More Dolphins ahoy! (I am officially bereft of Dolphin, Swan, and Swolphin puns and phrases. Somber posts may be ahead.)
If you recall, a few short weeks ago we reported on some nice weekend Priceline Express deals at the Dolphin in September and October. Well, there’s a new batch of deals out there now for the entire month of November starting at $115 per night. (Resort fee and unlimited churros not included.*)
The good news is these deals are not limited to weekends only – and the $115 rate covers a good portion of Sunday to Thursday nights throughout the month. Weekend nights are $130 until the 21st when they begin increasing as we head into Thanksgiving week. However, even those Thursday and Friday holiday rates are only $169. In my humble opinion, that is a steal compared to 2018 and 2019 where the hidden deal rates for that week were up around $250!
If you are planning to look for these deals and did not read my earlier Dolphin post, I suggest that you pop over there after perusing the calendar of deals below. In that post I outlined some techniques to make these deals appear in Priceline Express results.
*As far as I know, unlimited churros is not a thing. But it should be.
If you catch any of these deals or have any questions, please let us know in the comments!
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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
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.
Hollywood Studios Observed Wait Times 08-17-2020Hollywood Studios Observed Wait Times 08-24-2020Hollywood Studios Observed Wait Times 08-31-2020Hollywood 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?
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).
Have a photo you want us to take in the parks? Let us know in the comments.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
