Taking our 5 and 7 year old to Walt Disney World during a pandemic was never the plan - but it was a success.

Let me start this blog my saying- even if you are master planner (call me, need a side gig?) or need a little - to a lot of help - it is a good idea to book your trips through your local travel agent - especially a Northcutt Travel Agent! It doesn’t cost you extra and we can be as hands on or hands off as you want!

Getting Off the Plane and to Disney World

I get asked often about how Disney’s Magical express is operating now. Yes, you have to get your luggage and take it with you but I prefer to do that anyway! They space you out on the bus so that you are not sitting near each other but, if people get off the bus before you they do pass by you.

Masks

Masks Masks everywhere masks!

You have to wear them outside, inside, and all around on Disney property. Now... inside Disney parks or resorts full masks have to be worn - not gaiters or bandannas. They have to cover your nose and mouth. If you opt for the lightweight blue masks carry several with you. If you opt for a mask of your own choosing - take several OR plan on washing them in the sink each night because it is Florida and it is hot folks and you do not want to wear a sweaty/smelly mask for multiple days.

Pro Tip- when you book with us we will give you masks and lanyards if requested. Putting your masks on lanyards makes for easy on/off for the kids (or people like me that always misplace things) so you are always ready with it and it isn’t taking up a hand or a pocket.

Security check

Bag checks are still being done - but not the full cavity bag search they used to do by opening each and every pocket. You still go through the metal detectors but now before you get to the bag check there is a temperature screening!

Pro tip- if you are trying to get into a certain park at a certain time get there 20-30 min early as there are more lines to get through the checks than in the park.

Hand sanitizer and cleanliness

No lack of sanitizer stations before and after rides and restaurants and all places in general! They do often pause rides for sanitation wipe downs in order to keep the rides and seats sanitized and personally this is a practice I hope stays forever!

Pro Tip - there are still plenty of things that could get missed so having hand sanitizer or wipes with you is a plus! This is also good in the event you come across an empty dispenser or a messy treat.

Social distancing

Another thing they have done really well and that I also hope stays forever are the markers on the ground to give people 6 feet of space in line. If you have been to Disney before you know the people crowd and don’t know the meaning of space - these markers force people to stay in their bubble AND it flows the line better! They have the markers and arrows inside stores as well. They make sure to only put the family in a ride if you are all together etc.

Now some of these distancing measures will be harder to keep attaining once shows come back and they are trying to place people on bleachers and the enter/exit strategy- but we will cross that bridge at a later time.

They do have a limited number of stores open and are monitoring the number of people in the stores and they continually remind people to social distance - but looking around in the stores does become a little more challenging to stay in your bubble.

Pro Tip - you can make it a game with kids by hopping or skipping or counting the lines. But honestly the lines move so fast - it’s a breeze!

Hotel Rooms at Disney

I was impressed by the contactless check in and the ability to do most everything from the app. I appreciated the plastic coverings on the soap dispensers and the TV remote to show that they had been cleaned.

Room service is a little different as they don’t come in daily to make the beds but they do replenish towels and take out the trash.

Pro Tip - carry an extra trash bag or ask for one at the front if you eat in the hotel room - the trash from that will be bigger than the small bags can handle.

Transportation to parks at Disney

There is the monorail, the bus, the boat and the skyliner for transport. Skyliner is the easiest to social distance on. The Monorail is also easy and they have put up barriers in between the cars. The buses have assigned seats and barriers and seats in between spots. With this decreasing spots for transfers via bus- it does take longer to get a bus and you have to hope it has room for you.

This brings us to still my personal favorite mode of transport - Uber or Lyft. It is an additional cost - but $25 for a round trip saves hundreds for my sanity at the end of a long day.

Pro Tip- Minnie vans and some Lyft and Uber options have car seats so no need to bring them.

Now, should I go in 2020?

Ok - here is where I get real, but please note that one person’s opinion with their family might be different than what I would recommend for your experience. The great thing about Northcutt Travel is we don’t charge you extra for our expertise and guidance in planning your trip, all we ask is that you please book your trip with us. We can talk through what is the most important part of Disney for you and your family and what you will be missing out on and what will save you during this time!

If this was my big Disney trip with young children and it was their first time - I would be sad ONLY because I have been a hundred times before and I know what they are missing. To me the parades, the character interactions and the shows are part of what sets Disney apart and truly makes it “The Disney Experience.” If you are going to strictly ride the rides, then this is the best time to go. If you haven’t been and this is your first experience, you will not know what you are missing out on (which could be good or bad). You will have a false sense of what it is like to go during normal times because a 20 minute wait to ride Seven Dwarves Mine Train doesn’t happen on the regular!

Pro tip - talk to us, get our advice. It is better to spend 10 minutes on the phone with us to discuss your trip needs than not go on a magical trip, or go on a lackluster magical trip because you were expecting more!

Traveling to Disney World in 2020