My family and I are big Disney fans with varying levels of concern about the coronavirus. However, when we went to Animal Kingdom for the passholder preview, we had a great time and felt safe. Disney has put into place every precaution I think a company could be expected to do, and then some. We could tell they really thought through every possible scenario, and then put their plan into action. Read on to find out if you think it’s safe for you to visit Disney!
Here is what we saw:
Temperature Screenings
Before you even set foot into the park, a very friendly Advent health employee will greet you, and then hold a thermometer up near your forehead, without actually touching you at all. It takes less than a second, and off you go!
Cast Members
All cast members wore masks, and many of them had shields over their masks as well. I did not see any cast members not wearing their face coverings correctly. I must add, all of them wore a smile as well (you can tell because their eyes crinkled in the corners).
Face Coverings
Everyone we saw had face coverings on, unless they were eating or drinking. Kids in strollers are allowed to eat snacks while being pushed around, in case you were wondering! I will also mention I took my daughter’s mask off while she slept in the stroller, with the stroller shade pulled completely over almost her whole body. Nobody was the wiser, and she was much more comfortable in the Florida heat without one on while sleeping.
Disney was enforcing face coverings- I heard them ask someone to “please put your face covering over your nose- thank you!”
Announcements
Every once in awhile we heard the Disney voice from above come on the loudspeaker and give reminders about social distancing, wearing face coverings, and washing your hands.
Social Distancing Markers
I would love to know the number of social distancing markers around the parks! They are definitely prepared for larger crowds, but who knows when that will happen. It is however, very easy to know where you should stand!
Trash Cans Propped Open
Pretty self explanatory, but we didn’t have to even open the trash can doors- we just tossed our trash right in!
Relaxation Stations
In all the parks there are at least two “relaxation stations,” either indoors or out. In these designated areas you can have a seat (at a socially distanced table), take off your mask and chat easily with other members of your party or have a snack.
In Animal Kingdom the stations are on Discovery Island at Pizzafari (inside, so air conditioned), and the second one is across from the Up! Bird show at Upcountry Landing in Asia. This one is outside, but covered. Here you can also see the boat that floats by with characters and a band at random times throughout the day (random to not promote crowds).
In Magic Kingdom, one relaxation station is in Storybook Circus (in Fantasyland) at Pete’s Silly Sideshow. This used to be a character meet ‘n greet area. It’s an air-conditioned tent- yay! The second is at the Tomorrowland Terrace in..you guessed it..Tomorrowland! The last relaxation station in Magic Kingdom is in Frontierland at the Golden Oak Outpost.
We will know more about Epcot and Hollywood Studios relaxation stations very soon!
Ride Sanitizing
I’ve read Disney is sanitizing every two hours, which is the CDC recommended guideline. In any case, there were a few times we heard announcements about the wait being slightly longer due to ride cleaning. This didn’t seem to bother anyone in line. Clean is great!
Plexiglass Barriers/Limited People in Ride Vehicles
Disney has installed plexiglass barriers in line queues where following the normal line routes would make social distancing difficult.
There are also barriers on some rides, like Kilimanjaro Safari, which have thick plastic dividers between the rows of the jeep.
Likewise, on Dinosaur, there are dividers up to allow for small and big parties to ride safely in the same ride vehicle.
In some cases, rows are skipped to provide social distancing (like on Flight of Passage where a bike is left between parties, with a limit of 3 small parties in a room).
Mobile Ordering
Contactless Payment is encouraged (even if you’re like me and you can’t figure out how to get your credit card to show up for Apple Pay- thank you to the sweet cast member for helping this frazzled mama figure it out), and you cannot enter your chosen restaurant until your order is ready. Just a reminder- your phone will tell you when your order is ready. So friends, spread out and enjoy the less crowded parks! Find a quiet, shaded corner to relax in while you wait.
NOTE: If you go to a sit-down restaurant, you will have to scan a QR code for a digital menu- no paper menus for now! In addition, your bill will come in a paper envelope- none of the usual heavy duty bill holders. I personally don’t have a problem with this method staying around (I’m always sort of grossed out by the stickiness of both menus and the bill holders).
Hand Sanitizer
There are hand sanitizer stations at the entrance and exit of EVERY ride/attraction. As one friend told me, the saying goes “don’t take it in, don’t take it out.” ‘It’ being germs of course! It never hurts to have extra sanitizer on you, just in case one of Disney’s stations is out for the moment (though they all worked great when we were there). And as we know, hand washing is also an exceptionally good thing. We found the bathrooms to be very clean.
In my opinion, Disney has done really everything they can to help ensure a safe and fun visit. They have canceled shows, fireworks, parades, and character meetings so crowds do not form. During our experience, they were enforcing all the above safety measures. It is not exactly the same as pre-COVID, but if you are anti germ like I am (I was ‘ew germs’ before COVID, so I haven’t really had to change my sanitization approach in the parks), then all of these additions are welcome- who doesn’t like clean ride vehicles?!
Low Capacity
Usually, our trips to Disney aren’t complete unless you’ve been hit by someone’s stroller in the back of the leg, waited at least an hour in a line (like when Aliens Swirling Saucers breaks down), and had melting kids because the food lines are so long. One silver lining to all the COVID mess is that Disney is seriously restricting capacity at the parks. This is what our view looked like a majority of the time.
It was kind of like it was back 20 years ago- nobody rushing to make their Fast Pass window, just kind of letting the day unfold. No craziness of rope dropping (which our family usually does), just showing up when you wanted.
Personal Responsibility
I won’t get up too high on my soap box here, but just like everywhere else we go at this moment in time, we all have to be responsible for our own actions and those of our kiddos. We have the freedom to choose where to sit and where to walk. If you are in a situation that makes you uncomfortable (such as a crowd of people forming waiting for food or if there is a sudden downpour and everyone runs under the same cover), simply walk the other way. It’s going to happen- I found myself walking too closely behind people a couple of times, distracted by my kids or too excited to get into the Flight of Passage line (IT WAS ONLY 5 MINUTES!), but I checked myself and just slowed down to allow the recommended 6 feet of space.
Likewise, if someone is in your space, don’t be afraid to speak up (politely). We can all get along and navigate our way safely through this crazy new normal.
And above all friends, BE KIND to the cast members. They are human, and many of them are displaced from their usual post in Disney. For example, our fairy godmother from our Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique experience is currently working at Flight of Passage. They are doing the very best they can, and they are doing an amazing job. I cried when they thanked us for coming and when they welcomed us “home.”
It doesn’t feel completely normal, but it’s as close as we are going to get at the moment. And yes, the magic is still there!
In conclusion, I’d say YES, it is safe visit Disney, as long as you are good following the rules and are comfortable with the potential risks. Disney has thought through and implemented pretty much every possible safety mechanism they can find! Is there risk in going to a theme park during a pandemic? YES! But like most things, it’s our choice to be there or not. If you aren’t comfortable yet, that is perfectly fine!!!! Enjoy all the blogs, social media posts and vlogs of your favorite people!
But I’d say Disney has done their part- if we do ours, we can have a safe, happy, Disney “bubble” experience.
Check out The Kingdom Insider’s take on reopening day at Magic Kingdom for another perspective!
Thank you so much for reading and please let me know if you have any questions! Please follow along on Pinterest, Instagram and Facebook! I am on Instagram daily, sharing the more “normal” parts of life in my stories.
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