What makes us sad and glad at reopened Disney parks

ORLANDO, Fla. — As an annual passholder, I was grateful for theme parks to begin their phased reopenings. It gave those who chose to go a pinch of old-school, 2019-ish “normal” in this era where everything at every turn is a little weird.

At the same time, there’s sadness in the air as enjoyable elements are missing, and reality bounces right back into your head. We knew in advance that popular elements such as parades and fireworks were on the shelf. But I’ve been surprised by missing things that I didn’t even know that I liked.

So, yes, woe is us. Many far-from-Florida folks wish they were here. And if you’ve got your health and your job, well, you should shut up and count your blessings. So, in the great pro-and-con list tradition, here’s my sad versus glad tour of theme parking right now, using a recent trip to Magic Kingdom as its base.

> The sad state

It bums me out to see a few people sitting alone on the curb of Main Street, U.S.A. like the afternoon parade is about to break out. I think they know better, and maybe they just want a place in the shade to sit down.

The silence is not golden. It’s very quiet on Main Street without crowds, Dapper Dans or Citizens of Main Street. The rolling character interactions are fun but brief. I’m even not a hot dog fan, but I wish Casey’s was open (and its piano player was back). Or I’d even enjoy the return of the castle stage show with its occasional, shocking pyrotechnics.

My pet peeve among the parks has been food lines. That was true before shutdown but more so now. Choices are now limited, even for snacking. Mobile ordering is a nice solution, but it doesn’t increase options or decrease wait times, really.

You may feel inconvenienced by still-closed restaurants and stores. But then you might realize that also means that people are still on furlough or laid off.

Even though I like my personal space, there are moments where it’s ... lonely. On a ferryboat trip from the Ticket & Transportation Center to Magic Kingdom, there were three passengers on the upper level. I was unable to pretend it was a private yacht (especially since the benches were all marked as not for sitting). I was surprised to find the partitioned monorail to be pleasant though.

> Glad tidings

While exploring, for the first time in ages, the Swiss Family Robinson Treehouse, I was happy that the park’s ever-present WAIT HERE, PLEASE ground markers don’t go up the staircase. There are themed signs reminding folks to stay more than 6 feet away from each other, and that’s OK.

I’m happy not to put my finger on the reader at the entrance gate after presenting my pass.

I’m mostly liking the paint job of Cinderella Castle. The pink doesn’t pop as much in person, and the blues and golds are lux. However, with limited capacity, it’s relatively easy to get a photo of the castle without a stranger in the shot, too.

Relatively short wait times for rides are a good thing. That can happen in stores, too. I got bottled water at the Emporium and walked right up to the checkout counter, which was faster than at a kiosk.

Walk back behind Fantasyland to look at the Tron ride construction that’s over in Tomorrowland. There’s a clear view from the far side of the Barnstormer coaster, and you also get a reminder of the Walt Disney World Railroad (out of operation for non-COVID-19 reasons, so maybe that should be up in the “sad” section).

Three cheers for the relaxation station (a.k.a. no-mask zone) at Tomorrowland Terrace. It’s open air with fans and a nice view of the castle and surrounding areas. Plenty of room to space out, and the cleaning procedures look impressive and are reassuring. (Side note: Theme parkers are good about face-covering regulations.)

Not sure I’ve seen these at Magic Kingdom, but the new style of utensil dispensers is a winner at Disney World. No more plastic cascading down into a communal tray. Forks, spoons and knives come out individually with a gentle tug on the end of the utensil.

Not that it’s a competition, but my glads outpaced my sads. Isn’t there a song about silver linings? Could someone sing that on Main Street?

TNS