With the pandemic looming over the shoulder of every American, going on vacation seems to be the last thing on everyone’s minds. However, after much debate and research, my family and I decided to visit Walt Disney World and saw first-hand how a major theme park is handling safety during the pandemic.
Before making our trip, we had to first make reservations, which must be made on the Walt Disney World website. If you are staying on property at one of their many themed resorts, have an annual pass, or are a member of the Disney Vacation Club, you are given first access to making reservations. Park hopping to multiple parks on the same day was not allowed at the time, so guests had to reserve which park they wished to go to each day in advance. My family has annual passes and were staying on property at the Wilderness Lodge, so we were able to reserve a day in Epcot and a day in Magic Kingdom.
Upon arriving at the Wilderness Lodge, we proceeded with our virtual check-in. Our room number and digital keys were linked to our Magic Bands. Everything was touchless and virtual, keeping both guests and employees safe. The My Disney Experience app was recommended as our room key, map, time guide and overall assistant during our stay to avoid physical interactions with employees. The app alerted us with a health announcement, listing all the sanitizing and work being done at the resort to keep things clean. Our room had been deep cleaned on multiple occasions and smaller items such as television remotes were in bags labeled clean.
While in the parks, there were a multitude of safety measures put in place to assure health, but still kept things magical. There were no-touch hand sanitizer dispensers at the beginning and exit of all lines. My family never had to use the personal hand sanitizer we brought. Near all hand sanitizers were portable sinks with antibacterial soap for guests to wash their hands. Plexiglass dividers separated each side of the lines, keeping everyone at a safe distance from all sides. Floor markers indicated where standing was allowed. Cast Members were in constant movement; whether it was sanitizing where a guest once stood or reminding everyone to wear their masks at all times, even when sitting. Miniature parades were held hourly, with socially distanced characters waving from Halloween-themed floats. Every 30 minutes, an announcement would play across the park reminding everyone of the rules set in place to keep them safe.
Before leaving for this trip, I was wary. I was nervous about crowds, cleanliness and the “mask relief stations.” Mask relief stations were located in various areas around the park and allowed guests to take off their masks for a short period of time while keeping 10 feet apart. While in the Magic Kingdom, my family and I took advantage of the area in Tomorrowland to get out of the heat and cool off in air conditioning without wearing masks. Other than the Cast Members, we were the only people there. The attendants escorted us to a table that had been cleansed and instructed us to stay 10 feet away from everyone at all times while there. We were only there for 15 minutes, but it was a much needed break and I felt completely safe.
