Is it safe to go to Disney World during Coronavirus (COVID-19)? Are you thinking about booking a trip to Disney? Do you want to know what COVID precautions Disney World has in place?
This was definitely me while I was deciding to book my trip or not. But with CDC regulations stating vaccinated travelers can start traveling, I am sure traveling to Disney will increase.
There were definitely pros and cons of visiting during the pandemic but I’ll be sharing with you what I noticed from my recent trip to Disney World in April 2021.
Keep reading for what you need to know before booking your trip & what to expect at Disney World on your next trip.
DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor, please consult your doctor before traveling. Also note that any traveling can increase your chances of getting and spreading COVID-19.
1) Masks & Temperature checks are required to enter
- Before you even enter the park your temperature is taken.
- There are signs everywhere that say masks are required.
Although, I do want to note that I don’t think I ever saw anyone without a mask that wasn’t stationary and eating/drinking. Isn’t that crazy?
This sure isn’t true at home or any other places I have traveled to. Well considering I live in Texas and masks aren’t even required anymore I guess thats no shocker.
2) Masks are required during park rides
- Depending on the ride you may have it all to yourself.
Disney does a great job of updating the app with wait times so make sure you download the Disney World App.
- There are markers on the floor to stand 6 feet apart while waiting in line.
3) Masks can only be taken off when:
- You are stationary & eating/drinking.
I actually heard a Disney employee ask someone in line to stop drinking/eating and put on their mask. Make sure to stand socially distant, or sit somewhere to eat/drink then take off your mask. You can also find relaxation stations around the parks.
Most restaurants were only doing mobile ordering to limit indoor and outdoor seating. I will say this made finding a table to snack on very hard and most times we had to walk a bit to find somewhere to sit.
- You are taking a picture & socially distanced.
This rule recently changed as masks had to kept on at all times inside the park. I was excited to get a couple of photos without my masks on, but just make sure there are no people around you.
There are markers on the floor to stand 6 feet apart while waiting in line. Masks are required to be worn at all times even when in line.
- MAGIC EXPRESS TO AND FROM THE AIRPORT
On our way to our hotel the bus was full as flights had been delayed but on our way back to the airport they left the seat next to us, and in front of us open.
- SKYLINER
We had the whole skyliner to ourselves, even though the limit is 10 people.
- DISNEY BUSES TO ALL PARKS AND HOTELS
They were seating people with their group and every group had a divider in between seats.
5) Make reservations in advance due to limited capacity
- Restaurants
Restaurants are operating at limited capacity and reservations are getting full weeks in advance. Check here for the restaurant you are interested in.
- Park Tickets
Similarly, due to the parks operating at limited capacity, make sure to check availability of the parks here before booking your flight. We booked a park hopper pass, which meant we could visit a second park at 2pm subject to park capacities. We were only able to book Epcot and Animal Kingdom for our days and then we park hopped to Hollywood Studios and Magic Kingdom.
6) No fireworks, no fastpass, no character interactions
- No Fireworks
Okay this one we weren’t aware about until we were at Disney. All firework shows are cancelled so take note if this is a big deal for you.
- No Fastpass
Therefore, you will have to wait in line for all the rides, but Disney does a great job of updating the app with wait times. So make sure to download the Disney World App here.
- No character interactions
Although, we did get to see several small parades and saw Mickey and Minnie at almost all parks, including the Princesses and more.
In Conclusion
I really was shocked at how everyone wore their masks and how Disney was making sure all the precautions were being followed.
In addition, I also enjoyed the smaller crowds which for Disney is still a lot of people by the way.
Overall, traveling to Disney World during the pandemic will definitely take some planning and adjusting but to me it was still magical!
So, was it worth it? Even after all the restrictions, it was totally worth it for me to visit Disney World during COVID-19.
Also, if you are looking for even more detailed information check out my friend Tanna’s blog post here on what it’s really like at Walt Disney World during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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