For the First Time In Forever.....A Disneyland reopening TR, Dark Ride photos and The End 5/8

[franandaj]

OMG! Tomorrow is our Preview Day! I heard that today (the first preview day was a show, the kind like the first four letters of Japanese mushrooms that the DIS doesn't allow) it took people two hours to get into the parks. Not sure where they were comparing the two hours, but we are expecting the worst for tomorrow.

We have calculated a new route to get to the parking structure and plan to get there a little later than all the crazy people wanting to be first in line. Hopefully by the time we get there the major bottleneck will be solved and we can just park and enter the structure. From there it should be interesting as there will not be any trams.

Anyways, I sign off from this TR to go and take my shower this evening so we can get going sooner than later tomorrow morning! Hope to have at least a small update before we go back for real opening day!

 

[Flossbolna]

Have a great day!!

 

[brookelizabeth]

I'm so excited for you both!! I'll be living vicariously. I need to read your report. I just got back on here after a several-year hiatus.

(and in case it's not obvious who I am, we met at WDW last year and have several mutual friends! I know it can be hard to connect who is who between Facebook and here sometimes!)

 

[buzzrelly]

Hello there! I'm excited to follow along! This moment is a long time coming, especially for you DL people!

I love all your memory-lane throwback pics, you have had some amazing moments over the years! It's only fitting that you'll be there for this historical moment as well! I hope it's as amazing as it seems it will be!

 

[pkondz]

I heard that today (the first preview day was a show, the kind like the first four letters of Japanese mushrooms that the DIS doesn't allow)

BUTTon mushrooms?

it took people two hours to get into the parks

Good luck today!!!

 

[tiggrbaby]

Wishing you a magical day!

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

I LOVE this thread! What a fun one to read.

 

[juniorbugman]

Have a magical day

 

[franandaj]

Have a great day!!

Thanks! We did!

I'm so excited for you both!! I'll be living vicariously. I need to read your report. I just got back on here after a several-year hiatus.

(and in case it's not obvious who I am, we met at WDW last year and have several mutual friends! I know it can be hard to connect who is who between Facebook and here sometimes!)

I'm thinking you're my new German friend!

Hello there! I'm excited to follow along! This moment is a long time coming, especially for you DL people!

Are you one of the "No Steve's allowed crowd?"

I love all your memory-lane throwback pics, you have had some amazing moments over the years! It's only fitting that you'll be there for this historical moment as well! I hope it's as amazing as it seems it will be!

Thanks! We have been going to awesome events over the years at DL and other aspects of Disney, but I focused this one on DL events.

BUTTon mushrooms?

Well No, more like Shi**ake mushrooms it was a Shi**ake mushroom show according to Jenny.

Good luck today!!!

We had mostly great luck!

Wishing you a magical day!

Thanks! We had a great day!

I LOVE this thread! What a fun one to read.

Hope to have some fun posts

Have a magical day

Thanks! we did!

 

[franandaj]

OK Folks, I downloaded my pictures from today and started to edit them, but I'm just too tired tonight. I will try to get an update tomorrow.

 

[Flossbolna]

Yay! So happy to hear that you had a great day!

 

[pkondz]

Well No, more like Shi**ake mushrooms it was a Shi**ake mushroom show according to Jenny.

I know. Button mine's more fun.

We had mostly great luck!

Good!

 

[buzzrelly]

Are you one of the "No Steve's allowed crowd?"

Haha! Yes! That was an amazing trip! And your friend Jill was kind enough to allow me to crash her room at AKL with Liesa, even though we had never met! Small world!

I will try to get an update tomorrow.

Looking forward to it!

 

[brookelizabeth]

I'm thinking you're my new German friend!

You are correct! Though, a recent German immigrant...

 

[cruisehopeful]

I'm living vicariously through you again. I am looking forward to your pictures and your tips!

 

[Captain_Oblivious]

I hope it was a triumphant return!

 

[disneyseniors]

following too. Sounds like you two are having a fun life and fun at DL. WE are going to visit this fall if it is opened up to out of state visitors

 

[franandaj]

So I'll be back for replies, but here's an update

Soft Opening April 28

So before we get started on the new material, those of you who know me, know that I rarely visit Disney without a general plan. Once I knew what days we were going, I made lists of all the food I've missed, and I poured over all the new menus to make sure they had my favorites. Bengal BBQ fell off the list when I learned they don't have the Bacon Wrapped Asparagus Skewer right now. I also made lists of my favorite rides, and plan to tick them off over the coming weeks.

Now I have planned out all our favorite food places and which days we would enjoy them all they way through the end of May. We'll see how well we follow through and that's how June's plan will evolve.

So with that in mind, today's menu would include Plaza Inn fried chicken, and a raspberry swirl Dole Whip. I began checking the Mobile Food App while I was still in bed and no one had gone nuts and started ordering, all the slots were still open starting at 11AM.

The park opened at 9AM and we wanted to avoid the crazy opening crowds that we heard about for the first soft opening day. So we left the house at 9:20. Here I am ready to do this!


And we are on our way!


There was absolutely no line going into the parking lot, and we found a space in Handicapped parking very easily. We were parked, with scooters unloaded, and exiting the structure at 10:11AM.



Temperature check was before the security screening, and both went smoothly.







There were no trams on soft opening day so everyone walked the tram route.



Right off the bat Fran noticed that all the trash cans are propped open so you don't have to touch the flap that pushes in when you discard your trash.


Almost there!



They had ropes up so that you had to go to the middle of the Esplanade before you could turn to either park.


DCA was busier than Disneyland!





It took us less than 30 minutes from when we exited the structure until we passed through the turnstiles. The train station!


They had these barriers up for the Cast Members.



Our first stop was the Disneyana store. What became apparent quickly was the restricted access when going in and out of the stores and restaurants.



We admired some of the artwork, but we didn't have $8K to blow on the original painting the HM ballroom. That was the only thing we really liked in there.

I checked the app to see what was running and how long the wait times were. It said that HM was temporarily closed. That was my #1 ride to get on so we decided to do more shopping.

Next was Disney Showcase. There was a Sebastian shirt in there that she liked, but not enough to actually buy it.

On the way out of the store we saw a socially distanced Cruella.



We also noticed Mickey and Minnie socially distanced at the train station.



We went into the Emporium next. They didn't have a lot that interested us although I did spy these really cute aprons and hand towels. I need to replace a lot of mine at home.



Next we went to the candy store, we will have to see which of these goodies end up coming home with us!



Since HM was still down, I decided to ride BTMRR. On our way there I got a Castle shot.



And these.





I checked the food app and now the first slot was 11:10-11:40AM. Still OK. I wasn't really hungry yet cause we drove through Mickey D's on the way.

I saw some interesting signs on benches. This is one of the wooden benches on the edge of Frontierland.



Before BTMRR I though it prudent to visit the potty, and was amused by these signs near the sinks.



And the rocks outside the bathrooms that are always covered with people sitting on them had these signs on them. However, it didn't seem to do a lot to deter people from sitting on them because later in the day when it was hot and people were tired, there were people sitting there.



[Continued in next Post]

 

[franandaj]

[Continued from Previous Post]

The wait for BTMRR was up to 25 minutes now, but I went to get a return time and they let me right on.



Socially distanced roller coaster seating.



WooHoo! So much fun. They made some changes to the blast scene. It's not quite as cool as it was when the ride first reopened, but they used the technology that they use in the Castle projections to make the rocks explode.

Everywhere in the parks are these little indicators of where to stand. They are anywhere you might find a queue, for food, rides, to enter a store, the bathrooms….



Fran asked if I wanted to check out the dress shop, so we headed over to New Orleans Square. We saw a socially distanced Red on the way.



The Dress Sop was closed. Unfortunately it looked like so many places all over. Empty, no sign indicating what it had been. At least it wasn't boarded up or grafittied!

So we kept going along the path which goes past the Mint Julep Stand when I noticed people in the queue of HM. The app still said Temporarily closed, so we decided to go over and check it out. It had reopened within the last five minutes. The gal at the gate told me to go get a return time from the CM near the exit. I got the "return pass" for HM, and it was for 11:43, I was like, "It's 11:43 now?" Pretty cool no waiting!

Except....

I wanting to try for Boarding Group for RotR at noon.

I had an hour to come back, just like FP. So instead of riding it right then we waited until noon, secured the BG and then I rode HM.





They did some refurbishment.





This was the old boarding area.





I thought about ordering lunch as soon as we came in the gates but with HM closed that put some uncertainty in our day. We placed our order when I got off the ride at 12:15 and we couldn't pick up until 1:15, we decided to check out the clothing shop on MS which was the one shop we didn't hit on the way in.

I don't know if it was because it was soft opening, but never do you see this corridor in front of Indy so empty!



I noticed that Indy only had a 15 minute wait, so I rode it.





I got my own truck that I drove!



They had these little hand washing stations all throughout the parks and DTD.



We shopped on MS and Fran got a shirt. Then we got our "your window is open" message.

Now I learned a good lesson for QS places like Plaza Inn! Find your table before pressing, "I'm here. Prepare my order." Now each place is unique, I had a completely different experience later in the day, but I'll get to that later.

Here at the Plaza Inn, our order was prepared and waiting for us, but I ended up running around (while it got cold) looking for a table in the shade. There were plenty of tables in full sun, but it was turning out to be a very warm day. Finally we saw a party leaving their table and we commandeered it!

We split a chicken dinner, and I was plenty full eating my half of the portion.



We were given one of these utensil sets with all these condiments inside. I had to go back for a second one, but they were happy to give it to me.



While we were eating, our BG was called for RotR. We had an hour to come back, so we headed over to the ride.

And I think I'll wrap up this update here. Next update will be on Galaxy’s Edge.

 

[franandaj]

Yay! So happy to hear that you had a great day!

We did! And I've finally started posting about it!