Many of us are forming our own opinions right now, especially when it comes to what the “new normal” will look like once this is all over.
Toy Story Land at Hollywood Studios
That’s why we recently reached out to our followers on instagram and asked if they would feel comfortable going to Disney World right away once it reopens.
The results were very interesting.
Of the 752 responses we received in the first 10 minutes, 495 of you said emphatically, YES!!! In fact, many of you even said you’d be at rope drop the day the parks reopened (don’t worry — we won’t hold you to it)!
But 194 readers said NO WAY!!! And 63 people said IT DEPENDS. BEHOLD, our gorgeous pie chart making SKILLZ…
Pie Chart of Our Readers’ Responses When Asked If They Would Go to Disney World As Soon As It Reopens
And as we’d hoped, many of you gave us reasons for your answers that we feel are important to discuss.
“Yes, Because Disney is a Safe Place.”
The overwhelming majority of responses we received were positive. Many of you truly feel Disney World will only reopen when it is safe and they’ll be taking proper precautions to protect all guests and Cast Members.
Yes. It’s Totally Safe. We’re All In.
Several people speculated how “extra clean” the already very well kept parks will be when they reopen. Some noted also that Disney already holds itself to a very high standard.
One of our readers summed up their opinion by saying, “They wouldn’t reopen if it was only ‘kinda safe.’ They’ll be 100% ready.” Another reader commented, “We already rescheduled our trip for mid-June.”
Main Street, U.S.A.
Before the parks closed, Disney World had already implemented many changes, including additional hand wash stations and stricter sanitation practices.
Fantasyland hand-washing station
Most likely, these improvements will remain in place when the parks reopen — and there will probably be an abundance of new operational enhancements added as well.
Read more about the new features that were added to the My Disney Experience app before the parks closed here!
Entering Magic Kingdom
But while many responders were 100% in, others were…concerned.
I’ll Go…But I Won’t Bring Kids Or Anyone Who’s Immunocompromised
Some of our readers said yes, they most certainly would be going by themselves, but they wouldn’t feel comfortable bringing their small children or elderly parents quite yet.
Others told us while they felt comfortable going to the parks, they would be trying to avoid heavy crowd areas such as popular parade spots and firework viewing areas, assuming those were to resume right away.
Festival of Fantasy Parade
Many of you who answered yes also seemed to think the parks might not be very crowded, at least initially. It’s kind of ironic because many of our readers who responded “no” seemed to think otherwise!
“My Heart Would Say “Go!” But My Head Would Say “No!”
Even though over half of the readers would choose to go to Disney World when it reopens, a large portion of you said you’d be too worried to hurry back right away.
Crowds are a Concern
Many of you felt the parks would be overcrowded when they reopened, flooded with people needing an escape from the reality we’ve all been dealing with.
Mickey & Minnie’s Runaway Railway
Some of you also predicted Annual Passholders might be especially anxious to get back in and use their passes that have been burning a hole in their pockets!
Click here to see the updated refund and extension options for Disney World Annual Passholders here!
We’ll Go Eventually, But We Want To Wait And See
We heard from a lot of readers that although they wouldn’t necessarily go “right away,” they would probably feel better about going a week or two after the parks reopened to see how things played out first.
Mickey Shorts Theater
Travel Concerns and Exposure To Others Are An Issue
A large portion of our “no” people even said while they thought the Disney parks themselves would be safe and clean, they were more worried about getting exposed to something on an airplane.
One of our readers even said, “I don’t think I’ll be comfortable in crowds ever again.” Another reader wrote, “I don’t think it’ll be normal right away and will feel weird.”
Disney’s Animal Kingdom
Some of you were concerned about being too close to other people while waiting in lines. Sometimes folks are “herded” or “packed into” confined spaces by Cast Members for rides like the Haunted Mansion or before performances start. We anticipate Disney will have have to change some of the ways they operate for many people to feel truly safe again.
Spaceship Earth
Disney May Have Phased or Limited Capacity Openings, And Budget Might Be An Issue
Other readers speculated the parks might not open fully, at least not right away, and that an expensive trip to Disney World isn’t in the budget — especially without being able to experience everything as it normally is.
Cinderella Castle and Main Street USA in Disney World
With a recession on the heels of an already difficult economic situation for many, the thought of dropping thousands of dollars on a vacation where you can’t ride certain rides or go to restaurants normally seems ridiculous. This may or may not happen, but it’s definitely something our readers are taking into consideration as they make their decisions about returning to the parks.
Click Here To See How Disney World Could Be Very DIFFERENT When It Reopens
What Will People Think?
A reader even commented that they felt there might be a stigma associated with going to the parks too soon if the general population was still fearful of large public gatherings. I think this is an especially interesting consideration, as we’ve seen how social psychology has played out so far throughout this crisis.
“It Depends on the State of the Pandemic.”
And while only 8% of you answered maybe, it’s clear to us that many people are assessing this situation day-by-day. Some of you folks at home didn’t feel comfortable saying one way or another, because Disney hasn’t given us a timeframe for when the parks will be reopening. They’re just closed “until further notice” which means until they’re fully comfortable opening the parks. Which could be weeks or possibly several months.
Festival of Fantasy Parade
What we DO know is they’ve just furloughed all of their non-essential Cast Members, which means they’re anticipating a rather lengthy closure. Also, Disney World Resort hotels aren’t accepting new reservations until after June 1st, which may be an indication of when they anticipate being able to reopen in some capacity.
Some of you thought there might even be a vaccine available by the time the parks reopen and if so, that would make you feel very safe.
We, along with many of you, assume that Disney will be continuing to follow the recommendations of the CDC as well as the advice of local and federal government officials — opening parks only when it is safe and “legal” for them to do so.
But know that YOUR perspective affects Disney’s decisions as well. Crowd mentality is a HUGE component of marketing decisions for all major companies, so how you react will play into the future of the parks in a big way.
Mickey Mouse
As for us, we’re certainly excited to see Disney World again; but we’re also anxious to see how they’ll be keeping guests (and our staff here at DFB!) safe when they reopen.
But we want to know in the comments — what do YOU think? Will you be first in line in at the gates on reopening day? Or will you plan to wait and see for a few days, weeks, or even months, before you return to the Most Magical Place on Earth? Let us know!
If your trip was impacted by the closures, click here for more information on rebooking or canceling your visit to Disney World — we have a step-by-step guide for ya!
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WE KNOW DISNEY.
YOU CAN, TOO.
Missed your chance to cast your vote? Tell us if you’d feel comfortable going to Disney World the first day it reopens in the comments below and why!
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I have a two holiday booked for November, I’m hoping by then the parks will be open. I can’t wait to be there 😊
I love going to WDW and look forward to going back — someday. One of my concerns even before this was that because of Disney’s cancellation policies, people tend to go there even when they are sick. It’s an expensive holiday that people plan for months/years in advance and few people would cancel hoping that maybe the symptoms they have or had a few days back was “nothing” or a “24 hour bug.” Everyone I know who has made multiple trips to Disney has a story of someone picking up a virus while there.
As much as I would love to go back, I will hold off for now. I need the Disney magic right about now, but I am not ready to commit to a non-refundable vacation until we know more.
Until they get an understanding of virus transmissability, acquired immunities, as well as advances in therapies and/or vaccines, large gatherings like a trip to Disney World are going to be on hold.
We have a vacation booked for June 1 to June 6. My family is split on whether we think it will actually happen or not… I guess only time will tell. What I can tell you is, when Disney opens we will be there!!!
My Disney land trip I believe is canceled in the end of May, but I haven’t bought my stuff yet. My aunt has to cancel our room outside of Disneyland. I wouldn’t go only because I live so far from both parks and would want to experience everything not just some. We are going week by week with our October Disney world trip. Hopefully things aren’t crazy. It will be all of ours first time and we have been planning for almost 2 years now.
For an international traveller like me, my travel insurance wouldnt cover me now for COVID-19 so I would have to be absolutely sure it’s not a risk anymore! If myself or my husband caught it over there and were hospitalised we would be bankrupted! Not worth the risk in that regard.
Have had our trip scheduled since last Sept for this coming Sept. As of now we are still planning to go. The scariest part is the flight. I NEED my Disney fix:) We will be as smart as we know how to and we will have trust in Disney to know what’s best.
Im torn over this. I had a trip planned for September and actually last left WDW on March 12th as all of this was going down, but I don’t know when it will be safe to visit. In the final days before the park closed, people were crowding closely together, coughing without covering their mouth, not washing their hands in the bathroom, and it felt like there was this air of “I’m at Disney, I’m safe”. Thats my concern, that people will ignore guidelines from health officials, will not wash hands and wear masks, and will crowd into the parks even more than before.
I still hope I can go in September but if I don’t feel the parks and more importantly the people are taking this seriously I will push the trip back until I feel safe.
Our family visits DW about 3-5 times each year as we live only 4 hours away. In so saying, I’ve never been sicker in my life than the night before the 40th anniversary and the day before the Wine & Dine half marathon while staying at SS and visiting the various parks days before. Threw up seven times that night … couldn’t walk the next morning, much less “run”.
However, that hasn’t stopped us from returning, and gave me a better perspective on washing hands, not touching surfaces, cleaning our room ourselves, and staying away from rides and events with packed crowds. Disney does a fair job of cleaning, but I’ve definitely noticed less cast members and staff “cleaning” than before 2009 … that will probably change when DW and DL reopens … we’ll probably see staff wiping down everything for at least a few months and years after this crisis.
Bottom line, they won’t reopen the parks until there’s a medication or vaccine for Covid-19 that reduces the likely hood of severe respiratory illnesses or pneumonia. Quite possibly, only those that may be able to return at all are those who have tested positive for Covid-19 and have acquired immunity, or who have had a vaccine.
My husband and I are both in our mid-50s. Our next trip to WDW is in November, and we will go if WDW is open. As others have said, Disney doesn’t “kinda” do anything. They will be even cleaner than before.
We just went to Walt Disney world in January 2020 and my son was a recipient of the Make-A-Wish (he had a brain tumor and he was 4 years old) foundation from New Jersey we had a wonderful time with him and all his siblings without a doubt we would return it was the best time of our lives.
We had a vacation planned for the 1st week of June but have reschedules for Feb. 2021 (Mardi gras) and can’t wait. I’m sure Disney is going over and above with making sure everything is cleaned and sanitized before opening. I always bring Lysol spray when we visit Disney or any other location and spray things down daily so that helps.
I feel Disney will do all it can to keep visitors and cast members safe. It is up to all of us to follow protocol ! Wash hands, cover our coughs, stay in when sick even the flu is passed in these ways! I would feel safe going to the parks, and hopefully a vaccine can be found just as a flu shot is taken every year! I pray for Disney !
We too love Disney and all they stand for. We will be back as soon as we can!
There is such happiness there and we all can use a bit of that now!
We have a trip scheduled for July. Not sure right now if we will actually go or cancel. Taking it one day at a time.
I do not believe DW or DL will reopen this year. Until there is a true vaccine that has been tested and works, Disney cannot take a chance on their workers getting this virus from visitors which could become workers comp claims or death and paying out life insurance policies. Insurance companies will raise rates due to likelihood of contracting virus. Travel insurance companies will most likely not cover this virus due to potential of large numbers of claims. Employees who have health issues would be in jeopardy on a daily basis. It has not yet been verified by scientists that you cannot get the virus a second time. My family has a trip planned in August and we will not be risking our health. Too many people have ignored warnings and shelter in place. These same people visit them parks. This is not just a surface virus. It is an airborne virus.
My husband and I would not attempt to visit the Parks until 2021. You have alot of inconsiderate people that would go even though they are feeling ill, why expose yourself to that.
This is exactly why we’re going to see a COVID-20.
The Grover meant and companies are in a rush to make money and People are in such a rush for self indulgence. And all of this will happen before we even get a proper vaccine.
So both business and consumer will be given the go ahead before it truly is “100% safe”. (And yes, nothing is ever 100% but when it comes to something like this specific virus then even 80% safe can be catastrophic. Even survivors are damaging their respiratory systems and going through immense pain when recovering so this is to be treated as a bigger deal than a hurricane that we wait to pass. This is life altering. )
My family trip is all booked for mid July and we can’t wait to get back to our most favorite place in the world
No trip, no matter how “magical “, is worth risking my health with a virus people know nothing about. We’ll wait until coronavirus makes it’s exit before we make our entrance into any place that’s crowded with thousands of people from all over the world! 😮
I dont know there are somethings I would like to see Disney implement before returning. They can offer mask do virtual lines limited the amount of people in their parks. Space restaurant seating further apart . Its not Disney the problem its the people who dont tske covid19 serious enough. So Disney as it stands no would not go with sme changes like virtual lines online odering of meals and pickup with further spacing of tables workers with proper gear to protect yes i would go. The Disney i have visited at least 6x before no
Booked on the Magic out of NY in Oct to Canada, Sure hope we’re going….
People seem to have a lot of misplaced faith in a giant profit-driven corporation. They will open as soon as they are allowed because they are hemorrhaging billions of dollars…whether it is safe or not. We won’t be back for quite a while and are considering selling our DVC.
I have a trip booked for mid July.. Even a 4 day cruise on the Dream.. If they are open I’ll be there!
My husband and I have had FL passes for 3 yrs now and love going in the fall and winter months because it’s cooler but we are both 70 now and I have very bad asthma so we’re terrified to go. It’s not that the parks themselves won’t be kept sanitized enough it’s other people coming to the parks, there are a lot of people that just don’t care wether they’re sick or not they will go anyway especially if they’ve bought tickets that can’t be exchanged or have passes they pay for every month. If everyone that came in were required to bring their own mask and wear it at all times except when eating and if they had to wash their hands or us sanitizer right before going on every ride maybe I’d feel safer with the situation. Until we have an absolute antidote for this virus it would be too risky for us.
I’m a Disneyland AP, and I think our Governor here in California will take a fairly cautious approach to the re-emergence of the public to our new normal. Based on that, I feel relatively confident that he won’t allow places like Disneyland to reopen prematurely or even possibly without stipulations. I definitely wouldn’t go the first day back, but at some point we have to be able to go back to enjoying our life in this new normal.
I’m a WDW AP that lives in Florida. I will absolutely be there when they open!
Please be aware that by simply contracting and surviving Covid-19 does not guarantee anyone immunity.
It is a type of viral influenza, that, like most other influenza, can be caught more than once. There my be a vaccine eventually, but even the flu vaccines already available have trouble keeping up with the several new and emerging strains that exist.
I’m disappointed by how irresponsible a lot of the readers at DFB are, and while I know it’s not the DFB staff’s job to tell anyone what to do, I’m also a little disappointed that there isn’t more discussion about the responsibility we all have as citizens, neighbors, friends, and Disney family to keep one another safe by social distancing and staying at home. I would like to believe Disney will wait to reopen at a time where this is under control and no longer the immeasurable threat that it is currently, but we don’t know what the future holds for the war between economic decline and public health, so there’s always a chance it will reopen while this still poses a risk to many people.
The amount of people who are citing Disney’s cleanliness as a reason to feel safe at the parks are misinformed at best. Disney could be clean, they could have measures in place, but what’s to stop someone from coughing near you? A child from sneezing into their hand and then touching the railing you’re about to absentmindedly put your hand on out of habit? There are no measures any company could take to keep you 100% safe. There are no measures any company could take to be certain you are not asymptomatically spreading disease to others. You are putting yourself, your friends, your family, cast members, and strangers at risk. This is not only effecting people of a certain age or health. Perfectly healthy people in their 20’s are dying. All age groups are being hit by this. Please think responsibly. Please do your part by staying at home until this is behind us.
The only answer to this question should be “yes, if the pandemic has been managed to the point where returning to daily life is no longer a threat to hundreds of thousands of people and the health care system.”
Save lives. Stay at home.
We actually had a trip planned in May that had to be rescheduled for next yr. I wouldn’t be worried if it was the day it reopened though because i believe in how well Disney maintains their parks & have the utmost faith that Disney will go above & beyond as always.
I just wish they would limit the amount of tickets/day! A 3 HR wait per ride after paying what they charge (and may be charging more for) is not really fair to the consumer & now certainly won’t promote social distancing
We booked for Christmas this year back in December, travelling from the UK. Realistically, I think our trip is in question. The main issue is our travel insurance, which our insurer says does not cover anything related to Covid-19. The second factor is whether the parks will be fully open or running with restrictions – our trip (mine and wife’s second, and our 8yo son’s first) will be setting us back around £10k and I’m not willing to pay that if the experience will be compromised. Reading a UK Disney forum, I can see that my thoughts are broadly echoed there, and there are people signing up on that forum for the first time looking for answers in these uncertain times. From the UK people typically plan their trips well over a year ahead – the travel is expensive so our trips tend to be things we save for and look forward to keenly. I’m a planner, so I read and research a lot, but the majority will rock up at in Orlando with minimal planning.
Any comments you get at DFB, either here or on Instagram, are subject to massive bias and far from indicative of what the broader population is thinking.
Your readership is a self-selecting group who have a greater interest in Disney parks than the average Disney guest. They probably also read/watch other Disney blogs and will be in an echo chamber of confirmation bias. The responses and comments are all perfectly valid within the context of the audience, but I’d be very cautious extrapolating it out.
I haven’t been to Disney in more than 25 years! And had been planning to take my family for 2021 . My plans will not change Disney is an awesome experience I want my grandchildren to experience.
We had a trip booked for mid May and have moved it to early June. We’ll just keep pushing it out, month by month, if necessary. It’s already been over a year since our last visit, so the thought of putting it off any longer is sad! Disney is so great in the cleanliness department that I know when they open, they’ll bring their A game, like always.
We had a trip scheduled for mid May but rescheduled for September and we are still weary about going at that time as well. As much as I’m missing it and depressed we aren’t going, health and safety are the priority so we are taking it day by day as well. Disney is great when it comes to cleanliness but being in a crowd is the problem and I definitely don’t want to have to walk around on my trip wearing a mask in that heat. If we are going to go, we’d like to experience it all, not with minimal ride or restaurant openings.
I couldn’t agree more with Brenda, Kitty, KC, and R. No matter how safe you think Disney parks are normally, even with upping their already high standards, until we actually know what we’re dealing with, STAY HOME. I miss Disney World like crazy. My husband and I try to go once every year or two (his brother works for them), and we had to cancel our plans this year. I get it. We are so privileged and have been groomed to need instant gratification, but we must calm down. The influenza of 1918 came back even more deadly the second year. I know we want to go back to normal, but for now we must be content with our memories.
Please, for the love of your entire families, your friends, their families, hell! For the love of Dick Van Dyke and Angela Lansbury, PLEASE STAY HOME!!!!!!!!! Thank you. ❤
Suppose to go to Disney World August 12-19, hoping it will be ok. Didn’t book plane a little afraid of such close contact, IF we go We probably will drive. I think DISNEY in good faith should temporarily stop charging visitors a fee for their car. If you stay for a week that’s another $175 which I think the fee is $25 a day. We don’t owe our final payment until July 12, , then we will have to decide. IS anyone else going in August, what are your thoughts?
I would feel completely comfortable going to Disneyland in California especially since my boyfriend and I and my family have all survived the Covid19 virus. I’m on day 21 of it and I feel great now with no symptoms..CDC says that its 99.9% chance of getting it again. I’m not scared at all and look forward to being there to use my birthday gift from my boyfriend….an annual pass that hasn’t been activated yet! I’m turning 53 on April 18th and I hope to be there to celebrate my birthday even if it’s late! Everyone have faith, stay strong…you can survive this…take care of yourselves and drink straight lemon water every day. Maybe the park can offer lemons in that water around the park too. Its supposed to kill the virus…good luck everyone! ❤
Thankfully, we had our annual trip to Disney this past February, so we are planning to go late January of 2021, but will postpone it to April of 2021, if necessary. My husband and I are big Disney fans and we will definitely go once it reopens.
We were going end of May. I do not believe the country or planet will be ready for active travel before July or early October lol. Speaking as a RN and Disney fanatic.
Booked for August 2020 was supposed to be july but Thomas cook went bust .Myself and 7 year old son are visiting yous.
Time will tell .I cancelled hotel but was non refundable, Super 8 Wyndham is brilliant they waivered my full costs.
Flights still going ahead so far .
What ever happens .happens .
God bless you all ❤
Our family, 16 of us, have a 2-week trip at WDW, checking in June 14. In the mix of us are a 77 year old grandma, my DIL who will be 7 months pregnant at the time of the trip along with a great-niece who will be 18 months. We’ve decided to reschedule for next year. EVEN if Disney opens the beginning of June, being around large crowds of people from all over the world is something none of us are comfortable in doing right now.
We had a trip scheduled for November, which I cancelled. We love Disney, but really need to see what is happening with Covid-19 before making any plans. Hoping to make a 2022 trip. We will wait and see.
As a Florida Annual Passholder for the past 18 months I was looking forward to the new rides and reimagining of EPCOT. Seems like some things may get put on hold while the parks are closed and budgets may change for certain projects. With no real idea when they will reopen I am OK with letting my AP expire in September and not having to pay any more monthly payments. I am gonna wait a year or more before purchasing another AP, depends on what is new to see. I’ve seen Star Wars land and got to ride Rise of the Resistance a couple times along with Smugglers Run. I can wait it out until I have a reason to go again.
Problem is how do you do social distance on a plane ,at airport ,while boarding a plane ,does that mean airlines are going to fly half full
I would fully be there on opening day! I figure it would be about as safe as going to a packed grocery store during rush hour. That said, my goal at the moment is to just stockpile cash. My job is thankfully safe right now, but I do have a lot of concerns over the longterm future of our economy (plus, some residual fear from the 2008 recession when I was also laid off twice). So it may be a while before I get back to the House of Mouse.
But I would have zero concerns over the “safety” of Disney over any other sort of large gathering. Heck, even now, I’d rather go to Disney than to one of our state parks which are overflowing with people not bothering to practice social distancing. As it is, I’m very grateful for the memories of being there the last week in February … and I am looking forward to many more Disney memories in the future!
Unfortunately, some media sources are spreading incorrect info about the virus for sensationalism. I have absolutely no qualms about going to Disneyworld or anywhere else because I know what to do. Wash my hands often, don’t touch my face, & if I’m going to be in a confined area for a prolonged time with others wear a mask. That’s it. Go on with your life. I had to change my trip recently but will be there in November AND CANNOT WAIT!!!!
I am confident Disney will keep things as clean as possible BUT I am very concerned about people and cast members knowingly or unknowingly in the parks/restaurants/using transportation/etc. while sick and shedding disease microbes on every surface and in the air. We were at WDW for 10 days late January, 2020. Before our government decided to inform us of COVID. We encountered many, many people coughing, sneezing and looking rather ill. Even the Minnie Van driver who took us to the airport was constantly wiping his runny nose and eyes with his bare hands. We immediately wiped our luggage, hands, anything he touched with disinfectant wipes but who knows what we were breathing in (we opened MV windows when we realized he was sick). If we had noticed he was ill before we got on the highway we would have insisted on another driver.
I have a trip planned in October, and at this point I will almost definitely be going if the parks are open. I’m more concerned about losing money on my flight than my reservations, since I know I can make changes as needed because of how I booked. I have a nonrefundable flight, and unless things stay the way they are I won’t be able to change that. So I will be going, albeit with a little more caution than normal. Maybe I’ll make a pretty face mask.
I was at MK until the kiss goodnight for the closure and I hope to be back for rope drop at the re-open.
We have a 3 wk stay starting in September we are pushing back to May 2021. Coming in from Toronto, not sure if border will be open. To get my Disney fix I walk on the spot on my balcony. It’s 1.2 miles, about 2700 steps around world showcase at Epcot and I imagine going from country to country. Of course, in my mind I do stop off for Fish n chips at Britain and a beer and pretzel at Germany. If we All respect social distancing this will be over sooner. Sadly, seeing the pictures from some States doesn’t fill me with confidence. Stay safe and well all be “home” soon.