Last Minute Decision

On Wednesday, we drive into Orlando for a last minute vacation prior to our daughter beginning her senior year in high school. With everything changing due to the pandemic, we want to get away but do so safely. We choose to reserve a vacation home and make our first stop at Magic Kingdom. With capacity capped and safety precautions in place, we feel confident in our decision. You are required to purchase your tickets and make park reservations prior to your arrival. You can check availability online or via telephone prior to your visit. At this point, the weekdays are generally available but the weekends are more crowded and popular. In addition to reduced capacity, the parks are operating on reduced hours and schedule. You should check the opening and closing hours for each park prior to making reservations.

Magic Kingdom

Despite our arrival during mid day, there is no line to pay for parking and very few cars entering the park at this time. For those of you who are familiar with the massive parking lots, imagine that there are so few people that the parking lot shuttles are not running.

While wearing your mask, each person has their temperature taken prior to moving towards the security screening. As for masks, you are required to wear an actual mask, fabric or surgical that goes around your head or ears. Bandanas and gaiters are not acceptable. If you do not have an existing magic band or card from a previous visit, you need to bring printed tickets and valid identification for all adults. Once your tickets and identification are confirmed, each member of your party receives an activated key card or magic band. It is also a great idea to confirm that you have a reservation for each park on the days that you plan to visit. Your band or card is used for admission at the designated park on the assigned day.

Tip; You can bring your own snacks and water bottles into the park. We use a backpack, Hydroflask, and Yeti bottle, but a few families have small rolling coolers.

As you can see from Chloe sitting with Walt Disney at the end of main street, there are much fewer people than normal. This photo was taken at around noon on Wednesday.

Once inside the park, we notice that some of the shows and at least half the shops and restaurants are temporarily closed. All of the character dining restaurants and experiences are shut down. There are no fireworks shows and parades are much smaller and unscheduled to prevent large groups from gathering. The parade that we witnessed was lively and the primary characters, Mickey, Minnie, and Goofy remained in the vehicle the entire time. While very different from previous trips, the lack of crowds is quite exciting. We were able to take several pictures of Cinderella’s Castle without crowds of people in the background.

The wait for most rides is no more than 15 to 20 minutes. The only time it is any longer is when the crew takes time to clean and sanitize the ride and seats. I am not aware of the schedule for the cleaning, but it does happen and a few times it increased our wait time. Under normal circumstances, the majority of time in line is spent walking through the line. Social distancing is required as you walk through the line, there are markings on the ground and most everyone is observant and respectful. There are times when a party or person is inattentive and causes delays, but this is not too bad. There are frequent announcements reminding park goers to maintain social distancing and continually wear their face mask unless they are stationary and actively eating or drinking. Relaxation stations are located throughout the park; you can have a seat and remove your mask if you need to take a break from wearing the mask or rest your feet.

Hollywood Studios

On this Thursday, the park opens at 10 and we arrive around 11. As we enter, it is obvious that this park is busier. The new attractions within Star Wars Galaxy Edge are the primary draw. Our first stop is Star Tours! This experience is the original Star Wars ride and therefore outside the new Star Wars area.

Star Wars Galaxy Edge is amazing! If you are remotely aware of the Star Wars movie franchise, this area is a must do! As you enter, it is obvious that this will an experience to remember.

The Millennium Falcon experience is great for a family or group of people. The sight of the Millennium Falcon is exciting and quite phenomenal. Chloe and I debate about the scale of the ship.

         

Once inside, up to 6 people can fill specific roles as the crew. Crew roles exist for 2 pilots, 2 gunners, and 2 engineers… The ride is thrilling and interactive which make it a  favorite!

Rise of the Resistance is the most popular ride at Disney World right now. To accommodate to volume, you are required to register through the MyDisney app. Once you register, you receive a boarding group number. The app is updated frequently with which group is currently boarding, so that you can plan out your time. Once your group is announced, you check in and within 15 minutes, you are at the beginning of the experience. It is quite an experience…

 

The First Order staff members can be playfully mean as they direct you through life as a Resistance prisoner. The life size storm troopers are incredible. You have several opportunities to get some great pictures.

 

Animal Kingdom

                                                                                   

Our final day at Disney is at Animal Kingdom. Since the animals are more active early in the morning, this park opens earlier and we arrive around 9. We head directly to the Safari Experience. There is a minimal wait as we navigate the line towards the ride. After 20 minutes or so, we are boarding the jeep for our safari. During the ride we get up close views of several animals. The driver positions us for some great views and provides detailed educational information.

The jungle trek also provides great opportunities to view animals and learn more about them.

While the early morning choice seems to be the safari, the overall most popular experience would definitely be the Avatar ride. While a simulated ride, it is quite thrilling and beautiful! We are able to board the ride within 15 or 20 minutes after entering the line.

                             

Excellent, Different, and Safe

Walt Disney World during Covid-19 pandemic is very different than our previous experiences. The safety precautions and procedures are great and convey a sense of comfort for everyone visiting. We notice and miss some attractions and absence of great experiences like parades, character dining, and fireworks. While there are some things missing, the enhanced safety, lack of crowds, and ability to enjoy every experience multiple times make this one of our greatest trips to Disney! It is hard to compete with the first time your children experience Disney, but this experience is really close.

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