A Return to the Magic!

My beloved Disney World is open again–albeit with massive changes. Still, I found so many things I loved (and I few I didn’t!) that I wanted to share with you! Read on for my thoughts on revisiting during this time!

Things I LOVED:

1. Just being back! Honestly, I was so happy to see my favorite place on earth just OPEN! And it was obvious many other people felt the same!
2. The new pop up character cavalcades! Even though you can’t get hugs and autographs right now you can still see the characters and even interact with them! This was an awesome addition to our visit. We saw all kinds of characters—on floats, on boats, on horses, or just standing on balconies. All of them were very engaged and interacting with guests! I think I like this offering more than the “old” parades. I didn’t have to stake out a spot ahead of time, and they happened multiple times per day rather than just once. Here’s one of the seven different floats that were sailing around Animal Kingdom. There was a new one about every 15 minutes! (Sorry the video below is so HUGE! I can’t figure out how to shrink it! HA HA!)

3. The ability to just go with the flow! I’m sure this sounds a little crazy coming from someone who writes detailed Disney touring plans for a living! But the change of pace was really delightful. If I saw something I wanted to do, I just went and did it. I didn’t have to criss-cross the park to ride headliners first, I didn’t have to watch for Fast Pass return windows, and I could arrive any time during the day and not worry about the crowds!
4. Low wait times–like the lowest I have ever seen! This is really a part of “going with the flow” above but I have to point out just how much I loved the short wait times. I did not wait over 10 minutes for anything. Just how great were the wait time? Here’s my favorite!!

5. I got to experience several new things! Even though many of Disney’s current projects are going to be delayed, there were still a few new opportunities for me to enjoy! My two favorites? Riding Mickey and Minnie’s Runaway Railway at Hollywood Studios (ADORABLE!), and eating at the new Regal Eagle Smokehouse in EPCOT (yum!). So even if you are a frequent visitor, there are still many new things for you to experience right now!

Aaaaand, a few things I DIDN’T LOVE:

1. The masks! Are you surprised? I’m not going to lie–they were HOT and a hassle. Cast Members were very vigilant about reminding people to wear them correctly (which is good), but it got a little annoying. Still, it was the requirement to be there so I came to terms with it!!
2. I couldn’t see anyone smile. This really ties into #1 but I want to point it out as it was such a loss for me. I hated not being able to see people smile! There is always so much joy in Disney World and I love watching kids smile at characters, parents smile at kids, and Cast Members smile at guests. With the masks on I just couldn’t see those special moments. Plus, without being able to see the facial expressions of the Cast Members I always felt like I was being watched or monitored for mask compliance. In all reality they were probably smiling at me–but coupled with all of the mask reminders it didn’t feel like it.
3. The castle paint job. I’m sorry to say it, but I don’t like the new paint job. I know it’s supposed to be a special makeover for the upcoming 50th but I don’t get it? I think the pink looks more like a flesh tone. And it’s not symmetrical, which for some reason REALLY bothers me! HA HA! Obviously, this isn’t a national crisis. But it really bummed me out.
4. No dining plan, fast passes, or fireworks. These are pretty big thing to be missing. I LOVE the dining plans so having to pay out of pocket at restaurants (gasp!) felt like a big bummer. I realize that I pay for dining when on a dining plan, but there is something great about just tapping your magic band and the bill is taken care of! Plus, I don’t have to worry about what I order or the prices of things. This trip, I found myself much more conscious of what I was ordering and how much it cost (my husband says that is probably not a bad thing! HA HA!). With the lines being so short I didn’t really miss Fast Pass access, but I did miss knowing that I had “reservations” at my favorite attractions! The loss of evening entertainment was probably the most disappointing of all of these changes. I adore the fireworks at Magic Kingdom and it was sad to end the day without them. I do understand why they aren’t operating right now and I am hopeful they will be back soon!

Still, when it is all said and done I had a FANTASTIC time and felt very safe. Disney has implemented a ton of new strategies to ensure guests are protected. Temperatures are taken as you enter the park, there are social distancing signs everywhere, tons of hand sanitizer is available, plexiglass dividers have been added on rides, buses, and in stores, and each party is given their own ride vehicle so you aren’t sitting with strangers. I was very comfortable in the parks and wouldn’t hesitate to go back (in fact, I’ll be back in two weeks!).

What about you? Are you ready for a return to the magic?! Disney is offering some great deals through the end of 2020 (and I anticipate some coming for 2021). When you are ready to travel again, I am ready to help you make it happen! Feel free to reach out any time!

Want to read about our family’s trip to the re-opened Universal Orlando? You can find it here!