Should I Visit Disney World in 2020?

Walt Disney World is a known destination for family vacations, holiday traditions, honeymoons, birthday celebrations, and more! For some families, it’s an annual trip.  For others, it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity that is sought after and planned years in advance.

One of the most frequently asked questions all Authorized Disney Vacation Planners are currently being asked right now is, should families still move forward with their Walt Disney World vacations in 2020? Unfortunately, the answer is not a one-size-fits-all. It is a personalized decision, and like every other aspect of your Disney vacation, the decision needs to be planned and discussed.

Understanding how the current pandemic might affect each aspect of your previously anticipated vacation might affect your decision on whether you should, or should not, visit Disney Parks and Resorts in 2020. Here are some new changes that need to be considered when planning your next Disney vacation!

Masks

One of the biggest changes we have all experienced in our everyday lives, whether visiting a theme park, grocery store, or place of employment, is wearing a mask. And this is the same when visiting Walt Disney World Parks and Resorts. You must wear properly fitted masks at all times while on Disney property. This will include Disney transportation, Disney Springs, Disney Resorts, and of course, Disney Parks. Also, consider traveling … you will also be required to wear a mask throughout the airport and while on board the plane. So it is very important to understand that you will be spending a lot of time wearing a mask.

Medical Conditions

Do you have underlying medical conditions or does anyone in your traveling party have medication conditions? If so, this is something you should discuss and consult with your primary care provider before traveling. I know many families want to visit the most magical place on earth, but it is also important to be sure your health remains a top priority at all times.

Large Families

Are you planning a family reunion or meeting several other family members on your trip? Holidays are known for large family gatherings at Walt Disney World and there really is nothing more magical than having all of your loved ones together for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Years Eve. However, if this is an annual tradition you have been looking forward to, be aware that parties might be split up to form smaller groups to encourage social distancing on certain rides, transportation will also require a little more effort, and dining might have to be altered as well due to limited capacity.

Home state quarantine laws?

It is important to find out before you travel anywhere if your home state requires a 14-day mandatory quarantine upon returning from a Florida vacation. Many states are requiring this, as well as many places of employment are also requiring either an official memo and/or documentation of self-quarantine. Make sure this is discussed with your employer before traveling so you are not surprised when you return! This could easily be a deciding factor of whether or not you decide to travel this year.

Rides/Attractions

If you are someone who enjoys riding rides all day long and experiencing all the attractions, put on that face mask and go! With limited capacity and low crowds, wait times have been at an all-time low! Guests have been enjoying rides back to back with nearly no wait times! If rides are your thing, now is certainly the perfect time to visit Disney parks!

Park/Resort Hopping

Are you a hopper? If you can’t stay and enjoy one park all day … you will either learn to or you will be miserable. There is no park-hopping and there is no resort hopping. This is definitely a different experience for many Disney enthusiasts, and we are learning to live with it and soak up the most of each park/resort – one day at a time.

Characters

If you have a child who is hoping to meet and greet characters or who dreams of character interaction, visiting Walt Disney World will be a complete disappointment at this current time. Although characters are present all over, all character interaction has been currently suspended. This includes one-on-one photos, hugs, and autographs. However, if you have a child who enjoys seeing characters from a distance, now is a wonderful time for Disney Characters! Not only are characters social distancing themselves, but the characters are also all out in full force! There is an abundance of characters to see old and new! You are sure to see one of your favorites either in a parade, on a boat, driving a car, in a building, and more!

Flexibility

Are you willing to be flexible? With everything that is going on right now, the key to traveling, is the ability to be flexible. Regulations and precautions are changing day by day and if flexibility is something you or someone in your family struggles with, now may be a very difficult time for traveling. Whether it’s what you expected or something totally different, you need to be able to be flexible, willing to accept changes on the fly, and just enjoy the moment for what it is.

It is no surprise that Walt Disney World is not what it used to be. Previous memories of Disney vacations should not be the expectation for a current Disney vacation. There are no parades and firework shows, and if you only have a once in a lifetime opportunity to visit The Happiest Place on Earth, you may want to consider if this is the time to visit Disney Parks and Resorts. Disney offers accommodating services for modifying currently booked trips with no financial penalty. If you do choose to move forward with your plans to visit Walt Disney World, you will quickly see that one thing has remained constant – since the last day Disney was open on March 15, 2020, through the entire pandemic closure to present – the Disney magic has not changed. Although it is not the same as we all remember it, we are busy building new memories full of magic and pixie dust.

“Around here, however, we don’t look backward for very long. We keep moving forward, opening up new doors, and doing new things.” – Walt Disney