Traveling To Walt Disney World During a Pandemic
2020…What a year it has been, huh? I think back to February and I can honestly say I never thought this is where we’d be right now. Some things changed for the better, some things were severely hurt or tragically lost. But in times like these, I always look for the magic and think - What Would Walt Do? (The answer is probably stay positive and keep dreaming!)
Walt Disney World Resort in Florida is currently the only Disney Destination open at this time. I severely needed a dose of magic, so we sprinkled some pixie dust, got out of the 4-walls of our home, and traveled to Walt Disney World during a pandemic. Some people might call me crazy, but it brought so much joy and happiness to my soul! And I really felt safer there than I do at the grocery store in town. I don’t write this to stir up medical opinions or conspiracy theories — only to say that the hand-sanitizer was everywhere and always filled, people adhered to the social distancing markers, Cast Members enforced the proper mask-wearing policy, and the Parks and Resorts were very clean. (You can read more about their policies and procedures here.)
I know traveling to Walt Disney World during a pandemic is not for everyone. Some of the “once-in-a-lifetime-trip” moments aren’t available — such as hugging Mickey Mouse, getting Cinderella’s autograph, or watching the fireworks burst over Cinderella castle. But for the right family, this is an excellent time to visit and here is why.
Crowds
The crowd capacity is lower than usual. There is no official statement as to what percentage capacity they are at but it is somewhere around 40-60%. Guests are required to make a Park Pass Reservation prior to arrival which helps cap and monitor capacity. We arrived at the Parks a little prior to opening time and I was pleasantly surprised by how empty it was compared to previous (pre-COVID) trips. The entrance process went very smoothly. They take everyone’s temperature prior to security check and ticket entrance. This has been advantageous for my clients in general, but especially for those that don’t typically do well in large crowds.
No FastPass+, No Problem
While many people have come to know and love (or hate!) Disney’s FastPass+ service, it has been temporarily suspended since reopening Walt Disney World Resort during the pandemic. We found that the wait times were very manageable without them! We utilized the My Disney Experience app on our phones to monitor wait times, and were able to do all the attractions in Magic Kingdom that we wanted to with my son Finn in September. In November, my sister and I rode Space Mountain three times before even being in the park for 45-minutes! We also waited less than 10-15 minutes for popular attractions like Smuggler’s Run, Peter Pan’s Flight, and Expedition Everest. The longest attractions we waited for were Seven Dwarfs Mine Train, Flight of Passage, and Slinky Dog Dash — all around 45-60 minutes. But on average I’d estimate our wait time was usually around 20-30 minutes for most attractions.
Character Options
While some families look forward to hugging their favorite characters and collecting autographs, there are still some great options for seeing your favorite characters around the Walt Disney World Resort during a pandemic. Our family never spent a lot of time waiting in line for character meet & greets because (a) we’d rather be riding the attractions and (b) my 4-year-old really likes them better from a safe distance than up close. The character interactions they have going on right now are perfect for us!
First, you can occasionally catch a character on the porch of a restaurant. For example, we saw Pinocchio on the porch of Crystal Palace outside and Jiminy Cricket on the balcony of Pinocchio Village Haus restaurant. Secondly, you can find them throughout the Park on character cavalcades. Think of these like a singular float or vehicle from a parade coming through the park at various times. Because these aren’t listed at specific times on the app, it is a magical surprise when you get off Splash Mountain and see Minnie Mouse riding through on the Rainy Day Christmas Parade! Or see Goofy and Max (usually these were only for Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party) driving in front of the castle.
Finally, there are a select number of Character Dining experiences happening across Disney property. While these are slightly modified from before, they are still full of fun! One change is that they are not doing some of them buffet style like you might be used to — for example at Hollywood & Vine and Chef Mickey are now being served at the table instead of buffets. Another is that the characters will not come to your table to sign autographs and give you a hug, but they will parade through the dining room a number of times and pose for you to take a picture. As mentioned previously about my son not being thrilled with the up close and personal character interactions, this was the perfect experience for him. He could wave at Daisy Duck and not get too shy when she came nearby. We very much enjoyed our character breakfast at Topolino’s Terrace on the rooftop of Disney’s Riviera Resort. The view is incredible, the service is fantastic, the character’s outfits are adorable, and the food is delicious! In place of being able to get their autographs, the restaurant provides you with an artistic postcard with the character’s signatures already on it — a perfect keepsake! (See image below.)
Other Magical Accommodations
If you’ve been to Walt Disney World before, there will be some other modifications you may notice. There is more mobile ordering now out of necessity than just convenience. (P.S. pack a portable phone charger!) This helps with crowd flow at busy quick-service restaurants, contactless payment, and interaction with others in general.
Transportation is still operating and available for guests staying on Disney property. Buses are now equipped with dividers and the Cast Members driving assist more in the loading process to keep traveling parties together and not intermixed with other parties. The loading process onto many attractions is similar to this as well. We didn’t have any issues keeping our family together or feeling like we were seated too close to another group.
PhotoPass Photographers are still active and abundant! I highly recommend adding on Memory Maker to your Walt Disney World vacation package so that you aren’t passing around your phone. We also noticed they are doing a LOT more magic shots that ever before! (Psst - any Mandalorian fans out there? You can meet “The Child” in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge in Disney’s Hollywood Studios but only with the PhotoPass Photographer’s Magic Shot!)
While the fireworks are bursting live (just yet), you can watch a previously recorded version of the fireworks spectaculars on the television in your Disney Resort room. I tell you what, watching Disney fireworks in my pajamas on a comfy couch with no one blocking our view was pretty nice!
While I enjoyed our visit to Walt Disney World even during a pandemic, I do understand that it isn’t for everyone, and I 100% respect that. I have moved a number of client vacations from 2020 to 2021, but I’ve also had many clients cancel because they don’t feel comfortable traveling yet. I’m hoping that with vaccines beginning to be administered, we will start to see the travel industry as a whole bounce back from this year. It was a rough year for many industries, but especially travel.
When you do feel comfortable traveling again, please consider using a travel agent. Most agents, like myself, don’t charge for their services when we book the vacation, but we also don’t get paid until you travel. The quickest way to ensure our industries survive is to resume vacations when you feel comfortable and use a travel professional to assist you. Not only will it help us, but it will help you because they will be up-to-date on all travel policies, procedures, and best practices!
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