That time I went to Disney during a pandemic – The Current

With the pandemic hanging over every American’s shoulder, going on vacation seems like the last thing on anyone’s mind. However, after much debate and research, my family and I decided to visit Walt Disney World and saw firsthand how a major theme park handles safety during the pandemic.

Before making our trip, we first had to make reservations, which must be made on the Walt Disney World website. If you stay at one of their many themed resorts, have an annual pass, or are a Disney Vacation Club member, you have first access to reservations. Park hopping at multiple parks on the same day was not allowed at the time, so customers had to pre-book which park they wanted to go to each day. My family has annual passes and was staying on the Wilderness Lodge property, so we were able to book a day at Epcot and a day at Magic Kingdom.

Upon arriving at the Wilderness Lodge, we did our virtual check-in. Our room number and digital keys were tied to our Magic Bands. Everything was contactless and virtual, ensuring the safety of guests and employees. The My Disney Experience app was recommended as a room key, map, time guide, and general assistant during our stay to avoid physical interactions with employees. The app alerted us with a health announcement, listing all disinfection measures and work going on at the resort to keep things clean. Our room had been deep cleaned several times and smaller items such as TV remotes were in bags labeled clean.

In the parks, a multitude of safety measures were put in place to ensure health, but still kept things magical. There were touchless hand sanitizer dispensers at the start and exit of all lines. My family never had to use the personal hand sanitizer we brought. Near all the hand sanitizers were portable sinks with antibacterial soap for guests to wash their hands. Perspex dividers separated each side of the lines, keeping everyone a safe distance on all sides. Markers on the floor indicated where standing was allowed. The Cast Members were in constant motion; whether it’s sanitizing where a guest once stood or reminding everyone to wear their mask at all times, even when seated. Miniature parades took place every hour, with socially distant characters waving Halloween-themed floats. Every 30 minutes, an announcement played through the park reminding everyone of the rules put in place to keep them safe.

Before leaving for this trip, I was suspicious. I was nervous about crowds, cleanliness, and “mask relief stations.” Mask aid stations were located in various areas of the park and allowed guests to remove their masks for a short time while maintaining a 10-foot distance. During our stay at the Magic Kingdom, my family and I took advantage of the Tomorrowland area to get away from the heat and cool off in the air conditioning without wearing a mask. Apart from the Cast Members, we were the only people there. The attendants escorted us to a table that had been cleared and asked us to stay 10 feet away from everyone at all times during our stay. We were only there for 15 minutes, but it was a well deserved break and I felt completely safe.