What has changed at Disney World since reopening
Reopening after the pandemic stay-at-home order has brought about changes for a myriad of businesses. Walt Disney World is no exception. While policies and offerings have been adjusted, one thing remains - the magic! Understand that things are constantly changing, even while I’m writing this there will probably be a new announcement underway, especially with the 50th Anniversary celebration just around the corner. I get questions about this from my clients, so I thought it would be good to aggregate as many of them as possible in one place. So let’s take a look at what has changed at Disney World since reopening after the temporary covid closure.
FastPass+ Service
For those that don’t know what FastPass+ is and how it works, it is essentially an advance reservation to hold your spot in the ride queue. Rather than waiting 45 minutes in the standby line for Space Mountain, for example, you can reserve an hour window to which you’ll return and wait in line - maybe 5-10 minutes. When Walt Disney World reopened, they temporarily suspended the FastPass+ service and it still does not have a scheduled return date. When we traveled to Walt Disney World during the pandemic in 2020, we didn’t find wait times to be bad at all. Because Cast Members didn’t have to hold the stand-by line to allow FastPass+ guests through, the stand-by line was constantly moving so it went by quickly. There are also plenty of Disney details to observe while you’re waiting in the queue! Don’t miss out on some of the fun storylines of attractions or hidden Mickeys.
Disney Dining Plans
When I’m helping clients book their upcoming Disney vacation package, we typically discuss things to add such as Memory Maker, Travel Protection Plan, and Disney Dining Plans. Another big change at Disney World since the reopening is that they suspended Disney Dining Plans. This was in part due to the limited number of dining locations and staffing that were available upon the initial reopening. But month after month, more restaurants are reopening; many of which had the opportunity for a refurbishment or refresh during the temporary closure! We do know that Disney Dining Plans WILL return before the end of 2021, however we still are not able to add them onto client packages at this time. Hopefully that is another change that will be coming SOON! This is such a valuable addition to packages, especially for clients that enjoy character dining experiences, families that like having dedicated meal times every day, and foodies who like to try a lot of amazing different restaurants.
Public Safety
For all my Spirit of Adventure Travel clients, I create and send a customized PDF itinerary before traveling that includes some good reminders, tips, tricks, my favorite snack stops and quick-service restaurants, good attractions (with height requirements), and more — customized to YOUR family. The first thing I always link to is Disney’s Know Before You Go site. This is updated in real time as Disney updates their policies and procedures. In a short amount of time, Disney World changed their policy from wearing masks at all times, to removing it outdoors for photos when socially distanced, to now only really requiring it on transportation (monorail, buses, boats, etc.) Vaccinated guests have more freedom to remove their masks throughout the parks and resorts. Disney has always been known for cleanliness and these times are no exception. Hand sanitizer is still abundant, social distancing is recommended, and guests must still adhere to the covid policies and procedures.
Special Events
As the 50th Anniversary celebration is approaching, more special events are starting to return, but not everything. Fireworks returned to Magic Kingdom in July which was a big deal, and there will be a new nighttime spectacular, Disney Enchantment, just for the anniversary celebration! What has not yet returned to accompany them are the special ticketed firework dessert parties. I loved these as a fun way to celebrate special occasions or just have a great viewing spot for the show! Hopefully we will see these again soon, even in a modified fashion — like a pre-plated dessert instead of a self-serve buffet.
When Disney World initially reopened in July 2020 after the temporary closure, they canceled all the holiday happenings for 2020 like Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party and Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party. These had become such a tradition for many clients and guests and we were sad to see them go.
This year, they are doing something similar - but slightly modified - called After Hours Boo Bash. Similar to MNSSHP, you’ll be able to find characters dressed in halloween costumes, enjoy specialty themed treats, ride select attractions with less wait, and see special entertainment. As part of our complimentary services, we can book these tickets for you. They are not able to be added to your Walt Disney World vacation package, but are still a great addition to your spooktacular magical vacation! Kids can wear costumes to this halloween event, but another change since Disney World reopened is that the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique is not yet reopened or accepting reservations at this time; so BYOPD (Bring Your Own Princess Dress!)
Update August 25, 2022: Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique in Magic Kingdom park is officially open again! This is a great enchanting extra activity at Disney for the princess in your family.
While we don’t have dates yet for the Christmas season, we do have confirmation that a holiday after hours event will also be taking place in 2021.
Update April 28, 2022: Mickey’s Not So Scary Halloween Party & Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party have returned for the 2022 seasons! This returns party’s to their full activities compared to the “After Hours” modified events we saw in previous years.
One change - for the better, in my opinion - is the extended dates for the EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival. If you follow @spiritofatravel on Instagram, you know I’m all about the Disney food! As an extra “perk” Disney extended the festival dates beyond a few fall months and as of July 15, 2021 it is open! This is one of my favorite things to visit when at Walt Disney World, and now it gives even more guests an opportunity to experience it. Where else can you experience authentic cuisine from all over the world within a matter of steps?! And adults 21+ can enjoy a few fun libations as well. There are other fun activities that accompany the festival such as music, tastings, education, and a fun game of Remy’s Hide and Squeak for the kids (or kids at heart.) Grab a Festival passport and see how many places you can visit and make note of your favorites. (If it isn’t the Bailey’s Chocolate Lava Cake from Ireland, we need to have a serious discussion.)
Temporarily Unavailable
As capacity continues to increase and guests feel more comfortable traveling again, we are seeing more locations reopen to serve guests. Just recently it was announced the Disney’s Port Orleans - Riverside, Port Orleans - French Quarter, and All-Star Music Resorts would be welcoming guests back by October. Similarly, additional restaurants have reopened such as Tusker House in Animal Kingdom Park, Casey’s in Magic Kingdom Park, Ohana in Disney’s Polynesian Resort, and a newly redesigned Citricos in Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort & Spa. (Fun fact: Citricos is where I worked on the Disney College Program and it has a special place in my heart! I can’t wait to see the reimagined look inspired by the live-action Mary Poppins film.) However, there are still some attractions, resorts, and restaurants that are temporarily unavailable. These will usually be labeled as such in the Walt Disney World app and MyDisneyExperience.com where you can check menus, wait times, and mobile order your food from many quick-service locations.
Character Meet & Greets
I understand that for many being able to hug your favorite character is a part of the overall Disney experience. However, I personally prefer the new interactions far more. There is something really fun about the “surprise and delight” moment of seeing a character just throughout the parks. Whether it be part of the fun new cavalcades or an individual spot, these allow guests to witness more personality of their favorite characters and no waiting lines! I mean how cute it is to see Winnie the Pooh with a butterfly net just playing in a grassy area of Epcot? Or Goofy and Max pretending to fish? Or Merida riding a real-life Angus!? Change doesn’t have to have a negative connotation. These are pretty great!
Character dining has also returned to a number of restaurants like Chef Mickey’s, Topolino’s breakfast, and Tusker House. While they won’t walk up to your table for a hug or an autograph, they do a great job of posing in the back of your selfie camera. They still provide a lot of entertainment to your dining experience and it is part of the Disney experience.
As I mentioned, a lot has changed at Disney World since reopening — especially over the last month. July 2020 looked different compared to July 2021, and I’m confident things will look different in the next 6-12 months. One of the big perks about working with a travel agent specializing in Disney destinations is that we are notified of all Disney news and updates (not the rumors that float through social media and personal blogs.) My customized itineraries always include the latest restaurant and attraction re-openings and my recommendations for where to go! Best of all, it is completely free to work with us as long as we book the vacation package. Contact us today for a free vacation quote and let’s get planning!
