As we all know, some popular tourist destinations have had to close temporarily due to the pandemic. Some places have closed and reopened… then closed again! Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida is one of the places that had to close but it is now open again, welcoming a small amount of visitors through its gates. Over the summer I traveled there, and I was very impressed by the safety measures they’ve taken there.
For starters, let me just say that being at Walt Disney World felt safer to me than going to Walmart. Seriously. They were extremely strict about their mask policy. Masks are required at all times on Walt Disney property (except when you are eating, in your hotel room, or sitting down at a table in one of the designated rest areas) and the Cast Members were not hesitant to enforce this rule. The one time that I did see someone trying to take their mask off of their nose, a Cast Member immediately told them to wear it properly.
In addition to the mask rule, social distancing was required in lines and stores. In lines for rides and shows, there were markers on the ground for guests to stand on to ensure they kept a safe distance from other groups. If it got crowded enough in a store, guests would need to wait in a socially distanced line outside before entering.
Foodservice places encouraged guests to use mobile ordering so they could limit the amount of time they spent waiting in line or standing at the counter to order their food, and tables were roped off so people would be spread out when they eat.
There were sanitizer dispensers located at the front of every line and when guests came off of rides, and trashcans were propped open so guests wouldn’t have to touch them when they throw things away. While on rides or watching shows, parties were spaced out to maintain social distancing. Every so often, an announcement could be heard throughout the park reminding guests to social distance, wear their masks, and wash their hands.
There were temperature checks to get into every park, making sure that arriving guests did not have a fever, and the usual security was limited to just a metal detector to limit the security guards touching the guests’ belongings.
Finally, there was limited capacity at all parks and resorts, making sure that they wouldn’t become too crowded.
Going to Disney during a pandemic was definitely a unique experience but I felt very safe. Of course, if you are uncomfortable with traveling there, don’t go. But if you are thinking about visiting Disney World and wanted to know how safe it is there, hopefully this helped give you an idea of what it is like.