The virtual queue for Bluey’s Wild World is over. As of today, June 2nd, guests no longer need a boarding group to experience Bluey’s Wild World at Disney’s Animal Kingdom. We were there for rope drop this morning to see exactly how the new standby process works. Here is a full breakdown.
Bluey’s Wild World Rope Drop Report: Standby Now Open
In This Article
- What the rope drop crowd looked at Harambe Station
- Wildlife Express Train timing and what to expect
- Wait times at Conservation Station
We started our day by holding in The Oasis until 7:58am. We were not part of the Early Entry wave of guests, so this is our experience doing a traditional rope drop.
After rope drop, we made our way back to Africa and the Harambe Station. It’s at the Harambe Station where guests will find the Wildlife Express train back to Conservation Station.
THE WILDLIFE EXPRESS TRAIN
We arrived at Harambe Station to a “large” crowd waiting in the station. We’d estimate it was somewhere in the range of 300 to 400 guests. The first train of the day did not pull into the station until 8:08am, later than it should have been. Typically, the first train should depart around 8am, which would clear out any guests waiting from Early Entry. Had that train been on time, regular rope drop guests may have faced little to no wait at the station. Instead, the delay compressed both crowds into one.
The first train began loading at 8:10am and departed at 8:15am. We did not make that train. The second train pulled in at 8:27am and departed at 8:32am, and we were on board. One thing worth flagging: a wait time for Bluey’s Wild World has been added to the My Disney Experience app, but that’s for the wait once you arrive at Conservation Station. It doesn’t take into account any waiting at Harambe Station or the travel time on the train.
The good news is that the second train crowd was manageable. Once the initial rope drop wave loaded out on the first train, things settled quickly.
CONSERVATION STATION: SURPRISINGLY SMOOTH
We arrived at Conservation Station at 8:39am. Surprisingly, there was no outdoor queue waiting. When we arrived, the posted wait was just 5 minutes.
We walked in to find a Bluey show already underway, with another show staged and ready. We have reported previously on the on-deck show system, which remains in place. We made the on-deck show, loading in at 8:46am. The show started just a couple of minutes later.
By 9:45am, the posted wait had climbed to 15 minutes, and by 10am, the wait time was 35 minutes. It settled down to just 15 minutes by 10:15am. We found the crowds and even the show itself to be far more manageable and enjoyable than when the Virtual Queue was in place. My suspicion is that the Virtual Queue created its own demand. A strict 1-hour return window forced many guests to feel like they had to drop everything and get in line.
For guests planning their visit, rope drop gives you the best shot at the shortest wait. Many guests are rope dropping the headline attractions, which makes demand for Bluey a bit lower. In terms of planning, if Bluey is a priority, the rope drop experience should be pleasant. However, we expect that Bluey’s Wild World will become more popular as the morning turns to afternoon. Once the morning rolls on and day guests filter in, the line builds. That said, 15 minutes at 10:15am is a very manageable number for an experience this popular. We’ll keep an eye on the growing wait time.
HOW WE GOT HERE
The standby transition happened faster than we expected. Bluey’s Wild World opened early with a soft-opening standby day on May 25th, then switched to virtual queue only on May 26th. Both Virtual Queue windows filled in seconds on opening day, leaving plenty of families empty-handed. By day two, the 10am drop was staying open long enough for anyone who wanted a spot to grab one. Now, just over a week later, the virtual queue is gone entirely.
Disney indicated from the start that a standby queue would eventually arrive. We expected it could take weeks, and we said as much during our early reporting. Instead, it is here much quicker.
WHY THE QUICK SHIFT MATTERS
Here is where I want to give Disney some credit. Pulling a virtual queue this early is not something Disney has traditionally been quick to do. We have watched high-demand attractions sit on virtual queue or boarding-group systems for months, probably past the point where the crowds justified it.
This time, Disney read the demand curve and acted on it quickly – within two weeks. The day-two 10am availability was probably all they needed to see. Rather than letting the virtual queue linger, Disney moved quickly. That is the right call.
My hope is that this becomes the new pattern: lean on a virtual queue to manage the debut crush of crowds, then drop it the moment the numbers support a standby line.
If you are heading to Animal Kingdom and Bluey is a top priority, the lowest crowds will probably continue to be at rope drop. The crowds will continue to grow throughout the day, especially with a shortened operating schedule that ends at 3:45pm.
For the average guest, Bluey’s Wild World is probably skippable unless you have kids who would enjoy it or are a big fan of the show yourself.
As always, keep checking back with us here at BlogMickey.com as we continue to bring you the latest news, photos, and info from around the Disney Parks!