I was sitting on the couch Thursday morning when my partner asked if I wanted to go to Disney World. I asked when he would like to go, and he said, “Today.” My initial reaction was OF COURSE! My second reaction included a wave of questions about cost and safety. We crunched the numbers and realized we would only spend about $600 out-of-pocket for a long weekend trip. After questioning whether it was safe to go, we decided it was going to be now or never (or at least for a long, long time). We bit the bullet and booked everything. After finalizing our park pass reservations, we looked at each other with a mix of excitement and horror. What did we just do?!
Here are our big take-aways from our last minute WDW trip during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Flights
This will undoubtedly be the most nerve-wracking part of the entire trip. Your experience will depend on two factors: if the airport is busy and if the flight is full.
We only had two hours before we had to leave for the airport. We opted to pack light and only bring things that fit in our backpacks. Included inside were disinfectant wipes, travel-sized hand sanitizer, reusable cloth masks, one-time use medical paper masks, and tissues.
When we arrived at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International airport we encountered very few people. Everyone was wearing a mask and, for the most part, adhered to social distancing guidelines. When we got to our gate, our nerves began to build. Were we really about to get into an enclosed space with strangers for three hours? We were surprised to find the first leg of our flight only at about half capacity. We ended up sitting by ourselves with only a couple in front of us and one man behind us. We chose to sit in the window and middle seat to give us more distance between ourselves and guests moving up and down the aisle. After landing in Dallas-Ft. Worth, we walked to our connecting flight.
The Dallas airport was nothing like the Minneapolis airport. Most people weren’t social distancing, and there were some who weren’t wearing their masks properly. After doing our best at adhering to the guidelines and weaving through groups of people who’s noses were peeking out of their mask, we found a quiet corner to sit down, washed our hands, and unmasked to drink some water.
Our flight from Dallas to Orlando was much fuller than the first flight. My partner and I were separated. I was lucky and sat in a row with an empty middle seat. Mask compliance on both flights were hit and miss. Many masks didn’t fit properly, or were simply pulled off until a flight attendant walked by.
Long story short, if you have a flight that allows travelers to be spread out, you will feel safer. In hindsight, a direct flight would have been preferred. Try to avoid connecting flights if you can.
Car Rentals
We landed in Orlando, and got off the plane. We made a bee line for the restroom where we washed our hands with soap and hot water and scrubbed for at least 30 seconds. Afterwards we made our way to the car rental counter, where we were greeted with a long, slow moving line. Every time we saw someone go up to the counter, we noticed they became angry after their interaction with the clerk. Granted, it was 1:00 am and we were all running on fumes, but it was strange all the same.
I walk up, and I can just tell that the woman working the counter is over it. I say hello and decide that whatever is causing others to get angry, I’m just gonna let it roll off my back.
I ask her how she’s doing, and she says she has been better. I ask if everything is okay. And she says, “Well, I got to work this evening and there were no rental cars in the garage.” Zero. So...instead of giving out cars, she was giving out the only thing she could, which was 15-person passenger vans.
Maybe it was lack of sleep or the stress I felt from flying during COVID, but all I did was laugh. I told her that as long as it worked and had all four wheels, we will take it. Those poor humans behind us had no clue what was waiting for them.
We get to the garage and see the thing. It’s gigantic. My partner and I cannot believe it. It’s the strangest way a Disney trip has ever started. If this is a sign of things to come, I couldn't wait to see what will happen next. The entire van ride to the hotel was spent talking about how we should trick out the van and start a competing Lyft service around Disney. I’m talking TV, mini bar, snacks. Concierge service for those who pay extra per mile, which includes a bathrobe, complimentary Mickey Bars, and free WiFi.
In the end, we were glad that we had our own transportation. This allowed us to avoid the Magical Express and public transportation. While we had to pay for the rental and parking at Disney, we saved money elsewhere by staying off property.
Hotels
As of now, there is no real benefit to staying onsite at WDW. You don't get extra magic hours and FastPasses are currently unavailable, meaning you don't get any perks that give you an advantage over offsite guests. We opted to stay at a Hilton hotel just minutes from Disney World using points. So while we paid more for transportation, that cost was nothing compared to a rack rate room onsite at Disney.
We arrived at the hotel around 2:00 am. The bonus to arriving in the middle of the night meant we didn’t encounter anyone in the parking lot, lobby, or hallways. We checked in online, selected a room on the first floor to avoid having to use the elevator, and used a digital key to access our room.
The hotel door was marked with an unbroken seal that guaranteed a deep clean. After we set our bags down, we used some disinfectant wipes to do some additional cleaning on high touch surfaces such as door knobs, switches, the tv remote, etc. This added an extra level of comfort for us. The room was exceptionally clean and were pleased to hardly see another guest during the entirety of our stay
When it comes to accommodations, staying offsite will definitely save you money and allow you to spend more for your own transportation.
Day 1: EPCOT
We woke up and grabbed us some breakfast. Around 12:30 pm, we made our way over to EPCOT.
We arrive at EPCOT’s main gate and paid for standard parking. We follow the signs, and to our surprise we are parked at the very front of the first lot around 12:45 pm. We saw other guests trickling in toward the white tents pitched in front of the ticket booths. As we approached, we noticed cast members taking every guest’s temperature. We got through quickly with no issues. There was no line at either security or the tapstiles to enter the park.
The very first thing we noticed (besides all of the construction walls), was how few people were at the park. We know they were limiting the number of guests each day, but the lack of guests almost felt as if it was taken to the extreme. There were moments during the first part of the day where we didn’t see another person for minutes. It was surreal.
We rode every attraction at least once, with the longest wait being about 20 minutes for Frozen Ever After. The Taste of EPCOT Food & Wine Festival booths were exceptional. We managed to visit most of the booths during our 8-hour visit, and only had to wait in line a handful of times.
Most attraction lines appear longer than they actually are simply because of the 6ft social distance markers placed throughout the queues. We found that with the FastPass line closed to guests, the standby line moved quickly and continuously. Because of this, we had time to really explore every nook and cranny of the park. This visit allowed us to experience our very first viewing of Awesome Planet in the Land Pavilion and Reflections of China in the China Pavilion (both of which were excellent and a great way to take a break from the heat).
By 4:00 pm, crowds began picking up, particularly around World Showcase. Even so, social distancing was easy to maintain with such broad thoroughfares. Mask compliance was nearly 100%, with a few individuals eating and drinking while on the move (Disney is asking guests to eat and drink while social distanced and stationary).
We left EPCOT around 8:45 pm. We were pleasantly surprised by how relaxed our first day was. The low crowds and ample space allowed us to forget for just a few hours that we were in a pandemic. We headed back to the hotel and went to bed early to prepare ourselves for another full day at Disney.
Day 2: Magic Kingdom
We left the hotel around 8:30 am for the Transportation and Ticket Center. About halfway to the parking lot, my partner realized he left his magic band at the hotel, we decided to just pick up an entry card for him at the ticket booths. This time we opted to pay for the preferred parking. This was a smart decision, as it brought us as close as you could possibly get the monorail station and ferry boats.
We immediately noticed that there were more people in the parking lot than yesterday. We immediately heightened our sense of awareness, keeping a decent distance from the guests in front of us and moving to the side if guests got too close behind us. While the average guest might not mind if someone stands too close to them, we opted to practice caution and made additional space between us and other guests whenever we felt our personal space was being invaded. While this requires a bit of patience, we didn’t have to do this too often. Our temperatures were scanned and our bags were checked before we decided to take the Ferry Boat over to the Magic Kingdom.
This was our first time traveling by boat, and I have to say it was quite pleasant. Social distance markers were placed around the ferry that showed guests where to stand. When the boat docked, we waited patiently on the second floor until all guests were off. It was nice not having anyone behind us, and this meant we could enjoy a nice stroll up to the front entrance.
As we entered Main Street, our first observation was that this park felt significantly more crowded than EPCOT. This didn't bother us so much because we were more keen to play through Sorcerer's of the Magic Kingdom and eat our weight in Dole Whip.
While there were times the park definitely felt crowded, we didn't wait longer than 20 minutes for a single ride. The only attractions we didn't do were Splash Mountain and Pirates of the Caribbean, both of which boasted a 50 minute wait most of the day. While the real wait time was probably less, we have been on both attractions countless times and were happier just wandering around the thoroughfares instead.
One of my favorite new eats was the Spicy Chicken & Waffle Sandwich from Sleep Hollow. If you like sweet, savory, and spicy rolled up in a single, delicious sandwich, look no further than this incredible eat located in Liberty Square.
We also had dinner at Jungle Navigation Co. Ltd. Skipper Canteen. It was our only table service experience at WDW during this trip, and I have to say...WOW! The food was first rate, the service was impeccable, and they used every precaution to keep us safe during our dining experience. That was the first time we ate at a table restaurant since the pandemic started, and we were thoroughly impressed with how they exercised every safety precaution to minimize risk.
Bottom Line
If you are someone who goes to Disney World often, I think you may find WDW to be an interesting and completely new way of touring the parks. If you are someone who is planning to travel for their very first time, wait. Right now guests receive a limited experience. The magic is still there, but it doesn't feel like it did pre-pandemic.
The flight will be the part of the trip that will make you the most nervous. I recommend booking a direct flight with an airline who will not fill the middle seat (if they are even still doing that). If you have the opportunity to drive, do it. You will feel safer.
Sometimes the parks felt crowded. Sometimes they felt completely empty. Sometimes lines look long. Sometimes lines are nonexistent. This is a weird time to be there, but I was impressed with how seriously the vast majority of guests followed safety protocol. You will not see 100% compliance. Be prepared for that. There are some tricky chokepoints in the parks, so be aware of your surroundings and you will be able to maintain social distancing for the vast majority of your visit.
Stay offsite and rent a car. I'm hearing horror stories of bus and skyliner lines. If you can save money on the hotel, use it for your own transportation. You have greater control over when you arrive, and you can drive your car without a mask (it's the simple pleasures in life, right??).
There are great food options still available, but you may need to dig a little deeper with so many great restaurants and quick service establishments still closed. Do your research beforehand and keep and eye out for the best quality options.
Happy riding!
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