Park Opening at Epcot
Monday, December 7
12:00 p.m. official opening
I left my room at Pop at 9:50 and walked over to the Skyliner heading to Epcot via DHS. This isn’t something I’d do under ordinary circumstances but I really, really, really want to ride Soarin’ and I’m concerned about avoiding a long, indoor queue. Soarin’ and Flight of Passage are the only two things that I’m willing to be inside for that long for but, even as a walk-on, they come close to violating my self imposed time restrictions. As far as COVID goes, I’m fine with a longish but solitary walk out in the open; standing around while stationary, indoors and near(ish) a bunch of strangers, breathing in their used air, not so much. The Skyliner service to DHS began hours before Epcot and I hoped to catch it during a lull after the opening rush, walk over to Epcot and be one of the first in line there.
There were no lines at either Pop or Caribbean Beach. It was a quick trip to DHS, and a lonely walk over to Epcot. By 10:30 I was in line for the Epcot temperature screening. There was probably 30 or so people ahead of me.
At 10:45 we were moved into the covered queue at the Friendship dock. Temp screening began at 10:52 but we were held outside the gate until 11:05 just as the first Skyliner riders arrived. It was chilly with misty rain, not ideal standing around weather.
It was a solitary walk over to The Land. Outside CMs were warning people that the attractions wouldn’t open until 12:00. I didn’t listen and wished I had.
I ended up waiting 20 minutes which is waaay beyond my self-imposed time limit for an indoor line. It seemed like every time I was ready to bail we’d move forward and I would think, “This is it!” We started in the area with the benches near the exit, where the old FastPass machines used to be. We waited here about 5 minutes then moved into the corridor where we waited for 15. Everyone near me was great with compliance but I was uncomfortable. I try to limit my time in line (especially an inside, stationary line) to less than ten minutes.
The posted wait was 5 minutes when I exited, I should have waited outside, lesson learned.
At noon the waits for things like Spaceship Earth and Nemo were minimal but I’d had enough of line angst and headed to the World Showcase.
Except for the area around Norway WS was very quiet. I stopped and watched the Voices of Liberty Christmas show. I sat near the back and there was, literally, no one within 50 feet of me. The whole area was pretty empty but it was still kind of cold and grey out. I sat outside the Rose and Crown and had a beer. Santa Claus rolled by.
The plan was to stroll around the WS sampling the food festival goodies but I was pretty disappointed in the selection. It was also continuing chilly and damp and after an hour or so I gave up and headed back to Pop.