Disney World Reopened: When is the Perfect Time to Go?
Walt Disney World has reopened. So is now the perfect time to re-plan your cancelled trip? To help you decide, I’m sharing what we experienced when we were there.
Remember when traveling was as easy as taking time off, scheduling around kids’ activities, making sure you’ve budgeted for the trip, booking reservations…
OK. So, maybe traveling has always required a bit of work. But pre-pandemic travel seems easy in comparison to the recent restrictions, recommendations, closings, and concerns that now accompany travel.
Few closures affected more families than those that occurred at Walt Disney World, the most visited resort in the world. And now that Disney is staging a reopening, many are wondering when is the best time to re-plan their vacation.
The magic and pixie dust does look a little different these days so is it better to wait to take that special trip? Or is now actually the best time to visit Walt Disney World?
The answer probably varies a bit depending on your family. So, I’m laying out what’s missing from Disney World, what’s still there, and what’s all brand new during Disney’s reopening to help you decide.
what’s missing at Walt Disney World during Their Re-Opening?
Wondering what you’ll be missing out on by visiting during their reopening instead of at another time? Here are the things we noticed were missing on our trip during Disney World’s reopening.
Floats meandering down the streets of Magic Kingdom made the absence of parades a little less noticeable.
Parades (kind of) and Fireworks Shows
When it comes to what not to expect at Walt Disney World during their reopening, anything that garners crowds are certainly at the top of the list. While that does mean no fireworks, shows or parades, we were pleasantly surprised to see floats accompanied by a small group of performers and music winding their way through the park many times throughout the day.
Many Character Experiences and Pin Trading
Even Mickey and pals are following the 6-foot social distancing rules these days so your little one (or you) won’t be able to get up close and personal with favorite characters. That means autograph signing, meet and greets, and most character meals are out. Social distancing guidelines also mean trading Disney pins, a popular activity for some Disney fans, is on hold.
We saw lots of our favorite characters on the floats that I mentioned above though. And a few restaurants, like Topolino’s Terrace at the new Rivera Resort and Garden Grill at Epcot, are still open for character meals.
As for pin trading, new pins are still available for purchase.
Daily Mousekeeping and a Few Small Touches at the Resorts
Similarly to other hotels, Walt Disney World Resort hotels are limiting the amount of housekeeping service they provide to reduce exposure to cast members. You’ll also notice a few high touch items, like throw pillows, absent from rooms. However, it’s all in an effort to keep rooms extra clean and we felt our room was noticeably spotless and the small absences were not a big deal.
Some Resorts, Restaurants, Dining Shows, and In-Room Dining
You may notice a few Disney resort and restaurant staples unavailable for bookings as the reopening is occurring in stages. For example, Disney’s Art of Animation isn’t scheduled to reopen until November 1. Reopening dates for Disney’s Beach Club and Boardwalk Inn haven’t even yet been announced. And on the restaurant front, favorites like Cinderella’s Royal Table and Akershus Royal Banquet Hall remain closed.
Many restaurants and resorts are open though and with so many to choose from, I have to say my family and I barely missed those that were closed. And with fewer guests traveling, reservations can be made much closer to your travel date than in years past, when snagging that spot at the restaurant often meant booking many months in advance.
Fastpass+ and Park Hopper Tickets
No need to log on at a minute past midnight on the day your Fastpass+ window opens because that “Disney do” is oh-so-2019. Fastpass+ is not available (and some would argue, not needed) while the parks reopen. Guests now circulate through the regular lines of each attraction. Likewise, the park hopping option has been eliminated. All guests are permitted to enter just one park per day.
What’s the Same at Walt Disney World During Their Reopening?
Although there are a few things missing at Disney World while the parks and resort hotels reopen, you might be surprised at what has remained much the same. Here’s our list of signature Disney things we were happy to see have survived the reopening.
Guests rooms at Wilderness Lodge remain closed, while the Bolder Ridge Villas and Copper Creek Villas & Cabins, both located within the Wilderness Lodge complex, are open.
Cast Member Customer Service
Our favorite thing about Walt Disney World is the impeccable customer service we receive while we’re there. Cast members are trained to go out of their way to help guests. And you’re always met with a smile.
So we were a little nervous about vacationing at Disney World when that smile was hidden behind a mask and cast members were now going to be required to help ensure guests are following a whole new set of rules. We wondered if that Disney-style service would be a little lost.
We were happy to find it wasn’t. During our visit, cast members were still providing that signature Disney service that makes us to want to come back after every trip.
Most Rides, Resort Hotels and Restaurants are Open
With reduced capacity, we were anticipating perhaps some rides would be closed. However during our recent trip, we were excited to see that most attractions are in fact open. Likewise, many places to stay on Disney property and most restaurants are open as well. We felt there was plenty to choose from during our stay.
The Pools at the Disney Resorts operate much as before
Wondering if Disney pools are open? How about the slides? Do you need reservations or have to come to the pools during preassigned times? Yes, yes, and no. Pools are open, as are the slides and you do not need a reservation to visit.
What’s All Brand New at Walt Disney World During Their Reopening?
Some things about Disney World’s reopening are brand new thanks to our “new normal”. Here’s a list of the latest additions.
Crowds at Magic Kingdom on Labor Day were a bit unpredictable.
Masks, Hand Sanitizing Stations, and Temperature Screenings
Just like pretty much every other spot in the country, Walt Disney World is requiring guests to wear masks, offering lots of hand sanitizing stations, and requiring temperature screenings.
Yes - that does mean your mask needs to stay on all day while visiting a park and while in public places at the resorts. Cast members have been instructed to remind guests to wear their masks appropriately, covering both their noses and mouths.
Several relaxation stations have been set up in each park to provide socially distanced spots where guests can take off their masks, although we rarely saw these spaces being utilized. Masks can also be removed when guests are seated for dining, and we found most guests used these opportunities to get a break from mask wearing.
As for temperature screenings, expect those as you enter the park and when you check in for seating at restaurants located in the resort hotels. Additional temperature screenings are not required when you enter the lines for attractions or to be admitted to restaurants within the park.
DISNEY Park Reservation Requirements
Entering a Disney park during Disney’s World’s reopening now requires a reservation for the specific park you wish to visit. We found the Disney park pass reservation system to be easy to use though and most days had good availability. Disney recommends checking their park pass availability calendar before you buy tickets though to ensure you’ll be able to visit the park of your choice.
Mobile Check-In at Restaurants and More Mobile Food Ordering
You’ll want to be sure your My Disney Experience app is updated prior to your trip because the app is even more important while visiting Disney World during their reopening. At some restaurants, food is only available through mobile orders, while other restaurants offer both mobile ordering and counter service. We found it easier to check out the list of Disney World restaurants offering mobile orders for info on specific spots. We also liked the ability to skip the crowds at restaurants and order while waiting in rides for attractions.
Rides Not Filled to Capacity
So how does Disney still operate attractions while following social distancing guidelines?
Prior to boarding an attraction, guests are asked how many people are in their party and are then seated together. Other parties are seated several rows away or in separate cars. Most rides are then operated with only a portion of the seats filled.
Markers are also clearly displayed on the floor or ground of the waiting areas for attractions, instructing guests to maintain 6 feet between themselves and other parties. Cast members assist guests in finding lines since they look a little different than before.
We found that overall the vast majority of guests made sincere attempts to maintain distancing while in line. We are all becoming quite the experts at this point on social distancing after all and it seemed to show during our trip to Disney World.
Some Slightly Altered Experiences
To promote social distancing and other guidelines, you might find some rides, attractions and experiences slightly altered during Disney World’s reopening. For example, the “stretching room” portion of the Haunted Mansion attraction has been eliminated (guests still walk through the room but don’t stop there as they did before.)
And we found some experiences at restaurants to be just slightly different. For example, some of the servers were a little less likely to “play the part” at restaurants like Skipper Canteen’s or Whispering Canyon Cafe at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge. While service was still signature Disney (a.k.a. fantastic), servers are required to wear both masks and shields. And let’s face it - it’s almost impossible for guests to hear everything through all that, which is my guess as to why there’s a little less role-playing happening. Happily, it didn’t take away from the experience for us because the theming is still present in the rides, resorts and attractions.
Smaller Crowds and Shorter Wait Times (Kind of…)
As is pretty predictable, with smaller capacity restrictions comes smaller crowds. So generally, wait times were reduced during our trip to Disney World. However, we generally make it a point to visit during very low-peak times and we always take advantage of Fastpass+ during every trip. In other words, we’re admittedly a bit spoiled with being able to walk onto a few of our favorite attractions. So, for us, some wait times were a bit more than what we’re used with Fastpass+, while others were much less less than riding an attraction without a Fastpass.
We also found it interesting that wait times were pretty consistent between rides. During our Magic Kingdom day, for example, wait times were relatively the same for It’s a Small World (an attraction that often has very little wait during non peak times) as they were for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train. (Both posted about a 45 minute wait.) While this could have been a fluke on the day we were there, it brings us to the next thing that’s a bit new at Walt Disney World…
Some Unpredictability
If you’re ever planned a Disney World family vacation, you know that you can find the answer to almost any question you can imagine.
Want to know the newest drink option at Epcot? Check out The Disney Food Blog. Wondering what Minnie Mouse will be wearing for Halloween this year? Check out Disney Tourist Blog.
In fact, there’s even a Plan Disney site that features a panel of moms, dads, and grandparents who answer the random questions guests have about anything Disney. And sites like touringplans.com have become experts at predicting which days will have lower crowds and even how long you can really expect to wait at every attraction.
While all that usually means visiting Walt Disney World has a certain level of predictability, it seems this unprecedented time has thrown a curve ball in all the algorithms used to make predictions. Most of the math used for figuring out what to expect is based on crowd levels and wait times from previous years. And as we all know, this year is anything but normal. So we did experience some unpredictability in terms of how long waits would be.
If you’re planning ahead for a trip, you also can expect a bit of unpredictability regarding exactly when currently unopened resorts or restaurants might reopen or what the crowd levels might be like during your days at the park.
so…. Is Now the Perfect Time To Visit Walt Disney World?
Now you know what’s changed (and what has stayed the same) as Walt Disney World stages a reopening. So should you re-plan your trip now? When is the best time to take a family vacation to Disney World?
Masks and hand sanitizer are must-haves on the packing list for Disney World during the reopening.
Still wondering if now is great time to take that Disney trip? The answer, of course, is … that depends.
You probably saw that one coming, didn’t you?
Determining if now is a good time to visit Disney World really does depend on several factors though. Are your kids too young to tolerate wearing a mask all day? Is dinner with her favorite princess a must-do for your little one? Are the fireworks shows something your Disney trip just wouldn’t be complete without? And especially, what are your risk factors? Are crowds something you should avoid, even when social distancing measures are in place?
For my Disney-loving family, a trip during the reopening was a fantastic experience. My kids tolerated the masks, we didn’t really miss the parades or fireworks shows, and the kids were OK putting the autograph books away until another time. We felt safe with the measures that have been put in place, we had fun at the parks and we loved the feeling of coming home that we get when we walk into a Disney Resort hotel.
Your family may feel similarly to us… or you may choose to wait until another time to plan that Disney vacation. Happy travels either way from our family to yours.
