Disney4me Posted July 11, 2021 Report Posted July 11, 2021 It’s officially been one year since Disney World reopened! A LOT has changed at Disney World over the past year! Over the past year, things have changed drastically at Disney World! We’ve seen the end of temperature checks, the end of mask requirements in most situations, and the end of social distancing. We’re also seeing more people in the parks as both entertainment and fireworks begin to resume. But just how different are things today compared to Disney World’s reopening one year ago today? We’re taking a look back to compare! Magic Kingdom Then At reopening day at Magic Kingdom, there were physical distance markers at the entrance spaced six feet apart, according to CDC guidelines at the time. Magic Kingdom reopening Guests were to remain with their groups, with each group standing on its own marker. Now Now, those markers are gone and guests are no longer putting space between themselves and other groups. No more social distancing There has also been an increase in capacity in the parks, so more guests are filing through the entrance now. Then Main Street, U.S.A. crowds on reopening day seemed pretty intense at first, but they began to disperse making the park feel much emptier overall. Magic Kingdom Crowds on reopening day People were also extra conscious of social distancing as they walked through the parks. Now Main Street, U.S.A. now looks a LOT different. The crowds have returned to Disney World this summer, and it feels pretty packed. Main Street, U.S.A. crowds now And social distancing is now just a memory. Also, face masks are no longer required outdoors or indoors for vaccinated guests. Then On reopening day, there were times when we had part of the park to ourselves. The area around Gaston’s Tavern was completely empty! Crowd Level in Fantasyland It was like this in many areas of the parks right after reopening! Now That’s changed a lot, too. The crowds are back and it’s probably going to be a while before we can take photos in the parks without people in them. We often see a line out of the door at restaurants like Gaston’s Tavern! Gaston’s Tavern Now Every part of the park feels much busier now (because it is!). EPCOT Then Over in Future World, EPCOT was very quiet and peaceful on reopening day. EPCOT There were only small groups of people hanging around. Now Things have certainly changed here, too. EPCOT crowds are back, too However, there is so much space at EPCOT that it’s still relatively easy for groups to keep their distance from others if they choose. Then Crowds in the World Showcase pavilions were virtually non-existent when EPCOT reopened. Pavilions were super chill EPCOT had a VERY laid back vibe. Now The crowds are all over World Showcase now, as exhibited in the below photo at the France Pavilion. It’s a drastic difference! Disney’s Hollywood Studios Then Entering Hollywood Studios when the park first reopened was very similar to what we saw at Magic Kingdom and the other parks. Hollywood Studios Reopening Day There was not much of a line, and there were distancing markers as far as the eye could see. Now The distancing markers have disappeared now, and many more people are entering the parks each day. Hollywood Studios Entrance We’ve also noticed rope drop is a pretty busy time for the parks again! Then In Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge, Oga’s Cantina was virtually a ghost town due to limited capacity. Oga’s Cantina at Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge at Hollywood Studios Before the closure, this bar was usually pretty packed! Now Well, Oga’s isn’t quite as packed as pre-closure, but you can tell that capacity has been raised. And guests now share the bar space and tables with strangers again. Time to make some friends at your shared table! However, this is one reservation that’s still hard to get, even with its raised capacity! Then Walking towards Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway was pretty chill on reopening day. Hollywood Studios The crowds were light and spaced out. Now Although we’re still seeing mostly lower crowds than pre-closure, there are still way more people coming to this park now. Everyone showed up to Hollywood Studios today! Things are getting back to “normal”, it seems. Then Popular quick-service spots like the Milk Stand in Galaxy’s Edge had almost no wait. Milk Stand It was easy to go up to a stand like this and grab what you wanted! Now Nowadays, if you want some Blue or Green Milk, you’ll probably be waiting a while. Milk Stand Line Now This is a popular snack in Hollywood Studios, and even though Mobile Order is offered here, you might have to wait in a line like this. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Then We were in shock at how empty Pandora felt when Animal Kingdom reopened. Pandora Crowds (or lack thereof) And we only had a 10-minute wait for Flight of Passage! Now My, how times have changed. The crowds are certainly back in Pandora. Animal Kingdom crowds And the wait time today for Flight of Passage was at 90 minutes. Then Most of Animal Kingdom had low crowds on reopening day. Where are the people? PhotoPass lines were short, too! Now Well, we think this photo shows best how things have changed since reopening. Here’s what recent Animal Kingdom crowds have looked like. Crowds It’s starting to look a lot more like pre-closure now! But that’s to be expected as Disney World continues to raise capacity and bring back more activities and entertainment for guests. And with more hotels reopening this year, we bet we’ll see even more guests for the 50th anniversary celebration! We’ll be at Disney World to cover those crowds, too, so don’t go anywhere! <span data-mce-type="bookmark" style="display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;" class="mce_SELRES_start"></span>Join the DFB Newsletter to get all the breaking news right in your inbox! Click here to Subscribe! Don't Miss Out on Any Disney Fun! Order Your Copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining Today! With more than 750 pages, the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining is full of tips and planning tools developed by Disney World experts over 30+ years of visits. We've done the research for you, so you'll know just which spots will uniquely suit your family's needs! With mini-reviews of every single restaurant, bar, lounge, kiosk and more; an entire chapter on the best snacks in Disney World; full Disney Dining Plan analysis (and how to get FREE dining); and a full chapter on discounts and deals; you'll have everything you need to plan your best vacation yet. Click here to order your copy of the 2021 DFB Guide to Walt Disney World Dining E-book with code WDW2021 to save 25% off the cover price today! Use code WDW2021 at check-out for 25% off the cover price today! http://www.disneyfoodblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/ready-to-shop-button.png Our guides are backed by a 100% money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose. Have you been to Disney World since the reopening? Let us know in the comments!The post PHOTOS: Disney World's Reopening Day vs. What the Parks Look Like Now first appeared on the disney food blog.View the full article Quote
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