July 2020 – Jump The Park

What You Can Learn From Disney’s crowd levels: Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom

July 31, 2020May 20, 2021jumpthepark

Hey everyone! My July 2020 Disney vacation has come to a close, and although I am sad about leaving, I am happy to share so much new information with you. I was able to visit all 4 parks at least one day so I am able to answer any questions you guys have. Here I am discussing wait times and crowd experiences throughout each park.

Animal Kingdom Annual Pass Preview Day 7/10: This was a big day for us. The Park was open from 8am-6pm. We arrived at 9am because it rained in the morning. We avoided standing outside for 45 minutes in the pouring rain. It took us maybe 30 seconds to get in. No line at the temperature screening or security area. To scan into the park, you only have to scan your magic band. No finger prints, which saves time. For the most part, the Park was empty. Everyone seemed to be flocking towards Pandora, which meant shorter lines throughout. We rode every ride at least twice, except Kilimanjaro Safari, which we rode once. Expedition Everest we rode three times and Kali River Rapids we rode twice. Dinosaur we rode three times as well and each Pandora ride twice. Everything was a 5-15 minute wait. The longest we stood in line was about 20 minutes for Expedition Everest and that was because they were cleaning. Overall it was a very enjoyable experience. We were able to see and do everything we wanted with plenty of time to spare, including eating and taking some well needed breaks.

Magic Kingdom Opening Day 7/11: Disney fans all around the country were waiting for this day. I am very lucky I was able to be there. We arrived at 9am. We decided to take the ferry boat over, as the line for the monorail looked long. We didn’t wait long for the ferry. Lots of other families but we were still able to socially distance. They had green dots on the floors that we stood on to make sure we stayed 6ft apart. We scanned into Magic Kingdom just after the park opened. No lines to scan in and no lines for security. It was very efficient. I wish it could be like that all the time! First thing we rode, was Space Mountain with a 15 minute wait. Best feeling ever! By the end of the day, we rode everything we wanted to get done, except Big Thunder Mountain. Within 10 hours, we managed to ride Space Mountain, Buzz Lightyear, Carousel of Progress, Little Mermaid, Winnie the Pooh, 7D Mine Train, Small World, Peter Pan, Haunted Mansion, Pirates, Jungle Cruise, Tiki Room, Country Bear Jamboree and Splash Mountain. We have never been able to get through that many rides in what little time we had. The longest wait time was Splash and Small World. Each was about half an hour wait because of cleaning procedures. Everything else was about a 10-15 minute wait.

Overall, it was the best and worst trip to Disney. Lines were short, plenty of things available, space to move around, it was wonderful. Coming back from the parks and having time to swim and eat was amazing. Usually I don’t get much sleep as Disney, but I woke up feeling well rested and ready to go! The downside, wearing a mask all day in that heat made me want to pass out a few times. Just be sure to take a break every so often. Stay safe everyone!

July’s Shop of the Month: EarsofFunDesigns

July 21, 2020August 7, 2020jumpthepark

Hello everyone and welcome to my very first Shop of the Month blog post! I am so excited to be supporting small businesses and I want to thank you as well. This month I am supporting EarsofFunDesigns! Check out the link below. I was able to purchase two sets of ears and they are both absolutely wonderful!

The first pair of ears I’ll be taking about are inspired by Marie from The Aristocats. “Ladies don’t start fights, but we can finish them” is something I’ll always remember from the movie. I love these ears for a few reasons. The main reason being that they don’t hurt the area behind my ears while wearing them for extended periods of time. If you’ve ever worn a pair of ears made by Disney, after about an hour, my ears hurt and then I don’t want to wear them for a while. Then sometimes I get a headache and it’s not fun for anyone. So if you’re looking for something to reduce a little pain, I would recommend these ears. Another reason why these ears are so cute, is because of the fur. It makes sense because Marie is a cat, plus they are just so soft. Most ears are kind of a disk shaped that stands on the headband. These ears are more of sphere. So it’s like two fuzz balls are connected to the head band, which is unique and I really it. That’s kind of what drew me in to these ears was the fur. There is also a little tuff of fur behind the bow which I think is adorable.

The second pair of ears I ordered were inspired by Cruella de Vil, from Disney’s 101 Dalmatians. They are similar to the Marie ears, as these ears are also fuzzy. One side is black and the other is white, which is the perfect representation of Cruella. They also fit very nicely as they are not too tight. The band doesn’t seem to be as thick as Disney brand ears so that should reduce headaches.

Please go check out EarsofFunDesigns by Lacey Sorrels (Link to Etsy shop below). Her Etsy shop is super easy to navigate and she was so nice in helping me pick out my ears! You still have time to use code JUMPTHEPARK20 for 20% off your purchase. Thank you guys so much and don’t forget to subscribe to my blog!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/EarsofFunDesigns?ref=search_shop_redirect&page=1#items

A Guide to Disney’s Riviera Resort

July 16, 2020May 20, 2021jumpthepark

Hey everyone! I am so excited to be back at Walt Disney World this week. We were able to stay at Disney’s Riviera Resort for 2 nights and I want to give my honest review of this Disney Vacation Club resort. In a previous post, I ranked Riviera one of the top 5 resorts. Now, after we’ve had a chance to stay here, I would definitely move it up the list. It’s absolutely wonderful and the theme is gorgeous!

We stayed in deluxe suite, which can sleep 5 people. It has a queen bed and a queen size pull down bed from the wall. There is also a twin bed that folds from the wall under the Tv. one thing I really like about this room, is that there are a few drawers under the main bed, and a few in the coffee table. This comes in handy when storing personal belongings. We also have a kitchenette which includes a small fridge, a microwave and a sink. There are also some cabinets to store things. In the bathroom, there is an area with the shower/bath combo and the sink. There is also an area that connects with a toilet and another shower. This is great because it allows two people to get ready at the same time. It’s great for early mornings! Our room also had a balcony which had the perfect view of Epcot!

At the Riviera, there are two pools. pictured above is the main pool. The main pool is next to the play area, S’il Vous Play. The smaller pool, Beau Soleil Pool, is just across the way. Both pools were wonderful, but the main pool has a water slide which is always fantastic. Each pool has its own hot tub that is great for cooler nights. The S’il Vous Play kiddy area has a few small slides and fountains to play in. Across from the small pool, there is an athletic gym that opens at 7am for you early birds.

For the foodies out there, Riviera has a quick service restaurant called Primo Piatta, check out the picture above. They have American style foods like burgers, sandwiches and salads. They also have a more traditional style breakfast with bacon and most importantly, Mickey Waffles! You also might want to try Topolino’s Terrace. It’s on the expensive side, but it’s a character meal. You will meet Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Daisy as you dine on French and Italian cuisine. Lastly, there is a great pastry cafe located on the second floor near the lobby. It’s called Le Petite Cafe and they have some of the best desserts. Check out the lemon cheesecake below! It’s definitely one of those must do’s if you happen to pass by.

I really enjoyed staying at this resort. I hope to be back in the near future. One main reason why I love this resort is it’s on the Disney Sky Liners system. We couldn’t really use the Sky Liner while staying here, because neither Epcot or Hollywood studios were open, but I know in the future, it will definitely be a big plus while staying.

Everything You Need To Know About Covid-19 Regulations at Disney Springs

July 4, 2020August 6, 2020jumpthepark

Hey everybody, I hope you’re all having a magical day! This week I wanted to talk about my recent Disney Springs experience. I want to go over their regulations and what it might feel like when the parks open.

When we arrived at Disney Springs, the only parking garage that was open, was the Orange garage. It wasn’t a huge deal, since there were very little people. Once we walked closer to the entrance, they filtered us into a few lines to take our temperatures. There was no security, but everyone had to have their temperature taken. There were also multiple hand sanitizer stations to use as you made your way up front.

Once we got in, it was kind of relaxing. There weren’t big groups of people walking on either side of you. You had plenty of room to walk and look at all the sights. Be aware that cast members are informing the rules. If you are 2 years or older, you have to wear a mask. Being in Florida in 95 degree heat and humidity, makes wearing a mask difficult. After about 20 minutes of being outside, I was sweating and the mask was unbearable. It’s tempting to pull the mask below your face for a minute to breathe, but cast members are cracking down on that.

We did some shopping of course, it’s Disney Springs! They were limiting the amount of people inside stores, but we never had to wait. We were able to look around and shop like normal. We didn’t really have to wait to checkout either. We did for about 5 minutes at World of Disney, which is probably a record considering I’ve always waiting at least 20 minutes. There were also multiple sanitizing stations throughout Disney Springs inside the shops and outside.

We didn’t have anything planned for dinner, which felt weird not having a plan. We were able to get a table at T-Rex with no reservation. I can check that off my bucket list! We waited no longer than 10 minutes for our table. That was the first time I’ve eaten there, and I would totally recommend it. It’s like Rainforest Cafe, but with dinosaurs. It’s great for kids. The food is pricey of course, again it’s Disney. Check out the attached picture for the full menu! About every 15 minutes or so, a meteor shower happens which it really cool. A little loud, but really cool. So if you like eating next to animatronic dinosaurs, T-Rex is your place to go!

Since everyone has to wear a mask, Disney makes their own line of masks. You can purchase these masks at the Co-op at Disney Springs. They have three different sizes to choose from. Small, medium and large. The small size fits little kids around age 2, the medium fits kids around age 7, and the large fits adults. They are pretty comfortable. At least more comfortable than what I was using before. The band that goes behind your ears is thick and soft so it doesn’t hurt as much. They had a few different designs but most were sold out. Each one costs $6, but you can get 4 for $20. We ended up getting a rainbow Mickey patterned one and three Black Panther ones. A few other designs they had were Star Wars, stitch, Winnie the Pooh, and Hulk. You can only purchase four masks per guest and you can not refund, return or exchange these items. There is also no DVC or AP discount for these masks.

Check out the attached picture for the complete line of Disney face masks!