Yes, we did take a mini-break weekend at Disney World despite Covid-19 still being around. My husband and I took three teenage girls to The Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. And yes, I can honestly say that it was a relaxing vacation!
Disney World has really not been at the top of my relaxing vacation destination list. For years now we have gone there and I think to myself, “well, maybe I could figure out an angle for a blog…” But no, EVERY OTHER TIME we visited Disney World it has been an absolute stress show!
This year, because of the Covid-19 pandemic, it turned out to be quite relaxing. Don’t get me wrong. There were still a few stressful things – like wearing masks & being scolded by cast members if our masks were not in compliance. However, the lack of people in the parks made the masks absolutely worth it!
In this article I am going to cover some “need-to-know” facts to make the inconveniences more peaceful. I am also going to talk about the places I seek out in both The Magic Kingdom and Animal Kingdom for some much needed chill-out time.
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IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: Neither I as the author of this article, nor Peaceful Living Wellness, can guarantee that you will not contract the Covid-19 virus at any of the Disney parks. This article is an overview of my experience there during September of 2020 at Animal Kingdom and the Magic Kingdom. It does not serve in any way as an indicator that you are safe from contracting Covid-19 during a visit to the Disney World parks in Florida or any of the Disney parks around the world.
COVID-19 THINGS TO KNOW FOR YOUR DISNEY WORLD VISIT
Of course the Covid-19 virus has brought a new-normal to our world. And Disney is not excluded from this. The Disney parks did not get a pass on Covid just because they are the “Happiest Place on Earth” – Someday they need to change that to “places.” – LOL 😉 Here are some, “we wish we had known that” things to help you have a relaxing Disney vacation:
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GENERAL INFORMATION
- You must make a park reservation before you go. Reserve your day as well as buy your tickets in advance. You cannot walk-up and buy tickets on the day of your visit.
- Magic bands only work if you are staying at a resort property. If you are staying outside of the Disney World Resort you do not need your magic band.
MASK RULES
- They are not kidding around about the masks! You must wear your mask at all times, even in the parking lot, unless you are actively eating or drinking. My husband and I were sitting at an outside table in Disney’s Animal Kingdom drinking sodas. And even though we were not anywhere near anyone else a cast member told us to put our masks on unless the bottle was near our mouth.
- The above goes for the kiddos too. Everyone 2 years old or older must wear a mask at all times.
- The masks must cover your nose and chin, as well as your mouth.
- There are “no mask” relaxation zones in all of the parks. Some are outdoors, but we found a repurposed restaurant with AC in Animal Kingdom. Ask any cast member where they are.
- Yes, even though you want the “smell-o-vision” experience on the Avatar ride, you still need to have your mask on.
SECURITY
- Security was different at Animal Kingdom and Magic Kingdom. At Animal Kingdom they were not checking through bags unless you set-off the metal detector. But, they were checking them at Magic Kingdom.
- They are no longer having people use their fingerprint to enter.
- You will need to have your temperature taken before entering the park. It’s easy: you just quickly walk up to the person and they run a thermometer in front of your forehead.
FOOD
- Getting food is actually one of the more stressful parts of the Disney experience right now. For a relaxing vacation, I suggest bringing snacks with you into the parks.
- Make sure you have the My Disney Experience app on your phone. You are going to need it to get food.
- Many of the restaurants – both walk-up and sit-down – are closed. Use your My Disney Experience app to find out which restaurants are open in which parks. For example, there was NOTHING open until 11:00 AM in Animal Kingdom except for a coffee place in Asia that served donuts.
- If you want to eat at a sit-down restaurant in any of the parks, or at Disney Springs, you MUST HAVE A RESERVATION. Let’s just say that we learned this lesson the hard way.
- The walk-up restaurants are functioning fairly efficiently. But, you must order in advance on the app. You place your order and pay through the app. Then when you are ready to go eat use the app to tell them that you are arriving. You will still have to wait outside for the app to tell you that your food is ready. But, it does not take very long once you let them know that you are ready.
- Very few of the food kiosks are open. If your kiddos are looking forward to that special pretzel they sell in Frontierland, it’s most likely not going to be available. Let your kids know in advance about this.
ON TO THE RELAXING VACATION PART!
Now that you know some of the ins & outs of the “new normal” for Disney World, let’s get on to the good stuff!
SHORT LINES & SMALL GROUPS & SOCIAL DISTANCING – YAHOO!
Short lines, social distancing and far fewer people created a truly fun and relaxing vacation at Disney World Florida on this visit. My husband and I are originally from Southern California. We were remarking on how the Magic Kingdom reminded us of our visits to Disneyland as kids in the 1970s and ‘80s. It was truly pleasant despite the masks.
As of the time of this writing, September 2020, none of the Disney parks were using fast-passes. But, don’t worry, you do not need them! The lines are super short. With the exception of the Na’vi River Journey ride in Animal Kingdom, even when the “Stand-By” time said 20 or 30 minutes, the line took far less time.
Instead of extra-large groups of people wearing matching shirts pushing their way ahead of you in line, we witnessed small families and couples strolling leisurely and never coming near one-another. It was truly lovely.
MY FAVORITE PEACEFUL PLACES TO TAKE A BREAK
One of the lovely things about the Disney parks is that they all have water features where you can sit and relax, take a break and rest your feet. I like to hang out in Asia and sip an iced chai latte by Joffrey’s Coffee and Tea Company or a cold soda at The Thirsty River Bar & Trek Snacks
In the Magic Kingdom one of my favorite places to relax has always been Tom Sawyer’s Island. I used to love to go over there at Disneyland as a child and pretend that I was Becky Thatcher hanging out with Tom by the river! These days, in Florida, there is a nice little snack shop that has tables and chairs as well as nicely placed rocking chairs at various locations around the island.
The other perfect place to relax, often in the shade, is right on the river in Frontierland. They removed the benches along the boardwalk, but in non-Covid times I like to go sit on the benches across from The Country Bear Jamboree – which, by-the-way, is another one of my favorite things to do to get off my feet and into some AC! You can still sit lean, or sit on the siding, on the boardwalk if you need a short break.
COVID-19 ERA RELAXATION STATION/ NO-MASK ZONES
In Animal Kingdom there are several different areas with tables and chairs that you can rest by the Discovery River. Right now there is a Relaxation Station in between Asia and Africa and one on Discovery Island. There is also the air-conditioned repurposed restaurant as you enter Pandora The World of Avatar.
The official Relaxation Stations (no-mask zones) are a bit far-flung in the Magic Kingdom. There is one in Adventureland, one in Tomorrowland (we couldn’t find either) and one way out in the far reaches of Fantasy Land (we didn’t even try).
HAVE FUN, RELAX AND ENJOY THE DISNEY PARKS
As long as Disney is still curtailing the number of people allowed in the parks, a trip to the Walt Disney World Resort definitely qualifies as a relaxing vacation destination. Take the opportunity to have fun, stroll around the parks and enjoy the short lines.
But, by all means, take a mask break at one of the relaxation stations! It will help your visit to be much more pleasant!
To Your Peaceful Living Travel Fun!
Jen
