Disney Distancing

As fall break approached, COVID-19 was still lurking its ugly head and ruining travel plans across the country. As we are learning more and more about the virus, it’s been interesting to see who emerges and leads the way of operating during a pandemic. I’m always in search of that perfect combo of being responsible (masks and social distancing) and still living each day to the fullest. We had heard the most amazing reviews from those who had done Disney since reopening and had to check it out for ourselves.

Time constraints resulted in difficult decisions regarding which parks we would visit. Our little Jedis had yet to explore Galaxy’s Edge at Disney’s Hollywood Studios. They were also looking forward to checking out Pandora at Animal Kingdom. So along with seeing Disney Springs, our agenda was set. Disney is operating on reduced hours and also has reduced crowd capacity. Therefore, unlike before COVID-19, you must specify which park you will visit on each day. I bought my tickets a month prior to our travels and Hollywood Studios had already been booked to capacity for all but one of the days we were there. Once we got our tickets and booked our parks for our specific days, we set out to investigate how the happiest place on Earth was dealing with COVID-19. And I am pleased to report, that Mickey and Co. are on top of it!

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Disney takes mask wearing very seriously. Cast members strictly enforce everyone two and older to wear a mask at all times unless actively eating or drinking while stationary. In addition, there are several mask relaxation spots where you can remove them while physically distanced at your own table in each park. Disney also specifies the type of masks allowed. Gators, masks with vents and bandanas are prohibited on Disney property. I made all four of us matching Mickey masks for Animal Kingdom, but the hubby wore an older Star Wars Mask to Hollywood Studios, that gaped on the corners. We hadn’t taken 2 steps into Hollywood Studios when a cast member kindly asked my hubby to change masks due to the gap. It was impressive. In addition, there were multiple hand sanitizing stations in every line and after every ride.

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I have to admit that I was not expecting “the crowd.” My summertime facebook feed documented many families experiencing the magic in fairly empty parks. These folks boasted that they could “walk right on” to all the main attractions. Apparently others had heard the tales as well. And then…. we all showed up. But it was ok. Disney HAS reduced guest capacity at the parks, but there are several reasons you don’t feel it. The first reason is that there are no shows, less dining experiences and no parades. During normal operations, think of the number of guests who are not in line next to you because they are enjoying a show. It also seemed “people-y” because I think they tried to keep the attraction lines outdoors as much as possible. And last but not least, due to social distancing the rides do not go out at capacity. I’ll use one of my all time favs as an example, Expedition Everest. Towards the end of the line, a cast member asks you how many are in your party. The coaster seats rows of two. Since we were a party of 4, we took the last two rows of the ride, but the row in front of us was kept empty. They always maintain an empty row between parties. With less folks on the ride, the lines are of course longer, and the majority of the line is outdoors. As always, if you want to avoid as many other Mouseketeers as possible, remember to try to go early and avoid weekends and holidays.

Contrary to what I just said, I personally felt like a socially distant champion during my visit. Disney dedicated much thought when re-imagining the parks for an era of social distance. When in any line, each guest party stands on markers spaced 6 feet apart. Disney has also put in plexiglass in places where social distancing is not possible. We noticed the plexiglass most in indoor lines during turns and on rides like Animal Kingdom’s Kilimanjaro Safaris jungle ride. On that one, plexiglass divided each row of seats.

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Disney has also made dining safer during the pandemic. Every restaurant we went to used QR codes instead of menus. At many self serve establishments on property, orders are placed through the Disney App. No long lines. Less contact with cast members. We loved it. We placed our order and a few minutes later… Bibidity Bobbidi Boo! The app let us know our food was ready and which counter to use for pick up. Because our credit card was stored in the app, it takes one less step out of the equation. Each dining area had every other table blocked off to diners for social distancing. As soon as someone would leave a table, a castmember would quickly and happily clean and disinfect every square inch of the table and chairs. The amount of efficiency was supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.

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The magic is still there, even though the characters, shows, and parades are not. Would I go if it was my first and possibly only visit? Probably not. The memory of my youngest’s first hug with Tianna is unforgettable and my oldest fighting Darth Vader is irreplaceable. But in a time of chaos, depression and uncertainty, my family’s adventure was exactly what the doctor ordered. The force was certainly with us that day. And the real magic of Disney, at least in these unprecedented times, was a pixie dusting of security and happiness in a world where “ugly” seems to be the norm.