Walt Disney World’s New Safety Guidelines and Protocols
Walt Disney World officially reopened to the public on June 11th, 2020! Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom officially opened on June 11th, and Hollywood Studios and Epcot opened June 15th! I had the opportunity to visit the parks and think Disney has done a phenomenal job with their re-opening guidelines and making guests feel safe with their new protocols and policies.
Disney currently has special health measures in place:
Face coverings for guests 2 and older are required.
Temperature checks are required upon arrival. Security officers will wave a forehead thermometer in front of you. Guests with temperatures above 100.4 will not be admitted. The rest of the party will not be affected, as long as they stay under the 100.4-degree temperature limit.
Maintain social distancing of at least six feet
Where present, guests should stand on floor markings until the group in front of you moves forward.
Avoid contact with people who are sick.
Parking will be staggered in garages to maintain distance.
All team members are also undergoing temperature checks and are required to wear masks.
Capacity is limited to maintain social distancing.
Tables, chairs, and all high-touch areas are being continuously cleaned and disinfected.
Cashless payments are available at all areas (guests can use mobile ordering at select locations).
Hand sanitizer locations are available throughout.
When you enter the park, you will scan your ticket. The finger touch point scanner will no longer be used.
Park Reservations
One of the biggest changes to the new Disney guidelines are park reservations. Park attendance is managed. Park attendance is managed via the Disney Park Pass reservation system—now available to Guests with valid admission. To enter a park, both a park reservation and valid admission for the same park on the same date are required for Guests ages 3 and up.
Booking Your Park Reservations
The Disney Park Pass system is now open to Guests with valid admission. The number of Disney Park Pass reservation days you can hold at one time varies based on your plans:
Disney Resort and other select hotel Guests with a valid theme park admission can make reservations for their length of stay.
Annual Passholders can make theme park reservations for up to 3 days at a time, and for their length of stay if staying at a Disney Resort or other select hotel.
Existing ticket holders can make reservations for the number of days of valid theme park admission.
Step 1: Link Your Admission to Your Disney Account
To get started, you’ll need valid park admission that’s linked to your Disney account.
First, you’ll need a Disney account, which is where your Walt Disney World plans are stored and managed. Create an account or sign in to your existing account.
Then, link your valid admission to your Disney account. All Guests in your party must also have valid park admission linked to their profile. Note: At this time, new ticket sales are temporarily paused, and sales will resume at a later date.
If you have a Disney Resort hotel reservation, be sure to link it to your Disney account as well.
Once your admission is linked to your account, you can begin to make a park reservation.
Step 2: Create Your Party
When you begin to make a reservation, you’ll be prompted to create your party from your Family & Friends list.
Simply select the family and friends you’d like to include, then select “Continue”.
Don’t see someone in your travel party? Select “Add a Guest” to include them.
Note: You may need to make more than one Disney Park Pass reservation for your party depending on your admission type. Please make sure your party consists of Annual Passholders or theme park ticket holders.
Staying in a Disney Resort or other select hotel with a package that includes tickets? Everyone in your party must also have a hotel reservation. If this varies, you will need to make separate Disney Park Pass reservations
Step 3: Select a Date and Park
Choose the date and the theme park that you’d like to visit from the available reservations. Please note that dates and theme park selections are limited and subject to availability.
After creating your party in the Disney Park Pass system, you’ll be prompted to:
Select a Date: View a calendar and choose one of the available dates for your visit.
Select a Theme Park: Park hours will be displayed for your convenience.
Select a Time: This is the time that you can visit the park.
After selecting your date, park and time, you can confirm your reservation.
Step 4: Review and Confirm Your Plans
Carefully review and confirm your selected park and date.
If you need to make any changes, select “Back” to revise your selections.
Before confirming, you’ll need to agree to the Terms & Conditions, including the COVID-19 liability waiver. Then, select “Confirm” to complete your park reservation.
Once confirmed, your reservation will appear in My Plans.
Want to make another park reservation? Select “Make Another Reservation” to continue planning.
As a reminder, if you have a multi-day ticket, you will be required to make a park reservation for each date of your visit.
Your new reservation(s) will appear in My Plans—both online and in the My Disney Experience app.
If you need to cancel a reservation, view your daily itinerary in My Plans, then select “Reservation Details”.
**Reservations are limited and subject to availability and are not guaranteed until a reservation is finalized.
**At this time, Guests will be able to select one park per day; visiting more than one park per day will be temporarily unavailable upon the reopening of the theme parks due to attendance limitations.
**A park reservation must be made for each day of entry. If you have a multi-day ticket, you will be required to make a park reservation for each date of your visit.
**I highly recommend that you make your park reservation as soon as you complete your ticket purchase, as availability can change until the reservation is finalized.
Temperature Screening
Before entering the parks, you will be required to have your temperature taken. If your temperature is over 100.4, you will be escorted to a tent where you have a chance to cool down before your temperature will be taken again. Since the temperature guns are reading surface temps, it can scan high. This happened to me after walking from the Animal Kingdom parking lot (around 1PM in July which is HOT) to the front of the park. They also tested my temperature from behind my ear and it was better and I was on my way.
Pirates of the Caribbean is only loading the front and last row of each boat!
Plexiglass installed in the lines to keep guests apart while waiting. Take a look below at Seven Dwarfs Mine Train Line:
Attractions at Walt Disney World
Ride lines will now have floor markers set to show physical distancing between parties. These are spaced 6 feet apart and will allow you to have enough space between everyone. In between uses, team members were cleaning the lockers and the areas around them.
Rides also had empty ride vehicles with empty spaces between them to maintain social distancing. The single rider line is now longer available. All parties will wait in the regular line and single riders will not ride together.
Disney has also installed plexiglass and plastic coverings in between lines to help with safety in between guests. When riding Kilimanjaro Safaris at Animal Kingdom, each row of the safari bus is used, but each row has a plastic divider in between the seats.
Rides will also take a short break from loading guests so that way the ride can be sprayed down and heavily sanitized before starting back up again.
Photo Pass
Disney’s Photo Pass Photographers are still all around the parks. However, they will also take your photo and can your Magic Band or ticket to upload into the My Disney Experience app. They will no longer touch your phone in order for you to have your own individual photo on your camera. Masks are REQUIRED for all photos. You cannot take off your mask. If you do not have your mask on, the photo will not appear in your photos on the My Disney Experience app. You will also notice that photos take about 24 hours for the photos to appear due to the fact that the facial recognition system is taking longer since everyone is wearing a mask.
Transportation to the Parks
Bus: Buses are available for transportation to and from the parks. All seats and rows are not utilized and social distancing is maintained.
Monorail: The monorail has also resumed service. One family is allowed per door and car. There is a plastic barrier separating the monorail car so that way 2 families can ride in one without coming into contact with another family
Ferryboat: The ferry is also back in operation. There are red dots for families to stand on to maintain distance from one another
Mask Free Relaxation Zones Located in the Parks
Disney has set up relaxation zones where guests can safely remove their masks. A cast member keeps track of the capacity inside the Relaxation area so it doesn’t overflow, but there is no time limit for how long you can stay. Parties can stick together, and there is seating available at each area.
Currently, there are Relaxation locations found in each park where guests can rest while social distancing without masks on.
The seating at many of these venues doesn’t provide social distancing markers, but signs posted around the Relaxation Areas inform guests they are required to perform social distancing when removing their face coverings.
Magic Kingdom
Tomorrowland Terrace in Tomorrowland
Pete’s Silly Slideshow in Fantasyland
Adventureland/Frontierland Border (Near Golden Oak Outpost)
Animal Kingdom
Pizzafari in Discover Island
Upcountry Landing (Across from UP! A Great Bird Adventure)
Hollywood Studios
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge (Past the entrance of Rise of the Resistance- outside the entrance to the marketplace)
Star Wars Launch Bay in Animation Courtyard
Epcot
United Kingdom: Outside Yorkshire County Fish Shoppe
Future World: Near Test Track and Mission: Space
Norway: Akershus: Usually a character meal location, but is now set up as a “mask free” location
Character Cavalcades
Each park has a new way to introduce characters that includes a fun interaction but still helps with social distancing. Cavalcades are not on a specific time schedule and will show up randomly throughout the day to keep the draw of crowds low. It did seem that these cavalcades were happening every 20-30 minutes. Each cavalcade may feature different characters.
Here are the different Character Cavalcades at Magic Kingdom that you might see during the day:
The Royal Princess Processional: Merida, Rapunzel, Tiana, Aurora, Ariel, Belle, Jasmine, Elena, Snow White, Cinderella, and the Fairly Godmother perches on top.
Mickey and Friends Cavalcade: Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Pluto, Daisy and Donald Duck
Fantasyland Friends Cavalcade: Gaston, Alice, Peter Pan, Winnie the Pooh, Mary Poppins, and Aladdin.
A Goofy Cavalcade: Max, Clarabelle Cow, Jose, and Panchitos.
Tinker Bell and the Lost Treasure
At Magic Kingdom, most cavalcades start in Frontierland and continue all the way down Main Street USA. You will hear the background music in the parks suddenly change when a cavalcade is about to happen.
Other Character Appearances at Magic Kingdom:
Anastasia & Drizella can be spotted in Fantasyland from the balcony of Cinderella’s Castle
Buzzlightyear and Stitch on the Tomorrowland Stage in Tomorrowland
Jack Sparrow near Pirates of the Caribbean in Adventureland
Country Bears in Frontierland
Character Boats at Animal Kingdom
Donald’s Dino Boat Bash will make its way from DinoLand U.S.A. to the Discovery River as Donald, Daisy, and Launchpad McQuack as they jam out on their party boat in Animal Kingdom.
You may also see Chip, Dale, and Goofy instead!
Timon and Rafiki or Pocahontas and Meeko set sail on the waterways on the Discovery River Character Cruise…
The Discovery Island Drummers keeping up that Disney energy on the shores of Animal Kingdom.
Epcot Entertainment:
Mickey and Friends World Tour featuring Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Pluto, and Goofy
Elsa and Anna lead a princes processional during the Frozen Promenade that will make its way around the entirety of the World Showcase.
Aurora, Snow White, Jasmine, and Belle also will make appearances
Disney’s Hollywood Studios Entertainment
The Pixar characters are out to play during the Pixar Pals Motorcade featuring the Incredibles and Toy Story characters as they drive down Hollywood Boulevard.
Disney Junior Stars Motorcade will also join them with Fancy Nancy, Doc McStuffins, and Vampirina in custom convertibles.
Mickey & Friends: Chip and Dale, Mickey & Minnie Mouse, and Goofy
Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge features Rey, Chewbacca, Vi Moradi, and other rebels to Batuu on platforms above the garage in the Black Spire Station or the Millennium Falcon’s spaceport
Parades have currently been suspended, however, parade floats will still come out spontaneously. Without a ton of people around, it’s really nice to have more interaction with the float riders and characters on the floats.
Virtual Line Reservation:
Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance is using a virtual queue. This process is modified and a bit easier and less stressful than before. Guests will able to log into the My Disney Experience app at 10 AM, 1 PM, or 4 PM in order to make a reservation for the virtual queue. Once you have made your reservation, a notification from the app will alert your group when it is time to head to the ride. You will still have one hour to check in to the ride as well. It is important to note that joining a virtual queue does not guarantee a ride. Each guest can enter a virtual queue no more than once per day in order to give as many guests as possible the opportunity to join the Resistance, so keep that in mind when making your reservations. Having multiple times available to make reservations throughout the day eliminates the need to get to the parks first thing in the morning to keep crowds under control and so that guests can maintain social distancing.
Place Mobile Food and Drink Orders from Select Restaurants:
How to Order:
Create a My Disney Experience account account or log in to an existing account.
Set up your Wallet and link a credit card.
Easily pay for purchases through the app.
Order Food and Drinks in the App
Open the side navigation and select “Mobile Food Orders.”
Click on “Create New Order”‘
Browse available restaurants and make an arrival window time.
Browse menu options.
Customize Items and Add to your Order
Choose your items:
Entrees
Drinks
Snacks
Customize with sides, toppings, and options.
Select your quantities.
Check out and Pick Up Your Food
Tap “Prepare My Order” when you’re at the restaurant.
Wait at either the designated tables or pickup window to receive your order.
Staying On-Site at Walt Disney World
What You’ll Need
**Before traveling to Florida, please make sure that you have reviewed any advisories or restrictions that may be in place for travel to Florida. Visit https://floridahealthcovid19.gov/travelers/ for information. Guests who are under isolation or quarantine orders must not enter Walt Disney World Resort.
A confirmed room reservation for your stay. Be sure to link your reservation to your Disney account to receive important information prior to your arrival
A confirmed dining reservation if you’re a day Guest (not staying overnight)
Face coverings for each Guest age 2 and up—which must be worn in all public areas, except while swimming or seated for dining
My Disney Experience App on your mobile device
Cashless or contactless forms of payment, including MagicBands, which Disney Resort hotel Guests can use to charge purchases to their Disney Resort hotel folio
When you are at the resort, you will find hand sanitizing stations throughout the resorts along with tons of signage stating to maintain social distancing. 1 family is allowed in each elevator at the time.
All pools are open and masks are not permitted in the pools. You must wear your mask until you arrive to your pool chair, but then you can remove the mask.
If you plan to take the bus or water taxi to the parks, social distancing is still in place. The buses have lowered their capacity and you will find empty rows on the water taxis in between families.
Disney’s Magical Express Service
Complimentary airport transportation via Disney’s Magical Express service for Guests arriving and departing from Orlando International Airport is continuing to operate during this period, with some modifications. Beginning July 16, 2020, Disney’s Magical Express service will not be providing luggage delivery service for those arriving to and departing from the airport.
Guests who choose to use Disney’s Magical Express service will be responsible for picking up any of their checked luggage from the airport’s baggage claim area so that it can be loaded onto the motorcoach to their Disney Resort hotel. Please know that your luggage will travel with you to your Disney Resort hotel.
Luggage assistance will be available at the front of your Disney Resort hotel, including luggage storage and/or transport to the room.
Upon your departure, please ensure your luggage is with you and is loaded onto the motorcoach, so you can check it in with your airline once you reach the airport. The resort airline check-in service will not be offered at this time.
While these times are very different when visiting Walt Disney World, now is the perfect time to visit. With low wait times and minimal crowds, it is a truly different experience, but in the best way possible. If you are thinking of planning a trip to Walt Disney World, I am here to help every step of the way! With these unprecedented times, now more than ever is the time to use a travel agent that has experienced these changes and has first-hand knowledge to help you have the best experience possible. Fill out my contact form here on my blog to be connected!
Love and Travel Dust,
Molly
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