What You Need to Know About Walt Disney World's Re-Opening
No, the coronavirus hasn't gone away.
I have to be honest that we were hoping this would be a different kind of post. We were hoping that Walt Disney World reopening would mean this thing was over and behind us. That's not the case. If there is one thing I would encourage guests to know, especially if they are traveling from other countries, it is that just because Walt Disney World has re-opened does not mean the virus is gone. In fact, the United States is faring significantly worse than many countries in terms of quelling the outbreak, and Florida is following suit.
So this means that guests who can travel once more to Walt Disney World are doing so at their own risk, and are going to want to take some precautions. This post is going to talk about additional precautions you should probably take as well as what you can expect if you plan to visit soon.
This post should be considered supplemental to this post, so if you haven't read that already, take a minute now to get the official safety protocols and plans from Disney.
Admission isn't enough.
This is probably the most important change to note. You cannot just show up at the gate and buy tickets. Nor can you park hop. You must reserve your visit to the park like you would reserve dining or a hotel.
In addition to valid theme park admission, guests must:
Have a valid park reservation via the Disney Park Pass system for that day (this is done through MyDisneyExperience and is subject to availability)
All members of the party 2 or older must wear a mask
Submit to a temperature check to enter some locations
What rides can I expect to be open?
A lot of them, actually, but some experiences may be modified. A full list of rides and shops in each park that you can expect to be open can be found here. Scroll down until you see the 4 theme park images.
Notably, nighttime shows like fireworks, parades, and character greetings will be unavailable. The two water parks will be closed for now. Playgrounds at the parks and resorts will be closed. And tours and special events may be suspended for now.
Are any resorts closed?
Yes. Upon the phased re-opening on July 11, the following resorts will be open:
Bay Lake Tower & Contemporary Resort
Boulder Ridge Villas at Wilderness Lodge
Copper Creek Villas and Cabins
Animal Kingdom Lodge-Kidani Village
Beach Club Villas
Boardwalk Villas
Fort Wildernes Resort and Campground
Old Key West
Polynesian Villas and Bungalows
Riviera Resort
Saratoga Springs
The Villas at the Grand Floridian
Pop Century
These resorts will not yet be open on July 11:
Caribbean Beach Resort - planned opening July 29
Polynesian Village Resort - planned opening Aug 12
Art of Animation - planned opening Aug 12
Yacht Club and Beach Club - planned opening Aug 24*
Grand Floridian - planned opening Sept 21*
Boardwalk - planned opening Oct 1
Coronado Springs - planned opening Oct 14*
*The Yacht Club, Grand Floridian, and Gran Destino Tower at Coronado Springs are currently the resorts planned to house the NBA who are slated to finish out their season at the ESPN Wide World of Sports. All teams are expected on site by July 30. Therefore, expect limited availability here.
Resorts not on the above two lists do not have a set re-opening date at this time... (sniff... Port Orleans...).
Expect some changes at resorts. For example, spas, arcades, and marina rentals are among a list of things that will not yet be open. The electrical water pageant will not run. Bell services will not escort guests to their rooms (though they will deliver luggage) and airline check in at the resort will not be available. Plan accordingly. To see a full list of changes to resorts, check this out.
Why are they making me wear a mask in this heat?
We get that masks are hot, especially in the Florida humidity. We've been walking around our neighborhood with a cloth mask on since March, and now that it's summer, this past week has been in the nineties where I live. The mask is stifling.
But if you're choosing to visit Walt Disney World right now, you are choosing to wear a mask. It is one and the same thing.
We recommend finding a mask that is both effective but breathable.
How do you know its effective? Hold it up to a light. The more light that comes through, the less effective it is.
How do you know its breathable? Well, you're going to have to try a few masks. Now might not be the time to go with the ultra-cute Disney-themed mask unless you find one you can wear in the Florida heat all summer. Look for something that is moisture-wicking. Cotton tends to be a good bet while polyester and synthetic materials might not be what you are looking for. We recommend test running your mask like you would test run your shoes. You can't take your shoes off in the middle of the theme park, nor can you take your mask off.
But why are they forcing you to do this? Well, check out this video to see how effective a mask is at reducing viral spread.
Note that the mask reduces the virus that comes out of you. It does not generally protect you from the virus. So you had better count on other guests wearing their masks while you wear yours for them.
So how effective are masks? The CDC says that 33,000 deaths could be avoided if 80% of the population was wearing masks in public by October 1st. If everyone wore masks, the virus transmission rate would be reduced to less than 1. That means that for each person sick, they would cause less than 1 other person to be sick. Why is that good? It means the virus will begin to die out.
And if that seems like the CDC has changed its tune, it's because it has. So we recognize this is confusing. The CDC originally said masks would not help you prevent getting sick from the virus and so therefore encouraged us to leave the masks to the health care workers. However, wearing a mask does prevent you getting OTHERS sick from the virus. And this is how masks can be effective.
Is there anything else I should do to avoid getting sick?
There are other things you can do, but nothing will make a visit to Walt Disney World completely safe from exposure. Check out our post on the topic of avoiding getting sick at Disney that we wrote before COVID was even a thing. That will give you a nice start for advice.
Then, consider the advice we would now add or modify. But please know we are not doctors so this should not be taken as medical advice from a professional.
1. Wash your hands. No. REALLY. Hand sanitizer is good when there is no soap and you should absolutely definitely use it. But soap is really where it's at. If you lather your hands with soap for 20 seconds (about how long it takes to sing the ABCs), it literally RIPS APART the coronavirus. SHREDS it. Wouldn't it feel nice to just shred that little beast? But you absolutely MUST lather with soap for at least 20 seconds.
2. Consider a vitamin D supplement. Some studies have shown that vitamin D helps prevent sever symptoms from COVID-19. You will naturally get some from the Florida sun. But a supplement would not be a terrible idea.
3. Maintain at least 6 feet distance from others. This is a Disney rule, yes, and it's critical. Without a mask, a cough can spread coronavirus up to 10 feet. With a mask that is reduced to about 3 feet or less. Sneezes go further but 6 feet will keep you out of range IF everyone is wearing a mask.
4. Be outside when you can. Outside, any viral particles are quickly dispersed in all the open air. Inside, they can linger. Eat outside, and ride rides that are primarily outside. Heck, given options, I would even consider taking a boat for transportation over the monorail or a bus.
5. Don't touch your face and try to keep that mask clean. First of all, don't be constantly adjusting that mask. It defeats the purpose. Like shoes, wear this ahead of time until you feel like it fits you right and you can handle it. Then, keep it clean. If you don't want to be taking trips to the laundry on the daily, our suggestion would be to have three masks in rotation. Wear one, them put it in a sunny spot for the next 48 hours to sanitize while you wear the other two on different days.
6. Don't be touching everything. Surprisingly, we followed this rule even before coronavirus also because theme parks are... well... gross on a microscopic level. When you think of how many people from how many places touch the things you touch, it's intense. Here are things people touch unnecessarily: the arms of chairs, the rails of staircases (unless you really need to hang on for balance, the glide of the fingers along the rail might make you feel like Cinderella, but it serves no purpose), the tops of fences or half walls (Do you ever stop on a bridge to see a nice view and grab the fence? Yeah, not necessary.), and the ultimate EW... the rails in queues for rides and transportation.
If this is hard for you, try this trick:
Think of every surface as covered with Cheeto dust. If your fingers are getting orange, you need to wash your hands. And you might be touching too much stuff. If your face is getting orange, you need to be washing your hands and trying to avoid touching your face.
Bottom Line: Who Should Go and Who Should Wait (in our opinion)
With so much changed and many experiences or resorts unavailable, you might be wondering if it's worth going. Or you might have planned long ago to go sometime in 2020 and now you're not sure whether to cancel. This is a difficult decision to make and it's going to be a personal decision for any party. But we're here to give advice, so if you asked us, this is what we'll tell you:
You should go in 2020 if...
You do not have any risk factors for a severe case or death from COVID-19.
You are healthy.
Being at Walt Disney World, even if it's different, will return some sense of normalcy to you (aka: help with your mental health)
You can follow the rules to protect yourself and others and can do it without resentment.
You're interested in what lower crowds might look like.
You want to seize your chance to potentially NOT wait all day for popular rides like Flight of Passage or Rise of the Resistance.
You're interested in what it looks like when the Flower and Garden Festival meets the "lite" version of Food and Wine festival at EPCOT (as both will run a modified version from July 15 through the fall).
You are ok with going with the flow and don't need to dine at a specific place or stay at a specific place or be in a specific park on a particular day.
You are ok paying full price although some things will be closed.
You should NOT go in 2020 if...
Fireworks over the castle or hugging Mickey make the dream happen for you
You, or anyone you are traveling with, have any risk factors associated with the virus
You will feel you aren't getting your money worth
You like planning your vacation down to the hour
Seeing a quieter version of Disney might make you sad rather than feel comforted
You cannot follow the guidelines Disney has set, and will resent being asked to follow them
What about us? We're not going in 2020. We have risk factors and while a quieter side of Walt Disney World intrigues us, fireworks over the castle make the dream happen for us. We're going to stick around closer to home this year. We know Walt Disney World isn't going anywhere and we'll be happier to return when we can share bites of food with each other, hug Rafiki, and weave our way through the crowds.
Will you be going this year? Tell us all about it on our Facebook page! Until next time...
