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Wait Times Escalate at Disney’s Hollywood Studios With Ride Downtimes and Increased Attendance

Just after wait times plummeted following Labor Day Weekend, we’ve begun to see an uptick at wait times at Walt Disney World. Primarily we’ve seen an increase at Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Hollywood Studios. Hours of park operation have been reduced across the board, but it seems reservations for Park Passes have increased. Our field team has noticed more people in the park – though physical distancing is still be followed closely fairly consistently.

Monday, our team experienced increased wait times as Rise of the Resistance did not successfully open for the 10:00 a.m. boarding group. Let’s take a look at how long actual wait times got, compared to Disney’s posted wait times, and let’s see how this Monday compared to other previous Mondays from recent weeks.

Actual Wait Times at Disney’s Hollywood Studios – Monday, September 14, 2020

We’ve seen before that anytime Rise of the Resistance fails to distribute morning boarding groups, wait times are heavy across the park for a few hours until the noon boarding group is released. Such was the case on Monday. It also appears that more Disney Park Passes are available, which has increased attendance and contributed to higher wait times.

Our Lines app uses real-time data to show Expected Wait Times compared to Disney’s Posted Wait Times. It also makes recommendations as to if you should wait to ride a particular attraction, based on historical data that indicates when wait times typically reduce at specific attractions. At 11:00 a.m. our Lines app recommended waiting to ride quite a few rides until later in the day, and the Expected Wait Times were 15-20 minutes less than Disney’s Posted Wait Times.

Wait Times Escalate at Disney’s Hollywood Studios With Ride Downtimes and Increased Attendance
Disney’s Hollywood Studios Expected Wait Times 11:00 a.m.

11:00 a.m. Wait Times – Monday, September 14, 2020

  • Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway
    • Posted Wait Time 120 / Expected 72
  • Slinky Dog Coaster
    • Posted Wait Time 75 / Expected 57
  • Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster
    • Posted Wait Time 45 / Expected  34
  • Alien Swirling Saucers
    • Posted Wait Time 40 / Expected 33

As a point of interest, just two weeks ago, Sunday August 30, we looked at wait times at Disney’s Hollywood Studios and on that day Rise of Resistance failed to distribute morning boarding groups. Even though that day was a Sunday, and weekends have typically been much busier, wait times were a little lower that day compared to yesterday.

At 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, August 30, 2020, Slinky Dog Coaster had a posted Wait Time 50 and Expected 39 minutes, and Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway had a Posted Wait Time of 60 minutes, and Expected 50 minutes.

Wait Times Escalate at Disney’s Hollywood Studios With Ride Downtimes and Increased Attendance
Star Tours Area Around 1:00 p.m. 09/14/20

After the first few hours of the morning rush, wait times decreased a little. However, Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway experienced some downtime. Still, with the decrease in wait times at many attractions our Lines app began recommending it was good to go ahead and ride most attractions.

Wait Times Escalate at Disney’s Hollywood Studios With Ride Downtimes and Increased Attendance
Disney’s Hollywood Studios Expected Wait Times 2:00 p.m.

2:00 p.m. Wait Times

  • Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway
    • Posted Wait Time 90 / Expected 62
  • Slinky Dog Coaster
    • Posted Wait Time 50 / Expected 47
  • Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster
    • Posted Wait Time 40 / Expected  37
  • Alien Swirling Saucers
    • Posted Wait Time 24 / Expected 25
Wait Times Escalate at Disney’s Hollywood Studios With Ride Downtimes and Increased Attendance
Toy Story Land Around 5:00 p.m. 09/14/20

With hours being reduced at Disney’s Hollywood Studios to close at 7:00 p.m. instead of 8:00 p.m. wait times did reduce, but not as dramatically as we are used to. After a busy morning, and a rainy afternoon, things slowed down around 5:00 p.m. yesterday a little, and even more so at 6:00 p.m.

Wait Times Escalate at Disney’s Hollywood Studios With Ride Downtimes and Increased Attendance
Disney’s Hollywood Studios Expected Wait Times 5:00 p.m.

5:00 p.m. Wait Times

  • Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway
    • Posted Wait Time 85 / Expected 68
  • Slinky Dog Coaster
    • Posted Wait Time 50 / Expected 38
  • Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster
    • Posted Wait Time 55 / Expected  41
  • Alien Swirling Saucers
    • Posted Wait Time 10 / Expected 14
Wait Times Escalate at Disney’s Hollywood Studios With Ride Downtimes and Increased Attendance
Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge Around 5:00 p.m. 09/14/20

Out of curiosity, let’s see how the past couple of Mondays have been at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. You can pull historical wait times from our site. In some cases yesterday’s wait times were more than double the wait times of the previous three Mondays.

Wait Times Escalate at Disney’s Hollywood Studios With Ride Downtimes and Increased Attendance
Hollywood Studios Observed Wait Times 08-17-2020
Wait Times Escalate at Disney’s Hollywood Studios With Ride Downtimes and Increased Attendance
Hollywood Studios Observed Wait Times 08-24-2020
Wait Times Escalate at Disney’s Hollywood Studios With Ride Downtimes and Increased Attendance
Hollywood Studios Observed Wait Times 08-31-2020
Wait Times Escalate at Disney’s Hollywood Studios With Ride Downtimes and Increased Attendance
Hollywood Studios Observed Wait Times 09-14-2020

So once again we see that, naturally, Rise of the Resistance being unavailable in the morning impacts the entire park and increases wait times. Thankfully our TouringPlans Lines App makes it possible to adjust your plans in real time, without having to use a Jedi mind trick.

When was the last time you visited Disney’s Hollywood Studios? Have you had to adjust your plans on-the-fly?

The post Wait Times Escalate at Disney’s Hollywood Studios With Ride Downtimes and Increased Attendance appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Hollywood Studios, In the Parks, disney wait times, wait times

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Other

EPCOT by Land and Sea

We’re back with another set of photos to brighten your day. This time, we’ve been wandering around EPCOT, with a focus on The Land and The Seas (plus a few other photos from today to spark your Imagination and beyond).

EPCOT by Land and Sea

 

EPCOT by Land and Sea

EPCOT by Land and Sea

EPCOT by Land and Sea

EPCOT by Land and Sea

EPCOT by Land and Sea

EPCOT by Land and Sea

Have a photo you want us to take in the parks? Let us know in the comments. 

The post EPCOT by Land and Sea appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Epcot, live from the parks

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Disney Parks Other

#DisneyMagicMoments: Discover Treasure and Treasured Secrets Aboard Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland Resort

Ahoy, land lubbers! Board yer own pirate ship and set sail for a raucous adventure on Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland park. This attraction takes you through the Golden Age of Piracy where you’ll encounter Captain Barbosa as he searches for Captain Jack Sparrow. In this new Ride & Learn video, keep yer eyes peeled for fun facts that may reveal the schemes of these dreaded band of scoundrels.

Since its debut in 1967, Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland park has transported millions of guests on a swashbuckling adventure. The immersive experience debuted as a technological marvel and storytelling masterpiece and has even inspired a global phenomenon, launching the highly popular film franchise.

#DisneyMagicMoments: Discover Treasure and Treasured Secrets Aboard Pirates of the Caribbean at Disneyland Resort

Hope you enjoyed this sailing adventure. With International Talk Like a Pirate Day coming up on Saturday, stay tuned for more pirate-themed #DisneyMagicMoments on the Disney Parks Blog. Savvy? 

From our friends at disneyparks.disney.go.com
Filed Under: Disneyland Park, Disneyland Resort, DLR

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Other

Lunch at La Cantina de San Angel: A Review

Today for lunch, our field team stopped by La Cantina de San Angel at EPCOT’s Mexico pavilion. La Cantina does not offer mobile ordering, but even right at the peak of lunch hour, lines were minimal.

Lunch at La Cantina de San Angel: A Review

Lunch at La Cantina de San Angel: A Review

La Cantina is a quick-service restaurant with open-air seating next to World Showcase Lagoon. (During busy times, for lunch, the neighboring indoor La Hacienda area is sometimes used for overflow seating.) During warm months, sitting near the lagoon can offer pleasant breeze and shaded seats.

Lunch at La Cantina de San Angel: A Review

You can see the lunch and dinner menu for La Cantina de San Angel here.

Today, we went with the Pollo Cascabel: Seasoned Grilled Chicken, Rice and Corn, topped with a Spicy Tomato Sauce, Pickled Onions, Queso Fresco, and Cilantro.

Lunch at La Cantina de San Angel: A Review

 

Our team reports that this is a nice option if you want something different than tacos. The portion size is very good, and so you may not be able to finish it. If you’re traveling with a couple people with smaller appetites, this might be an option to split.

The dish has a lot of flavor, but if you aren’t a fan of spicy foods, this may be one for you to skip as the tomato sauce does have a kick.

Thanks for the suggestion, and we’ll be back with another meal in the parks soon!

Want to vote where we eat next? Keep an eye on our Twitter feed for upcoming polls.

The post Lunch at La Cantina de San Angel: A Review appeared first on TouringPlans.com Blog.

From our friends at touringplans.com
Filed Under: Dining, Walt Disney World (FL), epcot dining, la cantina de san angel, Mexico Pavilion

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Disney Parks Other

#DisneyCreators: ‘Stories from the Parks’ – Halloween at Magic Kingdom Park

Today, we’re continuing our “Stories in the Parks” series with new #DisneyCreators experiences from guests and friends enjoying the spooktacular Halloween decor in Magic Kingdom Park at Walt Disney World Resort. 

As we’ve shared, Main Street, U.S.A. is now dressed in fall décor with bewitching offerings like our Halloween-themed character cavalcade with Mickey, Minnie and pals.  Several of our vacationing friends who #loveorlando visited the park to experience Halloween – and they had much to share. Here are some favorites: 

Be sure to check the Disney Parks Blog for more #DisneyCreators virtual pixie dust from park guests and visiting friends as we continue our “Stories from the Parks” series. Also, visit our new “Everything Halloween” page for more seasonal magic! 

Related Stories:

From our friends at disneyparks.disney.go.com
Filed Under: Magic Kingdom, Walt Disney World Resort, Halloween, MK, WDW