accessibility
Guests must transfer from a wheelchair/ECV to experience this attraction. The ride can be slowed or stopped to facilitate boarding for guests with mobility issues. Brief ride stoppages are common.
What You Need to Know About Health and Safety Advisories
There are no health or safety advisories for the Haunted Mansion. However, some young children may be frightened by certain elements in the attraction and its overall theme, and there is a section in between the mansion and graveyard where your ride vehicle will be slowly lowered backwards down a small incline.
What are the Height Requirements?
There is no height requirement for the Haunted Mansion.
Does Haunted Mansion Offer FastPass+?
Yes, the Haunted Mansion offers FastPass+. However, you may find that FastPass+ saves more time at other attractions than at the Haunted Mansion.
Note: FastPass+ is currently suspended at Walt Disney World as of summer 2020.
Does Weather Affect the Haunted Mansion?
Since the Haunted Mansion is an indoor attraction, inclement weather won’t impact its operation. However, guests in the queue are exposed to the elements.
What’s the Best Time of Day to Experience the Haunted Mansion?
To avoid long waits and crowds during average attendance periods with longer park hours, try to visit the Haunted Mansion before 11:30 a.m. or after 8 p.m.
This chart shows you roughly how long you’ll wait for The Haunted Mansion when you visit on a day with a given Magic Kingdom Crowd Level. The blue bars represent the average “peak” wait time (that is, how long the line will be at its busiest). The bottom and top black lines represent the range of peak wait times to expect (for you fellow nerds out there: it’s the 5th percentile and 95th percentile of peak wait times). Please note that these are estimates, and for a better forecast for your travel dates, see The Haunted Mansion Wait Times.
Did I answer all of your questions about the Haunted Mansion? Is this attraction at the top of your family’s vacation to-do list? Let us know in the comments.
From our friends at touringplans.com Filed Under: Attractions, Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World (FL), Disney Attractions, Disney Dark Rides, Disney History, disney world, Disneyland, Haunted Mansion, Imagineering, Liberty Square, walt disney world
If you enjoy the Minnie Mouse: The Main Attraction Collection you’ll want to get your magic feather ready. This month’s addition to the Minnie Mouse: The Main Attraction collection features Dumbo the Flying Elephant, perhaps the most iconic Disney attraction there is. In order to fly with Minnie Mouse and her Dumbo-inspired look you’ll need to attempt to secure a MerchPass on shopDisney online.
Minnie Mouse: The Main Attraction on shopDisney online
This new program was introduced last month. The thing about MerchPass is that entering online for a MerchPass does not guarantee you’ll actually receive the MerchPass. You’re entering for a chance to purchase items. You can learn more about Disney’s MerchPass here.
The MerchPass for the Dumbo the Flying Elephant edition opens up on Tuesday 8/18 starting at 7:00 a.m. PT. The collection is full of bold primary colors and a circus motif.
Minnie Mouse: The Main Attraction Dumbo the Flying Elephant on shopDisney online
Next month’s addition features Big Thunder Mountain Railroad with warm, desert-inspired colors.
Minnie Mouse: The Main Attraction Big Thunder Mountain on shopDisney online
Have you been collecting the Minnie Mouse: The Main Attraction items? What do you think of the new MerchPass system?
One perennial question for Walt Disney World visitors is the question: Should I drive or fly to my vacation?
In typical times, the answer to this primarily hinged on two factors, cost and time requirements. Now that we’re in the time of Coronavirus, there are a host of other elements to consider as you make this decision.
During the pandemic, driving could be the right transportation mode for visiting Disney World.
Disclaimer: Walt Disney World is taking numerous steps to ensure the health and safety of guests and employees. That said, the current economic and COVID situations mean that now may not be a prudent time to visit the parks, depending on your personal situation. This post assumes that you have assessed your own risk factors and already decided to vacation at Disney World.
I live in the New York City area. I’ve been to Walt Disney World in the ballpark of 100 times. Of those times, I’ve driven exactly twice. The drive itself takes approximately 16-18 hours, plus stops for gas/bathrooms/fuel/etc., making the journey a two-day affair, at a minimum. Contrast this with a two and a half hour flight and, for me, the choice had always been clear.
But now that Coronavirus is a factor in any travel situation, and my personal situation has changed a bit, the calculus is not as easy. For the first time in well over a decade, I’m seriously considering driving from the Northeast to Florida rather than flying. These are some of the things I’m thinking about, as well as some things that could play a role in your decision process.
On the other hand, flying could be the right option, depending on your circumstances.
The price of flights may be different than you’re used to.
In the past few years, I’ve typically encountered round-trip flight prices from the major NYC airports to Orlando International in the range of about $250 (for off-hours flights in the low season) to about $700 (for peak hour flight during holiday weekends). Airline pricing is now incredibly volatile, I recently saw a rate from Newark to Orlando, round trip, for about $100. That’s tough to pass up. You’d be hard pressed to find a mid-drive hotel for less than that, not to mention several tanks of gas and wear and tear on your vehicle.
Airline safety protocols vary.
Not all airlines are using the same standards of cleaning and mask enforcement. Delta’s mask policy is quite strict and is being strenuously enforced. On the down side of the safety spectrum, Southwest Airlines is no longer sanitizing seatbelt latches between all flights. Other airlines may have different issues. Additionally, you could book a flight and then a few days later their entire COVID procedure profile could change. Your personal health and your tolerance for risk will impact how you feel about these factors.
The science of COVID safety on airlines is still developing.
Early in the pandemic, airplanes were assumed to be the very definition of an unsafe environment. More recently, I’ve seen articles that air travel is not the disease vector it was once assumed to be. And of course much of your personal risk on an airplane depends on your own behavior. Wear multiple masks, don’t take them off to eat, sanitize your seat area, wash your hands thoroughly, sit away from others, and you’re likely in the safe travel zone. Sit maskless in an uncleaned middle seat and you’re exposing yourself to more risk. Nevertheless, we still don’t have all the answers on how to best fly safely. And of course, any exploration of air safety will have to be compared to factors of safety related to auto travel.
What are the COVID-related risks associated with driving?
If you’re driving for a number of hours, you will likely have to stop for food, fuel, and bathroom breaks. In each of those situations, you’ll be exposing yourself to untold numbers of people at rest stops and gas stations, any of whom could have questionable COVID safety habits.
You can mitigate some of these issues by bringing a cooler with your own food and by wearing a mask and sanitizing at fuel stops. I’ve even read more than one article about travelers avoiding public restrooms while road tripping by bringing an adult-size portable toilet, plastic bags, and a pop-up solo tent. This seems extreme to me, especially considering that once you get to Disney World you’ll almost certainly be using public facilities, but if you’re the wary sort, it is an option.
Depending on the distance you’re traveling, a drive may also involve an overnight hotel or campsite stay, each of which has myriad safety considerations of its own.
Unrelated to Coronavirus, there are general considerations about accident rates and other dangers of driving vs. flying that you may want to consider.
How many people are in your travel party? (Financial version)
When I visit Walt Disney World for research trips, I typically travel alone. That means I’m only paying for one flight. However, with a larger party, you’ll obviously need to pay for additional airfare. When driving, the cost of gas is only minimally impacted by adding an additional traveler, or two, or three. The larger your group, the more likely it is that, from a financial perspective, the transportation equation will fall on the side of driving.
How many people are in your party? (Workload version)
As I mentioned, I often travel to Walt Disney World on my own, mostly because my kids are in college and my husband’s work has limited vacation.
Driving alone could be tough for 4+ full days (2 there, 2 back), with no respite. However, with COVID modifying everyone’s schedules, my husband and at least one of my daughters are working fully remotely for the foreseeable future. This means they could work from almost anywhere, including a Disney World hotel room. They could drive with me! And more drivers equals an easier drive. (Though if more people are coming that increases the cost of food and park tickets, and it poses more opportunities for someone to pick up germs along the way.)
How much family bonding time do you need/want at this point?
If you had asked me in February if I’d want to go on a long road trip with my family, I’d have jumped at the chance to work in some unexpected bonding time. But, like many families, we’ve had a lot of togetherness lately (like, a lot, a lot) while stuck in quarantine. Depending on your dynamic, at this point in the pandemic, being captive with several people in a small space for days on end could be tantamount to torture. Flying for the win on that front.
How long is your trip?
If you only have a five-day vacation, then spending nearly that much time traveling in the car likely does not make sense. If you’re planning a three-week stay in Florida, then maybe car time doesn’t sound so bad.
A corollary of this is your distance from Florida. A two-day drive from New York is one thing. If you live in the Pacific Northwest, the 4-6 day drive on both sides of the trip would be a non-starter for most.
What is the COVID situation like along your route?
Disney is taking many COVID precautions (masks, temperature checks, etc.) making it a relatively safer spot than much of the Southeastern United States. If you live in a current safe zone (say, Vermont), you may feel that a few hours on a plane is less problematic than a days-long drive through COVID hotspots.
How will you get around Disney World once you’re there?
Pre-pandemic, when flying to Disney World, I rented a car about 25% of the time, usually when the trip was short or when I was going for a runDisney event with an early wake-up time. During most visits, I prefer to use Disney’s free transportation system. Despite Disney’s transportation social distancing precautions, I’m still not sure I want to be riding buses during the pandemic. During my next trip, I’ll want to have access to a private vehicle. This could be a rental car, but that’s an added expense and there are potential cleanliness issues. But if I drive, then I’ll obviously have my own car that’s occupied by only known people.
What other elements go into your fly/drive equation? How is your decision different now vs. your pre-pandemic?
This chart shows you roughly how long you’ll wait for The Haunted Mansion when you visit on a day with a given 
