California, here we come! Buena Vista Street has finally reopened at Disney California Adventure and we were among the first guests to enter the newest extension to the Downtown Disney District’s shopping and dining offerings.

Guests were lined up as early as 5:00 AM this morning to be amongst the first to enter. Lines were spaced out and remarkably orderly.

Cast Members reminded guests that face masks must be worn at all times, even when taking cherished holiday photos. Eating and drinking in line or inside stores is also not allowed.

At around 9:30 AM, they began allowing guests in through the temperature checkpoint. Downtown Disney District and Buena Vista Street open at 10:00 AM daily, and the Simba parking lot opens at 9:45 AM, with a $10 fee per car.

The entrance to Buena Vista Street is located all the way to the right of the turnstiles. Once Buena Vista Street reaches capacity, you can join a virtual waitlist to enter the queue.

As of 10:25 AM, Cast Members were sending groups in one at a time.

Cast Members were happy welcoming guests into Buena Vista Street at Disney California Adventure.

First stop was the newly-refurbished “Storytellers” statue featuring Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse. The statue had been under tarps for some time now during the closure, and was revealed just yesterday for Mickey Mouse’s birthday celebration.

As you’ll come to notice, there are tons of snack stands available.

Lines are the order of the day for the Buena Vista Street grand reopening. Here’s the end of the line for Carthay Circle, which is currently only seating guests on a first-come, first-served basis. We made it to the cutoff of the line and still have to wait a few more hours until we’re seated at the al fresco-style dining location.

Whatever the wait is, it’s worth it just to see this icon!

Just past Carthay, a set of snack carts are serving snacks, beverages, and ice cream. (And yes, they have Angry Dogs from Pixar Pier!)

While there’s plenty more space throughout Disney California Adventure open than we expected, areas leading into parts of the park that are still closed to guests are roped off, like Cars Land, Grizzly Peak, and right before the Red Car Trolley in Hollywood Land.

Willie’s Churros is open and serving piping hot, fresh churros for guests.

Smokejumpers Grill is set up for outdoor dining, and will be taking mobile orders later today.

The entrance to Soarin’ is filled with socially-distanced tables, too.

Guests can take in the ambiance of Humphrey’s Service & Supplies, but it and its adjacent Coca-Cola Freestyle station are currently closed.

Over in Hollywood Land, guests can take a socially-distanced photo with the Red Car Trolley, which is stationed just outside of the Animation Academy, past the ropes.

The Churros at Hollywood Land cart has been moved over to be accessible just before the roped-off area.

Despite the long wait times and lines, so far Buena Vista Street has welcomed back guests in an orderly fashion, with plenty of space to roam around and take in the sights and sounds of Disney California Adventure. Cast Members are doing a great job enforcing face masks and social distancing—there’s practically a CM in every line reminding you of both. It may not be ideal, but for California locals, it’s a taste of home considering the current restrictions affecting Orange County. Stay tuned for full store tours, reviews, and of course, churros, as we continue our coverage of the Buena Vista Street reopening at Disneyland Resort!