Steven Tyler may have requested a super stretch limo, but that doesn’t mean you’re guaranteed any social distancing aboard Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster, as every row of the popular Disney’s Hollywood Studios attraction is now being loaded to improve on capacity and wait times.
We’d heard of this development over the weekend, so we put on our best denim jackets and headed over to investigate. Initially during the reopening, Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster gave each party their own section of the car to ride in, skipping rows in between parties. Now, each row is being filled, meaning you could end up in a car with another group, as the ride was before.
Each party is given their own row, however rows aren’t being skipped. So if you’re a party of two, you can expect a single rider or another party of two seated directly behind you. They still aren’t filling in every available space, so single riders will get their own rows to themselves.
While there are plexiglass dividers at the load station, unlike most other slower-moving rides like Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance or Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, installing dividers on a coaster that goes 0-60 miles per hour in 2.8 seconds isn’t exactly feasible.
While these changes will certainly help ride capacity and potentially lower wait times, we know that not all guests feel comfortable sharing close spaces with other people during a pandemic, even if it is for just under two minutes of total ride time. Attractions at other parks, like The Haunted Mansion at Magic Kingdom and The Seas with Nemo & Friends at EPCOT, have been loading every doombuggy or clamobile (respectively) in order to keep wait times moderate with the recent increase to 35% capacity.
What do you think of this change in operation for Rock ‘n’ Roller Coaster at Disney’s Hollywood Studios? Will you still ride it if you have to share a car with another guest like before? Let us know in the comments below!
Was shocked a bit by since both Slinky Dog and this “normal seating” last Thursday the 10th but before on Tuesday 8th it was covid seating as I expected. I kind of was shocked when I got into the limo loading area and saw that. Mind you this “improved” seating isn’t helping line lengths that much. Shows that they need more rides/activities in the park to absorb more people. Makes me think if I want to come back to Disney in the next 6 months.
The headrests act as a barrier here… (on other attractions the seats do not extend this far up), not to mention I’m sure the HVAC/ventilation is pretty good in that building, as the launch system must give off a rather large amount of heat.
Walt Disney World is slowly increasing capacity over 35% and reducing social distancing with the decision to pack them in. Numerous people I know that attended in August will not go back since they felt there was very little social distancing. Disney Springs no longer have cast members walking around reminding people probably due to confrontations. Just a recording that people who break the rules ignore with no enforcement. The adding of more interior dining goes against CDC guidance.
If Disney has allowed in-door dining since reopening, then this move should have happened back then as well. Riders are masked and close contact with other riders are so menial. Bravo Disney for improving customer experience!
Don’t like this at all. It seems to me they’re trying to do as much as possible to become lenient with recommendations, which would allow them to increase capacity. We will be traveling to Disney at the start of the year and I’m quite unhappy at the possibility of decreased distancing and increased capacity, especially as part of the reason we kept it was because of what seemed like pretty good safety precautions.
@Mwty, I share your concern. My family and I are also traveling to Disney, in February, since we saw how good the safety precautions were set. We’ll continue to monitor the news and make an executive decision before then.