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Here’s a quick look at the wait times across Walt Disney World for today, Thursday, October 8, 2020.  Over at the Magic Kingdom, Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, and Astro Orbiter had their highest wait times of the week.  The most surprising thing, though, was at Mickey’s PhilharMagic, which had an average wait time of 27 minutes today. Not only is that the highest average wait of the week, it looks like it’s the highest average wait we have for the month … and the past year!

The high waits for those attractions were balanced out by relatively low waits at attractions such as Tomorrowland Speedway (next-lowest waits of the week and the month), Peter Pan’s Flight (#4 for the week), The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (22 minutes, #4 for the week), and Seven Dwarfs Mine Train (58 minutes, #3 for the week).

EPCOT Wait Times

The accuracy of posted wait times continues to improve over at EPCOT, with actual wait times sitting at around 70% of the posted wait times.  Attractions that were relatively busy today include Gran Fiesta Tour, Spaceship Earth, and Mission: Space (both Orange and Green). In fact, Mission: Space Green’s average wait time of 20 minutes today was the highest all month, and #36 over the past year.

Disney’s Hollywood Studios Wait Times

The headline story here has to be the 27-minute average wait posted over at MuppetVision 3D.  This attraction averages a posted wait of around 12 minutes, making today’s number the highest average wait of the past year.  The return of live shows such as the Indiana Jones Epic Stunt Spectacular and Beauty and the Beast: Live on Stage can’t come fast enough for the Studios, especially if it wants to increase capacity for the holidays.

The good news is that waits were relatively low for Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway (73 minutes, #6 for the week), Slinky Dog Dash (68 minutes, #5 for the week), Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run (60 minutes, #5 for the week), and The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror (47 minutes, #6 for the week). Also, your actual wait in line was only around 60% of the posted wait shown at the rides.

Animal Kingdom Wait Times

Today was relatively uneventful over at Disney’s Animal Kingdom.  Flight of Passage’s average wait of 57 minutes was #7 for the month, and Kali River Rapids’ average wait of 27 minutes was #4 for the past month. That was balanced out by 17-minute waits over at Kilimanjaro Safaris (#19 for the past month) and 24 minutes at Expedition Everest (#12 for the past month).

The post Today’s Wait Times: A Sign of the Apocalypse? appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Walt Disney World (FL), wait times

Fueling yourself with the right food and drinks can make your time at Walt Disney World more enjoyable. If you’re looking for healthful snacks for yourself or your kids, look to the kids’ menu at many counter service locations across Walt Disney World.

On the kids’ menu you can find the Kids’ Disney Check Meals, which indicate a meal put together to meet a variety of health and nutritional needs. One such meal, is actually a snack pack. Let’s face it, many kids prefer to snack than to eat a meal. The Kids’ Power Pack available at many counter service locations at Walt Disney World is great option for kids who want to snack throughout the day, and adults too. Some of the included items, like the Dannon Yogurt Smoothie need to be refrigerated or put in a cooler, but others can get in your backpack and go along with you throughout the day.

The Power Pack comes with Dannon Danimals Smoothie, Apple Wedges, Baby Carrots, Cheddar Crackers, Apple-Cinnamon Snack Bar, and Choice of Small Lowfat Milk or Dasani Water. Minute Maid Juice Box, Small Nesquick Chocolate Milk, or Cookie substituted upon request. It is $6.19 which isn’t too bad considering you get five snacks and a small beverage. It is also available through mobile ordering at participating locations.

If you’re looking for locations that offer the Power Pack, just head to our Menu Search on our website or the Lines app. There you can search for practically any food item you wish and our site will show which locations have that item on their menu. You don’t have to be a TouringPlans Subscriber to access it, but if you’d like to say “thank you” for the research we do and want access to all our tools then sign up.

What’s your favorite Disney snack?

The post Looking for Healthful Snacks at Walt Disney World? Go to the Kids’ Menu appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Dining, Hollywood Studios, In the Parks, kids, Snacks, Disney food, disney healthy eating, disney kids, Disney Snacks

Downtown Disney has been a popular destination for many people in the LA/OC area, so much so the parking lot and shopping district regularly close to new visitors for hours at a time. To add capacity to the area a new store has opened. Located in Stage 17, which is actually inside Disney California Adventure, the Disneyland Backlot Premiere Shop features an assortment of merchandise from World of Disney, Disney Home, and The Disney Dress Shop.

The entrance is located to the left of Disney California Adventure. A queue is set up where the line for the Disneyland Resort ticket booths are usually located.

Signs advertising the Backlot Premiere Shop are impossible to miss. They’re everywhere in Downtown Disney.

Social distancing markers themed to the Hollywood Backlot. This is SO 2020.

Walking in to the Backlot Premiere Shop you’ll find yourself in an area that is usually off limits to guests. This is behind the PhilharMagic and Buena Vista Street buildings.

A red carpet awaits visitors who enter the new shop.

Inside the Backlot Premiere Shop is merchandise from the aforementioned shops found in Downtown Disney.

Haunted Mansion fans will find a lot of merchandise to choose from.

Most of items found in the shop are Halloween related.

A whole wall of Nightmare Before Christmas merchandise.

It wouldn’t be 2020 without a huge selection of face masks.

There’s a few items that are usually sold inside Disney California Adventure, such as these assortment of Guardians of the Galaxy items.

Baby Yoda shoulder plush and face masks.

An army of cast members and cash registers are ready to check you out.

This was fun. On the way out you can spot a bit of Disney California Adventure history. This was part of the sign when the building was used for the Who Wants to Be a Millionaire – Play It! attraction in the early 2000s.

Will you be stopping by the Backlot Premiere Shop to check it out? Let me know in the comments below.

The post PHOTOS: Disneyland Backlot Premiere Shop Opens at Downtown Disney appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Disneyland (CA), Merchandise, Downtown Disney

In this post we continue to highlight our Magic Kingdom touring plans plans that have been updated to reflect the many closures and modifications due to social distancing rules. In this post I’ll walk you through our Magic Kingdom Unofficial Guide Adult One-Day Touring Plan. This plan is our standard one-day adult touring plans that features attractions that rated highest in our surveys with adults. No character meet and greets or stage shows are included due to these attractions being closed out of caution for the current pandemic. This plan requires a lot of walking and some backtracking to avoid lines, but arriving early and having a brisk pace should save you at least an hour waiting in line. On to the plan!

STEPS
1) Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Start the plan with Seven Dwarfs Mine Train in Fantasyland. Seven Dwarfs Mine Train is a rollercoaster geared to older grade-school kids, but it ranks highly with all age groups in our surveys. There are no loops, inversions, or rolls in the track, and no massive hills or steep drops; rather, your ride vehicle’s seats swing side-to-side as you go through turns.
2) The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh Take a voyage to the Hundred Acre Wood on The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. Ride a Hunny Pot through the pages of a huge picture book into the Hundred Acre Wood, where you encounter Pooh, Piglet, Eeyore, Owl, Rabbit, Tigger, Kanga, and Roo as they contend with a blustery day. There’s even a dream sequence with Heffalumps and Woozles.
3) Jungle Cruise Head to Adventureland for a trip on the Jungle Cruise. Jungle Cruise is an outdoor group boat ride through some of the world’s best-known simulated tropical waterways. You’ll pass through forest and jungle populated entirely by animatronic animals while your skipper comically narrates your journey.
4) Pirates of the Caribbean In Adventureland, ride Pirates of the Caribbean. A slow moving boat ride through a series of sets that depict a pirate raid on an island settlement, from bombardment of the fortress to debauchery after the victory. Arguably one of the most influential theme park attractions ever created. It ranks high with all age groups.
5) Splash Mountain Go Frontierland and ride Splash Mountain. The log ride covers more than half a mile, splashing through swamps, caves, and backwoods bayous before climaxing in a five-story plunge and Br’er Rabbit’s triumphant return home. More than 100 Audio-Animatronic characters, including Br’er Rabbit, Br’er Bear, and Br’er Fox, regale riders with songs, including “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah.”
6) Big Thunder Mountain Railroad Ride Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Roller coaster through and around a Disney “mountain.” The idea is that you’re on a runaway mine train during the Gold Rush. We put this coaster at about a 5 on a scary scale of 10—it has tight turns rather than big hills or drops, and no loops or upside-down parts.
7) Peter Pan’s Flight Go to Fantasyland and ride Peter Pan’s Flight. Peter Pan’s Flight is superbly designed and absolutely delightful, combining beloved Disney characters, beautiful effects, and charming music. Embark on a relaxing trip in a “flying pirate ship” over old London and thence to Never Land, where Peter saves Wendy from walking the plank and Captain Hook rehearses for Dancing with the Stars on the snout of the ubiquitous crocodile.
8) Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid Go see Ariel on Under the Sea ~ Journey of the Little Mermaid. Guests board a clamshell-shaped ride vehicle running along a continuously moving track (similar to Haunted Mansion‘s). Then the ride “descends” under water (which is just a lighting effect), past Ariel’s grotto and on to King Triton’s undersea kingdom.  You’ll love the air conditioning on this one.
9) Rest Eat lunch. Grab some lunch in Fantasyland at Pinocchio Village Haus, or make a detour to Pecos Bill in Frontierland.
10) “it’s a small world” Take a cruise on “it’s a small world.” Small boats carry you on a tour around the world, with singing and dancing dolls showcasing the dress and culture of each nation represented.
11) The Haunted Mansion In Liberty Square, see The Haunted Mansion. The Haunted Mansion serves up some of the Magic Kingdom’s best visual effects. “Doom Buggies” on a conveyor belt transport you through the house from parlor to attic, then through a graveyard. Haunted Mansion is a classic Disney attraction and we consider it a must do.
12) The Hall of Presidents Watch the Hall of Presidents in Liberty Square…. or skip this one. The Hall of Presidents combines a widescreen theater presentation of key highlights and milestones in the political history of the United States with a short stage show featuring life-size animatronic replicas of every US president. The figures’ physical resemblances and costumes are masterful.
13) Country Bear Jamboree Head over to Frontierland and watch my personal favorite, Country Bear Jamboree. A charming cast of animatronic bears sings and stomps through a series of country and Western songs. On the plus side, it’s an air-conditioned refuge on hot days, and the remix of “The Ballad of Davy Crockett” and “Ole Slew Foot” is genius. They don’t make them like this anymore.
14) Walt Disney’s Enchanted Tiki Room See Enchanted Tiki Room in Adventureland. Back-to-back-to-back animatronic extravaganzas? Sounds like heaven to us. This show, conceived by Walt Disney, stars four singing, wisecracking mechanical parrots: José, Fritz, Michael, and Pierre. The quartet performs songs arranged in styles from the 1940s to the 1960s, accompanied by dozens of other birds, plants, and tikis that come to life all around you.
15) Swiss Family Treehouse If you have time, experience the Swiss Family Treehouse in Adventureland. An immense replica of the Swiss Family Robinson’s arboreal abode. Don’t do Swiss Family Treehouse unless you’re prepared to climb stairs. For your effort you’ll be rewarded with some wonderful bird’s-eye views of the Magic Kingdom.
16) Mickey’s PhilharMagic Go back to Fantasyland and watch Mickey’s PhilharMagic. Mickey’s PhilharMagic is a 3-D film with an odd collection of Disney characters, mixing Mickey and Donald with Simba and Ariel as well as Jasmine and Aladdin. Presented in a theater large enough to accommodate a 150-foot-wide screen, the movie is augmented by an arsenal of special effects built into the theater. PhilharMagic ranks high with all ages.
17) Tomorrowland Transit Authority PeopleMover Take a relaxing ride on Tomorrowland Transit Authority Peoplemover. A once-unique prototype of a linear-induction-powered mass-transit system, the PeopleMover’s tramlike cars carry riders on a leisurely tour of Tomorrowland, including a peek inside Space Mountain. In ancient times, the attraction was called the WEDway PeopleMover (“WED” being the initials of one Walter Elias Disney).
18) Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress See Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress. Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress is a four-act play offering a nostalgic look at how electricity and technology changed the lives of an animatronic family during the 20th century. Although the last scene needs updating, Walt Disney’s Carousel of Progress is the only attraction in the park that display Walt’s optimistic vision of a better future through technology and industry. If you’re interested in the man behind the mouse, this show is a must-see.
19) Rest Eat dinner. Since you’re in Tomorrowland try out Cosmic Ray’s Starlight Cafe.
20) Space Mountain Strap in a rocket and ride Space Mountain. Totally enclosed in a mammoth futuristic structure, Space Mountain has always been the Magic Kingdom’s most popular attraction. The theme is a space flight through dark recesses of the galaxy. Effects are superb, and the ride is the fastest and wildest in the Magic Kingdom. This is one of Magic Kingdom’s most popular rides.
21) Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin Help defeat Emperor Zurg on Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin. Another ride system similar to Haunted Mansion. Here you’ll move along a track in slow moving spaceships. Each car is equipped with two laser cannons and two scorekeeping displays, enabling you to compete with your riding partner. A joystick allows you to spin the car to line up the various targets. Each time you pull the trigger, you release a red laser beam that you can see hitting or missing the target.

There’s no FastPass+ being offered at this time so you’ll have to do only stand-by lines. Don’t forget, you can customize and optimize this or any of our other touring plans using our personalized touring plans creator on the site or in our mobile app, Lines. Be sure to check out our other touring plans that will help you save time and money in Walt Disney World.

The post Magic Kingdom Unofficial Guide Adult One-Day Touring Plan Updated for COVID-19 Closures appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Trip Planning, Walt Disney World (FL), touring plan