We did use it for RNRC, but since she was just at 40” and liked coasters we didn’t need it for much else. It worked the same as in the past, they are using FPP lanes for rider swap and DAS.
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Part 2: AK (8/9) (Also going home day)
We managed to get ready and the car loaded shortly after 7:30 and headed to AK. I always hate leaving extra bottled water behind but never know what to do with it and hope it will get used - but it probably gets thrown out. By this point DS11 and I were pretty much over hiking around in the heat, but wanted DS16 and GF16 to see everything. It was a little after 8 by the time we entered the park. We arrived at the end of FOP line at 8:19 and they were quoting 60 minutes. We waited only 31, and the line really never stopped moving.
However we probably could have ridden any time that day with equal or less wait so a better strategy at that point would have been to start elsewhere. NRJ was 45 minutes afterward so we went on to KS (quoted 20 min, waited 10).
We caught the Up! Bird show which we really enjoyed, then KRR which left us disappointingly dry.
Next the kids rode EE while I visited guest services.
In early July I had purchased a base 4-day ticket from UT for DS18 which we didn’t use since he decided not to come, and I wanted to change the dates to use it later. I figured it was too late to ask for a refund, since we were already in the middle of the use date range. Should have called UT anyway. GS told me that the date could not be changed and they could only issue a refund (???). But since it was purchased from UT they could only issue a gift card. That would have been better earlier in the trip with time to spend it, but ok. However after seeing the amount on the receipt I realized it was less than I had paid. It turned out, the system refunded me the amount Disney had received for the ticket but not the share that UT had kept. I was not happy about this but it was already done. I called UT the next day and they did kindly agree to refund the remainder to me, but also said that GS should absolutely have been able to change the ticket to a later date. They were going to follow up with Disney about that.
Determined not to let this frustration impact my day, we met back up at DinoBites for the elusive cookie ice cream sandwich! It was delicious but huge. We ordered 4 and none of us finished it. Next time we’ll share!
Took in Tough to be a Bug and NRJ, then ordered lunch at Satuli Canteen, more to avoid backtracking than because we were hungry! The kids’ bowl with base of greens was perfect to round out my ice cream sandwich meal! Caught Dinosaur last as it had been closed earlier. Sign said 45 minutes and the line extended outside, but it was closer to 15. Grabbed a few last PhotoPass photos, and headed out to the airport for our flight home.
Unfortunately a storm was rolling in just as we were due to take off so we ended up delayed by 3 hours, but finally did make it home. DD3 and DD7 were still up to greet us at 12:20 AM!
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We had the same disappointment. Like barely a splash. Barely a sprinkle. In the end, we came off the ride hotter than when we got on. We did notice that the man in the raft ahead of ours came off with some water on his shirt, though. 
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Being in the seat leading down on the big drop is really the only chance of getting wet - it got DH! As always, he said 
.
Yeah. That’s where any of us has gotten wet in the past. This time, nary a drop even on the big drop. And there were a few of us that went down the big drop. I paid attention to everyone who was getting off after we got off, and NO ONE was even closed to wet other than a small splash. It is like they had the riding running in the “wimps who don’t like to get wet” mode or something. Yet, with temps nearly 100 degrees, we really WANTED to get wet. 
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Same here. We had a light sprinkle but that was it. Very disappointing in the heat. I also didn’t remember that deforestation scene. Maybe it’s new since 2012. That area just made us feel the heat even more and then no relief?
No…that’s always been there, as far as I remember. In fact, it is kind of the point of the ride. (And you thought it was about getting wet!) 
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I really think they should rework the theming of the ride. The deforestation stuff is kinda depressing for a jungle ride. It’s the one place in the whole park where there are no trees! They need to make it more exciting in some way.
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Like…adding water?
Honestly, Bluto’s Bilge-Rat Barges was orders of magnitude more fun than this ride. Of course, we came off Bluto’s absolutely drenched. Which was kind of the point.
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Silly me. 
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Agreed! Maybe it was set differently as we rode with DH on a different day. I don’t really understand the rationale for turning off water features throughout the parks, unless maybe to keep people from congregating. But that shouldn’t be a factor on a ride. Definitely could have used some cooling off!!
I get the message they are trying to tell, but the ride really doesn’t do it well, since we are all too focused on the water. It is kind of how Kilimanjaro Safaries used to do this silly “fake poachers” bit which was supposed to spread a message of conservation as well. But it really cheapened the ride. This year, I noticed they had done away with that and it was MUCH better for it. Now they should do the same with Kali.
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I know in some cases, it was about concern over Legionnaires (since the water lines had been sitting there, stagnant, for so long during the shutdown). But Universal had almost all water features running without issue.
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Closing thoughts:
A week after returning, we are really glad we went. The time away was much needed by all after the past several months and buffered the blow to DH and DS16 of football being delayed to spring. Although it was hot, the low crowds and mostly shorter lines made it worthwhile. We did everything we wanted to do, just maybe not as many times as we would have liked. I prefer the spaced-out lines to the regular version as they move faster so you don’t often feel like you are just standing and waiting, although I do hope Disney adds more shade/shelter for the outdoor portions. Masks were really not much of an issue for us. Sure it would have been somewhat more comfortable without them, but hot would still be 
hot. If masks were not required, we wouldn’t have felt safe enough to be there, period. I was really impressed that my 3, 7 and 11 year olds - who in regular life complain about so much - never complained about having to wear them and really had no issues at all except maybe when trying to eat ice cream with the mask on their chin. I also am fully confident that they can cope with having to wear them in school and daycare. There was still no quarantine order for travel in our state when we returned, but I stayed out of work and kept DD3 out of daycare for a week anyway as agreed. It was actually really nice to have extra down time after the trip and I may make a habit of it! The whole family was tested and came back negative thankfully. And my Magicband was found and is hopefully on its way to me! As of today my kids are all back in daycare/in-person school/college and we are feeling much more on edge with regards to Covid than we did at Disney.
On 8/11 I cancelled my Annual Pass which would have been extended thru December. With hours being shortened further and having done all there presently is to do in the parks, I don’t feel the need to return in October as planned. We still have our bounceback/recovery package for December on the books but I have to buy a ticket as part of that package anyway. December is iffy. If Covid/flu trends aren’t as bad as I fear, and if evening park hours and fireworks are back, and if either crowds are still low or FPP is back, and if I don’t have to worry about keeping the kids out to quarantine when we get back, maybe we’ll go. I have travel funds on Frontier already spent on flights, so I’m rationalizing whatever refund I get for my AP will help recoup that if we don’t go.
Thank you for reading! It was fun to document the trip; a year from now we can look back and it won’t be a blur like past trips! And thank you to everyone else posting trip reports and letting me briefly pretend I’m still there!
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Thanks for sharing your trip…and for waving at me on Pooh despite me being oblivious to it at the moment!
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Love that ride. We did it twice in a row. I couldn’t have been wetter if I jumped In a pool with all my clothes on. We timed it to be the last ride before our afternoon break. Worked out great.