Walt Disney World made history today and presented their reopening plan and reopening date — after months of closure — to the Florida Orange County Task Force for initial approval.
Magic Kingdom in Disney World
Disney World has reopened many locations in Disney Springs, their shopping and dining district, this week, and will be reopening all four theme parks very soon!
Disney World Theme Park Reopening DATES
Walt Disney World Resort has proposed a reopening date for Magic Kingdom and Disney’s Animal Kingdom on July 11th, and a reopening date for Epcot and Disney’s Hollywood Studios on July 15th. If this proposal is accepted, the parks will be open to guests on these dates.
Cinderella Castle in Walt Disney World
The task force committee voted to approve this reopening plan. Updated: Mayor Demings has approved the proposal as well. Now, Governor Ron DeSantis must approve it.
Disney World Theme Park Reopening DETAILS
Disney shared that they will have soft opening preview dates and that they will share more information on this soon. Once the parks reopen, Disney will implement a new theme park reservation system. This system will require guests to reserve their arrival in advance to assist with capacity limits. While few details were shared during the meeting, it is important to note that Shanghai Disneyland is currently using a reservation system.
New health and safety procedures will be similar to the ones being implemented in Disney Springs. Some of these protocols will include required face masks for guests and Cast Members, increased social distancing protocols, enhanced cleaning and sanitation, and required temperature screenings for both guests and Cast Members.
©Disney
Disney also mentioned that select experiences will be modified and that there will be no parades, fireworks, or character meet and greets for the time being.
Mickey Mouse
Disney did share that characters “will still be in our parks to entertain and delight our guests.”
You can read MORE about these experiences being temporarily suspended here.
Disney Ticket Sales Information
Disney has updated their website revealing a few more pieces of important information. Disney will not only manage attendance through a theme park reservation system but they will also be pausing NEW ticket sales AND Disney Resort hotel reservations.
Disney Ticket Center
This is so they can “focus on guests with existing tickets and reservations (Disney Vacation Club members can still make new reservations).” Existing ticket holders and Annual Passholders will be able to make these reservation requests in phases BEFORE new tickets go on sale.
Disney Hotel Reopening Information
The Walt Disney World website states, “pending approval from government officials, the phased reopening plans we submitted calls for Walt Disney World theme parks and Disney Resort hotels to open beginning July 11 for Magic Kingdom Park and Disney’s Animal Kingdom followed by EPCOT and Disney’s Hollywood Studios on July 15.”
“Additionally, Disney Vacation Club resorts at Walt Disney World will reopen to members and guests and Disney’s Fort Wilderness Resort & Campground will begin to reopen on June 22. Disney Vacation Club resorts in Vero Beach, Florida, and Hilton Head, South Carolina, will also open to members and guests starting on June 15.” More plans on Disney’s new resort physical distancing measures and cleaning protocols will be implemented at these locations as well.
Get ALL the details on Disney World’s proposal and new processes here.
More Disney Park Closure Details and Info
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Would you visit Disney World on reopening day? Let us know in the comments.
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Victoria, you’ll need to reach out to DVC for that information or wait for Disney to release info.
Marilyn, I’m not sure about this. It seems like Disney has eventually been getting around to sending emails, but as far as I know, there haven’t been any about this since the morning’s announcement.
Lisa, the only WDW Resorts specifically mentioned with opening dates are the DVC Resorts and Fort Wilderness. We’ll update when more info becomes available Resort-wide.
We will NOT make our 2 annual trips to WDW while the mask requirement is in place. How can they expect compliance when the temp is 100 and 75% humidity. Ridiculous!
I love Disney and visit a few times every year. However, my life is not worth risking for a sub par Disney experience. I do think Disney should have special rates at this time since they are not offering even half of what makes it so magical for safety reasons.
I am a pass holder for over 30 years. My husband and I like to walk around a park for an hour or two 3 or 4 nights a week and get a drink and a snack or two. Sounds like we will not be able to does anymore. We will go on one ride maybe once a month.
Well, I would never pay full price with no fireworks, no character meet and greet, no parades….I can’t imagine who would…
masks do nothing. Wake Up. cancelling trip
Well, I wouldn’t pay full price for this kind of “experience.”…..I don’t know who would….
Interesting….the rule in the past was that adults could NOT wear a mask….now they are required! About FACE!
My.family was already booked for a DVC club say the week of 6/22. I just got off the phone and was told no information is available about a “soft open” of any Park or exactly what will be open if we decided to keep the reservation. I know they are doing the best they can, it’s just frustrating for us after rescheduling 4 times. It look like we may not get back to Disney till 2021.
@victoria
I have been asking these question since 3/20. DVC just sent an email. It was pretty vague too. It does mention 2018 & 2019 banked points. But it doesn’t talk about Resort capacity. I find it hard to believe that this is t a “thing.” Not does it say anything g about us NYers. My bro lives in FL & he did say other vacation properties & hotels are not allowed to accept reservations from the hot spots, NY is obviously one. But that’s today. I could not find info about to confirm that.
I just want a refund for the tickets I purchased for our cancelled April trip. Unless tickets reflect the current experience, 25% of what it was when I purchased the tickets, I would prefer my money back.
As of today’s announcement of Disney Reopening, Covid-19 death toll in the United States surpassed 100,000. Not even thinking of going to Disney anytime soon! It’s Not Gone Folks, and people are quickly loosing respect for safeguards, masks, distancing. The worst may be yet to come……..
I’ve been planning my trip since last July and finally got everything (including flight) paid off. Over hours and hours and hours of studying and planning my over due trip now the news with mandatory masks and then cancelling the parades & fireworks I’m tremendously disappointed. I’m SO tempted to cancel but hate having to go through all this again. Just hoping maybe by October some things will change. This has really put a damper on everything. BUMMED OUT!!!
Me and my mom, hopefully, will be going in September unless the masks stay mandatory. We both have breathing problems and my mom even needs to use an inhaler.
We aren’t against masks entirely. We were planning on wearing them whenever we were inside, especially for a preshow for a ride.
And honestly with the heat and humidity wearing a mask won’t be healthy. People already go down with heat exhaustion. But with something obstructing your breathing.
I was at a week long summer camp and on the last night over half the kids just dropped with heat exhaustion. Litterly collapsed. The other half were showing symptoms.
That experience, let’s just say that I never want to go through something like that again.
mine is set for September 11-22, with park hopper and water park. we also are doing 3 resorts to try new ones. How can we park hop like we always do if i have to reserve what one im going to be in. And i agree, i dont want to go if its not the full Disney. flying from Utah to Florida and the long stay is not cheap
Full price for Half of the Experience, and forced to wear a mask on MY Vacation, Not happening, Cancelled our annual Fall Food & Wine Trip.
I will not be coming back ‘til masks are no longer required.
As a frontline worker I can tell you masks are very hard to keep on. Especially when your hot I love Disney but not worth going until there is a vaccine. I’ll just watch your lovely blog until I can return.
I seriously cannot believe anyone would want to go to Disney under these conditions. Not to mention paying for it. Clearly, they are discouraging families with children.
We had plans to go to Disney for 6 days in may 2022 but we can’t get reservations or tickets that far out yet. So now my 4 grandkids are so bummed to have to wait till November and that’s even a guess if we can get reservations then I have Astama and so does nay grandson mask will not work for us
Brenda, Disney typically starts taking room reservations at 500 days before the trip you’re planning, so 2022 would be outside of that range for now. This isn’t a new policy (but we’ll have to wait and see if it does change when the new system goes live).
Can you tell us which masks are allowed and which are not.I like the bandana one that ties behind head .