July 11th may seem far off, but Walt Disney World will be open before you know it. With all of the excitement of the reopening announcement, you may be left with some questions. Disney has since released important updates on how they will handle upcoming resort, dining and FastPass+ reservations, tours and experiences, certain park operations and more.
For the last few months, we’ve all guessed and discussed what these changes could ultimately be. What will the new Disney theme park experience actually be like? We have a small glimpse into the near future. I’ve gathered all the information we currently know about the Vacation Kingdom of the World‘s reopening. Let’s take a look.
Theme Parks Reopen July 11th & 15th
Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom will be the first two parks to welcome guests back, on Saturday, July 11th. EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios will open a few days later on Wednesday, July 15th.
Parades and nighttime spectaculars likely won’t be happening for a while.
Park hours have been reduced. Disney has posted all four parks operating schedules through October; parks closing as early as 6 or 7PM seems to be the new norm. EPCOT will also open later at 11AM, rather than 9AM.
Disney is taking their reopening very seriously, and they want you to as well. This message on WDW’s homepage warns all guests of the potential dangers awaiting them:
General park operation will be very different as well:
- To enter a theme park, both a park reservation and valid admission for the same park on the same date is required. (No word on park-hopping options just yet.)
- Face coverings are required for ALL guests ages 2 and up.
- Pre-entry temperature screenings are required, these will be conducted with no-touch thermometers.
Water Parks?
No official word on when Blizzard Beach and Typhoon Lagoon will reopen. However, according to WDW’s current posted schedule, both water parks resume operation on July 11th.
We’re still waiting for additional information on the water parks.
Disney Resort Hotels Reopen June-July
Disney Vacation Club Properties and the Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground will begin to reopen to both DVC members and guests on June 22nd. Additionally, Disney Vacation Club properties in Vero Beach, Florida, and Hilton Head, South Carolina, will reopen on June 15th.
Disney originally stated that all other resort hotels would open alongside the first two parks on July 11th, but this has since been removed. Disney has officially confirmed this was in error on their part. Their website now states Disney resort hotels and other offerings may be modified, limited in capacity, and subject to availability or closure.
Plans to support required physical distancing as well as enhanced cleaning measures, along with a number of other safety and cleanliness protocols, will be implemented as part of this planned phased reopening.
Walt Disney World Reservations Update
The early days of parks operation will be extremely limited in capacity. Disney filled in some of the blanks last night on new policies, procedures, and park operations. There are a lot of surprising bits of info:
Let’s break it down. . .
TICKETS & RESORT RESERVATIONS
- Limited park attendance will be managed through a new reservation system on DisneyWorld.com, which will require all guests to make advance reservations for theme park entry.
- New ticket sales and resort hotel reservations are temporarily paused. (Disney Vacation Club members can still make new resort reservations)
- Existing ticket holders and Annual Passholders will be able to make a theme park reservation before new tickets are sold. Additional booking details are coming soon.
DINING & EXPERIENCES
Because of limited capacity and a new reservation system about to launch, all existing dining and experience bookings have been canceled, including all Disney Dining Plans through 2020. Guests will need to obtain a park reservation before attempting to rebook their plans.
- Restaurants and behind-the-scenes tours will be limited in capacity, while other experiences may remain closed.
- Moving forward, a new 60-day booking window for dining reservations will eventually go into effect – instead of the previous 6-month booking window.
FASTPASS+ & EXTRA MAGIC HOURS
Upon reopening, theme parks, Disney Resort hotels, restaurants, attractions, experiences and other offerings may be modified and will be limited in capacity and subject to limited availability or closure, based on direction from health experts and government officials to promote physical distancing.
- FastPass+ service and Extra Magic Hours are temporarily suspended.
- Previous FastPass+ reservations will be automatically canceled.
Additionally, attractions, experiences (such as shows, parades and fireworks), services and amenities may have limited availability or may remain closed for the time being.
Passholder Update
Disney is planning a special Annual Passholder preview before the parks re-open. More info to come – this email was sent to WDW Annual Passholders on Friday, May 29th:
Resort Transportation
We don’t know much yet, but transportation methods such as the Magic Kingdom monorail and Friendship ferryboats will operate on a limited basis for resort guests only.
Disney Springs Is Open
Disney Springs was the property’s first reopening, taking place on May 20th. More and more shopping and dining locales are slowly rejoining the lineup. World of Disney and other Disney-owned shops are now open… and just today, Sephora and Sprinkles Cupcakes reopened.
Here are six key things to know before going to Disney Springs:
- Limited parking and reduced entrances
- Temperature screenings prior to entry
- Face coverings required for Guests ages 2 and up
- Physical distancing practices including physically-distanced queues and physical barriers
- Temporary operation modifications, including reduced hours at select locations and no scheduled entertainment offerings or high-touch interactive areas
- An increased focus on disinfecting and sanitation, including the addition of hand-washing stations and hand sanitizers in key areas
What’s it like at Disney Springs? Check out our first day back!
Disney Springs Back in Business – Our Opening Day Experience!
Tips
As always, and especially now, make sure you download the latest version of the My Disney Experience app. From virtual queues to mobile-ordering and online resort check-in; where you can even enable your phone as a room key! By enabling push-notifications, Disney can quickly update guests on capacity or attraction operations. This app will be even more vital to make the most of your Disney park experience.
Make Future Magic
Theme parks will reopen, and there’s no better time to lock in low rates on future travel. Special comeback rates are now available at some of your favorite theme park hotels – discounted up to $100 off their regular nightly rates.
Our travel partners at Get Away Today are here to help you with your theme park shutdown concerns and rescheduling plans. We know you’re as uncertain about the future as we are. That’s why Get Away Today is offering the most flexible Disney travel options available:
Price Protection – If a better special comes out after you have booked, you’ll get the better deal.
Peace of Mind – Make hotel changes, reschedule dates, drop nights, change ticket vouchers and more, as many times as you’d like for a small, one-time fee.
Layaway Plan – Lock in your 2020 or 2021 Disneyland Resort vacation for just $175 down. By booking early, you secure your availability and have the flexibility to pay as you go. Make as many interest-free payments as you’d like, whenever you’d like, with final payment due just seven days prior to travel.
Give your family something to look forward to:
Visit Get Away Today HERE Or fill out a request form and they’ll call you back: Vacation Information Request Form HERE
Let’s Hear From You
Disney is marching toward a July reopening. And it’s going to be a very different sort of resort experience. The early days of park operation will be a mixed bag of smaller crowds, but shorter hours and closed experiences. Will you be among the first to visit, or will you wait? Let us know your thoughts about theme park reservations, the cancelation of FastPass+ and Disney Dining plans, in the comments below.
