Whether you’re a die-hard Disneyworld veteran or about to embark on your first magical trip, things are a little different than usual.
The dreaded coronavirus has affected us all in 2020 and Disney is no exception to this. Planning a Disney trip is a little different from what it used to entail. But that doesn’t mean you won’t still have the most magical time if you follow our simple tips!
Tips for Planning a Disney Trip
While much of Disney is still operational, some experiences and events have been canceled for the foreseeable future due to crowd restrictions or social distancing measures. These measures are expected to be in place until around 2021 as a minimum.
At the time of writing this article, Florida has no quarantine restrictions in place for visitors. But it’s also worth researching your state or country’s mandatory quarantine rules to ensure you’re complying with all the rules.
Otherwise, just follow our easy tips and have your dream Disney trip!
1. Pack Plenty of Masks
It should be obvious and part of the new normality by now, but you’ll need a mask. In fact, we’d recommend taking at least a couple of masks for each day of your trip.
Disney’s guidelines on masks currently state that masks must tie around the ears or behind the head. Neck gaiters, bandanas, and scarves are not permitted as mask alternatives. Everyone aged over two years old must wear a mask.
Their guidelines also state that masks must be made with at least two layers of material, fully cover the nose, and secure under the chin. Costume masks are not allowed. Masks must be worn at all times, including on rides and in queues.
The only time you are excluded from wearing a mask is when eating, drinking, or swimming. We’d suggest finding a variety of masks that are comfortable for you to wear all day long that fit the guideline requirements. Disney even sells their own holiday-themed masks for you to indulge in!
We advise packing so many masks because they’re bound to get dirty or sweaty, as well as wet on the water rides!
2. Get Technology Friendly
Disney has been making a push towards a seamless app experience for a while now so it makes sense they’re bringing it in full force to help streamline your day and make social distancing easier.
The best app for helping you plan your Disney trip is the “My Disney Experience App”. Simply install it onto your smartphone and create an account. You can use it for a bunch of things like your park pass reservations, dining reservations, and more.
Once you arrive, you can also use your My Disney Experience app to do things like order food, make cashless payments within the park, and even unlock your hotel room door. It’s full of useful information like wait times for rides and bus schedules.
The My Disney Experience app works with Disney’s Magicbands. These are a contactless way to enter the theme parks, further aiding social distancing. Don’t worry if you haven’t got one as part of your package, you can buy them online and at Disney Springs.
3. Prioritize Park Passes
We briefly mentioned park passes above, but as one of Disney’s biggest changes, it’s well worth elaborating on.
Disney introduced Park Passes so they could better keep track of who was in which park and when. You’ll still need your standard theme park tickets, but you now also need a park pass to gain entry.
These need to be made in advance. The best way to do this is as soon as you receive your theme park tickets, link them to your My Disney Experience app. You can then use the app to plan out which theme parks you’re visiting on which day of your stay.
We’d advise against leaving it until the day before to organize your park pass reservations. They can fill up rapidly, just like dining reservations at Disney.
As of the time of writing this, you’re only allowed to visit one park per day. Pick between Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Hollywood Studios, and Animal Kingdom and plan your days in advance.
4. Amazing Accommodation
This is true of any time you visit Disney, but maybe even more so now. Perfect accommodation will make your trip even more magical. Nobody enjoys traipsing back and forth miles from the theme park.
But especially when public transport options have been reduced and limited in capacity, this may present more problems than usual. In our humble opinion, the best option is to stay within the resort itself. Disney prides itself on great standards of accommodation, with excellent customer service.
You can save yourself a little cash by booking with someone like Disney Vacation Club. They offer great, affordable accommodation within the Disney resort. You can check out DVC confirmed reservations for rent easily and find the perfect accommodation for your trip.
5. Winner Winner Chicken Dinner
Similarly as for the park pass reservations, the dining reservations will fill up quickly. Not least because capacity will have been reduced to ensure good social distancing between all guests.
You can’t just walk into a Disney restaurant and eat now. You must have a dining reservation. You can book up to 60 days in advance, so make sure to plan out where you’ll be eating ahead of time.
Character dining experiences are still happening at some of the Disney restaurants. However, cast members aren’t allowed to stop at tables for photos and autographs due to social distancing.
Have the Most Magical Time!
Planning a Disney trip can be an exciting adventure, especially with the right tips to guide you. By following these five strategies, you can ensure a magical experience that creates lasting memories. And while you’re enjoying the magic of Disney, don’t forget to explore the works of the top directors all time, whose creativity has inspired countless stories.
We hope our tips for planning a Disney trip help you have the best trip you can have. It’s worth keeping an eye on the Disneyworld site for any updates, as we all know things can change quickly in 2020!
Make sure to check out the rest of our blog for more amazing travel guides.