They've moved up the Fantasyland rope-drop (finally)!

[WonkaKid]

Got into the park at around 7:45 this morning. To my great surprise, the rope drop was moved up the front of the castle! This is a great move. I doubt that it's permanent (I hope that it is), but it was a great thing this morning. Once the rope was down, we were much closer to Fantasyland. And it cut down (although didn't eliminate) running guests. Will anything ever?

Here are a few pics from the park today. For the first few hours, crowds were well below average. It was also very windy. Perhaps you can get a sense of just how windy by the way the water looks on the ROA. Enjoy!

A woman just adopted two boys and their visit to he park today was in celebration of that. They let them open the park and have some one-on-one time with Mickey, Donald and Pluto. I spoke with her later and she said it was a great way to start their day.







This is where we stood for rope drop. Hopefully they keep it here. Love this idea. A rare sight -- the castle with no one in or around it!


At 9:30 the park felt empty!


Still looks empty.


See how windy it was?




Did OK on Buzz today.

 

[WonkaKid]

One other thing. Rarely do I see this but when I do, it irks me severely. A woman was smoking well outside of the designated smoking area. Why she didn't simply walk down the remaining 100 feet or so to the smoking area is a mystery. In 2018, no one can reasonably claim not to know that there are designated smoking areas, especially in a child-centric place like Disneyland.


Oddly, moments after I took this, a woman walked by and lit up right in front of me. A security CM approached her and explained where the designated smoking areas were. She got sarcastic with him - he told me as he walked by me . She was even younger than the woman pictured above. She should know better. It bothers me when people behave selfishly. Smoking in public areas especially with a concentration of children is highly selfish/thoughtless.

 

[WonkaKid]

Lastly, the Buzz scoreboard from today. I did OK.

 

[azdisneylover]

One other thing. Rarely do I see this but when I do, it irks me severely. A woman was smoking well outside of the designated smoking area. Why she simply walk down the remaining 100 feet or so to the smoking area is a mystery. In 2018, no one can reasonably claim not to know that there are designated smoking areas, especially in someplace like Disneyland.
View attachment 298742

Oddly, moments after I took this, a woman walked by and lit up right in front of me. A security CM approached her and explained where the designated smoking areas are. She got sarcastic with him - he told me as he walked by me . She was even younger than the woman pictured above. She should know better. It bothers me when people behave selfishly. Smoking in public areas especially with a concentration of children is highly selfish/thoughtless.

I agree with you! I celebrated 25 years cancer free last October in Disneyland. My cancer was caused by second hand cigarette smoke. If people want to smoke, fine, do it areas that will NOT affect people who do not, or cannot want to be around the smoke. It would be nice if Disneyland would get rid of all smoking sections.

 

[WonkaKid]

It would be nice if Disneyland would get rid of all smoking sections.

Agreed. I love to walk through the new part of Frontierland near BTMRR. I hate having to pass the cancer-chasers' section. You have an addiction you can't kick? Sorry to hear that. Don't make it my problem.

azdisneylover -- sorry to hear you had cancer but am glad that you're 25 years cancer-free .

 

[Mamato4boys]

Thanks for sharing! I love reading your updates. And I love that they made the day extra special for the new family!

I also agree with the smoking. One of my kids has severe asthma (literally almost died from an asthma attack when he was little). Cigarette smoke is a huge trigger for him, and even walking past someone smoking can lead to an asthma attack. It is bad enough having to make sure we steer clear of the designated areas... I have no patience for people who won't even bother to stay in those areas.

 

[WonkaKid]

Thanks for sharing! I love reading your updates. And I love that they made the day extra special for the new family!

Thanks! I love doing 'em .

One of my kids has severe asthma

Me too.

(literally almost died from an asthma attack when he was little).

Me too! A few times.

Cigarette smoke is a huge trigger for him, and even walking past someone smoking can lead to an asthma attack.

Me too!!

It is bad enough having to make sure we steer clear of the designated areas...

Agreed.

I have no patience for people who won't even bother to stay in those areas.

Agreed!

 

[smartlabelprint]

That’s great about the kids.

Smokers. Eww. They need a designated section outside the parks imo.

 

[22Tink]

Great photos! I enjoy your little updates!

I totally agree with the smoking as well. It's probably one of my biggest pet peeves, especially when they think rules don't apply to them and they light up wherever they please. It would be so nice to walk through the parks smoke free!

 

[EvangelineG]

Your weekly updates are so helpful and fun to read! I really hope they are still doing the rope drop this way next week when we visit. It will detract from the walls and make the mornings more enjoyable I think.

 

[WebmasterMaryJo]

Thanks for the updates!

I don't know if I would have said something to that lady, probably not, but I would have been irritated, too. I actually have a scar on my hand where someone was smoking on the walkway at Carousel of Progress and flicked his cigarette. It landed on my hand and left a blister. I was around 6 years old at the time.

 

[gottalovepluto]

Agreed. I love to walk through the new part of Frontierland near BTMRR. I hate having to pass the cancer-chasers' section. You have an addiction you can't kick? Sorry to hear that. Don't make it my problem...

Exactly! It's beautiful until you choke. That section was so thick with smoke when we rode BTMRR the week before Xmas (park was admittedly a zoo) we could strongly smell cigarette smoke on that side of the ride. And no, there was no wind. Idk what the solution is not being a smoker myself but that area had way too much smoke last trip. No one should breathe cigarette smoke on a ride at Disney in 2018. (ETA, yes it was 2017, point still stands!)

@azdisneylover 25 years later! Talk about another chance, what an inspiration! May you have many more cancer free years!!

 

[Skyegirl1999]

Exactly! It's beautiful until you choke. That section was so thick with smoke when we rode BTMRR the week before Xmas (park was admittedly a zoo) we could strongly smell cigarette smoke on that side of the ride. And no, there was no wind. Idk what the solution is not being a smoker myself but that area had way too much smoke last trip. No one should breathe cigarette smoke on a ride at Disney in 2018. (ETA, yes it was 2017, point still stands!)

@azdisneylover 25 years later! Talk about another chance, what an inspiration! May you have many more cancer free years!!

We’ve had the same experience with smoke on BTMR. And I can’t walk through that lovely new pathway connecting Frontierland and Fantasyland because of the smoke. Fortunately I saw it before the smoking area re-opened...

I think that at this point, the parks should simply be smoke-free.

Side note: we were also there this morning and were amazed how empty it was for the first hour. I thought Storybook Land was closed because there was literally no one in line at 8:30... not closed, just zero line. Zero! 30 minutes after opening... crazy. We rode 8 rides in the first 90 minutes the park was open while also stopping for Starbucks and doing some Photopass photo ops (thanks, Maxpass).

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Side note: we were also there this morning and were amazed how empty it was for the first hour. I thought Storybook Land was closed because there was literally no one in line at 8:30... not closed, just zero line. Zero! 30 minutes after opening... crazy. We rode 8 rides in the first 90 minutes the park was open while also stopping for Starbucks and doing some Photopass photo ops (thanks, Maxpass).

That sounds glorious! Did you ride Peter Pan?

 

[WonkaKid]

That sounds glorious! Did you ride Peter Pan?

I was second in line for PP (because some little s#%t ran seconds after a security CM specifically asked guests not to run). However, the ride was closed for at least the first 20 minutes after the park opened. So I rode Mr. Toad -- managed to be first on that .

 

[Skyegirl1999]

That sounds glorious! Did you ride Peter Pan?

We actually never made it into that part of Fantasyland - we did Matterhorn, Alice, Storybook, teacups, and then there was a Photopass photographer hanging out by that prop teacup you can sit in, and he did like a whole photo shoot with us, posing tons of ways, a bunch of just my daughter... it was super cute and he loaded 25 pictures with us! By then, it was time to head over and use our Space Mountain FP, so I kind of forgot about Peter Pan...

Seeing WonkaKid mention that it was closed for 20 minutes makes me even more surprised that the line for Alice was so short and Storybook was nonexistent... since Dumbo’s closed, too. There seriously must not have been many people in the park until 10.

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

I was second in line for PP (because some little s#%t ran seconds after a security CM specifically asked guests not to run). However, the ride was closed for at least the first 20 minutes after the park opened. So I rode Mr. Toad -- managed to be first on that .

Ha ha... I am considering trying for PP at rope drop when we go on Wednesday. Is it sad that I'm already planning how to execute that? lol

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

We actually never made it into that part of Fantasyland - we did Matterhorn, Alice, Storybook, teacups, and then there was a Photopass photographer hanging out by that prop teacup you can sit in, and he did like a whole photo shoot with us, posing tons of ways, a bunch of just my daughter... it was super cute and he loaded 25 pictures with us! By then, it was time to head over and use our Space Mountain FP, so I kind of forgot about Peter Pan...

Seeing WonkaKid mention that it was closed for 20 minutes makes me even more surprised that the line for Alice was so short and Storybook was nonexistent... since Dumbo’s closed, too. There seriously must not have been many people in the park until 10.

Really crazy! And on a weekend too. Sounds amazing.

 

[WonkaKid]

Ha ha... I am considering trying for PP at rope drop when we go on Wednesday.

Do it!

Is it sad that I'm already planning how to execute that? lol

Not at all. Anticipation is half the fun. Have a great time!

 

[SOCALMouseMommy]

Do it!


Not at all. Anticipation is half the fun. Have a great time!

Let me ask you a question now that rope drop has moved. If I want a fighting chance at PP I'll have to ditch my stroller somewhere before the rope drops, but with the hub walled off, did you notice a place close to where they hold you for RD that I could leave my stroller?

My poor toddler asks to ride PP every time we go, but he literally cannot wait in a 40+ minute line. I can make a 20-minute or so line work first thing in the morning, so I'm going to try. I'll just abort if I can't get a place in line before the chains.