After months away from the Magic, I was excited to get back to Disney World! It was also a great opportunity to personally experience the new safety policies and procedures. Here are my experiences:
Temperature Checks - No temperature checks were taken at any time at our Disney World Resort hotel during our stay. However, before we entered the security area at each park, the temperature check station with usually two team members were there awaiting us to take our temps. They also had vending machines at Magic Kingdom where you could buy disposal masks if you didn't have one. (I can't recall if this was everywhere but definitely Magic Kingdom!) It is not Disney Cast Members that are stationed at the tents taking temperatures. Disney has outsourced that. At Disney Springs, the temperature check was right at the entry way to the shopping area as we got of the bus.
Inside the Parks - I felt safe in the parks. Being outside with fresh air so much is really helpful even with so many people around. The stores have closed off some of the entrances so that there are only 1-2 entrances and exits for each
one to keep the flow of people consistent. There weren't ever any lines to get into the stores at the parks. We did see lines for some of the stores at Disney Springs. Hand sanitizer is everywhere, and they give you a generous amount of it, too! They are also on top of refilling the hand sanitizer. We came across a dispenser that had run out, and within minutes, we saw a Cast Member refilling it. They do have updated park maps--no times guides--but there are maps with what's open and information. Cast Members are constantly walking around making sure guests' masks stay on.
Consuming a beverage is only allowed outside stores-- you cannot remove your mask to take a drink inside a store even if you are stationary. Don't even think about taking a castle picture with no mask! There was a a group near us trying to do that in front of the castle, and a Cast Member came out of nowhere and told them they had to keep there masks on because it was still a public area. There are mask relaxation stations available in each park although we did not feel the need to take advantage of these. In those stations, you may remove your masks and be socially distanced from other guests.
On the Attractions - Even though we brought our
own wipes with us for each ride, we did witness Disney cleaning rides at times.
They were not cleaning them after each guest, but they do take the time
throughout the day to clean which is more than they were doing before. :) Note: We only used our wipes on Buzz Lightyear's Space Ranger Spin.
Common Areas and Restrooms - I feel like Disney restrooms are always very clean, but they are definitely keeping that up. Common areas and random seating throughout the parks are also being frequently wiped down and cleaned.
Disney Springs - Social Distancing is kind of out the window here if you go during a peak time. The stores are keeping count of how many people are inside, and if they are at capacity, they do make you wait in line outside until they can allow you to come in. This process was smooth and easy! We waited only 5 minutes to get into the World of Disney on a Saturday night.
Buses - Seating on the buses is socially distanced. There are numbers in each seat, and the bus driver assigns your group a number. The seats are separated by small temporary "walls."All hand grips that hang from near the top of the bus were even tied down so that no one was tempted to touch them at any time. A few times when a bus would arrive, the bus driver would open both doors and let the bus air out for 5 minutes or so in between transporting guests. Get all those germs out! It takes a little longer to get to your destination if there's a line for the bus, but it's totally worth it. I even saw a few bus drivers wiping down areas inside bus before they loaded us on which was great!
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| Our bus with all doors open airing out |
Dining Areas - We only ate quick service during this trip, so we got our fair share of experience with the mobile ordering which I love! I felt the seating was spaced out adequately whether we were indoors or outdoors. The cast members clean the tables in between guests pretty quickly, so if there isn't anything available, you aren't waiting very long for a spot--a clean spot!
Water Availability - We always get free cups of water during our trips and refill our own bottles. I don't buy it bottled. I had to be sure to fill up while we were at Quick Service stations or carts in the parks that had a soda fountain because it was harder to get into places with out a mobile order/ reservation. Starbucks is my new favorite place to get water because they will give you whatever size waters you ask for with ice! I usually buy a small snack each time, so I can ask for whatever I need. :) I will say I don't tend to drink as much water when I have a mask on. Be sure to take water breaks and drink more at one time than your normally would to stay hydrated.
Resort - We stayed at Caribbean Beach Resort, and it was perfection! The lobby was huge with plenty of seating to social distance. The quick service food area was easy and clean. No microwaves or toasters were available in the seating area but condiments were out as usual. There was a team there for the beverages, so you told them what you ordered (I usually showed my Mobile Order receipt) and they would prepare it for you. They gave us a new cup for each refill. Because this was a Skyliner resort, we didn't have to take a bus as often, and we had our own gondola each time. I didn't see them cleaning these, but there was plenty of hand sanitizer upon entry and departure of each Skyliner station. When we did take a bus, I liked the fact that Caribbean Beach had several bus stops so guests weren't all waiting at one bus stop like they may do at other resorts. You are allowed to still resort hop so we had no issues doing that without a dining reservation. The main pool at Caribbean Beach was packed. The seating was still pretty spaced out but there were a good amount of people in the water. Even the smaller pools throughout the resort had a good amount of people in them. I went for a short while, and then left when I no longer felt comfortable.
Masks - One of the biggest concerns for many people is wearing the masks! The disposable masks are the way to go especially if you sweat. The Disney masks and other cloth masks are thick, and I definitely found them hotter during this time of year. The disposable masks I got used to quickly, and it was easy to change them out. I bought a box of 50 count from Costco before our trip, so we had plenty and weren't trying to save or reuse masks that should be thrown out. The cute Disney masks will be great during cooler weather, but for now, cloth masks are more for when you're staying indoors in my opinion. Wearing a mask in the parks really wasn't that big of a deal because you are so distracted with being at Disney! Occasionally when we would take off our masks, it would feel so good to feel the air...but it really didn't bother us while they were on.
Memory Maker/PhotoPass - If you take off your mask, Disney will not give you your photo! It simply will not appear in your account. When we rode Tower of Terror, someone in our elevator car took their mask off, so Disney would not release the photo or video from that ride to us. We were disappointed but completely understood. (Just follow the rules so everyone gets their photo!)
Shopping - Resort delivery is the service that will send your in park purchases to your resort for pick up later. Unfortunately, it is not available right now. If you make a purchase, be prepared to carry it around all day! I heard that while at EPCOT you are not able to send your purchases back to the front of the park either, but I wasn't actually able to confirm it.
Overall, we felt very safe at Disney--so safe that we're heading back Labor Day weekend! Disney is doing a great job of keeping guests as separated as possible, cleaning surfaces frequently, and still keeping the magic alive!
Special Guest Blogger: Juliet Thomas Kamau
Juliet is a lover of all things Disney. She's been a Wishdrawals Travel Planner for since 2016 and enjoys visiting Walt Disney World as many times each year as she can. Her favorite park is Magic Kingdom and currently her favorite resort is Disney's Beach Club Resort.
She has
also visited Disneyland and has cruised on the Disney Dream with Disney Cruise
Line. Juliet has a passion for helping her clients plan magical vacations and
making memories that will last a lifetime. Contact her if you're ready to plan your next trip!
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