Disney World during COVID: What you need to know

There’s nothing like a global pandemic to throw a wrench in your travel plans, and even the Happiest Place on Earth was out-of-reach for far too long. Now that Disney World is back in business, albeit at half-capacity, I’ll share what to expect when you go and tips on how to make it a fun experience for everyone.

Park Admission

Whether you’re annual passholders like us, or just buying a ticket for the day, you have to reserve your spot at the park. Go to www.mydisneyexperience.com (or the app on your phone) and choose the ONE park you’d like to visit and lock it in. Disney is only allowing a limited number of guests in each park each day and there’s no park-hopping allowed, so a last-minute trip might not work out in your favor. You can always make changes and you won’t get charged for doing so, but know that once you cancel your reservation, it is immediately open to the next family. We planned about three weeks ahead of time and were able to reserve the parks we wanted with no problem.

Masks

Yep, everyone age two and up will be wearing a mask on all of Disney property. That means, in the park, at the resorts, on the rides and while you’re pushing that stroller packed with two kids and countless bags of souvenirs. The only time it is acceptable to remove your mask is when you are actively eating or drinking while stationary. So, no slurping a Dole Whip or gnawing on a turkey leg (p.s. it’s not turkey, its emu), while walking around anywhere. Of course, you can remove it once you get to your hotel room or your car. We bought Disney’s cloth masks, which are adorable, but on a hot, humid day, it was a little rough. My mask was wet from sweat and it was an effort to breathe sometimes. A disposable surgical/paper mask might be more comfortable in the heat. Either way, I’d recommend getting a lanyard to loop onto the ear straps so when you and the kids do take them off, they don’t get dropped or lost.

Hotels

If you’re staying overnight, I will always recommend staying on Disney property. They’re taking extra precautions when it comes to sanitation in the lobby, rooms and restaurants, so you feel safe. However, you are required to wear a mask around the resort with the exception of your room and the pool area. You’ll have access to the monorail, the skyliner, resort boats and buses, all of which are running at a smaller capacity to accommodate social distancing. Plus, if you’d prefer to drive your own vehicle to a park, you get free parking or the option to pay $20 for premium parking which is basically right up on the entrance, and totally worth it IMO.

If there was a time to splurge on a hotel room, it’s now. Being masked-up all day starts to feel claustrophobic, so it’s very refreshing to come back to a space where you and the kids have room to move around without masks. We’ve stayed in a villa at nearly every resort that offers them and they’re beyond fabulous. You can choose a one-, two- or three-bedroom to suit your family’s needs. We went with a one-bedroom because it gave us a full kitchen, living area, washer/dryer, master bedroom with en suite bath, plus a second full bath. This way, I was able to put my toddler down early for bed in the master, and he wouldn’t be disturbed by the rest of us watching a movie in the living room or brushing our teeth in the second bath.

Keep in mind that housekeeping is not coming in to make your bed or give you fresh Mickey-shaped towels. They’ll take out your garbage and deliver towels upon request only. Also, room service is not available, which was a total bummer for us. If you want a late-night snack, you’ll have to mask-up and make your way out. Flip through the room images below to see how much space there is for everyone to chill!

Food

Disney is known for having incredible food at every price point, but they now have limited offerings which can make it tricky for families with dietary or allergy restrictions. Be sure to make reservations at sit-down dining restaurants as space is limited. On the My Disney Experience app, you can see exactly which dining, quick-service and food-truck options are open and the menus they offer. Here’s a biggie: quick-service options require mobile ordering through the app. It’s a great feature if you’re able to plan ahead, but for families with lots of allergy restrictions (like us), it took a bit longer because we still have to speak with a chef prior to ordering. The good thing is, now we know exactly what is safe at the places we visited this time, so we are a little more prepared, but I’ll be packing an oversized lunch box with backup food next time.

Attractions

You and the kids can still get on nearly every ride in the parks, but the wait will look a little differently. Since fast passes are not available, everyone is waiting in the regular standby line, and that line stretches beyond the attraction. Disney has placed markers on the ground, every six feet, to accommodate social distancing. Honestly, it might be the one thing I hope they keep forever. It’s really great not having some sweaty dude bumping up against you while you’re in line for Big Thunder Mountain with your six-year-old for the third time. The other plus is that wait times are significantly less with less guests in the park. The longest we waited was 75 minutes for Flight of Passage at Animal Kingdom, with most other rides ranging from ten to 30 minutes. Not bad!

Parades, fireworks and character meet-and-greets are all on hold. However, you may catch a sort-of mini parade with one float and a few characters with dancers and music at Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom and Hollywood Studios.

Since handing your phone to a stranger to take your picture is probably not in the cards these days, not to worry, Disney photographers are still around to snap your picture in front of certain attractions, so don’t forget to purchase a Photo Pass to have access to them on the My Disney Experience app where you can download your photos. You can even snag those priceless shots of your kid’s face while flying down.

Disney World is one of our favorite places, and even though it feels a little differently than before, we were able to enjoy the less-crowded parks, the thrill of riding our favorite attractions and the comfort of our resort. We already have plans to go back in December to soak in holiday magic! So, if you’re thinking of planning a getaway for your family, I can say that a trip to Disney World might be just the thing you need to feel the fun and excitement you’ve been missing this year.

Love + Sunshine,

Becky

Becky Bee

Wine-loving boy-mom with a cheeky sense of humor and a smart mouth.

Sharing all things motherhood to inspire real moms who live for leftovers, dry shampoo and those ten seconds of alone time after loading the kids in the car.