Everything We Know About Disney World Reopening

You’re little doubt conscious that Disney World, together with Disney properties around the globe, closed the gates to their Magic Kingdoms in March, in response to the Coronavirus Pandemic. Now we wish to know, when is Disney World Reopening, and the way will or not it’s totally different? Disney officers are wanting to welcome friends again to the parks, however wish to be certain it’s performed safely. Let’s learn the way! (Word: There’s a lot to unpack right here. Think about using the Contents to skip to your space of curiosity.)

Newest Updates:

• 11 July 2020: Walt Disney World is open once more! USA At present / Orlando Weekly columnist Seth Kubersky Tweeted his manner by the day within the Magic Kingdom, embedded beneath.
• 08 July 2020: Up to date steering on face coverings below How Visiting Disney World is Altering.
• 24 June 2020: Disneyland delayed, Tokyo Disneyland & DisneySea moved up.
• 23 June 2020: Disneyland Paris reopening strikes up; further eating data; further Disney World resort reopenings introduced; and Disney’s Hollywood Studios reaches capability on Day One.
• 22 June 2020: Disney World Park Reservation system opens; further particulars on temperature checks, Park Hopper choices, and Rides, Sights & Occasions.
• 20 June 2020 with further particulars on eating reservations, Disneyland Hong Kong opens, and the NBA in WDW.

M-I-C… See ya actual quickly! (As in, July!)
Ok-E-Y… Why? As a result of we miss you!

In late Could, Disney World submitted their plans to start a measured re-opening of the Happiest Place on Earth, following the profitable reopening of Shanghai Disney Resort, and Disney Springs in Orlando:

“Pending Orange County and state approval, our Walt Disney World Resort proposal plans for Magic Kingdom Park and Disney’s Animal Kingdom to start a phased reopening to most of the people on July 11, adopted by EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios on July 15.” – Disney Parks Weblog

Let’s repeat these dates:

• Magic Kingdom Park: 11 July
• Animal Kingdom Park: 11 July
• Epcot: 15 Jully
• Disney’s Hollywood Studios: 15 July

It is not going to be a return to regular, although. Among the many proposed security measures are limiting park capability and a brand new reservations system for park entry. In accordance with Disney CEO Bob Chapek, the parks will “proceed to observe enhanced security protocols primarily based upon relevant steering from well being authorities and authorities companies…”

You’ll discover there aren’t any dates given for the waterparks, Blizzard Seashore and Hurricane Lagoon. Water parks pose very totally different issues, which have but to be labored out. Along with COVID-19 issues, Hurricane Lagoon can also be present process enhancements. There is no such thing as a schedule posted for after we can anticipate both park to reopen.

(Walt Disney Firm)

Up to date: How Visiting Disney World Is Altering

Listed below are the main points we have now discovered up to now:

• Forged members and all friends over age 2 will likely be required to put on face coverings, each within the parks and in frequent areas of resort resorts. (Extra particulars beneath.)
• Friends and Forged will likely be screened for temperature earlier than getting into a theme park. Any visitor with a fever of 100.4 or greater is not going to be admitted to the park, and neither will their get together. That is necessary to notice; if anybody in your group is sick, it could forestall everybody from getting in.
• Cashless transactions are advisable.
• Cleansing and disinfection procedures will likely be elevated in high-traffic areas.
• Rides, eating places, and transportation (Monorail, buses, ferries) will restrict seating for social distancing.
• Shops within the parks and in Disney Springs might decrease capability to allow social distancing.
• “Excessive-touch” occasions, corresponding to character Meet & Greets, Bippity Boppity Boutique makeovers, and playgrounds, are on maintain.
• “Giant gathering” points of interest and occasions – like parades and nighttime spectaculars – is not going to return instantly.
• The favored Park Hopper possibility is not going to be an possibility when the parks reopen.

New: Across the nation, the subject of face masks is broadly debated. That debate is moot contained in the gates of the Magic Kingdom. Disney has launched this steering for face coverings:

All face coverings (whether or not disposable or reusable) should:

• Be made with not less than two layers of breathable materials
• Totally cowl the nostril and mouth and safe below the chin
• Match snugly however comfortably in opposition to the facet of the face
• Be secured with ties or ear loops and permit the Visitor to stay hands-free

Additional, neck gaiters and open-chin triangle bandanas usually are not acceptable face coverings in Disney World, following steering from well being authorities. Disney has hinted that, in contrast to at different theme parks, these guidelines will likely be enforced. In addition they observe that face coverings usually are not an alternative choice to social distancing. Talking of which…

Although not particularly talked about, we anticipate social distancing steering (corresponding to ground markers) in queues for rides and points of interest, as was seen in Shanghai.

Maybe hardest of all, interactions with Disney characters will likely be socially distanced. Which makes us marvel: The way you inform a toddler (or a young person, or an grownup!) that they’ll’t hug Mickey Mouse??? We may even see Disney World reopening, however we’ll in all probability see a couple of tears alongside the way in which.

Up to date: Ticketing and Reservations

Anybody with tickets for Walt Disney World earlier than the world went on lockdown, or with a resort reservation, in addition to Annual Passholders, have been capable of reserve park entry instances earlier than any new tickets have been bought. When you nonetheless have resort reservations in 2021, however now park reservations, you may name to make reservations now, as detailed beneath. Offered you continue to wish to go to Walt Disney World this yr (or subsequent), new ticket gross sales are open once more. See beneath for extra particulars.

NEW: Disney Park Reservation System Opens

On 22 June, the brand new Park Reservation System opened for Walt Disney World. Initially, it is just obtainable for friends with confirmed Disney resort reservations and theme park tickets. Ticket and Passholders will be capable of make reservations quickly. In accordance with Disney:

• Starting 22 June 2020, Disney Resort and different choose resort Friends with legitimate theme park admission could make park reservations.
• Starting 26 June 2020, Annual Passholders with no Resort keep could make park reservations.
• Starting 28 June 2020, current ticket holders could make park reservations.
• When you have a resort reservation for 2021, however no theme park admission, you will want to name the Disney Reservation Center beginning on 24 June 2020 to improve to a bundle that features tickets, after which make your theme park reservations.
• By 28 June 2020, all Friends will be capable of buy new Disney Resort resort packages and theme park tickets, and make their park reservations for arrivals beginning in 2021.
• Later this summer season, gross sales of 2020 tickets and Disney Resort resort arrivals will resume, primarily based on availability of park reservations.

When making a brand new reservation, or including park admission to an current resort reservation, Friends will be capable of see park reservation availability. This manner, you received’t make a reservation solely to seek out there aren’t any admission instances for that day. Nonetheless, as of twenty-two June, when the system opened, it confirmed no obtainable at any park by 26 September 2021. That ought to change inside a couple of days.

Hollywood Studios Sells Out

When you have been hoping to attain reservations to go to Disney’s Hollywood Studios (little doubt to dwell out your inside Insurgent Pressure fantasies), you’re in all probability out of luck. On Day One, reservations for Hollywood Studios reached capability, not less than for the primary few days after the parks open.

With the extremely well-liked Star Wars Galaxy’s Edge, and newly-opened Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway, Hollywood Studios is the recent ticket at Disney World. It’s additionally the smallest of the parks, which implies decrease capability for social distancing. In case your Disney dates are nonetheless down the street, you could have higher luck getting in, however make sure to make your reservations as early as potential to enhance your ods.

No data but on when reservations will open for Disneyland.

Up to date: Rides, Sights, and Occasions at Disney World

As we get nearer to Disney World reopening, we’re studying extra about what is going to and won’t be occurring within the parks.

FastPass+

Only a few particulars about how the parks will function have surfaced. Chief amongst them, although, is that the revolutionary FastPass+ system will likely be suspended with the intention to enable for queuing. This appears counter-intuitive; it appears to us that solely providing FastPass would remove the strains altogether. As friends return to the parks, and Disney refines insurance policies and procedures, experience queues are prone to be a spotlight level.

Social Distancing at Disney Shanghai (Picture: Walt Disney Firm)

Additional Magic Hours & Social Distancing

Additionally on maintain are the beloved Additional Magic Hours. The most effective perks of staying on web site (at a premium versus close by resorts) is the power to get into the parks early, or keep late. No phrase on when that profit would possibly return.

Whereas rides and eating places will likely be open, there will likely be social distancing measures in place: Restaurant seating will likely be decreased by half, and rides could have empty seats to separate friends. One assumes households will likely be allowed to sit down collectively, maybe with empty rows between teams.

Attendance ranges are a query but to be answered, too. We all know that entry into the parks would require reservations after they re-open, however there’s no phrase on what number of reservations will likely be obtainable every day. The bigger Disney World parks (Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom) can deal with 80,000 every day guests. The expectation is that, not less than at first, attendance will likely be capped at lower than half of that. (Shanghai Disneyland was restricted by the federal government to one-third of capability.)

NEW: Rides & Sights

It seems that a lot of the main rides within the parks will likely be obtainable when friends are welcomed again. From Avatar Flight of Passage within the Animal Kingdom, to Millennium Falcon: Smugglers Run in Hollywood Studios, to the Magic Kingdom’s Pirates of the Caribbean, traditional rides new and outdated will likely be operating. A whole record is on the market on the Walt Disney World website.

Whereas parades and nighttime spectaculars are on maintain, the Character Cavalcades (or Character Cruises in Animal Kingdom) will happen all through the day at numerous instances in every park. Some dwell leisure will return additionally: the Principal Avenue Philharmonic within the Magic Kingdom, and in Epcot, performances on the American Gardens Theatre.

NEW: Occasions

A number of the hottest instances to go to Walt Disney World are throughout annual occasions and festivals. Some will likely be again, some is not going to. What we all know up to now:

• Epcot Worldwide Meals & Wine Competition will happen when Epcot opens in July.
• Mickey’s Not-So-Scary Halloween on the Magic Kingdom has been cancelled for 2020. As that usually leads proper into Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas, we’re awaiting information on that occasion.

Up to date: Eating Rooms & Eating Plans

When the parks have been shut down in March, all current eating plans and reservations for your entire yr have been cancelled. That raises the plain query: The place are we going to eat?

We will loosen up, not less than a little bit: Most of the eating venues within the parks and resorts will likely be open, and your Disney Eating Plan will nonetheless maintain you effectively fed. The reservation system will likely be relaunched nearer to reopening, however in the event you had reservations, you will want to rebook these instances, in the event you can. When the system opens once more, we are able to make reservations with a 60-day window earlier than your go to, as an alternative of the 180-day window we used to take pleasure in. We’ve already discovered that friends arriving for the July 11 reopening at Walt Disney World can now make reservations by telephone. As you would possibly anticipate, maintain instances are reportedly very lengthy.

New: As for modifications to the eating rooms themselves, it’s anticipated that there will likely be some modifications. The restaurant on the Grand Floridian, for instance, now means that you can reserve your desk prematurely and bypass the hostess stand. Ground markers point out one-way site visitors out and in of the eating room. Moreover, paper menus are changed by digital variations you may learn in your smartphone.

Contained in the Magic Kingdom, the favored restaurant Be Our Visitor has dropped fast service meals, and is now desk service solely. Meaning sit down service will likely be obtainable for lunch and dinner, however the restaurant will now not serve breakfast.

Up to date: Reopening Disneyland

This was the plan:

Precisely sixty-five years after the historic opening of Disneyland, the park gates will reopen on July 17, 2020! Plans nonetheless want state and native authorities approvals, however the tentative plan is for Disneyland and Disney California Journey parks to reopen on 17 July, with Disney’s Grand Californian Lodge & Spa, and Disney’s Paradise Pier Lodge reopening on 23 July. Forward of these dates, the Downtown Disney procuring and eating district will start reopening on 9 July.

That modified when the State of California delayed issuing reopening protocols till after the 4th of July weekend. In an announcement on Twitter, Disney Parks broke the information that the Disneyland Resort is not going to be opening in July as deliberate. Even worse, they don’t know but when they are going to be capable of reopen, as a result of they don’t know when the State will launch protocols, or what further steps the corporate should take.

The Coalition of Resort Labor Unions, which represents a dozen Disneyland Resort unions, and Unite Right here, one other union representing resort and hospitality staff, had requested California Governor Gavin Newsom to delay the reopening. The teams mentioned they weren’t satisfied that “it’s secure to reopen the parks on Disney’s fast timetable.” Disney has reported “optimistic discussions” and a few signed agreements with the unions, in response to USA At present.

The Downtown Disney District will nonetheless reopen as deliberate on 9 July. The procuring, eating, and leisure complicated was accepted earlier below California’s reopening pointers for eating places and retail.

pic.twitter.com/cQToovkXfW

— Disney Parks Information (@DisneyParksNews) June 25, 2020

When Disneyland reopens, it would have lots of the similar restrictions and modifications as we anticipate to see at Disney World. Park capability will likely be considerably restricted utilizing the identical park reservation system. Much like Disney World, ticket gross sales and Annual Passport gross sales are on pause, and reservations have been cancelled. Friends will want a brand new reservation prematurely of entry.

Identical to Disney World, the entire “massive group” gatherings, corresponding to parades and nighttime spectaculars, stay on maintain. These beloved however “excessive contact” character meet and greets will likely be paused, too. Rides will likely be restricted, and friends will likely be reminded of social distancing pointers, each by signage and educated forged members. Plus, masks will likely be required for many friends.

Up to date: Disney Lodging

When visiting Walt Disney World, we love the enjoyable and comfort of staying “on property.” The truth that the reservation system has been paused, and there’s been little or no data relating to which resorts will likely be open when, makes planning your Disney World or Disneyland getaway even tougher.

Disney has introduced that Disney Trip Membership properties at Walt Disney World will likely be obtainable for Members and Friends beginning 22 June. At the moment, Disney additionally introduced opening dates for choose different Disney resorts and resorts, a few of which do have Trip Membership sections. We observed that Disney makes use of the phrase, “will start opening,” which we take to imply that availability could also be restricted. These opening dates are:

Disneyland

Disney’s Grand Californian Lodge & Spa, and Disney’s Paradise Pier Lodge plan to reopen on 23 July.

Disney World

• 22 June: Disney Trip Membership properties at Walt Disney World, and Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground
• 29 July: Disney’s Caribbean Seashore Resort
• 12 August: Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, and Disney’s Artwork of Animation Resort
• 24 August: Disney’s Yacht & Seashore Membership Resorts
• 21 September: Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa
• 1 October: Disney’s Boardwalk Resort
• 14 October:Disney’s Coronado Springs Resort

Disney Trip Membership properties at Walt Disney World embody the Bay Lake Tower at Disney’s Modern Resort, Boulder Ridge and Copper Creek Villas at Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, the Animal Kingdom Villas (Jambo Home and Kidani Village), Disney’s Seashore Membership and Boardwalk Villas, Disney’s Outdated Key West and Seratoga Springs Resorts, Disney’s Polynesian Villas and Bungalows, the Villas at Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort, and the lovely new Disney Riviera Resort.

You would possibly discover many resorts not on that record. In accordance with Disney:

“Given the present state of affairs, there are some Disney Resort Lodges and different areas that aren’t, as of this time, being scheduled for reopening but. We’ll proceed to guage the state of affairs and reopen extra areas when the setting is true to take action.”

On condition that parks will open with decreased capability, it is sensible that not the entire on-property resort rooms could be wanted. Since most reservations have been cancelled when Disney World closed in March, we anticipate the variety of cancelled reservations additionally performs into the opening of further properties.

Earlier, we tried to begin a brand new reservation on the Port Orleans resort (for August 2020), and acquired a warning that resort reservations are “at present unavailable.” Since then, Disney has introduced that friends can start making new resort and park reservations beginning 28 June.

The NBA at WDW

Making resort reservations even tougher to return by, the NBA has introduced the 2020 season will resume with all video games performed at Disney World. Gamers and workers will all be housed on property, staying the Grand Floridian, Disney’s Yacht Membership Resort, and the brand new Destino Tower at Coronado Springs.

We expect that is sort of thrilling, actually. As basketball followers, this might current an important alternative to run into a few of our favourite gamers! We’re (not so) secretly hoping that internet hosting NBA video games – and different professional sports activities – at Disney World turns into an everyday factor.

Video games are scheduled to start in “the bubble” on the finish of July, however groups will start arriving on 7 July. When you simply occur to be within the space, this article lists which groups are staying the place, with extra data and schedules concerning the NBA in Walt Disney World. (We will’t assist however discover our hometown boys – the Dallas Mavericks – are staying on the Grand Floridian, one in every of our favourite Disney resorts! So…we may even see you there!)

(Courtesy of NBA)

Up to date: Disney Across the World

You could be wandering about Disney’s different parks and properties, particularly after Shanghai Disneyland reopened in Could. Whereas specifics are few and much between, it’s secure to imagine we’ll see comparable restrictions and measures in any respect parks. Right here is the tentative schedule we’ve been capable of assemble from numerous experiences:

• Hong Kong Disneyland reopened on 18 June 2020
• Tokyo Disney Resort (Tokyo Disneyland & Tokyo DisneySea): Second half of 2020 1 July 2020
• Disneyland Paris*: September 2020 15 July 2020

*When Disneyland Paris begins its phased reopening, Disneyland Park and Walt Disney Studios Park will likely be open. Lodging reopening on the Paris resort will embody Disney Village, and Disney’s Newport Bay Membership resort.

Disney operates a number of resort properties, which have additionally been shuttered in the course of the Coronavirus pandemic. Whereas the corporate has not posted a complete record, we do know…

• Disney Trip Membership properties in Vero Seashore, Florida opened 15 June
• Disney Trip Membership properties in Hilton Head, South Carolina opened 15 June
• Disney’s Aulani Resort & Spa in Hawai’i stays closed; no reopening date has been decided.

Disney World Reopening: See You Actual Quickly!

Visiting Disney is a dream for many, from baby to senior citizen. It’s exhausting, typically, to place off a dream journey, however we are able to not less than begin planning our visits to the Magic Kingdoms as soon as once more. We’ll regulate developments, and replace this submit as warranted.

When you handle to go to any of the Disney parks, particularly within the early days following reopenings, we’d love to listen to about your expertise within the feedback.

Thanks for studying alongside.