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Believe it or not, now is the time to visit the Walt Disney World Resort. From the low crowds and amazing discounts to the incredibly heightened safety and sanitation measures put in place, Disney World has created a comfortable and enjoyable Guest experience that, right now, is extremely hard to beat.
So, if you are still on the fence about whether or not you should go back to The Place Where Dreams Come True this year, here are some things to consider.
Crowds and Wait Times at Walt Disney World
If you’ve been on social media recently, what you’ve probably seen are park pictures that include ridiculously long lines and a pretty packed environment. But this could not be further from the truth.
While, yes, it appears that more and more Guests are beginning to return, Disney World theme parks are still held at a 25% capacity limit. According to Disney CEO Bob Chapek, this is due to Disney’s continued adherence to the CDC’s recommended six-feet-apart rule.
That six-foot social distancing rule also explains why the lines appear as long as they do. Remember that each person or group has that six-foot bubble around them. On top of that, the social distancing is implemented on the attractions too, leaving several seats open. This also makes those lines go much faster than anticipated.
From personal experience, this writer can tell you that a 40-minute line for Seven Dwarfs Mine Train at Magic Kingdom wraps around the side of the attraction towards Journey of the Little Mermaid. A 35-minute wait for Frozen Ever After at EPCOT stretches back to the neighboring China pavilion. When the My Disney Experience app showed the wait for Flight of Passage was 75 minutes, I timed my wait to be less than 55. A 45-minute wait for Expedition Everest, also at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, was only 25 minutes.
Long-story-short, the lines are worse than they appear, and can actually offer you a near-walk on opportunity to ride your favorite attractions.
Extra-Magical Discounts
On top of the low crowds and short wait times, Disney World is offering some incredible discounts! Especially for Annual Passholders and Florida residents.
Multi-day tickets can cost as low as $49 a day. Disney Resort Hotels like Disney’s Contemporary Resort and Disney’s Grand Floridian Resort and Spa can be booked for up to 40% off. Annual Passholders can also take advantage of 30% off merchandise.
A More Intimate Magical Experience
This point is much more debatable, but at the end of the day, it’s true. Before the pandemic, days at Disney World theme parks were very scripted. While, yes, we had the shows at Cinderella Castle, meet and greets, and fireworks, but there is a lot more spontaneity to your Disney day.
The character cavalcades come out at unannounced times throughout the day. You’ll have the opportunity to see characters from Winnie the Pooh to Cinderella’s evil step-sisters have very natural and off-the-cuff interactions with Guests–at a safe distance, of course. What this means is that each Disney day automatically becomes unique to the Guests that day. They have a story slightly different than their friends who went yesterday.
Park hopping is also gone for the time being, but that allows you to take your time and appreciate the park you choose and possibly do something completely new with your friends and family. And, all the while, you and your party still have your own personal space.
As time goes on, the Walt Disney World and its theme parks are just going to get busier and busier, the capacity will be increase and the Guest experience will continue to go back to how it was before the pandemic. Prices will go back up and discounts will fade away along with the social distancing.
Take advantage of this special opportunity. Go on that Disney vacation.